Letters to the editor Sept. 11

Flip-flopping Reid can't run on his record

If only Harry Reid had just betrayed the troops and then shut up.

A pro-Reid letter writer was upset recently because I accused the senator of treason. Let's see, Reid voted for the Iraq war and voted to confirm Gen. Petraeus as the commander in Iraq before declaring the war lost in April 2007. Reid told us all we need to know about his change of heart when, that same month, he bragged at a press conference that the war would help more Democrats get elected.

Nevada voters have a choice between a candidate for Senate who will take national defense seriously or re-electing a political windsock. No wonder the senator wants to spend his campaign cash telling lies about Sharron Angle instead of defending his record.

The ObamaCare facilitator's ads are particularly deceitful now that we know that it's Obama's pet bi-partisan deficit commission - whose findings will be out just after the November elections - that's fixing to gut Social Security.

At least someone in the Reid family has some shame; Rory won't even use his last name in his campaign for governor. Maybe it's because he thinks his dad is just too extreme to be re-elected.

Lynn Muzzy

Minden

Remember, taxes pay for schools, police, military

My letter on July 28 stirred the pot. Up popped Sharron Angle's right wing tea party, all complaining about taxes, none of them thanking the president and Democrats for the 2009 income tax beak for 98 percent of us.

The Republican leadership told us the tax break for the 2 percent super rich would create more jobs. Well, did it? Their 10-year windfall ends this year. Their tax rate will revert back to the Clinton time, a time when we had the best economy, most jobs, balanced budget and surplus.

I hate taxes, too, but I would love to pay the income tax on $225,000. Remember, our consumption of goods and services creates the super rich.

One of my critics said tax for Social Security, Medicare, education, etc., was stealing. "It is a sin against God's 7th commandment, thou shalt not steal." No mention of tax breaks for big oil, ag and pharmaceutical companies. Let's add to the list subsidies for hospitals, schools, police, firemen and the cost of the military.

If we cut all of the aforesaid taxes in half, we would only pay half the tax. We would have more business failures, unemployment, crime, hunger, sickness, homelessness, a weak economy and further poor health care. Remember, we cut funding for schools for doctors.

The question remains, do you think Jesus would be on the side of insurance corporations' profits - a soulless stack of papers - over the needs of our poor and sick?

Frank Johnston

Carson City

Obama deserves impeachment

Impeachment of President Obama is recommended by former Congressman Tom Tancredo (R-Colo.) and columnist Jeffrey T. Kunhner in a recent Washington Times commentary because Obama is brazenly violating his Oath of Office by unconstitutional practices.

In view of Obama's refusal to protect and defend our southern borders against foreign and domestic incursions, action to protect our sovereignty and citizens must be taken seriously.

The president's world view of America is one of hostility to our traditional capitalistic system and reminiscent of Russian communism. The Constitution, he stated, is a document of limited rights. Thank goodness the founders were protecting us against unlimited government power.

Finally, new in our history, we have a president who denigrates this America before the world and who alienates our proven friends - Israel and Great Britain - in favor of brutal, seventh-century barbarism.

Impeachment and conviction is the only remedy I can see. May our beloved country become once more that city set on a hill and not be plunged into the ash heap of history.

Bob Shaw

Carson City

Downtown should be a destination, not afterthought

Regarding the letter by Lynn McPike in (a recent) Appeal where she states putting parking back on main street will "make it harder to drive through town" and "our town looks fine as it is," sorry, Lynn, but no, it doesn't.

Thirty years ago our town looked like a bombed out, emptied and abandoned ghetto. Through the years and (after) a lot of hard work by many individuals, it has slowly been redeveloped and is getting there. But it is still in question as to whether we will be successful.

Another downtown business is closing (City Cafe) and every restaurant on main street is struggling right now. For downtown to be successful, one critical need is to create a parking- and pedestrian-friendly main street. That's why the bypass is so important. That's why development of adequate side streets is so important. It is what I and others have been working toward for many, many years.

You see, our downtown should not be a place you drive through, our downtown should be a place you drive to.

Steve Browne

Carson City