Letters to the editor for May 14

Unemployed? Use free time to educate yourself

Fellow Carsonites, are you angry, disgusted, frustrated with the America we find ourselves living in? I have read that our area has an unemployment rate of 13-plus percent, which means there are a lot of people with extra time on their hands. Why not put that time to good use?

May I suggest the free library? Do what our schools failed to do, get educated about our country. I have been doing this. I have read the Constitution, Declaration of Independence and the Bill of Rights. Then I read about George Washington, Thomas Jefferson and I am now into Benjamin Franklin.

In between these, I have read the life story of President Obama and former President Bush. I have read articles pro and con on our Washington leadership. Otherwise, I have tried to keep an open mind, be objective.

I'll tell you one thing I have come away with - America of today is not the America that our founding fathers envisioned. I think I have figured out what happened, but I am still reading. If we all take this down time to educate ourselves, then it will not be wasted. Happy reading.

Cathie Tierney

Carson City

Illegal aliens costing our country billions

Most of us have a difficult time grasping the real significance of quantities of a million, a billion or a trillion. For example, it is estimated $338.3 billion in federal funding is spent annually on illegal aliens.

Just what does that mean?

It means that based on 20 million illegal aliens, each of them is receiving the equivalent of $16,915 annually in federal funding. Based on

10 million illegal aliens, each of them is receiving $37,830.

It also means that every U.S. citizen, be they man, woman or child, is losing the equivalent of $1,113 yearly in federal funding in support of illegal aliens.

Another way of looking at it is that an illegal family of four is getting $67,660 annually in the equivalent of federal funding while a U.S. family of four is losing $4,452.

Why is it that so many of our congressmen are so willing to give so much funding to illegal immigrants rather than giving it to U.S. citizens?

Wouldn't it be nice if our congressmen would break down each of their spending bills to see what it is costing the average U.S. citizen in federal funding?

All federal funds belong to the U.S. citizens and should be spent on them and for their benefit.

Personally I would prefer my $1,113 be spent on unfortunate U.S. citizens rather than on the law-breaking illegal aliens.

Sanford E. Deyo

Minden

Smallwood has what it takes for District 39

There is a clear choice for Assemblyperson in District 39. Only one candidate understands how to, and has actually shrunk the size of government, and did so as a commissioner here in Douglas County. I have talked with her at length, and she is accessible and easy to talk to. She has her telephone number on all her brochures and calling cards. She wants to hear what you have to say.

My questions to this candidate were about her governance as commissioner, and I found she understands how her decisions affect ordinary citizens because she is not indebted to special interest constituents. She takes the time to analyze situations and has a true conservative mindset. She will fight for Nevada to regain states' rights that have eroded over the years.

She reads the Constitution and referred to it often when we discussed what needs to be done in order to reclaim our rights. We talked about the right of the citizens to redress the government, and she strongly supports the rights of citizens to the initiative process.

"Every time the government takes a choice from you, you lose one or more rights." This is a strong statement from a candidate that I can heartily support.

Who is this candidate for District 39 Assembly? It's Barbara Smallwood. Join me, and vote for Barbara in the upcoming June 8 Republican primary election.

David Nelson

Gardnerville

Sheriff candidate goes overboard with signs

Candidate Bob Guimont: Why have we got a blizzard of your campaign signs on public right-of-ways every couple of hundred feet all over Carson City?

We get it. You are running for sheriff. Your signs are overkill. There are so many signs they are a distraction to drivers, especially on Carson Street. Wouldn't just a reasonable amount of signs placed in strategic locations be enough?

How much are all these signs costing? Perhaps you should use the extra money to help your community with programs such as "Shop with a Cop."

Jo Silva

Carson City