Teacher shortage
Re: the July 22 article “TUSD has significant staffing shortages.”
I saw Arizona has a shortage of 2,500 teachers and is relying on substitutes to fill gap. My daughter’s teacher years ago told us she was quitting. She loved teaching but could earn more and not have to deal with parents who think they know better. Now you have people with no qualifications telling them how to teach. Republicans have demonized teachers and people who don’t even have children in a district show up at school boards pushing false narratives. Add on the Republican push to fund private schools at the expense of public schools, and why put up with it?
Craig Miller
Northwest side
Not surprising who’s at table
People are also reading…
Re: the Aug. 10 article “Tribes say they have been left out of river talks.”
A very recent article on water negotiations cited: “Fourteen tribal governments, including eight in Arizona, say the U.S. has wrongly left them out of negotiations over major future cuts of Colorado River water use.”
Why is this not surprising? Tribal governments should have been the first ones invited to the negotiation table, not have to petition for a seat.
How’s this “negotiation” supposed to work, anyway, without tribal input? All the state governments get together and figure out what they’re going to do and then tell the tribes: “This is what we’re going to do? Take it or leave it.” Hey, maybe move the tribes to another reservation away from their current location so they won’t have a demand on the water? Not surprising. So typical. Blatant disenfranchisement, again, of Indigenous peoples and tribal governments.
Pat Madea
Northwest side
A day at the polls
Re: the Aug. 13 letter “A day at the polls.”
Thank you to the letter writer. My experience as a poll worker in Fairbanks, Alaska, in the 1970s was also exhausting and rewarding. Many different ideologies in one group working together for the benefit of all. I was afraid that might have changed in today’s political climate. Thank you and your cohorts for your day at the polls.
Sandra Rosenberg
Northeast side
Democracy on the brink
Re: the Aug. 3 article “Festival of democracy gone these days.”
Trump supporters interviewed by Tim Steller at the polls expressed beliefs that because of Democrats, the country is headed toward communism, socialism and a host of other ills. One elderly couple stated they knew their votes in 2020 were not counted. How do they know this? Why, someone told them so!
A letter writer described these beliefs as “sad.” Sad, yes — but it goes far beyond sad. It is frightening and dangerous that a significant number of seemingly otherwise intelligent people have, against all reason, bought the lies, misinformation and conspiracy theories set forth by Trump. They are unwavering in support of a twice-impeached, serial lying dictator wanna-be. They support the extremist candidates who bow to Trump, no matter that these extremists are set on destroying the fabric of our country.
Our democracy hangs on a precipice — not because of Democrats, but because Trump has succeeded in brainwashing and weaponizing gullible, easily led people who, like their cult leader, have no interest in truth or facts.
Deb Klumpp
Oro Valley
Upgrades for Santa Rita Park
Re: the Aug. 13 article “Park upgrades come with concerns for homeless.”
What to do with the homeless during upgrading? The answer is simple. “The Homing Project” (thehomingproject.org), i.e., THP. THP has begun plans for housing 100 homeless in individual living units within a gated village setting, providing complete onsite recovery services. THP has current funding from a start-up grant plus donations but will need about $3 million to complete current goals. The article sets groundbreaking in about a year. By then THP will have 100 living units in place.
It’s amazing that the city can plan and pay for this project without including the homeless. Any passerby can see that the homeless are a daily fixture of the park. As THP is part of the solution, it seems appropriate for the city to assist in part of THP’s funding. As a board member of The Homing Project, we are committed to helping the homeless in our community and understanding that they are as much a part of our community as you and I.
Richard Spaulding
Midtown
Asylum seekers bused to D.C.
Kudos to those nonprofits’ in Washington, D.C., for providing food and shelter to over 1,000 asylum seekers bused there by Arizona Gov. Ducey over the past three months. And to the D.C. attorney general who is offering a $150,000 grant to those same non-profits. But wait! All that is unnecessary. And expensive.
COVID tests, food, lodging and help planning travel to their sponsors all over the U.S. are already generously given in Arizona by non-profits with the financial help of county and federal government grants. Why bus them to D.C?
And those 37 bus rides from Yuma to D.C. at a cost to AZ taxpayers of $3 million, or $2,200 per immigrant? Asylum seekers’ travel from AZ to their sponsors is already fully paid for by their sponsors.
How much of your tax money are you willing to give to unnecessary political stunts?
Sara Busey, Casa Alitas
volunteer
Green Valley
Campgrounds for homeless
The homeless situation in Tucson is worsening, and now due to gentrification and inflation, everyday Tucsonans are being forced onto the streets. Even senior citizens on fixed income have been forced out due to investors raising their rent. Tucson needs a proactive government, not a reactive one. Reflecting on economic predictions for 2023, there will be increased inflation, and more everyday people will be forced out of their homes.
A KOA-style of campground can allow people to pay a rent they can afford and also provide employment at the site as well. This would be quick to design and would provide electricity, cooking, indoor showers, restrooms, laundry and basic dignity. Veterans could assist with building and safety. Tucson could be a role model for the nation as homelessness is going to keep increasing everywhere. There is a shameful hubris in Tucson governing that reflects as we only help border crossers find homes, jobs, food, clothing, etc. and that American citizens are irrelevant, they can sleep in a ditch and use an outhouse.
Cheryl Kelli
Downtown
Senator’s action
What do you call an Arizona senator who took money from Wall Street while killing a tax on investors? A “Sinema Roll.”
Larry Gray
SaddleBrooke
Afghanistan disaster
Aug. 15 marked the one-year anniversary when Biden disastrously withdrew our troops from Afghanistan. The Taliban rapidly moved into Kabul and took over. The chaos at the airport with people clinging onto our military aircraft departing from the Kabul airport. The suicide bomber who killed 13 of our brave service members. Our drone attack killing an innocent family of seven. The billions in military equipment left behind by the military for the Taliban to use.
Biden promised to get every American out of Afghanistan. That did not happen. Hundreds, if not thousands, of Afghans who had cooperated with our military were left behind. Some have been beaten and killed by the Taliban. The country is starving as international assistance has dwindled. Girls are no longer allowed to attend school, and women have to cloak themselves from head to to toe. Al-Qaeda terrorists still use the country as a refuge. Other nations saw us as being incompetent and weak. And Biden still claims this as a success!
Darrin Styles
Midtown
Let’s be clear
I believe two things about Donald Trump. One, he is only ever interested in something that makes him money or brings him power. Second, anything at Mar-a-Lago was for the specific purpose of No. 1. The question is, how did he plan to make money off of the files. What was in the files, and who would he make money off of?
David Beryhill
Sahuarita
Lies are lies
As a #NeverTrump Republican, I still find obnoxious some of the spleen-venting letters that appear here, and I have this question: “Is it OK to lie if you are a Democrat or from the left?” I offer as one specific example the “Inflation Reduction Act of 2022.” Even the administration has not been able to find a respected economist who disagrees with the non-partisan CBO that the act does nothing of the sort.
But that’s OK; we are indulging in how Trump lies. That we do also doesn’t matter.
“If you like your doctor, you can keep him.”
OOPS.
John Johnson
Foothills
Dumb and dumber
Milton Berle once said, “You can lead a man to Congress, but you can’t make him think.”
The current gaggle of Republican members of Congress exemplify how true that is. Being retired, I have the luxury of being able to watch these idiots espouse their views daily in support of Donald Trump, the most heinous man ever to occupy the White House, an obvious flimflam man. They support his crass comments, mendacity, deceit, and denigration of our country’s basic values — and they do it with a righteous attitude.
And just when I thought it couldn’t get any dumber, our own Rep. Gosar is the icing on the stupidity cake by saying we must “destroy the FBI.” And sadly, as we can never underestimate the power of human stupidity, the people of the 4th Congressional District elected this fool.
Carl Foster
Green Valley
Trump is not dumb
My son-in-law said I should write this. It’s a theory that has been brewing in my brain for quite some time as I watch the world activities. Most important point … Mr. Trump is not dumb.
Then why so much effort to keep fanning the fires of a stolen election? We know he is egotistical and a person with low moral standards (treatment of women, lies). We also know he is very motivated by money. Can’t get enough of the green stuff.
But why so much effort to get back in the White House? Why is it so important to him? I think it’s about dollars. I think he had some far-reaching plans to make some kind of deals with who knows who or where that would result in a huge windfall for him. I don’t think Putin would have invaded Ukraine if Trump were still in office. They were close … buddies? I’d love for someone to “follow the money” and see if my little theory has any validity. He needs the White House to make some more money on a level that has previously eluded him.
Sonia Maxwell
Northeast
DOJ, FBI motivation
Let’s do a review of the DOJ’s and FBI’s actions related to Trump. They used agents to entrap newly appointed National Security Advisor General Flynn.
They used unverified information from the Steele dossier in the Russia collusion criminal investigation.
FBI agents falsified affidavits for FISA warrants to spy on Team Trump. A DOJ attorney pled guilty to knowingly providing and using false information to obtain a FISA warrant.
The same DOJ and FBI that bent over backward to accommodate Hillary Clinton during the classified information criminal investigation that Attorney General Lynch insisted on calling a “matter.” Classified materials were found on her personal server. No FBI search warrants done at her New York or D.C. homes.
But we have FBI agents storming Trump’s residence seizing boxes of records believed related to classified National Archives records. All occurring within three months of the November elections, in which there are numerous candidates, including Kari Lake, running for office endorsed by Trump. I think this was politically motivated, again.
Amanda Blakely
Vail
Classified information
Anyone else who handles classified information and removes that information from the controlled environment like Trump did would be facing far more scrutiny than Trump. Anyone working with classified information is subject to the rules of handling classified information.
Taking classified information out of the area (especially sensitive compartmented information, SCI) without proper authorization and following document handling procedures could result in loss of your job and potential criminal charges.
Trump was and is subject to all of the same restrictions regardless of being a former president. Why is it that Republicans think that he should be above the law? Trump wanted to “get Hillary” for her emails but feels he is being persecuted.
The GOP has decided that he can make up his own rules. I wonder when the GOP will realize they have been, and continue to be, duped by one of the greatest con men in history. If you want Trump again, be careful what you wish for! America doesn’t need a dictator.
George Ball
Midtown
