Tucson Speaks Out: June 14 letters of the day

Re: the June 9 article “Ciscomani set an example in politics.”

Phillip Petersen’s ode to Juan Ciscomani perfectly illustrates just how far the bar has fallen for Republican representatives. To start, the debt ceiling deal was pure fiscal terrorism. The Republicans walked into our home with an explosive belt and demanded draconian cuts or they blow us all to economic smithereens. This is not an over statement. The added cost in interest alone would have cost us trillions and helped China’s push to replace the dollar as the world currency. Where was Ciscomani’s voice when they sent in the bomber? Kolbe, Barber or Giffords would have stood up to the terrorists before their threats could hurt us. Comparing him to them is an insult to real representatives. The hostages have been released and now he’s the great statesman for voting against the alternative of worst self inflicted financial disaster in our history and political suicide for himself? If Petersen wants to lower the bar any further he better bring a shovel.

Guy Rovella

Midtown

ATC performance defies political silliness

Re: the June 8 Caliente article “Arizona Theatre finale jumps into drag show debate.”

We saw this show at ATC on opening night, March 13, 2020. Unfortunately, that was also its closing night, since the city shut down for COVID the next day. If we’d known then what we know now, we’d have guessed the shut-down was due to the outcry of a bunch of people trying to gain political leverage with another silly wedge/distraction, such as the harmfulness of drag shows, not due to the oncoming pandemic. But, alas, Tucson is too sophisticated for that. In any event, we loved this charming, humorous, well-acted show so well that we came to opening night again. It’s even better than we recall — and that’s saying something. We hope there will be and should be full houses — because imagine the cost of having to shut down a show after opening night.

Denice Blake

Midtown

Oklahoma Raiders

Regarding the University of Oklahoma winning its third straight Women’s College World Series this year, tying UCLA, and breaking the UA’s softball consecutive win streak of 47, which are considerable feats, they have consistently poached good players from other teams, including the UA, ASU and others through the years. They had only one player from OK on their roster! With no year sit out rule for transferring, as was the case for college baseball, basketball and football, they are free to continue poaching good players to restock their juggernaut. I believe softball should have the sit out rule, requiring reconsideration of the current college transfer portal. Otherwise, OU will continue to roll on and roll over the competition. OU’s team name is Sooners. Sooners were people who left early before the assigned time for the 1889 OK land rush. In other words, they were cheaters. OU has adopted the name.

Raymond Silverstein

Midtown

Fiscal insanity

Re: the June 11 article “Debt Limit Bill is a step in the right direction.”

Representative Juan Ciscomani’s opinion piece fails to mention one big step not taken. Representative Ciscomani lists a number of reasons he supported this bill but one reason he fails to mention is this bill also cut significant funding to the Internal Revenue Service; funding that would have enabled the IRS to collect taxes due from the very wealthy and from corporations. This is the missing “step in the right direction” that would have benefitted many of his Southern Arizona constituents and set the “federal government on a path towards fiscal sanity.” Somehow sanity is not in the cards for Republicans.

Fran McNeely

Northeast side

What’s in a name?

If the current multiple counts indictment had been filed against John Q. Smith, the GOP would be screaming for their life imprisonment without parole. And if they were a person of color? Why a firing squad for treason would be their demand. So much for equal justice for all.

Robert Stanelle

Green Valley

Lane Santa Cruz is the best choice

Re: the June 6 letter “Sit this one out, Raul.”

I am responding to a letter directed at me by former Tucson Councilman Jerry Anderson. Mr. Anderson praises my reputation as an elected official but claims my support for Councilmember Lane Santa Cruz for Ward One will soil that reputation. Mr. Anderson supports the opponent, Miguel Ortega, who has run unsuccessfully for various public offices and has never received my support or vote. Mr. Anderson has a right to his preferred candidate, but just because it is different than my own does not imply that my reputation is at stake.

Tucson is my hometown and Ward One is where I have always lived and worked. I take my endorsements for this seat seriously. Moving forward, we face challenging transitions in this city, and we need leadership that thinks beyond their nose. Climate change, equity, housing, water, our children and their education — we need leaders who have the compassion, intellect, and strength to speak and act upon policies that are forward-looking. For these reasons, I support Lane Santa Cruz.

Raul Grijalva

West side

Border wall revisited

The Biden Administration shut down construction of the border wall on day one of the regime stating that the wall was ineffective. Interestingly, the State of Texas, with no help from the federal government, installed razor wire coils backed by agents at high traffic areas in south Texas. No undocumented crossed in this area. They either went back, found another area to cross illegally, or more acceptably, crossed at a legal point of entry. Now, the state of Texas, again with no assistance, is placing floating barriers in the middle of the Rio Grande River and they are again successful in preventing the migrants from crossing illegally in Texas. When will the Federal Government wake up and do all that’s possible to promote legal immigration.

Loyal M. Johnson Jr.

Oro Valley

Regulated vs unregulated

There have been a lot of letters complaining about the development of a new copper mine southeast of Tucson in the Rincon Mountains. There will be zero discharge of pollutants from the new mine but there will be mining in the Rincon mountains that is clearly visible. Tucson Electric Power currently produces eight to nine million tons of carbon dioxide per year while producing electricity for Tucson. Carbon dioxide is invisible and unregulated but affects the global environment not just the local esthetic. Electricity can be produced without releasing carbon dioxide but not without significant cost.

Thomas Bolles

Northwest side