Letters to the Editor: Oct. 8

Our televised political “debates” have degenerated into nothing more than slugfests of name-calling and grandstanding. Very little energy goes into explaining candidates’ policy positions and vision, which voters need in order to make informed choices. I admire Katie Hobbs for refusing to take part in a televised “debate” and for suggesting an alternative format that would actually enlighten voters. If more candidates followed her lead we could perhaps find our way forward to an era of decorum and respect in the public forum.

Becky Hilst

SaddleBrooke

So you think it could never happen here

The series on PBS “The U.S. and the Holocaust” shows the deep fear of Jews and immigrants in the U.S. The fear, hatred and lies about those who are not “like us” has come back to America in the form of many groups.

Southern Poverty Law Center identified 733 hate groups in 2021. Wikipedia says there are 38,000 Oath Keepers.. NBC reported QAnon groups have millions of members, including Arizona politicians.

The AZ Mirror lists Mary Ann Mendoza, Liz Harris, David Farnsworth, and Justine Wadsack as sharing the QAnon slogan on social media. ABC News reports Republican Secretary of State candidate Mark Finchem “continues to espouse the ‘Big Lie’” and won’t say if he will accept the vote count of an election. Rep. Finchem appeared on a number of QAnon talk shows and spoke at their conferences. Kari Lake appeared on the “InTheMatrix” QAnon show.

Please watch the series.

Ray Omdahl

Green Valley

Lake chosen over Taylor Robson

In selecting the Republican candidate for Arizona governor in the recent primary election, voters turned down Karrin Taylor Robson and chose Kari Lake. Lake, a recent local newscaster, apparently is qualified to be the next governor as opposed to Robson, a principal of a real estate/zoning law firm, staff assistant for President Ronald Reagan’s economic policy council, staff assistant for the Office of Cabinet Affairs in the administration of George H.W. Bush, and a member of the Arizona Board of Regents from 2017 until 2021. Robson has a BA degree in history, political science and her JD from ASU College of Law. Lake has a BA degree in both communications and journalism. It seems obvious that if concerned voters don’t care to go to the polls in November then a totally unqualified candidate will become AZ governor and further embrace the cult that the Republican Party has become.

Owen Rentfro

Midtown

Upcoming election chaos

Is there any doubt election deniers will claim election fraud if they lose the general election? They claimed fraud before the primary election votes were even cast and indicated if they don’t win, “there’s cheating going on.” Nationwide, they are sowing the seeds of distrust and claiming to have proof of fraud while providing no evidence. Why are they allowed to do so with impunity? Don’t libel or slander laws apply? Taxpayers are footing the bill for sham audits and recounts when extensive procedures are in place to ensure free and fair elections. “Free” speech shouldn’t come at a cost to the taxpayers. Make the ones contesting election results pay for it and all incurred costs (replacement equipment, government manpower, court costs, etc) and any damages caused when election officials or government property are attacked, regardless of party affiliation. If election fraud is discovered to the extent it affects the outcome, then they will be reimbursed.

Dianne Lethaby

East side

Russia-Ukraine War

Politics and idealism are driving the Russia-Ukraine War. President Biden, Volodymyr Zelensky and Vladimir Putin all want to appear strong and resolute. Politics demands this posture. Biden is conscious of Barack Obama’s declared “red line” warning to Bashar al-Assad against use of chemical weapons and the disastrous withdrawals from Vietnam and Afghanistan. The war is good politically for Zelensky as long as the U. S. and others are bankrolling it. Putin cannot let the former Soviet Socialist Republic of Ukraine cause any kind of military defeat against Russia. But the war has caused skyrocketing prices of energy and food, millions of refugees, tens of thousands of deaths and the massive devastation of Ukraine. This war cannot go on indefinitely. The Biden administration needs to initiate peace talks. This will not be good short-term U. S. politics; even though it won’t be easy, it’s the right thing to do.

Douglas R. Holm

East side

Fatherhood is a privilege

RE: the Sept. 27 article “In GOP legislatures, a gender divide emerges over abortion.”

Leah Willingham states in her article “… After the bill passed, the House clerk read a lengthy resolution introduced by a white male lawmaker describing how society should view mothers. Motherhood is a privilege, it said, and shouldn’t be treated as ‘a mere option ...’”

Isn’t fatherhood also a privilege? Why aren’t all these abortion-banning bills accompanied by riders requiring that the father acknowledge his privilege and commit to supporting mother and child until the child is an adult. What, he’ll miss college? So will she. Oh, he really loves someone else? So does she. It’s not his child? Prove it. DNA testing can now be done at 7-8 weeks.

If an abortion ban meant that the male counterpart had to give up an equal portion of his life for child care, I bet abortion would be legalized immediately. And, buy stock in birth-control product companies.

Stella Miles

Southwest side

Finchem lost

Candidate Mark Finchem is posting signs around town claiming he “Protects Gun Rights.” The Arizona Secretary of State’s office has nothing to do with guns? His supporters might fire a flare. He’s lost — in all meanings of the word.

Ted Downing, former Tucson State Representative

Midtown

CFSD School Board

As a parent of children that go to Manzanita, I am horrified with the opponents of our current school board in the upcoming election in CFSD. Back-to-Basics is founded on gaslighting, racist, political rhetoric, while Amy Krauss, Amy Bhola and Gina Mehmert have over 50 years of combined experience dedicated to CFSD as current board members and school volunteers. The opponents would completely wreck CFSD’s standing as the No. 1 school district in Arizona. Teachers are already saying they will quit if these people with zero experience are elected. Parents are saying they would move. The opponents are only interested in dismantling our amazing public schools. Our students and property values will suffer. Vote for Krauss, Bhola and Mehmert to protect CFSD’S excellence as the No. 1 school district in the entire state and our community.

Tiila Abbitt

Foothills

Lets cheer together

Re: the Sept. 25 article “Stop demonizing political opposition.”

Congratulations to Tim Steller for his Sunday article on helping to bridge the divide between the politics going on in this state and country. We all stand up and cheer the American flag. We all stand up and cheer when the Wildcats hit the field and floor. If only we can transcend this unity to our political system. Our country and state would be better for it. Thanks, Tim.

Jimmy Fein

Midtow

Importance of your school board vote

Amy Bhola, Amy Krauss and Gina Mehmert, running for Catalina Foothills School Board, believe in public education and are dedicated to keeping Catalina Foothills School District at the highest level. It is crucial to vote and support the public school system even if you have no young children. Curriculum and treatment of students and outreach by schools affects every walk of life and every person. These children are not only our future, but they are our present. The preparation at school determines whether we will be prisoners in our homes, afraid to go by car or bus to the store, repair our homes, have art, theater and books as a part of our lives and other activities now and in the future. I hope people in every area will vote, tell their neighbors and friends to vote and stress the importance of these candidates interested in moving Arizona forward and not backward.

Dee-Dee Samet Chandler

Foothills

Amphitheater Board election

I am writing in support of Matt Kopec for a position on the Amphitheater School Board. This would be Matt’s second term on the board, where he has served loyally for three years. During that time, he supported the expansion of all-day kindergarten to all elementary schools and approved wage increases for faculty and staff. He would like to expand the capacity of pre-kindergarten and work on a career center at Amphi High School.

I have known Matt for a number of years and find him to be a conscientious person and deeply committed to issues concerning children. By emphasizing early childhood education, he is laying the groundwork for increased graduation rates, better grades for students and higher ratings for schools. We in the Amphi district are lucky to have someone as dedicated as Matt on this board.

Please vote for Kopec for Amphitheater School Board.

Sandy Elers, fellow board member

Northwest side

Stark choices in upcoming election

Never in the history of Arizona elections have there been more stark choices than this year. We are being asked to choose between MAGA Republican candidates who still claim the last election was a fraud, curb funding to public schools, and deny abortions even in the case of rape or severe danger to the mother’s health, or moderate Democratic candidates who will protect our voting rights, fully fund our state’s public education system, and restore women’s healthcare rights.

We need to vote for candidates who care about these priorities.

The choices we make at the top of the ballot- Mark Kelly, Katie Hobbs, Kris Mayes, Adrian Fontes — are crucial, but so too are those down the ballot where the choices we make for State Legislature and AZ Corporation Commission will impact our daily lives.

If we elect serious, thoughtful leaders who understand the facts, we can turn Arizona around.

Joseph Alexander

Oro Valley

Not your average politician

Not all politicians are motivated by ego, power and money. Take Mike Nickerson, for example, a retired pastor running for Arizona Senate in LD17. Mike is running to serve Marana, Oro Valley, SaddleBrooke, Tanque Verde and Rita Ranch, and believes we have much more in common than we do not.

Mike will work for a prosperous future, and knows this requires a well-educated workforce to attract new business. He is committed to supporting our next generation of students and their teachers by fully funding public education.

Nickerson believes in a non-intrusive government that protects our rights and our privacy. Mike has counseled many women through difficult pregnancies and choices and believes that healthcare decisions should be made by a woman and her doctor.

Mike will face our water crisis head on, and not shirk his responsibilities in this area as his predecessors have.

Nickerson is definitely not your average politician. That’s why he deserves your vote in November.

Chris Hawkins

Midtown

EVs during power outages

Hurricane Ian left over 2 million people in Florida without electric power and hundreds of thousands more in the Carolinas. What would these people be doing if Democrats had already banned fossil fuel powered vehicles nationally and mandated purchase of electric vehicles? Think of the emergency vehicles and utility repair vehicles that would have been immobilized if all were electric. Gasoline and diesel can be trucked into stations, electricity cannot. Hurricane Ian revealed a flaw in the Democrats’ national agenda of forcing everyone into an electric vehicle and it should be cause for second thoughts before buying one. Solar roof panels did not fare well either in Florida due to Ian’s wind damage, thus not providing electricity to homes and businesses. But back up gasoline powered generators did. Because current CO2 levels in the atmosphere will last for decades to centuries, we can surely expect more Ians caused by Global Warming. Keep fossil fueled vehicles and let those who want EVs to voluntarily buy them, but not forced upon them.

Dorothy Monroe

Sierra Vista