Tucson Speaks Out: February 15

The tipping stone?

Mr. Trump may have finally, finally gone too far. His decision to overturn a massive number of environmental restrictions, ignoring centuries of scientific observation and conclusions, has definitively destroyed America's hard-earned global leadership in the world's crucial effort to save the earth's people from their most short-sighted choices. Perhaps enough Republicans in Congress will love their grandchildren and great-grandchildren enough to find the courage to overturn this decision and, maybe, more courage to pursue the result we really need, a successful impeachment of this totally unqualified and dangerous man. I desperately hope so.

John Bryant

Northeast side

Vote no on Props 418, 419

My residency in Tucson is fast approaching 30 years, so I have plenty of experience getting around town, but I cannot support the propositions as stated. For one thing, they support growth, whereas I believe that sustainability is the higher priority - e.g., Tucson/Pima County does not and will not have the water to continue growing. The CAP water coming here is very likely to soon stop completely as the Colorado River dries up. Tucson will have to struggle to supply residents, and agriculture that depends on it will not be possible. Another important subject not included in the RTA plan is to support the increased use of electric vehicles, which, by reducing emissions, can slow the climate change that is drying up the southwest. Let's start thinking for real about the future.

John Glaspey

West side

Endangerment finding

Climate change is real. Here in Arizona, we're experiencing it more each year, as heat events increase and drought continues. These, along with wildfire smoke, adversely affect human health, increasing heart attacks, preterm births, respiratory diseases and other health effects.

The current endangerment finding is a statement of fact: Climate change is dangerous, is caused by fossil fuels and threatens public health.

Yet the endangerment finding was just repealed on Thursday, Feb. 12, and by rescinding it, the administration and EPA Administrator, Lee Zeldin, are delivering a massive giveaway to polluters while the American people will get more climate chaos and resulting increased health care costs.

Under the Polluters First Agenda currently operating at the EPA, fossil fuel companies can pollute at will. 

The Clean Air Act demands that the EPA protect our health and the environment. In doing polluters’ bidding instead, Trump and Zeldin are abandoning that mission. We will be holding the administration accountable. 

Medical doctor with a master's in public health,

Eve Shapiro

Foothills

Freedom of speech

So now Donald Trump is calling an Olympic athlete a loser because he dared to suggest that things in the U.S. are not ideal. Sigh. I can only wish we had a President who had some maturity and intellectual depth instead of calling names like an immature school kid.

In contrast, in an 1846 letter to Horace Greeley, Frederick Douglass wrote, “The best friend of a nation is he who most faithfully rebukes her for her sins — and her worst enemy who  ... under the garb of patriotism seeks to excuse, palliate, or defend them.” Totally agree.

So, Mr. President, grow up. And the same goes for all those who respond to criticism of the U.S. with the specious comment, “Just move somewhere else.” Freedom of speech is an essential and crucial right. It's a shame that the President doesn't feel the same way.

Merle McPheeters

Midtown

Immigration solutions

Unmask ICE and bring back Biden’s “Bipartisan border bill” AKA “Border Act of 2024.”

Which Trump sabotaged due to his fear he had nothing else to offer voters.

Pat Bannon

Midtown

Ciscomani doesn't want women to vote

The SAVE ACT passed the House thanks to Ciscomani and moves on to the Senate. If the SAVE Act becomes law, all Americans will have to show proof of citizenship "in person" with an original birth certificate, a passport, or one of a limited number of documents, every time they register or reregister(if you move) to vote.

At least 21 million Americans don’t have that kind of proof readily available. Only 51 percent of Americans have passports, which cost $165. 90% of married woman changed or hyphenated their name, which means their name doesn’t match their birth certificate.

The SAVE Act doesn’t enhance election integrity. It just makes it more difficult to vote in the form of a poll tax, forcing people who don’t have it to spend money on more expensive forms of identification as a prerequisite to exercising a right.

Another GOP sham.

Rachel Rulmyr

Oro Valley

What a shame

I'm going to hope that all lawyers in the United States write a letter to Pam Bondi stating what a disgraceful show she put on in front of the American public. Bringing note cards on different people how to denigrate them instead of answering questions. She is truly lacking in integrity. This is shameful, as the attorney general of the United States of America.

Craig Hill

Oracle

RTA proposals

As a taxpayer and resident, I want to vote yes to our RTA plan, but believe it is looking too far in the future. Explanations for this plan all talk about how unforeseeable ‘things’ happened to cause previous work slow down. None of us can see into the future this far and cannot reasonably be expected to. For this reason alone, I will be voting no on the proposals.

Come back to us with a shorter-term (maximum 10-year) plan that alone will make it more reasonable in scope and more realistic goals.

Deborah Caldwell

Green Valley

The decline

An interesting article in the STAR detailed the reduction in business for Chipotle Mexican Grill. Although the article suggested that the decline was associated with the effect of tariffs, increased prices, and the general uncertainty surrounding the Trump Administration policies, the article may have missed a major point. 12% of the U.S adult population is currently using GLP-1 type products (Ozempic or Wegovy) to control weight gain. There are 267 million adults in the US, meaning 32 million adults are using this product at monstrous cost. Because these people are eating far less and a significant percentage of their budget is going to the drug, this huge reduction in food consumption spells economic problems not only for restaurants and fast-food outlets, but grocery stores, and eventually farmers. Apparently, no good turn goes unpunished.

Loyal M. Johnson Jr.

Oro Valley

Voter ID

Regarding the SAVE Act, we already have to have ID in Arizona to vote. I have been working at the polls for years. When you come in to vote, the first thing we do is ask you for your driver’s license. We then use that to check that you are a registered voter and what Party you are registered with. At that point, you are referred to the next stage where you will receive your appropriate ballot. Once you have voted, you are directed to a secure box to drop your ballot in the slot.

With Real ID driver’s license requirements, it should be the only picture ID you need. Making voters show a passport and/or a birth certificate is not necessary and it can be a burden on the voter. Most married women have changed their maiden name so the birth certificate would not even match their current name.

We should not allow politicians to make our right to vote harder.

Donna Pierce

Northeast side

Judiciary televised hearing a Joke

Our Attorney General did a great job of performing to her audience of one, Donald J Trump.

The audience Pam Bondi should have been performing for was the victims. However, congratulations on keeping your job.

I'm not an attorney; however, I believe our AG should be fired and charged with dereliction of duty.

AG Bondi gave all the victims a slap in the face when she wouldn't even turn to look at them during the hearing.

The new MAGA politics must be stopped. Don't look out the window, go to the streets, go to the polls, and vote the yes politicians out.

Leslie Carney

East side

Naming rights and wrongs

As one of a multigenerational family of U of A alumni, it’s gut-wrenching to watch the athletic department overwrite the names of UA institutions and heroes for vainglorious motivation and money. We see enough of that at the national level.

Sheldon Clark

Vail