Tucson Speaks Out: Sept. 6 letters of the day

Lowering resource comparison proxy

Since 2017, the actions of the Arizona Corporation Commission (ACC) give the appearance of conspiring with the state’s electric utilities to protect them from competition by:

Changing the rates solar customers receive for the excess power to ensure the cost of their systems do not ‘pencil out’

Denying third-party providers using lower-cost renewable energy access to utility customers.

Commissioner Meyer’s argument that non-solar customers are subsidizing those who have rooftop solar is so obviously erroneous one must question his fitness to serve. To bridge the gap between the supply of renewable energy and the demand for power, TEP burns natural gas and transmits electricity. That is much more expensive than just allowing excess electricity to flow from solar to non-solar neighbors.

If Meyers and the ACC don’t like subsidies, they should hold the utilities responsible for the “externalities” they create but do not have to pay for — indisputable costs from burning fossil fuels and vaporizing the state’s scarce water resources.

Steven Lesh

East side

MAGA mugshot

I wonder how many hours Donald Trump spent practicing his mugshot face in his bathroom mirror at Mar-a-Lago? He must have worked very hard to perfect it as visions of T-shirts and mug-shot coffee mugs danced in his head. Good job, Donald — the photo perfectly reflects your inner qualities and your true essence. “A picture’s worth a thousand words.”

Deb Klumpp

Oro Valley

Trump vs. Hitler

Re: the Aug. 25 letter “Stop the name calling.”

The letter writer is disturbed that so many equate Donald Trump to Hitler. While it is true Trump has not overtly called for violence against Americans, the comparison is based on more than a dislike of Trump’s personality or policies.

As a young man, I read William Shirer’s “Rise and Fall of the Third Reich”. The behavior of today’s Republican party is eerily reminiscent of Shirer’s descriptions of the behavior of the German National Socialist Party (Nazi party). Hitler’s rise to power was made possible by the acquiescence of businessmen and Christians to his hatred of Jews, homosexuals and others. Trump is using that same playbook to appeal to Americans.

So, I agree that equating Trump to Hitler is not productive. What we need to do is equate six of the eight Republicans on that debate stage, and their audience, to the German National Socialist Party.

Steven Brown

Midtown

Old or dementia are the options

Re: the Aug. 29 article “New poll: Biden ‘old,’ Trump ‘corrupt’.”

I think Trump, not Biden, is having dementia issues. Trump (Inmate #1135809) will soon be 78. Biden will be 82. I’d rather have someone who is 82 years old and clear-headed run the country, than a 78-year-old with dementia.

Alison Hughes

Midtown

Evolution of energy

Re: the Aug. 17 letter “Cheap energy.”

He says, “There is nothing capable of replacing (cheap energy and hydrocarbons) ... It is not technologically possible for solar and wind to make up the difference….”

He’s spouting the nonsense of others before him about replacing horses with automobiles, wood for cooking/heating with gas, and gas with electric lights.

Throughout civilization’s history, changes were made for better ways to provide energy to accomplish a needed task. The filthy skies of London, New York, and many other cities were cleared up by replacing coal as the source of heat energy. More homes are being built or retrofitted to avoid the hazards of gas and line delivery issues.

The beginnings of electrical delivery and installing gas stations took many decades, yet now you feel reluctant to replace them with safer and better systems? That’s the natural evolution of energy production. So, be ready to smell cleaner air and drink cleaner water as our children and grandchildren lead us, the current polluters, into the new world of energy provision.

John Roldan

West side

Right wing whining

Re: the Sept. 1 article “Biden Administration’s destructive policies.”

James M. Quigley’s opinion is yet another example of right wing whining about Biden and “the Democrats” without any support. “Democrats want to destroy this country”. Really? Among countless other complaints, his comment that Biden “wants to go after farmers and put them out of business like Yellow Freight” completely misses the historical fact that Yellow Freight was a financially struggling business for years and almost filed for bankruptcy several times. They got an ill advised COVID loan of $700 million dollars from the Trump administration which they could not pay back. Quigley’s “opinion” should have been limited to a couple of paragraphs in the Letters To The Editor section not in the Opinion section as if it were a scholarly opinion with merit.

John Coinman

West side

Join International Friends!

The Fall semester at the University of Arizona recently began. Nearly 6,000 of the students enrolled are from other countries.

International Friends is a 70-year-old non-profit organization that pairs international students attending the U of A with Tucson individuals and families to share interests, cultures, and to have fun. The only obligation is to do some kind of social activity together once a month over the course of the academic year — meet for coffee, attend a movie, go for a hike.

We would like to expand our pool of Tucson “hosts” that “match” with international students. We strive to recruit hosts that reflect the amazing diversity of our Southwest community, and encourage individuals and families of all backgrounds and ethnicities to join.

Signing up is easy! Potential hosts go to ifriendstucson.org, click on the “SIGN UP” button, and complete the Host Application. Once approved, applicants will receive a follow-up email about the student matching process.

Email info@ifriendstucson.org with questions or concerns.

Randy Spalding and

Patricia Gilman, Co-Chairs,

International Friends

Downtown

Healthcare and politics

I’m writing about how one of my health care providers responded to me with a political retort.

As I was finishing up a post-oral surgery visit, I commented that COVID seemed to be surging and mandated mask wearing might be reinstituted. The dentist responded COVID has been overblown and mask mandates were only a way for government to control our behavior. Further, he said that there is little to fear from COVID and that he would not die from it.

While I agree that mandates and laws are instituted to control behavior, this health professional’s response surprised me — labeling public health measures as unwarranted government control politicizes public health care with potential detrimental results. As I see it, government control, in this case, is enacted to reduce mass infections and deaths, not some sinister political plot. A more appropriate response from you would be on the side of protecting people from illness and diseases instead of weaponizing public health care.

Richard Fridena

West side

Dream of justice

I, too, have a dream. I have a dream that one day Donald Trump will not be judged by the color of his skin, but by the content of his character. I, too, have a dream.

Theron Smith

Green Valley

VA medical heroes

I recently spent a full day, (8½ hours), moving a veteran from the VA hospital to his home. What was remarkable was the professional care, the personal concern, and the respect for the patients by every staff member at the hospital. Everyone took the time to explain the options available, the risks and the benefits of each choice in a caring and clear manner. I was involved in the staff discussion of how best to move him and his belongings, and the concerns for the patient were always the most important consideration. The length of time to make the move was due to the problem of moving some heavy possessions, not from any staff delays. At no time was the monetary expense of one course versus another ever mentioned. What a refreshing experience. I was exhausted after the day, yet the staff at the VA does this every day.

Don Ries

Southeast side