Re: “Should school choice be a right?” Sept. 1 news story

Defending public education from attacks in this state is like playing whack-a-mole. An article Sunday reported on Initiative 138, advocated by the conservative organization Advance Colorado, to enshrine school choice in the state constitution — as if it wasn’t already firmly established in this state of more than 260 charter schools with statewide open enrollment. Homeschooling is also recognized by Colorado as a “legitimate alternative to classroom attendance.”

So far, vouchers have been kept out of the state laws, and for good reason. More than two decades of research have shown a loss of academic achievement in students who go off to private, usually religious, schools with vouchers in hand. No matter to privatizers. Initiative 138 is likely to be the next, but not last, subtle attempt to move the state toward vouchers.

Initiative 138 is very simple in its language, and there’s the problem. The text is short. It says:

“That all children have the right to equal opportunity to access a quality education;

That parents have the right to direct the education of their children; and

That school choice includes neighborhood, charter, private, and home schools, open enrollment options, and future innovations in education.

Each child in K-12 has the right to school choice.”

The simple wording will likely sound sweet to the ear of most voters, and they will naively check their ballot in support of the initiative, but passing Initiative 138 will provide Advance Colorado and others the opportunity to ask the courts to approve the use of vouchers. If that happens, it will likely be the final step in dismantling and dumping public education in Colorado into the dustbin of American history, and our children will suffer the consequences.

Rick Johnson, Castle Rock

Make life affordable for families

A recently published study indicates more than 40% of full-time workers, assuming a two-income family, do not earn enough to make ends meet. Younger generations have told us that we boomers didn’t have it as tough as they do today, and this would sadly appear to settle this argument in their favor.

Listening to younger folks, they are struggling with costs for rent, housing, daycare for their kids and more. Taking all that into account, I can not see that the government helping out in some way with these costs is some radical, left-wing idea. These folks are hurting and have been very clear about that. I would tell Sen. JD Vance if he wants families to have more kids, that it starts with making life affordable for full-time workers.

John W. Thomas, Fort Collins

Taking a back seat to the swing states

I am tired of hearing about the swing states, like Pennsylvania, Michigan, Iowa, etc., deciding the presidential election.

I think it’s absurd that we are still holding onto the antiquated Electoral College.

Every other election is decided by popular vote. Five candidates have lost five elections even though the majority chose them.

Every vote should count, but in winner-take-all states, a 51/49 decision means millions of people’s votes are worthless.

I can understand why people are disillusioned about voting, to spend the hours in line and not have your vote count towards the final tally. Surely in this technically advanced era, they could come up with a secure way to vote electronically.

The electoral college is a way to game the system so that the majority’s will is inconsequential.

Von Honnecke, Lakewood

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Re: “Is a violent gang of illegal immigrants taking over Aurora?” Aug. 31 editorial

It is not the vast majority of Venezuelan immigrants, papered or not, who are causing concern. It is, however, the small minority of Venezuelan immigrants who are gang members who are cause for great concern!

Do I fear every Venezuelan immigrant? Of course not. This is not a racial or ethnic issue. This is, however, an all too real gang issue. This gang, which appears to be raising havoc in Aurora, is a problem. Defending Venezuelan immigrants as a group is a mere diversion from the real problem. You should not divert attention from this problem by shifting it into a fake ethnic issue or into a fake anti-Venezuelan issue. No intelligent person is concluding that “all Venezuelan immigrants, papered or not, are dangerous gang members.” Intelligent people are saying, “A Venezuelan gang is a cause of great concern.”

We would be fools to ignore the fact that this gang of domestic terrorists is Venezuelan by ethnicity or heritage because saying that would be politically incorrect. That is government propaganda and sheer nonsense just as it is sheer nonsense to dismiss those who are legitimately worried about the dangers posed by this gang because the gang is Venezuelan in origin.

Reporting the facts is not measured by political correctness except in this editorial piece. Facts are facts, even when they are politically inconvenient. Revisionist news is not news. It is nonsense that has no place even as an opinion piece.

Leonard Frieling, Lafayette

I’ve spent years organizing, protesting, canvassing, and managing political campaigns in Aurora. I’m not new to the whole “painting whole cities as violent and gang-ridden to justify and spread racist hate against a particular group of people” thing.

Here’s the thing: These racist lies are always stoked by the same municipal lawmakers who have systematically deprived certain communities of the resources they need to thrive. They criminalize the inevitable consequences of the poverty they perpetuate. They refuse to hold cops accountable for hate crimes or homicides, or landlords accountable for unlivable conditions. In Aurora, they somehow manage to do this while successfully blaming Democrats for the results. In a city with a longtime Republican mayor and longtime Republican council majority, somehow nothing is actually their fault.

There were reports of a candidate who almost won a city council seat by knocking on Democratic voters’ doors and telling them he was a Democrat. Many voters realized the lie in time.

Councilmember Ruben Medina will be up for re-election in Ward 3 next fall, and once again, Republicans will spend a lot of money lying to voters in an effort to defeat him.

Lying is their constant. What you’re seeing right now is not concern for our residents; it’s preparation for the next election cycle, when City Councilwoman Danielle Jurinsky will pretend she didn’t just spend four years voting down Democrat-led measures to hold the landlords of this building accountable.

Brittney Buckley, Centennial

To paraphrase you folks: “Not a problem, nothing to do with race or illegal immigration, happens all the time.” To which I say “bunk.” I guess it has to be at your front door before it’s a problem.

I can tell you I used to go to Denver three or more times a month. I enjoyed taking the wife out for dinner, doing some shopping, enjoying the arts, and maybe a ball game. I haven’t been there in five years and have zero interest in ever returning, even to drive through on Interstate 70 or E470. Folks like you have ruined it, it is way too dangerous. I am not alone in my opinion, I assure you.

But it is not a problem. Sanctuary City for all, save the occasional resident who ventures out after dark or has only two locks on each door, including the garage door.

Harvey Lyon, Steamboat Springs

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There have been quite a few conversations about the need for affordable housing with possible solutions, but the cost of providing them, being too great, has been the stumbling block.
Possible solutions have been old motels, tiny homes, and now, vacant office buildings.

There was a recent news story about an existing building complex being retired because the owners were moving to a new modern campus. It wasn’t that the building and all the mechanical backbone were broken; the owners just needed their facility to be more modern.

That old campus, which has a vast part of the mechanical infrastructure with computerized control already in place, could come to life as an affordable solution.

Lutheran Medical Center in Wheatridge just moved to a new modern facility and “turned off the lights” on the buildings they had used for years. The buildings are still intact. The interior of each floor would need to be remodeled. But the main feed lines of the electric, plumbing, HVAC, elevators, sprinkler system, communication, and fire alarms are all in place.

This could have provided a real potential fix at a reduced cost. It seems like a lost opportunity.

Mark Stahl, Hartsel

Don’t underestimate the extremes

Re: “Election 2024: Buckle up, and be kind,” Aug. 23 letter to the editor

The letter writer recommends that we “don’t buy into the loud 10% at the extremes.” Since there are only two principal presidential candidates, and one of them accused the other of being a radical Marxist and that she “turned Black” for political advantage, I propose that the percentage at the radical extreme is around 50%.

David Wolf, Lakewood

Screaming motorcycles

Re: “How loud is too loud?” Aug. 24 news story

Thank God someone is finally talking about noise in Denver. Unfortunately, the article didn’t mention those extremely annoying crotch rockets (squealing motorcycles of all sizes) that are a true assault on the senses. You can hear them from blocks away, and they make your skin crawl as they go by in full force. They must give the riders some perverse form of pleasure or power to terrify and annoy people all around them. (See me! Hear me!)

As far as enforcement, how about an app for citizens to film the event (along with license plates) and send it to law officers? Or how about making it illegal to sell motorcycles that emit that level of sound?  I am all for lowering the level of noise so that we can enjoy our lives in peace.

Lynne Charles, Denver

Big number, small percentage

Re: “Medicaid department overshot last year’s budget by $120 million,” Aug. 29 news story

The headline for this article could have been  “Medicaid department overshot last year’s budget by 1.16%.” If that were the actual headline, I would expect that many readers would react not with shock and cynicism over wasteful government spending (after all, $120 million is a lot of money to the average person) but rather with admiration that the Colorado Department of Health Care Policy and Financing did a solid job managing the complex programs, competing needs, and massive budget it is responsible for.

Sometimes people only read the headline and form their opinions on that information. Headlines should attempt to be as factual and unbiased as the article.

Jan Winkler, Denver

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Re: “Will vote to remove GOP chair hold up?” Aug. 27 news story, and “Governor again calls special session,” Aug. 16 news story

I always thought that Colorado was an exceptional place for free thinking and majority rules.  What has happened?

The Republicans cannot vote out an unpopular and unethical leader.

The governor has obliged the authors of a brutal tax issue by ordering a special session of the legislature.

Where do the residents of Colorado have a voice in either situation? Does the state now abide by the minority rule?

Heaven help us!

Bonnie J. Allison, Lakewood

Rooting for Coach Prime

Re: “CU football: Sanders will no longer answer Post columnist’s questions,” Aug. 24 sports story, and “Coach Sanders: Does CU really support censorship of sports journalist?” Aug. 28 letters to the editor

I am an avid reader of The Denver Post, particularly the sports section.  Please allow my take on the above subject.

I noticed long before the recent events that led to the Sean Keeler/Deion Sanders rift a protracted and, in my opinion, negative and personal bias on the part of Keeler towards Coach Sanders.  Indeed, after reading the recent column that sparked Coach Prime’s and the CU football program’s decision to rescind Keeler’s access to Coach Prime, I was appalled at the personal defamations included therein. Being a journalist does not grant license to personally attack in the manner exercised by columnist Keeler.

In reading his most recent submission, wherein he appears to require success or else after just one year in the attempt to recover a disastrous football program, Keeler appears to be operating out of his lane.

Many of my Buff fan friends and I applaud the first-year accomplishments of the program and believe if given a reasonable amount of time, the Buffaloes can be restored not only to respectability but to championship contention in the newly aligned Big 12 Conference. To those who wrote in defense of Keeler, I side with Coach Prime and the CU football program.

Bill Starks, Arvada

Social Security reductions threaten retirement

I have dedicated over 37 years of my life to a public service career. As I approach retirement, I have always hoped for a secure and comfortable future. However, the unfair impact of the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and Government Pension Offset (GPO) has left me facing unexpected financial challenges during my retirement.

I knew my pension would be vital to my retirement income. Yet, the reduction in my Social Security benefits due to the WEP and GPO has taken a toll on my financial stability, leaving me with far less than I had anticipated. This unjust double-dipping penalty has left me questioning the recognition of the contributions made by public servants like myself.

The Social Security Fairness Act presents an opportunity to rectify these inequalities and provide hardworking public servants with the retirement benefits they deserve. It seeks to eliminate the WEP/ GPO, ensuring that individuals like me, who have paid into both Social Security and their pension systems, receive fair treatment and financial security in our golden years.

Robert Wright, Parker

A wealthy prerogative

Re: “Mansion report: Let’s live within our planet’s means,” Aug. 29 letter to the editor

The Denver Post letter writer is expressing his concern about rich people, such as NBA or NFL players, having a larger home, which comes into the thousands of square feet. He thinks that money could be spent somewhere else.

Do you honestly think that a super-rich person is going to live in my neighborhood?

It’s their money and their choices.

Leroy M. Martinez, Denver

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Re: “Peach pies: No, not the dessert; try the fruit on pizzas at these spots,” Aug. 16 features story

As a New Jersey transplant, I have suffered from a lack of decent pizza, bagels, and Silver Queen Sweet Corn since moving to Colorado. That indignity is offset by the really great Mexican food, surprisingly diverse seafood choices and the spectacular Palisade peaches.

However, my blood ran cold with your story on peaches on pizza. While this kind of blasphemy may not be illegal, it should be.

Agust Gudmundsson, Castle Rock

Election 2024: Buckle up and be kind

The next several weeks are going to be pretty awful politically (especially if you live in a swing state). I implore you to help keep things civil among friends and family. You may not understand why a friend or family member is rooting for one candidate or the other. But one thing you should understand is that most people all want the same thing in life: a good job to provide for themselves and their families, good friends, some meaning to their lives, and if possible, a bit of leisure time in which to have fun.

Don’t buy into the loud 10% at the extremes. You don’t have to hate someone who votes differently from you. They aren’t out to destroy our country. Chances are they are reading a whole different narrative about their candidate than you are based on their self-tailored news feeds. I do believe that facts, especially scientific facts, seem to have eluded the grasp of politicians (some more than others). But hasn’t that always been the case?

Just when I think the times we’re living in seem the most divided, I read about another time in the past that was the same or worse. We’ve been through all this before; it just seems like it’s on steroids now with 24×7 news and equal platforms for the extremes of society. So, good luck out there. Be safe. Be kind. Be understanding.

Mike Clinton, Longmont

News on wind energy brings hope

Re: “Wind beat coal 2 months in a row for generation energy,” Aug. 16 news story

Today could have started out with the depressing and desensitizing news of more ozone alerts.  Instead, I read that wind beats out coal two months in a row in the generation of energy. A headline of “Broncos beat Kansas City” couldn’t have made me happier.

This is a significant sign of hope for our vulnerable future. The article cited shifts in the economics of energy, federal tax credits and state mandates as having led to explosive growth in renewable energy in recent years. A thank you to Congress for passing the Inflation Reduction Act is in order.

Here is evidence that the Act and the innovation it spurred are working.

Lesley LeFevre, Centennial

Don’t underestimate municipal airport’s importance

Re: “Boulder’s airport is a subsidized waste of space,” Aug. 15 commentary

The other day, I was just sharing the amazing experiences I have had soaring in a glider over the Flatirons out of Boulder Municipal Airport. They are among the most memorable experiences of my life. Having access to small local airports is important for flying lessons, parachuting and gliding. It provides local access for ordinary folks like me. I don’t own a private plane, but I have had the opportunity to fly in small planes out of the Boulder Airport, and I am not alone. Lots of us have had our first experience in a small aircraft, thanks to Boulder Municipal Airport.

Boulder is just plain expensive and to think that developing every last corner of it will make it any less so is absurd. The developers must love Josh Joseph’s comments. I don’t. Leave the airport alone.

Christie McNeill, Englewood

Looking out for our grocery dollars

Re: “Kroger sues FTC over embattled supermarket merger,” Aug. 21 business story

If Kroger can afford to spend billions of dollars to establish a grocery monopoly in too many parts of Colorado and the country, then they can substantially lower inflation-causing prices, remove obstructive displays and product placements from along the sides of their too-narrow aisles, and reduce wait times by hiring additional checkout personnel.

The company that once boasted “our people make the difference” now tries to justify its monopoly attempt on the fact that its difference-making employees are unionized.

Give me a break! This is yet another example of inflation fueling corporate greed.

Thank you, Attorney General Phil Weiser, for acting to reduce inflation and protecting the economic interests of Colorado shoppers!

Dexter Meyer, Denver

It pays to be friendly on the trails

Re: “Grumpy Hiker: Doesn’t everyone else find small talk on hiking trails annoying?” Aug. 21 commentary

Wow. Yes, that is one grumpy hiker!  I’m surprised The Post wasted precious Op-Ed space for a non-story.  All the examples she used of her so-called trail small talk were friendly human interactions. I suggest Marjorie “Slim” Woodruff wears a big sign around her neck that says, “I hate people. Don’t even speak to me.”  Clearly, being in nature is not healing for her.

Krista Igoe, Littleton

I was appalled by this opinion piece by someone so ignorant, thinking the purpose of saying hello to other hikers is to engage in conversation. When passing someone on the trail, you check that they can respond because maybe they’re suffering from altitude sickness, dehydration, or many other things that can go wrong when hiking. They might not even know they’re becoming delirious until someone else observes their response.

All too often, on a hike, somebody needs help, and the next stranger coming along can help them or finish their hike down back to cell service and then call for help to get rescue patrol to head up. Just remember the next person who might need medical attention on a hike could be you, and you’ll be left out all alone unless you’re able to ask somebody to help. Hopefully, your slurred speech catches someone’s attention who can provide you with the necessary medical attention.

We all need to help each other out, so say hello, and be grateful strangers are checking on you as well.

Michael Wille, Denver

Investigating drug deaths

Re: “Matthew Perry’s assistant is among 5 charged in his death,” Aug. 16 news story

I see from recent reports that authorities have charged five people for complicity in Matthew Perry’s “accidental” death, including, as with the deaths of Michael Jackson and Prince, doctors. These charges demonstrate that catering to the whims of wealthy celebrities with no self-control is apparently a horribly egregious crime worth prioritization by prosecutors.

One could only wish the overdose deaths of the teenage dropout in the library bathroom or the Iraq veteran behind the dumpster in the alley were investigated with the same vigor, tenacity, and resources expended in the quest for Matthew Perry’s justice.

Paul Barnkow, Arvada

Israel isn’t the only one who shouldn’t be getting U.S. weapons

Although I support an arms embargo to end funding the genocide in Palestine, it isn’t going to happen. It is a slogan similar to “defund the police” which should have been “retrain the police.” Politics is the art of the possible and forgetting that means that nothing changes.

Instead of singling out Israel for an arms embargo, the question should be asked: Why should the U.S. fund the military of any country without conditions?  And since we give more money to Israel than any other country or countries combined, there should actually be more conditions. Biden pledged back in February that we would not fund countries that broke international law. Now that would be a great policy if it weren’t just meaningless words.

Let’s pressure Harris to act on that pledge.

Naomi Rachel, Boulder

Vail, doesn’t need a tunnel. Go electric.

Re: “How Vail is keeping the dream alive to tunnel or bury I-70,” Aug. 19 news story

Concerning the continued discussion of tunneling or covering I-70 through Vail, I have a very simple solution: Time. The major complaints are two: noise and pollution. Both will be corrected over time.

The electrification of the nation’s surface transportation is happening relatively quickly, right before our eyes. Motor noises from cars, SUVs, and even large commercial trucks will soon turn into a soothing hum. Granted, other road noises exist (tire noise for one), but once all internal combustion vehicles are replaced by EV’s, most of the noise and all the pollution problems disappear.

I suggest the Vail town council begin studying how to provide convenient charging facilities for all these cars and large trucks. The slow but steady conversion of gas stations in Vail and surrounding towns could provide the space needed for this charging infrastructure. Providing charging for trucks could be similar to the chain-up areas at the beginning of steep grades in the mountains. Truck-rated chargers could be installed at these off ramps thereby eliminating the need for trucks to even enter the town(s).

Mark Edward Geyer, Denver

Patients need protection from Kaiser billing

Why is Kaiser the cheapest health insurance in the Denver Metro area? They make money with inflated and false billing. Both my charge dispute and appeals process with Kaisers resulted in a form letter saying you still owe the money and the charges are valid (I only realized this after my 3rd time going through this process in the last 10 years).

Filing a claim with the Colorado Department of Insurance and the Attorney General’s Office, only gets a response to bounce back and forth between the two because they don’t deal with provider billing, try the other one. What is a patient to do when they are billed for labs or procedures that they were not informed of and had no need for?

In the state of Colorado, doctors have to obtain informed consent from a patient for labs and procedures in a non-emergency situation. After 15 hours spent disputing billing, my conclusion is that patients aren’t protected in the State of Colorado… insurance companies like Kaiser are.

Angela Taylor, Denver

We should always root for the home team — our nation

Over the last few weeks, many of us cheered, yelled, and screamed as the USA Olympic team brought home 126 medals. We came together and took pride in our athletes, coaches, teams, anthem and the American Flag.

Why can we rally around the flag during the Olympics but not during the other 50 weeks of the year and during non-Olympic years?

No political party owns the American flag. It is OK to love America and simultaneously expect more from it. Why are we so divided along those two trains of thought?

I hope that we can come together and that we can root for each other, and root for our country to be its best for all people.

And I hope it happens soon because I am about to become divisive and root against the Kansas City Chiefs every week of the NFL season.

Jamie Lofaro, Lone Tree

AI may be ahead of its time

The early years of the internet are reminiscent of what seems to be happening to the new bright and shiny object: AI. The new capability is being showcased as the next big thing well before it is the next big thing. The dot-com bust in the early 2000s might just be where the current hoopla is heading.

I have no doubt that AI will one day warrant the current bravado, but that time has yet to peak much above the horizon. And the looming interval will very likely do just what it did before: punish those pushing this immature product on an unsuspecting market.

Caution is always warranted with new technology, and another bit of historically proven advice that has served us all well comes to mind: Let the buyer beware.

Robert Heath, Lakewood

Let local governments decide fate of overdose prevention centers

As an infectious diseases specialist, I care for hundreds of people who use drugs every year; I treat Hep C, HIV, Hep B, and complicated bacterial infections, yet I worry that all the strides my patients make in improving their health could become meaningless in a single moment from an accidental overdose. Fatal overdoses in Denver have tripled over just the past five years. Trends in overdose deaths are reminiscent of the early days of the AIDS epidemic when people were dying at alarming rates, and the response was heartbreakingly inadequate due to apathy and stigma and the lack of research, knowledge, innovation, and courage to find solutions.

If Colorado were to lift the statewide prohibition on local decision-making for overdose prevention centers (OPCs), we could attempt new ways to reverse these awful trends in overdose deaths and support access to healthcare resources. Published data shows OPCs to be safe and effective by offering an alternative to using alone or in places that lack social support or Narcan. There is no data (online or otherwise) indicating that OPCs increase crime in surrounding neighborhoods.

Support for OPCs is broad among medical and public health organizations. Even the American Medical Association has endorsed OPCs in the 2023 Overdose Epidemic Report: “The data shows that (overdose prevention sites) help reduce risky drug use behaviors, overdose and death while improving public safety and access to health care.”

Considering the possibility of OPCs would show that Coloradans value each life and are committed to working together to address this crisis.

Sarah Rowan, Denver

“A glimpse of the world as it was created”

Re: “Mountain bikers push to ride through America’s last protected wilderness lands,” July 24 commentary

On Sept. 3, 1964, President Lyndon Johnson signed the Wilderness Act. I have a worn-out Sierra Club T-shirt and an index card on my dining room table with Johnson’s quote that he made as he signed.

Many presidents have made memorable quotes on such occasions, but this one is my favorite: “ If future generations are to remember us more with gratitude than with sorrow, we must achieve more than just the miracles of technology. We must leave them a glimpse of the world as it was created, not just as it looked when we got through with it.”

Thanks to Kevin Proescholdt from Writers On The Range, who addressed the attack by all those who continue to assault the original premise of the Wilderness Act.

Bruce Luer, Evergreen

Kudos to Denver Animal Rescue

Recently, I came upon two aggressive, abandoned adult dogs tied to a park bench with three newborn puppies in a tote bag on the bench — no food, no water. We feared for the puppies’ lives, being in the sun and heat and unable to nurse! We were unable to rescue the puppies as the adults were so protective.

Officer A. Dailey from Denver Animal Protection responded to my call and was wonderful! Within 10 minutes, she was able to calm the aggressive adults, feed and water them, and get all five of them into her air-conditioned vehicle and to safety. I am so appreciative that Officer Dailey and this service are there for uncared-for animals in Denver!

Christine Schaefer, Denver

Development should complement Denver’s charm and styles

Re: “Developer, preservationists clash over fire-damaged buildings,” July 24 news story

At last, someone wants to do something about the eyesores on the 1600 block of Colfax Avenue.  The developer wants to demolish and build something new.  It is sad to see these magnificent buildings in such a sad state, but the time to do something about preserving them is long past.  At this point, I would guess it would be cheaper to demolish them and build them back using the original blueprints.

However, then you would have two beautiful, expensive houses that nobody who could afford them would want because, as the article states, this part of Colfax is now a very commercial area.  Face it, Colfax Avenue is a very different place than when these homes were built. It would make more sense to rebuild them elsewhere.

If the city officials were concerned about keeping Denver’s charm, they would stop approving grain bin-style apartment buildings and require new designs to complement the styles that made Denver, Denver. Imagine something like the buildings on the northeast corner of 17th Ave and Ogden or the new ones on the 8800 block of Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd — apartment buildings with even larger ground floor front porches for outdoor dining at a coffee house or pizzeria or Irish tavern or even a traditional restaurant like we used to have with Tom’s Diner, Annie’s or Goodfriends.

But first, let’s give a proper eulogy and bid farewell to that blemish on Colfax that we have waited way too long to do something about.

Alan Sipes, Denver

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Re: “Lifestyles of the orange and famous,” Aug. 25 features story

I read the story about the Broncos version of “Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous” with some disdain. No, it doesn’t surprise me that Bo Nix has a 6,551 square-foot home, that Von Miller has a 19,000 square-foot home, or that the Walton Family is spending $50 million to “build a luxury compound.”

Why would a couple with no kids need 6,000-plus square feet of living space? I know from experience that a family of four can live very luxuriously in a house with 2,000 square feet of space, or even much less.

My disdain comes from the American belief that more is better. Just because you can afford it does not mean that you should do it, or buy it. This is the time of global warming when we should all be doing what we can to lessen our impact on the earth. Having a huge house means that a large amount of energy must be expended just to heat and cool the building. There’s also the big impact of all the materials needed to build and furnish it.

I suggest that these millionaires take responsibility for their exponentially high environmental impact. They could at least install high-efficiency heating and cooling equipment, such as ground-coupled heat pumps. They could also cover their roofs and lawns with solar collectors with battery storage.

Instead of spending millions on their trophy homes, they could donate millions to environmental groups that are working hard to mitigate the impact of global warming, which is primarily affecting the world’s poor. The rich can afford to buy their way out of the problem.

Richard Phillips, Denver

Back to the drawing board, Mr. Mayor

Re: “Denverites will vote on largest dedicated sales tax in city’s history,” Aug. 20 news story

How many of you are in the habit of signing a blank check and then handing it to someone who says, “Trust me?” This is exactly what Mayor Mike Johnston is trying to do with the proposed 0.5% sales tax increase. This tax is supposed to provide funds to make housing in Denver more affordable. Please give the city $100 million every year for 40 years and trust Mayor Johnston (and all future mayors) to spend it wisely.

Denver has a housing affordability problem. I am ready to vote to raise my taxes to support a program that has exact plans, accountability and an end date well before 2064 (which makes this proposed tax, for all practical purposes, permanent). Mayor Johnston’s plan has none of these things.

So get your act together, Mayor. Vague good intentions do not solve problems. Please hammer out a real plan that tells the people of Denver exactly how the money will be spent if they raise their taxes to fund affordable housing. Otherwise, I shall be voting against it.

Guy Wroble, Denver

Free Paul Watson, protector of whales

It is time for Denmark to prevent a gross injustice. Captain Paul Watson is a dedicated protector of our oceans and the wonderful array of life within.  We knew him through “Whale Wars” on Animal Planet as a courageous activist who did all he could to expose and obstruct the slaughter of whales in a marine sanctuary. Japan’s whaling slaughter was subsequently deemed illegal at the International Court of Justice in the Hague in 2014. Now Japan has bullied Denmark into jailing Captain Watson in Greenland and is demanding his extradition to Japan where they can persecute him.  Why?  To silence him as they have just started to slaughter whales again.  In the sights of their harpoons?  Endangered fin whales. These gentle giants are the second-largest mammal in the world. They deserve protection, not an agonizing death.  We can only hope that Denmark will find the courage to stand up to this Japanese travesty.

Ed Talbot, Arvada

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Re: “CU football: Sanders will no longer answer Post columnist’s questions,” Aug. 24 sports story

I want you all to know how I and many others feel about the unjust and unprofessional restrictions put on your sports columnist by the University of Colorado’s athletics department.

The action by the department in prohibiting a Denver Post columnist who covers CU football from asking questions is unconscionable.

As a CU alum and a huge Buffs fan, I view the articles and columns of the Post’s Sean Keeler as excellent journalistic work!  I see clarity and objectivity in that he not only reports the good news, but he also lets the flaws of the coach and the program speak for themselves in his articles. He is doing his job! And, in my humble opinion, he does it well!

It is beyond my comprehension how the CU Athletic Department can view his work as attacks. Their decision to prohibit him from asking questions is unfathomable. It is the latest in a series of downhill turns taken by a once respected and respectful program.

Shame on the CU athletic department.

Keep in mind that a lot of Buff fans don’t buy into the hype surrounding Coach Deion Sanders. He talks the talk but so far has not been able to walk the walk.

CU deserves better. The players and fans deserve better.  Denver Post readers deserve better. Please oppose this action in any way you can.

I support your columnist and I support The Post 100%. And if you want me to, I will speak out publicly with my albeit small voice.

Bill Allegar, Denver

Who knew Deion Sanders is such a baby? First, he refused to answer a question from local CBS reporter Eric Christensen because of some issue he has with the CBS network that has absolutely nothing to do with him. Now he bans Denver Post columnist Sean Keeler from asking questions because Keeler dares to provide objective coverage rather than sucking up to him.

Sanders loves the spotlight when people are fawning over him, but he can’t handle the criticism that also comes with being in the spotlight. It doesn’t help that there are reports of players running wild with guns and fighting in the locker room. CU was desperate to become relevant, so they took a gamble, and so far, all it’s doing is portraying the coach and school in a very bad light. CU won’t become respectable until Sanders either grows up or is on his way out of Boulder.

Dennis Bronstein, Denver

There is only one proper response to Coach Deion Sanders’ refusal to take questions from Denver Post columnist Sean Keeler. The Denver Post should cease all coverage of the University of Colorado’s football team until Keeler is permitted to ask questions of Coach Sanders. Further, no journalist or sports reporter should write anything about CU’s football team until Keeler is allowed to ask questions. Coach Sanders’ refusal to talk to Keeler has a chilling effect on the freedom of the press. Coach Sanders cannot dictate what The Denver Post can or cannot write about him or his team. This is the United States of America.

Michael J Noonan, Georgetown

CU is “backing journalistic integrity”

I am pleased with CU backing journalistic integrity by banning personal taunts from a columnist on Deion Sanders, calling him “false prophet,” “Deposition Deion,” “Planet Prime,” “Bruce Lee of B.S.,” “the Deion Kool-Aid” and “circus.”

It’s a low blow from the article’s author couching this as an attack on journalistic integrity.

There is no need to “drama-up” (or personalize) articles to sell papers — this was one of the reasons I stopped freelancing for the now defunct “The Glenwood Post” years ago. They’d take an article I wrote on a local school board or city council meeting and throw a misleading title implying malfeasance or contention that wasn’t supported by the facts.

Police your own.

Leslie Wilson, Collbran

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Re: “Is end to property tax wars in sight?” Aug. 18 news story

Now we have a special session called by the governor, which I believe is not needed as the legislature passed a bill during the past session that set a reasonable solution to the problem of property taxes.

There is a long history of this taxation. Before 1982 the assessment rate was a flat 30% for all parties. Needless to say, there were lots of complaints. In 1982 a bill passed reducing the rate for businesses to 27% and for residential to 21%. Since that time residential has decreased dramatically.

Why do we pay property tax? First it is the main funding for schools, and often the only funding for fire departments, parks (which includes those swimming pools), local roads, police, counties, libraries, some cities and water and sewer, and a few other items I have forgotten. Did you know your insurance is higher when your response time for fire service is shorter? Your unrepaired roads cause more damage to your cars. The amount of tax you pay is important. No, we should not be excessive, but what is on the ballot this year will cost you personally in other ways.

The use of a ballot measure to cudgel the government into making more cuts by Michael Fields and a certain portion of the business community is appalling. A promise to remove the ballot issues if the legislature passes more reductions is ridiculous. They are not paying excessive property taxes currently. Look at history. It makes me wonder what has happened to their previous support of education as during the time I served. As to the issue of a 4% assessment rate as promoted by Mr. Fields, this would devastate our education system as well as any service we need as homeowners.

Please vote no at the ballot box on these initiatives and ask the legislature to say no to extortive practices.

Norma Anderson, Lakewood

Editor’s note: Anderson is a former state senator.

Gov. Jared Polis is in full panic mode over the possibility that property taxes could possibly be cut by a vote of the citizens.

He has called for a special session because he and the Democrats only want to cut taxes one-tenth of the amount the referendum calls for.

Stand firm, GOP, and let the voters decide.

Larry Fries, Aurora

Initiatives 50 and 108 are very appealing on the surface. However, the details make it clear that along with some property tax relief, we will get years of legal and legislative decisions and challenges that could cause us to say, “Be careful what you wish for.” The taxing bodies are shouting that the “Sky will fall” if 50 and 108 pass. I doubt it. But, let’s not take a chance. I urge the state legislature to quickly pass workable legislation to ensure that Colorado residents will not be taxed out of their homes and that the services and education that citizens count on will continue to be delivered to us.

Douglas G. Griffin, Golden

Gov. Jared Polis called another special session to try to head off two citizen initiatives to reduce property taxes. Property taxes that business owners, renters and homeowners pay. Since the Gallagher Amendment was repealed in 2020, the democratic majority has failed to reduce property taxes. Proposition HH was the first bad idea and it was defeated by voters and by a huge margin. The steps the Democrats have taken thus far are completely inadequate. And now Gov. Polis and his fellow Democrats are screaming that the world will end if these ballot measures pass. Baloney. Due to Bidenomics and the Colorado Democrats’ own failed policies, taxpayers continue to have to do a lot more with a lot less. Well, our government can do the same. I say forget any deal and let’s pass initiatives 50 and 108.

Jeff Jasper, Westminster

Op-ed pieces and front-page stories about the horrors of Initiatives 50 and 108. And, given The Post’s editorial board’s frequent support for more taxpayer revenue for governments, I am sure more “the sky is falling” stories are to come. The so-called fix to property taxes in the last session of the General Assembly was a joke. It locked in the, on average, approximately 40% increase in assessed valuation across the state. So besides the hit we already took this year, future property tax bills will just keep compounding on that 40% increase.

It is beyond me why governments think they are entitled to such a significant two-year increase in property tax revenues. What a windfall! And, at least in Centennial, no taxing district reduced its mill levy from last year.

The services provided by governments do not increase because of increases in assessed valuation. More teachers and police officers do not need to be hired because property values go up. Nor do roads need more maintenance. Governments are claiming Initiatives 50 and 108 will cripple their ability to provide essential services. Yet somehow, they were able to provide those services before the huge windfall in property tax revenues this past year. And at the state level, most of the recently enacted revenue measures were just a redistribution of income to the favored marginalized group de jour, and had little to do with essential services.

I  hope the proponents of the Initiatives keep them on the ballot in November.

Kurt Kaufmann, Centennial

No choice? Voting for Harris to oppose MAGA movement

Re: “To save conservatism from itself, I am voting for Harris,” Aug. 18 commentary, and “Conservative support for Harris/Walz,” Aug. 17 letter to the editor

Sunday’s Perspective featured an editorial from a pro-life attorney lamenting the evils of the Trump-led Republican party, and concluding with his stated intent to vote the Harris/Walz ticket. Perspective also contained a letter from a GOP “conservative,” similarly concerned by the “hijacking” of the Republican party by narcissists, clearly referring to former President Donald Trump. That letter writer also indicated that he would vote for Harris/Walz and encouraged “fellow elephants” to follow his lead.

While I can understand their motivations to withhold their vote from Trump, neither presents a rational case for voting for Vice President Kamala Harris instead. There are other alternatives to express their dissatisfaction with Trump than to cast a vote for a ticket that profoundly differs from their stated values. Particularly in Colorado, where it’s a no-brainer that our presidential electoral votes will go to the Democrats, undervoting (leaving the top line of the ballot blank) delivers a more appropriate message than voting for the opposite party.

Tom Kocialski, Centennial

I recently wrote a letter listing some tangible comparisons between MAGA and traditional fascism. David French’s column reminded me that the list could have been much longer. (I’ll never forget the 2020 news reports of armed people guarding a ballot drop-off box in Littleton.)

And yes, David, true conservatives won’t vote for Donald Trump. My dad was a WWII vet and a conservative. If he were here today, he’d point to Trump and say something to the effect of, “Hey buddy, you’re neither a conservative nor a patriot.”

We shouldn’t expect conservatives to vote for Kamala Harris. If I were a conservative, I’d not vote for president.

Scott Newell, Denver

Last week, The Denver Post published a commentary from David French, a writer for the New York Times. French announced that he was joining some other Republicans in voting for the Democratic ticket of Kamala Harris and Tim Walz.

French writes, “Lying is wrong. I’m not naive; I know that politicians have had poor reputations for honesty since ancient Athens. But I have never seen a human being lie with the intensity and sheer volume of Donald Trump.”

I can’t argue that.

Further, French pens, “Political violence and threats of violence have no place in the American democratic process. Yet threats and intimidation follow the MAGA movement like night follows day.”

Again, I have no bone to pick with that point.

When I do have a problem is when he writes, “At each step, (the MAGA movement) has pushed Republicans further and further away from Reaganite conservatism.”

Not really. Current Republicans are trying to continue many Reagan-era libertarian/conservative values: big government is the problem, trickle-down Reaganomics works, privatization of schools is better. Hmm.

And then there’s the matter of presidential crime, about which French wrote zilch. The Iran-Contra shenanigans were clearly illegal for which Col. Oliver North largely took the blame. How did French miss the 34 felony counts for which former President Donald Trump was convicted in the city where he works?

David C. Mathews, Highlands Ranch

Mayor, here’s how to spend on housing and win

Re: “Denverites will vote on largest dedicated sales tax in city’s history,” Aug. 20 news story

I worked on affordable housing issues in Boulder, both in my 10 years as a city council member here and afterward. My strong suggestion is to spend most of the money on permanent investments in affordable housing, and not just on helping people pay for housing, where once the money is spent, it is gone.

For example, one way to do that is to give people down payment assistance to buy market-rate units they could not otherwise afford in exchange for permanently limiting future price increases on that housing. Or pay landlords to make certain units permanently affordable to people at some reasonable percentage of Area Median Income.

In addition, Denver would do well to mandate that a percentage of all units in new housing developments be permanently affordable. Boulder’s current requirement is 25%. That is about half of what is needed to maintain the population’s economic distribution, but way better than nothing.

For business development, implement a jobs-housing linkage fee, where commercial development pays for affordable housing for its workers who could otherwise not afford to live in the city. Boulder’s is currently $30 per square foot for office space, which is just a fraction of what’s needed, but, again, better than nothing.

Steve Pomerance, Boulder

The changes to the Sunday funnies

Re: “Changes today to our comics pages,” Aug. 18 note to readers

As an admirer of satire, I’m pleased to see Doonesbury back in The Denver Post — evidently no longer considered too controversial. I’m sorry to see the deletion of Macanudo, which takes the prize for originality, but I suppose it was too eccentric. Good call, you all!

James Aubrey, Denver

I am happy to see the elimination of Marmaduke and could easily say adios to Fred Basset. And I will admit to initially disliking Macanudo when it replaced Adam@Home. Over time, I have learned to really appreciate Macanudo, and I am sorry it has been removed. The artwork is phenomenal and various plot lines are interesting. I have my favorites (the girl and her cat, the witches) and not-so-favorites (Olga), but I had come to anticipate and enjoy it each day. Liniers, the author, demonstrates intelligence, different perspectives, and creativity. It would be great if The Denver Post reconsidered its removal.

Mariann Storck, Wheat Ridge

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Re: “100-degree sizzlers here to stay as summers get hotter,” Aug. 11 news story

Any discussion of Denver weather records must include the fact that the official recording site was moved to Denver International Airport (DIA) when opened in 1995. This location has a different microclimate than the previous site of Stapleton Airport, situated 12 miles to the southwest of DIA. Before Stapleton, weather records were taken in downtown Denver dating back to 1872.

On Sunday, Aug. 4, the daily record high of 102 set at DIA would not have been a record at Denver Central Park (Stapleton) where the daily high was 96. In fact, none of the five daily record highs set at DIA this summer would have been records at the previous Denver sites. DIA has reached 100 degrees on six days in 2024, while the highest temperature recorded at Central Park has been 99.

With all the media hype of man-made climate change and record heat, we need to be careful not to compare apples and oranges with weather stats going out to the world representing Denver.  Average annual precipitation also tends to run a bit lower at DIA, and snowfall is quite often less at the airport due to its proximity farther away from the mountains.

Dave Larison, Longmont

Editor’s note: Larison is a retired National Weather Service meteorologist.

News flash to Tina Peters and John Case: Trump won in Mesa County in 2020?

Re: “Former Colorado clerk Tina Peters, election deniers hero, found guilty in election computer breach,” Aug. 12 news story

In his post-conviction rationale for the necessity of former Mesa County clerk Tina Peters committing felonies by unlawfully permitting unauthorized access to voting systems, her attorney, John Case, stated in The Post that she had to break the law in getting election denier operatives into the system to find out whether anyone from “China or Canada” had accessed the machines while ballots were being counted. “And thank God she did. Otherwise, we wouldn’t know what happened,” he said.

What happened was that Donald Trump won Mesa County in 2020 with 62.8% of the vote to Joe Biden’s 34.8%. The votes cast in Mesa County were 56,894 for Trump against 31,536 for Biden. However, in Colorado as a whole Biden won 55.4% to 41.9% The statewide vote was Biden 1,804,352 to Trump 1,344,607. This is an example of the “Stop the Steal” operation at its most absurd. Peters violated Colorado law and the security of our elections to protect us from the Chinese or Canadians in a county that Trump won overwhelmingly. As a former Colorado prosecutor, I have always put my trust in the common sense of jurors.

Richard L. Nathan, Greenwood Village

Tina Peters received a well-deserved conviction of multiple felonies regarding her role in the breaching of election security in Mesa County. Her buddy Mike Lindell, the pillow guy, continues to spew election fraud lies in addition to the many lies spewed by the MAGA crowd without a single shred of evidence supporting their claims.

Let’s be clear, there wasn’t any question about election integrity until Donald Trump came along. For months before the 2020 presidential election, Trump laid the groundwork for his lies claiming election fraud by basically exclaiming that “If I don’t win, the election is rigged.” It’s amazing how many of his supporters believed the lie. It really is kind of a Trump cult.

Let’s also be clear that the reason Joe Biden was declared the winner late, after Election Day, was because a handful of states, including Pennsylvania and Arizona, both controlled by Republican state legislators at the time, decided that they were not going to count the early mail-in ballots, which typically favors Democrats by a good margin, until after the polls closed on election night. These ballots went strongly for Biden overnight. He didn’t win these states because of faulty election machines or stolen Trump votes or illegal aliens voting or any of that other nonsense spewed by the Trump cult.

And yet, a majority of Trump supporters still believe, without any proof, that the 2020 election was stolen. And now, Trump is laying the groundwork for more lies about election fraud in 2024. Election deniers have been appointed to certify (or not certify) elections in several battleground states. These deniers can believe whatever they want, but I am certain that the truth about election results and security, which has never been stronger, will always win the day in our great nation.

Jim Ciha, Grand Junction

Why are diesel pickups blowing smoke?

I’m not sure why, but this summer in Western Colorado, I have seen more diesel pickups than ever emitting clouds of thick, black smoke. I have a diesel pickup I bought new 16 years ago, and it releases no visible smoke. This leads me to believe that these trucks, most of which are much newer than mine, have been modified to produce this smoke, which is dangerous to our health and environment.

Why are these trucks allowed to be on the road, and why do local police and county sheriffs not pull them over and cite the drivers?

David Ryan, Montrose

Look beyond “the self-serving purveyors of propaganda”

Re: “Liberal philanthropists have their sights set on local news,” Aug. 2 commentary

Michael Watson’s entire commentary regarding funding our local news is based upon the flawed premise that journalism can be bribed into delivering false or misleading information, something he labels partisan journalism. According to Merriam-Webster, journalism (in part) is “writing characterized by a direct presentation of facts or description of events without an attempt at interpretation.” Watson envisions local news as a choice between one side’s misinformation versus the other side’s misinformation.

We already have that in the form of biased theatrical commentators like Sean Hannity, Joe Rogan and Stephen Colbert. They are not journalists. The fact that too many readers/viewers believe all those sources of partisan blather, as though it entailed a dogged pursuit of truth, is the greatest threat to our nation’s stability.

What if all of us sincere pursuers of truth and factual information paid a little to support real journalists and turned off the self-serving purveyors of propaganda so we can enjoy life and each other more?

Norm Davey, Centennial

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Re: “Richardson rallies U.S. women in 4×100; men shut out again Olympic,” Aug. 10 sports story

After I enjoyed watching Sha’carri Richardson and the rest of the U.S. Olympic women win gold in the 4×100 relay on Aug. 9, I was disappointed to read reporter Eddie Pells’ AP story in The Denver Post the following morning. Pells gave Richardson and her teammates a brief congratulations. However, before finishing the glowing details of the women’s race, his 2nd paragraph read, “Afterward, she (Richardson) moved aside to watch the U.S. men do what they do best in the 4 x 100 relay – find a way to lose.”

Granted, any of us who watched the men the night before were disappointed, but the printed statement felt like bullying. If the men had won and the women had been disappointed, would he have included the nasty comparison, calling the women those who would “find a way to lose?” Insert candidate names, racial or social identities, or even names of other countries in place of the U.S. men’s team, and the writer’s statement would have been seen as unnecessarily aggressive, if not worse.

I felt as if I were reading political sparring, by far my least favorite sport, and definitely unworthy of the Olympics.

Bullying is never appropriate in sports, in life in my opinion, and I was sorry to find it on the Sports page.

Mary M. Bartek, Centennial

Break dancing? Wall climbing or racing, or whatever the heck that is called. Skateboarding? 3×3 basketball? Maybe I am late in chiming in since I am more of a Winter Olympics guy, but what has happened to the Summer Olympics?

If break dancing is a medal event, then why not ballet, tap dancing, and trapeze performances? We might as well throw in zip-lining. I didn’t realize racing up a wall is considered a sport. Are they nuts? The summer Olympics are bordering on farcical. It begs the question, Why?

Walter Bonora, Erie

The Olympics are exciting to watch and follow. However, the Paris Olympics this year provided some negative aspects:

• Paris had ample time to ensure the Seine River was fit for the different events.

• Restricting the visiting tourists’ access to various parts of the cultural areas of the city was frustrating to them.

• Businesses and restaurants suffered losses due to the restrictions on tourists’ availability to move through the city,

• The surfing competition was in Tahiti, separating the Olympians from each other by many thousands of miles.

• The swimming pool was not the typical depth as in the past, causing some concern with the athletes.

• Breakdancing as an Olympic sport is questionable and confusing.

• At the opening ceremony, the Olympic flag was accidentally raised upside down.

• The skit that was performed in the Opening Ceremony was in bad taste.

The Olympic Committee needs to be aware of issues such as these to ensure that the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles are more enjoyable for tourists and athletes.

Michael Hult, Arvada

Did Congress learn a lesson from the Olympics? I hope so. The lesson I saw repeatedly was more than good sportsmanship. The Olympic athletes put their bodies in danger for many years, hoping to go for the gold and win it.

How many footraces (for example) did you see leaving the also-rans stretched out on the track gasping for breath, but only after they graciously congratulated the winner? Can Congress do that?

Can our fractured politicians put aside their party politics and work for the greater good of the American people? I suspect I am not alone in praying that they would put their bickering aside and allow all of us to win gold.

Howard Amonick, Aurora

50 years later, a lesson on resilience from Watergate

I am writing in anticipation of the recognition of President Richard M. Nixon’s resignation as president of the United States 50 years ago, on Aug. 9, 1974. I served as one of the president’s lawyers on the Watergate legal defense. Our team of a dozen young lawyers was headed by special counsel James D. St. Clair and by Jack Chester.

It is inevitable that the turbulence surrounding the resignation of President Joe Biden as a candidate for re-election and the tribulations of former President Donald J. Trump — including his two impeachments by the House of Representatives, the subsequent acquittals by the Senate, and his criminal proceedings — is compared to that which existed in 1973 and 1974 with respect to Watergate. The overall atmosphere of divisiveness is common to both eras, although few know or remember that President Nixon was never charged with a crime, never impeached by the House, and never convicted by the Senate of an impeachable offense.

What is the most important legacy of the Watergate experience on today’s political-judicial events that are often declared by both political parties and the mass media to be the most important in the history of the United States?

In my opinion, the biggest lesson of Watergate is that our country possesses the continued resilience and ability to address, defuse and conquer inevitable national crises.

I am proud to have been an integral part of a historic legal team.  I am much better for having stepped forward to help in 1974.

James Prochnow, Denver

Casa Bonita’s fare not to everyone’s taste

Re: “Casa Bonita — Worst to First,” Aug. 7 feature story

Lily O’Neill’s article describing the food at Casa Bonita in today’s Denver Post was long overdue. If people want to eat decent Mexican food, there are countless fine Mexican restaurants in the Denver area waiting to serve them. If it’s good, clean entertainment that’s wanted, Casa Bonita is the place to go. If folks want both, they should expect to pay for it. Casa Bonita definitely is not for them. If they are so smitten by their ads and can’t wait to stand in line, I would love to get their names so that I can offer them some outstanding oceanfront property in Nebraska.

Bill Shefrin, Denver

Supreme Court “swings are cyclical”

Re: “Biden just taking first step to fix Supreme Court,” Aug. 7 letter to the editor

President Joe Biden making threats to “fix SCOTUS” is actually all about right vs. left, contrary to the letter writer’s assertion. The Supreme Court is, just like it always has, issuing rulings that are in alignment with our laws as they are written. The facts are that some laws do leave room for interpretation and a bias leaning one way or another. I can fully assure everyone that if SCOTUS was interpreting their rulings as favorable for the left, as they have for a very long time prior to 2018’s affirmation of Justice Brett Kavanaugh, the left would not now be beating the drum for new tactics of how to change the balance of opinions that every SCOTUS justice innately brings with them. These swings are cyclical, and it is merely the right’s turn presently to benefit from the rulings of our Supreme Court.

We would all be better served if the left would learn to share instead of stomping their feet and throwing a fit just because they can’t have everything their way always. Everything in moderation.

Mark Klosky, Denver

Kamala Harris’ talking points

Just when things were looking good for the Kamala Harris campaign, she pulled a Hillary, got too full of herself and said something stupid: an echo of former President Donald Trump’s call for no taxes on tips.

Elon Musk says stupid things, JD Vance says stupid things, and Trump is the grand master of saying stupid things over and over, but these don’t matter in patriarchal America. A woman running for president simply cannot say stupid things without immediate condemnation, and conservative AM talk radio is all over it like dogs on a bone.

I don’t know if she listens to advisers, but please stick to important issues. Talk about Project 2025, talk about the concentration of wealth and corruption of money in politics, the Supreme Court, and social media, talk about the environment, global warming, and wildfires, talk about a future different from that proposed by the Republican agenda. Make the Democratic Party relevant.

This is her election to win or lose.

Robert Porath Boulder

This is getting to be bizarre. Vice President Kamala Harris has avoided interviews and town halls. She just reads the same scripted message from the teleprompters. So, how is this supposed to work? Are we just supposed to vote without knowing what the candidate’s views are?

I have to say that I’m not a Donald Trump fan, but at least he’s out there. Joe Biden ran while in his basement, but he could at least blame COVID. Perhaps the problem is that Harris remembers having to drop out of the presidential race before the 2020 primaries. Or, maybe she remembers her unfavorable ratings as vice president? So here we go, a candidate who keeps wanting us to remember “the steal” and a candidate who just wants us not to remember anything.

Michael Scanlan, Arvada

Convinced yet that rental assistance doesn’t work?

Re: “2024 bringing record evictions,” Aug. 11 news story

In my Oct. 21, 2023, Open Forum letter, I wrote, “Rental assistance has never achieved good results anywhere it has been tried, and that’s for the simple reason that more dollars chasing the same supply of rental housing causes rent inflation.”

Ten months and tens of millions of rental assistance dollars later, we have record-breaking rental evictions. How much more eviction carnage do we have to endure before we’re convinced that rental assistance doesn’t work?

Rental assistance is rocket-fuel for rental demand, but we aren’t suffering from too little demand. We’re suffering from too little rental supply.

Rental units are made artificially scarce via government edict. You can’t build here. You can’t build too tall. You can’t build too small. You can’t build too big. You can’t build too dense. You can’t build multi-family units here. You can’t build here because it doesn’t fit in with the character of the neighborhood. You can’t build because it blocks someone’s view. You can’t build unless you have an unaffordable number of parking spaces and build to an unaffordable green standard. You can’t build unless you subsidize a certain number of “affordable” units. You can’t build unless you dedicate land to the city for parks, open space, or schools. You can’t build because of traffic or sprawl.

There is so much red tape, it’s a wonder anything gets built at all. Because of the red tape, mostly what gets built is only what the well-to-do can afford.

What’s needed to make rents affordable again is to cut the red tape and build, baby, build!

Chuck Wright, Westminster

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