Letters to the Editor: Feb. 5

Get this: Mark Finchem, the “High Desert Grifter,” is begging supporters for more money. Yet Finchem’s failed campaign doesn’t have any debt, according to his new state finance report. In a recent fundraising email, he implored his devotees to “help pay off campaign debt.” His campaign finance report this month shows $97,000 in the account. Perhaps he needs that money to visit Trump at Mar-a-Lago once more. The last time he showed up, Mark’s campaign spent $53,000 in expenses at the club. I’m confident Donny John-Boy would like Finchem to pay another visit and thoroughly enjoy himself again!

Jerry Wilkerson

SaddleBrooke

Speaker of the House

I wanted to send Kevin McCarthy the following:

Kevin McCarthy and Republicans are threatening to not raise the debt ceiling.

On Hannity, McCarthy defended this kind of brinkmanship with an analogy: “If you had a child and you gave him a credit card, and they kept hitting the limit, do you just increase the limit /or change their behavior?” But refusing to raise the debt limit means refusing to pay bills that the federal government has already incurred. This isn’t stopping your kid from buying a new scooter. It’s refusing to pay for the smartphone he got last month.

Unfortunately, sending it wasn’t possible. Kevin, it seems, only accepts emails from people with zip codes proving they live in his congressional district. Never experienced a member of Congress refusing emails from anyone. Especially here where McCarthy is second in line to the presidency if something happens to the president.

Charles McDonald

Northeast side

Debt limit circus once again

Once again, the debt limit is in the news and of course it is a “crisis.” Both parties are fine with this shameful recurring argument. That both sides change their arguments on who occupies which seats of power doesn’t seem to bother them either. I have a simple and effective solution which is why it will never happen, but we can dream.

How about having the CBO score every bill? If the bill increases the debt the vote must also include an increase in the debt limit. It would avoid these lurching crises and make the politicians acknowledge the costs to our national debt by each and every bill. Too simple and too effective? Probably, which is why it will never happen.

Bert Fredericksen

Marana

What women wear

Re: the Jan. 20 article “It’s what women do, not what they wear.”

Mary Stanik’s column evoked many memories of my days as a working girl in New York City advertising in the 1960’s.

Living in the Bronx, I had to take the subway to Manhattan. In the summer, it was sweltering but it was worse in the snowy winters. As Mary noted, there were strict, unwritten rules about what women should wear to work, preferably modest dresses/skirts, nylons, and, of course, heels. Many a cold snow day, I would bundle up in warm pants over my dress or skirt and galoshes, carrying a bag with a change of clothes. At work I would hurry to the ladies room, peel off my trousers, shrug off my boots, and put on heels, ready to be inspected (ogled) by my supervisors to ensure I was dressed properly. A few years later, we were “allowed” to wear pant suits, providing they matched, but still were required to wear heels although we were allowed trouser socks (anyone remember those?)

Thanks for the memories, Mary!

Valerie Golembiewski

Southeast side

Unstable times

Re: the Jan. 20 letter “Accomplishments.”

If the letter writer would try listening to something other than all of the MAGA hype, he might gain a new perspective. We are living in very complex times, that require experience and ability to think outside the box. Although far from perfect, President Biden has and is doing a stellar job of helping all of the people in our country. The whole world has been dealing with the results of climate change, pandemic, war and inflation from an unstable world. Our president has been able to create more jobs and leadership to our country (in very unstable times), while dealing with a MAGA group who is only interested in being loud and disruptive while they cut taxes for the 1%. If you need Social Security and Medicare (like most of the middle class do), you can thank your lucky stars that Biden won’t negotiate it, regardless of all of the pressure to get rid of it.

Elain Geary

East side

GOP suffers with ED

No — not that kind. No — it’s ”E-Lection Dysfunction!”

Here’s a homeopathic remedy for the Republicans’ ED: Quietly contact your registrar of voters; Request to be put on the permanent early mail-in ballot list; When the ballot arrives in the mail follow the simple instructions; Vote.

Then — Be quiet and honor the results.

A. Lawrence Glynn

East side

Cyber Ninja audit tied to Trump and his team

Re: the Jan. 28 article “New records show Cyber Ninjas’ ties to Trump during ‘audit’.”

Once again, we see that Trump and his team tried to overturn a fair election in which he lost. Once again, we see that Trump and his team tried to cheat the system and influence and overturn a fair election. But we should not be surprised as Trump has cheated the system his whole life. As a side note, this scam Cyber Ninja Audit cost the taxpayers in AZ and Maricopa County at least $5 million so far.

This is all in addition to Trump and team trying to overturn the Arizona electoral college votes by substituting its own Trump electors in our state and other states. Also, trying to “Find Votes” in other states via phone calls to overturn their elections. At this point, anybody that can’t clearly see all this evidence, is surely in a state of denial.

David Keating

Northeast side

Downward path for AZ schools

Re: the Jan. 27 article “State education leader cancels diversity presentations.”

This was a most disturbing article. I wonder how Republican Tom Horne got elected? Arizona voters showed awareness and common sense in rejecting other extreme candidates for state offices. Horne’s opponent Kathy Hoffman should be protesting and demanding an investigation, just like the Republican sore losers are doin. Horne’s right wing “vision” for Arizona schools, along with the voucher program and ongoing inadequate public school funding will ensure Arizona students continue to get a sub-par educational experience.

Deb Klumpp

Oro Valley

What’s a “real” Tucsonan?

Re: the Jan. 31 letter “Helping the homeless?.”

This letter writer took issue with Tucson’s homeless population, describing them as “not Tucsonans or contributing members of our community, but opportunists.” Such thinking requires me to be honest, because I, too, am not a Tucsonan.

I’m a Minnesotan who spends about four months a year in Tucson. I, too, am an opportunist, which you’ll understand immediately if you’ll look at a weather map. I suppose I might be a contributing member of the community because my wife and I spend money here. Does that qualify us? I’m not really sure, but perhaps it might. Finally, though, I would much rather think of Tucson’s homeless population as human beings who need and deserve food, clothing, and shelter, no matter what turn of fate has created their current circumstances. I hope and pray that others are of the same mind.

Jay Hornbacher

Foothills