Wilbur and Sparky spar with each other as their respective teams battle it out for the Territorial Cup.
The demise of
US Democracy
Stunning to read and hear the responses to Donald Trump's latest indictment, federal charges of multiple violations of the Espionage Act, which on its surface augurs even more excruciating details when divulged at trial. The charges presage a real and present danger to U.S. security, and who knows how much damage the country will suffer from Trump's felonious behavior. Many of his defenders, even those who served in the military such as the hyperbolic hypocrite, Lindsey Graham, turns one's stomach. Other flag-waving phonies find any fatuous reason to blame anybody but the unholy wraith who has done such damage to our democracy. What a slap in the face to the real patriots whom we so honored on Memorial Day.
Having witnessed the BOMB, men on the moon, the internet and computer age, DNA, two popes, one president assassinated, one indicted, we are now witnessing the death of American democracy: the cult of Trumpism, exacerbated by the Republican dark art of gerrymandering, guns and addiction. We rot from within.
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William Muto
SaddleBrooke
Ducey's doozy
Up front, I'm a Democrat who leans conservative on fiscal issues. That's why Ducey's Doozy with the shipping containers should have never happened. Maybe it wouldn't have prevented this $176M fiasco (Republican-controlled legislature might have passed it anyway), but for any governor, Republican or Democrat, to have the "Executive Order" ability to stick the taxpayers with this kind of bill is criminal. I mean, fraud at its core. OK — border security. I get it, and I'm actually for it. But the process and the idiotic expenditure (really a solution that will not work, plus it's ugly) should be controlled. I mean, couldn't you have spent this money on some high-tech solutions if you had carte blanche to buy anything? More manpower? Anything but an irresponsible way to stick taxpayers with the bill as your goodbye gesture.
Rick Moretti
East side
Writer attacked
by right-winger
Re: the July 5 article 'Time to take back the American flag' and the July 12 letter 'The arrogance of Liberals.'
I cannot believe I’d ever see a letter to the editor in this Trump-divided world as stupid, unpatriotic and anti-democracy as the letter in the Star, an attack on the Opinion article of Kathleen Bethel, "Time to take back the American Flag."
The writer, obviously a Republican, criticized another for wanting the American flag to fly over her house without fear or repercussions. I feel the same way. I served in the Army during Nam. I am a patriot. I feel proud seeing the flag, used properly. I fly the flag on patriotic holidays (for my buds) and others. The trepidation is there. I do not want anyone to believe I am a closed-minded Republican.
Democrats are as proud of Old Glory as anyone, and the right to fly it is sacrosanct. But right-wingers have confiscated the flag in claiming Ol’ Glory as their own symbol while snidely ridiculing “the republic for which it (still) stands …. indivisible, with liberty and justice for ALL.”
Sheldon Metz
Northeast side
Another new
development
BoS approved a development removing a working floodplain from Pima Wash, when common sense and science call for its retention in a time of catastrophic weather events. Another housing development is to be built, one which has been lauded as providing appropriate infill, reducing the housing deficit, and helping to provide affordable housing to the community.
Present? We the neighbors who protested the density and design vis safety and flood risks; and the politically connected developer/business community who decided it was a great idea in the name of profit. Absent? The median wage earners unable to afford this project’s housing.
Decision makers? Experts deciding the risk of building in a floodplain for the Catalinas was worth the livelihoods of hundreds of people; that berms and gabion walls would protect against flood waters. Once the floodplain is raised out of existence, Quail Canyon as it existed cannot be restored.
One person listened and rose above the crowd. Thank you, Supervisor Adelita Grijalva.
Lee Marvin
Foothills
Voting assistance
In the weeks leading up to the midterm election, I responded to someone ringing the doorbell. When I opened the door, I saw a pleasant-looking elderly lady who started the conversation with a question, are you a registered voter? She followed up with questions about if I was voting by mail or in person, had I reviewed the election material, did I have any questions, and finally, did I need to have anything explained. I responded that I was voting in person, had read the material, and had no questions. She then offered me a flyer with a website and number to call if I had any questions. I noticed the back of the flyer was a full-page ad for Mark Kelly. I asked if she represented the Democratic Party or associated PAC. She responded that she was doing this for an unaffiliated PAC. Hmm. Not illegal, but it makes you wonder if this explains how so many recent close elections turned on last-minute mail-in ballots.
Cal Rooker
Northwest side
We should all
love this country
Re: the July 5 article 'Time to take back the American flag' and the July 12 letter 'The arrogance of Liberals.'
I was so inspired by Kathleen Bethel's article, that I cut it out for future readings. Clearly, the letter writer does not feel as I do. She accuses Bethel of being an arrogant liberal, an elitist on a soapbox and a conservative-hating liberal. If she were not limited by the number of words allowed, she most likely would have continued her out-of-control tirade with even more insults. What a hate-filled attack on someone who is merely asking Americans to celebrate the flag on the 4th of July. How can anyone take offense to that? Well, we know of one.
This is a classic case of political intolerance running amok.
JD Shulec
Foothills
Quail Canyon rezone
I urge all those living in District 1 to not reelect Rex Scott in 2024. Over vehement opposition by his constituents, he voted to approve seven three-story apartment buildings at Rudasill Road and Oracle Road. Rudasill is a winding two-lane road with many blind drives. He has put his constituents' safety in jeopardy. Also, he approved 100 homes to be built exactly in the Pima Wash and flood plain. Pima wash is one of the main drainages for the Catalina Mountains.
Bobbie Seelig
Northwest side
Student debt relief
quid pro quo
Once again the Biden administration has proposed a new student loan forgiveness plan which will likely be blocked by Congress. So here's a simple and beneficial-to-all solution to student loan debt. In exchange for relieving their loan debt the borrower agrees to serve a contracted time in service to an organization like the military, VISTA, AmeriCorps, to name just a few. Military recruiting is becoming dangerously low, and an offer to cancel the debt in exchange for an agreed-upon time of service would benefit both parties. Borrowers could agree to the contract before taking out a student loan or while in the loan. It's a simple and win-win solution to mounting student loan debt and could be an incentive to those who feel they can't afford college and don't want to take on a large debt they may not be able to repay.
Jeff Aronson
Northeast side
Creating community
Re: the July 16 article 'Governor, walk the walk on transparency.'
Two sentences stood out to me in the recent editorial on transparency in developing water policies. The first is that water is everyone's business, especially in Arizona. Water policy will impact all of us, so we should all have an opportunity to provide input--both at the beginning when issues and possible strategies and solutions are being put on the table for consideration and later as policies are being refined. Open processes at the beginning may be time-consuming and produce unworkable ideas, but they could provide valuable insights those in charge might not have thought of on their own. Better to have those insights sooner than later.
The second sentence that stood out was democracy is messy. I agree, yet autocracy and backroom deals are far worse. Leaders and policymakers should respect their constituents and be prepared to explain how their decisions benefit all. That takes time and may create dissension, but it also how we create community and commitment.
Lynne Hudson
Northwest side
How hot is it?
It is hot in Phoenix! How hot is it? It is so hot I saw Sparky the Sun Devil leaving the Valley of the Sun.
Mark Foster
West side
