Tucson Speaks Out: November 4

John Roberts and the Supreme Court

In her book Without Precedent, author Lisa Graves suggests that Roberts has undermined US democracy. There has been an organized capture of the SCOTUS by the far right, in the form of the Federalist Society and Leonard Leo in particular. They have installed a billionaire presence in the court with the intent of perpetuating their agenda. The author says that agenda is to revert the law to the robber baron era.

I remember Roberts’ nomination hearing in which he suggested that no one is above the law. Now he seems to have made an exception for Trump. Roberts portrays himself as an institutionalist, a fair umpire but his actions are that of someone pushing an agenda that goes counter to our Founders’ ideals. Chief Justice of the SCOTUS is a critical power position, and when that position favors authoritarianism, we are in deep trouble.

Steve Rasmussen

Foothills

When simple lies are not enough

It’s a sad fact that the Trump administration continually feels it must bolster its image by lying and relying on social media (where fact checkers do not exist) to convince citizens of its competence.

The latest blatant examples of misdirection (that’s the polite term for sheer fabrication) are the Department of Homeland Security’s doctored videos of previous immigration operations recorded in Los Angeles and West Palm Beach, Florida, re-used as an attempt to convince the American people that ICE’s takeover of Washington, D.C. was a battle for the soul of the nation, and they’d been working ceaselessly to detain and deport “vicious criminals.”

Whatever happened to “Truth, Justice, and the American Way,” since Mr. Trump seems to regard himself as today’s equivalent of Superman?

Melody Sears

North side

A rose by any other name

The proposal for five city-owned grocery stores by Zohran Mamdani, the Democratic-Socialist candidate for NYC mayor, has generated a lot of press. Democrats are ambivalent about him. Republicans are using his position to try to portray the Democratic party as ‘socialist’, ignoring the fact that NYC politics are unique, not representative of the country as a whole. The old phrase about politics being local still applies in city races.

After reading the Bloomberg News article (ADS,10/31/2025), it’s clear that Mamdani’s proposal is very small beer compared to the Trump administration’s obtaining ‘a piece of the action’, i.e. equity shares, in large US companies, with control of corporate decisions, and its plans to continue this practice. Rebranding this as “state capitalism” doesn’t change the fact that this is classical socialism, defined as state control of the means of production. So, anti-socialism Republicans might look to their own house first. Where has their support for free markets gone?

Barbara Hall

Midtown

Who’s next at QB?

Brilliant game again from Fifita against CU and he will surely be GOAT for # of career TDs by end of this year. Big question is if he steps into the NFL, who will take the reins. Surely not the ineffective, incapable Locke who could not hit the side of a barn. Is there someone in the roster coming up? If so, why didn’t he get a shot at CU?

Bowl appearance for Brennan and staff in 2025 would be stellar.

Mark Zaj

Foothills

Obit: US democracy

We know the image from history, the gilded ballroom at the White House in parallel to the palatial hallways of Versailles, in stark contrast to the rapid impoverishment of millions of Americans soon to suffer from famine. Our military is ordered to prepare an entirely unprovoked war against Venezuela, and this at the daily cost of millions of dollars, all wasted. The federal government is no longer working as the representative of the people, trying to deny them health care and basic food, hence the shutdown. In response to the brutal repression of the uprising by the East Germans against the Socialist regime on June 17, 1953, famous poet Brecht satirically reflected on this in his poem “The Solution”: “Would it not in that case / Be simpler for the government / To dissolve the people / And elect another?” I can see the big winner in all this political fiasco, orchestrated far away by Putin and dutifully carried out by his ‘student.’ The American hegemony has become wobbly, now visible to all.

Albrecht Classen

Midtown

No Donald, SNAP recipients are Americans

Read where you were talking to reporters on AF 1 flying to your Great Gatsby party (at taxpayers’ expense by the way) describing most SNAP beneficiaries as Democrats. Sorry Donald, these beneficiaries are Americans. They are the people you were elected to serve as POTUS, not just your uber-rich cronies. Thanks to you and the rest of your MAGA party (I don’t believe Republican applies to anyone who adheres to your way of thinking and acting) these Americans will struggle to feed themselves and their kids. But, after all, since they’re mostly Dems, so be it. Hope you enjoyed your Great Gatsby outing. Glad I could fund your flight. Maybe next you can double the cost of health care.

Norman Patten

Midtown

Medicare For All and save billions

The simplest path to affordable health care is staring us in the face: expand Medicare to everyone and eliminate the insurance middlemen who profit from sickness. America spends nearly $5 trillion a year on health care, yet millions remain uninsured. Private insurance companies siphon off 12–18 cents of every premium dollar for overhead, advertising, and executive bonuses. Traditional Medicare operates efficiently at about 2–4%.

If every American were covered under Medicare, we’d save $500 billion annually just in administrative costs, plus another $300 billion from negotiated drug and hospital prices. That’s up to $800 billion a year, money that could go to care, not paperwork and profit.

It’s no surprise that 92% of people on Medicare say they’re satisfied with their coverage. The system works. What doesn’t work is allowing insurance companies to act as toll collectors between patients and doctors. Let’s remove the toll booths, extend Medicare to everyone, and finally make health care a right, not a corporate opportunity.

Lawrence E. Mazin

SaddleBrooke

Nothing to do with fentanyl

In 2020, a private security firm (hint, hint CIA) collaborated with Venezuelan dissidents to effect regime change and were embarrassingly rebuffed.

This time the Great Invader will get it right. Supposed fishing boats are being vaporized.

Do ya think it might be overkill when a $13B carrier with Airwing 8, several escort cruisers and fast attack subs can face off against a dinghy?

I glimpse into the future and see Nobel.

Between the $20B bailout for Make Argentina Great Again and the $6.8M to $8M per day for the strike force, it makes perfect sense to eliminate SNAP, $103B annually and USAID, $23B annually. Thank you for your attention: Trump is saving us big bucks.

A president who can differentiate between an elephant and a pachyderm will start income-taxing factory robot workers.

It will be the bestest and beautifullest the universe has ever seen.

Now we won’t have to worry about the $38T national debt, of which Mr. Trump has contributed almost $8T and counting.

Thomas J. Plesniak

Midtown

Tucson community priorities

The sadness of three U of A students losing their lives because of the irresponsibility of another college student driving under the influence is overwhelming for our community. As I waited outside of my chiropractor’s office this past Friday afternoon, watching drivers brazenly breaking the speed limit on Euclid and running the red lights at Euclid and University; I angrily questioned where were our TPD traffic cops? They were nowhere to be seen, despite the tragic losses that had just occurred in the very same area of Tucson. Why aren’t our Mayor and City Council ordering Tucson’s police chief, who works for them, to prioritize enforcing traffic laws that help to make our city streets safer and perhaps avoid losing lives to this type of careless actions? Does it have to be the loss of lives and serious injuries to force action from Tucson’s elected officials? As it did with the stabbing of a bicyclist along the Rillito’s loop. Sadly, it appears it does.

Jerry Anderson

North side

Dog safety

To keep a dog restrained in the car, use a crash-tested harness that connects to a seat belt tether, a secure travel crate, or a vehicle barrier. The safest option is a specialized harness and tether, which limits movement and can prevent serious injury in an accident by stopping the dog from becoming a projectile. Always keep pets in the back seat to avoid the risk of injury from front airbags. A secure dog won’t be able to run out of the car into traffic.

Peter Bisschop

East side

Fiddling while USA burns

Nero built the Golden Palace on the ashes of Rome while many of the people were still starving and homeless. The East Wing is demolished to put up a ballroom. I didn’t realize we had so many balls.

Food assistance and healthcare are being withheld for hundreds of thousands in our country.

By the way, Nero’s Palace was completed the year of his death in 68 AD and in 70 AD it was dismantled to erect the Colosseum.

Barbara Moore

East side

Democratic nonsense revisited

There have been three LTEs printed in response to my admittedly provocative letter of fourteen tenets why I believe the Democratic Party has lost its way.

Writer Hope Gastelum offered no counterpoint only stating that I am throwing ‘out a slew of absurd distortions of reality in a rancor-filled and truth-challenged tantrum …’

John Bingham kindly acknowledged that some of my oversimplified statements are close to reality before suggesting that I do not have the functional brain cells to determine what is right and wrong.

David Hatch dealt only with the issues and asked the purpose of my letter. The answer is in the first sentence.

Perhaps readers can offer fourteen reasons why Republicans are on the wrong path.

Jeffrey McConnell

West side

Project Blue haunting

Bowled over by Dittmer’s Guest Opinion distilling fairly complex legal procedures and contract terms so I could understand it. Shame on Amazon — and shame on the Arizona Corporation Commission for failing to protect Arizonans.

It’s even worse. An October 25 Guardian article cites leaked Amazon internal memo — actual 2021 data center water use: 105 billion gallons, not PR “water positive” BS claim of only 7.7 billion gallons.

Are you sitting down? Actual water used? Would cover both Tucson and Phoenix to a depth of about 14 feet. Close your eyes: Imagine a 10-meter Olympic diving pool covering all of Tucson and all of Phoenix.

Math: 1 billion gallons of water will cover an area of about 60 sq.mi. 1” deep.

Tucson: About 240 sq.mi.; Phoenix: About 518 sq.mi.

You say data centers air cooled now? Research it yourself to see how much power will still be needed from TEP’s fossil-fuel-burning plants and know that 70% of that required cooling water is lost, bye bye.

Rick Rappaport

Oro Valley