Tucson Speaks Out: May 8 letters of the day

A new poll conducted for CNN reflected that 61% of respondents deemed Biden’s Presidency as a failure, 55% believed Trump’s Presidency was a success. Biden polled low numbers for his handling of the economy, especially inflation, the border, health care and the Israeli-Hamas war. Trump fared better despite Democrat prosecutors across the country bringing politically timed criminal and civil cases against him in an election year. People remember a pre-COVID robust economy with low 2-3% inflation, gas prices at about $2.50 a gallon, a secure border, no war in Ukraine or in Israel, an economically weakened Iran with enforced oil sanctions, the Middle East Abraham Peace Accords, an all the above energy policy, no onerous EPA CO2 mandates forcing people into buying unwanted expensive EVs, Operation Warp Speed that produced in record time two COVID vaccines from Moderna and Pfizer, and a guy not afraid of taking questions from the hostile liberal news media and could find his own way off the stage.

David Garcia

Foothills

MAGA mayhem

Are you fed up with the MAGA mayhem in our US House of Representatives? I know I am.

MAGA Republicans have fumbled from the first day they assumed majority control. Rather than electing their Speaker, months of mayhem ensued as they engaged in petty infighting, name-calling, punching, stonewalling, and dithering while we waited for them to complete their first housekeeping duty. Ten months later more chaos ensued to oust McCarthy and elect Johnson, who is apparently on shaky ground as well.

MAGAs have been equally dysfunctional when it comes to legislating. Months of petty politics brought us to the brink of defaulting on our debts, only to be followed by more months of turmoil before passing a budget to keep our government running. What should have been basic, routine votes became a circus.

Then, despite an urgent threat to national security and world democracies, six excruciating months elapsed before foreign aid to Ukraine and our allies finally passed.

We must end MAGA mayhem by voting them out.

Dr. JB Marshall

Oro Valley

#MeToo

As a conservative letter writer to the Star, I too feel discriminated against. Having my past letters delayed by weeks. Sending follow up emails to Ms. Brown with no response. The issue is not just the delay, it is the Star’s quick posting of “responding” critical snarky letters from liberals. Just as what happened with the letter that started this conversation. The Star published a critical letter to her letter’s assertions the very next day. Followed by two more in the same week. I frankly think this is done by the Star as a form of intimidation towards conservatives so as not to submit future letters. What’s the point if you are going to be repeatedly attacked and ridiculed. The Star knows that there is a deep pool of liberals to respond and few conservatives. Because there is a much higher ratio of liberal to conservative written letters, the latter should be elevated to the front of the publishing line. And the Star should halt publishing responses to letters.

Gary Beachwood

Green Valley

Over $3B stolen from older adults

Re: the May 6 article “Over $3B stolen from older adults.”

Award winning investigative journalist Diane Dimond wrote the book “We’re Here to Help — When Guardianship Goes Wrong.”

Two million Americans currently are under court control; $50 BILLION is the total money confiscated from ward’s estates each year; the number of states that require guardians to be licensed is three; and the number of federal laws governing guardianship/conservatorship is zero.

A Las Vegas police lieutenant calls this racket The Perfect Crime because it takes place in a courtroom.

Instead of an elderly person just losing their money or their home, they lose their money, their home, their cars, their jewelry, and their freedom. They are often placed somewhere that family is not allowed to visit. This is also referred to as human trafficking.

Janet Pipes

Northwest side

Representative government

Re: the May 6 article “How about a little autocracy?”

There is no such thing as a little autocracy! While our current collection of problems seem overwhelming (voting rights, gun rights, control of personal health choices, immigration, climate change, etc.), think of what you would be giving up when one person controls everything.

No more individual rights. Gone would be:

Voting (it would be just for show)

free press (information controlled by the state)

Social Security/Medicare — gone

free enterprise — nationalized, etc.

All the little things we take for granted will eventually disappear:

listening to our own music

dressing the way we want

what we read (already eroded as libraries are gutted by nascent autocracies)

the size of our families

our savings; and many more things.

Eventually, all control of our own lives will disappear.

True representative government is where we should be headed. It is messy and tiresome, but worth the fight. If you think it is stressful now, try getting back a right that has been stripped away.

Jack Wood

East side

A “Little” autocracy indeed!

Re: the May 6 article “How about a little autocracy?”

A little autocracy indeed! Mr. Farrington says he was a college professor of political science and history. I have no doubt he was taught about the American Revolution, the Declaration of Independence, and the Constitution. Did he ever master the subjects? Or, perhaps, to avoid the inevitable corruption caused by too much power invested in a dictator, Mr. Farrington has devised a measurement that would guarantee a “LITTLE” autocracy. Free speech and free press are guided and limited by good judgment. Where was the Star’s good judgment in printing such advocacy? Or was the Star simply pandering to those complaining about the anti-Trump letters!

Barbara Benjamin

Foothills

A win-win proposition to end the war in Gaza

What do you think of this solution? Israel allows what is left of Hamas to relocate to Iran. The win-win is Israel eliminates Hamas from Gaza (its goal) and Hamas lives to fight another day allied with Iran (both having the same goal to annihilate Israel). We’d be back to the status quo in the Middle East, i.e., Iran wanting to get rid of Israel (aka Jews) and Israel wanting to survive. What a wonderful world!

Michael Garmarnik

East side

My November vote

Re: the April 22 letter “What I am voting for.”

This letter has stirred considerable interest. At age 96 my last such vote will be Nov. 2024 and it will not be for Donald Trump. His administration was a dismal affair; for example, the scuttling of the Iran nuclear treaty, bringing racism from the shadows to mainstream Republicanism, further corroding a discredited Supreme Court, enabling the dismantling of female healthcare, and king-like, now demanding complete immunity for crimes committed.

Support for Trump dishonors the sacrifices of countless Americans in defense of this imperfect but noble experiment in self-government, authenticating the adage “We have met the enemy and it is us.” A second Trump term would fundamentally alter American society, witness the agenda of the Heritage Foundation and his comments in a recent Time Magazine interview. If one truly loves this country and cares for its future, there is one choice in November and it is not Donald Trump.

Joseph Stanley

Northeast side

We don’t trust Trump

Re: the May 5 letter “Hate Trump club.”

It is not that I and others hate Trump. It is that we do not trust Trump! We know what he wants to do if reelected. Trump wants to set himself up as an autocrat and not obey the Rule of Law. He will have no intention of leaving office after 4 years and try to have as much power as he can obtain.

I am a senior citizen and learning new things much of my time. I take issue with what the letter writer said about myself and other senior citizens.

It is false to say democracy is crumbling before our eyes. Trump gets elected and we will see our democratic system of government eroded.

Inflation is not rising. It has come down from over 6% to just over 3% in the past 14 months. Trump’s last year in office there was a weak economy and unemployment was over 7%. Trump failed to deal with the COVID-19 crises. Trump told Republicans not to bring the border bill for vote.

John Cleary

Northwest side

Seniors supporting scammers

Re: the May 6 article “Over $3B stolen from older adults.”

Yes. I’m over 80, and have been probed by endless foreign scammers! Mostly phone and email probes. I have never fallen for any, and have some nasty ways of dealing with them, since I get almost daily attempts. Daily! It was a great article, and a great report by the FBI. Lots of data. Billions being stolen under the FBI’s nose from older Americans. My question? OK, FBI, you know who they are. Yes, not in America. So, what in the h*** are you doing about it, except write reports? If it’s email, look at the esp. If it’s Gmail, it’s a scammer. Again, why does Gmail allow it? And if it’s a phone call with a foreign accent. Again, be suspicious. And, if I can figure this out ... why can’t our Federal Government? Oh, yes, they’re busy writing reports.

Thad Appelman

Northwest side

Locally, Stinknet is a 4-alarm fire

Re: the May 4 article “Irrigating City Parks in 202 4 breeds stink net.”

Michael Collins’ piece about stinknet was spot on. We need a comprehensive neighborhood/city/county plan before the onset of next winter’s rains. Stinknet, an annual invasive weed from South Africa, is racing along I-8, I-10, I-19 and local highways — witness the extensive brown patches along I-10 from Picacho to Phoenix. Now in Tucson, stinknet will come to a property near you. From your street it will spread to schoolyards, city parks, hiking trails, and beyond. Its oily terpenes make it flammable when dry and a significant health hazard when green. Stink net will also hit the economy: Besides the cost of chemical spraying, recreation/tourist sites may be forced to close, as happened at Casa Grande NM picnic area last month and reported on the national news. Go to Stinknet.org and SDCWMA.org to learn more. It isn’t too late for Pima County, Tucson, and your property, but the time to prepare is now.

Christine Flanagan

Northwest side