Letters to the Editor

The tricky part of impeachment is not to appear political

There are still many who seemed to ‘lump’ impeachment in with other forms of our judicial system, which may be a failure of our education system and/or a failure of the individual to learn.

First, “impeachment” is specifically for the removal from office of any government official. This does not preclude that person from criminal or civil prosecution in any other court by persons of ‘standing’, which means a person or their representative that can show being harmed by the person they want to prosecute.

Unlike what recently in many of the election filing cases, many courts refused to even consider the cases brought forth due to the filers having ‘no standing’ which in no way means there was no validity to the case, just those who filed the case could not prove ‘harm’ due to the person or entity they were filing the case against.

It’s sometimes a legal way to avoid a case they may consider too controversial, sometimes valid, maybe sometimes not. In an impeachment too much power for rules are granted to the Majority leader, for example, it’s been long established that the chief justice of the Supreme Court will preside over the impeachment of the president of the USA, not some member who will also serve as a jury member and possibly even a prosecutor.

Also, rules on discovery of evidence and cross-examination of witnesses are subject to be altered. The tricky part of impeachment has been not to appear too political but really fair. I don’t this was accomplished in this or the “first” impeachment.

In the first impeachment, how many noticed that many, if not most, witnesses whose original statements had strong accusatorial on many things, but when they were put under oath, these same witnesses seemed to change to “I don’t remember”, “I don’t recall” or “I heard that from someone else.”

Remembering the first costly fiasco, there were no official witnesses only un-oathed accusers in the second trial. If indeed the former president did commit a criminal or civil crime, now is the time to bring those charges forth in the proper court, but I believe they are well aware of the rules changes they could very well subject the accusers to legal jeopardy for they themselves.

Remembering the saying “you can indict a ham sandwich but remember that ham sandwich might eat you.”

David Jaronik

Reader has a few questions about PV Times letter

From one American to another American, I respect Skeet Smith’s right to express his opinion as he did in PVT on Feb. 19. However, I am left with questions. For example, he wrote. “I feel Richard Heller, Janice Gilmore and David Perlman understand the pressure we as Americans are facing.” Mr. Smith did not specify or explain “the pressure we as Americans are facing.” Certainly, all Americans are under pressure in one form or another, so please define, Mr. Smith, “the pressure.”

Secondly, Mr. Smith wrote. “He (yours truly) has been out to lunch for so long and his hatred for President Trump and America has kept him from seeing the forest for the trees.” Mr. Smith, what forest and what trees? It is true that I believe Trump is one of the worst, if not the worst president we have ever had. I admit that Trump is probably the best con man in the world and has been documented for telling more lies than all past presidents combined, so how does that make him a good president? He is the only president in history to have been impeached two times. Some on the right will say that was “because Pelosi and liberals were out to get him at any cost.” Agreed, he was not convicted, despite the fact that even Republican senators admitted the House managers of the impeachment provided convincing evidence of Trump’s guilt. Trump was not convicted because too many Republican senators were liars to the oaths they had taken to defend and up hold our Constitution. The right-wingers won’t bother to get the truth which can be documented, instead many of them will believe Fox News.

The last question I would like to ask Mr. Smith is where did he get his information that I hate America? Just because I believe Trump was an undesirable president is not proof that I hate America. I have traveled to various parts of the world, including Russia, China, parts of Europe, and parts of South America. Always, my favorite part of every foreign trip was when I returned to America and upon landing heard the airplane tires screech on the runway. I felt safe and blessed.

Truly, no place in the world is as great as America. I love it dearly, even though I disagree with the way some people govern it. If I felt that America was not the greatest place to live I would not live here.

Mr. Smith, you certainly are entitled to your own opinions, but not your own facts. May God also bless you.

Jim Ferrell

Retired detective, veteran resents president’s comment

As a retired police detective and combat veteran, I do not have enough contempt for the words that our new president used on Feb. 16, 2021 in Milwaukee.

He called police, retired police, military and retired military the greatest threat to the United States. How disgusting for him to say such complete nonsense.

I can speak for myself when I see where the Democrat/communists, that Mr. Biden represents, are taking our once great country down a dirty path from when our country was truly great. Mr. Biden, you are not my president and you sir are the one who is the greatest threat to the United States.

Arnold Breitenbach

Covid inoculation program not working very well

We are suffering from a worldwide pandemic and need to inoculate millions of people in a short time. This endeavor has begun but is off to a slow start and has become a logistical nightmare. There are shortages and thousands of people are waiting in long lines, even those with appointments.

When approaching a new task, I have always tried one way and if it doesn’t work, try a different way. The current approach to the Covid-19 inoculation program is not working very well and will take years to complete. I use an injection drug that must be kept cold; it is shipped to me by Fed-Ex overnight in a cool pack.

Why couldn’t we do this with the Covid-19 drug? Send each family pre-loaded syringes. In a cold pack, giving yourself or a family member an injection is not rocket science, anybody can do it. Fed-Ex, UPS, and the USPS offer overnight service, delivering a package from anywhere to anywhere in 24 to 48 hours.

I am over 70 and have been trying to get the shot here in Pahrump for a month and am always told they are not available. I realize that some injection stations would be necessary but if my idea were implemented it would sure speed up the process.

George Cross

We are not living in a free, safe society anymore

This letter is in response to Mr. Ferrell’s letters, I’ve been wondering where you live, in a vacuum? You certainly don’t know what’s going on in America today. I guess you didn’t like living in a free country. Well, you don’t need to worry any longer, you don’t live in a free and safe one anymore. With the stroke of a pen and more executive orders than the last 10 presidents have used, our freedom of speech and constitutional rights have been violated by the present administration.

Also, I guess you didn’t like being energy free, don’t worry, you are not anymore. The ones above have put us all back under the thumbs of foreign sources.

God bless America, I pray for us all.

Patricia Growden

Why are politicians unable to just tell us the truth?

The Wuhan Virus has presented some very interesting, but unintended consequences. Roman sanitation systems, from 3000 years ago, were overturned by Sisolak. I never did find out how shutting down the restrooms in Nevada was going to control the Wuhan Virus. Then there is the limitation of customers/patrons entering restaurants, to be served at a table to six. When we, as a family entered a restaurant in Beatty, we were told that four generations of family members were prohibited from seating at the same table. We had two great-grandparents, two grandparents, two parents and two children altogether, but we were informed that that constituted a dangerous situation, and the two great-grandchildren would be removed to the vehicles in the parking lot. That is a violation of the NRS.

We are becoming increasingly aware of the lack of need for government employees. Schools are closed more than they are open, but school employees are still on the payrolls, something that is going to cause the collapse of this nation’s economy. The private sector is not paid for hours not worked, and if enough of the private sector becomes unemployed, the public sector shall collapse. Government employees, of every description, are reliant on taxes paid by the Private Sector’ and are not able to fund their own employment by the taxes that they pay from wages that the private sector provides. The public sector shall ultimately collapse. It has become obvious that we could survive quite successfully with a 70% reduction of public sector employees.

We have Fauci bathing in the ‘limelight’ and having his ego inflated with each appearance. Problem: Fauci has demonstrated an ability to change directions. He has changed his position so many times it causes me to wonder if he ever had a direction planned. We were informed by Fauci, in the beginning that 20% of the population would die from the Wuhan Virus. As it stands now, I see a fatality rate for this nation to be 0.2%. That reminds me of the 20% fuel savings predicted under the “55 NSL”, but in reality it saved 0.9% to 1%.

By some miracle, the drug manufacturers have been able to produce a vaccine that cures the Wuhan Virus, but I am still waiting, after 70 years for the promised cure for the cancer virus. I am very suspicious of this latest chest-pounding statement. Have we been lied to for so many years that most people have forgotten the billions of dollars we have spent on research? Cure cancer? What dangers exist with this vaccine? All that I know is; 60 years ago I got my first flu shot, and within hours had the flu, spent a week in sick bay. 55 years later, reluctantly, I got my second flu shot and the first pneumonia shot. got pneumonia, lost half my left lung, spent 24 days in a worn-out hospital bed, and still am reminded by the pain from the very serious lung operation. Now my government thinks that I am going to be forced into another episode of their ‘Do Goodedness’ medical practices, so that I can die from their ‘miracle vaccine’. I expect that you know the answer.

Why is it necessary for politicians to lie to us, constantly? The problem increased exponentially when Obama entered the White House, has continued unabated for 13 years and looks like it shall continue until we are a communist nation. I tried to warn everyone, became branded a ‘racist’, and Obama went into the White House. Then Trump entered the scene, and we had a wave of prosperity unequaled in our history, only to be destroyed by Obama supporters, and we are headed for an economic collapse. Shame.

Wayne Brotherton

Term limits are only way to ensure service before self

Human nature being what it is, we don’t all process or interpret information exactly the same way. But I’m certain that a majority of Americans have no misunderstanding about the assault on our nation’s capital. If justice prevails, those directly responsible, along with every prominent individual who in any way supported or countenanced the deaths, destruction and interference with our government’s activities, will be dealt with appropriately.

It was encouraging that some Republican members of Congress denounced the attack and demonstrated greater concern for preservation of our democracy than loyalty to the former occupant of the Oval Office. Whether or not the second impeachment of Donald Trump will serve a greater purpose, remains to be seen. In any event, that a sufficient number of voters were dissatisfied with constant turbulence in the previous administration, is an issue now clearly settled. We’re moving on. And in the coming years we will see how well promises made become promises fulfilled.

Beyond that, I have long understood that American politics has never been described as a ship of state floating on smooth water. Rough and bumpy has long been the norm. And that isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Strongly held and diverse opinions can lead to sensible conclusions.

However, I am equally convinced that political careerism and unfettered lobbying of congressional officeholders, isn’t nearly so productive. Rather, they sow the seeds of corruption. The only mechanism than will ensure service before self, is term limits on elected positions at every level of government. To paraphrase the words of Thomas Jefferson: The tree of liberty must from time to time, be refreshed by replacing elected officeholders.

In my limited grasp of our political roots, I’ve gathered that the original mandate went something like this: If you have a vision to improve the country, and if you have adequate support of a constituency, come forward. Do the best you can in the time allotted. Then return from whence you came.

Ralph Bazan

Animal lover concerned about high school rodeos

Rodeo has had its day, and now belongs in the dustbin of history. The proposed high school rodeos will likely be super-spreaders of COVID-19.

Be aware that EVERY animal welfare organization in North America condemns rodeo due to its inherent cruelty. Animal injuries and deaths are commonplace, veterinary care rare. The PRCA has required on-site vets only since 1996, after FIVE animals were killed at the 1995 California Rodeo in Salinas.

Most of rodeo is bogus from the get-go. REAL working cowboys/girls never routinely rode bulls, or wrestled steers, or rode bareback, or barrel raced, or practiced calf roping as a timed event. And they certainly did not put flank straps on the animals, or work them over with painful “hotshots,” kicks and slaps in the holding chutes. Some “sport”! Indeed, rodeo is not a “sport” at all. It’s a macho exercise in domination.

The United Kingdom banned rodeos back in 1934. Can the U.S. be far behind? Lest we forget, COVID-19 was HUMAN-caused, a direct result of our gross mistreatment and abuse of animals, both wild and domestic. There are connections to be made here, folks. Are we up to the task?

Eric Mills,

Action For Animals coordinator