Tucson Speaks Out: November 15

As of this writing, the shutdown is ending. Eight Democratic senators voted with Republicans to reopen the government, sparking outrage from the Democratic base. Yet they did the right thing. As the minority party, Democrats had little leverage; prolonged gridlock was unlikely to bring GOP concessions. Meanwhile, President Trump’s cruelty — especially his administration’s successful Supreme Court bid to block full food stamp benefits — was hurting families. Airports were straining, and federal workers and military members were going without pay.

I, too, wish more compromises had been secured, but Democrats turning anger inward will not help. We must remember who caused this crisis: the GOP Congress and representatives like Juan Ciscomani, who voted with Trump to strip away health care and raise premiums. By keeping our focus on what truly matters, Democrats can defeat the Trump agenda at the ballot box.

Rahul Sivaprasad

Northwest side

What is Trump’s limit?

I would like to hear from Loyal and McConnell as to what behavior of Trump’s would be a bridge too far for them. I don’t think it exists. As Trump said, “I love the uneducated” and “I could stand in the middle of Fifth Avenue and shoot somebody, and I wouldn’t lose any voters, OK?” Not even going into how horrible his policies have been, just his behavior. He told 30k lies in his first term. He openly boasted about sexual assault. He was found to have committed sexual assault. He’s a felon on 34 counts. Draft dodging, not paying taxes, constantly cheating on wives, stiffing investors, racism, multiple bankruptcies, and trying to overthrow an election.

I saw a line that normal people don’t vote for rapists. Please tell me what your litmus test of what behavior would be too much for you? I actually think this says more about you than Trump.

Craig Miller

Northwest side

Electric bike etiquette

Consider me, a road cyclist, operating under “pedal power.” Of late, bike lanes and bike paths here are seeing increasing numbers of electric-bike riders.

Let’s consider:

1. Your e-bike is electric. It makes no noise, so please, when passing, use a bell or tell me you are passing before you overtake me.

2. Realize that in most cases, you are traveling at a greater speed than I am, and your bike weighs many more pounds than mine, so please be aware, on my road bike I fear when you approach me lost in space, or two abreast, seemingly unaware of your power over me.

3. And finally, when I am on an uphill grade, and you blow by me, do NOT say “good job,” like I am some small child on some small bike. You are not competing with me climbing that hill.

Let’s all enjoy the great cycling routes we have here, and treat each other with respect for a sport we all love.

Leslie Dierauf

Oro Valley

Adelita Grijalva

Adelita Grijalva couldn’t wait to be sworn into the House of Representatives so she could cast her important vote to keep the federal government closed.

Kelly Sherwin

North side

Mostly peaceful

Since the George Floyd incident, the liberal media has been infatuated with the description “mostly peaceful protest.” What exactly does that mean? When the videos show burning buildings and cars, rocks being hurled, fireworks, spitting and swearing, is that considered peaceful? Is mostly peaceful only one burning building, or two cars set on fire, or three law enforcement personnel injured? Literary accuracy would demand that a protest is peaceful or not peaceful. A proper description, if one was honest and not biased, would be that a protest was mostly peaceful except for the business that was burned to the ground, 15 windows shattered, two law enforcement officers requiring medical attention and the cost of enforcement and physical damage was estimated to be $150,000. Why can’t the liberal media tell the whole truth instead of promoting and protecting their selected side of every issue? Fair and balanced is no longer a foundational tenet of their journalism. There is no trust left for the inquisitive. Facts do not matter.

Loyal Johnson

Oro Valley

Epstein debacle

To Members of the United States House of Representatives,

Your continued refusal to demand the full and immediate release of all documents related to Jeffrey Epstein’s criminal enterprise is a moral failure of staggering proportions. By withholding the truth about systemic child trafficking and underage sexual abuse, you are not merely complicit — you are endorsing the concealment of crimes that have shattered lives and undermined public trust in our institutions.

This is not a partisan issue. It is a human one. And yet, only a handful of your colleagues — Marjorie Taylor Greene, Lauren Boebert, Nancy Mace, and Thomas Massie — have demonstrated the ethical courage to call for transparency, knowing full well that the truth may implicate powerful individuals across the political spectrum. That includes Donald Trump, if the evidence warrants it. No one is above the law. Not presidents. Not billionaires. Not judges. Not you.

Dale Pelton

Northwest side

Math teachers’ shirts

Math teachers at Cienega High School wore T-shirts with red stains and the words, “Problem Solved” for Halloween this year. They also wore them last year in 2024. So, by basic logic, the shirts had nothing to do with the tragic and despicable assassination of Charlie Kirk. Yet State Treasurer Kimberly Yee jumped on the bandwagon, attacking the teachers for their alleged disrespect of Mr. Kirk with no checking of the validity of the attack. Even when informed of the use of the shirts in 2024, she continued her attack. Yet she wants to be the Republican Superintendent of Instruction. If she can’t figure out this simple logic problem, why would anyone want her to have anything to do with education?

Don Ries

Southeast side

Ignorance

A recent letter was focused on semantics, the difference between Socialism and Communism, minimizing the effects of those systems. The Democratic Party is now left-leaning, elevating those who are socialist as their new leaders. The off-election year saw blue states electing liberals as if it were a blue wave. Fortunately, most Americans believe in America and know that through hard work and sacrifice, we are the greatest country on Earth. For those who think there is a free lunch coming need to look at Venezuela. This country was the wealthiest in all of South America. The standard of living was high. Once Maduro, a socialist, took office the country rapidly declined and its citizens were impoverished. America today has millions who have come here illegally, placing financial burdens on the system. The Democrats don’t have a plan and are subscribing to the likes of A.O.C., Sanders and Crockett as their leaders. Wake up and realize that part of our country is going astray, don’t let it happen.

Bill Dowdall

Oro Valley

Healthcare subsidies

The political fight about healthcare insurance subsidies misses the point and begs the question: Healthcare insurance shouldn’t be so expensive in the first place. All subsidies do is prop up inflated prices. The intercession of for-profit insurers, pharmaceutical management companies, and absurdly high drug prices, to say nothing of the lack of a rational mechanism for determining the most expensive end-of-life care, all drive up healthcare costs in this country substantially and unnecessarily. Until and unless these underlying causes of a catastrophically high-priced and inefficient healthcare system are addressed, these insurance wars will continue while prices still rise.

Richard Sybert

Foothills

Medical malpractice

Mr. McConnell neglected to point out that if Dr. Trump had not killed the proposed bipartisan legislation on immigration proposed in 2024, so he could use it as a campaign issue, the immigration issue would not be in the emergency room. He is so adamant about immigration, he should have ICE review Melania’s application for the Einstein visa.

Before McConnell’s “Physician-in-Chief” performs any surgery on Biden’s cognitive decline, he ought to read some of the analyses of Trump’s personality in Psychology Today. The references are too numerous to mention, but frightening all.

Todd Ackerman

Foothills

A breath before speaking or typing

A great opinion from Rabbi Yehuda Ceitlin. Thanks for the Tucson Opinion in the Nov. 13 edition of the Star. The wisdom he shared is so needed. I suggest all might benefit if they take the time to find it and read it.

Dan Bannon

Midtown

Correct use of the Situation Room

I prefer presidents who do not use the Situation Room to cover up their involvement in the biggest child sex abuse scandal the world has ever seen. How about you?

Terry Louck

East side