Supreme Court nominee hearing is no “con” game
On Tuesday, President Donald Trump accused Democrats of playing a “con game.” By Wednesday, just one day later, he had escalated to “big fat con.” If itap just a con, why wasn’t there even a whiff during the Neil Gorsuch confirmation? I’m inclined to think where there’s smoke, there’s fire.
Geoff Morneau, Denver
Remember what the “P” stands for in EPA?
As wildfire season winds down, some forget what Coloradans went through this summer: forest and road closures, chalky skies, and the destruction of homes and people’s lives. But the people of Huerfano and Costilla counties haven’t forgotten. The business owners who were depending on summer tourism to get them through the winter haven’t forgotten. And the men and women putting their lives on the line to fight the Bull Draw Fire this very day certainly haven’t forgotten. This summer’s wildfires were some of the biggest in Colorado’s history.
So why are we allowing Trump’s EPA to keep slashing methane regulations? The New Source Performance Standards exist to keep needless carbon emissions out of our air. We’ve already seen what the consequences are when we fail to protect our climate. Coloradans need to stand up and tell the EPA that we want common-sense regulation. Itap a matter of life and death.
David O’Neal, Denver
Letting parolees vote
During American Voter Registration Week, let us think about our disenfranchised citizens. Colorado now allows parolees to preregister to vote so they can vote upon parole completion but about 10,000 persons still on parole are prohibited from voting even as they reintegrate into our communities.
Parolees participate in society and are particularly impacted by public housing and fair employment statutes but cannot elect their representatives. This is inherently unfair and undemocratic. Additionally, because the majority of persons now incarcerated are African-American and Latino, the electoral representation of these minority groups is diminished when parolees are kept from the polls.
Two states maintain voting rights for prisoners, while some states restore rights upon release from prison. Colorado marginalizes parolees well after their physical incarceration despite evidence that restoring civil rights decreases recidivism. We can do better. We urge our government officials to consider these issues and support parolee voter re- enfranchisement legislation.
Gay E. Lasher, Denver
Carbon indulgences of the rich
In 1517, legend says that Martin Luther nailed his 95 Theses to a church door. Foremost of these was his exception with the use of indulgences by the church. These were sold by the church and were supposed to reduce the severity of ones punishment in the afterlife. So the rich could buy their way to salvation while the rest of the masses ended up in purgatory. This was wrong and Luther said so at the cost of excommunication.
And so to today’s indulgences. According to the “human-caused climate change” crowd, everyone should reduce their carbon footprint to save the earth. We are all expected to make sacrifices for the good of the planet. Except for the Al Gore/Leonardo DiCaprio crowd who routinely fly in private jets, maintain large, lavish yachts, and live in mansions. These folks are allowed to buy indulgences (now called carbon credits) to salve their consciousness. Meanwhile, the little guy has to spend his money and labor to reduce his footprint to comply with the indulgence crowds demands.
Where is the modern Martin Luther when you need him to point out the inequities of this system?
John Breuninger Jr., Bennett
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