Voter suppression GOP’s holy grail
The GOP will do anything to enforce voter suppression. They have become a cult with a criminal as their leader.
They follow said criminal who: denied, ignored and lied about the COVID-19 virus from the beginning (Refer to the “Bob Woodward” tapes); is responsible for at least 400,000 deaths due to his arrogance, stupidity and criminality; keeps spreading the “Big Lie” that he won the election and it was stolen from him. He has lost all court battles to contest this. The Arizona GOP and national GOP are both complicit to allow this to continue on.
This needs to stop either intentionally or legally.
Charles Middagh
North side
Sinema must represent us all
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Dear Sen. Kyrsten Sinema,
I understand your wish for joint governance and also know that you wish to represent conservative and independent voters in Arizona. However, recent events tell us that Republicans in Congress are not currently interested in preserving democracy, let alone governing.
One might expect that there would be nothing controversial of allowing every American to vote (HR 1), or investigating the Jan. 6 attack on Congress. Yet these are bills that currently have no hope of passing without a rewriting of filibuster rules.
At a state level, what’s happened in Maricopa County and what Republicans in the Texas House wanted to do must frighten you as much as it does me. Unless we stand up for democracy, we will slide toward a government of the minority for the minority. I am counting on you to represent each and every voter in Arizona. I know you can.
Molly Hunter
Midtown
Out of touch with their constituents
Those we elected to act as our voice in government have forgotten who put them in office. Many of the current issues being discussed, if passed may have a negative financial impact on the wealthy and large corporations. Sometimes all available resources must be considered to solve severe issues affecting the country. During the last recession of 2008/2009 people saw the value of their homes fall to a point that foreclosure became a sound financial move. Equity that many were depending on to help in their retirement years vanished, but the large corporations were bailed out. Now we need them to help us through this pandemic. I think they are more concerned with what their donors want than what the the people need. I believe those in Congress can no longer relate to the issues the average American must deal with every day. Perhaps we should considered this the next time we go to the polls.
Thomas Fletcher
Southwest side
Ducey veto spree was just in time
I sit in my car watching at least three cars go through a red light. Every time. I learned to drive in the ‘60s when a yellow light meant a red was coming so time to stop. Glad to see that Gov. Doug Ducey has finally gotten the message. His recent vetoes were well-advised, not just because of the budget issues, but because many of them were crazy run-through-a-red-light behavior by the legislators. Most will have to be challenged in court. Let’s start following old rules and put our brakes on before the accident.
Nan Schubel
North side
Bipartisanship begins at home
Re: the June 1 article “Ducey’s vetoes annoy allies.”
Howard Fischer referenced Senate President Karen Fann saying that Republicans do not have a lot of wiggle room to line up the votes to pass the governor’s current budget, since it will take all 16 Senate Republicans and 31 in the House for approval. The composition of Arizona’s Senate and House is a mirror opposite of the federal government’s, nearly 50-50 between the parties but with Republicans in the majority. Where are the attempts at bipartisanship? Or their negotiations with Democrats? With all the hoo-rah from Republicans about bipartisanship, or lack thereof, in Washington, it might be wise to consider its use closer to home.
Barbara Hall
Midtown
Pay it forward
A huge shoutout to the handsome young man who paid for my cart at the Walmart on Speedway and Kolb on May 30. I was totally flabbergasted by the action. His mother raised him right and he should pass along a note to her of his good deed. As I did not fully realize what was happening, I didn’t say a proper thank you. Hopefully by my telling all who will listen (and read in the Letters to the Editor) about the encounter it will somehow make up for my bad manners.
Karen David
East side
Legislature isn’t working for us
Re: the June 1 article “Ducey’s vetoes annoy allies.”
So, our governor has vetoed a bunch of bills that, I’m guessing, most Arizona residents don’t want anyway since our politically far-right population is only a small portion of the Republican Party, itself less than a third of registered voters. So that’s good.
But of course, the veto pen came out for the wrong reason, because the Republicans couldn’t come to an agreement on precisely how to give the rich a big tax break and ensure our public schools are never adequately funded.
Maybe they didn’t put their thoughts in those terms, but that’s the idea. When the people speak, which they have at least twice since I moved to the state in 2007, they have overwhelmingly voted to tax themselves to benefit the public schools. Makes one wonder who the Legislature thinks it’s working for. Just kidding, they know exactly who they’re working for — the donor class.
Dave Bertagnoli
West side
Remember why we have an RTA
Tucson City Councilman Steve Kozachik, Mayor Regina Romero, and now Bob Cook have all taken their shots at the RTA, whining about the process the authority uses for large construction projects.
Have we all forgotten why the RTA was created? What used to happen was a construction project was planned, had hearings, and was voted on. After that, the politicians did what they wanted and ignored what was voted on. Voters could not trust the government to do what was voted on, so the RTA came into being.
Kozachik wanted a whole lane removed from the Broadway project. That’s not a small change. If someone really wants to make a major change in a project that has already been approved, let them put it back in front of the voters that are paying for it to see if they agree. Everyone needs to wake up and see that all the complaining is an effort to go back to the old ways where the voters are ignored. Don’t let it happen, Tucson.
Jeff Britt
East side
You could do your job, Sen. Sinema
Your office put out a statement that you would have voted for the Jan. 6 commission. You weren’t there, you didn’t vote, you helped defeat the commission! After the fact would have statements are meaningless. The majority of Americans supported the bipartisan commission; yet, you didn’t even have the courage to go on the record. Do your job, don’t say what you would have done!
Norman Patten
Midtown
