Voice of the Community

Who should qualify as a veteran?

Editor:

The front page article (both the Appeal and LVN) finally goaded me to write concerning the subject of “veterans.”

In days gone by, veteran was short for “Veteran of Foreign War” and not just anyone who served enough days in active duty.

Demeaning the term by giving it out “willy-nilly” is much like giving everyone in the same race a “participation” prize!

Veteran benefits were also offered as compensation for putting your buttocks on the firing line.

Well, ‘nuff said for the moment. Will brace for the verbal lashing to come ...

John Wood

Carson City

Social Security needs to be protected

Editor:

First: Social Security is not a “benefit” given to retired citizens. Americans on Social Security worked hard and paid into this account throughout their working years. So, it is not a goodie-goodie that the government gifts us with during retirement.

This was supposed to be a protected account. Come President Lyndon Johnson, that changed dramatically when the funds were taken by the government to facilitate their monetary needs. It was never returned to the rightful owners, we, the people, and has, in fact, been a continual action resulting in an occasional increase but mostly a yearly deduction to most Social Security receivers to continue providing our monies for the government’s needs, regardless of the fact that it is all a basic governmental theft for which they refused to be held accountable.

Nothing has changed over the years except when they decided to use we, the people’s, funds to support their illegal and criminal actions by stealing the funds to support illegal people they insist on allowing into the United States and even granting huge amounts to our enemies to suit their will! And that’s just for starters.

They don’t think twice about procuring the retirement monies from legal citizens who earned it for their desires.

Does Congress correct this problem? They are responsible for the money! One way to correct it is to deprive Congressional workers of more than two terms in office and cut all retirement money to them!

Last, but not least, prosecute them and all involved, like Obama, for their crimes ... no ifs, ands, or buts!

Mary Santomauro

Stagecoach

WATCH OUR SCHOOL BOARD

Editor:

Citizens of Churchill County may want to pay attention to the actions being taken by the Churchill County school Board.

In the past two years, they have removed music, physical education, computer and G.A.T.E. (gifted and talented eduction) instruction from the elementary students. Instead, they used the district funds to give significant raises to the head of transportation and the superintendent.

The board and district say they are here for the students. It has become clear this is not true since the administrators received raises and nothing has been returned to help give the students of Churchill County a well-rounded education.

Becky Dodd

Fallon

Argument in favor of electoral college

Editor:

There are 3,141 counties in the United States. Trump won 3,084 of them. Clinton won 57. There are 62 counties in New York State. Trump won 46 of them. Clinton won 16. Clinton won the popular vote by approximately 2.3 million (1.8 percent) of total votes.

In the five counties that encompass New York City (Bronx, Brooklyn, Manhattan, Richmond and Queens), Clinton received well over 2 million more votes than Trump. (Clinton only won four of these counties; Trump won Richmond). Therefore these five counties alone more than accounted for Clinton winning the popular vote of the entire country.

These five counties comprise 319 square miles. The United States is comprised of 3,797,000 square miles. When you have a country that encompasses almost 4 million square miles of territory, it would be ludicrous to even suggest that the vote of those who inhabit a mere 319 square miles should dictate the outcome of a national election. Large, densely populated Democrat cities (New York City, Chicago, Los Angeles, etc.) don’t and shouldn’t speak for the rest of the country.

If you want California and New York to decide the fate of our country forever, ban the electoral college.

Bill Miller

Carson City