Pilots deserve special security treatment

As a commercial airline pilot, I find it both concerning and entertaining the point of views from the traveling public. People complain about everything from the “idiot” TSA leadership to pilot arrogance to passenger anger or indifference. I personally would be reserved in giving my opinion on a subject of which I know nothing about, but I understand the frustration.

Mr. Cassidy (“TSA idiocy,” Nov. 24 letter) feels pilots are given VIP treatment because we “barge” our way through the security lines. Well, since we must go through security on a daily basis as a part of our occupation and must safely prepare an aircraft for the traveling public, maybe it would be best to let us through so that we can attend to these duties.

Since most of the traveling public may have to go through security maybe once or twice a year on average, I don’t think this is too much of an imposition. Do you have perks at your place of employment? Are you trusted with the lives of nearly 100,000 people a year? Enough said about that.

A great deal of what folks have to say is valid. We could use more cargo security, profiling, airport ramp security. We could employ the tactics of the Israeli security service, and get more proactive intelligence from the source. I did find it interesting that one letter writer suggested that if the current airport security was too much to take for some, another form of travel should be employed. Not so easy when one needs to be across the country within a few hours.

Unfortunately we live in an age where killing the innocent is not only condoned but celebrated. Our responsibility as citizens of a freedom loving nation is to be aware of our surroundings, report the unusual and remain proactive through security and other measures in defeating terrorism.

Stay safe when you travel. But if you fly, remember, I — as well as all the nation’s pilots — am right there with you on every flight.

Howie Agster

Granbury, Texas

Need a leader

To the editor:

Rep. Ron Paul suggested that the way to fix the problem at the airports is to have the members of the executive branch, Senate and House go through the process. That is not a fix. We do not have to re-invent the wheel. Look to Israel and the way they have been successful. What we need is leadership in Washington.

We need someone who is not afraid to do whatever needs to be done. If it means profiling, profile. Is it worse to profile a few or put everyone through the new process?

There have been thousands of lives lost protecting America. Get a backbone, Washington. Step up and do what has to be done. There is a price for living in the land of the free and the home of the brave.

Gwen Ferrell

Las Vegas

Pension plan

To the editor:

How’s this for a plan? After Jan. 1, all people hired by any government entity will be on Social Security instead of a government pension. This will mean an instant influx of cash to the “Social Security Trust Fund” and eventually all the unfunded public pensioners will die off.

Cops and firefighters can’t work after 55 years old? Give them administrative jobs and get the younger guys on the streets.

Robert Raider

Henderson

Federal whims

To the editor:

Before the Legislature considers anything else, how about eliminating all federal unfunded mandates?

Clearly, Nevada has enough lawyers to read the U.S. Constitution. Remember, federal powers that are not expressed in the Constitution are left to the states or the people.

I am convinced that Nevada could save many millions of dollars if we told the federal government to go pound sand when it comes to all the ridiculous laws and court decisions that end up allowing the feds to basically steal our money.

Education, medical care, prisons, bilingual ballots — it goes on and on. Why should we have to honor their whims when they have no right to say what we can and can’t do in almost all state decisions?

Nicholas P. Gartner

Henderson

Gum it up

To the editor:

The recent election is a mandate to Sen. Harry Reid to listen to the conservatives and stop his party’s runaway spending and relentless growth of government.

He now calls for bipartisan cooperation, but what he really means is “my way or the highway.”

His bribing of senators to pass his socialistic programs — resulting in 2,500-page bills that nobody read — has angered Nevadans. I’m surprised that he survived the last election.

Sen. Reid is concerned with future gridlock — that somebody might put a brake to the far-left agenda he espouses along with Barack Obama and Nancy Pelosi.

In this case, I say gridlock is what is urgently needed. We should have had gridlock before the outrageous ObamaCare bill was enacted.

R.A. Salter

Henderson

Spend, spend

To the editor:

I see where Sen. Harry Reid has stated that he believes members of Congress have a constitutional obligation and responsibility to do congressional earmarking.

I do not profess to be an expert on the Constitution, but thumbing through my copy I am unable to find earmarks mentioned anywhere, let alone that they are a constitutional obligation.

I wonder if the good senator could give us the exact reference.

Bryce Lee

Las Vegas