Letters to the Editor for December 5, 2020

Trump’s fake claims

Trump claims credit for a record stock market?

During the last weeks prior to the Nov. 4 election, the Dow Jones dropped 104 points from 28,606 on Oct. 11 to 26,502 on the last Friday in October.

October during the frenzied Trump election campaign rallies was the worst month for the Dow since March 2020.

During election week as preliminary results indicated that Trump was losing, the Dow rose 1,888 points to 28,390.

That rise certainly was not celebrating a potential Trump victory.

By Nov. 25 when the GSA finally confirmed that Biden had won the election, allowing a formal transition of the government to begin, the Dow had risen another 1,656 points to an all-time high of 30,046.

Trump claims credit for that post-election all time market high.

He may be correct in that the election's repudiation of Trump, his defeat not his absurdly claimed alternative-reality victory, apparently was the impetus for the stock market's all time high.

Looking for a more prosperous and sane 2021!

Jon Nowlin

Carson City

Save others, wear your mask

This is written to those who feel it’s their constitutional right to go without a mask.

Today I sent two sympathy cards to families who’ve lost people to COVID-19 and two notes of encouragement to friends who have relatives suffering from the disease. I also talked to another friend who fears she’s been exposed and will live with that fear for 10 days.

Living in a civilized society means we all sacrifice some of our individual rights to protect our friends, families, and neighbors. We’re not permitted to drive while intoxicated, to drive without a seat belt or to drive down the wrong side of the street. The law says we should stop at stop signs and red lights and not run naked down the street. We’re not permitted to allow our dogs to bite our neighbors or to run loose in the neighborhood, or to play loud music at 2 a.m.

And beyond that, it’s important to consider the thoughts, feelings and health of our friends and neighbors. How much of an inconvenience is it to wear a mask? It doesn’t hurt, it doesn’t compromise one’s manhood and it’s not a great expense. And it might save a life! What price would you put on the life of your sister, your spouse, your mother, or your father?

Please, fellow Nevadans, sacrifice just a little bit; be kind. Stay home and help keep your friends and families safe from this disease. Vaccines are just around the corner.

Joyce Newman

Carson City

Cage is doing his job

We take issue with Appeal columnist Guy Farmer and his disparaging remarks toward Caleb Cage, the state's COVID-19 recovery administrator. Farmer asks "who elected him?" Perhaps Farmer has forgotten how government works. Well, actually, we live under a governing system where the elected leaders appoint individuals to carry out important and substantive policies. The governor has the responsibility to appoint members to his Cabinet and staff officers with immense responsibility.

In the case of Cage, he appointed a highly qualified and experienced manager. A West Point graduate, combat veteran, former administrator of the Division of Emergency Management, Homeland Security adviser and high level veteran posts under three different governors, Nevada citizens are fortunate he was willing to answer the call once again. We would suggest if Farmer has a disagreement with overall policy, he direct his criticism to the elected officials who make policy, not those who salute and carry it out.

Both of us have served in four different governors' offices and closely observed his abilities. Caleb is just the kind of dedicated and knowledgeable leader the state needs right now and we applaud Gov. Sisolak for appointing him to this difficult and often times thankless job.

Steve and Pam Robinson

Carson City

Karma?

Gov. Sisolak has contracted COVID-19 and I sincerely hope he recovers, but it makes me wonder if handwashing, face masks and social distancing are as effective as advertised. Surely our illustrious governor was diligent in their use. So, was it just bad luck or karma?

It’s hypocritical and arrogant of the governor to deny some the means to support their families, while his finances remain undiminished.

All businesses are essential to the health and wellbeing of their employees. So naturally people are skeptical of government edicts that unfairly target some while sparing others. As long as Home Depot and Walmart remain open, lockdowns seem arbitrary, capricious and unwarranted.

It would be easier to believe these draconian measures are necessary if the governor shared our concerns and financial pain. Until then people will question the motivation and wisdom of shuttering businesses, schools and churches.

To restore our faith, the governor should donate his salary to charity until lockdowns and restrictions end. Maybe then fortune will smile on him.

Mike Rodgick

Carson City

Open the library

I note that the Carson City Library closed Tuesday “in response to the governor’s statewide three week pause and the elevated COVID-19 concerns” as quoted from the article in the Nov. 25 Appeal. Library Director Tod Colegrove was quoted in the same article saying “we felt it was important for the library to take this step (temporary closure) to ensure the safety and health of our community.”

Now, I will quote from the statewide pause restrictions issued by our governor. For libraries the new restriction reads “May operate under strict social distancing requirements at NO MORE THAN 25% OCCUPANCY based on applicable code.”

My conclusion from this is that the governor gave directions to allow libraries to remain open and provide critical service to communities already heavily impacted by the COVID virus. My question to Mr. Colegrove, our library director, is this: Why not follow the guidelines provided by the governor and keep our library open? Do you have any scientific data to back up your decision to shut down the library rather than follow guidance from our governor? Did you seed any input from the Carson City community prior to making your closure decision?

The decision reached by Mr. Colegrove is arbitrary and without cause. Unless he can answer my questions for our community, I call upon him to reopen the library under the conditions allowed by our governor.

Barney Rabold

Carson City

What about Obama?

Mr. Van Alfen, in his letter of Nov. 25, has given us his thoughts on President Trump. I wonder if he would give us his thoughts on the following actions that took place under former President Obama and former Vice President Biden.

How does he feel about a president that allows the sale of 20% of our uranium production capacity to Russia? How about “Operation Fast and Furious,” where guns have been supplied to Mexican drug lords? How about using the IRS against rivals such as the Tea Party members? How about the release of billions in cash to Iran, a major funding of terrorism in the world?

How about telling us about Obama's medical plan where we can keep our plan and/or our doctor but we find out this is not true? How about as a candidate that campaigns on being in favor of law and order and bringing us all together, but refers to a number of incident involving the committing of crimes and resisting arrests as actions of police brutality and racism? How about a president that allows an investigation of a candidate for president of the United States?

Mr. Van Alfen, these are not the actions of a member of the Democratic Party as I have known it. These are not the actions of a true American.

As a great American president once said, “The buck stops here,” and I hold Obama, as president, responsible for all the above actions plus many more that have been detrimental to American citizens.

Sanford Deyo

Minden

Don’t run letters

Imagine my shock and disappointment that the Nevada Appeal, in the recent addition, decided to publish such a hate-filled letter against our president of the United States.

I would never urge censorship but the issue for me is that this deranged letter was published during Thanksgiving week when people seek to come together to count our blessings and give thanks for the country in which we are privileged to live our lives. Yes, we are currently a divided nation but should we not lay down our arms during this uniquely American holiday and at least make an attempt to love our family and neighbors.

The letter writer went even further into the muck by challenging those who support President Trump to lower themselves by responding to his vile accusations. Here is a news flash, conservatives do not lower themselves into such a vile, disgusting discourse, we silently go to the ballot box to seek change. We demonstrate peacefully, we do not riot, we do not destroy property, we do not burn businesses to the ground and we strongly support all first responders including the police and most of all we support Donald J. Trump who always has our back.

Trump won 15 of the 17 counties in Nevada, many by overwhelming margins only to be sidetracked by little California in the south. A solid example of why we support the national Electoral College and will fight tooth and nail to keep it in place.

I urge the editorial staff at the Appeal to use some common sense and discretion during holiday periods and seek to unite your readers, not drive the wedge even deeper. Thank you and happy holidays.

Bill Johnston

Carson City

Support cinema

On a recent Saturday night I went to see the James Bond classic Goldfinger at Carson Stadium Cinemas. I'd seen that movie when it was released in 1964, and I have the DVD in a boxed set, but I was thrilled when it appeared on the marquee because there is nothing like seeing a movie on the big screen.

You might think your 65-inch OLED is fantastic, and it is as far as it goes, but it cannot compare to watching a timeless classic like Goldfinger in all it's digital glory on a 65-footer in the cool darkness of an actual cinema, especially when the price of admission is only $4.

I hadn't seen many cars in the parking lot on my way in, and saw nobody in the lobby on my way out, so I asked the young ladies at the concession stand if it had been a slow night. It was worse than that. I'd been their only customer. Four movies, one movie goer.

Saying that business has been slow lately is an understatement, and it's clear that diehard movie buffs like myself need to start showing up. Those staying home because of the pandemic can still help by contributing to the "Save Carson Stadium Cinemas" GoFundMe page. Google will take you straight to it.

The Bloomhuff family has kept the doors open at our theater because they love the community as much as they love movies. Time to show them some love in return.

Rich Dunn

Carson City

There was cheating

Regarding “Biden won and Trump lost, It’s over” (Nov. 28 Appeal) Guy Farmer joins Wall Street Journal columnist Peggy Noonan to lambast Trump and his legal team for refusing to just accept fraudulent election results and give up.

I don’t recall Farmer or Noonan throwing any flags on the four-year jihad against the Trump administration: The kangaroo impeachment, Congressman Adam Schiff’s fabricated Russian election interference, and other assorted media-Democrat “investigations.” Now Farmer and Noonan criticize the Trump team for investigating why Republican ballot monitors were excluded or kept several feet away from the counting in blue states. Why were counting room windows covered? If there was no fraud, why aren’t Democrat voter registrars eagerly cooperating with the investigation? We’re supposed to believe Trump-hating Dems wouldn’t stoop to cheating?

We Nevada Republicans knew when Nevada’s Democrat governor and Legislature passed AB4 that authorized thousands of COVID-justified mail-in ballots and legalized what had been a felony – ballot harvesting – that it was for the specific purpose of vote fraud. Similar steps were taken in blue states all over the US. Votes came in from dead people and non-residents, many only checking off Biden’s name, nothing else down ticket.

I won’t be taking election advice from a guy who swilled cocktails and flattered dictators for a living and neither should you. Hillary Clinton told Joe Biden not to concede the election under any circumstances. That’s good enough for me.

Lynn Muzzy

Minden