Solar canopies vs trees
Re: the Sept. 1 letter "Solar canopies."
The letter writer mentioned that solar canopies are a better choice than planting trees. I can understand his point of view, wanting to save precious water that would go toward watering the trees. However, trees do one thing that solar canopies cannot: they absorb carbon dioxide.
Patricia Dow
Midtown
Sinema's Dependent Party
Re: the Aug. 31 article "Sinema a top taker of private prison political donations."
Sen. Kyrsten Sinema should start her own political party, the Dependent Party. She shows dependence on her campaign fundraising to cover more than $100,000 for trips to Europe, Napa Valley, and more than $45,000 on limousines since 2019, as reported by the New York Post in 2023. Sinema is dependent on erratic efforts to mediate between Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala, and the military. Tuberville refuses to endorse nominations to military posts as high as commandant for the Marine Corps, hoping to prevent travel reimbursement for military families seeking an abortion. Yet, Sinema offers no suggestion, saying only a solution must be possible. Perhaps Sinema’s greatest dependence is on voters’ amnesia about her campaign stances supporting abortion rights and criticizing private prisons. Recently, the AZ Daily Star reported her as the highest political recipient of campaign contributions from CoreCivic PAC, a promoter of private prisons. Arizona voters should recognize Sinema’s dependency and instead support Mark Kelly and Ruben Gallego in future elections.
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Roger Shanley
East side
Ramaswamy the Clown
The biggest takeaway from the Republican debate is that Vivek Ramaswamy is utterly unqualified and unfit to be President.
First, he promises to issue a blanket pardon to Donald Trump for dozens of Federal crimes. This would enshrine the principle that the President is above the law. It is hard to imagine a more un-American idea.
Second, his foreign policy positions show absolute ignorance of diplomacy, war, and how the world works. Like Trump, he would betray friends and allies and appease enemies. He would abandon forty million Ukrainians to conquest by Vladimir Putin, who would erase not only their independence but their national identity. Ramaswamy's foreign policy is vintage Neville Chamberlain, as re-interpreted and implemented by Bozo the Clown.
Third, Ramaswamy thinks that winning a debate is shouting over the top of Nikki Haley when she is trying to express an intelligent idea. We've had enough of this kind of thing from Trump; we don't need it from his understudy.
Robert A. Benzinger
Northeast side
Learning and traveling
Re: the Sept. 3 article "Hoops, sightseeing and some homework."
It was heartwarming to read team members' thoughtful and awe inspired impressions of their trip. While Mideast history is complicated, they responded to seeing verifiable sites of its ancient thousands of years history. One of my favorite examples of Israel's multi-layered history is a hole excavated by archaeologists in the Cardo, an original Roman market, in which every layer reveals the different civilizations who lived there. We have family and friends in Israel and a former law student of my husband, who is like a son, is originally from Lebanon and is now practicing law with an international firm in Dubai, about an hour and a half by car from Abu Dhabi. If the team had gone to Dubai, they might have run into another Wildcat.
Billie Kozolchyk
Foothills
Education 'dumb-down' refuted
Re: the Sept. 3 letter "Dumbing down."
So, "Back To The Future" brings us back to evolution? I think not! A recent writer failed to recognize the root of his cited problem.
The lack of insistence on purposeful education begins at home, before preschool or kindergarten. Back in the past, once children entered school, parents used to add teachers to this mix. However, in later years, too many parents dropped that ball and instead expected teachers to ‘become’ substitute parents.
Teachers, especially in lower grades, cannot teach beginning reading and more while saddled with substitute "parenting" ... nor should they. Teaching preschoolers is otherwise known as “parenting!" Elementary school teachers should not have to instruct on potty-training, respect, discipline, sharing, buttoning shirts, table manners, kindness to animals, or treating others as they wish to be treated.
Neither Trump nor COVID caused this. Rather, citizens of our country have allowed the decline of purposeful education in the same way that they have ignored educating youth to be functioning adult citizens of our "Self-Governing Republic."
Elaine Cummings
Northwest side
CD6 lacks representation
Who does Ciscomani really represent?
Since the Inflation Reduction Act passed a year ago, it has created more than 142,000 jobs to combat climate change, lowered prescription and other healthcare costs, and held corporations accountable for their greed.
Finally, the US is prioritizing clean energy nationwide. Drug companies are being penalized for raising prescription drug costs faster than inflation. Monthly insulin costs under Medicare are $35. The ultra-wealthy and corporations are paying their fair share in taxes.
Unfortunately, Congressmen Juan Ciscomani is working to undermine this progress.
One of his first votes in Congress was to repeal the Inflation Reduction Act’s IRS funding aimed at catching wealthy and corporate tax cheats.
Then he voted to repeal the IRA climate provisions and increase profit margins for Big Oil and Big Gas companies by supporting the misnamed “Lower Energy Costs Act.”
Ciscomani’s priorities do not reflect the needs of Arizonans. He is guilty of putting the interests of the wealthy and corporations over those of his own constituents.
Judy J. Gillies
Oro Valley
And now you know the rest of the story
Re: the Aug. 23 letter "Undead vs . Humanity."
The writer spoke favorably of the Boyce Thompson Arboretum, but was highly critical of Resolution Copper’s efforts to resume mining operations at Superior, Arizona. The reader was then asked to choose either copper or culture.
The Boyce Thompson Arboretum was founded in 1924 by William Boyce Thompson (1869-1930), a successful mining engineer and financier, who organized the Shannon Copper Company (1899) in Morenci, Arizona, Inspiration Copper Company (1908) in Miami, Arizona, and Magma Copper Company (1910) in Superior, Arizona. In 1916, he established the Newmont Company, a holding company that invested in worldwide mineral and oil assets. Reincorporated as the Newmont Corporation in 1921, this company currently ranks among the world’s largest gold producers.
Understanding the importance of both natural resources and culture, William Boyce Thompson set an exemplary example for responsible mining professionals, who currently meet society’s demand for mineral products.
David Briggs, retired mining professional
Northwest side
Climate change and Republican policies?
One needs to practice gallows humor for politics today. Gov. DeSantis, Republican, is hysterical. August 30, Politico reported DeSantis turned down and vetoed accepting $346 million in climate change money from the Inflation Reduction Act, helping Floridians conserve energy and reduce pollution. He also vetoed federal infrastructure money. What also occurred August 30? Idalia hit the state. Moody’s estimates damages up to $20 Billion. Rudely refusing the President’s visit, will DeSantis return FEMA money? Too little?
Though DeSantis likes money (sometimes) for adaption to climate change, he doesn’t recognize curbing its causes. Can he read topo maps? Words? Especially science? By 2060, 37 years, the state that is subsiding is projected to experience three feet of ocean rise and no fresh water for what’s left.
How does this relate to Arizona? Water? Heat? Climate change? Pay attention to what Republicans say and do. DeSantis, so economically astute, is heading the party’s policies on climate change.
Nancy Jacques
Northeast side
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