Tucson Speaks Out: August 6

Ciscomani lost his voice

Why is POTUS involved in Ohio Rep. Max Miller’s alleged spousal and child abuse case urging him to step aside? Why isn't CD-6 Rep. Juan Ciscomani speaking out? This is just another example of Ciscomani abandoning his own responsibilities, even when is comes to the behavior of his own colleagues in Congress. Remember this on November 3rd.

Julie Smith

Foothills

Here is the Loyal opposition

I saw the news today, oh boy. It said the hottest days may be behind and that soon the school bells they will chime. For me, that just means that it's time to make book. While life has become something of a spectator sport for many of us on these pages, few can forget the thrill of new beginnings. My beloveds lwill both be starting community college. The dreams I had of them becoming the twin towers in high school sports have passed. It turned out they loved art and dance more. The lessons they taught me was that we need to let people do the things they love and not sweat the small stuff. Enough with the transgender bashing, Mr LoyalJohnson.et al. Let us stop ICE from stalking our families at school because that is what Mother Mary tells us to do.

Sherry Ivester

Midtown

That's a hard no

The mother who has to "protect her girls," from transgender players, knows little about the facts. Does she know that through well respected scientific studies, trans women actually Fair worse than genetic-born women. Trans women have less hand strength, lower muscle strength, lower lung function, more fat Mass, and their hemoglobin profile which is the measure of athletes is equal. Does she know that there are less than 0.001% of women athletes in the U.S? This is prejudice, much like the nazi theology in 1939! There are bigger issues to fight for, such as school lunches, and the price of school sports, which is unaffordable for many families. I am disgusted with Republicans use of hate to energize their base!

Jane Merrifield-Beecher

North side

The cost of UA

Currently I have a granddaughter registering for the UA. I was flabbergasted at the cost of her four years at UA. 18 years ago, we put some money in a 529 investment account. We ended up with just enough to pay for one year’s tuition. In order to fully fund all four years, our initial investment needed to be $50,000! How many middle class families have that much available to save for their kids college? Not me. Not you. Only the very rich. College kids incur student debt that could require up to 20 years to repay. I suggest the following action from Congress. Set Federal student loans at zero interest with 50% of the loan credited upon the kids graduation. This would not only ease the significant financial burden but would strongly encourage kids who started, to finish college. Congress should do something for the ordinary folks for a change not just for the rich.

Dennis Winsten

Northeast side

Hey Boomer

Remember when ICE began, and they were disappearing people off the streets, with their due process and rights being violated? I remember how you ridiculed us for standing up for them. You have confirmed at another time, that you are a “critical thinker”. If that’s true, you may want to do some inner reflection on your homophobic tendencies. Since you have also criticized me and people like me for organizing “No Kings” rallies it’s makes it pretty clear to understand that you don’t give a fat rats behind about what the future of our children will face, just as long as there are no transgenders in women’s sports. A guy with as much contempt for his fellow humans as you would wish that their children look down on them in disgust, is sick. My wish for you and your type is that your grandkids dump your ashes in the toilet, defecate and flush.

Larry Robinson

Midtown

MAGA cult

Loyal continues to pucker up for Trump. I think he would fit in as a follower of Jim Jones, David Koresh, et al. He's in a cult with blind obedience to the leader no matter who insane the leader is. The Republicans most important issue is transgender men in sports. I don't believe men should be in women's sports. But this affects almost nobody. I've played coed volleyball, there are other outlets for everyone But as a matter of importance, it's less than the top 100 to me. Inflation, unnecessary wars, loss of world prestige, water, climate change, corruption in government, affordable housing for grandkids, science based medicine, good health care matter. Maybe Loyal's infatuation and obsession with trans people is a Freudian issue …

Therapy might help. I would trust a trans person more than Trump with teenage girls, or just women in general.

Craig Miller

Northwest side

Senate fails to do its job

The Senate hit a new low in considering the Blanche nomination for AG. A very important part of its work, in which the senate Republicans are failing (along with the house) is to support our constitutional “separation of powers” to serve as a check on executive branch excess and abuse of power. The nomination of Blanche has raised an issue of proposed Trump corruption which apparently the senate will endorse.

Blanche injected a bizarre twist in his confirmation process by authoring and sponsoring the Trump fund for Jan. 6 criminals and tax immunity for Trump, his business and family. Opposition from two Republicans reportedly has killed the fund but left the immunity in tact.

We taxpayers will make up for our treasury’s loss of the taxes Trump owes. In the government I was taught about in school Presidents paid their taxes. This is an ethical and unprecedented scam on the American people. And the senate Republicans are supporting it, rather than doing their job.

Jim Greene

Marana

Socialism

Kathleen Parker is a conservative opinion writer for the Washington Post, periodically published in the Star. She claims that everyone should agree that “socialism is bad.” The two most popular programs in the U.S. are Social Security and Medicare, both socialist programs. Finland, consistently rated as the happiest country in the world, is a social democracy, with a comprehensive welfare state, universal healthcare, and progressive taxation. Meanwhile, the U.S. health care system ranks as the worst among leading high-income industrialized nations, according to the September 2024 Mirror, Mirror report by The Commonwealth Fund. The United States consistently records the highest budget deficits among leading industrial economies and advanced nations, currently at an unsustainable 101% of GDP, despite not spending on “socialist” programs that benefit its citizens, like child care, care of the elderly and food security. No wonder democratic socialism appeals to so many people.

Sean Bruner

West side