An idea for solving West's drought: Let's divert Mississippi River water to the Colorado

Janet Wilson's article on federal officials floating drastic measures to stanch California's water crisis was great.

Instead of just conservation, what about a Tennessee Water Authority-like project to divert the Mississippi River and build a canal with reservoirs along the way, to pipe it into the Colorado River? Kill two birds with two stones — not so farfetched when you see the type of projects being built in the Middle East and China! It’s about will.

Talk about a great works project and a fantastic way to usher in a new decade for the Southwest.

Bill Nichols, Las Vegas

A vote for Calvert is a vote against democracy

California’s 41st Congressional District includes voters from Palm Springs, Cathedral City, Palm Desert, Indian Wells and La Quinta. Republican Ken Calvert is running to represent those voters in Congress.

Before Jan. 6, 2021, President Trump was told by his lawyers, the attorney general and Vice President Mike Pence that he lost the election.  After the loss of 63 lawsuits, Congressman Ken Calvert also knew Trump had lost.

Environmental news: Feds float drastic measures to stanch California's water crisis

On Jan. 6, 2021, President Trump told people to go to the capital and “fight like hell.”  He then watched the attack on the Capital for over six hours without calling American forces to defend the lives of Pence and members of Congress.  At 2:24 p.m. Donald Trump tweeted, “Mike Pence didn't have the courage to do what should have been done to protect our Country.”

This led to more violence, the call to hang Pence and to kill Nancy Pelosi.  Around midnight, Calvert voted to object to the electoral college votes of Arizona and Pennsylvania, which would disenfranchise over 4 million people who legally voted for Biden.

Regardless of your party or inclinations, this November do not vote for Ken Calvert if you believe in American democracy.

Michael P. Friedman, La Quinta 

At the pump, I think of politicians

I bought gas at Costco today: 14.041 gallons at $5.899 per = $82.83

I want to give a big thank you to our president for his attacks on the oil & gas industry along with the California State Assembly, controlled by Democrats for years, for giving us one of the highest gas taxes in the country. You should be proud.

I feel so sorry for the trucking industry, the farmers and for people that have to commute to work. 

Donald Barnett, Palm Desert 

Religion, guns and the Good Book

One of the arguments for folks who don't want to give up their AR-15s is that society needs more religion. I wonder how many of these folks voted for Trump, who we all know is a man of great religious virtue who has done wonders to bring people together.

I'm sure these folks have all read what the good book says:

Moreover, look for able men from all the people, men who fear God, who are trustworthy and hate a bribe, and place such men over the people as chiefs of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties, and of tens. (Exodus 18:21)

or this:

The saying is trustworthy: If anyone aspires to the office of overseer, he desires a noble task. Therefore an overseer must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, sober-minded, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not a drunkard, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money. (1 Timothy 3:1-3)

Steve Eckert, Palm Springs

This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: West drought solution: divert Mississippi River water to the Colorado