Tucson Speaks Out: May 24 letters of the day

DeSantis, Florida need to wake up

Check this out. Alabama has five park sites, all reflecting black history, as it should be presented, during the Civil Rights Era. These sites reflect honestly on the past. That can lead to healing. These stories of all black and brown people need to be told. Even if it makes you feel uncomfortable, say, like Ron DeSantis, Governor of Florida. The people in Florida and elsewhere, who support this racist governor, and these racist policies need to be “woke” up! So sad white supremacy rules in Florida, even though it’s 2023! Also, DeSantis taking on Disney is a very bad idea. You will never WIN!

Mary Bradley

Northeast side

Debt limit

So, let me get this right. The debt limit was raised three times when Donald Trump was the president, with absolutely no preconditions. Now the Republicans want to cut numerous programs, like food stamps and health care, that help mainly the disadvantaged and middle class. I understand that even cutting veterans’ benefits have been mentioned.

What is wrong with this picture? Kevin McCarthy needs to wake up and see how real people try to live. Seniors have been told to make “other” arrangements if SS checks are not forthcoming. Just what “other” arrangements can be made when SS is your only source of monthly income?

Jeannette Jackman

East side

When even TPD run red lights?

I live in central Tucson and travel east to teach. I hate the red light runners on left turns; they are not even turning on a yellow light; they are turning on a red. Those with a green light have to wait for them. It happens at every major intersection in Tucson. What is most infuriating is that the police do it too! It happened twice to me this week: at 22nd and Craycroft, and at Broadway and Craycroft. I have witnessed it at other intersections, but twice in one week?! I would love to say they were going after the last red light runner, but they were not. TPD should set an example for its driving citizens. Can we bring back the traffic cameras, please? Driving in Tucson is scary!

Carol Ann Karpen

Downtown

What’s killing the racehorses?

Are there any federal and/or state laws that can be used to investigate the business of horse racing in the U.S.? Racehorses are dying in unprecedented numbers. There are obviously one or more reasons why. Perhaps it is just a coincidence that so many of those that have died have been trained by one particular trainer. A trainer that has previously been temporarily banned because his horses did not pass drug tests. The deaths need to be thoroughly investigated … and perhaps new laws need to be written. Or perhaps old laws need to be enforced. Broken laws need to be litigated. These horses need to be protected. Maybe the “sport” needs to be halted until these actions have been completed.

Sue Thompson

SaddleBrooke

Crime against Americans

A letter writer feels that the situation at our southern border (“since Joe Biden was elected”) is the greatest crime ever perpetrated against the American people. As if there were no border issues prior to Biden! I disagree that this is the most egregious crime ever committed against the American people. That distinction belongs to those responsible for the Jan. 6 insurrection, when a sore loser president orchestrated and condoned a violent and deadly coup attempt to overthrow our government and destroy our democracy. Incredibly, the deranged, disgraced miscreant is vying again to be president with the support of his weak and cowardly party. Welcome to the Twilight Zone.

Deb Klumpp

Oro Valley

National economics

Unless you are a WWII veteran or of that age, you have not experienced the Great Depression caused by the Republican Party. Now the Republican Party wants to cause the government to default so they can blame the Democratic President in the next election. It took World War II to break the Great Depression and four terms of Franklin Roosevelt, a Democrat. The Americans need to vote a straight Democratic ticket to thwart the Republican tactics.

My generation is few, so the memories are lost, but the Great Recession caused by the Republicans is still fresh in many minds. A word to the wise is sufficient. Vote Democratic and save America.

Billy H. Conn, Ph,D, World War II veteran

Midtown

Gasoline price fixing?

I recently returned from a road trip to North Carolina, making multiple gasoline purchases across the Southern US this week. Gas prices are consistently much lower (by well over a dollar) in all other states. Additionally, I note prices in the Phoenix Tucson corridor are markedly higher than the rest of the state. Maintenance activities in two refineries cannot in any way account for this. This indicates price fixing at a distributor level unless proven otherwise. I would like to know what steps the Attorney General’s office is taking to investigate this, and if not, then why not?

Steven Gross

Foothills

McCarthy’s default would raise debt

Kevin McCarthy, leading (or perhaps following) his party’s MAGA extremists, claims to be oh-so-concerned by our National Debt that he is threatening default for the first time in history. Yes, the national debt is too high, but yes, it is the result of budgets already approved by both Republicans and Democrats in Congress.

If Republicans were truly concerned about the high debt, they shouldn’t have approved tax cuts for the very rich during Donald Trump’s mis-administration, while reducing resources for IRS tax collection. Reduced revenue, along with higher spending, increases debt.

Default on the financial obligations that have already been incurred will lower our nation’s credit rating. That will increase the cost (interest rate) for governmental borrowing. Higher borrowing costs will increase the national debt even higher!

McCarthy’s refusal to raise the debt limit will actually increase the very debt he pretends to want to reduce.

Bruce Joffe

South Tucson

Diversity of Republicans

Today, May 22, Republican Senator Tim Scott, a Black conservative, gave a rousing and inspirational announcement of his candidacy for President. Nikki Haley, former UN Ambassador and Governor of SC, of Indian descent, has made her announcement. Businessman Vivek Ramaswamy, also of Indian descent, has made his announcement. Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson has done the same. It is expected that former VP Mike Pence and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis will announce soon. Currently, former President Donald Trump leads in the polls. Democrats think their post-Presidency persecution of Trump was a brilliant move guaranteeing a Democrat in the White House in 2024. I believe, however, that the culmination of their political prosecutions in NY, GA, and the USDOJ’s Special Counsel investigation, will eventually lead to Republicans realizing that he cannot win and will instead nominate DeSantis, whom Democrats fear most, or Scott whom they fear second. Octogenarian, cognitively challenged and unpopular Joe Biden, of the corrupt Biden family influence-peddling family syndicate will be the Democrat’s nominee.

Daniella Constantini

Sahuarita