Sinema: Please care about us!
Dear Sen. Kyrsten Sinema: Please care about us, please allow everyone’s vote to count!
The U.S. Congress must step in to pass the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act of 2021 to stop certain state officials from disallowing voting in our system that has worked very well previously and in our last election. There have been nearly 400 attacks on voting procedures (restrictive bills) in 49 states that will be used in our upcoming elections. It is your job as our senator to foresee how these attacks will undermine our democracy and will take voting away from U.S. citizens. If you can’t see your way to do this, then we will assume you don’t want citizens’ votes to be counted.
Cynthia Chaffee
Oro Valley
Sinema right on filibuster
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Although I was determined to never vote for another Democrat, I must alter my decision and will vote for Kyrsten Sinema next time around. Fortunately, she has protected the substantial minority from the tyranny of the progressive Democrats who intend to alter our country in a negative manner. The Democrats do not have a mandate, only the barest of a majority. With such an evenly divided country, one party’s program is not sacred. Instead, as the president promised, compromise, currently nonexistent, should be the order of the day. The Democrats used the filibuster 327 times in 2019-2020 to thwart Republican proposals. Currently, the Republicans are doing the same. Considering the very real threat of Republican control of both houses in 2023, the Democrats should attempt to abolish the filibuster at their own peril.
Pudge Johnson
Oro Valley
Find next pal at Hope shelter
Re: the Jan. 18 article “Superhero for dogs and cats.”
I was happy to see the article on Rescue Me Marana. There are more abandoned (for whatever reason) dogs and cats than Pima Animal Care Center can handle, so any organization that helps connect these animals to a new family is a good thing. I’m writing to alert readers to another rescue shelter coincidentally located within sight of Tucson Premium Outlets. The Hope Animal Shelter, where I volunteer as a dog walker, has been in operation for over 10 years with a purpose of connecting homeless dogs and cats to a new permanent home. COVID precaution prevents walk-in visitation, but one can go online to view some of the animals and schedule a visit. A lifetime companion may be waiting there for you.
John Crittenden
Oro Valley
What did Graves say in Eugene?
It seems the behavior of the Oregon women’s basketball coach Kelly Graves changed dramatically when the opposition was a white male coach and the venue was national TV on MLK day as opposed to facing a Black female coach with radio coverage.
The University of Oregon needs to investigate what happened. It shouldn’t follow U of Iowa’s football investigation into racism in its football program. When the committee said the head coach and his son should be dismissed, Iowa extended the coach’s contract to 2029 and the next day the football coach dismissed the investigative committee.
Misogyny and racism doesn’t belong in sports. And athletic departments shouldn’t be permitted to investigate their own problems. That’s the university’s job.
Pam Farris
Oro Valley
Even a nod will do on The Loop
While running on The Loop today, I had chance encounters with several cyclists, pedestrians and runners, and it occurred to me that many of these people were likely snowbirds or visitors and have not been schooled in Tucson kindness etiquette.
When encountering an individual or small group of people enjoying a common space designed by God and made accessible by the city, state or feds, eye contact is required. This may be accompanied by a smile, or even a wave if one so desires. Many people will boldly put themselves out there and say hi, hello or good morning.
The author has discovered that acknowledging fellow humans in this way makes both parties feel better about their chosen activity and makes the day a bit brighter.
Susan Carlisle
Foothills
Sinema shows her independence
Realizing that this is a liberal newspaper, it is no wonder that there are numerous articles bashing Donald Trump (who’s been out of power for a year) and Sen. Kyrsten Sinema. I personally take my hat off to Sen. Sinema. It’s refreshing to see politicians on either side of the aisle make a stand and express their decisions based on their personal views, and not be controlled by some puppet masters that want to control their hearts and minds.
Dennis Jacobsen
Oro Valley
Following madmen into the abyss
Re: the Jan. 18 letter “History repeating itself.”
I must echo the letter writer. As a young man studying history, I could not understand how a country as educated and modern as Germany could succumb to the rantings of an anti-Semitic psychopath. A madman. Within the past few years, I have seen this phenomena play out in our country. When truth and fact are ignored, when lies are accepted without question, when people follow demagogues blindly, when logic and common sense are overruled by bombastic actions and mendacity — our country is in jeopardy of becoming a failed state. I pledge to do what I can, but we all need to get on board or we may lose our country.
Carl Foster
Green Valley
GOP seeks ways to suppress votes
Every time I hear news reports about the two voting rights acts before Congress, the blame is always placed on the Democrats, especially Sens. Kyrsten Sinema and Joe Manchin. Let’s put the blame where it really lies: the right-wing, Trump-lies-supporting Republicans in Congress who clearly want to suppress the vote, not increase access to the polls to all citizens. Not a single Republican member is expected to vote in favor of the two common-sense bills, certainly not enough to counteract the hypocrisy of the two self-absorbed Democratic senators and their opposition to requiring only a simple majority in the Senate.
Jeffrey St. Clair Sr.
North side
Is this Sinema’s exit speech?
Is Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, who has a doctorate and a law degree, really so naive as to think that Sen. Mitch McConnell would hesitate one moment to abandon the filibuster if it helped advance his political objectives?
In her stubborn and defiant address to the U.S. Senate, she lent her apparently irrevocable and final imprimatur to this obsolete and undemocratic rule, thus fully qualifying for a job interview at Mar-A-Lago. Or, could this have been an attempt to avoid a long sojourn in the desert of political irrelevance?
Frederick Leinfest
Oro Valley
Dems practice intimidation, too
Re: the Jan. 18 letter “We must speak out.”
The letter writer wrote, “I will no longer be silenced because of my own fear of possible repercussion from Trump supporters. This is the United States of America. We have guaranteed freedoms — freedom of free speech and freedom of the press, to name just two that are so important to us now more than ever.” It was Trump supporters during the campaign who were afraid to place a Trump bumper sticker on their car, a sign in their yard or wear a MAGA hat for fear of violence from Democrats. Fear that they would get a rock thrown at their house or have their car key scratched. People wearing MAGA hats were assaulted, including an incident here in Tucson. I do not need Democrats telling me about fear! It has been Democrats using their sick intimidation and harassment of people, political correctness to impede free speech, and cancel culture that has caused societal fear.
Gusher Adams
Midtown
Atwood deserves to be executed
Re: the Jan. 18 letter “Death penalty must be abolished.”
A recent letter described the proposed executions of two murderers as being “cruel and unusual punishment.” Frank Jarvis was one of the murderers named. For those of you who do not know Jarvis (9-17-84) struck a bicycle ridden by Vickie Lynne Hoskinson with his automobile, discharging her from the bicycle. He then spirited her away and murdered her. Her body was left in a rural area and was only discovered in 1985. Since his trial, Jarvis has rested comfortably in prison where he has married and written several books. Vickie Lynne has been dead for 38 years. I suggest that this despicable caricature of a human being committed acts we simply cannot condone. Vickie’s terror and suffering was 1,000 times worse than anything Jarvis would endure during his execution. I cannot imagine why anyone would feel Jarvis is worthy of anything less than the lethal injection, to end his life.
Phil Reinecker
East side
Dems will thank Sinema eventually
In two years when the Republican majority in the Senate try to push through a bill to cancel the results of the 2020 presidential election, the Democrats will line up to filibuster and to thank Sen. Kyrsten Sinema for protecting their minority rights.
Kevin Pratt
Midtown
