David Jones: Representation: Voters should decided Bernett’s replacement
Is voter suppression determined by the eyes of political beholders?
SNL’s Gilda Radner’s character Emily Litella might say, “What’s this I hear about vote circumcision in Boulder County?” Photo credit: Tracey Bernett the elected Democrat candidate for District 12 to the Colorado House of Representatives, resigned after being charged by the District Attorney with felonious improprieties related to her recent election. While the judicial process will determine her fate, District 12 will have no representation. To remedy the vacancy, a Star Chamber of Democrat political insiders will meet behind closed doors to hand-pick her successor. Think about that. Pretend this happened in Georgia, Wisconsin, Ohio or Florida. And pretend further that it was a Republican candidate who resigned after being charged. I would expect that the roar of outrage and partisan ululations from the liberal political commentariat would be flooding talk show minutes and filling column inches across the nation. They say that democracy dies in darkness. What could be darker than the proverbial smoked-filled room of apparatchiks bosses? Let the people decide.
David Jones, Boulder
Bill Butler: Resources: Water loss could be slowed by simple covers
The Bureau of Reclamation reports the 336-mile-long Central Arizona Project canal loses some 16,000-acre feet (5.2 billion gallons) of water per year due to evaporation. The State of Arizona should put a cover on the canal to save this critical and unrenewable resource The technology exists, and the cost would be offset by the amount of water saved.
Bill Butler, Longmont
Stan Nicholas: Traffic: Coordinating traffic signals is a real climate solution
I have sporadic grandchildren Uber duty which takes me to and from their school, daily encountering 22 traffic lights both ways. My average is nine greens and 13 reds on a well-traveled route from Foothills Hwy. to East Aurora. For the stops, I average 0 MPG for 20 to 40 seconds and roughly 30 MPG when going with the flow. The light at Foothills and Broadway favors the latter by a two-to-one time frame (Federal Highway vs. city street). Doing the math would take up too many words, so I’ll leave that up to you. The point being the disparity between the Green Boulder mantra and real-world solutions, like hiring someone who could actually coordinate traffic signals (I’ll volunteer). Once in the city, I also experience the wonderful snow removal on side streets. But, there is some wisdom in leaving them covered with ice — no potholes!
Stan Nicholas, Longmont
Diane Mayer: Firearms: Why is Congress paralyzed on gun control?
The Camera reports that our Legislature intends to take action on gun violence. Mass shootings have become a regular occurrence in our country, over 600 mass shootings so far this year, and just this week two more. More children died from gunshots than any other cause this past year. After each death/murderous rampage we wonder: “why it is so hard to pass gun control legislation in our country?” Nearly 90% of Americans want background checks, including 74% of NRA members, but Congress remains paralyzed. WHY?
Diane Mayer, Boulder