Taking the prize
Re: the Dec. 3 letter “A modest proposal.”
After reading this letter several times, I came to the realization that this letter was not sick sarcasm or an unfunny joke, but that the author was deadly serious. Incredibly, she proposed a national day of recognition for those innocents murdered by gun violence, to show our thanks and appreciation for taking a bullet so that the rest of us can enjoy our Second Amendment rights, to be able to “protect ourselves.” I guess the right to life, liberty and pursuit of happiness of those murdered takes a backseat to others’ gun rights. But aren’t we good, appreciative people! Let’s honor those who have had their lives snuffed out by disturbed gun nuts, so we can continue our gun idolatry. A national day of recognition, the least we can do! This letter takes the prize for most outrageous opinion to grace the pages of the Star, and serves as a frightening glimpse into the mindset of gun worship.
People are also reading…
Deb Klumpp
Oro Valley
GOP’s legal fight against voting
Over the last decade or so, the GOP has increasingly turned away from the will of all people and embraced the interests of a very narrow-minded right-wing extremist group. Feckless lawyers are supporting their attempts basically to block most voters from casting their ballots because polling places are far away for most voters, they are subject to much bullying by GOP voting observers (as in the last election), and because the elections are always on a Tuesday, a working day. Mail-in ballots are the best way to guarantee a democratic process, and if the GOP would be really concerned about the secrecy of voting, they should bolster the efficiency of the mail system (they do not). GOP attorney Alexander Kolodin deceptively worries about “vote buying and coercion,” when the GOP has manipulatively strategized since the Trump years that any loss for the GOP is automatically the result of election fraud. Is the GOP already so emasculated that they cannot take a loss? Talking about argumentative hypocrisy!
Albrecht Classen
Midtown
Wolf in sheep’s clothing
Democrats were elated when Kyrsten Sinema become senator. Shortly thereafter, when seeing her vote for big pharma and tax cuts for the wealthy, our bubble burst. Now Sinema says she’s an Independent. My sense is she’s always known her stance, but if she ran as an Independent, she would not have won the election; this much she knew. Don’t expect her to run again in 2024, because she knows she will be defeated. There’s another word to describe Sinema other than independent, and it’s deceitful.
Janet Sabb
Northeast side
Failure to comprehend
Re: the Dec. 9 article “The end of ‘harmless’ recreational drugs.”
Robin Abcarian, welcome to the bell curve representative of human intelligence! “Stupid is as stupid does.” People will die from fentanyl-laced drugs. Disease and misadventure kill, also. The problem is controlled substance legislation. Should be called “uncontrolled substance” legislation. People have always consumed stimulants and depressants. If you want to control substances, legalize and mandate quality control. Minimize control to keep the product cost competitive to minimize illegal products competing for market share. No perfect solutions but stupid people will take themselves out of the gene pool. I have three grandchildren, but, you pays your nickel, you takes your chances.
James Abels
Midtown
Where did the money come from?
Biden has gifted $36 billion to bail out the financially troubled Teamster union pension plan. Our Constitution says that the power of the purse is vested in the legislative branch, so where did President Joe get this money? The Star dutifully informs us that it comes from the American Rescue Plan, the $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief package Biden signed into law less than two months after taking office. Tucson was granted $136 million from this same slush fund and is using it to stem the virus outbreak by spending on parks, arts, and culture.
Apparently, only we in the political minority are outraged by this corrupt misuse of our precious tax dollars and if you believe this is good governance, you must be a Democrat.
Jeffrey McConnell
West side
Desperation or contempt on Prop 211
Proposition 211 — The Campaign Finance Sources Disclosure Initiative — was approved by Arizona voters with nearly a three-to-one margin. The Center for Arizona Policy and the Arizona Free Enterprise Club, represented by the Goldwater Institute, have brought suit seeking to void Proposition 211. Each of these organizations proclaim to be champions of “liberty and freedom,” either in their organization’s name or mission statements, yet they seek to overturn the will of the people. Ask yourself, is their lawsuit an act of desperation seeking to preserve their dark money influence, or one of contempt for Arizona voters?
Sheldon Clark
Vail
AZ needs local control
Re: the Dec. 18 article “Pet stores draw complaints, legal action.”
Arizona has a problem with puppy mills and “Tucson pet stores skirt consumer protection laws…” shows it’s time to do something about it. Pet store puppies are cute. Some may say they are addicting. Unknowing consumers, overcome with maternal instincts and endorphins, will scoop them up, pay exorbitant prices, and trust the store’s misleading promises. Yet only shortly after purchase, when the puppies’ illness, anxiety, or aggression sets in, these new puppy parents see their fate without the rose-colored glasses.
Most pet store puppies come from puppy mills and public records prove that. While Arizona’s puppy lemon law aims to stop puppy mill sales (while still allowing pet stores to sell puppies), our tax dollars are being used to force stores who knowingly break the law into compliance. It’s time our state Legislature repeals the pet store preemption law and gives our communities a say in what businesses can operate in our towns.
Jean Keplinger
Midtown
Water Crisis in Arizona
One of the major challenges to our State and Federal politicians is how to preserve and equitably distribute our diminishing supply of water.
Arizona congressman, Ruben Gallego (7th Congressional District) recently introduced HR 9194 known as the Domestic Water Protection Act of 2022.
This bill imposes an excise tax on water-intensive crops grown in drought areas for exporting. Arizona leases huge amounts of land to Fondomonte, a Saudi Arabian Dairy Company. Fondomonte grows water hungry alfalfa on discounted land with cheap water. The State Land department estimates the amount of water used by this company would be enough to supply 54,000 homes with an estimated value of $3.9 million. The harvested alfalfa is shipped 8,000 miles to Saudi Arabia to feed their dairy cows.
This should not have been allowed to happen.
Lawrence Gravitz
Green Valley
Why release Trump’s tax returns now
One reason to release Trump’s tax returns to the public — he already is a declared candidate for the presidency in 2024. As such, the public is entitled to as much information as we can get.
Also, is there anyone who really believes he will voluntarily provide his tax returns now or in the future? We all know the answer to this question.
Craig Whaley
Oro Valley
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Waste containers
Re: the Dec. 11 article “‘Containerland’ only serves political purpose.”
A thought while reading Tim Steller’s excellent article on Ducey’s container wall. Whether Ducey’s wall is a political stunt paid for by Arizona’s tax payers or that he actually thinks it will make a dent in drugs coming into our country the most ironic thing is the material he used to build it: shipping containers. Last year, America’s biggest ports handled a record 50.5 million shipping containers. Each about the size of a semi trailer. Only 3-5% of those are chosen for a customs exam. That’s 48 million uninspected semi-truck size boxes entering the U.S. every year. About 90 a minute, 24/7, 365 days a year, but Ducey wastes $95 million that could be going to starved schools to stop a handful of people with back packs. This is bad political theater at our expense and if you expect anything different when he runs for national office, you’re going to be disappointed.
Guy Rovella
Midtown
