Letters to the editor

Election letter policy

The Nevada Appeal welcomes letters to the editor about candidates in the Nov. 4 general election and will make every effort to publish all we receive.

Letters stand the best chance to be published if they are brief and contain opinions on issues of broad concern.

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Address your correspondence to Letters to the Editor, Nevada Appeal, PO Box 2288, Carson City, Nev., 89702.

Letters may also be faxed to 887-2420 or sent via e-mail to editor@nevadaappeal.com.

Doesn't understand Palin's philosophy

I wonder if anyone can explain how a person can be pro life, pro war and pro gun/hunting. How can one shoot to kill a soldier, a civilian, a moose, elk or bear? They all have a beating heart. Killing is killing - isn't it? And, how does this fit into God's plan? I really don't understand the thought process.

PATRICIA BAILEY

Gardnerville

Wind power is history in the making

I could not be more pleased that finally someone is going to build the infrastructure to capture and make use of one of our abundant natural resources.

The wind is always with us. The wind is annoying and difficult to work in. But it would not seem nearly so bad to be able to look up in the middle of a wind storm from Dayton and see wind turbines at work providing this area with some relief from our dependence on foreign oil.

I would think the Historic District would be happy to have this in their backyard. It is also history in the making!

CLAUDE ALDRIDGE

Dayton

Upset by tone of political ads

The Presidential campaign ads are flying and the same old "fear and smear" ads are hitting the airwaves. This time the GOP attack dogs have really crossed the line. John McCain is trying to trash Barack Obama with "swiftboat" style ads that we've seen before only this time they are running the most despicable ad ever run by a presidential candidate. Now they are using our children to smear Barack Obama with outright lies.

John McCain has done an about face regarding "swiftboat" style ads. Instead of distancing himself from these type of ads, he instead embraced them. These swiftboat style ads need to be stopped. They are downright lies and smear.

We need to focus on the real issues regarding sky high gas prices, medical reform, the economy and foreign policy. We want the candidates to focus on how they are going to get America on the right track.

PATRICIA THOMAS

Carson City

Public retirement system not quite that generous

Some of the statements made in John L. Smith's article could not be further from the truth. He states that taxpayers pay 20.5 percent of an employee's pay into retirement when in fact half of that amount is paid by the employee, not the taxpayers.

He claims that Nevada's public retirement plan is the most generous in the nation when in fact it is one of the least generous because Nevada is one of the few states that does not participate in the Social Security System. 12.4 percent of a Nevada State employee's pay (6.2 percent withheld from the employee) does not go into retirement for Nevada employees like it does in other states. Has the Las Vegas Chamber conveniently left this out of their study or is it John L. Smith that distorted the facts?

PAUL S. MULLER, M.AC., CPA

Carson City

What makes a person qualified for vice president?

I'm confused about Palin. Is this the woman that loves shooting guns, loves to eat moose stew and puts lipstick on her pit bull? I have to say that this is a real good strategy McCain has come up with but it just won't fly with me. I believe he picked her as his V.P. just to get all the woman that are mad at Obama for not picking Clinton as his V.P.

Now all I hear is change from the McCain organization. McCain voted with Bush 95 percent of the time and now he says that he wants change? What has he been doing all of this time in the senate?

Where has Bush and Cheney been during the Republican Convention? I'll tell you where, hiding. No one wants to be anywhere near these two, not to mention Rice, Rumsfeld and the rest of the loony tunes that have made this nation look so inept and foolish.

Ten billion dollars a month for the war in Iraq? Do you know what this nation could have done for its own people with all the money that has been spent on this war?

Now that I know that Palin knows how to make and eat moose stew, I'm going into the kitchen and make some of my famous meatloaf, so watch out Palin, here I come! Another question, making my great meatloaf, going out and firing my gun, having raised children and putting lipstick on my cat, does that make me a possible good Vice President?

J.T. FRESHOUR

Carson City

Seniors should get garbage discount

Recently we read that Waste Management gives a 20 percent discount to residents over the age of 65. All that was needed was to go into their office on Vassar Street and provide proof of age. Today a trip to Reno gave us the opportunity to stop by their office. We were advised that Washoe County entered into an agreement with Waste Management that gives this discount to resident seniors. Why hasn't Carson City entered into such an agreement with Waste Management? Carson City gives money to build the V&T RR but does not support its tax paying seniors like us who vote.

DOROTHY KRATZ

Carson City

Doesn't like changes to Silver Sage Circle

What happened to Silver Sage Circle? Over four years ago I moved to a nice quiet dead-end street called Silver Sage Circle. Not much traffic day or night.

All of a sudden the street sign changed to Silver Sage Drive. Now we get much more traffic and some vehicles get "road rage" when they turn around and head back to Colorado and then find their correct street.

Why was the sign changed?

CAROL KATAUSKY

Carson City

Candidates should keep to the issues

John McCain has crossed a line with his latest "sex ed" ad against Barack Obama. It is outrageous and has no purpose other than to spread lies and focus attention away from real issues.

John McCain promised to fight the groups attempting to swiftboat any candidate, but has instead embraced them and now has used this tactic from his own campaign. We must demand that this is stopped.

We need a real debate about gas prices, foreign policy, and the economy. Republicans continue to believe that smears win elections not issues. We have to take back our electoral process and not let the lies and smears win again!

MICHAEL RAY

Incline Village

Obama, what do you want to change?

During my 85 years I have at times concluded that the only way to develop a good factual premise for my vote is to go to the horse's mouth. There seems a noticeable lack of fact in some of your comments, and deceptively misleading in others. There is one of your major talking points that puzzles me.

You speak of change, but as in many of your expressions you fail to tell us in specific terms what it is you have in mind. What specifically can you change, if anything. Surely you don't mean the entrenched bureaucrats who in fact run the country. They of course yield to no one and they plan on being there after you are gone.

You have no foreign relations resume, and it appears at times that you are wrapped in isolation idealism. During my war " World War II " the Brits had a popular tune with engaging lyrics "There'll be blue birds over, the white cliffs of Dover, tomorrow when the world is free." Well the world isn't free, never has been, and never shall be, and in case you missed it, our nation is squarely in the crosshairs of the Muslim gunsights.

You seem to be telling those who created jobs for those of less initiative to do well but if you did too well I shall take away your profits. Sir, small businesses can be taxed out of business, and large companies are never taxed, instead they are placed as tax collectors for the government, and we, the little, and aged people are the ones who are hurt.

On these three items you have always spoken in generalities rather than specific plans. That won't work, so please fill us in.

VERNON M. LATSHAW

Gardnerville

Epstein ready to take on old boys network

Sarah Palin has taken the political world by storm this election season. Everyone has heard about this Alaska Governor and her field dressing a moose. Douglas County voters are lucky to have their own Alaskan woman candidate, Nancy Epstein for Douglas County Commissioner.

Nancy Epstein has moved to Douglas County from Alaska. Nancy has eaten moose stew. She's ridden on an Iditarod dog sled. She's fished among the bears in the Alaskan wilderness. Most of all, Nancy Epstein is taking on the old boy network just like Sara Palin. Nancy won her recent primary by over 80 percent! Voters recognized that Nancy Epstein is not taking money from big developers and special interests like other candidates.

Douglas County voters noticed her political signs are not showing up on controversial future development properties en masse. Nancy Epstein is only accepting small donations from ordinary citizens of Douglas County. Nancy Epstein is spending the donations she is receiving at Douglas County businesses. Nancy Epstein realizes small businesses in Douglas County need all the support they can get from candidates and politicians currently in office because she is a small business woman.

Just like Sara Palin, Nancy Epstein is a working mother and knows the issues of the economy, taxes, and growth in our county. I would urge all Douglas County voters to get to know Nancy Epstein, and vote for a woman willing to represent ALL of Douglas County!

PAUL BELT

Gardnerville