Letters to the editor: Road closure burdens landowners

I attended the Aug. 21 meeting at which Curry County commissioners voted to close Curry Road R just west of Cannon Air Force Base.

Among the reasons cited for closing the road were security and safety.

Since the existence of Cannon Air Force Base, formerly known as Clovis Army Air Field, how many accidents on Curry Road R have occurred involving Cannon Air Force Base? Not many. How many intrusions onto Cannon Air Force Base from Curry Road R have occurred? Not many.

If one were to travel completely around CAFB, they probably would find the west side of CAFB is the most secure.

How will closing Curry Road R make CAFB any more secure or safe?

Will CAFB keep asking to expand west? How much more encroachment of private land will we allow?

It is easy for those who do not live or use Curry Road R on a daily basis to ask for the closing of this road. But Curry Road R is vital for many local farmers and business owners.

It was stated in the meeting that an estimated 400 or more vehicles travel this road on a daily basis.

What will happen to the landowners on Curry Road R should an emergency arise? They will be closed in should a train be stopped on the crossing.

Weren't our county commissioners elected to represent the voters? This does not appear to be the case.

Dan Stoddard, Wendell Bostwick, Caleb Chandler and Robert Sandoval voted to close Curry Road R. Only one commissioner represented his constituents by voting no.

Thank you, Frank Blackburn.

Mary Tate

Clovis

Important to consider candidate's history

When considering someone to fill a responsible position you have to carefully investigate their record. Let's look at GOP vice presidential candidate Paul Ryan's record.

He supported Bush tax cuts for the rich. The tax cuts account for about half the deficit. He opposes ending the cuts.

The Congressional Budget Office could not analyze Ryan's budget because there was no detail for thorough examination to back up his policy provisions.

He stated in his budget that revenue was to go from 15 percent of Gross Domestic Product in 2010 to 19 percent in 2028. Spending was to decline from 12 percent of GDP in 2010 to 6 percent in 2021.

How?

Try borrowing money on that at the bank.

The nonpartisan Tax Policy Center said his proposed budget would amount to a loss of about $4.3 trillion in revenue over 10 years and cuts in spending would be about 1 trillion. Which leaves about a $3.3 trillion increase in the deficit.

The defense budget is to increase and taxes on wealth and corporations to go down. Who gets the pain?

You guessed it, 99 percent.

Ryan also opposed the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, that would have made it easier to file wage discrimination suits and two similar measures.

I know you have heard of Todd Akin, the brain trust that says a woman's body naturally aborts a "legitimate" rape fetus. Ryan cosponsored a bill with him to narrow the definition of rape.

He would slash prenatal care and infant nutrition. Ryan was against including abuse due to sexual orientation in hate crimes.

Catholic bishops sent him a message saying that his budget was more Ayn Rand than Christian. It is extremely important to look at historical facts — they tell you what you are going to get, not looks and rhetoric.

Leon Logan

Tucumcari