Controversy over Pelosi’s choice of aircraft
Re: “Pelosi experiencing turbulence over jet preference,” Feb. 8 news story.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi would be wise to forgo the use of a large, expensive Air Force transcontinental jet and instead fly the commuter jet used by former Speaker Dennis Hastert. This would give her the opportunity to visit with citizens and leaders of Midwest and mountain states while her plane is refueling. Think of a meeting with the Detroit City Council, St. Louis health officials, or a town hall session with Denver’s citizens. All could be held at or near the respective airports, would add only a couple of hours to her trip home to California, and would save taxpayers a pile of money. Pelosi would be smart to solidify her party’s recent gains in the so-called “flyover” states by paying attention to the often-ignored issues and problems that confront our citizens in the nation’s heartland.
Peter D. Shultz, Westminster
What can be done about global warming?
Re: “Congress and global warming,” Feb. 9 editorial.
Thank you for the great editorial on global warming. It is what we need to make the people aware and to get our legislators to act. Rep. Nancy Pelosi has made a great start, but she needs much more help.
As I see the problem, besides developing alternatives, we simply need to use less gasoline, coal and natural gas. Using less of all three of these energies will also help the energy problem that is looming over our heads.
To use less energy, we need to have our machines (mainly automobiles) and buildings more efficient. Also, we must be less wasteful. We must use gasoline, electricity and natural gas only for tasks that are really necessary. We can do this voluntarily, encouraged or forced.
During the Second World War, we had gasoline rationing. Depending on your job requirements, you were allocated more or less stamps to purchase gasoline. It worked beautifully and decreased the use of gasoline so there was a sufficient amount for the armed forces.
Maybe buildings could be limited in the amount of energy they use. Requirements on heating loss could be imposed rather than taxing the natural gas or electricity used for heating or air conditioning.
I do not think that voluntary actions will be sufficient. I prefer to be encouraged or forced into actions, rather than wait in long lines of cars at the pump for the next tanker to arrive or to experience cataclysmic climate changes.
Art Cornell, Littleton
…
Thank you for your editorial on global warming. The polar ice caps are melting, causing polar bears to drown. Tropical storms are increasing in intensity due to global climate change. The future of our health, animals and the environment is at stake.
We cannot wait for the government to take action against global warming. We need to start making some changes now in our individual lives. Switching to a vegetarian or vegan diet is a major step we can take to curb greenhouse gas emissions. Meat production contributes to carbon dioxide from the burning of forests to make land for farm animals. Methane from the animals and nitrous oxide from the animals’ wastes are emitted. More information is available at earthsave.org/globalwarming.htm.
William McMullin, Kalamazoo, Mich.
Bonuses for outgoing Owens staff members
Re: “Owens’ bonus payouts: $187,298,” Feb. 7 news story.
Bonuses for former Gov. Bill Owens’ staff included unused annual leave, unused sick leave and a big pat on the back for sticking with the job while the transition occurred between governors.
I work for the state of Colorado, in higher education. Some of those bonuses could have paid the salaries of close to two additional college advisers, or close to two full-time faculty. Has anyone been reading about how under- funded higher education is in Colorado?
I don’t get paid sick leave when I retire, nor do I expect to. Staying on the job through the transition? In higher education, we have kept the institutions running without college presidents for periods at a time. We simply appoint someone to act as an interim president.
Why are we paying these leaders to “do the right thing”? They’re still collecting a salary while they’re on the job. Fiscal irresponsibility at this level is unacceptable and an embarrassment. Perhaps a less expensive transition strategy, like appointing interim leaders, could have been explored.
Our previous governor has finished his time with Colorado by displaying to me why it was I never voted for him. I guess the validation is nice.
Lynne Stefanowski, Littleton
Iran weapons in Iraq?
Re: “Iranians arming Shiites, U.S. says,” Feb. 12 news story.
The U.S. government is telling us that Iran is responsible for sophisticated weapons that are killing our soldiers. Two questions immediately come to mind: How do we know that these Iranian weapons weren’t supplied by arms dealers or by rogue elements in the neighborhood? And why hasn’t the U.S. military secured the roads between Iran and Iraq? Maybe the U.S. government doesn’t want to know the truth because it is fabricating a case to attack Iran.
Maryann Lowe, Wheat Ridge
Speaking proper English
Re: “Not making the grade,” Feb. 10 Open Forum.
I could not agree more with letter-writer Robert D. Tonsing. I, too, am tired of people butchering the English language, especially professionals, like reporters and newscasters. Here are some of my favorite ones: “Sennence” (sentence), “vetran” (veteran), “vetrinarian” (veterinarian), “orangatang,” (orangatan), and my all-time favorite double- negative, “I ain’t did nothing!”
No wonder many immigrants find the English language hard to learn outside of a classroom.
Sue Mercer, Denver
Sierra Club’s position on nuclear power
Re: “Sierra Club still rigidly ‘no nukes,”‘ Feb. 7 Al Knight column.
The Sierra Club’s views on nuclear power are simple. It ought to be safe, reliable and affordable. Al Knight finds this crazy. He mocks us for believing that “Nations of the world must resolve the issue of how to prevent the use of nuclear plant materials for the manufacture of weapons.”
Mr. Knight has forgotten that we invaded Iraq to prevent it from obtaining nuclear weapons, and that we are threatening Iran if it builds nuclear weapons and are distraught over North Korea’s nuclear capacity. Unfortunately, the world has yet to resolve this threat.
Knight concludes that “before America finds the kind of energy it wants, it must continue to obtain the energy it needs.” The Sierra Club and the American Solar Energy Society have documented how America could obtain the energy it needs, and reduce its greenhouse pollution, through energy efficiency and renewable energy. Denverites can find the Sierra Club’s road map to a safer energy future at ases.org/climatechange.
Carl Pope, Executive Director, The Sierra Club, San Francisco
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