From Kalifornistan to the D.C. Beltway:
Just how stupid do the Beltway Insiders think the public is? Most of them are not qualified to wash cars, but they make decisions that put the "general welfare" of our grandkids in jeopardy.
These wizards have borrowed a stack of $100 bills that's 947 miles high in the past six months. To make matters worse they are predicting doom and gloom with the pronouncement that we are in a crisis. The state of the economy is in large part determined by public confidence; the claim that a crisis exists is a self-fulfilling prophecy. The fact is the "stimulus" is a solution in search of a problem. A politician without a problem to solve has a difficult time justifying his or her existence.
Much has been said about corporate CEO compensation and use of company aircraft. Discussions about the recent increase in congressional pay and use of government aircraft are conspicuous by their absence. The operating cost for most corporate aircraft is less than $5,000 per hour, at most $10,000 per hour. The estimated cost of operating Air Force One is $60,000 per hour. Including Marine One and security costs the total is close to $75,000 per hour.
President Obama said that CEOs shouldn't be traveling on the taxpayer's dime but he travels on the taxpayer's dime. How can the travel to Denver, Cedar Rapids, etc. on borrowed money for photo ops be justified? The CEOs who produce something and create wealth have been unjustly condemned.
I left the Socialist Republik of Kalifornistan (SRK) because of its out-of-control government. Now that the SRK is bankrupt, taxpayers are forced to pay for failed liberal policies with taxes diverted through the Beltway. That's bad enough if it were only the SRK, but any state that has balanced budget requirements now has a revenue source with strings, more accurately a noose, held by the Beltway Insiders.
Now is the time to recognize that the stimulus package has nothing to do with the economy; the purpose is a power transfer to Washington, D.C.
Again, just how stupid do the Beltway Insiders think we are?
RICHARD FROST
Minden
Rogers commentary utterly disgusting:
The recent Opinion page commentary by Jim Rogers was the most disgusting editorial I have ever read.
Here is a man who proclaims himself to be quite a hero and a great American and then tears a governor to pieces with statements untrue simply because he is against raising taxes. As always, most teachers believe they should be treated as some type of God.
However, if they were working on commission and the quality of their product earned their livelihood, most would be looking for work. Rogers has been at the public trough most of his life and feels that he can have anything he wants because of his job. Maybe if he is so concerned about the future, he and all teachers would be willing to take a pay cut and put the money to a better use. That will not happen.
As far as most people are concerned, we don't want higher taxes. When there is no money, you can't tax people just to make a few people happy.
Get real, Jim, you are thinking like a dictator, and you ain't.
BILL BEIL
Carson City
Here's a friendly tip: Don't forget to tip:
I worked in the casino industry for 15 years as a dealer. People need the tips from customers. That's how we make our living. We listen to you, show concern if you win or lose. This gets simple. If you have the money to gamble, drink or eat in a restaurant or casino, then you have the money to tip " that's how we get paid.
SUSAN RICHARDS
Minden