Tucson Speaks Out: Aug. 18 letters of the day

The liberal media recently found its new shiny object in vice presidential candidate Democrat Tim Walz. His use of the single, one-syllable, five-letter word "weird" to describe Republican counterpart J.D. Vance transcended his persona to an even higher level by the same media outlets. Some things you just can't make up, even from liberals. Now it looks like the man of the hour isn't so golden after the truth came out about how he embellished his military record and misled the public into thinking he "carried guns in war." As we all know, Vance was actually in Iraq as a military journalist, is an accomplished writer, a Yale Law School graduate and a successful businessman who worked his way up from a very economically disadvantaged and humble upbringing. Perhaps a more fitting word Walz should be using to describe Vance is "impressive."

Diane Nelson

Foothills

They're fungible

As the world's largest producer of energy, and major exporter of the same, the reason our oil companies don't just keep it all here and sell it to us for less — is because of freedom. In a worldwide open market, those companies are free to seek the best return on investment.

Oil, minerals and crops are fungible. The price is set by the whole market. Can you imagine selling gas for two dollars a gallon here instead of six dollars to Europe?

Another point, how will Trump halt people from coming across the border with the enforcement that now exists? His day one will look like today except for the added chaos of the new spoils system.

Ted Morrison

Midtown

Vice president choices

Three years ago, Kamala Harris was the first presidential contender to drop out of the Democratic primaries because Democrats didn't want her. Fate or providence moves in and she is chosen to be the vice president, at the stop of a heartbeat, resignation of the sitting president, or in this case, the president deciding not to run again. JD Vance is chosen to be the GOP vice-president contender because he can gather votes in the "rust belt states."

Vice presidents are chosen to be the person who can help get the most votes, not necessarily being the best qualified to be president. We know this.

JD Vance, where did he come from? Who is he? A lot of cat women don't like him.

Kamala Harris, going from the bottom of the barrel of Democrats to becoming the vice president?

As I look back through VPs and VP picks, Cheney, Gore, Quayle, GHW Bush, Mondale, Rockefeller, Ford, all solid picks, where did Spiro Agnew come from and why?

Ed LeGendre

East side

Three thoughts on Harris

1. The backroom machinations that enthroned zero-primary-votes Kamala Harris as the Democratic presidential nominee should have an entire nation angrily exclaiming, “This isn't democracy!”

2. As a California DA and AG, Kamala Harris has an alarmingly draconian record. She oversaw nearly 2,000 marijuana convictions; cuffed and perp-walked moms for child truancy; kept nonviolent inmates locked up beyond their sentences for slave labor; and withheld potentially exculpatory DNA evidence from an appeals court for a man on death row.

Meanwhile, in D.C, she has this century’s second-most liberally radical voting record in the Senate.

With these dramatically opposed records, a campaign website devoid of policy, and having just filched Trump’s “no-taxed-tips” promise, Kamala Harris is clearly an unprincipled, fickle, and power-hungry career politician.

3. Why are “news” outlets flicking away Kamala Harris’ Indian heritage? Reportedly, her estranged father identifies as Irish and Indian, and her mother was Indian. Where's the "Blackness" for which we’re being biblically commanded to vote?

Scott R. Hammond

Downtown

All 'Christians' do NOT look the same!

I am dismayed that “news stories” are making the rounds and saying: “Christians had supported Trump at about 80%, but now that they perceive ‘divine intervention,’ their support is closer to 100%.” — Seriously? No! We do not "all look the same!”

I was raised Presbyterian. Many belong to other persuasions, but remain a part of Christian groups of beliefs. Many forms of religion exist here, including those of Native American tribes or those from all over the world. Some Trump fans who support his ideas and "religious beliefs” (which are?), are self-described “Evangelicals.” Fine. Stop trying to include “me!”

Everyone is free to make personal choices, or to not make choices. That freedom is in the U.S. Constitution for a reason, which meshes well with “Separation of Church and State."

Stop discussing this topic while using the singular of "Christian." Expand that definition! I do not wish to become one, to be confused with one, or to be included in any category “assumed" to be in support of Trump.

Elaine Cummings

Northwest side

Republican environmental consequences

I found it interesting that JD Vance feels that people without children don’t have a stake in this country. An essential part of raising children requires protecting what will be theirs in the future. I’m reminded of the famous saying “We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors; we borrow it from our children.” Donald Trump has repeatedly mocked or abandoned all efforts to begin solving the climate crisis and many Republicans deny it exists. Last time, he rolled back 98 environmental rules and was working on 14 more. He appointed Scott Pruitt, a climate change denier, to head the EPA. He pulled the U.S. out of the Paris Climate Agreement, signed by 198 countries. Voting Republican would mean returning to that environmental indifference and the reversal of the measures President Biden has been able to implement.

Young people and their parents need to vote wisely.

Jerry Krebs

SaddleBrooke

Short-sighted on the Supreme Court

Re: the Aug. 15 letter "The Star's bias Concerning the Supreme Court."

Can someone help me understand what the letter writer is saying when he says, "The reforms they advocate (Democrats) would destroy the court's true independence and its ability to serve as the final check of power of the two other branches?" His assertion of the Democrats wanting to "pack" the court to control the composition to support their social and political views is absurd. Was the letter writer born in the last few years? He seems to have forgotten that Mitch McConnell wouldn't allow Obama to select a Supreme Court justice, yet allowed the former felon the opportunity to "pack" the court with two liars that falsely testified before Congress to be selected as SCJs. The country no longer believes in the Supreme Court as a neutral arbitrator. Could that be the real reason we need ethics explained to those who have the last word on what a president can and can't do?

John Bingham

Northwest side

Harris and Trump

Re: the Aug. 12 letter "Believe them the first time."

The letter writer is absolutely correct about Maya Angelou’s quote that it reveals the true nature of people and you should believe their actions the first time they show them. Interestingly he only mentioned Trump when talking about a change of position. He failed to acknowledge the flip-flops of Ms. Harris, e.g., defund the police, stop fracking, Medicare for all, legalization of marijuana, death penalty, mandatory gun “buyback” and immigration reform. She cast the deciding vote to hire more tax agents to catch cheaters on tips taxes, now she copies the Trump initiative to eliminate taxes on tips. She’s like a chameleon, consistently changing. Once elected she can very readily change her positions on any of the above issues again. Let’s not be fooled by Ms. Harris now. And by the way, Mr. Trump did not change his mind on Project 2025; he never endorsed it in the first place.

Jerry Knoski

East side

Unborn human being?

Re: the Aug. 15 letter "Court rules against abortion-rights backers."

The ruling on the people's initiative Proposition 139 voters' brochure have left us with an undefined legal term. Therefore, we must assume that “unborn human beings” are fertilized eggs, the traditional definition of “conception.” The fertilized egg, that we are now calling “an unborn human being” must implant itself by contact with the endometrium (membrane lining the uterus). Forty percent are discarded through the menstrual cycle.

It becomes rather simple: 40% of “unborn human beings” are not affected by the people's initiative, Proposition 139. Therefore, this is NOT an appropriate term to be used in the description of the proposition.

According to the Arizona Daily Star, “Justice John Lopez …. did not explain why he and his colleagues reached their conclusion, promising a written explanation 'in due course.’” Emotional language makes explanation difficult, particularly when it’s not supported by the words of any holy book, or any science, but by politically charged Christian nationalists. Vote no on retention of Justice John Lopez.

Cindy Doklan

Midtown