Letters to the editor

Who do they think is paying for Medicare?

I couldn't believe it when I read a recent article on the new prescription drug law. In the article, a local pharmacist stated that the new drug law isn't necessary because under Medicare Part D, we can get drugs cheaper through a local pharmacy.

Who does he think pays for Medicare Part D? In addition to the insurance premium, we do, the taxpayers. While we might not notice it sometimes, it comes out of our taxes, folks.

Incidentally, this problem of "insurance covers it" is one of the underlying problems in our health-care costs. Insurance doesn't cover it, we do, by paying through the roof on our insurance premiums.

Harold Lashier

Carson City

How soon we forget

Evidently, four years have dimmed many a memory, and that, coupled with political spite, has unearthed a fusillade from the hostile press, plus out-of-power politicians, directed at our president. I shan't go into the details of the NSA activities simply because I am not well-enough informed. However, at age 82, there is a residue of factually supported ideas on the perils that constantly face our nation, the most serious of which now confronts us.

It is the centuries-old planned assault against the Western world by people with all of the tools that we ourselves possess. It would be a dereliction of duty if the president - on advice of counsel - had not undertaken the steps necessary in various technical interceptions.

Let me go back in history to 12/7/41. I was not here then because I was aboard the USS Maryland in Pearl Harbor. We did not then keep abreast of government activities because we were otherwise well occupied, but in subsequent years, some classified information was made public.

President Roosevelt properly reacted and took steps to protect this nation, steps that would have sent the ACLU into conniption fits. For example, on 12/8/41, FDR instructed J. Edgar Hoover to censor all news, control all communications, and suppress negative press information.

This was just a start. By 1944, over 500,000 pieces of mail had been intercepted and held by the censorship office under the War Powers Act.

The post office banned 70 newspapers under the Espionage Act. What we call ethnic profiling was in full force. and 25,655 non-citizens were rounded up, interred, and/or deported. People in government understood the seriousness of the war against this nation, and did their level best to protect it. The threat now is far more serious as it is in motion inspired by religious fervor, and they are here among us. The same U.S. Constitution now as then, but with far less perception of the values of this nation now, and that, on a wide enough scale, can allow the very events that the president is attempting to prevent. Remember the post-9/11 whining about pre-9/11 prevention? It can happen again.

VERNON M. LATSHAW

Gardnerville

Progress isn't helping some things in Dayton

Progress is a funny thing. It is good for the counties, it is good for business. But, in little towns like Dayton, it takes away that country livin' feeling.

I ride mountain bikes. I used to ride up Six Mile Canyon all the time. It was nice to get away from everything. Enjoy the solitude. Now every dirt road up there has "no trespassing" signs on it. Riding on the paved road is a bit scary at times. Cars and trucks racing up and down the canyon. Not much solitude in that.

I wish I could ride up the canyon now. Just think - no cars, no trucks, just me, nature and my mountain bike. Now that is solitude. Progress, I guess you gotta have it. But at what cost? I guess I will eventually end up riding farther out. Como Mountain. No housing up there yet! Enjoy what open space you have now! A developer will soon put houses on it!

Mike Piazza

Dayton

Why bother to vote?

Let me get this straight: we go to the polls to vote for county commissioners who say they are going to serve us. We also vote '"no" on a new senior center. Then the county commissioners take it upon themselves to say we'll get a new senior center anyway. I won't even comment on the SGI.

I am a senior, and I'm not against the new senior center. I'm against the way the majority of our county commissioners do what they want, not what the voters want. These people were not born into the job, they were voted in. As far as I'm concerned, Kite, Smith and Banshke should start packing. Some of us that vote also have a memory.

Kudos to Brady and Johnson! I wish we had three more like them!

T. Brockett

Gardnerville Ranchos