Governor's press secretary's salary is way too high
I was appalled when I read that our Governor's press secretary earns $100,000 plus per year!
With all the state's budget cuts, this position should be the first to go or at least the wages cut in half " what with all the free press our governor receives " there really isn't any need to hire someone for this position!
CAROL A. TIERNEY
Carson City
Obama campaign was not what it seemed
Reader Van Alfen's hate-filled, bigoted letter that accuses me of hate-filled, bigoted criticisms of President-Elect Obama: Recent history is on my side.
Mainstream media outlets kicked off the affirmative action drive for Obama as non-profit propagandists, heroically uncurious about his past or lack of accomplishments. The clown college formerly known as journalism cried racism (cue Mr. Van Alfen) when legitimate questions about Tony Rezko or skepticism about Obama's paper-thin resume surfaced. I call my first witness, Bill Clinton.
Contrast President Bush's savage treatment, by among others a certain correspondent to this paper's letters page.
ACORN registered thousands of fake Obama voters in seemingly every jurisdiction in America. Democrat election officials turned their mothers' pictures to the wall and delivered those phantom votes to the ballot box.
Obama's fund-raising apparatus was largely Web based, giving the campaign plausible deniability for not vetting its donors. The oversized contributions were repackaged as $200-and-smaller bundles, allowing the "donors" to remain anonymous. There's a hundred million left over. Did you really think the "little people" contributed all that loot in this economy?
There is no question about the legitimacy of Obama's election. Nothing was left to chance, nor to the voters. Selected, not elected.
LYNN MUZZY
Minden
Don't fight hate with even more hate
I just read the letter from Rick Van Alfen urging people to stop being hateful, not to promote propaganda and to become more knowledgeable.
Then he proceeds to write a letter full of hate propaganda and ignorant rhetoric.
If Rick was at all knowledgeable he would know that the agenda of Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity and Bill O'Reilly is to expose injustices perpetrated by corrupt, evil incompetent people in places of power.
If what they have to say makes him fearful, he should be. The truth is scary.
Instead of seeking the truth he apparently bought into an opinion not fact from one of his truthful unbiased news media.
Rick objects to hate, blind ignorance and reckless assertiveness and then proceeds to accuse the aforementioned three men of spewing hateful filth. How hypocritical is that?
There is an old saying, you've probably heart it. "Ignorance breeds fear and fear breeds hate."
That analogy fits Rick to a tee.
PATRICIA PAPAZOGLOW
Carson City
To protect economy, we must protect agriculture
As the economy slips into recession, it is important the agricultural sector continues to make changes toward land-use development, alternative fuels, conservation of water, transportation systems, and more production and marketing at the local level in order for all of us to survive in the future.
Rail systems for cross-country transportation need improving as the trucking industry is declining. Real estate speculation, poor land-use planning, and urban sprawl need to be checked to protect vital farm land.
More water storage and conservation is required as the demand for fresh water increases. More alternative fuels need to be developed from crop residues. Above all, more farm products need to be produced at the local level to avoid high production and transportation costs. If garlic, onions, corn and alfalfa are grown in Yerington then all the grocery stores and many of the ranches in Northern Nevada should buy these farm products locally instead of buying from out-of-state farmers and vendors.
I walked into Wal-Mart one day and bought a bulb of garlic from China! Ridiculous! Farm labor, on the other hand, might not be a problem in the future as unemployment rises.
We cannot continue business as usual in this changing world. Because of economic conditions and public demand for more environmental protection and safer food, the agricultural sector will have to change also, as many local communities strive to sustain their populations.
AMY BURKE
Carson City
Did Obama campaign pay off media?
I just want to know how much did it cost Obama's campaign to keep the story of his possible lack of U.S. citizenship out of the news. What is up there is a lawsuit in a federal court and we hear nothing.
He is ordered to turn over his birth certificate but does not do so, and we hear nothing. I mean it could not have been cheap to buy off the press or is the presses ethics worth as much as a Fourth Street hooker these days.
ROB COBB
Carson City