The Republican Party needs its own Harry Reid

To the editor:

President Obama’s demands in the “fiscal cliff” negotiations includes a $50 billion stimulus package to be spent on infrastructure projects, a one-year extension of federal unemployment benefits and, my personal favorite, the ability to unilaterally raise the debt ceiling. This is insane.

Also insane is allowing House Speaker John Boehner to handle negotiations again. Just like during the previous debt ceiling debacle, Rep. Boehner is shocked at the lack of seriousness of the president, and Rep. Boehner never makes a passionate case for, say, cutting corporate tax rates. No, he’s perpetually shocked.

House Republicans need to find a Harry Reid among themselves and let that person lead these negotiations. It has been and still is hardball time. A man who is constantly flustered and never makes a compelling case to the public for what he wants or even says he wants will not get this job done.

Gerald Duncan

Las Vegas

For Sammy

To the editor:

Thanks for the great article Thursday about a Las Vegas man’s plan to get part of Industrial Road renamed Sammy Davis Jr. Drive. If there’s anyone who deserves the recognition, it’s definitely Sammy Davis Jr.

But you didn’t give readers information on where we can send our donations to – $20,000 is nothing in this town. People just need to know where to send it.

Victor Moss

Las Vegas

Donations can be made to Wells Fargo Acct. 6964402173.

Bogus accusation

To the editor:

The Review-Journal on Sunday libeled me, former Publisher Sherman Frederick and every reporter and editor at the Review-Journal who covered the 2010 senatorial campaign between Harry Reid and Sharron Angle by publishing, in print and online, turncoat Review-Journal columnist and defrocked Las Vegas Sun columnist Jon Ralston’s accusation that I and Mr. Frederick were “way out of control” during that campaign, and that bias somehow “trickled into coverage” by the newspaper (Nevadan at Work: “Politics keeps commentator Ralston enthralled”).

I defy anyone to identify anything I wrote during the campaign that was “way out of control” (After the election is another matter entirely) or find a scintilla of bias in the news coverage.

Mr. Frederick may speak for himself.

If anyone wishes to check the files, they’ll find it was Mr. Ralston who called Ms. Angle crazy, dangerous, schizophrenic and pathological in print, as well as ridiculing her on television.

Thomas Mitchell

Las Vegas

The writer is former editor of the Review-Journal.

Professional liars

To the editor:

In response to last week’s Ted Rall cartoon about the 2016 GOP presidential candidates’ belief in creationism:

The United States is the only industrialized nation with a large percentage of its population still believing in the biblical account of the “beginning of time.”

This is pathetic. Religion is a nasty remnant of our ignorant past. With what we now know, anyone who still believes in talking snakes and the parting of the seas and such is an idiot, plain and simple.

Any politician who truly believes in this archaic nonsense cannot be trusted in office, even though I suspect many of them do not. They’re just pandering for votes. Politicians are professional liars, so I suppose the “religion” thing fits them just fine. Enough already.

ROBERT BOWEN

LAS VEGAS

Did not reflect credit

To the editor:

Steve Sebelius’ Nov. 20 column praising and lauding Rep. Shelley Berkley was a disgrace and a slap in the face to Nevadans. Her self-serving record unfortunately seems to be a norm for Nevada politicians, led by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, who promotes Chinese solar projects represented by his son while he tries to shut down power plants that produce affordable electricity.

As a private attorney, Ms. Berkley advised a client to give donations to judges to gain favorable decisions for pet projects. And Mr. Sebelius praises her for this? Now under investigation for numerous ethics violations, she can’t keep her stories straight.

Rep. Berkley did not act in a manner deserving of credit when she took official action to benefit her husband’s medical practice without disclosing her husband’s interests. And for this she is praised?

ALBERT WENGERT

BOULDER CITY

More on Mallard

To the editor:

So Robert Brummer will do whatever it takes to remove Mallard Fillmore from the Review-Journal comics page (Sunday letter).

I must have missed his equally incensed demand for the removal of Doonesbury, which does a great job of poking conservative politicians, the military and, occasionally, Christians (never Muslims, as that would be dangerous).

To say that Doonesbury sings my song politically would be a falsehood, however, I have read it for many years, find it very funny, and have never felt the need to have it removed from a newspaper because I disagreed with it politically (read, anti-Bush).

I am always amused and a little confused by some liberals, who, if asked, will proudly say that they support free speech, but are quick to demand that conservative writings, conservative radio talkers and conservative educators be eliminated. (In the case of educators, that is a fait accompli).

I may disagree with what Mr. Brummer says about Mallard Fillmore, but I will defend to the death his right to say it.

Ron Siess

Henderson