Letters to the Editor
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Pahrump Valley Gazette, Thursday, July 24, 1997 11
Libertarian speaks his piece
Dear Editor,
I'd like to share with you and your readers, a letter that was
sent to the Republican National Committee Chairman, Jim
Nicholson in response to a membership renewal letter that
was mailed to Republicans all across the country. The letter
was written by David Shaffer of Gettysburg, Pa. He has given
his permission to reprint the letter. I think it's very interesting.
Dear Mr. Nicholson,
For my entire adult life I have:
Voted Republican, walked door to door for republican
candidates, donated the maximum mount of money possible
to republican candidates, worked at polling places for repub-
licans, ferried voters to the polls to cast republican ballots,
tried to recruit new republicans from the ranks of democrats
pand independents, and suffered the enmity of my friends for
,flvocatmg a lmuted constatuuonal republic.
You can therefore, imagin my elation atthe election results
of 1994.
Yet, here I am in May, 1997, a proud, new, card carrying
member of the Libertarian Party. I presume, therefore, that
you will wish to withdraw my nomination as a sustaining
member of the RNC.
Should you, for some inexplicable reason, choose not to
withdraw, I, nevertheless, do not accept. If you will take
instruction from the defection of so long a loyal and energetic
party member, then I am only too anxious to offer it. To it,
I did not expect the continued deployment of U.S. troops
overseas following the Cold War victory. I did not expect that
the defeat of Clinton-care would be followed by Kennedy-
Kassebaum and now Kennedy-Hatch. I did not expect the
"end of welfare as we know it" to include continued federal
taxation to support welfare as' we know it now.
I did not anticipate the promised deregulation would place
tobacco under the FDA. I did not dream that the demise of
politically correct speech would be succeeded by proposals to
censor the internet. I did not expect the dismantling of
corporate welfare to be blocked by republicans. I did not think
that the equal protection of the law meant that parents are
more equal than the childless in structuring the tax code. I did
not consider that the arbitrary powers of the LSC, ATF, IRS,
S, NEA, NLRB, FDA, Export/import bank, EEOC, and on
and on would continue as if no change in legislative control
had ever happened.
I'm, still amazed that no shrinkage in the number of cabinet
departments has occurred, that the number and complexity of
the forms that I must" submit to the federal government in
order to operate my small business has not decreased, but
increased.
I certainly hoped that the republican majority would not
continue to permit the war on drugs to justify assaults on
liberty (RICO, asset forfeitures, forceful entry and destruc-
tive searches of property without compensation to innocent
targets). I do not understand why there is a war on drugs in the
first llace (apart from educational and rehabilitation efforts
which can all be done voluntarily), and particularly why this
war should be a federal one.
I do not understand how it is that the agents of the federal
government who caused the loss of innocent life at Ruby
Ridge and Waco, not only were not prosecuted, did not suffer
the loss of employment and benefits, but were instead pro-
moted.
I am dismayed that the group who rightly attached liberal
democrats for forcing secular humanism down our throats
should find no contradiction in forcing fundamental Chris-
tianity down our throats, regardless of its benefits when taken
voluntarily.
No one can prevent a person from praying to his God, short
of killing him, and I have as yet had no report of a teacher
taking this step.
I have read the U.S. Constitution many times, and more
( i ooks on the constitution than many Americans have read
books, and nowhere do I find an enumerated power of the
national government to concern itself with crime and drug use
amongst our children, our adults or anyone else.
I did not, after all, choose the republican party as a political
vehicle simply to conserve fuel on the "road to serfdom."
I could continue in this vein but I won't end.
I hope many of you will be able to relate to this gentleman.
Sincerely,
Jim Lee
Dear Mr. Pitlok
Many of us taxpayers of Nye County have become very
suspicious of how our money has been mis-spent and wasted,
either through mismanagement, fraud, corruption, or all of
the above. A myriad of questions have been raised and it is a
consensus feeling that we deserve honest and concise an-
swers to the following:
In a county the size of Nye with approximately 30,000
people, why is the unelected manager, who possesses enor-
mous power, paid an exorbitant salary of $117,000 per year?
And why does his assistant draw the inflated $100,000?
Could it not be for the fact that they just happen to both be
attorneys and have been given carte blanche freedom by our
elected, irresponsible commissioners, to spend our money
anyway these two see fit, including the setting of their own
salaries. When rumors keep mounting that we are going broke
and yet, the highest elected official in the state, the governor,
is paid $77,000 annually! How long will this outrage con-
tinue?
Why has the tax-supported Nye County Regional Hospital
sucked nearly $5 million in the past three years, over and
above its allotted budget, from we tax slaves? Is it legal for our
commissioners to use Payments Equal to Taxes (PETr)
money for such bailouts?
Moreover, why was a luxurious "Justice Center" built in
Tonopah at a costly $14 million ($4 million over budget),
knowing full well that our county seat, with a population of
about 3,000 is 170 miles from Pahrump, the lowest paid, who
earns $13 per hour and who's job is to take license numbers
of entering vehicles? But because of federally mandated
Environmental Protection Agency rules to save us from
illegal dumping, so the alibis run, then why don't our "leaders"
negotiate with that outfit for less stringent dictates? After all,
even the much feared IRS is known to compromise. Finally,
why not place a fee on each truckload that the local disposal
company dumps? It would at least help to alleviate some of
our tax burden.
Since starting this letter I've learned that your office is
conducting an investigation of Nye County's financial condi-
tion. It is my fervent hope that this will include a complete and
thorough audit, as has been reported. The taxpayers deserve
no less, for we are sick and tired of irresponsible alibies and
phony cover-ups.
I cordially welcome your joining in this serous endeavor
and wish you a most productive conclusion. Please don't
hesitate to call me if I can be of any help. Thank you.
Sincerely Yours,
Vince Bogdan
Chivalry is still alive
Chivalry is still alive. I want to extend a huge "Thank You"
to Larry Young of Tom Terry Homes. I was parked in front
of their office when a tire went flat on my truck. I got out the
jack and tools but didn't know bow to remove the spare tire
from underneath the truck. I went into Tom Terry's office and
asked for help. Larry Young immediately came out and not
only helped, he did the whole job. In the hot sunshine. Again,
Thank you, Larry Young!
Ann Nusbaum
Pahrump
Library is your friend
It's hard to believe a man as intelligent as Brent Mathews
on is still crying over a late book notice his companion receied
two years ago.
Perhaps a friendly phone call to the librarian to voice his
or his companion's displeasure with the late notice would
have cleared the matter up. I was the former librarian's paid
assistant for two years and an unpaid volunteer for the past 10
years, so I know a little about the running of the library.
I don't think Brent is aware of the numbre of books the
library loses from its collection because friendly phone calls
and simple late notices many times are not enough to get the
books returned.
This can add up to quite a monetary loss to the library.
Brent, you can still ask for special books and information.
Our new librarian makes every effort to fill all requests. You
only have to ask.
Many books are donated to the Amargosa Library, some
with older copy dates. All books added to the library's
collection are considered new books, no matter what the copy
date, and are placed with the new books in hopes that someone
will be interested and read them.
Yes, there may have been more brand-new books in the
past, a member of our community donated most of the best
sellers on a monthly basis. This generous lady is no longer
living in the valley.
There have been a lot of changes at the Amargosa Library
in the past couple of years and all have been for the betterment
of the library. There is even a computer center for those who
are not fortunate enough to have their own personal computer
system.
Our new librarian, Michelle DeLee, has come up with
many new ideas to make it easier for people to find the books
that interest them. She has worked many extra unpaid hours
to provide better service.
Our former librarian, Mrs. Newhouse, made many sacri-
rices to devote her energies to bettering our library. Mrs.
DeLee is certainly following in her footsteps.
I hope Brent and his comapanion visit our library often.
Maybe they both can be "favorite customers" again.
Shirley Hoerster
Amargosa Valley
Attention shoppers!
I am speaking for the Pahrump Chamber of Commerce
Marketing Group.
We would like to help the consumer and understand their
needs and wants.
The average business owner is trying everything possible
to offer great service, great prices and more selection for
Parhumpians.
But when people don't shop locally and keep that $1 here,
it makes it hard to keep great prices and selection.
It has to do with buying power. If we don't sell a lot of
products, there goes the good sales and selections.
Please understand, Pahrump, we want to bear from uyou
so we know what your needs and wants are. But in return, all
we ask is to give us a try and shop locally. Write back to editor
with your suggestions.
Patricla Cox
Pahrump
A paper's mission
Content of the two most recent issues of your paper have
prompted me to write. As you may expect: I am not prompted
to write because of what I like. I'm not asking that you print
my letter, but that you consider my views yourself. It is, of
course your privilege to print it, as it is your privilege to edit
it.
In the July 10 issue of your paper you carried an editorial
by Brent Mathewson of which two-thirds were devoted to
criticizing the Amargosa Public Library. You may be think-
ing that if this irritated me, I should take it up with him since
it was an "editorial comment" rather than an opinion of the
PV Gazette.
I should and I will; Brent is my neighbor and we do
discuss things from time to time, but I have no control over
him; you do. Brent has his own agenda, but you are in the
business of selling newspapers, so I want to make one point
to you.
Tearing away at other people and their work is not the
business newspapers are in. Your readers are not interested
in personal squabbles even alluded to, much less drawn out,
over 15 column inches. One function of a newspaper is to
build community.
I see nothing in Brent's column suggesting how we might
build a stronger library. If he had suggestions to make, the
librarian, or perhaps the librarian, and some of the board of
directors would be an appropriate audience, not all your
subscribers and readers.
If this makes sense to you, perhaps you wll suggest it to
Brent the next time he submits a column in which he attacks
or needlessly criticizes a fellow citizen.
Joe Richards, who writes the "On Target" page of your
newspaper appears to have followed Brent's lead in the
succeeding issue (July 17). He devotes another 15 column
inches to slur and innuendo against someone, against whom
he clearly holds a grudge.
This neither entertains, builds community, or sells news-
papers. I suspect that you have less control over the content
of Joe's writing than you do over Brent's, but please point out
to him that using his column to tear down and intimidate a
fellow citizen and, especially a former associate at the
newspaper office, does not win for him admiration in the
community or more loyal readers.
From our brief introduction, I'm convinced that you have
a lot of newspaper experience and a very mature approach
to your job as publisher. Please try to extend some of this
wisdom to your editorialists.
Trevor B. Doiby
Amargosa Valley
The Pahrump Valley
Gazette corrects mistakes. Errors should be
brought to the attention of the newspaper by calling
727-5583.
BOO
All opinions expressed on the letters page are those of
the artist or author indicated. The Gazette reserves
the right to edit all letters for length and libel.
Furthermore, letters with names withheld will only
be published if a legitimate fear of retribution exists.
