Letters to the Editor June 18

Capital Beverages and Anheuser-Busch are committed to preventing underage drinking year-round, but graduation season offers timely reminders about the roles we all play in helping to keep our young people safe.

We're parents, too, so we're aware of the challenges that accompany talking with teenages about alcohol. But we also know parents have the greatest influence on the decisions teens make about drinking.

For parents needing help talking to their teens, go to www.facebook.com/AnheuserBuschFamilyTalkAboutDrinking.

We also work closely with retailers, providing tools to grocery and convenience stores to remind adults to "Prevent, Don't Provide" alcohol to teens. Through our We I.D. program, we host training and distribute driver's license booklets to help retailers serve and sell alcohol responsibly, and post stickers and signage to alert customers they will be asked to show a valid I.D. when they purchase alcohol.

Progress is being made thanks to the involvement of parents, educators, retailers and law enforcement. In fact, the 2010 Monitoring the Future study reports record-low levels for the past month of drinking among 8th, 10th and 12th graders.

In addition, the U.S. Department of Transportation reports that teen drunk-driving fatalities have declined 74 percent since tracking began in 1982, to a record low.

Jason Brown, GM

Capital Beverages, Carson City

Republicans will have a very bad election in 2012 if they stay with three issues:

1. Continued tax breaks for the rich. They should negotiate to those making over 500K. More taxes will, however, slow economic recovery and those making over 500K will not make much difference to the budget. Republicans are on the correct side of this issue but it is indefensible on sound bites.

2. Tax breaks for the oil companies. Tax loopholes for special interests abound in our tax code and all should be dissolved. Adding costs to the oil companies in the form of eliminated tax breaks will probably increase gas prices. Defending oil companies is an election loser.

3. Entitlement reform. While any thinking person knows Medicare and Medicaid need reform, the public will not accept any changes. No sound bites or speeches can appeal to enough voters to get the message across that reform is needed. Rep. Paul Ryan threw himself and Republicans who supported him under the bus. At least he put the issue on the table.

Republicans must take those three issues off the table if they expect to make gains in 2012. Even though they are on the right side of all the issues, they will lose ground defending them. They must make the arguments about deficits, unemployment and big government resonate with the electorate.

The Boeing versus National Labor Relations Board issue has Atlas shrugging uncontrollably.

Larry Messina

Carson City

Folks, I find it hard to believe that out of some 500 elected officials in Washington, D.C., that no one can figure out how to get the economy rolling again.

They hire experts, they have the president's czars, yet the economy is rolling downhill. They can't figure out how to bring oil prices down, nor how to get our folks back to work.

Maybe you and I are to blame. You know we put them in office, and we are responsible. The elected officials can only worry about getting re-elected so they can keep their job, and we as a group are stupid enough to re-elect them.

Try calling our elected officials here in Nevada. You are asked to push button after button, and then you find out you must write a letter or email, and when they want to, you might get an answer.

You would think somewhere in the 500 elected officials there would be one smart enough to solve our oil shortage problem, our unemployment problem, our housing problem and all the others.

They can raise money to stay in office by making promises they do not intend to fulfill, but they do keep their job.

Maybe we as American voters should really look into the ability the person has before voting for them.

You know it is our job to put people in office who will perform in a way that is good for us and the USA. So far we have failed.

Bill Beil

Carson City