Proposed draft for America’s military
Re: “Lawmaker to introduce bill mandating military draft,” Nov. 20 news story.
Rep. Charles Rangel wants to have a draft. What is he after? As someone who worked hard to abolish the draft in my youth, and as mother whose daughter is an enlistee in the Army, I want to know. Does he want to destroy the military? This will do it.
But Rep. Rangel is after something much more than that. He wants to punish the middle and upper classes, that 20 to 30 percent of top moneymakers who pay the bulk of the government’s cost of doing business.
He is out to change our armed forces from a volunteer to a conscripted service. This is not about problems under the draft during the Vietnam War. It is not about the fact that a draft allows a government to pursue an unpopular war without worrying about enlistments. This is about denying young people their right to pursue their lives by their choices.
If you believe that the majority of the middle and upper class works honestly and hard to earn a good living, then the fact that Rangel wants to punish them by taking their children against their wishes should disturb you. The idea of forcing a young person to sacrifice part of his life and perhaps to die based on his “luck in life’s lottery” should chill you.
We need to preserve the voluntary system in which young people choose military enlistment, for reasons of principle, self-improvement, opportunity, or any other reason that they may have.
Hannah Krening, Larkspur
Choice of Continuum for Union Station
Re: “All aboard; Continuum/East West is selected as master developer of Union Station,” Nov. 16 Business story.
The selection of Continuum/ East West Partners for the development of Union Station is the culmination of a great public process. The city of Denver can be proud of its leadership, the commitment of its citizens and the guidance of its professional planners/architects and futurists.
Continuum/East West Partners is a great choice as the development team.
Having worked closely with this team over many years, they are dedicated to responsible, produce high quality design, and are responsive to the vision of the communities in which they build.
We imagine a great city; we can expect great results.
Peter H. Dominick Jr., President, 4240 Architecture Inc., Denver
Clean-air violations across Front Range
Re: “Front Range on brink of clean-air violations,” Nov. 13 news story.
Kim McGuire’s article was informative, yet readers should also be aware of the proactive steps being taken by the Colorado Petroleum Association, along with government agencies and concerned citizens, to address the state’s air quality issues.
The Colorado Petroleum Association supports statewide air quality regulations and participates in numerous air quality rulings that impact our lives. We’re working closely with state and local agencies to develop statewide regulations that will address emissions of volatile organic compounds associated with ground-level ozone. These regulations illustrate our commitment to supporting and responding to the needs of communities located near our operations.
Oil and natural gas wells are currently located in 42 of Colorado’s 63 counties and, if anything, this number will only increase. As a result, energy companies throughout the state are taking the necessary precautions today in order to safeguard our environment and our communities into the future.
It can be done, and we can do it, but only through constructive partnerships and continued dialogue.
Stan Dempsey, President, Colorado Petroleum Association, Denver
Kids and homework
Where are the days when children came home from school and had time to play, read for fun, be with families, and relax and unwind? Gone!
Homework has replaced every moment of free time. Children work longer days than most adults. They’re at school seven to eight hours, come home, grab a snack and begin three to four hours of homework. Where are child labor laws when we need them?
How do 50 math problems, coloring maps, etc., benefit them? It’s busy work! Studies show there is little benefit to homework. Homework should focus on reviewing today’s work and getting ready for tomorrow’s. It shouldn’t focus on new material.
Children are stressed out, exhausted and sick of school. Who can blame them? Not only is every day a homework day, but school vacations have essays to be written and homework to be done.
Teachers cannot get through the curriculum in class, so tons of homework is assigned to meet requirements. Parents must let superintendents and administrators know that balance is required. Children should be allowed to remain children and have free time.
Erin Bourcier, Englewood
Judicial term limits
Re: “Texas shows danger of politicizing courts,” Nov. 18 Bob Ewegen column.
Contrary to what Bob Ewegen might think, I (and thousands of others) voted for the term limits bill not because “the ballot measure would have immediately purged all five Democrats from the Colorado Supreme Court.” Judges are held in high esteem – and rightfully so – but their status should not make them less accountable then anyone else serving in any branch of the government. The writer admits that partisan judges are actually appointed by “party nabobs” and the cost of statewide elections would be costly. When the voters are asked to retain or not retain judges, are we not voting for or against judges? Judicial decisions should be made public so that voters can make more intelligent decisions and not leave the “appointment” process to a select few.
If one thinks that the few “nabobs” should hold the judicial strings rather than let the political process govern and that by doing so all judges are immune to political pressure, you are sadly mistaken.
Helen Cowart, Littleton
Putting presidents’ faces on dollar coins
Re: “Can dollar coins end pocket vetoes?” Nov. 20 news story.
To add zest to the heavy load of change most of us lug around, why not add a few pennies to the dollars of great presidents and subtract from those who history judges as abysmal? A dollar and five-cent Lincoln, Roosevelt, or Truman and a 95-cent Harding or Nixon would add excitement to an otherwise dreary big-box moment. And we could speculate as the value of Bush 41 rises in proportion to Bush 43’s decline toward half a buck. Our children would not only memorize the presidents but focus on why they are not all equal. History and economics together, at last.
Arthur N. Gilbert, Denver
Paying for high winter energy bills
Every winter, the news media report how high gas bills are going to be. How about telling people how to avoid those high winter bills?
Last year, my October bill was $27. In December, it was $113. Both months I paid $67. This is budget-billing and is available from Xcel. It is particularly advantageous for low-income people.
Granted, many people don’t like paying higher gas bills during the summer, but that is better than getting hit with those $150 to $200 bills in the winter.
If you are one of those who likes paying low bills in the summer, fine, but do not complain about those high winter bills. You have no one to blame but yourself.
John Reid, Grand Junction
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