Our weekly round-up of letters published in the Arizona Daily Star.
1
- Suzanne Ferguson, Southeast side
Recent proposals from Star readers for constructing a desalination plant on the California coast, in return for the California “share” of Colorado River water, have posed an attractive alternative to the preposterous notion of supporting the building of a plant in Mexico with a pipeline up to Phoenix.
However, I now read that environmentalists in Huntington Beach have successfully opposed such a plant there. Why? “Concentrated brine from the plant would have created a marine dead zone, and emissions from the energy-intensive desalination process would . . . exacerbate the climate crisis” with its greenhouse gases (report in Sierra Magazine, Fall 2022). Why has former Governor Ducey’s Arizona Water Infrastructure Finance Authority, which voted to spend $5.5 M of our taxpayer dollars on exploring such a project, not told us about the effect of concentrated brine on the delicate ecosystem of the Gulf of California?
Suzanne Ferguson
Southeast side
Disclaimer: As submitted to the Arizona Daily Star.
2
- Rick Cohn, West side
To paraphrase an old adage: it is best to remain silent and be thought to be a lying, stealing, pill popping, narcissistic, double relation murderer than to open your mouth and remove all doubt.
Rick Cohn
West side
Disclaimer: As submitted to the Arizona Daily Star.
3
- Doug Pickrell, Midtown
As an advocate of the Citizen Climate Lobby's revenue neutral market based carbon fee/dividend
proposal to address global warming, I have reservations about the Inflation Reduction Act.
However Ashley Nunes's 2/3 critique of the IRA's EV tax credit, as iniquitous, is misleading.
First, the EV tax credit is a miniscule part of the IRA. Second, there is a growing number of reasonably
priced EVs which are eligible for the tax credit, e.g. the Chevrolet Bolt. Third and most importantly, there is a
practically non-existent used EV market, the primary source of vehicles for those with modest incomes.
To bolster this market, it is necessary to first sell new EVs. This will benefit people with limited incomes.
Admittedly, this is reminiscent of thoroughly discredited trickle down economics. But given nearly uniform Republican opposition to addressing climate change and economic inequity, this is perhaps the best Congress can presently do.
Doug Pickrell
Midtown
Disclaimer: As submitted to the Arizona Daily Star.
4
- Larry Gray, SaddleBrooke
When Trump went to East Palistine, Ohio he forgot the paper towels.
Larry Gray
SaddleBrooke
Disclaimer: As submitted to the Arizona Daily Star.
5
- Dan Watson, Oracle
University of Georgia student Niara Thompson was quoted in an AP piece in the Daily Star about students wanting college debt relief. Thompson stated, "It felt like people who could never understand why we want something like this." I'd like to explain why millions are opposed. FIfty years ago I was fortunate that my parents could afford to pay my college tuition. My son went into the trades and is a successful plumbing contractor. I paid my daughter's tuition for five years before she dropped out and joined the work force. My granddaughter and her husband both graduated from ASU with student debt. He became a police officer and she is an RN. Upon graduation they both moved home with their parents in order to more quickly reduce their student debt until they married. I respect their decision and don't feel they, or I, am responsible for my tax dollars benfiting those with their decision to go into debt.
Dan Watson
Oracle
Disclaimer: As submitted to the Arizona Daily Star.
6
- Updated
Student debt cancellation
Re: the March 2 article “College borrowers see disconnect.”
University of Georgia student Niara Thompson was quoted in an AP piece in the Daily Star about students wanting college debt relief. Thompson stated, “It felt like people who could never understand why we want something like this.”
I’d like to explain why millions are opposed. Fifty years ago, I was fortunate that my parents could afford to pay my college tuition. My son went into the trades and is a successful plumbing contractor. I paid my daughter’s tuition for five years before she dropped out and joined the workforce. My granddaughter and her husband both graduated from ASU with student debt. He became a police officer, and she is an RN. Upon graduation, they both moved home with their parents to more quickly reduce their student debt until they married. I respect their decision and don’t feel they, or I, am responsible for my tax dollars benefiting those with their decision to go into debt.
Dan Watson
Oracle
No accountability
Per the new “educational freedom” law in Arizona that allows all 1.1 million students in Arizona access to ESAs formerly open only to special needs students and a small subset of tribal, military, and rural students, I propose this to parents compelled to leave the public school system for whatever reason:
a) Homeschool your child/children
b) Enroll your child/children in a private or parochial school at your own expense
Yes, it is your choice. But not on Arizona’s dime.
The uproar over curriculum in Arizona boils down to parental control vs. a broad public school curriculum that encourages free, unbiased critical thinking. Now, non-public schools that receive ESAs will have no transparency or oversight. This translates to Arizona citizens funding private/religious schools with taxpayer money with nothing in return. What about much-needed teacher raises and improvements to Arizona’s national educational ranking instead of siphoning off public funds?
The irony can be cut with a knife.
Ashley Sweeney, M.Ed Curriculum and Instruction
Oro Valley
Water and dust
For two decades, I thought I should write about the city dropping the regular street cleaning on my street. We “feeder streets” were dropped en masse for “lack of funds.” So, the particulates in the air, especially our neighborhood’s air, rise 178%. Yesterday I got the letter: I am one of the reprobates using 250% more water than other normal 2.5-person households. Well. My acre in midtown, with our 2.5 businesses, seeds and plants, produces seeds of 300 local native species, and seedlings and bigger plants, after 42 years now at about — well, about a trillion propagules for southern Arizona. Yes, we are sinners; we use almost as much as someone with a swimming pool! We did ask to get the business rate, which would have saved a lot off our regular $300-$700 water bills. The city guys only drove up out front and said no. Instead of jacking up our water rates, how about giving us free lunch instead?
Gary Maskarinec
Midtown
EVs and equity
Re: the Feb. 3 article “Falling EV prices only help the wealthy.”
As an advocate of the Citizen Climate Lobby’s revenue-neutral, market-based carbon fee/dividend proposal to address global warming, I have reservations about the Inflation Reduction Act.
However, Ashley Nunes’s critique of the IRA’s EV tax credit as iniquitous is misleading.
First, the EV tax credit is a minuscule part of the IRA. Second, a growing number of reasonably priced EVs are eligible for the tax credit, e.g., the Chevrolet Bolt. Third and most importantly, there is a practically non-existent used EV market, the primary source of vehicles for those with modest incomes.
To bolster this market, it is necessary to first sell new EVs. This will benefit people with limited incomes.
Admittedly, this is reminiscent of thoroughly discredited trickle-down economics. But given nearly uniform Republican opposition to addressing climate change and economic inequity, this is perhaps the best Congress can presently do.
Doug Pickrell
Midtown
Right-wing grievances
Re: the March 4 article “Blame liberal policies, not talk radio.”
I read Bob Lee’s assessment of the problems of our world: liberals! This fellow claims to have invented right-wing talk radio in Tucson. He deifies such far-right characters as Rush Limbaugh and Rupert Murdoch (Fox News), and, as is typical of his ilk, blames all of our problems on “liberals,” who I guess include anyone not fitting in with his lopsided view of the world, or at least Tucson. According to him, “liberals” are in favor of “defunding the police, freeing criminals, supporting illegal immigration, and ‘enabling’ lawlessness.” I know of no progressives who support such straw men as these: the typical fodder of far-right grievance ranting. But people like to listen to these folks in the right-wing echo chamber of fabrications, exaggerations, and outright lies and lunacy.
Still, I’m glad the Star chose to publish his screed so that reasonable people can see the bankrupt claims from the right.
Jeffrey St. Clair
North side
No role models in Davos
These are not the people that merit my respect or admiration. These and other bureaucrats and elites that seem to be pulling the strings of control in our country and the globe are not those who we have elected.
Why is it that we would give up our sovereignty to the likes of WHO, are they chosen by us?
These are not any of those we’ve elected to carry out the will of our people.
The FBI, NSA, CIA and many other bureaucrats!
Did we elect them to spy on us and use the data that they collect to destroy our constitutional rights and freedoms?
Did we elect them and give them these extra-constitutional powers?
I think not, and yet they are in charge.
This forebodes a much different life for our children.
Sad!
Rich Barnes
East side
Advice too late for Murdaugh
To paraphrase an old adage: it is best to remain silent and be thought to be a lying, stealing, pill-popping, narcissistic, double-relation murderer than to open your mouth and remove all doubt.
Rick Cohn
West side
Water solutions
Recent proposals from Star readers for constructing a desalination plant on the California coast, in return for the California “share” of Colorado River water, have posed an attractive alternative to the preposterous notion of supporting the building of a plant in Mexico with a pipeline up to Phoenix.
However, I now read that environmentalists in Huntington Beach have successfully opposed such a plant there. Why? “Concentrated brine from the plant would have created a marine dead zone, and emissions from the energy-intensive desalination process would ... exacerbate the climate crisis” with its greenhouse gases (report in Sierra Magazine, Fall 2022). Why has former Gov. Ducey’s Arizona Water Infrastructure Finance Authority, which voted to spend $5.5 M of our taxpayer dollars on exploring such a project, not told us about the effect of concentrated brine on the delicate ecosystem of the Gulf of California?
Suzanne Ferguson
Southeast side
Planting trees and mistletoe
Re: the Feb. 9 letter “A million trees?.”
As an ecologist in Tucson for 53 years, I comment on this letter about the City of Tucson’s plan to plant a million trees. Shady, tree-lined streets are an Eastern U.S. vision inappropriate for desert areas dependent on dwindling Colorado River water. One reason given to plant trees is that shade slows down global warming. In the Sonoran Desert, most shade is from shrubs, not trees. I need to point out that mistletoes do not kill trees. The desert mistletoe (Phoradendron californicum) is a hemiparasite that only draws a bit of water and no nutrients from the tree and produces its own energy. Trees die from other causes, such as lack of water, Texas root rot, and windfall. Mistletoes have provided food and nest sites for Phainopeplas and many other birds in the velvet mesquites in my yard for over 35 years without harm.
Tom Van Devender
North side
East Palestine, Ohio
When Donald Trump went to East Palestine, Ohio, he forgot the paper towels.
Larry Gray
SaddleBrooke
7
- Virginia Gethmann, Northeast side
As a person that considers themselves a caring human being, aware of all the advantages I have had that others have not had, I want to make that equation more balanced. According to the letter writer that statement makes me "woke", whatever that means and therefore my opinions, and apparently worth as a human being, is negated.
In my defense:
I have never worked to break this nation into groups.
I have never tried to manipulate anyone with fear.
I have never confused a child or adult as to what constitutes pornography.
I do not condone or promote open borders for this country.
I do not promote the mutilation of children.
I disagree with changing classic literature of any kind.
I am not dangerous, nor do I crave power over anyone's daily life. In fact, I sincerely wish the Arizona legislators would choose a real pressing issue on which to help Arizonans and give the conspiracies a rest.
I am progressive and liberal.
Virginia Gethmann
Northeast side
Disclaimer: As submitted to the Arizona Daily Star.
8
- Dan Beamer, Northwest side
Watching Bill Walton is a treat. Not only is he obnoxious?, but humorous? As well as providing expert analysis of the game!
Dan Beamer
Northwest side
Disclaimer: As submitted to the Arizona Daily Star.
9
- Updated
Balance for civility
Sen. T. J. Shope's bill, SB 1061, aims to shield home addresses from public access, noting that he and others like Sen. David Farnsworth have received threatening contact. In a balanced response from Democratic Sen. Juan Mendez, he supports such safety measures but suggests Republican legislators consider how matters have become so visceral and aggressive. In the opening weeks of the new session, extreme, inflammatory legislation such as preventing voter initiatives for fair funding of public education, shielding legislative emails from public access, monitoring pronoun use in public schools, and refusing to debate sensible budget proposals characterizes Republican priorities. Even this erratic legislation does not warrant threatening speech or action, but perhaps more productive, less punitive governing might return more civility to Arizona politics.
Roger Shanley
East side
Electric vehicles pay their share
Re: the Feb. 2 letter "EV's and fuel tax for roads."
The writer says EVs are not paying their fair share of the road use and then divides the motorists into those who can afford EVs (getting away with unfair road use) and those who cannot afford an EV (paying for all those EVs who use the roads.)
Due to increased labor and materials charges, and increased fuel efficiencies, gasoline taxes no longer come close to paying for highway maintenance. For the EVs that cost more (you can buy a Tesla now, with federal tax credit for almost exactly the median price of a new car on cars.com, $42,500), EV owners pay for that with increases in their Arizona sales taxes. EVs use electricity at far greater consumption than gas cars, and that consumption in Tucson is taxed at 4.5% on their electricity bills.
Arizona registration fees are higher for more costly vehicles, too. All that adds up to EVs paying their fair share and more.
Rick Rappaport
Oro Valley
Unemployment cuts
Re: the March 2 article "AZ lawmakers move to cut length of unemployment benefits."
No politician should be allowed to vote on unemployment benefits unless they have been unemployed for at least six months first. Just because there are more jobs than unemployed people does not mean everyone can find a job. Many of the unfilled jobs are in the service sector and/or only pay minimum wage. Arizona has at least finally increased the benefit some, but it's still barely enough to cover rent or a mortgage. When lawmakers are willing to work for minimum wage (if they could even be hired ─ after all, they would in theory be overeducated and experienced), then they can spout off about how overgenerous the current benefits are.
Camille Guice
Northeast side
Woke-ism
Re: the March 4 letter "No yielding to wokeism."
As a person that considers themselves a caring human being, aware of all the advantages I have had that others have not had, I want to make that equation more balanced. According to the letter writer that statement makes me "woke," whatever that means, and therefore my opinions, and apparently worth as a human being, is negated.
In my defense: I have never worked to break this nation into groups. I have never tried to manipulate anyone with fear. I have never confused a child or adult as to what constitutes pornography. I do not condone or promote open borders for this country. I do not promote the mutilation of children. I disagree with changing classic literature of any kind.
I am not dangerous, nor do I crave power over anyone's daily life. In fact, I sincerely wish the Arizona legislators would choose a real pressing issue on which to help Arizonans and give the conspiracies a rest.
I am progressive and liberal.
Virginia Gethmann
Northeast side
UA's cashless policy a bad idea
Re: the March 4 letter "Smartphone discrimination."
I couldn't agree more with the letter writer. I, too, am an older person and I do have a "smart" phone. Two years ago, the Athletic Department went to digital tickets. At that time, I didn't have the phone and was allowed to print season football tickets online. The next year, they were only available on a phone. I had the phone by then, but to set up an account asked for more information than I wanted to put out there, so I gave up my season tickets in Section 22 that I have had since Larry Smith was coach; I even renewed after the Mackovic fiasco. I miss my Section 22 neighbors and the band, but I still am enjoying the Fisch-era games in my recliner.
I am an online Daily Star subscriber and appreciate the sports coverage, which I would never get up here in Glendale. Your national and world news is also better.
Jennie Jordan
Glendale
Free water
As the inevitable cuts to the Colorado River water draw ominously closer, many people are turning their focus to distant, expensive, energy-intensive new supplies, while the obvious is right over our heads, delivered directly to our properties. Right about now, with all the sweet rain we’ve been getting this winter, you could be feeling grateful that you’re capturing some of it for use in your home or on your landscape. Or wondering why you’re not. It’s free, it’s soft, and by actual measurement it’s enough to supply all of Tucson’s needs if only we would recognize its value. Tucson Water customers can even take advantage of our city’s generous rainwater harvesting rebates of up to $2,000 to capture it. Look up!
Sally Sherman
West side
Right-wing media
Re: the March 4 article "Blame liberal policies, not talk radio."
Quite the rant we got from Bob Lee, and in the same bitter tone as his hero Rush Limbaugh, too. No facts or logic — just a regurgitated list of right-wing grievances against the libs: “defunding police … enabling violence … illegal immigration,” etc.
Lee claims that Rush and his ilk fulfilled an unmet need ... that they resonated as a “voice for conservatives.” Quite an admission — conservatives need some outraged Archie Bunkers on steroids to throw tantrums when liberals point out that America has imperfections? That our police sometimes abuse authority? That it’s good to be sensitive toward others in our use of language?
Lee also tells us Fox News brought the same thing, the same self-righteous resentment, to TV — can’t disagree there.
But when America receives conscientious observations about its shortcomings, maybe it’s time to listen instead of turning up the temperature on the reheated stew of conservative resentment.
Try it, Bob — you might feel a little less grouchy.
Jim Christ
East side
Early criticism of Ciscomani
The liberal biased opinion page is already criticizing Ciscomani, who has been on the job for less than two months. Meanwhile we never hear about Rep. Grijalva. In the 16 years that I have lived here, his only work of note was “Boycott Arizona.” His family members in public office plead for defund the police and look to suppress freedom of speech. Time to move on from these “progressives” destroying our region. Move forward with a true patriot like Ciscomani who believes in the American Dream.
Sal Cabibo
Foothills
10
- Kevin D Kaatz, Oro Valley
For those of you who can't understand why anyone would vote for Trump, look no further than the articles this week after the Supreme Court heard arguments this week regarding student loan forgiveness. Two liberal, social activist judges made comments that demonstrated they don't even remotely care what the Constitution says. Sotomayor said the decision should be left to the education "experts", because people will suffer if the program is struck down and they default. Here's a novel idea. How about not defaulting and paying back what one committed to when one took out those loans! Brown Jackson lamented about the hardship for her, and her father, to pay what they owed. I almost worked up a tear on that one. Neither of these two made comments that demonstrated they understood that these lawsuits were about what the Constitution says about the separation of powers. Trump was an egotistical, narcissistic, bloviating bully, but at least he appointed judges that that seem to understand that the Constitution matters.
Kevin D Kaatz
Oro Valley
Disclaimer: As submitted to the Arizona Daily Star.
11
- Duncan Stitt, Midtown
Re: the March 4 article "Blame liberal policies, not talk radio."
Bob Lee’s ill-informed screed “Blame liberal policies, not talk radio” is laughable in its naivete. Here in the real world, conservative policies have been the bigger problem for over 50 years. Climate change denial, trickle down economics, eviscerating unions, pandemic denial, institutional racism, censoring history in public schools, voter suppression, marginalizing women, poor people, immigrants, Muslims and LGBTQs, blocking universal healthcare, prioritizing corporate profits over people and the environment, protecting unlimited money in politics, rejecting common sense gun control, promoting Trump’s big lie, these are the policies that have been fueling our country’s descent into tribalism, mediocrity, and fascism. (Speaking of defunding the police, it’s conservative politicians who constantly reject taxes to fund public services.)
It’s going to take fact-based policies to solve our problems. Fox News and talk radio are not helping. Their outrage-for-profit business model is, indeed, a huge factor contributing to this country’s decline. Burying one’s head in the sand won’t change that.
Duncan Stitt
Midtown
Disclaimer: As submitted to the Arizona Daily Star.
12
- Updated
Ciscomani
Re: the March 5 article “Spanish fluency pays off for Ciscomani.”
Were Ciscomani’s parents undocumented when they came to this country? Does Ciscomani favor a path to citizenship for Dreamers and a framework for undocumented workers to get legal work permits?
I think it’s irresponsible to print such a “puff piece” unless these questions are answered. Voters deserve clarification on Ciscomani’s position. After all, I hope he’s not someone who wants to pull up the drawbridge after he and his parents are safe.
Jim McWilliams
Midtown
Constitution matters!Re: the March 2 article “College borrowers see disconnect.”
For those of you who can’t understand why anyone would vote for Trump, look no further than the articles this week after the Supreme Court heard arguments regarding student loan forgiveness.
Two liberal, social activist judges made comments that demonstrated they don’t even remotely care what the Constitution says. Sotomayor said the decision should be left to the education “experts,” because people will suffer if the program is struck down and they default. Here’s a novel idea. How about not defaulting and paying back what one committed to when one took out those loans! Brown Jackson lamented about the hardship for her, and her father, to pay what they owed. I almost worked up a tear on that one. Neither of these two made comments that demonstrated they understood that these lawsuits were about what the Constitution says about the separation of powers. Trump was an egotistical, narcissistic, bloviating bully, but at least he appointed judges who seem to understand that the Constitution matters.
Kevin D. Kaatz
Oro Valley
Conservative talk radio
Re: the March 4 article “Blame liberal policies, not talk radio.”
Bob Lee’s piece consists of 10 paragraphs; the first five seem to present a factual and interesting history of the evolution of conservative talk radio; the second five are an opinionated rant against liberals and Democrats, essentially a diatribe replete with unsubstantiated assertions, projections, and bad grammar. In 170 words, I can’t begin to refute, or even discuss, his numerous absurd statements and allegations, many of which are characterized by sweeping generalizations. For instance, he writes: “Democrats love to spend our money, Republicans do not” (is he not aware of Arizona Republicans’ voucher program, or Ducey wasting millions on the border container barrier or the Cyber Ninjas?) It is also disconcerting to read about liberals no longer carrying a “big stick.” Trump threw that stick away in his support of Putin and Kim Jong-un.
On and on he goes, trading in hackneyed stereotypes, clichés, and falsehoods.
He should have stuck with his first five paragraphs.
Katharine Donahue
Foothills
Head in the sand logic
Re: the March 4 article “Blame liberal policies, not talk radio.”
Bob Lee’s article is laughable in its naivete. Here in the real world, conservative policies have been the bigger problem for over 50 years. Climate change denial, trickle-down economics, eviscerating unions, pandemic denial, institutional racism, censoring history in public schools, voter suppression, marginalizing women, poor people, immigrants, Muslims and LGBTQs, blocking universal health care, prioritizing corporate profits over people and the environment, protecting unlimited money in politics, rejecting common sense gun control, promoting Trump’s big lie, these are the policies that have been fueling our country’s descent into tribalism, mediocrity, and fascism. (Speaking of defunding the police, it’s conservative politicians who constantly reject taxes to fund public services.)
It’s going to take fact-based policies to solve our problems. Fox News and talk radio are not helping. Their outrage-for-profit business model is, indeed, a huge factor contributing to this country’s decline. Burying one’s head in the sand won’t change that.
Duncan Stitt
Midtown
Book Festival needs to do better
Only 1,000 people saw Linda Ronstadt at the Tucson Festival of Books. Some got in line at 7 a.m. on Sunday morning to be sure to get in. Why wasn’t a location with more seating used for such a popular and wonderful woman? McKale Center holds 14,545 and the Main Auditorium holds 3,200. I’ll bet McKale would have been filled if Festival honchos were a bit wiser and selected that location. Limiting the number of people that could gain access to only 1,000 is just one of this year’s Festival disappointments. Other ticketed authors, ones you really need to donate money to obtain a ticket to be able to gain entry for, were Maggie Haberman of the New York Times and Katie Tur of MSNBC. Both cancelled. Tur cancelled on Friday, the day before her scheduled appearance. Better decisions should be made and more reliable authors should be asked to appear.
Ricardo Small
East side
Truth behind HB2546 breaking up TUSD
Re: the March 6 article “Voters should be asked to split up TUSD, lawmakers say.”
Truth. Nothing but the truth. Rep. Rachel Jones argues that TUSD should be split up because it wastes so much money on administrative costs. But the truth is that, according to the State Auditor, although TUSD spends $6,509 per student (more than the state average), its administrative costs are $62 per year per student (lower than the state average). She says Superintendent Trujillo is paid half million dollars per year. Not true, only $250,000.
Rep. Jones says her new law will make it easier for parents to have a say. But she will not say how the district will actually be split up.
Does she want to give more voice to the TUSD parents mid-town, downtown or on the southside? No, the truth is she and her mostly white, higher-income, anti-vaccine MAGA Republican allies want their own personal school district on the far east side.
John Higgins
Southeast side
Break up TUSD? Why not Arizona?
Re: the March 6 article “Voters should be asked to split up TUSD, lawmakers say.”
State Rep. Rachel Jones said she wants people in the Tucson Unified School District to vote on breaking up the district. That’s because, she said, east siders “are not in agreement with some of the decisions being made by the five-person board.”
Applying that logic, let us also vote on breaking up Arizona. That’s because people in Tucson are not in agreement with some — actually, many — of the decisions being made by the Legislature, including the House decision allowing a vote to break up TUSD.
When do we get to vote, Ms. Jones?
Shraddha Hilda Oropeza
West side
Drag shows no threat
To the Editor:
The issues that keep me up at night: Arizona’s water being used to grow alfalfa for foreign countries; the high rate of traffic accidents from people running red lights; inflation; the poor pay scale for teachers. What does not keep me up? Drag queen story hour, or which pronoun a teacher uses for a student.
Republicans prove, once again, that they have no real ideas to improve life for our citizens. They only care about culture wars and “owning the libs.” How anyone can vote for a Republican candidate is beyond me.
Karen Micallef
Oro Valley
13
- Aston Bloom, East side
Re: the March 2 article "Privatizing Medicare wrong way to go."
Kudos to Dr. Joshua Freeman and to the Star for printing this extremely important piece! It was truly jaw-dropping and so informative that I believe every American should know about what's happening under the guise of Medicare. I'm one of probably millions of folks who've received solicitations in the mail for Medicare Advantage. Since I'm happy with my traditional Medicare, I never saw a reason to change, even though I wondered what Medicare Advantage was all about. Now I know it's really a stealth attack on traditional Medicare. I'm sure most other people don't know that either.
Besides sounding the alarm, Dr. Freeman explains how people caught in this web can get out, and how the whole country can work toward having health care for all at a reasonable cost. Thank you, Dr. Freeman!
Aston Bloom
East side
Disclaimer: As submitted to the Arizona Daily Star.
14
- Thad Appelman, Northwest side
Re: January 27 letter Threats to First Amendment freedom: Yes, there is an obvious trend to put religious beliefs into our laws. The Supreme Court now seems to be a branch of the Catholic church. We are being forced to obey religious beliefs under penalty of law. So, here’s my question: Is that the way your religion is supposed to be spread? Are you not supposed to spread it by example a goodness, not revert to the days of the crusades where death by the blade greeted non-believers? That as a dark chapter in religious history. Yes, church and state are supposed to be separate. Today in America, they are not.
Thad Appelman
Northwest side
Disclaimer: As submitted to the Arizona Daily Star.
15
- Thomas McGorray, Northwest side
ARE THE SCALES OF JUSTICE UNBALANCED?
Recently the DOJ-targeted a Catholic Franciscan Priest (Father Fidelis Moscinski)
and found him guilty of violating the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act by blocking the entrance to a New York Planned Parenthood facility in order to save the lives of babies. The Catholic priest is one of at least 25 pro-life leaders
targeted by the Biden Justice Department under the FACE Act.
By contrast, more than 100 crisis pregnancy centers (CPCs), pro-life organizations and churches have been attacked, some more than once, since the May 2 leak of the
Supreme Court draft opinion in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization,
which overturned Roe v. Wade.
Only two alleged pro-abortion vandals have been charged in connection with
crimes against pro-life groups in the same span of time.
It appears the scales of justice are out of balance.
Thomas McGorray
Northwest side
Disclaimer: As submitted to the Arizona Daily Star.
16
- Stephen Franz, Green Valley
If you get angry when checking out at the grocery store, go online and search for the recent profit history of the food and grocery industry. There were lots of billionaires created during the pandemic selling you overpriced food and they haven't stopped there. The prices continue go up and are expected to in the future. Marie Antoinette had the idea first - apparently greed never falls out of style.
Stephen Franz
Green Valley
Disclaimer: As submitted to the Arizona Daily Star.
17
- Dan Nelson, Foothills
The sudden rush to protect children from drag performances by Republican politicians would be laughable if it wasn't for the waste of legislative time and resources. I can save them a lot of time and money by reporting that I have been to several drag shows and never once have I felt compelled to go home and put on a dress! Now could we please get back to repairing bridges and highways. Thank you.
Dan Nelson
Foothills
Disclaimer: As submitted to the Arizona Daily Star.
18
- Joyce Bertschy, East side
Re: March 2, opinion piece by Joshua Freeman, M.D., titled "Privatizing Medicare wrong way to go." Although it's true that original Medicare is the better way to go, it's not cheaper for my bank account. I can't afford to pay for gap, vision, dental, hearing and prescription drug premiums separately. I don't want to give my Medicare premium payments to a private insurance company but at this point in time, I don't have a choice. Private insurance companies are the bane of my existent. The author is correct in asking Congress to increase benefits to covering 100% of the charges instead of 80%. Original Medicare should also cover vision, dental, hearing and prescription drug charges without paying extra premiums to private health insurance companies.It's ludicrous to think that eyeglasses, hearing aids, dental services and prescription drugs aren't a necessity for us older folks.
Joyce Bertschy
East side
Disclaimer: As submitted to the Arizona Daily Star.
19
- Bill Blaine, Marana
If we lived in Israel the Mossad would go into the neighboring country and eradicate the source of the attack. But we live in the US and we have lost our initiative. We have elite warriors and world class intelligence but lack the will. How easy would it be to send a covert operation to wipe out the labs where fentanyl is formulated. Our neighbor won’t do it for us. The world would applaud!
Bill Blaine
Marana
Disclaimer: As submitted to the Arizona Daily Star.
20
- John Kautz, Midtown
It didn’t take long before a letter appeared in the paper halfway justifying the actions of the 5 Memphis police officers. Of course there is danger every time an officer stops a car. Police are familiar with incidents where a traffic stop becomes use of deadly force against them. It is certainly a harrowing an uncertain situation for police, and they approach vehicles with a sense of caution and preparation. But the situation in Memphis was anything but this. Five officers surrounded the car. Not only were they ready for danger, they seemed ready to escalate the encounter evidenced on the video. There are a myriad of issues surrounding policing and appropriate behavior. But for the moment can we lament what happened to Mr. Nichols and recognize the danger in this case was not the lives of the officers, but the death of Nichols. I hope no traffic stops result in the killing of officers doing their duty, nor the traffic suspect killed by overreaction or an angry officer.
John Kautz
Midtown
Disclaimer: As submitted to the Arizona Daily Star.
21
- Updated
Scales of justice
Are the scales of justice unbalanced?
Recently, the DOJ targeted a Catholic Franciscan Priest (Father Fidelis Moscinski) and he was found guilty of violating the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act by blocking the entrance to a New York Planned Parenthood facility in order to save the lives of babies. The Catholic priest is one of at least 25 pro-life leaders targeted by the Biden Justice Department under the FACE Act.
By contrast, more than 100 crisis pregnancy centers (CPCs), pro-life organizations and churches have been attacked, some more than once, since the May 2 leak of the Supreme Court draft opinion in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, which overturned Roe v Wade.
Only two alleged pro-abortion vandals have been charged in connection with crimes against pro-life groups in the same span of time.
It appears the scales of justice are out of balance.
Thomas McGorray
Northwest side
Risks of policing
It didn’t take long before a letter appeared in the paper halfway justifying the actions of the five Memphis police officers. Of course, there is danger every time an officer stops a car. Police are familiar with incidents where a traffic stop becomes use of deadly force against them. It is certainly a harrowing and uncertain situation for police, and they approach vehicles with a sense of caution and preparation.
But the situation in Memphis was anything but this. Five officers surrounded the car. Not only were they ready for danger, they seemed ready to escalate the encounter evidenced in the video. There are myriad issues surrounding policing and appropriate behavior. But for the moment can we lament what happened to Mr. Nichols and recognize the danger, in this case, was not the lives of the officers but the death of Nichols? I hope no traffic stops result in the killing of officers doing their duty, nor the traffic suspect killed by overreaction or an angry officer.
John Kautz
Midtown
The real culprit
Just for the heck of it, I spent an evening listening to right-wing media. Wow! That Hunter Biden fellow sounds like a really bad guy. Apparently, he is actually the one who surrendered West Point to the British during the Revolutionary War, shot Abraham Lincoln at Ford’s Theatre and coordinated the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. Regular reading of the letters to the editor in the Arizona Daily Star, however, shows that we Tucsonans are much too smart to be fooled by such claims. We recognize that the person who is really responsible for these atrocities is Bill Walton.
David Parmenter
Northwest side
Call out the Cyber Ninja
A witness testified at a Republican hearing of the state House and Senate election committees on Feb. 23 that there is election fraud in Arizona! Golly, I am shocked! The Republican witness also charged that Mexican cartels are bribing the state House and Senate members, local office holders, county supervisors, prosecutors and 25% of active judges. I am shocked, yes, shocked to hear this! (She omitted any mention of UFOs.)
It’s time for state Senate and House Republicans to investigate by calling in the Cyber Ninjas, the Republican Cochise County supervisors and Republican ex-Attorney General Brnovich. Republicans should also get McGruff the Crime Dog and Inspector Clouseau to investigate. It may take 10 months and cost $10 million, but isn’t that what Republicans think taxpayer money is for?
Larry Bodine
Foothills
State must regulate groundwater
Climate change drought is causing permanent declines in Arizona’s water supplies. Water from the Colorado River system for the Central Arizona Project will face inevitable large future federal cutbacks. The pressure on Arizona’s rural groundwater, both surface water and underground aquifers, will only increase in the coming years. The state government will have to get heavily involved in all rural groundwater regulation or a potential catastrophic disaster awaits this state’s future.
1. Active Management Areas with strict metering, permitting and licensing with fees on new water wells must be established in all rural areas, excluding state, federal or tribal lands.
2. Large water-guzzling corporate agricultural factory farms must be shut down through legal actions (Willcox).
3. Large water-guzzling corporate real estate projects near fragile environmental watersheds must be canceled (Benson).
4. The governor needs emergency drought executive regulatory powers to appoint water experts to a water board to limit alfalfa, cotton, orchard, and other industrial and mining operations that consume large amounts of groundwater.
Kyle Stoutenburg
Sierra Vista
Fentanyl
If we lived in Israel, the Mossad would go into the neighboring country and eradicate the source of the attack. But we live in the U.S., and we have lost our initiative. We have elite warriors and world-class intelligence but lack the will. How easy would it be to send a covert operation to wipe out the labs where fentanyl is formulated? Our neighbor won’t do it for us. The world would applaud!
Bill Blaine
Marana
Drag queen performances
The sudden rush to protect children from drag performances by Republican politicians would be laughable if it wasn’t for the waste of legislative time and resources. I can save them a lot of time and money by reporting that I have been to several drag shows, and never once have I felt compelled to go home and put on a dress! Now could we please get back to repairing bridges and highways? Thank you.
Dan Nelson
Foothills
Religion question
Re: the Jan. 27 letter “Threats to First Amendment freedom.”
Yes, there is an obvious trend to put religious beliefs into our laws. The Supreme Court now seems to be a branch of the Catholic Church. We are being forced to obey religious beliefs under penalty of law. So, here’s my question: Is that the way your religion is supposed to be spread? Are you not supposed to spread it by example of goodness, not revert to the days of the Crusades where death by the blade greeted non-believers? That is a dark chapter in religious history. Yes, church and state are supposed to be separate. Today in America, they are not.
Thad Appelman
Northwest side
Let them eat cake!
If you get angry when checking out at the grocery store, go online and search for the recent profit history of the food and grocery industry. There were lots of billionaires created during the pandemic selling you overpriced food, and they haven’t stopped there. The prices continue to go up and are expected to in the future. Marie Antoinette had the idea first — apparently, greed never falls out of style.
Stephen Franz
Green Valley
Medicare
Re: the March 2 article “Privatizing Medicare wrong way to go.”
Although it’s true that original Medicare is the better way to go, it’s not cheaper for my bank account. I can’t afford to pay for gap, vision, dental, hearing and prescription drug premiums separately. I don’t want to give my Medicare premium payments to a private insurance company but at this point in time, I don’t have a choice. Private insurance companies are the bane of my existence. The author is correct in asking Congress to increase benefits to cover 100% of the charges instead of 80%. Original Medicare should also cover vision, dental, hearing and prescription drug charges without paying extra premiums to private health insurance companies. It’s ludicrous to think that eyeglasses, hearing aids, dental services and prescription drugs aren’t a necessity for us older folks.
Joyce Bertschy
East side
22
- phil lyons, Foothills
First, congratulations to President Biden for a well planned and inspirational trip to Kyiv. Let's now follow it up by giving Ukraine all that it needs to WIN, not simply not enough to not lose. Enough with worrying about 'provoking Putin','escalating', 'involving NATO." Russia has far more to worry about NATO getting involved than NATO does regarding "provoking" Russia.
Many historians felt Hitler could have been stopped when Germany invaded the Rhineland. The failure to do so led to a far greater price being paid by the world. Let's not make the same mistake again, when we can stop Putin in Ukraine rather than with a much greater war if he's not stopped now.
Give Ukraine what they need to win, and do it now. ..fighter jets, long ranger HIMARS and other long range weapons to get back the Dombas and hopefully even Crimea.
To borrow a phrase, "Let's finish the job."
phil lyons
Foothills
Disclaimer: As submitted to the Arizona Daily Star.
23
- Updated
Voting hearings
Re: the Feb. 28 article “Lawmakers on defense over election hearing.”
Arizona Republican legislators continue to embarrass themselves and Arizonans with irresponsible bills and behavior. Most recently, a hearing to present election improprieties and arranged by Republican Rep. Liz Harris resulted in the preposterous claim that the Sinaloa Cartel bribed the governor, legislators, and other officials. Following this inane hearing was finger-pointing and denial of responsibility among Republican House and Senate members. From Senate President Warren Petersen and Majority Leader Sonny Borrelli to House Speaker Ben Toma and Sen. Wendy Rogers, blame was mixed with temporary praise, illustrating that these legislators are ignoring the numerous, weighty issues facing Arizona and focusing on problems that don’t exist. I urge readers to email these legislators at the Arizona Legislature website to voice disapproval of these misdirected efforts.
Roger Shanley
East side
Humans can slow global warming
Re: the Feb. 24 letter “Warm weather to come.”
The letter writer points out that natural disasters exist that humans cannot prevent. He then concludes that it is futile to try to prevent global warming. This is nonsense.
Humans are causing global warming by increasing CO2 in the atmosphere. Humans can slow global warming by reducing greenhouse gas emissions. We are not helpless pawns.
I recommend Jessica Tierney’s recent lecture, “Why is climate change a problem?,” part of the U of A myth-busting lecture series (google “Tierney myth busting”) or visit the Plug In or Citizen Climate Lobby booths at the upcoming book fair.
Doug Pickrell
Midtown
Biden’s trip to Ukraine
First, congratulations to President Biden for a well-planned and inspirational trip to Kyiv. Let’s follow it up by giving Ukraine all it needs to win, not simply enough to not lose. Enough with worrying about “provoking Putin,” “escalating,” “involving NATO.” Russia has far more to worry about NATO getting involved than NATO does regarding “provoking” Russia.
Many historians felt Hitler could have been stopped when Germany invaded the Rhineland. The failure to do so led to the world paying a far greater price. Let’s not make the same mistake again when we can stop Putin in Ukraine rather than with a much greater war if he’s not stopped now.
Give Ukraine what they need to win, and do it now. Fighter jets, long-range HIMARS and other long-range weapons to get back the Donbas and hopefully even Crimea.
To borrow a phrase, “Let’s finish the job.”
Phil Lyons
Foothills
Wadsack and self-rule in Tucson
How on earth did Tucson end up with a state senator like Justine Wadsack, who hates this city? After failing to get a measure approved for the ballot that would strip all Arizona cities of their charter city status, destroying the constitutionally protected concept of self-rule, Wadsack now wants to strip only Tucson and Phoenix of self-rule.
Wouldn’t have anything to do with the fact that those cities lean Democratic in elections, would it? Sadly, Gov. Hobbs can’t veto this punishment proposal because the state Legislature can place changes to the Arizona constitution on the ballot without her approval. Punishing only Tucson and Phoenix is patently unfair and anti-democracy. But what else does one expect from the anti-democracy forces in the Republican Party?
Does anyone really want Republicans in the Legislature running Tucson? Next time, can we elect a state senator from Tucson who actually likes Tucson?
John Vornholt
Northeast side
Sam Hughes Elementary
Re: the Feb. 26 article “School fencing halted after complaints.”
The poise and courage of Principal Kathryn Bolasky was impressive as she placed herself in danger while confronting a strange and erratic man who last year jumped a short fence and entered a classroom of 25 children at Sam Hughes Elementary school. No doubt her first instinct and act of bravery was to protect her children. She did so without hesitation. TUSD safety attempted to increase the height of the fence. And without hesitation, the HOA showed up at the school board meeting to protect the “aesthetics” of the neighborhood. The issue is the height of the fence. I wonder if you were to ask the parents of the murdered children at Uvalde about issues like “aesthetics,” what their answers would be? With principal Bolasky and the educators at that school, the children are lucky to attend Hughes, but on the other hand they are unlucky that they live in a NIMBY neighborhood. The action of the adults to choose appearance “aesthetics” over safety is disgusting and shameful.
Richard Harper
Northeast side
Letter to my Congressman
Dear Rep. Ciscomani:
I received your form letter of Feb. 27 by email, purportedly thanking me for “taking the time to share” my positions with you. However, in the fourth paragraph of your letter, you do not once allude to any of the concerns I wrote about.
Since it is now so easy to “plug in” to any text any words or phrases about any subject (your staff could have cut them out of my letter and pasted them into yours, in fact), I am particularly offended that you did nothing but have your staff send me a general form letter. Although I likely will indeed “stay in touch” by writing you again, I don’t really expect you, or your staff, to take any note of what I think or have to say.
And I don’t expect to vote for you, either.
Sincerely,
Suzanne Ferguson
Southeast side
Save water now or go thirsty
I’m glad to see that, after decades of warnings, people finally realize we are in a water crisis. Many people have suggested ways of getting more water to Southern Arizona; some are unfeasible, and others are ridiculous. Perhaps someone will eventually devise a practical way to get more water to the desert, but for now, we need to learn to live with the water we have. I won’t try to list all of the ways people can save water, there are too many and not all can be done by everyone. But we all need to do everything we can to save water before it gets much worse. We also need to prepare ourselves to pay a lot more for the water we use.
Floyd Newsom
Northwest side
Water conservation crisis
Re: the Feb. 27 article “Federal memo may bolster Hudbay’s position on Rosemont Mine site.”
Every open pit mine, whether active or abandoned, is a toxic waste site, including Hudbay’s current mines in Canada and South America. The Santa Rita Mountains are Southern Arizona’s rainwater harvesting tank for our precious groundwater serving the million living here. Whatever water Hudbay does not use for their proposed Rosemont/Copper World mine will be rendered forever toxic. Hudbay is a poison pellet that must be stopped. There can be no conversation about water conservation or supply without first taking action to prevent this proposed destructive mining project. No amount of CAP or desalinated water can compensate.
Paul Strautman
Midtown
Lloyd gets it
Bill Belichick once told athlete Julian Edelman that players win games and coaches lose games. This was after a Super Bowl win. To translate, he has never taken credit for a win but takes the blame for losses. Tommy Lloyd embodies this great coaching quality after the ASU game where he didn’t blame a single player, rather he took the blame for not having his players prepared. That is the type of coach I would want my kid to play for.
Gabriel Bustamante
South side
24
- Robert McNeil, Midtown
During midterm elections I watched a tv correspondent interview a bunch of senior Republicans in Wyoming. He asked them how they felt about Liz Cheney. A cowboy grandpa answered. "She has to go- she betrayed Donald Trump." Goodbye Liz!
I wondered if he really believed the "big lie" or if he couldn't admit he was fooled or had made a mistake. Maybe he totally identified with Trump and joined the cult.
Trump's past will soon catch up with him and he should be locked up but he seems to get out of everything.
I wonder what the cowboy will say when Trump goes away. I wish him the best and hope he makes better choices. Democrats need a sane Republican party to get things done for everybody.
Robert McNeil
Midtown
Disclaimer: As submitted to the Arizona Daily Star.
25
- Brand Gould, Marana
Contrary to the view expressed in a Feb. 19 letter to the editor regarding the derailment in East Palestine, actions taken during the Trump administration are not ancient history. In the first year of his presidency, President Trump eliminated a rule change initiated by President Obama that would have required freight trains to upgrade outdated braking technology. In 2019, his administration relaxed safety regulations for the shipping of fracked natural gas by rail. While the former president does not necessarily bear direct “blame” for the derailment, there is no question that he pursued a policy of deregulation that makes such accidents more likely. They are called safety regulations because they are put in place to save lives and towns, even if it means—prepare yourself—reduced profits for businesses.
Brand Gould
Marana
Disclaimer: As submitted to the Arizona Daily Star.
26
- Bill Blaine, Marana
Theorem: power corrupts, absolute power corrupts absolutely. Corollary: lack of responsibility causes lack of success. At least two items come to mind. First the internet. The government gave developers the immunity from responsibility so as to help it grow. But now they don’t want to give that up at places like Facebook, Twitter and TikTok.
Second the pandemic. Pharmaceutical companies got immunity from liability to expedite development. But now they don’t want to go back and do the efficacy work to go forward. There are lots of other examples, like Social Security, Medicare, Welfare, Head Start, SNAP (food stamps). Who is responsible to fix these and others. If the answer is no one, they will never get fixed.
Bill Blaine
Marana
Disclaimer: As submitted to the Arizona Daily Star.
27
- Marvin Montez, Oro Valley
Who’s deeply cynical is this letter writer. She’s a master at projection where she’s accusing Republicans of exactly what the “woke” is doing. Progressives are the ones who’ve broken the nation into groups who they manipulate with fear.
They’ve so confused our children and some adults on what a male and female is, what is and isn’t pornography and have used public schools as a vehicle to get in between kids and parents.
These people promote drag queen shows for children. They promote open borders and the welfare of non-Americans over Americans. They promote the mutilation of kids with sex change surgery. They want to rewrite classic children’s books because they don’t agree with some words.
I can tell you her group, who claims to be nonpartisan, is not. Their thinking and actions are deeply flawed and dangerous. They want compromise on only their terms. They crave power over our daily lives and need push back.
I refuse to yield.
Marvin Montez
Oro Valley
Disclaimer: As submitted to the Arizona Daily Star.
28
- Updated
No yielding to woke-ism
Re: the March 1 letter “Woke-ism is a cynical ruse.”
Who’s deeply cynical is this letter writer. She’s a master at projection where she’s accusing Republicans of exactly what the “woke” are doing. Progressives are the ones who’ve broken the nation into groups who they manipulate with fear.
They’ve so confused our children and some adults on what a male and female is, what is and isn’t pornography and have used public schools as a vehicle to get in between kids and parents.
These people promote drag queen shows for children. They promote open borders and the welfare of non-Americans over Americans. They promote the mutilation of kids with sex-change surgery. They want to rewrite classic children’s books because they don’t agree with some words.
I can tell you her group, who claims to be nonpartisan, is not. Their thinking and actions are deeply flawed and dangerous. They want compromise on only their terms. They crave power over our daily lives and need pushback.
I refuse to yield.
Marvin Montez
Oro Valley
Disaster in Ohio
Re: the Feb. 19 letter “Disaster in Ohio.”
Contrary to the view expressed in a Feb. 19 letter to the editor regarding the derailment in East Palestine, actions taken during the Trump administration are not ancient history. In the first year of his presidency, former President Trump eliminated a rule change initiated by President Obama that would have required freight trains to upgrade outdated braking technology. In 2019, his administration relaxed safety regulations for the shipping of fracked natural gas by rail.
While the former president does not necessarily bear direct “blame” for the derailment, there is no question that he pursued a policy of deregulation that makes such accidents more likely. They are called safety regulations because they are put in place to save lives and towns, even if it means—prepare yourself—reduced profits for businesses.
Brand Gould
Marana
Smartphone discrimination
Re: the March 2 article “UA’s cashless policy a bad idea.”
In David Devine’s column about the UA’s cashless policy, he described himself as one of many people over 65 who don’t have a smartphone. I am one of those people too, and I have experienced the discrimination against us.
One example is the grocery store where I can’t benefit from certain sales because the coupons are digital only. Another example of unfair sales in grocery stores is when one can only get the sale price if he/she buys three or four of that item. Elderly people living alone don’t want or need three 12-packs of soda or four bags of chips. They would just like to occasionally have a soda or a few chips. Why can’t they buy single items for the sale price?
Big businesses (UA, grocery stores, etc.) need to be aware of the people they are leaving behind as they turn more and more to high-tech and greater profits.
Karen Berry
Midtown
Bill Walton’s poetic words
Bill Walton’s description of Azuolas Tubelis’ fast break basket during the second half of the Oregon game tonight (Feb. 2): “In the shadow, historically of Arvydas Sabonis, running the floor, so graceful, so beautiful, like the water coming down Sabino Canyon.”
And it was a magnificent display of athleticism. After a rebound from Courtney Ramey, Tubelis took off for the basket. Ramey threw a perfect pass...Oh heck, it’ll be on the all the highlights. Watch it, more than once.
You writers of letters to the editor who don’t like Bill Walton, he spoke poetry during a live game broadcast as effortlessly as Tubelis made that basket. Turn the volume up and listen carefully. Walton is brilliant. Tubelis made history.
Bill Smith
Vail
Power vs. responsibility
Theorem: Power corrupts, absolute power corrupts absolutely. Corollary: Lack of responsibility causes lack of success. At least two items come to mind. First the internet. The government gave developers the immunity from responsibility so as to help it grow. But now they don’t want to give that up at places like Facebook, Twitter and TikTok.
Second, the pandemic. Pharmaceutical companies got immunity from liability to expedite development. But now they don’t want to go back and do the efficacy work to go forward. There are lots of other examples, like Social Security, Medicare, welfare, Head Start, SNAP (food stamps). Who is responsible to fix these and others? If the answer is no one, they will never get fixed.
Bill Blaine
Marana
What next?
During midterm elections I watched a TV correspondent interview a bunch of senior Republicans in Wyoming. He asked them how they felt about Liz Cheney. A cowboy grandpa answered. “She has to go, she betrayed Donald Trump.” Goodbye, Liz!
I wondered if he really believed the “big lie” or if he couldn’t admit he was fooled or had made a mistake. Maybe he totally identified with Trump and joined the cult.
Trump’s past will soon catch up with him and he should be locked up, but he seems to get out of everything.
I wonder what the cowboy will say when Trump goes away. I wish him the best and hope he makes better choices. Democrats need a sane Republican Party to get things done for everybody.
Robert McNeil
Midtown
Wadsack’s “Big Lie” about freedom
During her campaign for LD17, candidate Justine Wadsack of the Freedom Team promised to “protect the people and defend their freedom.” Now that she is a state senator and a member of the Freedom Caucus, she says that what she promised only applies for those people who agree with her. Since she disagrees with many of the Democratic voters in Tucson and city council decisions, she is going to take away their local democratic control and charter government under her SCR 1023 being passed by the Legislature. Sounds more like dictatorial Russia or China!
John Higgins
Southeast side
29
- Larry Bodine, Foothills
Rupert Murdoch, the owner of lyin' Fox News, just confessed that the network intentionally broadcast lies about "election fraud" and about Dominion voting machines. News hacks Tucker Carlson, Sean Hannity and Laura Ingraham also confessed that they knew the fraud claims were lies.
Next month, when the jury awards $1.6 billion in damages against propaganda network, the FCC should revoke Fox's broadcast license. Then the network will truly be known as Fox Noise.
Larry Bodine
Foothills
Disclaimer: As submitted to the Arizona Daily Star.
30
- Thad Appelman, Northwest side
Our Constitution simply says “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof…”. It says nothing about state legislatures, the Supreme, other agencies forcing religious doctrine on us. There is no Constitutional protection against these and other ways of weaseling such beliefs on us. There is no law that allows us to live our lives without others religious beliefs being forced upon us. Many of us have believed there are such Constitutional protections, but recent events have shown that is not so. One would hope a religion would be good enough to not try such moves. But apparently such religious goodness does not exist, and we are heading back to the days of the Crusades.
Thad Appelman
Northwest side
Disclaimer: As submitted to the Arizona Daily Star.
31
- Gary Susko, Midtown
Re: 2-20-23 letter "Debt grows under Biden" This writer snidely noted That President Biden stated that he lowered the budget by a large amount. ( fact check: absolutely true.) Then he laments that " No one has pointed out that in 2 years Biden has increased the national debt by almost 50% from 21 to 31 trillion" The reason no one mentions that is because it is categorically false. ( in common parlance, " a blatant lie"). Fact check: Donald Trump drove the National debt up by 7.8 trillion; 19.95 to 27.75 trillion, a 39 % increase even though he entered office during an economic boom. Biden entered office during a fierce pandemic recession & National debt has increased by 3.7 trillion to a current 31.5 trillion.
Maybe The Star should take seriously it's stated policy to not publish letters with " clear errors" .
Gary Susko
Midtown
Disclaimer: As submitted to the Arizona Daily Star.
32
- Larry Fleischman, Northeast side
Thanks to the dominion voting machine lawsuit we now know that the so-called "journalists " at fox news--Hannity, Carlson, Ingraham, et al and their employer knew full well that there was no merit to trump's claims that the 2020 election results were fraudulent, yet they pushed the lie constantly on television.
What can be done to traitors like these? Hopefully dominion can push Murdoch back into the slime from which he emerged, along with the liars who intentionally deceived their audience and continue to do so today. The first amendment offers them no protection, nor should it. Their audience--and this country--deserve far better.
Larry Fleischman
Northeast side
Disclaimer: As submitted to the Arizona Daily Star.
33
- Thad Appelman, Northwest side
Re: the Feb. 25 letter "Tanks to Ukraine."
I was in college during the "Cuban Missile Crisis". That was nothing compared to where we are now. If Putin conquers Ukraine, it will be a tragedy. Unlikely, with the amazing Ukrainian people. If he loses, he is just crazy enough to launch at the US, knowing it will end the world. My estimate: 25-30 Russian nukes for Raytheon, which will vaporize Tucson.
Thad Appelman
Northwest side
Disclaimer: As submitted to the Arizona Daily Star.
34
- Rick Cohn, West side
Imagine how different the situation in Ukraine would be right now if, when the invading Russian convoy ran out of fuel, Ukraine had had possession of a dozen A-10 "tank killer" aircraft.
Rick Cohn
West side
Disclaimer: As submitted to the Arizona Daily Star.
35
- Updated
Liars and the lies they tell
Thanks to the Dominion voting machine lawsuit we now know that the so-called “journalists” at Fox News, Hannity, Carlson, Ingraham, et al, and their employer knew full well that there was no merit to Trump’s claims that the 2020 election results were fraudulent, yet they pushed the lie constantly on television.
What can be done to traitors like these? Hopefully, Dominion can push Murdoch back into the slime from which he emerged, along with the liars who intentionally deceived their audience and continue to do so today. The First Amendment offers them no protection, nor should it. Their audience — and this country — deserve far better.
Larry Fleischman
Northeast side
Arizona water
It’s indisputable that we have a long-term water issue in Arizona, it’s why we must ensure that the water we have is used wisely to its best use and for the benefit of the maximum number of Arizonans.
FICO, the pecan farmer in Sahuarita, uses on average 20,000 acre feet of water per year. That’s 6.5 billion gallons of water to produce a few million pounds of pecans. The proposed Copper World project by Hudbay plans to use less than 6,000 acre feet of water and will create thousands of new jobs and billions in economic activity. The economic output and number of jobs at a pecan farm don’t come anywhere close to what a copper mine will produce. And from what I understand, the majority of the pecans are shipped out of state for processing.
Companies using Arizona’s water should be required to explain how their operations will not only benefit them economically, but also the local community where they operate.
Dennis Fischer
Vail
Rodeos, keep the good, drop the bad
The pageantry, horse parades, the bands, etc. are the good parts of the rodeo. Using electric wands to prod the hind quarters of the animals to force them to jump up and down in a frenzy is ugly abuse. The horse and bulls with a rider on their backs suffer as the cowboys chase the prize money. Picture a calf after being prodded running terrified into the arena. A cowboy on a horse chases the calf, lassos it by the neck. The animal is thrown in the air and lands with a thud on the arena’s floor. Some years ago, here in Tucson, a calf died after having its neck broken. In the newspaper photo the owner was standing over the dead calf. What were his thoughts, pity for the animal or disappointment that he didn’t collect any money. Animal cruelty is a crime. Why do the rodeos get a pass? If the rodeos don’t stop the cruelty, they should go the way of the circuses.
Jerome Shulec
Foothills
Fare-free transit
Re: the Feb. 19 article “Time to find a solution for fare-free transit.”
I applaud the writer for his enthusiastic support of continuing the very popular free transit policy, which was adopted by our Mayor and Council almost three years ago. By doing so, our elected officials made transit in Tucson a public good, similar to roads, police, fire, parks and schools, i.e., no one can be excluded from using transit.
Now, it is difficult to imagine those who voted for it would now reject it. But thus far most of our elected leaders have been silent on the matter.
Annually, the city has a total revenue of well over $500 million, compounded with annual increases. The task is to either find less than 2% of that revenue or find other revenue sources to underwrite the annual operations budget.
Budget season is upon the city now. Why leave the over 50,000 daily riders in the dark? Vote now to be in the vanguard of U.S. cities and renew — forever — no-fare public transit.
Richard Kaiser
Midtown
Cons
Constitutional omission
Our Constitution simply says “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof …” It says nothing about state legislatures, the Supreme Court, other agencies forcing religious doctrine on us. There is no constitutional protection against these and other ways of weaseling such beliefs on us. There is no law that allows us to live our lives without others’ religious beliefs being forced upon us. Many of us have believed there are such constitutional protections, but recent events have shown that is not so. One would hope a religion would be good enough to not try such moves. But apparently such religious goodness does not exist, and we are heading back to the days of the Crusades.
Thad Appelman
Northwest side
Tax dollars for subversive teachings
Our brilliant, self-ennobled Republican Legislature thinks they’ve pulled a fast one on their “woke” friends by stripping public schools of tax dollars in favor of a massive expansion of the state’s private school voucher law (ESA-Empowerment Scholarship Account). While public and charter schools are mandated to follow state curriculum requirements, recipients of voucher money are not required to do so and are free to offer whatever academic program they prefer with little to no oversight by the Department of Education. Do Tom Horne and the state Legislature realize that our tax dollars are going to ESA recipients who can teach utterly subversive subjects, such as real science, evolution, sex education, reproductive rights, LGBTQ+ issues and above all critical race theory, with no state oversight. There is hope for our children’s education after all. Can’t thank you enough, Tom!
Pamela Aronson
Northeast side
National debt
Re: the Feb. 20 letter “Debt grows under Biden.”
This writer snidely noted that President Biden stated that he lowered the budget by a large amount. (fact check: absolutely true.) Then he laments that “No one has pointed out that in 2 years Biden has increased the national debt by almost 50% from 21 to 31 trillion.” The reason no one mentions that is because it is categorically false. (in common parlance, “a blatant lie”) Fact check: Donald Trump drove the national debt up by $7.8 trillion (from $19.95 to $27.75 trillion), a 39% increase even though he entered office during an economic boom. Biden entered office during a fierce pandemic recession and national debt has increased by $3.7 trillion to a current $31.5 trillion.
Gary Susko
Midtown
Disheartening hindsight
Imagine how different the situation in Ukraine would be right now if, when the invading Russian convoy ran out of fuel, Ukraine had had possession of a dozen A-10 “tank killer” aircraft.
Rick Cohn
West side
Dealing with Dem governor
I saw a story in the Star recently that Arizona Republican state legislators are having trouble figuring out how to deal with a Democratic governor. Seems they’ve gotten their way for so many years with Republican governors that they don’t know quite what to do. They might want to try the following: consultation, collaboration, communication, consideration, cooperation and compromise. Now I know these concepts are foreign to most Republicans, but they should at least give them a try. What’s the worst that could happen? There might actually be some bipartisan legislation passed that benefits all Arizonans.
Douglas Maul
West side
Fox News, Fox Noise
Rupert Murdoch, the owner of lyin’ Fox News, just confessed that the network intentionally broadcast lies about “election fraud” and about Dominion voting machines. News hacks Tucker Carlson, Sean Hannity and Laura Ingraham also confessed that they knew the fraud claims were lies.
Next month, when the jury awards $1.6 billion in damages against the propaganda network, the FCC should crack down on Fox. Then the network will truly be known as Fox Noise.
Larry Bodine
Foothills
36
- Sue Thompson, SaddleBrooke
Years ago, I stopped saying the Pledge of Allegiance. At the time, I had realized that there was some issue regarding our government in Washington, D.C. that I had disagreed with. My reasoning was a personal one. I realized that…if my government was at odds with what I believed due to my religious beliefs, I was being forced to make a choice. And I realized that my religious beliefs were more important to me. I could no longer pledge allegiance to both. As you can probably surmise, I’m not in favor of requiring that the children in our schools be forced to repeat a pledge that many of them don’t even understand.
Sue Thompson
SaddleBrooke
Disclaimer: As submitted to the Arizona Daily Star.
37
- Howard strause, Foothills
Re: the Feb. 27 article "It's wrong to rewrite Roald Dahl."
The right is making much of a proposed revision of Charlie and the Chocolate Factor. This proposed revision was for the sake of making the book more kid friendly. There have also been revisions of Huck Finn to take out racist language. All of these revisions were being proposed by private companies without any government suggestion or coercion.
While the right screams about violation of the First Amendment right of free speech, they ignore violations of free speech carried out by Republican state governments. They ignore Gov Desantis's prohibiting teaching of an AP course on African American studies. They again ignore his takeover of Orlando’s self government rule because Disney criticized Florida’s Don’t Say Gay law.
They support legislation to tell teachers what to say in the classroom. They support Burnovich suppressing a report on our election.
I get nervous when governments censor speech, not so much when private companies do. Government censorship is a violation of the First Amendment, private censorship is not.
Howard strause
Foothills
Disclaimer: As submitted to the Arizona Daily Star.
38
- chris pinhey, Foothills
I see that Ron DeSantis has taken over Fantasyland. That should make him a prime candidate for the MAGA Republicans.
chris pinhey
Foothills
Disclaimer: As submitted to the Arizona Daily Star.
39
- Doug Pickrell, Midtown
Re: the Feb. 24 letter "Warm weather to come."
The letter writer points out that there exist natural disasters which humans cannot prevent.
He then concludes that it is futile to try to prevent global warming. This is nonsense.
Humans are causing global warming by increasing CO2 in the atmosphere. Humans can slow global warming
by reducing greenhouse gas emissions. We are not helpless pawns.
I recommend Jessica Tierney's recent lecture `Why is climate change a problem?', part
of the UA myth busting lecture series (google Tierney myth busting), or visit the Plug In or Citizen Climate Lobby booths at the upcoming book fair.
Doug Pickrell
Midtown
Disclaimer: As submitted to the Arizona Daily Star.
40
- David Parmenter, Northwest side
Just for the heck of it I spent an evening listening to right-media. Wow! That Hunter Biden fellow sounds like a really bad guy. Apparently he is actually the one who surrendered West Point to the British during the Revolutionary War, shot Abraham Lincoln at Ford’s Theater and coordinated the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. Regular reading of the letters to the editor in the Arizona Daily Star, however, shows that we Tucsonans are much too smart to be fooled by such claims. We recognize that the person who is really responsible for these atrocities is Bill Walton.
David Parmenter
Northwest side
Disclaimer: As submitted to the Arizona Daily Star.
41
- Updated
Good in the world
Re: the Jan. 30 article “Small homes on the way for youths.”
It was so refreshing to read the article about Desiree Cook’s ambitious project of building small homes for youths who are leaving foster care. She sounds like an amazing person who has overcome many difficult situations and has turned herself into someone we all can admire. Kudos also to Blass and Crest Contracting for supporting this wonderful endeavor. We need more caring people like them in today’s world.
Judith Mynatt
Green Valley
A modest proposal
Since Republicans on the Arizona Senate Judiciary Committee are so concerned about protecting children from pedophiles and grooming they have voted for SB 1028 to ban drag shows, I would like to make a modest proposal: banning another organization from holding events anywhere a minor could possibly view them, an organization where there have been many known cases of pedophilia and grooming of children. The Catholic Church.
I know this seems drastic, but if we ban drag shows (even though I found no credible accusations of drag performers sexually abusing children in Arizona), we must also ban the organization where there have been at least 100 credible accusations of child sexual abuse by priests in Arizona. To do less would just make it seem like the Republican politicians who voted for SB 1028 aren’t really interested in protecting children, but are only interested in demonizing drag performers and transgender people to score political points with their anti-LGBTQA+ base.
Kelly Frieders
Downtown
Botanical vision
Re: the Feb. 9 letter “A million trees?”
Mayor Romero’s push to plant native trees really shows excellent botanical vision. Our native trees, once established, require little or no watering. Their shade keeps landscapes cooler and slows evaporation, increasing our comfort and allowing other plants to grow under their canopies. Their fallen leaves provide mulch to hold moisture and promote soil health. Roots find their pathways deep into the soil, aerating and allowing rain to infiltrate. So sometimes using water actually saves water! One golf course, on the other hand, does use 1 million gallons of water per day without any benefit to the land and climate. The same is true of lawns.
Desert mistletoe is a semi-parasitic native plant. Its berries are a critical food source for the Phainopepla (silky flycatcher). A heavy infestation can damage or kill the host tree, but it’s uncommon.
Tucson’s focus is right where it should be.
Sally Sherman
West side
The Pledge and free speech
It is appalling that an American citizen writer could make the ridiculous claim that The Pledge of Allegiance at “academic gunpoint” is in violation of our Founding Fathers’ First Amendment principle. In truth, the Pledge simply reminds all of us that as American citizens, we value our country’s constitutional principles, freedom and democratic ideals. What if a criminal or witnesses in a jury trial claimed that they didn’t have to swear on a Bible to tell the truth because it infringed on their First Amendment rights? Compare that to HB2523 being egregious. Let me add that I have been a substitute teacher in Tucson for 27 years and not one student has ever come up to me and said that they believed reciting the Pledge each day has been a violation of their free speech.
Chuck Cabrera, retired federal employee
Northwest side
GOP no Party of Lincoln
The Republicans have proudly assumed the mantle of The Party of Lincoln for ages. But since the rise of Professor Harold Hill’s (remember him— “Ya got trouble.”) evil twin they have doubled down on that claim; righteously though, as it was Lincoln who explained to us that you can fool some of the people, all of the time.
So, the Grand Old Party has now become the party of People Fooled All the Time (PFAT).
Do we really want these folks running our country? Or our state, county or city?
Robert Turner
East side
Pedestrians and cars
Re: the Feb. 26 letter “Be safe when walking at night.”
To the reader urging pedestrians to wear white when walking at night, I’m sorry for the trauma your friend experienced and for the victim of the collision. I hope the author appreciates similarities between blaming a pedestrian for what they wear (or don’t) with changes in how we talk about who’s at fault when a person is raped. For years it was acceptable to say a victim “asked for it” because of what they wore. I hope readers look back at how far we’ve come in understanding that even if cultural and societal norms justify a horrific practice (patriarchy, rape), responsibility lies with the aggressor and their actions alone. In this case, the writer says the friend wasn’t “at fault” because they drove “at speed limit.” This ignores the structural systems that uphold car-dominance, letting all of us who drive forget that those of us in two-ton metal vehicles are the aggressor, no matter how streets are designed or speed limits are set.
Kylie Walzak
West side
Censorship
Re: the Feb. 27 article “It’s wrong to rewrite Roald Dahl.”
The right is making much of a proposed revision of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. This proposed revision was for the sake of making the book more kid-friendly. There have also been revisions of Huck Finn to take out racist language. All of these revisions were being proposed by private companies without any government suggestion or coercion.
While the right screams about violation of the First Amendment right of free speech, they ignore violations of free speech carried out by Republican state governments. They ignore Gov. Desantis prohibiting teaching of an AP course on African American studies. They again ignore his takeover of Orlando’s self-government rule because Disney criticized Florida’s “Don’t Say Gay” law.
They support legislation to tell teachers what to say in the classroom. They support Brnovich suppressing a report on our election.
I get nervous when governments censor speech, not so much when private companies do. Government censorship is a violation of the First Amendment, private censorship is not.
Howard Strause
Foothills
Bernie Sanders no POW
The Tucson Festival of Books is heavily promoting Bernie Sanders and his new book criticizing capitalism. At the Festival of the Books will also be Tucsonan Walter F. Ram, a 98-year-old WWII POW, whose B-17 was shot down on his sixth mission. He spent nearly two years as a prisoner in the infamous Nazi prison camp, Stalag 17, where he suffered cold, hunger, and the constant threat of being shot by guards. His book, “Helno-Gal,” tells his story. What an incredible opportunity to stop by his booth, talk to him and buy an autographed book. I hope the Tucson Festival of Books honors our own hometown hero.
Don Dickinson
Oro Valley
Pledge of Allegiance
Years ago, I stopped saying the Pledge of Allegiance. At the time, I had realized that there was some issue regarding our government in Washington, D.C. that I had disagreed with. My reasoning was a personal one. I realized that if my government was at odds with what I believed due to my religious beliefs, I was being forced to make a choice. And I realized that my religious beliefs were more important to me. I could no longer pledge allegiance to both. As you can probably surmise, I’m not in favor of requiring that the children in our schools be forced to repeat a pledge that many of them don’t even understand.
Sue Thompson
SaddleBrooke
42
- Updated
Student loan debt relief
I don’t have any student loan debt. Still, it’s in my interest for the government to write off some of that $1.5 trillion. Obama bailed out Citibank and General Motors. Trump bailed out the airlines. Biden sent checks to everyone. Those were practical decisions. Americans under 40 have been blasted by events and poor government policies for the last 20 years. America needs that group to catch a wave. They’re the future. I have to invest in the future. Cut that debt load. Create some hope. Open up opportunity. It’s a practical decision.
Walter Ramsley
East side
Biden, Trump and immigration
Re: the March 3 article “Why is Biden reviving Trump’s immigration policies?”
She hits the nail right on the head about how the Trump and Biden administrations handle our immigration policies — the main difference is in the rhetoric! Trump was always angry and scornful while Biden is consistently sympathetic and understanding.
But Biden clearly cares more about calming down the anti-immigrant extremists than actually living up to our treaty obligations to would-be immigrants.
So his immigration policies are not significantly different from Trump’s!
We don’t want Tucker Carlson and Sean Hannity to get too mad at us, do we, Joe?
David Steinberg
Northwest side
Not a valid comparison
Re: the March 2 letter “Pedestrians and cars.”
This letter writer attempts, miserably, to make comparisons that simply aren’t valid. They start by pointing out, quite rightly, how wrong it is to suggest a woman is at fault for being raped, which is inherently an intentional act of incredible harm, based on what she wears.
However, the remainder of the letter quickly loses logic or critical/rational thinking by suggesting a driver, doing everything right, shouldn’t necessarily be at fault for hitting a pedestrian, by the simple act of being a driver. Each situation demands a careful assessment of all of the facts. It absolutely can be a tragic accident when a careful driver — completely aware of and sensitive to the two-ton vehicle they are using — accidentally hits a pedestrian who might not have been taking appropriate care by conforming to community and safe standards of where and when to cross a street in the dark. Tragic — yes. Necessarily the fault of the drive — no; maybe and maybe not depending on the facts of each specific instance.
Sonja Stupel
North side
Modern conservatism
I am always amused by conservatives who prate on how government should not be picking winners and losers as they bask in the economic, political, and cultural security of a government that has chosen them as winners for 250 years. Their conservatism boils down to simply preserving the advantages of being born in the right place at the right time of the right parents.
Rich Kiker
Tubac
American pharmacy thugs
Whatever happened to the practice of medicine in the United States when mere attorneys general can decide, without having to go to court no less, what a doctor may decide is appropriate for a patient or a prescription a patient may fill! Now Walgreens has caved to these Republican thugs who merely threatened a lawsuit if the pharmacy sells birth control in any form. Are men so afraid of women’s competence that they emulate the tactics of the Taliban and ISIS to render women mere chattel? The United States is in serious trouble if a return to the Middle Ages is permitted to continue.
Barbara Benjamin
Foothills
Medicare in trouble
Re: the March 2 article “Privatizing Medicare wrong way to go.”
Dr. Joshua Freeman advocates basically for socialized medicine when he says we need to eliminate profits in Medicare Advantage plans. Yet these plans generate just 3.6% in profits, far less that the 11% margin for all industries. These plans are wildly popular and grew by 10% between July 2020 and July 2021.
Dr. Freeman also advocates getting rid of the 20% cost of a supplement plan in original Medicare, saying that this could be funded by the “huge profits for private investors.” 14.6 million people have Medicare supplement plans, the average cost of a plan being $128, and since the Medicare Hospital Insurance trust fund will run out of money in 2028, adding almost $2 billion a year to its cost is delusional.
Finally, Dr. Freeman should be aware that in the socialized medicine country of the United Kingdom, in 2020 — 153,008 deaths were considered avoidable.
David Pearse
Foothills
Golf course saguaros
Re: the March 5 article “Marana golf course under fire for removing saguaros.”
The Gallery Golf Club and LIV Golf are now on my boycott list, if I really ever had one. I was toying with the idea of attending the upcoming LIV Golf tournament in Marana, but now I don’t have to rethink it for too long. What the heck are they thinking cutting down saguaros with a what? A chainsaw! LIV Golf, bankrolled by the Saudis. I thought their weapon of choice was a bone saw.
Get out of our city. And find the hacker that operated the saw and escort him out, also.
Bill Smith
Vail
Diversity of thought
Lately, the Letters to the Editor have been dominated by four topics: Donald J. Trump, Jan. 6, the Republican U. S. House of Representatives and the Republican Arizona Legislature. These are some of the words that are prevalent in these Letters; vile, hate, liar(s), cult, racist and despicable. You don’t need much imagination to see what side of the above topics these Letters are on. Most of them are also tedious and boring. However, it goes without saying that at least some of these letters deserve a place in the Star, but they shouldn’t dominate every issue. You need to remember your motto: Diversity of thought is critical for democracy.
Douglas R. Holm
East side
Government can support citizens
Let’s talk about preferential tax rates and carnage. Ronald Reagan gave national voice to the concept that big government was untrustworthy and big business would take care of us through lower taxes — mostly, it turns out, for themselves. Curiously, the happiest countries in the world have higher but, unlike ours, equitable tax rates. These countries provide health insurance and strong social support networks. Their governments take care of any and all of their people when needed. Countries like ours, who don’t have such widespread systems, seem to have folks with unaddressed problems such as isolation and despair who exhibit their hopelessness through violent means, such as shooting up elementary schools. What if our government provided assistance for us whenever and wherever it was necessary? Instead of feeling like we were on our own how would it be to know that we were all in this together?
Merry Mungo
Green Valley
43
- Rich Kiker, Tubac
I am always amused by conservatives who prate on how government should not be picking winners and losers as they bask in the economic, political, and cultural security of a government that has chosen them as winners for 250 years. Their conservatism boils down to simply preserving the advantages of being born in the right place at the right time of the right parents.
Rich Kiker
Tubac
Disclaimer: As submitted to the Arizona Daily Star.
44
- Merry Mungo, Green Valley
Let's talk about preferential tax rates and carnage. Ronald Reagan gave national voice to the concept that big government was untrustworthy and big business would take care of us through lower taxes– mostly, it turns out, for themselves. Curiously, the happiest countries in the world have higher but, unlike ours, equitable!– tax rates. These countries provide health insurance and strong social support networks. Their governments take care of any and all of their people when needed. Countries like ours, who don't have such widespread systems, seem to have folks with unaddressed problems such as isolation and despair who exhibit their hopelessness through violent means such as shooting up elementary schools. What if our government provided assistance for us whenever and where ever it was necessary? Instead of feeling like we were on our own how would it be to know that we were all in this together?
Merry Mungo
Green Valley
Disclaimer: As submitted to the Arizona Daily Star.
45
- Sheldon Metz, Northeast side
Republicans refuse to negotiate gun control measures, despite overwhelming public support for regulations. Most Americans favor sensible governance measures. A majority wants both to prevent gun violence and protect gun rights.
Republicans want you to believe that gun control advocates are radical leftists. However, polls consistently show that a growing bipartisan majority of Americans support stricter gun regulations, including the NRA's membership.
Republicans call us "woke" to describe gun control initiatives, creating an environment of fear and intolerance. As the famous horror writer H. P. Lovecraft once wrote: “Fear is our deepest and strongest emotion, and the one which best lends itself to the creation of nature-defying illusions,” like phony Jewish laser beams.
According to the Federal Firearms Act, the Federal Government can limit, and has done so, the keeping and bearing of arms, but cannot prohibit the possession or use of any weapon that has a reasonable relationship to a well-regulated militia.
Sheldon Metz
Northeast side
Disclaimer: As submitted to the Arizona Daily Star.
46
- David Steinberg, Northwest side
Re: the March 3 article "Why is Biden reviving Trump's immigration policies?."
She hits the nail right on the head about how the Trump and Biden administrations handle our immigration policies—the main difference is in the rhetoric! Trump was always angry and scornful while Biden is consistently sympathetic and understanding.
But Biden clearly cares more about calming down the anti-immigrant extremists than actually living up to our treaty obligations to would-be immigrants.
So his immigration policies are NOT significantly different from Trump’s!
We don’t want Tucker Carlson and Sean Hannity to get too mad at us, do we Joe?
David Steinberg
Northwest side
Disclaimer: As submitted to the Arizona Daily Star.
47
- Douglas R Holm, East side
Lately, the Letters to the Editor have been dominated by four topics: Donald J. Trump, Jan 6, The Republican U. S. House of Representatives and The Republican Arizona Legislature. These are some of the words that are prevalent in these Letters; vile, hate, liar(s), cult, racist and despicable. You don't need much imagination to see what side of the above topics these Letters are on. Most of them are also tedious and boring. However, it goes without saying that at least some of these Letters deserve a place in the Star, but they shouldn't dominate every issue. You need to remember your motto: Diversity of thought is critical for democracy.
Douglas R Holm
East side
Disclaimer: As submitted to the Arizona Daily Star.
48
- David Pearse, Foothills
Dr. Joshua Freeman advocates basically for socialized medicine when he says we need to eliminate profits in Medicare Advantage plans. Yet these plans generate just 3.6% in profits, far less that the 11% margin for all industries. These plans are wildly popular and grew by 10% between July 2020 and July 2021.
Dr. Freeman also advocates getting rid of the 20% cost of a supplement plan in original Medicare, saying that this could be funded by the "huge profits for private investors." 14.6 million people have Medicare supplement plans, the average cost of a plan being $128, and since the Medicare Hospital Insurance trust fund will run out of money in 2028, adding almost $2 billion a year to its cost is delusional.
Finally, Dr. Freeman should be aware that in the socialized medicine country of the United Kingdom, in 2020 153,008 deaths were considered avoidable.
David Pearse
Foothills
Disclaimer: As submitted to the Arizona Daily Star.
49
- Barbara Benjamin, Foothills
Whatever happened to the practice of medicine in the United States when mere attorneys general can decide, without having to go to court no less, what a doctor may decide is appropriate for a patient or a prescription a patient may fill! Now Walgreens has caved to these Republican thugs who merely threatened a lawsuit if the pharmacy sells birth control in any form. Are men so afraid of women's competence that they emulate the tactics of the Taliban and ISIS ro render women mere chattel? The United States is in serious trouble if a return to the Middle Ages is permitted to continue.
Barbara Benjamin
Foothills
Disclaimer: As submitted to the Arizona Daily Star.
More like this...
- Suzanne Ferguson, Southeast side
Recent proposals from Star readers for constructing a desalination plant on the California coast, in return for the California “share” of Colorado River water, have posed an attractive alternative to the preposterous notion of supporting the building of a plant in Mexico with a pipeline up to Phoenix.
However, I now read that environmentalists in Huntington Beach have successfully opposed such a plant there. Why? “Concentrated brine from the plant would have created a marine dead zone, and emissions from the energy-intensive desalination process would . . . exacerbate the climate crisis” with its greenhouse gases (report in Sierra Magazine, Fall 2022). Why has former Governor Ducey’s Arizona Water Infrastructure Finance Authority, which voted to spend $5.5 M of our taxpayer dollars on exploring such a project, not told us about the effect of concentrated brine on the delicate ecosystem of the Gulf of California?
Suzanne Ferguson
Southeast side
Disclaimer: As submitted to the Arizona Daily Star.
- Rick Cohn, West side
To paraphrase an old adage: it is best to remain silent and be thought to be a lying, stealing, pill popping, narcissistic, double relation murderer than to open your mouth and remove all doubt.
Rick Cohn
West side
Disclaimer: As submitted to the Arizona Daily Star.
- Doug Pickrell, Midtown
As an advocate of the Citizen Climate Lobby's revenue neutral market based carbon fee/dividend
proposal to address global warming, I have reservations about the Inflation Reduction Act.
However Ashley Nunes's 2/3 critique of the IRA's EV tax credit, as iniquitous, is misleading.
First, the EV tax credit is a miniscule part of the IRA. Second, there is a growing number of reasonably
priced EVs which are eligible for the tax credit, e.g. the Chevrolet Bolt. Third and most importantly, there is a
practically non-existent used EV market, the primary source of vehicles for those with modest incomes.
To bolster this market, it is necessary to first sell new EVs. This will benefit people with limited incomes.
Admittedly, this is reminiscent of thoroughly discredited trickle down economics. But given nearly uniform Republican opposition to addressing climate change and economic inequity, this is perhaps the best Congress can presently do.
Doug Pickrell
Midtown
Disclaimer: As submitted to the Arizona Daily Star.
- Dan Watson, Oracle
University of Georgia student Niara Thompson was quoted in an AP piece in the Daily Star about students wanting college debt relief. Thompson stated, "It felt like people who could never understand why we want something like this." I'd like to explain why millions are opposed. FIfty years ago I was fortunate that my parents could afford to pay my college tuition. My son went into the trades and is a successful plumbing contractor. I paid my daughter's tuition for five years before she dropped out and joined the work force. My granddaughter and her husband both graduated from ASU with student debt. He became a police officer and she is an RN. Upon graduation they both moved home with their parents in order to more quickly reduce their student debt until they married. I respect their decision and don't feel they, or I, am responsible for my tax dollars benfiting those with their decision to go into debt.
Dan Watson
Oracle
Disclaimer: As submitted to the Arizona Daily Star.
Student debt cancellation
Re: the March 2 article “College borrowers see disconnect.”
University of Georgia student Niara Thompson was quoted in an AP piece in the Daily Star about students wanting college debt relief. Thompson stated, “It felt like people who could never understand why we want something like this.”
I’d like to explain why millions are opposed. Fifty years ago, I was fortunate that my parents could afford to pay my college tuition. My son went into the trades and is a successful plumbing contractor. I paid my daughter’s tuition for five years before she dropped out and joined the workforce. My granddaughter and her husband both graduated from ASU with student debt. He became a police officer, and she is an RN. Upon graduation, they both moved home with their parents to more quickly reduce their student debt until they married. I respect their decision and don’t feel they, or I, am responsible for my tax dollars benefiting those with their decision to go into debt.
Dan Watson
Oracle
No accountability
Per the new “educational freedom” law in Arizona that allows all 1.1 million students in Arizona access to ESAs formerly open only to special needs students and a small subset of tribal, military, and rural students, I propose this to parents compelled to leave the public school system for whatever reason:
a) Homeschool your child/children
b) Enroll your child/children in a private or parochial school at your own expense
Yes, it is your choice. But not on Arizona’s dime.
The uproar over curriculum in Arizona boils down to parental control vs. a broad public school curriculum that encourages free, unbiased critical thinking. Now, non-public schools that receive ESAs will have no transparency or oversight. This translates to Arizona citizens funding private/religious schools with taxpayer money with nothing in return. What about much-needed teacher raises and improvements to Arizona’s national educational ranking instead of siphoning off public funds?
The irony can be cut with a knife.
Ashley Sweeney, M.Ed Curriculum and Instruction
Oro Valley
Water and dust
For two decades, I thought I should write about the city dropping the regular street cleaning on my street. We “feeder streets” were dropped en masse for “lack of funds.” So, the particulates in the air, especially our neighborhood’s air, rise 178%. Yesterday I got the letter: I am one of the reprobates using 250% more water than other normal 2.5-person households. Well. My acre in midtown, with our 2.5 businesses, seeds and plants, produces seeds of 300 local native species, and seedlings and bigger plants, after 42 years now at about — well, about a trillion propagules for southern Arizona. Yes, we are sinners; we use almost as much as someone with a swimming pool! We did ask to get the business rate, which would have saved a lot off our regular $300-$700 water bills. The city guys only drove up out front and said no. Instead of jacking up our water rates, how about giving us free lunch instead?
Gary Maskarinec
Midtown
EVs and equity
Re: the Feb. 3 article “Falling EV prices only help the wealthy.”
As an advocate of the Citizen Climate Lobby’s revenue-neutral, market-based carbon fee/dividend proposal to address global warming, I have reservations about the Inflation Reduction Act.
However, Ashley Nunes’s critique of the IRA’s EV tax credit as iniquitous is misleading.
First, the EV tax credit is a minuscule part of the IRA. Second, a growing number of reasonably priced EVs are eligible for the tax credit, e.g., the Chevrolet Bolt. Third and most importantly, there is a practically non-existent used EV market, the primary source of vehicles for those with modest incomes.
To bolster this market, it is necessary to first sell new EVs. This will benefit people with limited incomes.
Admittedly, this is reminiscent of thoroughly discredited trickle-down economics. But given nearly uniform Republican opposition to addressing climate change and economic inequity, this is perhaps the best Congress can presently do.
Doug Pickrell
Midtown
Right-wing grievances
Re: the March 4 article “Blame liberal policies, not talk radio.”
I read Bob Lee’s assessment of the problems of our world: liberals! This fellow claims to have invented right-wing talk radio in Tucson. He deifies such far-right characters as Rush Limbaugh and Rupert Murdoch (Fox News), and, as is typical of his ilk, blames all of our problems on “liberals,” who I guess include anyone not fitting in with his lopsided view of the world, or at least Tucson. According to him, “liberals” are in favor of “defunding the police, freeing criminals, supporting illegal immigration, and ‘enabling’ lawlessness.” I know of no progressives who support such straw men as these: the typical fodder of far-right grievance ranting. But people like to listen to these folks in the right-wing echo chamber of fabrications, exaggerations, and outright lies and lunacy.
Still, I’m glad the Star chose to publish his screed so that reasonable people can see the bankrupt claims from the right.
Jeffrey St. Clair
North side
No role models in Davos
These are not the people that merit my respect or admiration. These and other bureaucrats and elites that seem to be pulling the strings of control in our country and the globe are not those who we have elected.
Why is it that we would give up our sovereignty to the likes of WHO, are they chosen by us?
These are not any of those we’ve elected to carry out the will of our people.
The FBI, NSA, CIA and many other bureaucrats!
Did we elect them to spy on us and use the data that they collect to destroy our constitutional rights and freedoms?
Did we elect them and give them these extra-constitutional powers?
I think not, and yet they are in charge.
This forebodes a much different life for our children.
Sad!
Rich Barnes
East side
Advice too late for Murdaugh
To paraphrase an old adage: it is best to remain silent and be thought to be a lying, stealing, pill-popping, narcissistic, double-relation murderer than to open your mouth and remove all doubt.
Rick Cohn
West side
Water solutions
Recent proposals from Star readers for constructing a desalination plant on the California coast, in return for the California “share” of Colorado River water, have posed an attractive alternative to the preposterous notion of supporting the building of a plant in Mexico with a pipeline up to Phoenix.
However, I now read that environmentalists in Huntington Beach have successfully opposed such a plant there. Why? “Concentrated brine from the plant would have created a marine dead zone, and emissions from the energy-intensive desalination process would ... exacerbate the climate crisis” with its greenhouse gases (report in Sierra Magazine, Fall 2022). Why has former Gov. Ducey’s Arizona Water Infrastructure Finance Authority, which voted to spend $5.5 M of our taxpayer dollars on exploring such a project, not told us about the effect of concentrated brine on the delicate ecosystem of the Gulf of California?
Suzanne Ferguson
Southeast side
Planting trees and mistletoe
Re: the Feb. 9 letter “A million trees?.”
As an ecologist in Tucson for 53 years, I comment on this letter about the City of Tucson’s plan to plant a million trees. Shady, tree-lined streets are an Eastern U.S. vision inappropriate for desert areas dependent on dwindling Colorado River water. One reason given to plant trees is that shade slows down global warming. In the Sonoran Desert, most shade is from shrubs, not trees. I need to point out that mistletoes do not kill trees. The desert mistletoe (Phoradendron californicum) is a hemiparasite that only draws a bit of water and no nutrients from the tree and produces its own energy. Trees die from other causes, such as lack of water, Texas root rot, and windfall. Mistletoes have provided food and nest sites for Phainopeplas and many other birds in the velvet mesquites in my yard for over 35 years without harm.
Tom Van Devender
North side
East Palestine, Ohio
When Donald Trump went to East Palestine, Ohio, he forgot the paper towels.
Larry Gray
SaddleBrooke
- Virginia Gethmann, Northeast side
As a person that considers themselves a caring human being, aware of all the advantages I have had that others have not had, I want to make that equation more balanced. According to the letter writer that statement makes me "woke", whatever that means and therefore my opinions, and apparently worth as a human being, is negated.
In my defense:
I have never worked to break this nation into groups.
I have never tried to manipulate anyone with fear.
I have never confused a child or adult as to what constitutes pornography.
I do not condone or promote open borders for this country.
I do not promote the mutilation of children.
I disagree with changing classic literature of any kind.
I am not dangerous, nor do I crave power over anyone's daily life. In fact, I sincerely wish the Arizona legislators would choose a real pressing issue on which to help Arizonans and give the conspiracies a rest.
I am progressive and liberal.
Virginia Gethmann
Northeast side
Disclaimer: As submitted to the Arizona Daily Star.
- Dan Beamer, Northwest side
Watching Bill Walton is a treat. Not only is he obnoxious?, but humorous? As well as providing expert analysis of the game!
Dan Beamer
Northwest side
Disclaimer: As submitted to the Arizona Daily Star.
Balance for civility
Sen. T. J. Shope's bill, SB 1061, aims to shield home addresses from public access, noting that he and others like Sen. David Farnsworth have received threatening contact. In a balanced response from Democratic Sen. Juan Mendez, he supports such safety measures but suggests Republican legislators consider how matters have become so visceral and aggressive. In the opening weeks of the new session, extreme, inflammatory legislation such as preventing voter initiatives for fair funding of public education, shielding legislative emails from public access, monitoring pronoun use in public schools, and refusing to debate sensible budget proposals characterizes Republican priorities. Even this erratic legislation does not warrant threatening speech or action, but perhaps more productive, less punitive governing might return more civility to Arizona politics.
Roger Shanley
East side
Electric vehicles pay their share
Re: the Feb. 2 letter "EV's and fuel tax for roads."
The writer says EVs are not paying their fair share of the road use and then divides the motorists into those who can afford EVs (getting away with unfair road use) and those who cannot afford an EV (paying for all those EVs who use the roads.)
Due to increased labor and materials charges, and increased fuel efficiencies, gasoline taxes no longer come close to paying for highway maintenance. For the EVs that cost more (you can buy a Tesla now, with federal tax credit for almost exactly the median price of a new car on cars.com, $42,500), EV owners pay for that with increases in their Arizona sales taxes. EVs use electricity at far greater consumption than gas cars, and that consumption in Tucson is taxed at 4.5% on their electricity bills.
Arizona registration fees are higher for more costly vehicles, too. All that adds up to EVs paying their fair share and more.
Rick Rappaport
Oro Valley
Unemployment cuts
Re: the March 2 article "AZ lawmakers move to cut length of unemployment benefits."
No politician should be allowed to vote on unemployment benefits unless they have been unemployed for at least six months first. Just because there are more jobs than unemployed people does not mean everyone can find a job. Many of the unfilled jobs are in the service sector and/or only pay minimum wage. Arizona has at least finally increased the benefit some, but it's still barely enough to cover rent or a mortgage. When lawmakers are willing to work for minimum wage (if they could even be hired ─ after all, they would in theory be overeducated and experienced), then they can spout off about how overgenerous the current benefits are.
Camille Guice
Northeast side
Woke-ism
Re: the March 4 letter "No yielding to wokeism."
As a person that considers themselves a caring human being, aware of all the advantages I have had that others have not had, I want to make that equation more balanced. According to the letter writer that statement makes me "woke," whatever that means, and therefore my opinions, and apparently worth as a human being, is negated.
In my defense: I have never worked to break this nation into groups. I have never tried to manipulate anyone with fear. I have never confused a child or adult as to what constitutes pornography. I do not condone or promote open borders for this country. I do not promote the mutilation of children. I disagree with changing classic literature of any kind.
I am not dangerous, nor do I crave power over anyone's daily life. In fact, I sincerely wish the Arizona legislators would choose a real pressing issue on which to help Arizonans and give the conspiracies a rest.
I am progressive and liberal.
Virginia Gethmann
Northeast side
UA's cashless policy a bad idea
Re: the March 4 letter "Smartphone discrimination."
I couldn't agree more with the letter writer. I, too, am an older person and I do have a "smart" phone. Two years ago, the Athletic Department went to digital tickets. At that time, I didn't have the phone and was allowed to print season football tickets online. The next year, they were only available on a phone. I had the phone by then, but to set up an account asked for more information than I wanted to put out there, so I gave up my season tickets in Section 22 that I have had since Larry Smith was coach; I even renewed after the Mackovic fiasco. I miss my Section 22 neighbors and the band, but I still am enjoying the Fisch-era games in my recliner.
I am an online Daily Star subscriber and appreciate the sports coverage, which I would never get up here in Glendale. Your national and world news is also better.
Jennie Jordan
Glendale
Free water
As the inevitable cuts to the Colorado River water draw ominously closer, many people are turning their focus to distant, expensive, energy-intensive new supplies, while the obvious is right over our heads, delivered directly to our properties. Right about now, with all the sweet rain we’ve been getting this winter, you could be feeling grateful that you’re capturing some of it for use in your home or on your landscape. Or wondering why you’re not. It’s free, it’s soft, and by actual measurement it’s enough to supply all of Tucson’s needs if only we would recognize its value. Tucson Water customers can even take advantage of our city’s generous rainwater harvesting rebates of up to $2,000 to capture it. Look up!
Sally Sherman
West side
Right-wing media
Re: the March 4 article "Blame liberal policies, not talk radio."
Quite the rant we got from Bob Lee, and in the same bitter tone as his hero Rush Limbaugh, too. No facts or logic — just a regurgitated list of right-wing grievances against the libs: “defunding police … enabling violence … illegal immigration,” etc.
Lee claims that Rush and his ilk fulfilled an unmet need ... that they resonated as a “voice for conservatives.” Quite an admission — conservatives need some outraged Archie Bunkers on steroids to throw tantrums when liberals point out that America has imperfections? That our police sometimes abuse authority? That it’s good to be sensitive toward others in our use of language?
Lee also tells us Fox News brought the same thing, the same self-righteous resentment, to TV — can’t disagree there.
But when America receives conscientious observations about its shortcomings, maybe it’s time to listen instead of turning up the temperature on the reheated stew of conservative resentment.
Try it, Bob — you might feel a little less grouchy.
Jim Christ
East side
Early criticism of Ciscomani
The liberal biased opinion page is already criticizing Ciscomani, who has been on the job for less than two months. Meanwhile we never hear about Rep. Grijalva. In the 16 years that I have lived here, his only work of note was “Boycott Arizona.” His family members in public office plead for defund the police and look to suppress freedom of speech. Time to move on from these “progressives” destroying our region. Move forward with a true patriot like Ciscomani who believes in the American Dream.
Sal Cabibo
Foothills
- Kevin D Kaatz, Oro Valley
For those of you who can't understand why anyone would vote for Trump, look no further than the articles this week after the Supreme Court heard arguments this week regarding student loan forgiveness. Two liberal, social activist judges made comments that demonstrated they don't even remotely care what the Constitution says. Sotomayor said the decision should be left to the education "experts", because people will suffer if the program is struck down and they default. Here's a novel idea. How about not defaulting and paying back what one committed to when one took out those loans! Brown Jackson lamented about the hardship for her, and her father, to pay what they owed. I almost worked up a tear on that one. Neither of these two made comments that demonstrated they understood that these lawsuits were about what the Constitution says about the separation of powers. Trump was an egotistical, narcissistic, bloviating bully, but at least he appointed judges that that seem to understand that the Constitution matters.
Kevin D Kaatz
Oro Valley
Disclaimer: As submitted to the Arizona Daily Star.
- Duncan Stitt, Midtown
Re: the March 4 article "Blame liberal policies, not talk radio."
Bob Lee’s ill-informed screed “Blame liberal policies, not talk radio” is laughable in its naivete. Here in the real world, conservative policies have been the bigger problem for over 50 years. Climate change denial, trickle down economics, eviscerating unions, pandemic denial, institutional racism, censoring history in public schools, voter suppression, marginalizing women, poor people, immigrants, Muslims and LGBTQs, blocking universal healthcare, prioritizing corporate profits over people and the environment, protecting unlimited money in politics, rejecting common sense gun control, promoting Trump’s big lie, these are the policies that have been fueling our country’s descent into tribalism, mediocrity, and fascism. (Speaking of defunding the police, it’s conservative politicians who constantly reject taxes to fund public services.)
It’s going to take fact-based policies to solve our problems. Fox News and talk radio are not helping. Their outrage-for-profit business model is, indeed, a huge factor contributing to this country’s decline. Burying one’s head in the sand won’t change that.
Duncan Stitt
Midtown
Disclaimer: As submitted to the Arizona Daily Star.
Ciscomani
Re: the March 5 article “Spanish fluency pays off for Ciscomani.”
Were Ciscomani’s parents undocumented when they came to this country? Does Ciscomani favor a path to citizenship for Dreamers and a framework for undocumented workers to get legal work permits?
I think it’s irresponsible to print such a “puff piece” unless these questions are answered. Voters deserve clarification on Ciscomani’s position. After all, I hope he’s not someone who wants to pull up the drawbridge after he and his parents are safe.
Jim McWilliams
Midtown
Constitution matters!Re: the March 2 article “College borrowers see disconnect.”
For those of you who can’t understand why anyone would vote for Trump, look no further than the articles this week after the Supreme Court heard arguments regarding student loan forgiveness.
Two liberal, social activist judges made comments that demonstrated they don’t even remotely care what the Constitution says. Sotomayor said the decision should be left to the education “experts,” because people will suffer if the program is struck down and they default. Here’s a novel idea. How about not defaulting and paying back what one committed to when one took out those loans! Brown Jackson lamented about the hardship for her, and her father, to pay what they owed. I almost worked up a tear on that one. Neither of these two made comments that demonstrated they understood that these lawsuits were about what the Constitution says about the separation of powers. Trump was an egotistical, narcissistic, bloviating bully, but at least he appointed judges who seem to understand that the Constitution matters.
Kevin D. Kaatz
Oro Valley
Conservative talk radio
Re: the March 4 article “Blame liberal policies, not talk radio.”
Bob Lee’s piece consists of 10 paragraphs; the first five seem to present a factual and interesting history of the evolution of conservative talk radio; the second five are an opinionated rant against liberals and Democrats, essentially a diatribe replete with unsubstantiated assertions, projections, and bad grammar. In 170 words, I can’t begin to refute, or even discuss, his numerous absurd statements and allegations, many of which are characterized by sweeping generalizations. For instance, he writes: “Democrats love to spend our money, Republicans do not” (is he not aware of Arizona Republicans’ voucher program, or Ducey wasting millions on the border container barrier or the Cyber Ninjas?) It is also disconcerting to read about liberals no longer carrying a “big stick.” Trump threw that stick away in his support of Putin and Kim Jong-un.
On and on he goes, trading in hackneyed stereotypes, clichés, and falsehoods.
He should have stuck with his first five paragraphs.
Katharine Donahue
Foothills
Head in the sand logic
Re: the March 4 article “Blame liberal policies, not talk radio.”
Bob Lee’s article is laughable in its naivete. Here in the real world, conservative policies have been the bigger problem for over 50 years. Climate change denial, trickle-down economics, eviscerating unions, pandemic denial, institutional racism, censoring history in public schools, voter suppression, marginalizing women, poor people, immigrants, Muslims and LGBTQs, blocking universal health care, prioritizing corporate profits over people and the environment, protecting unlimited money in politics, rejecting common sense gun control, promoting Trump’s big lie, these are the policies that have been fueling our country’s descent into tribalism, mediocrity, and fascism. (Speaking of defunding the police, it’s conservative politicians who constantly reject taxes to fund public services.)
It’s going to take fact-based policies to solve our problems. Fox News and talk radio are not helping. Their outrage-for-profit business model is, indeed, a huge factor contributing to this country’s decline. Burying one’s head in the sand won’t change that.
Duncan Stitt
Midtown
Book Festival needs to do better
Only 1,000 people saw Linda Ronstadt at the Tucson Festival of Books. Some got in line at 7 a.m. on Sunday morning to be sure to get in. Why wasn’t a location with more seating used for such a popular and wonderful woman? McKale Center holds 14,545 and the Main Auditorium holds 3,200. I’ll bet McKale would have been filled if Festival honchos were a bit wiser and selected that location. Limiting the number of people that could gain access to only 1,000 is just one of this year’s Festival disappointments. Other ticketed authors, ones you really need to donate money to obtain a ticket to be able to gain entry for, were Maggie Haberman of the New York Times and Katie Tur of MSNBC. Both cancelled. Tur cancelled on Friday, the day before her scheduled appearance. Better decisions should be made and more reliable authors should be asked to appear.
Ricardo Small
East side
Truth behind HB2546 breaking up TUSD
Re: the March 6 article “Voters should be asked to split up TUSD, lawmakers say.”
Truth. Nothing but the truth. Rep. Rachel Jones argues that TUSD should be split up because it wastes so much money on administrative costs. But the truth is that, according to the State Auditor, although TUSD spends $6,509 per student (more than the state average), its administrative costs are $62 per year per student (lower than the state average). She says Superintendent Trujillo is paid half million dollars per year. Not true, only $250,000.
Rep. Jones says her new law will make it easier for parents to have a say. But she will not say how the district will actually be split up.
Does she want to give more voice to the TUSD parents mid-town, downtown or on the southside? No, the truth is she and her mostly white, higher-income, anti-vaccine MAGA Republican allies want their own personal school district on the far east side.
John Higgins
Southeast side
Break up TUSD? Why not Arizona?
Re: the March 6 article “Voters should be asked to split up TUSD, lawmakers say.”
State Rep. Rachel Jones said she wants people in the Tucson Unified School District to vote on breaking up the district. That’s because, she said, east siders “are not in agreement with some of the decisions being made by the five-person board.”
Applying that logic, let us also vote on breaking up Arizona. That’s because people in Tucson are not in agreement with some — actually, many — of the decisions being made by the Legislature, including the House decision allowing a vote to break up TUSD.
When do we get to vote, Ms. Jones?
Shraddha Hilda Oropeza
West side
Drag shows no threat
To the Editor:
The issues that keep me up at night: Arizona’s water being used to grow alfalfa for foreign countries; the high rate of traffic accidents from people running red lights; inflation; the poor pay scale for teachers. What does not keep me up? Drag queen story hour, or which pronoun a teacher uses for a student.
Republicans prove, once again, that they have no real ideas to improve life for our citizens. They only care about culture wars and “owning the libs.” How anyone can vote for a Republican candidate is beyond me.
Karen Micallef
Oro Valley
- Aston Bloom, East side
Re: the March 2 article "Privatizing Medicare wrong way to go."
Kudos to Dr. Joshua Freeman and to the Star for printing this extremely important piece! It was truly jaw-dropping and so informative that I believe every American should know about what's happening under the guise of Medicare. I'm one of probably millions of folks who've received solicitations in the mail for Medicare Advantage. Since I'm happy with my traditional Medicare, I never saw a reason to change, even though I wondered what Medicare Advantage was all about. Now I know it's really a stealth attack on traditional Medicare. I'm sure most other people don't know that either.
Besides sounding the alarm, Dr. Freeman explains how people caught in this web can get out, and how the whole country can work toward having health care for all at a reasonable cost. Thank you, Dr. Freeman!
Aston Bloom
East side
Disclaimer: As submitted to the Arizona Daily Star.
- Thad Appelman, Northwest side
Re: January 27 letter Threats to First Amendment freedom: Yes, there is an obvious trend to put religious beliefs into our laws. The Supreme Court now seems to be a branch of the Catholic church. We are being forced to obey religious beliefs under penalty of law. So, here’s my question: Is that the way your religion is supposed to be spread? Are you not supposed to spread it by example a goodness, not revert to the days of the crusades where death by the blade greeted non-believers? That as a dark chapter in religious history. Yes, church and state are supposed to be separate. Today in America, they are not.
Thad Appelman
Northwest side
Disclaimer: As submitted to the Arizona Daily Star.
- Thomas McGorray, Northwest side
ARE THE SCALES OF JUSTICE UNBALANCED?
Recently the DOJ-targeted a Catholic Franciscan Priest (Father Fidelis Moscinski)
and found him guilty of violating the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act by blocking the entrance to a New York Planned Parenthood facility in order to save the lives of babies. The Catholic priest is one of at least 25 pro-life leaders
targeted by the Biden Justice Department under the FACE Act.
By contrast, more than 100 crisis pregnancy centers (CPCs), pro-life organizations and churches have been attacked, some more than once, since the May 2 leak of the
Supreme Court draft opinion in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization,
which overturned Roe v. Wade.
Only two alleged pro-abortion vandals have been charged in connection with
crimes against pro-life groups in the same span of time.
It appears the scales of justice are out of balance.
Thomas McGorray
Northwest side
Disclaimer: As submitted to the Arizona Daily Star.
- Stephen Franz, Green Valley
If you get angry when checking out at the grocery store, go online and search for the recent profit history of the food and grocery industry. There were lots of billionaires created during the pandemic selling you overpriced food and they haven't stopped there. The prices continue go up and are expected to in the future. Marie Antoinette had the idea first - apparently greed never falls out of style.
Stephen Franz
Green Valley
Disclaimer: As submitted to the Arizona Daily Star.
- Dan Nelson, Foothills
The sudden rush to protect children from drag performances by Republican politicians would be laughable if it wasn't for the waste of legislative time and resources. I can save them a lot of time and money by reporting that I have been to several drag shows and never once have I felt compelled to go home and put on a dress! Now could we please get back to repairing bridges and highways. Thank you.
Dan Nelson
Foothills
Disclaimer: As submitted to the Arizona Daily Star.
- Joyce Bertschy, East side
Re: March 2, opinion piece by Joshua Freeman, M.D., titled "Privatizing Medicare wrong way to go." Although it's true that original Medicare is the better way to go, it's not cheaper for my bank account. I can't afford to pay for gap, vision, dental, hearing and prescription drug premiums separately. I don't want to give my Medicare premium payments to a private insurance company but at this point in time, I don't have a choice. Private insurance companies are the bane of my existent. The author is correct in asking Congress to increase benefits to covering 100% of the charges instead of 80%. Original Medicare should also cover vision, dental, hearing and prescription drug charges without paying extra premiums to private health insurance companies.It's ludicrous to think that eyeglasses, hearing aids, dental services and prescription drugs aren't a necessity for us older folks.
Joyce Bertschy
East side
Disclaimer: As submitted to the Arizona Daily Star.
- Bill Blaine, Marana
If we lived in Israel the Mossad would go into the neighboring country and eradicate the source of the attack. But we live in the US and we have lost our initiative. We have elite warriors and world class intelligence but lack the will. How easy would it be to send a covert operation to wipe out the labs where fentanyl is formulated. Our neighbor won’t do it for us. The world would applaud!
Bill Blaine
Marana
Disclaimer: As submitted to the Arizona Daily Star.
- John Kautz, Midtown
It didn’t take long before a letter appeared in the paper halfway justifying the actions of the 5 Memphis police officers. Of course there is danger every time an officer stops a car. Police are familiar with incidents where a traffic stop becomes use of deadly force against them. It is certainly a harrowing an uncertain situation for police, and they approach vehicles with a sense of caution and preparation. But the situation in Memphis was anything but this. Five officers surrounded the car. Not only were they ready for danger, they seemed ready to escalate the encounter evidenced on the video. There are a myriad of issues surrounding policing and appropriate behavior. But for the moment can we lament what happened to Mr. Nichols and recognize the danger in this case was not the lives of the officers, but the death of Nichols. I hope no traffic stops result in the killing of officers doing their duty, nor the traffic suspect killed by overreaction or an angry officer.
John Kautz
Midtown
Disclaimer: As submitted to the Arizona Daily Star.
Scales of justice
Are the scales of justice unbalanced?
Recently, the DOJ targeted a Catholic Franciscan Priest (Father Fidelis Moscinski) and he was found guilty of violating the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act by blocking the entrance to a New York Planned Parenthood facility in order to save the lives of babies. The Catholic priest is one of at least 25 pro-life leaders targeted by the Biden Justice Department under the FACE Act.
By contrast, more than 100 crisis pregnancy centers (CPCs), pro-life organizations and churches have been attacked, some more than once, since the May 2 leak of the Supreme Court draft opinion in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, which overturned Roe v Wade.
Only two alleged pro-abortion vandals have been charged in connection with crimes against pro-life groups in the same span of time.
It appears the scales of justice are out of balance.
Thomas McGorray
Northwest side
Risks of policing
It didn’t take long before a letter appeared in the paper halfway justifying the actions of the five Memphis police officers. Of course, there is danger every time an officer stops a car. Police are familiar with incidents where a traffic stop becomes use of deadly force against them. It is certainly a harrowing and uncertain situation for police, and they approach vehicles with a sense of caution and preparation.
But the situation in Memphis was anything but this. Five officers surrounded the car. Not only were they ready for danger, they seemed ready to escalate the encounter evidenced in the video. There are myriad issues surrounding policing and appropriate behavior. But for the moment can we lament what happened to Mr. Nichols and recognize the danger, in this case, was not the lives of the officers but the death of Nichols? I hope no traffic stops result in the killing of officers doing their duty, nor the traffic suspect killed by overreaction or an angry officer.
John Kautz
Midtown
The real culprit
Just for the heck of it, I spent an evening listening to right-wing media. Wow! That Hunter Biden fellow sounds like a really bad guy. Apparently, he is actually the one who surrendered West Point to the British during the Revolutionary War, shot Abraham Lincoln at Ford’s Theatre and coordinated the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. Regular reading of the letters to the editor in the Arizona Daily Star, however, shows that we Tucsonans are much too smart to be fooled by such claims. We recognize that the person who is really responsible for these atrocities is Bill Walton.
David Parmenter
Northwest side
Call out the Cyber Ninja
A witness testified at a Republican hearing of the state House and Senate election committees on Feb. 23 that there is election fraud in Arizona! Golly, I am shocked! The Republican witness also charged that Mexican cartels are bribing the state House and Senate members, local office holders, county supervisors, prosecutors and 25% of active judges. I am shocked, yes, shocked to hear this! (She omitted any mention of UFOs.)
It’s time for state Senate and House Republicans to investigate by calling in the Cyber Ninjas, the Republican Cochise County supervisors and Republican ex-Attorney General Brnovich. Republicans should also get McGruff the Crime Dog and Inspector Clouseau to investigate. It may take 10 months and cost $10 million, but isn’t that what Republicans think taxpayer money is for?
Larry Bodine
Foothills
State must regulate groundwater
Climate change drought is causing permanent declines in Arizona’s water supplies. Water from the Colorado River system for the Central Arizona Project will face inevitable large future federal cutbacks. The pressure on Arizona’s rural groundwater, both surface water and underground aquifers, will only increase in the coming years. The state government will have to get heavily involved in all rural groundwater regulation or a potential catastrophic disaster awaits this state’s future.
1. Active Management Areas with strict metering, permitting and licensing with fees on new water wells must be established in all rural areas, excluding state, federal or tribal lands.
2. Large water-guzzling corporate agricultural factory farms must be shut down through legal actions (Willcox).
3. Large water-guzzling corporate real estate projects near fragile environmental watersheds must be canceled (Benson).
4. The governor needs emergency drought executive regulatory powers to appoint water experts to a water board to limit alfalfa, cotton, orchard, and other industrial and mining operations that consume large amounts of groundwater.
Kyle Stoutenburg
Sierra Vista
Fentanyl
If we lived in Israel, the Mossad would go into the neighboring country and eradicate the source of the attack. But we live in the U.S., and we have lost our initiative. We have elite warriors and world-class intelligence but lack the will. How easy would it be to send a covert operation to wipe out the labs where fentanyl is formulated? Our neighbor won’t do it for us. The world would applaud!
Bill Blaine
Marana
Drag queen performances
The sudden rush to protect children from drag performances by Republican politicians would be laughable if it wasn’t for the waste of legislative time and resources. I can save them a lot of time and money by reporting that I have been to several drag shows, and never once have I felt compelled to go home and put on a dress! Now could we please get back to repairing bridges and highways? Thank you.
Dan Nelson
Foothills
Religion question
Re: the Jan. 27 letter “Threats to First Amendment freedom.”
Yes, there is an obvious trend to put religious beliefs into our laws. The Supreme Court now seems to be a branch of the Catholic Church. We are being forced to obey religious beliefs under penalty of law. So, here’s my question: Is that the way your religion is supposed to be spread? Are you not supposed to spread it by example of goodness, not revert to the days of the Crusades where death by the blade greeted non-believers? That is a dark chapter in religious history. Yes, church and state are supposed to be separate. Today in America, they are not.
Thad Appelman
Northwest side
Let them eat cake!
If you get angry when checking out at the grocery store, go online and search for the recent profit history of the food and grocery industry. There were lots of billionaires created during the pandemic selling you overpriced food, and they haven’t stopped there. The prices continue to go up and are expected to in the future. Marie Antoinette had the idea first — apparently, greed never falls out of style.
Stephen Franz
Green Valley
Medicare
Re: the March 2 article “Privatizing Medicare wrong way to go.”
Although it’s true that original Medicare is the better way to go, it’s not cheaper for my bank account. I can’t afford to pay for gap, vision, dental, hearing and prescription drug premiums separately. I don’t want to give my Medicare premium payments to a private insurance company but at this point in time, I don’t have a choice. Private insurance companies are the bane of my existence. The author is correct in asking Congress to increase benefits to cover 100% of the charges instead of 80%. Original Medicare should also cover vision, dental, hearing and prescription drug charges without paying extra premiums to private health insurance companies. It’s ludicrous to think that eyeglasses, hearing aids, dental services and prescription drugs aren’t a necessity for us older folks.
Joyce Bertschy
East side
- phil lyons, Foothills
First, congratulations to President Biden for a well planned and inspirational trip to Kyiv. Let's now follow it up by giving Ukraine all that it needs to WIN, not simply not enough to not lose. Enough with worrying about 'provoking Putin','escalating', 'involving NATO." Russia has far more to worry about NATO getting involved than NATO does regarding "provoking" Russia.
Many historians felt Hitler could have been stopped when Germany invaded the Rhineland. The failure to do so led to a far greater price being paid by the world. Let's not make the same mistake again, when we can stop Putin in Ukraine rather than with a much greater war if he's not stopped now.
Give Ukraine what they need to win, and do it now. ..fighter jets, long ranger HIMARS and other long range weapons to get back the Dombas and hopefully even Crimea.
To borrow a phrase, "Let's finish the job."
phil lyons
Foothills
Disclaimer: As submitted to the Arizona Daily Star.
Voting hearings
Re: the Feb. 28 article “Lawmakers on defense over election hearing.”
Arizona Republican legislators continue to embarrass themselves and Arizonans with irresponsible bills and behavior. Most recently, a hearing to present election improprieties and arranged by Republican Rep. Liz Harris resulted in the preposterous claim that the Sinaloa Cartel bribed the governor, legislators, and other officials. Following this inane hearing was finger-pointing and denial of responsibility among Republican House and Senate members. From Senate President Warren Petersen and Majority Leader Sonny Borrelli to House Speaker Ben Toma and Sen. Wendy Rogers, blame was mixed with temporary praise, illustrating that these legislators are ignoring the numerous, weighty issues facing Arizona and focusing on problems that don’t exist. I urge readers to email these legislators at the Arizona Legislature website to voice disapproval of these misdirected efforts.
Roger Shanley
East side
Humans can slow global warming
Re: the Feb. 24 letter “Warm weather to come.”
The letter writer points out that natural disasters exist that humans cannot prevent. He then concludes that it is futile to try to prevent global warming. This is nonsense.
Humans are causing global warming by increasing CO2 in the atmosphere. Humans can slow global warming by reducing greenhouse gas emissions. We are not helpless pawns.
I recommend Jessica Tierney’s recent lecture, “Why is climate change a problem?,” part of the U of A myth-busting lecture series (google “Tierney myth busting”) or visit the Plug In or Citizen Climate Lobby booths at the upcoming book fair.
Doug Pickrell
Midtown
Biden’s trip to Ukraine
First, congratulations to President Biden for a well-planned and inspirational trip to Kyiv. Let’s follow it up by giving Ukraine all it needs to win, not simply enough to not lose. Enough with worrying about “provoking Putin,” “escalating,” “involving NATO.” Russia has far more to worry about NATO getting involved than NATO does regarding “provoking” Russia.
Many historians felt Hitler could have been stopped when Germany invaded the Rhineland. The failure to do so led to the world paying a far greater price. Let’s not make the same mistake again when we can stop Putin in Ukraine rather than with a much greater war if he’s not stopped now.
Give Ukraine what they need to win, and do it now. Fighter jets, long-range HIMARS and other long-range weapons to get back the Donbas and hopefully even Crimea.
To borrow a phrase, “Let’s finish the job.”
Phil Lyons
Foothills
Wadsack and self-rule in Tucson
How on earth did Tucson end up with a state senator like Justine Wadsack, who hates this city? After failing to get a measure approved for the ballot that would strip all Arizona cities of their charter city status, destroying the constitutionally protected concept of self-rule, Wadsack now wants to strip only Tucson and Phoenix of self-rule.
Wouldn’t have anything to do with the fact that those cities lean Democratic in elections, would it? Sadly, Gov. Hobbs can’t veto this punishment proposal because the state Legislature can place changes to the Arizona constitution on the ballot without her approval. Punishing only Tucson and Phoenix is patently unfair and anti-democracy. But what else does one expect from the anti-democracy forces in the Republican Party?
Does anyone really want Republicans in the Legislature running Tucson? Next time, can we elect a state senator from Tucson who actually likes Tucson?
John Vornholt
Northeast side
Sam Hughes Elementary
Re: the Feb. 26 article “School fencing halted after complaints.”
The poise and courage of Principal Kathryn Bolasky was impressive as she placed herself in danger while confronting a strange and erratic man who last year jumped a short fence and entered a classroom of 25 children at Sam Hughes Elementary school. No doubt her first instinct and act of bravery was to protect her children. She did so without hesitation. TUSD safety attempted to increase the height of the fence. And without hesitation, the HOA showed up at the school board meeting to protect the “aesthetics” of the neighborhood. The issue is the height of the fence. I wonder if you were to ask the parents of the murdered children at Uvalde about issues like “aesthetics,” what their answers would be? With principal Bolasky and the educators at that school, the children are lucky to attend Hughes, but on the other hand they are unlucky that they live in a NIMBY neighborhood. The action of the adults to choose appearance “aesthetics” over safety is disgusting and shameful.
Richard Harper
Northeast side
Letter to my Congressman
Dear Rep. Ciscomani:
I received your form letter of Feb. 27 by email, purportedly thanking me for “taking the time to share” my positions with you. However, in the fourth paragraph of your letter, you do not once allude to any of the concerns I wrote about.
Since it is now so easy to “plug in” to any text any words or phrases about any subject (your staff could have cut them out of my letter and pasted them into yours, in fact), I am particularly offended that you did nothing but have your staff send me a general form letter. Although I likely will indeed “stay in touch” by writing you again, I don’t really expect you, or your staff, to take any note of what I think or have to say.
And I don’t expect to vote for you, either.
Sincerely,
Suzanne Ferguson
Southeast side
Save water now or go thirsty
I’m glad to see that, after decades of warnings, people finally realize we are in a water crisis. Many people have suggested ways of getting more water to Southern Arizona; some are unfeasible, and others are ridiculous. Perhaps someone will eventually devise a practical way to get more water to the desert, but for now, we need to learn to live with the water we have. I won’t try to list all of the ways people can save water, there are too many and not all can be done by everyone. But we all need to do everything we can to save water before it gets much worse. We also need to prepare ourselves to pay a lot more for the water we use.
Floyd Newsom
Northwest side
Water conservation crisis
Re: the Feb. 27 article “Federal memo may bolster Hudbay’s position on Rosemont Mine site.”
Every open pit mine, whether active or abandoned, is a toxic waste site, including Hudbay’s current mines in Canada and South America. The Santa Rita Mountains are Southern Arizona’s rainwater harvesting tank for our precious groundwater serving the million living here. Whatever water Hudbay does not use for their proposed Rosemont/Copper World mine will be rendered forever toxic. Hudbay is a poison pellet that must be stopped. There can be no conversation about water conservation or supply without first taking action to prevent this proposed destructive mining project. No amount of CAP or desalinated water can compensate.
Paul Strautman
Midtown
Lloyd gets it
Bill Belichick once told athlete Julian Edelman that players win games and coaches lose games. This was after a Super Bowl win. To translate, he has never taken credit for a win but takes the blame for losses. Tommy Lloyd embodies this great coaching quality after the ASU game where he didn’t blame a single player, rather he took the blame for not having his players prepared. That is the type of coach I would want my kid to play for.
Gabriel Bustamante
South side
- Robert McNeil, Midtown
During midterm elections I watched a tv correspondent interview a bunch of senior Republicans in Wyoming. He asked them how they felt about Liz Cheney. A cowboy grandpa answered. "She has to go- she betrayed Donald Trump." Goodbye Liz!
I wondered if he really believed the "big lie" or if he couldn't admit he was fooled or had made a mistake. Maybe he totally identified with Trump and joined the cult.
Trump's past will soon catch up with him and he should be locked up but he seems to get out of everything.
I wonder what the cowboy will say when Trump goes away. I wish him the best and hope he makes better choices. Democrats need a sane Republican party to get things done for everybody.
Robert McNeil
Midtown
Disclaimer: As submitted to the Arizona Daily Star.
- Brand Gould, Marana
Contrary to the view expressed in a Feb. 19 letter to the editor regarding the derailment in East Palestine, actions taken during the Trump administration are not ancient history. In the first year of his presidency, President Trump eliminated a rule change initiated by President Obama that would have required freight trains to upgrade outdated braking technology. In 2019, his administration relaxed safety regulations for the shipping of fracked natural gas by rail. While the former president does not necessarily bear direct “blame” for the derailment, there is no question that he pursued a policy of deregulation that makes such accidents more likely. They are called safety regulations because they are put in place to save lives and towns, even if it means—prepare yourself—reduced profits for businesses.
Brand Gould
Marana
Disclaimer: As submitted to the Arizona Daily Star.
- Bill Blaine, Marana
Theorem: power corrupts, absolute power corrupts absolutely. Corollary: lack of responsibility causes lack of success. At least two items come to mind. First the internet. The government gave developers the immunity from responsibility so as to help it grow. But now they don’t want to give that up at places like Facebook, Twitter and TikTok.
Second the pandemic. Pharmaceutical companies got immunity from liability to expedite development. But now they don’t want to go back and do the efficacy work to go forward. There are lots of other examples, like Social Security, Medicare, Welfare, Head Start, SNAP (food stamps). Who is responsible to fix these and others. If the answer is no one, they will never get fixed.
Bill Blaine
Marana
Disclaimer: As submitted to the Arizona Daily Star.
- Marvin Montez, Oro Valley
Who’s deeply cynical is this letter writer. She’s a master at projection where she’s accusing Republicans of exactly what the “woke” is doing. Progressives are the ones who’ve broken the nation into groups who they manipulate with fear.
They’ve so confused our children and some adults on what a male and female is, what is and isn’t pornography and have used public schools as a vehicle to get in between kids and parents.
These people promote drag queen shows for children. They promote open borders and the welfare of non-Americans over Americans. They promote the mutilation of kids with sex change surgery. They want to rewrite classic children’s books because they don’t agree with some words.
I can tell you her group, who claims to be nonpartisan, is not. Their thinking and actions are deeply flawed and dangerous. They want compromise on only their terms. They crave power over our daily lives and need push back.
I refuse to yield.
Marvin Montez
Oro Valley
Disclaimer: As submitted to the Arizona Daily Star.
No yielding to woke-ism
Re: the March 1 letter “Woke-ism is a cynical ruse.”
Who’s deeply cynical is this letter writer. She’s a master at projection where she’s accusing Republicans of exactly what the “woke” are doing. Progressives are the ones who’ve broken the nation into groups who they manipulate with fear.
They’ve so confused our children and some adults on what a male and female is, what is and isn’t pornography and have used public schools as a vehicle to get in between kids and parents.
These people promote drag queen shows for children. They promote open borders and the welfare of non-Americans over Americans. They promote the mutilation of kids with sex-change surgery. They want to rewrite classic children’s books because they don’t agree with some words.
I can tell you her group, who claims to be nonpartisan, is not. Their thinking and actions are deeply flawed and dangerous. They want compromise on only their terms. They crave power over our daily lives and need pushback.
I refuse to yield.
Marvin Montez
Oro Valley
Disaster in Ohio
Re: the Feb. 19 letter “Disaster in Ohio.”
Contrary to the view expressed in a Feb. 19 letter to the editor regarding the derailment in East Palestine, actions taken during the Trump administration are not ancient history. In the first year of his presidency, former President Trump eliminated a rule change initiated by President Obama that would have required freight trains to upgrade outdated braking technology. In 2019, his administration relaxed safety regulations for the shipping of fracked natural gas by rail.
While the former president does not necessarily bear direct “blame” for the derailment, there is no question that he pursued a policy of deregulation that makes such accidents more likely. They are called safety regulations because they are put in place to save lives and towns, even if it means—prepare yourself—reduced profits for businesses.
Brand Gould
Marana
Smartphone discrimination
Re: the March 2 article “UA’s cashless policy a bad idea.”
In David Devine’s column about the UA’s cashless policy, he described himself as one of many people over 65 who don’t have a smartphone. I am one of those people too, and I have experienced the discrimination against us.
One example is the grocery store where I can’t benefit from certain sales because the coupons are digital only. Another example of unfair sales in grocery stores is when one can only get the sale price if he/she buys three or four of that item. Elderly people living alone don’t want or need three 12-packs of soda or four bags of chips. They would just like to occasionally have a soda or a few chips. Why can’t they buy single items for the sale price?
Big businesses (UA, grocery stores, etc.) need to be aware of the people they are leaving behind as they turn more and more to high-tech and greater profits.
Karen Berry
Midtown
Bill Walton’s poetic words
Bill Walton’s description of Azuolas Tubelis’ fast break basket during the second half of the Oregon game tonight (Feb. 2): “In the shadow, historically of Arvydas Sabonis, running the floor, so graceful, so beautiful, like the water coming down Sabino Canyon.”
And it was a magnificent display of athleticism. After a rebound from Courtney Ramey, Tubelis took off for the basket. Ramey threw a perfect pass...Oh heck, it’ll be on the all the highlights. Watch it, more than once.
You writers of letters to the editor who don’t like Bill Walton, he spoke poetry during a live game broadcast as effortlessly as Tubelis made that basket. Turn the volume up and listen carefully. Walton is brilliant. Tubelis made history.
Bill Smith
Vail
Power vs. responsibility
Theorem: Power corrupts, absolute power corrupts absolutely. Corollary: Lack of responsibility causes lack of success. At least two items come to mind. First the internet. The government gave developers the immunity from responsibility so as to help it grow. But now they don’t want to give that up at places like Facebook, Twitter and TikTok.
Second, the pandemic. Pharmaceutical companies got immunity from liability to expedite development. But now they don’t want to go back and do the efficacy work to go forward. There are lots of other examples, like Social Security, Medicare, welfare, Head Start, SNAP (food stamps). Who is responsible to fix these and others? If the answer is no one, they will never get fixed.
Bill Blaine
Marana
What next?
During midterm elections I watched a TV correspondent interview a bunch of senior Republicans in Wyoming. He asked them how they felt about Liz Cheney. A cowboy grandpa answered. “She has to go, she betrayed Donald Trump.” Goodbye, Liz!
I wondered if he really believed the “big lie” or if he couldn’t admit he was fooled or had made a mistake. Maybe he totally identified with Trump and joined the cult.
Trump’s past will soon catch up with him and he should be locked up, but he seems to get out of everything.
I wonder what the cowboy will say when Trump goes away. I wish him the best and hope he makes better choices. Democrats need a sane Republican Party to get things done for everybody.
Robert McNeil
Midtown
Wadsack’s “Big Lie” about freedom
During her campaign for LD17, candidate Justine Wadsack of the Freedom Team promised to “protect the people and defend their freedom.” Now that she is a state senator and a member of the Freedom Caucus, she says that what she promised only applies for those people who agree with her. Since she disagrees with many of the Democratic voters in Tucson and city council decisions, she is going to take away their local democratic control and charter government under her SCR 1023 being passed by the Legislature. Sounds more like dictatorial Russia or China!
John Higgins
Southeast side
- Larry Bodine, Foothills
Rupert Murdoch, the owner of lyin' Fox News, just confessed that the network intentionally broadcast lies about "election fraud" and about Dominion voting machines. News hacks Tucker Carlson, Sean Hannity and Laura Ingraham also confessed that they knew the fraud claims were lies.
Next month, when the jury awards $1.6 billion in damages against propaganda network, the FCC should revoke Fox's broadcast license. Then the network will truly be known as Fox Noise.
Larry Bodine
Foothills
Disclaimer: As submitted to the Arizona Daily Star.
- Thad Appelman, Northwest side
Our Constitution simply says “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof…”. It says nothing about state legislatures, the Supreme, other agencies forcing religious doctrine on us. There is no Constitutional protection against these and other ways of weaseling such beliefs on us. There is no law that allows us to live our lives without others religious beliefs being forced upon us. Many of us have believed there are such Constitutional protections, but recent events have shown that is not so. One would hope a religion would be good enough to not try such moves. But apparently such religious goodness does not exist, and we are heading back to the days of the Crusades.
Thad Appelman
Northwest side
Disclaimer: As submitted to the Arizona Daily Star.
- Gary Susko, Midtown
Re: 2-20-23 letter "Debt grows under Biden" This writer snidely noted That President Biden stated that he lowered the budget by a large amount. ( fact check: absolutely true.) Then he laments that " No one has pointed out that in 2 years Biden has increased the national debt by almost 50% from 21 to 31 trillion" The reason no one mentions that is because it is categorically false. ( in common parlance, " a blatant lie"). Fact check: Donald Trump drove the National debt up by 7.8 trillion; 19.95 to 27.75 trillion, a 39 % increase even though he entered office during an economic boom. Biden entered office during a fierce pandemic recession & National debt has increased by 3.7 trillion to a current 31.5 trillion.
Maybe The Star should take seriously it's stated policy to not publish letters with " clear errors" .
Gary Susko
Midtown
Disclaimer: As submitted to the Arizona Daily Star.
- Larry Fleischman, Northeast side
Thanks to the dominion voting machine lawsuit we now know that the so-called "journalists " at fox news--Hannity, Carlson, Ingraham, et al and their employer knew full well that there was no merit to trump's claims that the 2020 election results were fraudulent, yet they pushed the lie constantly on television.
What can be done to traitors like these? Hopefully dominion can push Murdoch back into the slime from which he emerged, along with the liars who intentionally deceived their audience and continue to do so today. The first amendment offers them no protection, nor should it. Their audience--and this country--deserve far better.
Larry Fleischman
Northeast side
Disclaimer: As submitted to the Arizona Daily Star.
- Thad Appelman, Northwest side
Re: the Feb. 25 letter "Tanks to Ukraine."
I was in college during the "Cuban Missile Crisis". That was nothing compared to where we are now. If Putin conquers Ukraine, it will be a tragedy. Unlikely, with the amazing Ukrainian people. If he loses, he is just crazy enough to launch at the US, knowing it will end the world. My estimate: 25-30 Russian nukes for Raytheon, which will vaporize Tucson.
Thad Appelman
Northwest side
Disclaimer: As submitted to the Arizona Daily Star.
- Rick Cohn, West side
Imagine how different the situation in Ukraine would be right now if, when the invading Russian convoy ran out of fuel, Ukraine had had possession of a dozen A-10 "tank killer" aircraft.
Rick Cohn
West side
Disclaimer: As submitted to the Arizona Daily Star.
Liars and the lies they tell
Thanks to the Dominion voting machine lawsuit we now know that the so-called “journalists” at Fox News, Hannity, Carlson, Ingraham, et al, and their employer knew full well that there was no merit to Trump’s claims that the 2020 election results were fraudulent, yet they pushed the lie constantly on television.
What can be done to traitors like these? Hopefully, Dominion can push Murdoch back into the slime from which he emerged, along with the liars who intentionally deceived their audience and continue to do so today. The First Amendment offers them no protection, nor should it. Their audience — and this country — deserve far better.
Larry Fleischman
Northeast side
Arizona water
It’s indisputable that we have a long-term water issue in Arizona, it’s why we must ensure that the water we have is used wisely to its best use and for the benefit of the maximum number of Arizonans.
FICO, the pecan farmer in Sahuarita, uses on average 20,000 acre feet of water per year. That’s 6.5 billion gallons of water to produce a few million pounds of pecans. The proposed Copper World project by Hudbay plans to use less than 6,000 acre feet of water and will create thousands of new jobs and billions in economic activity. The economic output and number of jobs at a pecan farm don’t come anywhere close to what a copper mine will produce. And from what I understand, the majority of the pecans are shipped out of state for processing.
Companies using Arizona’s water should be required to explain how their operations will not only benefit them economically, but also the local community where they operate.
Dennis Fischer
Vail
Rodeos, keep the good, drop the bad
The pageantry, horse parades, the bands, etc. are the good parts of the rodeo. Using electric wands to prod the hind quarters of the animals to force them to jump up and down in a frenzy is ugly abuse. The horse and bulls with a rider on their backs suffer as the cowboys chase the prize money. Picture a calf after being prodded running terrified into the arena. A cowboy on a horse chases the calf, lassos it by the neck. The animal is thrown in the air and lands with a thud on the arena’s floor. Some years ago, here in Tucson, a calf died after having its neck broken. In the newspaper photo the owner was standing over the dead calf. What were his thoughts, pity for the animal or disappointment that he didn’t collect any money. Animal cruelty is a crime. Why do the rodeos get a pass? If the rodeos don’t stop the cruelty, they should go the way of the circuses.
Jerome Shulec
Foothills
Fare-free transit
Re: the Feb. 19 article “Time to find a solution for fare-free transit.”
I applaud the writer for his enthusiastic support of continuing the very popular free transit policy, which was adopted by our Mayor and Council almost three years ago. By doing so, our elected officials made transit in Tucson a public good, similar to roads, police, fire, parks and schools, i.e., no one can be excluded from using transit.
Now, it is difficult to imagine those who voted for it would now reject it. But thus far most of our elected leaders have been silent on the matter.
Annually, the city has a total revenue of well over $500 million, compounded with annual increases. The task is to either find less than 2% of that revenue or find other revenue sources to underwrite the annual operations budget.
Budget season is upon the city now. Why leave the over 50,000 daily riders in the dark? Vote now to be in the vanguard of U.S. cities and renew — forever — no-fare public transit.
Richard Kaiser
Midtown
Cons
Constitutional omission
Our Constitution simply says “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof …” It says nothing about state legislatures, the Supreme Court, other agencies forcing religious doctrine on us. There is no constitutional protection against these and other ways of weaseling such beliefs on us. There is no law that allows us to live our lives without others’ religious beliefs being forced upon us. Many of us have believed there are such constitutional protections, but recent events have shown that is not so. One would hope a religion would be good enough to not try such moves. But apparently such religious goodness does not exist, and we are heading back to the days of the Crusades.
Thad Appelman
Northwest side
Tax dollars for subversive teachings
Our brilliant, self-ennobled Republican Legislature thinks they’ve pulled a fast one on their “woke” friends by stripping public schools of tax dollars in favor of a massive expansion of the state’s private school voucher law (ESA-Empowerment Scholarship Account). While public and charter schools are mandated to follow state curriculum requirements, recipients of voucher money are not required to do so and are free to offer whatever academic program they prefer with little to no oversight by the Department of Education. Do Tom Horne and the state Legislature realize that our tax dollars are going to ESA recipients who can teach utterly subversive subjects, such as real science, evolution, sex education, reproductive rights, LGBTQ+ issues and above all critical race theory, with no state oversight. There is hope for our children’s education after all. Can’t thank you enough, Tom!
Pamela Aronson
Northeast side
National debt
Re: the Feb. 20 letter “Debt grows under Biden.”
This writer snidely noted that President Biden stated that he lowered the budget by a large amount. (fact check: absolutely true.) Then he laments that “No one has pointed out that in 2 years Biden has increased the national debt by almost 50% from 21 to 31 trillion.” The reason no one mentions that is because it is categorically false. (in common parlance, “a blatant lie”) Fact check: Donald Trump drove the national debt up by $7.8 trillion (from $19.95 to $27.75 trillion), a 39% increase even though he entered office during an economic boom. Biden entered office during a fierce pandemic recession and national debt has increased by $3.7 trillion to a current $31.5 trillion.
Gary Susko
Midtown
Disheartening hindsight
Imagine how different the situation in Ukraine would be right now if, when the invading Russian convoy ran out of fuel, Ukraine had had possession of a dozen A-10 “tank killer” aircraft.
Rick Cohn
West side
Dealing with Dem governor
I saw a story in the Star recently that Arizona Republican state legislators are having trouble figuring out how to deal with a Democratic governor. Seems they’ve gotten their way for so many years with Republican governors that they don’t know quite what to do. They might want to try the following: consultation, collaboration, communication, consideration, cooperation and compromise. Now I know these concepts are foreign to most Republicans, but they should at least give them a try. What’s the worst that could happen? There might actually be some bipartisan legislation passed that benefits all Arizonans.
Douglas Maul
West side
Fox News, Fox Noise
Rupert Murdoch, the owner of lyin’ Fox News, just confessed that the network intentionally broadcast lies about “election fraud” and about Dominion voting machines. News hacks Tucker Carlson, Sean Hannity and Laura Ingraham also confessed that they knew the fraud claims were lies.
Next month, when the jury awards $1.6 billion in damages against the propaganda network, the FCC should crack down on Fox. Then the network will truly be known as Fox Noise.
Larry Bodine
Foothills
- Sue Thompson, SaddleBrooke
Years ago, I stopped saying the Pledge of Allegiance. At the time, I had realized that there was some issue regarding our government in Washington, D.C. that I had disagreed with. My reasoning was a personal one. I realized that…if my government was at odds with what I believed due to my religious beliefs, I was being forced to make a choice. And I realized that my religious beliefs were more important to me. I could no longer pledge allegiance to both. As you can probably surmise, I’m not in favor of requiring that the children in our schools be forced to repeat a pledge that many of them don’t even understand.
Sue Thompson
SaddleBrooke
Disclaimer: As submitted to the Arizona Daily Star.
- Howard strause, Foothills
Re: the Feb. 27 article "It's wrong to rewrite Roald Dahl."
The right is making much of a proposed revision of Charlie and the Chocolate Factor. This proposed revision was for the sake of making the book more kid friendly. There have also been revisions of Huck Finn to take out racist language. All of these revisions were being proposed by private companies without any government suggestion or coercion.
While the right screams about violation of the First Amendment right of free speech, they ignore violations of free speech carried out by Republican state governments. They ignore Gov Desantis's prohibiting teaching of an AP course on African American studies. They again ignore his takeover of Orlando’s self government rule because Disney criticized Florida’s Don’t Say Gay law.
They support legislation to tell teachers what to say in the classroom. They support Burnovich suppressing a report on our election.
I get nervous when governments censor speech, not so much when private companies do. Government censorship is a violation of the First Amendment, private censorship is not.
Howard strause
Foothills
Disclaimer: As submitted to the Arizona Daily Star.
- Doug Pickrell, Midtown
Re: the Feb. 24 letter "Warm weather to come."
The letter writer points out that there exist natural disasters which humans cannot prevent.
He then concludes that it is futile to try to prevent global warming. This is nonsense.
Humans are causing global warming by increasing CO2 in the atmosphere. Humans can slow global warming
by reducing greenhouse gas emissions. We are not helpless pawns.
I recommend Jessica Tierney's recent lecture `Why is climate change a problem?', part
of the UA myth busting lecture series (google Tierney myth busting), or visit the Plug In or Citizen Climate Lobby booths at the upcoming book fair.
Doug Pickrell
Midtown
Disclaimer: As submitted to the Arizona Daily Star.
- David Parmenter, Northwest side
Just for the heck of it I spent an evening listening to right-media. Wow! That Hunter Biden fellow sounds like a really bad guy. Apparently he is actually the one who surrendered West Point to the British during the Revolutionary War, shot Abraham Lincoln at Ford’s Theater and coordinated the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. Regular reading of the letters to the editor in the Arizona Daily Star, however, shows that we Tucsonans are much too smart to be fooled by such claims. We recognize that the person who is really responsible for these atrocities is Bill Walton.
David Parmenter
Northwest side
Disclaimer: As submitted to the Arizona Daily Star.
Good in the world
Re: the Jan. 30 article “Small homes on the way for youths.”
It was so refreshing to read the article about Desiree Cook’s ambitious project of building small homes for youths who are leaving foster care. She sounds like an amazing person who has overcome many difficult situations and has turned herself into someone we all can admire. Kudos also to Blass and Crest Contracting for supporting this wonderful endeavor. We need more caring people like them in today’s world.
Judith Mynatt
Green Valley
A modest proposal
Since Republicans on the Arizona Senate Judiciary Committee are so concerned about protecting children from pedophiles and grooming they have voted for SB 1028 to ban drag shows, I would like to make a modest proposal: banning another organization from holding events anywhere a minor could possibly view them, an organization where there have been many known cases of pedophilia and grooming of children. The Catholic Church.
I know this seems drastic, but if we ban drag shows (even though I found no credible accusations of drag performers sexually abusing children in Arizona), we must also ban the organization where there have been at least 100 credible accusations of child sexual abuse by priests in Arizona. To do less would just make it seem like the Republican politicians who voted for SB 1028 aren’t really interested in protecting children, but are only interested in demonizing drag performers and transgender people to score political points with their anti-LGBTQA+ base.
Kelly Frieders
Downtown
Botanical vision
Re: the Feb. 9 letter “A million trees?”
Mayor Romero’s push to plant native trees really shows excellent botanical vision. Our native trees, once established, require little or no watering. Their shade keeps landscapes cooler and slows evaporation, increasing our comfort and allowing other plants to grow under their canopies. Their fallen leaves provide mulch to hold moisture and promote soil health. Roots find their pathways deep into the soil, aerating and allowing rain to infiltrate. So sometimes using water actually saves water! One golf course, on the other hand, does use 1 million gallons of water per day without any benefit to the land and climate. The same is true of lawns.
Desert mistletoe is a semi-parasitic native plant. Its berries are a critical food source for the Phainopepla (silky flycatcher). A heavy infestation can damage or kill the host tree, but it’s uncommon.
Tucson’s focus is right where it should be.
Sally Sherman
West side
The Pledge and free speech
It is appalling that an American citizen writer could make the ridiculous claim that The Pledge of Allegiance at “academic gunpoint” is in violation of our Founding Fathers’ First Amendment principle. In truth, the Pledge simply reminds all of us that as American citizens, we value our country’s constitutional principles, freedom and democratic ideals. What if a criminal or witnesses in a jury trial claimed that they didn’t have to swear on a Bible to tell the truth because it infringed on their First Amendment rights? Compare that to HB2523 being egregious. Let me add that I have been a substitute teacher in Tucson for 27 years and not one student has ever come up to me and said that they believed reciting the Pledge each day has been a violation of their free speech.
Chuck Cabrera, retired federal employee
Northwest side
GOP no Party of Lincoln
The Republicans have proudly assumed the mantle of The Party of Lincoln for ages. But since the rise of Professor Harold Hill’s (remember him— “Ya got trouble.”) evil twin they have doubled down on that claim; righteously though, as it was Lincoln who explained to us that you can fool some of the people, all of the time.
So, the Grand Old Party has now become the party of People Fooled All the Time (PFAT).
Do we really want these folks running our country? Or our state, county or city?
Robert Turner
East side
Pedestrians and cars
Re: the Feb. 26 letter “Be safe when walking at night.”
To the reader urging pedestrians to wear white when walking at night, I’m sorry for the trauma your friend experienced and for the victim of the collision. I hope the author appreciates similarities between blaming a pedestrian for what they wear (or don’t) with changes in how we talk about who’s at fault when a person is raped. For years it was acceptable to say a victim “asked for it” because of what they wore. I hope readers look back at how far we’ve come in understanding that even if cultural and societal norms justify a horrific practice (patriarchy, rape), responsibility lies with the aggressor and their actions alone. In this case, the writer says the friend wasn’t “at fault” because they drove “at speed limit.” This ignores the structural systems that uphold car-dominance, letting all of us who drive forget that those of us in two-ton metal vehicles are the aggressor, no matter how streets are designed or speed limits are set.
Kylie Walzak
West side
Censorship
Re: the Feb. 27 article “It’s wrong to rewrite Roald Dahl.”
The right is making much of a proposed revision of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. This proposed revision was for the sake of making the book more kid-friendly. There have also been revisions of Huck Finn to take out racist language. All of these revisions were being proposed by private companies without any government suggestion or coercion.
While the right screams about violation of the First Amendment right of free speech, they ignore violations of free speech carried out by Republican state governments. They ignore Gov. Desantis prohibiting teaching of an AP course on African American studies. They again ignore his takeover of Orlando’s self-government rule because Disney criticized Florida’s “Don’t Say Gay” law.
They support legislation to tell teachers what to say in the classroom. They support Brnovich suppressing a report on our election.
I get nervous when governments censor speech, not so much when private companies do. Government censorship is a violation of the First Amendment, private censorship is not.
Howard Strause
Foothills
Bernie Sanders no POW
The Tucson Festival of Books is heavily promoting Bernie Sanders and his new book criticizing capitalism. At the Festival of the Books will also be Tucsonan Walter F. Ram, a 98-year-old WWII POW, whose B-17 was shot down on his sixth mission. He spent nearly two years as a prisoner in the infamous Nazi prison camp, Stalag 17, where he suffered cold, hunger, and the constant threat of being shot by guards. His book, “Helno-Gal,” tells his story. What an incredible opportunity to stop by his booth, talk to him and buy an autographed book. I hope the Tucson Festival of Books honors our own hometown hero.
Don Dickinson
Oro Valley
Pledge of Allegiance
Years ago, I stopped saying the Pledge of Allegiance. At the time, I had realized that there was some issue regarding our government in Washington, D.C. that I had disagreed with. My reasoning was a personal one. I realized that if my government was at odds with what I believed due to my religious beliefs, I was being forced to make a choice. And I realized that my religious beliefs were more important to me. I could no longer pledge allegiance to both. As you can probably surmise, I’m not in favor of requiring that the children in our schools be forced to repeat a pledge that many of them don’t even understand.
Sue Thompson
SaddleBrooke
Student loan debt relief
I don’t have any student loan debt. Still, it’s in my interest for the government to write off some of that $1.5 trillion. Obama bailed out Citibank and General Motors. Trump bailed out the airlines. Biden sent checks to everyone. Those were practical decisions. Americans under 40 have been blasted by events and poor government policies for the last 20 years. America needs that group to catch a wave. They’re the future. I have to invest in the future. Cut that debt load. Create some hope. Open up opportunity. It’s a practical decision.
Walter Ramsley
East side
Biden, Trump and immigration
Re: the March 3 article “Why is Biden reviving Trump’s immigration policies?”
She hits the nail right on the head about how the Trump and Biden administrations handle our immigration policies — the main difference is in the rhetoric! Trump was always angry and scornful while Biden is consistently sympathetic and understanding.
But Biden clearly cares more about calming down the anti-immigrant extremists than actually living up to our treaty obligations to would-be immigrants.
So his immigration policies are not significantly different from Trump’s!
We don’t want Tucker Carlson and Sean Hannity to get too mad at us, do we, Joe?
David Steinberg
Northwest side
Not a valid comparison
Re: the March 2 letter “Pedestrians and cars.”
This letter writer attempts, miserably, to make comparisons that simply aren’t valid. They start by pointing out, quite rightly, how wrong it is to suggest a woman is at fault for being raped, which is inherently an intentional act of incredible harm, based on what she wears.
However, the remainder of the letter quickly loses logic or critical/rational thinking by suggesting a driver, doing everything right, shouldn’t necessarily be at fault for hitting a pedestrian, by the simple act of being a driver. Each situation demands a careful assessment of all of the facts. It absolutely can be a tragic accident when a careful driver — completely aware of and sensitive to the two-ton vehicle they are using — accidentally hits a pedestrian who might not have been taking appropriate care by conforming to community and safe standards of where and when to cross a street in the dark. Tragic — yes. Necessarily the fault of the drive — no; maybe and maybe not depending on the facts of each specific instance.
Sonja Stupel
North side
Modern conservatism
I am always amused by conservatives who prate on how government should not be picking winners and losers as they bask in the economic, political, and cultural security of a government that has chosen them as winners for 250 years. Their conservatism boils down to simply preserving the advantages of being born in the right place at the right time of the right parents.
Rich Kiker
Tubac
American pharmacy thugs
Whatever happened to the practice of medicine in the United States when mere attorneys general can decide, without having to go to court no less, what a doctor may decide is appropriate for a patient or a prescription a patient may fill! Now Walgreens has caved to these Republican thugs who merely threatened a lawsuit if the pharmacy sells birth control in any form. Are men so afraid of women’s competence that they emulate the tactics of the Taliban and ISIS to render women mere chattel? The United States is in serious trouble if a return to the Middle Ages is permitted to continue.
Barbara Benjamin
Foothills
Medicare in trouble
Re: the March 2 article “Privatizing Medicare wrong way to go.”
Dr. Joshua Freeman advocates basically for socialized medicine when he says we need to eliminate profits in Medicare Advantage plans. Yet these plans generate just 3.6% in profits, far less that the 11% margin for all industries. These plans are wildly popular and grew by 10% between July 2020 and July 2021.
Dr. Freeman also advocates getting rid of the 20% cost of a supplement plan in original Medicare, saying that this could be funded by the “huge profits for private investors.” 14.6 million people have Medicare supplement plans, the average cost of a plan being $128, and since the Medicare Hospital Insurance trust fund will run out of money in 2028, adding almost $2 billion a year to its cost is delusional.
Finally, Dr. Freeman should be aware that in the socialized medicine country of the United Kingdom, in 2020 — 153,008 deaths were considered avoidable.
David Pearse
Foothills
Golf course saguaros
Re: the March 5 article “Marana golf course under fire for removing saguaros.”
The Gallery Golf Club and LIV Golf are now on my boycott list, if I really ever had one. I was toying with the idea of attending the upcoming LIV Golf tournament in Marana, but now I don’t have to rethink it for too long. What the heck are they thinking cutting down saguaros with a what? A chainsaw! LIV Golf, bankrolled by the Saudis. I thought their weapon of choice was a bone saw.
Get out of our city. And find the hacker that operated the saw and escort him out, also.
Bill Smith
Vail
Diversity of thought
Lately, the Letters to the Editor have been dominated by four topics: Donald J. Trump, Jan. 6, the Republican U. S. House of Representatives and the Republican Arizona Legislature. These are some of the words that are prevalent in these Letters; vile, hate, liar(s), cult, racist and despicable. You don’t need much imagination to see what side of the above topics these Letters are on. Most of them are also tedious and boring. However, it goes without saying that at least some of these letters deserve a place in the Star, but they shouldn’t dominate every issue. You need to remember your motto: Diversity of thought is critical for democracy.
Douglas R. Holm
East side
Government can support citizens
Let’s talk about preferential tax rates and carnage. Ronald Reagan gave national voice to the concept that big government was untrustworthy and big business would take care of us through lower taxes — mostly, it turns out, for themselves. Curiously, the happiest countries in the world have higher but, unlike ours, equitable tax rates. These countries provide health insurance and strong social support networks. Their governments take care of any and all of their people when needed. Countries like ours, who don’t have such widespread systems, seem to have folks with unaddressed problems such as isolation and despair who exhibit their hopelessness through violent means, such as shooting up elementary schools. What if our government provided assistance for us whenever and wherever it was necessary? Instead of feeling like we were on our own how would it be to know that we were all in this together?
Merry Mungo
Green Valley
- Rich Kiker, Tubac
I am always amused by conservatives who prate on how government should not be picking winners and losers as they bask in the economic, political, and cultural security of a government that has chosen them as winners for 250 years. Their conservatism boils down to simply preserving the advantages of being born in the right place at the right time of the right parents.
Rich Kiker
Tubac
Disclaimer: As submitted to the Arizona Daily Star.
- Merry Mungo, Green Valley
Let's talk about preferential tax rates and carnage. Ronald Reagan gave national voice to the concept that big government was untrustworthy and big business would take care of us through lower taxes– mostly, it turns out, for themselves. Curiously, the happiest countries in the world have higher but, unlike ours, equitable!– tax rates. These countries provide health insurance and strong social support networks. Their governments take care of any and all of their people when needed. Countries like ours, who don't have such widespread systems, seem to have folks with unaddressed problems such as isolation and despair who exhibit their hopelessness through violent means such as shooting up elementary schools. What if our government provided assistance for us whenever and where ever it was necessary? Instead of feeling like we were on our own how would it be to know that we were all in this together?
Merry Mungo
Green Valley
Disclaimer: As submitted to the Arizona Daily Star.
- Sheldon Metz, Northeast side
Republicans refuse to negotiate gun control measures, despite overwhelming public support for regulations. Most Americans favor sensible governance measures. A majority wants both to prevent gun violence and protect gun rights.
Republicans want you to believe that gun control advocates are radical leftists. However, polls consistently show that a growing bipartisan majority of Americans support stricter gun regulations, including the NRA's membership.
Republicans call us "woke" to describe gun control initiatives, creating an environment of fear and intolerance. As the famous horror writer H. P. Lovecraft once wrote: “Fear is our deepest and strongest emotion, and the one which best lends itself to the creation of nature-defying illusions,” like phony Jewish laser beams.
According to the Federal Firearms Act, the Federal Government can limit, and has done so, the keeping and bearing of arms, but cannot prohibit the possession or use of any weapon that has a reasonable relationship to a well-regulated militia.
Sheldon Metz
Northeast side
Disclaimer: As submitted to the Arizona Daily Star.
- David Steinberg, Northwest side
Re: the March 3 article "Why is Biden reviving Trump's immigration policies?."
She hits the nail right on the head about how the Trump and Biden administrations handle our immigration policies—the main difference is in the rhetoric! Trump was always angry and scornful while Biden is consistently sympathetic and understanding.
But Biden clearly cares more about calming down the anti-immigrant extremists than actually living up to our treaty obligations to would-be immigrants.
So his immigration policies are NOT significantly different from Trump’s!
We don’t want Tucker Carlson and Sean Hannity to get too mad at us, do we Joe?
David Steinberg
Northwest side
Disclaimer: As submitted to the Arizona Daily Star.
- Douglas R Holm, East side
Lately, the Letters to the Editor have been dominated by four topics: Donald J. Trump, Jan 6, The Republican U. S. House of Representatives and The Republican Arizona Legislature. These are some of the words that are prevalent in these Letters; vile, hate, liar(s), cult, racist and despicable. You don't need much imagination to see what side of the above topics these Letters are on. Most of them are also tedious and boring. However, it goes without saying that at least some of these Letters deserve a place in the Star, but they shouldn't dominate every issue. You need to remember your motto: Diversity of thought is critical for democracy.
Douglas R Holm
East side
Disclaimer: As submitted to the Arizona Daily Star.
- David Pearse, Foothills
Dr. Joshua Freeman advocates basically for socialized medicine when he says we need to eliminate profits in Medicare Advantage plans. Yet these plans generate just 3.6% in profits, far less that the 11% margin for all industries. These plans are wildly popular and grew by 10% between July 2020 and July 2021.
Dr. Freeman also advocates getting rid of the 20% cost of a supplement plan in original Medicare, saying that this could be funded by the "huge profits for private investors." 14.6 million people have Medicare supplement plans, the average cost of a plan being $128, and since the Medicare Hospital Insurance trust fund will run out of money in 2028, adding almost $2 billion a year to its cost is delusional.
Finally, Dr. Freeman should be aware that in the socialized medicine country of the United Kingdom, in 2020 153,008 deaths were considered avoidable.
David Pearse
Foothills
Disclaimer: As submitted to the Arizona Daily Star.
- Barbara Benjamin, Foothills
Whatever happened to the practice of medicine in the United States when mere attorneys general can decide, without having to go to court no less, what a doctor may decide is appropriate for a patient or a prescription a patient may fill! Now Walgreens has caved to these Republican thugs who merely threatened a lawsuit if the pharmacy sells birth control in any form. Are men so afraid of women's competence that they emulate the tactics of the Taliban and ISIS ro render women mere chattel? The United States is in serious trouble if a return to the Middle Ages is permitted to continue.
Barbara Benjamin
Foothills
Disclaimer: As submitted to the Arizona Daily Star.
Lake Mead's drops raise prospect of unaffordable Hoover Dam electricity
