Letters: Predictions of drought in the West are dire (4/26/20)
Predictions of drought in the West are dire
Re: “Study: Megadrought is worst in modern age,” April 20 news story
The science continues to come to the surface! We cannot continue to deny the obvious. Human beings have impacted and accelerated climate change. We need to immediately reduce our carbon emissions and everyone needs to come together to do that.
We are living through an unprecedented crisis. There are key learnings to take from this pandemic. Preparation and a unified front can be beneficial for preparing for the unknown. I hope our federal government takes serious action.
Alexx Hoholik, Parker
It seems that four or five times a year The Post publishes a front-page article with dire predictions of future catastrophes for Colorado’s snowpack. No matter that every year but one for the last 5 years we had normal or above normal snowpack, somehow there is always going to be a long drought right around the corner. In fact this year, Lake Mead’s water level is expected to rise by over 20 feet. Mostly due to reduced Las Vegas usage, but also to the high Colorado Basin snowpack.
I know don’t confuse weather with climate, but it doesn’t make sense to subject us to this steady barrage of similar front-page articles that are based on complex computer models with associated uncertainties (some large) when there are so many other more well-substantiated critical issues.
Bill Turner, Aurora
The drought prediction study results emphasize more uncertainty for water and agricultural industries.
We can act in a fraction of the time to expand water resource infrastructure for our Western growers. We can eliminate 40% of current carbon emissions within 12 years if we support our representatives’ efforts on economic solutions to climate change like the Energy Innovation and Carbon Dividend Act.
We can better protect the value of infrastructure investments by asking our congressional leaders to support revenue-neutral, economic policy solutions to address the sources of climate change and the resulting unstable snowpack we rely on to forecast drought and to adapt to it.
Solutions to transition from climate change sources will also protect the water supply we rely on for the agricultural sector.
Mike Dirks, Denver
Completing census forms critically important
Completion of today’s U.S. Census is critical because this count impacts federal program funding for the next 10 years.
Thank you for your article regarding FAQs about the 2020 U.S. Census. We want to specifically respond to the question “who gets counted?” by emphasizing that all household members should be counted, regardless of their age.
As a doctor who takes care of children, I recognize the importance that every child be counted in order to secure necessary government funding for programs that benefit children and families.
This census determines the allocation of $1.5 trillion to fund programs like Head Start, Medicaid and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, many of which directly affect the patients I serve in Denver.
Regardless of citizenship status or language differences, it is important that each household complete this survey in confidence, knowing their information will be kept confidential.
Bottom line: every household must complete the census before it closes on July 31, 2020, and urge others to do the same.
This will ensure that the resources we have are properly allocated and continue to benefit future generations for years to come.
Erin McGonagle, Denver
Response to Brauchler column on shutdown
Re: “Closing some Colorado businesses is arbitrary,” April 19 column
I read George Brauchler’s column with great interest wondering how he would discuss saving lives vs. possibly opening businesses too soon. I wanted to know what he would say about the importance of testing for COVID-19 before opening up all these businesses.
I guess I should not be surprised that he said nothing. Apparently, he and President Donald Trump are so smart that they can detect someone with the virus without even testing them. My nephew in the Bay area of California is a first responder (paramedic) and he along with others tested positive for COVID-19. He had no symptoms but with the tests, he probably saved many lives by going into quarantine.
His latest tests after sufficient time in quarantine are negative so he is back saving other lives without being a threat to them.
Getting back to work is important but we have to be smart about it. Unfortunately, it is this 78-year-old’s opinion, that unless you have a life insurance policy, you are not going to be able to support your family if you are dead. Brauchler is arbitrary if he thinks otherwise.
Wayne Wathen, Highlands Ranch
I was pleasantly surprised to read George Brauchler’s column. I would like to add another example of detrimental and arbitrary decisions/closures. CDPHE’s closure of chiropractors’ services shows their bias against doctors who aren’t MDs.
Chiropractors are medical professionals (doctors) who provide critical care to their patients.
I’m sure there are many chiropractic patients like myself who are experiencing increased levels of pain and difficulty being mobile because of this decision.
Their offices are just as capable of following sanitary guidelines as any other, and probably more so. It is obvious that the decision-maker who included them as non-essential has never required their services.
Barry Georgopulos, Denver
Rep. Neville should commit to a higher standard
In these extraordinary times brought about by the COVID-19 virus, it is not unreasonable to expect the very best from our elected representatives.
Yet, far too often, at all levels of government, we find the opposite. A local case in point is that of Rep. Patrick Neville, Colorado House minority leader from Douglas County.
Many will recall Neville recently referring to the stay at home order issued by Gov. Jared Polis as “gestapo-like mentality.” History reminds us that the gestapo was the Nazi secret state police largely responsible for eliminating opposition to the Nazis in Germany.
Many groups including Jews, intellectuals, and gays were arrested by the gestapo and later disappeared in concentration camps. For Neville to try to link the Gestapo to a Jewish, gay governor is ruthlessly insensitive and far below what we should ever expect of an elected official.
To be fair, Neville did say that he may have not chosen his words carefully. He did not however apologize to Polis.
Neville has served in the Colorado House of Representatives since 2015. He is experienced yet seems in need of being schooled in the elements of the relationship he has with citizens.
He must understand his obligation to integrity, fairness, and responsibility. Today, perhaps more than ever, he and others must forsake the pursuit of personal power and acting without principle, and commit to working towards harmony and the achievement of the common good.
Ron Schukar, Roxborough
Bias to protect Democrats
Re: “What to do with Tara Reade’s allegation against Joe Biden?” April 29 column
New York Times columnist, Michelle Goldberg’s column, defends an allegation of sexual misconduct by Joe Biden by attacking his accuser’s story.
Goldberg has a history of defending Democrats accused of sexual misconduct while trying to destroy Republicans. She railed against Supreme Court Justice Kavanaugh during his nomination process but she defended Democrat Senator Al Franken.
Goldberg openly attacks Republicans and supports Democrats, so her partisanship makes her opinions worthless.
Stephen H. Cohn, Northglenn
Biden should drop out
Re: “Biden wasn’t my first choice, but I’ll vote for him,” April 19 column
Actually Ian Silverii, Biden was your last choice.
He’s the last one standing. He shouldn’t be, but he is. I hope that now or before the convention someone intervenes and convinces him to willingly drop out of the race. That being said, I’m appalled that no one in his family, the DNC, or his former associates have stood up and done the right thing and gracefully and gently nudged him out of the race.
He’s had a good career and he and his family can be proud. Leave it there.
Look, I’m a Donald Trump supporter and I could care less about most Dems, but you dishonor him. Do the right thing. You owe it to him.
Kirk Jamison, Centennial
The state should appeal
Re: “Citing pandemic, judge puts candidate with too few signatures on ballot,” April 23 news story
District Judge Christopher J. Baumann took 28 pages of opinion to conclude that the existing election law requiring submission of 10,500 signatures in order to qualify for a position on the upcoming U.S. Senate ballot is not the law.
By rewarding Michelle Ferrigno Warren’s claim of entitlement based on her 5,383 qualified signatures, the ballot will thus need to include two additional hopefuls who also fell short of the legal standard. The fact that one other candidate did meet the signature threshold proves that the standard is and was achievable for a well supported and active candidate. Demonstrating that viability is the whole point of the law!
Hopefully, our secretary of state will appeal this “feel good” ruling. After all, every judge in Colorado takes an oath to uphold the laws; not an oath to re-legislate the laws to conform with what he or she feels about an issue.
Peter Ehrlich, Denver
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