Letters to editor of the Pahrump Valley Times

New dictators for new countries in the U.S.

New Calimexico is defying all federal law by their governor and legislators. It looks like a coup d’etat to become a new country, yet they will take federal funds to help with their problems – fires, rain, mudslides, highway repairs and development, etc.

I can not believe the California people, especially all citizens could allow these politicians they elected to help straighten California’s problems to exacerbate them even more.

Independents, Tea Party, Democrats and Republicans all should be up in arms about what’s promised and what’s actually happening to their freedoms and taxes.

In some respects, Nevadans ought to be concerned, as our leaders seem to be starting out like the above. To not see what good has been done since Trump became president is to be anti-American – whether you like him personally or not.

These are truly sad times.

Henry Hurlbut

Loss of the Salvation Army sad for Pahrump

Pahrump is losing a valuable asset – the Salvation Army. Why? The answer is stupidly simple. Check out the ridiculously expensive artifice to administrative excess on Buol Street. Did it cost less than $2 million to build? Maybe.

Such a service facility for our community could easily have been created at a much more modest cost. This is not rocket science, it is just over-bloated NGO (non-governmental organization) stupidity.

Can anyone get fired from a Salvation Army executive position? Some should.

Fred Dexter

Coordinator, town praised for Taco Fest success

Members of Soroptimist International Pahrump Valley would like to express our appreciation to the community who attended and supported the recent Taco Fest in the Calvada Eye.

We are especially grateful to the event coordinator, Deanna O’Donnell, who selected our organization to be the beneficiary of this amazing fundraising event. Deanna and her team of dedicated volunteers did an amazing job.

A huge thank you to the entertainers, the judges, the sponsors and especially to the people who made it all possible … the contestants, many of whom began the cooking process in the wee hours of the morning.

And finally to the team of Soroptimist members who worked the registration and information booths non-stop from beginning to end, thank you. I am so proud to be a member of this amazing organization that improves the lives of women and girls in the communities in which we serve.

Cecilia Thomas

President, Soroptimist International Pahrump Valley

Not all Democrats are ‘crazy socialists’

According to President Trump and the national conservative news media, someone who simply supports a federal government social program that helps people, like Social Security and Medicare, is a “crazy socialist.” If we go by that definition, then that would make Dwight Eisenhower and Richard Nixon “crazy socialists” because they both signed into law and existence new federal government social programs that help people and they both supported Social Security.

In fact, Ike wrote a letter to his brother in which he said that any Republican who wants to abolish Social Security is “stupid.” It appears that conservative Republicans have become more aligned with “the radical right” and more “stupid” since around 1980 because we sure do have a lot of them nowadays who want to abolish Social Security and move our country toward “survival-of-the-fittest” social Darwinism.

For example, I just saw President Trump’s “Acting Chief of Staff” and “Budget Director” Mick Mulvaney on television.

When he was a congressman, he was a favorite of the “Tea Party” and was well-known for stating that Social Security is a “Ponzi scheme” that it is “unconstitutional” and that it should be abolished. More and more, today’s national Republican Party stealthily advocates for a creeping “survival-of-the-fittest” social Darwinism.

Sincerely,

Stewart B. Epstein

Positive proposals for odometer law would be nice

In reading TIM’S TAKE lately, I notice Mr. Burke’s liberal use of “Orwellian” as an adjective to make his points. Some might say overusing even. While I disagree with applying that modifier toward social media (no one forces you to use Facebook, Twitter, etc.), he has a point with DMV requirements which are not optional and could be construed as big brother overreach.

He is concerned about future ramifications on taxation. Assemblyman Hafen has the same concern, especially as applied to his rural constituents who naturally have to drive more than urban and suburban citizens. Instead of complaining, I would urge Mr. Burke and Mr. Hafen to offer constructive alternative proposals that take into account the dual reality of electric vehicles paying no fuel taxes at all and increasing numbers of fuel-efficient vehicles that pay a lower percentage of the same.

Our system of road funding is decades old and predicated on universal gasoline and diesel fuel usage, a concept which is evolving and now challenged by electric mobility. Less whining and more positive proposals would be appreciated.

Alexsander “Sasha” Jevtich

Only old-fashioned journalism gets at the truth

Impeaching a president, essentially overturning an election, is a very serious matter. Mr. Culshaw has indicated that I am one of many Democrats who is intent on getting Trump impeached by employing any means necessary. Truly, this is not the case.

If I relied on Fox News, as apparently Mr. Culshaw does, I would likely agree with his belief. Regrettably, Chris Wallace is the only one on Fox News, an old-fashioned journalist, who believes in getting at the truth. On more than one occasion Trump had his cronies, like Miller, one of Trump’s attorneys, appear with Wallace. Wallace has stood toe to toe against Trump’s representatives and held his ground. Shep Smith, a former newscaster for Fox News, was also truthful, but Trump arranged to have him fired because Shep told the truth about Trump. Shep said on his last broadcast, that the truth and the facts will be known.

Mr. Culshaw just doesn’t get it. I don’t recall CJ Stevens writing that he was a Democrat, and even if he is, his writing, similar to mine, is getting at the truth, not protecting a political party or Trump. Just recently, Republicans overwhelmingly voted with the Democrats in the House to condemn the unilateral action of Trump by pulling our troops out of Syria, leaving our allies, the Kurds, to fend for themselves, causing numerous Kurds to be slaughtered. And allowing many ISIS fighters to escape while also allowing our enemy, Russia, to gain a stronger foothold in Syria. Even highly-respected Republican, Mitt Romney, stood up in the Senate and rebuked Trump for his irresponsible and inhumane decision.

Obviously, Mr. Culshaw has received his information from the least trusted sources. For example, Fox News is under the least trusted, and on a scale of 1-5, with 5 being the highest of the least trusted, Fox gets a score of 2-1/2 while Limbaugh gets a 2.

Mr. Culshaw should be ashamed of himself. He, like millions of other Fox News sheep, have supported and encouraged Trump to do Putin’s bidding. Now with his support from Fox News, Trump has blood on his hands. Putin has to be smiling. So sad.

Jim Ferrell