Letters to the Editor of the Pahrump Valley Times

COVID must not be excuse for drug companies to drive up prescription prices

As we all know COVID-19 is a worldwide pandemic that affects everyone, rich and poor, so obviously any treatments that arise for it should be accessible to everyone. Sadly, U.S. health care has a tendency to not support equal access to medication because drug companies are able to drive up the prices so much so that there are people who cannot afford essential treatment.

As a country, we cannot allow this to happen with COVID-19. The Make Medications Affordable by Preventing Pandemic Price gouging Act of 2020 will ensure that treatment for COVID-19 will be affordable by interdicting monopolies and price gouging.

Zoe Beckley

Government should be obligated to control itself

We still to date, as individuals, have some freedom of choice, but they have been steadily dwindling due to the choices we have made that tend to be toward what we believe is the easiest path. We find it very easy to blame our problems on others, especially those in power positions, whether we directly or indirectly put them there. And one of the most powerful is government.

James Madison said something worth repeating: “But what is government itself but the greatest reflection on human nature. If men were angels, no government would be necessary. If angels were to govern men, neither external nor internal controls on government would be necessary. In framing a government which is to be administered by men over men, the greatest difficulty lies in this: you must first enable the government to control the governed and in the next place ‘obligate’ the government to control itself.”

There are some glaring facts few will deny. First, our central government has been growing exponentially for some time; and next, businesses that have gotten big enough realize that if they cooperate with the government, they can substantially ward off competition. This is becoming truer in high-tech world control communications, which in today’s world, if you control the information you control choices, which in turn control behavior.

An example is the cancel culture makes individuals scared to express views that don’t align with a prevailing narrative. As far as an ‘informed’ electorate, only eight states today call for civics as a requirement to graduate from high school, while 31 require U.S. history. We’ve all seen the “man on the street” interviews and how many, including college people, can give details on frivolous things on what some entertainer or sports figure did or said but few if anything about the things government is doing that directly affect their lives.

Though not yet totally controlled, many communication outlets have painted one candidate as some kind of dictator, (and his outward actions sometimes make it believable), but his actions seem more to throttle that narrative, tending to put decisions in the hands of individuals, local and state leadership, while the other candidate is portrayed as this very friendly guy but continually talks of required measures that need to be taken in a multitude of areas that drastically limit any choice. We will certainly get the government we deserve if we don’t truly look at the choices we still have.

David Jaronik

Maybe it’s time we tried to understand the ‘Bill of Non-Rights’ instead

It seems many don’t understand the Bill of Rights, so I found an old “Bill of Non-Rights” I’ve had for quite a while.

You don’t have the right to the property of others, unless you purchase it legally.

You don’t have the right to never be offended. Here in America we all have freedom of speech and opinions.

You don’t have the right to wealth if you hurt or injure yourself with a manufactured, purchased item, by carelessness.

You don’t have the right to free anything at others’ expense. Americans have always helped others when needed.

You don’t have the right to harm others. Doing so brings penalties.

You don’t have the right to a job, but if you want one, educate yourself so the job wants you.

You don’t have the right to change American history, beliefs in God, or our language.

If that bothers you, maybe you should move to a land more compatible.

Henry Hurlbut

Construction trucks on residential streets a danger

I live in the south end of the valley. Lately we have had big double and triple tank construction trucks use our neighborhood roads. The people who live here walk on the road as we have no sidewalks. Seniors with dogs, children running down the street, couples strolling with baby carriages - all are in danger as these trucks speed along. Now with less daylight in the evening, it is even more dangerous for the residents.

Trucks, do your part if you must venture onto our streets. Obey our 25-mile-per-hour speed limit on our residential streets. Make sure you are not exceeding your weight limit when you are making our roads a shortcut. Local contractors have arranged specific entry and exit points for trucks.

There are plenty of 45-mph roads that you can use. Be considerate and use main roads like Hafen Ranch, Manse, Kellogg and Homestead. And trucks, please also do not exceed this limit because when you do you present a danger to all who use them.

Please Pahrump be considerate. Accidents are caused by speeding and not paying attention. So slow down!

Betty Cotner

Reader from ‘across the pond’ weighs in on COVID

I read Tim Burke’s post on how COVID is wearing people down, both mentally and physically.

Here in Great Britain people are similarly worn out with the restrictions and the constant changes to the rules and regulations, especially concerning where and in what circumstances masks should be worn.

I write this on the final day of October when it is reported that another complete month-long lockdown is shortly to be announced, causing severe economic issues due to nonessential business being ordered to close though, of course, the intention is to reduce the growing number of people being infected, resulting in a death rate matching that of the spring when the virus was at its most virulent.

It is easy to criticize the government of the day and many politicians have made political capital of how Boris Johnson and his team of ministers have handled the pandemic, especially stating that the first lockdown wasn’t introduced early enough, though some of the same people are now stating that going into another lockdown will cause more harm than good given the damage it does to people’s mental state due to the lack of social interaction, along with the economic damage caused by the government vastly reducing their financial support to working people unable to pursue their careers due to the restrictions.

My own view, as a 70-year-old widower with a handicap, is that individuals have to take responsibility for their own actions by socially distancing from people at all times and wearing a mask, however tiresome that may be, whenever they are required to do so. It is similar to crossing a road, you are responsible for not getting run over. Though for how long these restrictions are going to impact our daily lives is impossible to say but a sense of community that involves looking out for our family, friends and neighbors is vital in keeping everyone’s mental and physical well-being intact in these uncertain and worrying times.

Kenneth Farrington

West Yorkshire, Great Britain

Things not getting any easier at the Pahrump DMV

Earlier in the summer there was a glimmer of hope, as mentioned in the PVT, that the Pahrump DMV was becoming more responsive to the Pahrump public that it serves. Not so.

Previous to the pandemic, if you were inside of the DMV at 5 PM, the doors might be closed to new entries, but your business was completed. Now, as I witnessed today, at 4:15 no more forms would be accepted from the folks still in line, who had been waiting for hours, and they were told to just come back tomorrow.

The DMV is a major State of Nevada cash cow. To prevent customers from delivering generous money because of a curtailed closing time makes zero business sense. The correct answer, that any private sector business would welcome, is to pay a bit of overtime and get a lot more revenue.

People are wasting many productive hours waiting in line at this almost unbelievably inefficient money losing DMV. Every time someone takes almost a full day off to wait at the DMV, the State of Nevada loses a productive revenue generating day of labor.

Every time the DMV offends another person trying to deliver cash to them, the number of drivers operating with expired license plates increases. This is another direct revenue loss to the DMV. Governor Sisolak and the DMV are stupid losers that have no comprehension of basic economics, or the meaning of public service.

Unresponsive inefficient government agencies, such as the Nevada DMV, are a disease that is as corrosive to our society as is COVID-19.

Fred Dexter