Letters to the editor for Saturday, Sept. 1, 2018

Environmental regulations trigger waste of resources

Increasingly in the past few years, dead and dying trees have fueled the devastating California fires, sending the smoke pollution our way in Nevada.

With the Endangered Species Act, the environmental lobby brings lawsuits designed to stop nearly all forms of manufacturing, energy production and economic growth, and uses deceptive non-scientific methods to promote global warming and deception with the spotted owl controversy that reduced logging from national forests by 70 percent, destroying the logging industry in the process (Restoring the Republic: A Clear, Concise, and Colorful Blueprint for America’s Future, Devin Nunes).

In California alone, 129 million dead or dying trees remained unharvested at the end of 2017 (U.S. Forest Service). This equals an estimated 81 billion board feet of lumber at an estimated value of $240 billion ($2-$20 per board foot; used conservative $3 per board foot average).

That amount of wasted resources could fund the Nevada state budget for 30 years.

The Trump administration’s EPA is making an effort to improve the situation with support of the Republicans like Sen. Heller and Rep. Amodei, opposed by Rep. Rosen, Democrats and environmentalists including the Sierra Club that’s running negative ads against Rep. Amodei for his support efforts. Consider this when voting this fall.

Otto Mark Tarvainen

Gardnerville

Nothing unusual about revoking security clearance

Why is anyone not on the government payroll or working directly with our national security services being allowed high security clearance?

The last 45 years I owned and managed several medium-sized businesses that employed several thousand employees over the years and without fail if I fired one of them or they left on their own the first thing we always did was to get back any building keys and removed them from access to our computer systems.

I ask, why should a government employee be any different than private enterprise?

Another case of the mainstream media and Democrats cooking up what should be a non-story.

Terry Davis

Gardnerville

Washington proverbs

Recently I came across a treasure trove of proverbs (“short pithy sayings stating a general truth or piece of advice”) and thought it would be interesting to see which ones might apply to the present political turmoil in Washington.

Some of my favorites: “Facts do not cease to exist because they are ignored;” “A closed mouth gathers no foot;” “Silence is an excellent remedy against slander;” “It’s better to stay silent and be thought a fool than to open one’s mouth and remove all doubts;” “If you don’t say it you will not have to unsay it;” “People living in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones;” “It’s easier to destroy than to build;” “A man is known by the company he keeps;” “There is no honor among thieves;” “Self praise is no recommendation;” “Pride cometh before a fall;” “One should be wary of baring his soul to those who may some day betray him.”

And finally, one that I would personally like to add to the list: “Tweets should be left to the birds!”

John O’Neill

Minden