Tucson Speaks Out: November 9

Stop waste and abuse of our tax dollars

US House Republicans maintain that we shouldn’t extend the ACA premiums because they are a temporary response to Trump’s COVID pandemic. Well, Trump’s tax cuts were also temporary, but they had no problem extending them. They then cut Medicaid, SNAP, Medicare and Social Security to partially offset the tax breaks for billionaires.

And, of course, they supported decimating our government to eliminate “waste, fraud and abuse.” Meanwhile, Jeff Bezos is using his tax savings to frolic on his 410-foot yacht. And he still has enough to donate millions to Trump’s new ballroom.

I am sick and tired of seeing our national debt skyrocket so that our richest Americans can pay a lower tax rate than I do. Increasing our deficit to fund billionaires’ lavish lifestyles sure sounds like waste, fraud and abuse to me.

Bruce Hilpert

North side

Love but heal thyself

It may be said that we, as humans, struggle with “love.” It is natural to do so. If we seek fulfillment in both our “inward personal” and “outward social” lives, we should put out loves into balance and perspective. “Selfish” and “unselfish” should not be at war. Balance and perspective, both inward and outward, to reduce anger, rage, and violence should be the goal — but “love” is the key.

If you love thyself too much, you risk becoming antisocial with one or more severe personality disorders.

If you loathe thyself too much, and/or you love thy neighbor too much, you risk losing the uniqueness of your individual human identity.

But, if you don’t know your identity in relation to others, and you keep searching for it, you end up being a “net plus” to the species. The endless pursuit of the “net plus” by most of us would reduce violence toward one another. Man’s search for meaning through a life — fulfilled.

Gerald Farrington

SaddleBrooke

Socialism/Communism

These are synonymous in meaning. The right to own property is relinquished in favor of state ownership. It promises prosperity and equality, it delivers poverty, misery and tyranny. There are many forms, from ownership of industry to eliminating all property rights. Countries that have converted eventually turn away.

After WWII, all of Eastern Europe came under the control of the Soviet Union and lived in misery for nearly 50 years until President Reagan brought them down. The USSR broke up, and these countries regained their freedom. During those years, the free world, led by America, did everything it could to keep other countries from going communist. In the ’50s, Senator McCarthy held hearings to discover communists in government and the film industry.

New York has elected a Socialist as Mayor. It was younger voters who did this. The only way it could have happened is the lack of history being taught. Otherwise, they wouldn’t deliberately prefer socialism to capitalism.

Jack Walters

Northeast side

Cuts to food stamps and other programs

I worked at Fry’s for over twenty years and waited on thousands of customers who came through with food stamps. I cringed when their orders consisted of soda, chips, pretzels, and other junk food, but understood that they simply didn’t have the funds to make it through the month. It is beyond my comprehension to understand why the neediest among us are being punished so severely. The real crime is that the WIC {women, infants, and children} program which helps newborns and mothers get nourishing foods like fruits and vegetables, is also being dismantled. How can we as a country allow those who need assistance the most to be penalized?

Charles Schultz

Northeast side

Reject Project Blue

Beale is a disease that won’t go away. The Board of Supervisors needs to be removed due to its unwavering support of a bad project. Project Blue now says it will match power use with clean energy. It’s still going to heat the air, and use an abundance of water, but the Board of Supervisors doesn’t care. Other areas of the country have managed to say “no” to projects like this, but not here. Often, money and jobs blind public officials, and this project is worse than any other project rubber-stamped by officials who supposedly represent us.

Thinking the benefits of such a project will outweigh the harm to the environment is wishful thinking. Tucson simply does not have water security. Project Blue data centers would thirst for water & electricity. Tucson should be more responsible than to allow this project. “Heating the air” seems like an unacceptable consequence from Project Blue. Reject it.

Peter Bisschop

East side

Bravo President Trump

I, personally, would like to congratulate our President on his first and belated second term. Without his presence and leadership, we, as a country, would not have what we truly deserve today. A system so blatantly flawed that a common grifter could rise to the heights of world power and prestige. The dumbing down of the voter registration mass has proven that we, as a nation, see what we think we want to see. We saw a man who wanted to upend the status quo. Drain the swamp. And he has, although he insists on being paid for it. Bit by bit by bitcoin. Because of him Tums has regained a sizeable share of the sore tummy market. So, profits are up, here and there. Excellent work, sir. I, myself, am disgusted with flavorful food and cannot wait for the immigrants’ tasty morsels of culinary delights to be shipped back to where they hailed from. We’re on a path we are, or spiral. Whatever. Gawd, but Ireland looks good now.

Michael Harrington

Oro Valley

Our failing US Senators

Irresponsible and reckless are the two words that best describe the failure of Senators Kelly and Gallegos to end the government shutdown. Closing our government should never be an option when there are funding or policy disagreements, but to risk the very safety of the flying public and deny food to our most needy is simply unconscionable. Our Senators appear to have been captured by the far left of their party and their hatred of our President. They need to show leadership and stop “following the crowd,” and be the leaders we thought we elected.

Take the President up on his offer to meet and discuss the contentious issues and get back to doing the job you were elected to do.

Paul D’Andrea

Northwest side

SNAP revisited

Our Loyal friend is at it again with supposition and innuendo about SNAP. The requirements for qualification for SNAP are: households must have gross incomes below 130% of the federal poverty level and net incomes below 100% of the poverty level. Additional criteria, such as asset limits and work requirements, may apply.

The federal poverty level for a family of four in the contiguous U.S. is $31,200. The FPL starts at $15,060 for a single individual and increases by $5,380 for each additional person in the household. 130% of the FPL for a family of 4 is $46,800.

The national minimum wage in the US is $7.25 an hour, established by the Fair Labor Standards Act. Simple math indicates that a family of 4 earning minimum wage has a gross income of $15,080. “Illegal aliens” are not eligible for SNAP benefits.

Morton Smith

Foothills

Political foresight

Here is a letter published in the Arizona Daily Star in 2017, resubmitted for obvious reasons:

We, the people, did not place a crown upon the head of the new president, nor did we place a scepter in his hand. But Mr. Trump’s actions and attitudes suggest he feels he has been granted regal power. Some of his too-hasty proclamations can be modified, but there may come a time when they have bigger repercussions than can be contained.

We need our elected representatives to speak up — before they are banished from this court — and make a stand for diplomacy, for due process, and for the people.

Judy Ray

Midtown

Crime syndicate

The most accurate definition of our present United States government is that it is a crime syndicate.

They are murdering people in the Caribbean and the Pacific Ocean. These actions made our armed forces complicit in murder. Without any due process, they have kidnapped thousands of people of color and imprisoned them or sent them to countries most of us couldn’t find on a map. The U.S. Attorney General is trying to prosecute those who stood up to the president.

The Republicans in Congress are complicit in their silence. Many news outlets are reporting this as business as usual.

This is not usual business. These are just a few of the government’s actions that are against the law.

Ray Omdahl

Green Valley

SNAP benefits

Loyal M. Johnson Jr.’s letter questioning SNAP benefits take the typical MAGA “Ask questions, imply wrongdoing” approach. Let’s try to answer his questions with facts:

SNAP feeds millions of children who would otherwise go hungry. Over 40% of SNAP recipients are children, and more than 80% of households include kids, seniors, or people with disabilities.

Fraud is rare. According to USDA data, less than 2% of SNAP benefits are misused. That means over 98% go to eligible Americans — many of whom work but still struggle to afford food.

SNAP isn’t a loophole. It’s a safeguard. In a country with abundant resources, no child should go to bed hungry because of myths about “gaming the system.”

Howard Weiss

Midtown

Big Blue vs. Hudbay mine

I do not understand why Tucson citizens are so alarmed about the Big Blue project over water and power usage. The project will use practically nothing when compared to the Canadian Hudbay copper mine project in the Santa Rita Mountains. The mine company sells copper worldwide while using United States resources. This mine will be using more than 10 million gallons of water a day, polluting the air and soil, and ruining a fragile ecosystem, as well as dumping mine tailings on federal lands. At this rate, the Southern Tucson aquifer will be drained in six years.

Governor Hobbs is worried and rightfully so over the lack of water for Arizona from the Colorado River but will look no further when confronted with water usage by a foreign mining company in Arizona. Just look at aerial photos of the Queen Mine and Morenci Mine. Please write to the Governor and voice your concerns.

Curtis Urban

Vail

Good news

I recently heard and read of two incidents here in Tucson that lifted my spirits greatly. A local restaurant, Kingfisher, recently gave free meals to 450 laid-off federal workers and their families. I have been to Kingfisher many times, and the food is always delicious. Try it. A local dentist, Graham Family Dentistry, recently, in connection with the Smiles for Veterans Program, gave free, or almost free, dental care to a bunch of local veterans. Russ Graham is a great dentist, my dentist and friend. He is also a great guy. If you are having problems dental-wise, call him. Viewing events like these words doesn’t seem adequate to convey a large and sincere thanks to people who take the time to help those who happen to be in need, especially during these times.

Manuel Hernandez Garcia

Midtown