Letters to the editor Dec. 7

Keep corporate money

out of political process

Borrowing from the bigoted and now deposed Hank Williams Jr., "Are you ready for some garbage?"

Thanks to the reactionaries Roberts and Alito, the Bush Supreme Court ruled in Citizens United v. U.S. that corporations are, indeed, people. The ramifications are endless. Sure would like to ask my Tea Party pals why the dickens haven't they demanded to see a birth certificate. Come on, you guys. Where was ExxonMobil born? Where was it conceived? Maybe it's a Muslim from Kenya or something.

Allowing unlimited monetary access to the American political arena by billionaires and corporations, foreign and domestic, without any accountability of whom or where it spawns, may be the single-most damaging event in our electoral process. In the next 12 months, we will bombarded by ads where no candidate has to stand up and say, "I approved this message." The truly uninformed are ripe for the picking. And since Nevada ranks dead last in education, I shudder at the consequences.

But fortunately my prognosticating powers have seen the future. Don't be fooled or hoodwinked, and steel yourselves for the onslaught of lies and distortions brought to you by some of the political action slime groups looking out for America's welfare.

To the believers out there in humanity and compassion, I raise a toast to you all during these holiday times of good will. To those who prefer to bow to the rich and powerful, well, I don't even have a lump of coal.

Rick Van Alfen

Carson City

Paslov wrong about Safeway closing

Well, Dr. Paslov, I assume Safeway didn't get the memo from our city leaders that our new library is going to solve all our economic problems.

You have got a lot of nerve stating Safeway made a callous business decision in that it wasn't worth continuing to compete in our community when you as an educator are dead set against offering parents vouchers that give them the opportunity to send their children to schools of their choice.

Your hypocrisy to competition is exceeded only by your arrogance in the belief that Safeway owes us an explanation. This Safeway location lacks the floor space, receiving area and stockroom space to compete with SaveMart, a mile to the north, Walmart, a mile to the west, and Grocery Outlet, a half mile to the south.

The only thing you were correct about in your commentary was the top quality of the staff and management. Their customer service is outstanding. I wish them all well and hope this closing has a minimal impact on their lives.

Gary Schulz

Carson City

Polar Express ride

was fun for all

I am writing to say how wonderful it is to have events like the V&T Railroad Polar Express Train Ride. I took my 5-year-old and 1-year-old on Nov. 27. It was an exciting and magical experience for both of the children.

The experience of getting to ride a train was heightened by the wonderful characters from the "Polar Express" storybook. The staff brought the characters to life and interacted with the children on the train.

My 5-year-old exclaimed to me on the ride back from the North Pole, after receiving his Polar Express bell and singing "Jingle Bells" with all the other children: "Mom, that was the real Santa Claus and the real North Pole. It's true. I know it."

The other family that went with us has a 4-year-old who told me, "I believe!"

It was truly enjoyable for me and the other adults with us to see how much fun the children were having. It was well worth the drive and the cost of the tickets. We look forward to our trip to the North Pole on the V&T next year.

Chamaea Edwards

Carson City