Tucson Speaks Out: Aug. 6 letters of the day

Inflation

In 2020 and 2021 Congress passed several trillion dollar spending bills. Instead of raising taxes or borrowing money, the federal government chose to increase the money supply to pay for the spending. In other words print money — 42% to be exact for the two-year period. Almost every economist will tell you this will yield general inflation, and that is exactly what happened. Now, amid news reports of declining inflation, though still not below the growth of GDP, you will find that the M2 money supply has declined 5% over the last 12 months according to data supplied by the St. Louis Federal Reserve Bank.

This policy of inflating the currency to pay for extravagance is quite reprehensible. Inflation of this nature affects everyone, but hits those on limited fixed income the hardest. Jerome Powell needs to be fired.

Randy Park

SaddleBrooke

Words have meanings

Politicians use their words to confuse rather than enlighten people. I refer to the most recent pearls spoken by the Florida Department of Education. They could not come out and say that slavery was a great institution, so the spokesperson couched that sentiment in words that indicate “possibility.” That way they could not be accused of applauding the fact that U.S. citizens institutionalized slavery but satisfied those who think that slavery was bad but had a silver lining. The result is that slavery, and its modern aftereffect, cannot be presented to students as the heinous and evil act that it was since the FDOE suggested that “perhaps” slaves “could” have gotten skills that “may” have helped them later. I doubt, if left in Africa, that those individuals would have needed any of the skills they learned as slaves nor did they need the beatings, verbal abuse, and disrespect they, and their progeny, have had to endure.

Cindy Soffrin

Northeast side

Slavery

Imagine if we approached people off the streets and told them we would enroll them in college, tuition free, so they might learn valuable skills that could lead to future employment. There might be some takers until the kickers were revealed — that it would be unlikely they would be allowed to apply those skills for the benefit of themselves or their family. In fact, they might never see their wives or husbands and children again since they could be bought and sold like livestock. Furthermore they would relinquish all control over what they did and when they did it for the rest of their lives, enforced by the whip. Face it; American slavery was brutal with no upside. We need to respect the intelligence of our schoolchildren with the unvarnished truth, and allow those who suffered enslavement to rest in peace knowing that the truth is taught.

Cindy Hansen

Foothills

Secret Service protection for children of PresidentsRe: the July 29 article “Hunter!”

The letter writer complains about Secret Service protection for the current president’s son. Perhaps the writer doesn’t understand that Secret Service is to protect the current occupant of the White House and their children. That scenario is a common strategy around the world to overturn or compromise leadership or civil order. Mr. Trump’s children had Secret Service protection, as did Mr. Obama and other presidents. It is a prudent practice. Did you you have the judgement that Mr. Trump’s children should not be protected? Protection of the family of the sitting president is simply prudent practice.

Dennis Embry

Northeast side

Vampire capitalism

We have reached a tipping point. A large percentage of American housing has fallen into the hands of investment companies that continually increase rent to provide outrageous returns to their investors.

When they increase rents everybody’s rent goes up. A housing shortage means a lack of competition. There is nowhere to turn when housing prices are so high because these investment companies are competing with each other to keep the market locked up in their hands.

The people of America are victims of their greed. This is vampire capitalism, sucking us dry. Every industry is focused on monopolizing our money.

People try to raise their incomes but that additional income will be sucked up. All corporations, investment companies, will see the excess income and rush to increase their rates.

We can’t refuse to pay the rent. We can’t refuse to eat. Corporations have learned that inflation can be perpetual. There is no brake on greed.

Vampire capitalism will continue as long as it is fed.

Jean Wylie

Benson

Water, water everywhere

Re: the July 30 article “What to know about AZ’s biggest resort.”

Anyone reading the article might be inclined to quote poet Samuel Taylor Coleridge: “Water, water everywhere, nor any drop to drink.”

All I see when staring at the accompanying photo is the massive resort water feature, one of several. The “development team” is led by a man whose family has owned a business “in the Valley for decades.” Have they been and are they living in a cave? This “biggest resort” behemoth “is expected to use about 5 million gallons of water, … for the pools and the ‘swimming oasis.’”

Desert and drought are Arizona’s reality. Doubt and denial won’t change that. Who approves these water-consuming monstrosities?

Water-rationing is no fun. I lived on a South Pacific island for six years, where, if it didn’t rain, water was rationed. Later, sailing across that same ocean on a sailboat meant serious water rationing. One learns to conserve. Or else.

Camille Gannon

West side

Hate mongering in the legislature

Regarding SB1102, Rep. Joseph Chapilk posted the following to Twitter:

“Calling this ‘Transportation Funding’ is just an attempt by a far left and feckless Hobbs to push a Trojan Horse into our cities unleashing anti-motorists policies and stripping away at our freedom of movement. Hobbs wants us to bend the knee to the climate alarmist cult and I will stand and fight this.”

I have two questions.

1. This tweet drips with disdain and hatred for those who disagree with him. His lack of understanding of the word “transportation” and his name-calling clearly indicate his unwillingness to work with the opposition. Why do the voters in District 23 vote for this?

2. His official residence as listed on the official House website is in Scottsdale. No part of Scottsdale is anywhere near District 23. Aren’t representatives supposed to live in the district they represent?

Steven Brown

Midtown

OK, now what!

Loyal MAGA Republicans need to do some planning now before it is too late to recover. Your hero is not going to the White House. He is going to the Big House.

James Galvin

Sahuarita

No “Free” Transit

Re: the July 27 letter “Free buses are better than free.”

The writer is totally missing the point. Not only are there issues on the busses like drugs and loitering, but the fact is, there is NO free bus ride! Someone has to pay for it. Of course, the writer has to throw in the irrelevant attack on conservatives, which makes no sense. Busses need funds to run and the federal money isn’t enough to sustain the program. Busses are not an entitlement. Are taxis free? Are Uber rides free? Bus riders should pay the fare for the service. Without this money, Sun Tran may just go away because this service costs big money. The mayor and city council need to wise up and put back the bus fares before we lose the service all together. A small bus fare is a great deal for the ride. Or go ahead and take a taxi.

Nate Baker

North side

Politicians retirement age

Re: the Aug. 2 article “Politicians need to retire at 80.”

As this writer stated that he believes politicians should retire when they reach the age of 80, I disagree with him. I feel a better option would be term limits for all U.S. senators and representatives. Since a senators’ term is six years perhaps a limit of 3-4 terms would allow continuity and likewise allow representatives perhaps 10 terms (since each of their terms are only two years). I am not stuck on the actual length of the these limits, I just feel term limits would be a better option. Voters would have the final say as to whether or not the politician is capable of serving, regardless of age.

Jeanne Redding

Northwest side

Regarding Trump’s indictments

And so, it’s blatantly apparent that the Justice Department in Washington, D.C. did not conspire to keep the ex-president of the United States out of the White House …. Frankly, I believe the truth that the voters in the Presidential election of 2020 are what has kept the ex-president out of the White House. The conspirators in this whole years-long mess are actually the members of the Republican Party … all of those Americans who actually believed the lies … and those who knew they were all lies, but didn’t, and don’t, care enough about issues of saving our Democracy. The GOP party has been an American embarrassment for far too long. Shame on them all.

Sue Thompson

SaddleBrooke

Urgency for U of A athletics

Dear Dr. Robbins, I don’t doubt that one has to be a very smart individual to attain the title of president of the University of Arizona. I also realize that, at times, it takes much deliberation before making decisions that affect the U of A. However, I urge you to do the right thing as quickly as possible and join the Big 12 conference as soon as you can. One doesn’t have to be a mathematician to see how much better the Big 12 financial package is than the Apple package George Kliavkoff negotiated.

Charles Schultz

Northeast side