Tucson Speaks Out: July 5 letters of the day

Life sentences

Typically, it is a judge who declares a life sentence in court, but Arizona’s GOP legislators want to change this to giving lifelong terms to judges. Realizing that Justices Clint Bolick and Kathryn King will likely be removed from their positions due to their recent rulings on abortion, Republicans are trying to change the rules. The result would be life sentences as judges rather than allowing voters to select appropriate judicial choices every four years as is the current procedure. If approved, the six-year term now would change to permanent placement as a judge, a procedure with which voters cannot abide. Certainly, the Dude would not.

I urge all voters to reject this inane notion and reject the illogical and inane Republican scheme.

Roger Shanley

East side

Constitution wording

Re: the July 2 letter “Finally.”

The letter’s author correctly writes that the phrase “Separation of Church and State” cannot be found in the Constitution. However, the First Amendment’s phrase “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion…” is the foundation for the concept of separation of church and state in the United States. It’s known as the Establishment Clause. While the words “separation of church and state” aren’t explicitly written in the Constitution, this clause is interpreted as requiring the government to stay out of matters of religion. The Supreme Court has used these two parts of the First Amendment to determine many cases regarding the separation of church and state throughout U.S. history.

Louisiana’s law requiring posting the Ten Commandments in school classrooms is simply an attempt by the Christian right to impose their religion on the general public. Another part of the First Amendment, the Free Exercise Clause, protects the right of individuals to practice their religion freely. This prevents a state from injecting religious beliefs into the public schools.

Leonard Thurman

West side

Why I back Biden

This is in response to those who feel President Biden should retire. At this late date, nothing short of a miracle would enable a younger Democratic candidate to raise the funds, make the needed pitch, and get voters to unit behind him/her between now and November. If Dean Phillips and RFK, Jr. couldn’t do it, what makes anyone think it will happen within the next four months? Like it or not, Biden represents our best — if not only — chance of beating Donald Trump. If by some miracle Republican leadership were to succeed in getting rid of Trump and turning over their nomination to someone who at least understands what democracy is, nothing would make this Democrat happier. That’s the one event that might finally convince Biden to take a well-deserved retirement. However, I’m not holding my breath. Unless or until Trump disappears for good, I stand by Biden.

Cynthia Coan

East side

No need to vote anymore

All Americans that witnessed the events on that fateful day Jan. 6, 2021, know that the convicted felon ex-president attempted to overthrow our government. The consequence of the SCOTUS decision on presidential immunity would allow (if re-elected) the convicted felon ex-president to re-construct our country’s way of governing and install himself as dictator.

Ironic isn’t it? He failed in his takeover attempt through violence. But he succeeded in positioning himself for a possible takeover using the very court designed to protect our citizenry. In this decision, SCOTUS has bestowed the tyrannical power of a dictator to a twice -impeached, convicted felon ex-president. And the MAGA Republicans accuse the administration of operating as a banana republic.

A DT election will have, I believe, a disruptive affect throughout the world. To what extent? I cannot say. To those who might believe otherwise, I offer a thought: be careful what you vote for this November, because like DT said “after November, you won’t need to vote anymore”.

Ernest Saccani

Foothills

Words matter

As an African American, I was taken aback when I read that a candidate for Justice of the Peace, Michael Buglewicz, used the word “colored” to describe the African American community. He did this at a recent candidate’s forum put on by the NAACP. The n-word, negro and colored are words from an era of legal discrimination against African Americans, during which I grew up. After the Civil Rights Movement ended the Jim Crow laws, my community wanted to be called Black or African American. The fact that a candidate for judicial office does not know that is troubling. I support Judge Charlene Pesqueira for reelection because as a Latina woman, she has experienced discrimination herself and has the sensitivity not use words like “colored” to describe my community and respects everyone who comes before her. They say justice is blind. Justice should also be color blind.

Gary Harrison

Southeast side

Nobody is above the law

The whole world agrees that nobody is above the law. The World Court exists to bring dictators, murderers and the worst of the worst international criminals to justice. Trump has said if he is elected again he would seek revenge on those he thinks are against him and stifle journalists who don’t portray him favorably. Republicans are compiling a list of government workers who they think are against Trump. The corrupt, conservative Justices on the Supreme Court have granted Trump immunity from committing acts against these people. The whole world believes that no person is above the law. Only four men on our Supreme Court see differently.

Daniel Poryanda

Southeast side

Hurricane Trump

Re: the July 2 letter “Bag of wind.”

Many, many kudos to the writer of the letter. He hit the nail on the head on how Trump should be treated. Joe Biden (and all Dems) need to stop treating this human mistake as if he were a serious person — he is NOT. He IS, however, a threat to the nation and to the world. Treating him like the ignorant, infantile, self-serving, thin-skinned sociopath that he is will be far more effective than engaging in the exhausting task of trying to refute the diarrhea of lies that flows nonstop from his silly mouth. Just make fun of the fool that he is — I mean, who brings up prowess at golf at a Presidential Debate?! Barack Obama made public fun of Trump years ago, and DJT is still fuming over it. Looks like it works!

Hope Gastelum

East side

Primary blindness

I just received a card in the mail urging me to vote for Rachel Jones and Cory McGarr on July 30. The ad did not say if this was a primary or general election, nor did it say which party they belong to. In the primary you can only vote in one party’s primary. If you are registered as an independent, you must choose which ballot to receive. It would be nice to know which to ask for if you support them. They want to “arrest and deport all illegal aliens”. There are no aliens in the country, only human beings. If you remove 11 million or more immigrants, who will fix your roof, harvest the fruits and vegetables you eat, process the meat you enjoy, or care for loved ones in so many medical facilities? Not all such workers are undocumented, but enough are that the economic fallout would be devastating.

Donald Ries

Southeast side

The Establishment Clause

Re: the July 2 letter “Finally.”

A recent letter writer endorsing the Louisiana legislature’s insertion of the Ten Commandments into all public school classrooms was correct that the words “separation of church and state” do not appear in the U.S. Constitution. That’s because the phrase is a constitutional concept, not a quote.

It reflects the intent of the First Amendment’s Establishment Clause that begins with, “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion…” The clause prohibits governmental entities from favoring one religion over another or giving preference to religious groups over non-religious groups.

There are at least three versions of the Ten Commandments — Catholic/Lutheran, Jewish, and Protestant/Reformed traditions. Requiring a specific version be posted in public spaces privileges one religion over others, a violation of the Establishment Clause.

I believe Louisiana’s state-approved endorsement of the Protestant version of the Ten Commandments will be overturned. Thankfully, the Constitution is still the law of the land. For now.

Judi Moreillon

Northeast side

County Attorney

I see the local race for County Attorney has attracted a lot of attention. This appears to be due to the very different views of the role of a County Attorney. Barbara LaWall’s view of justice appeared to be to provide vengeance for victims. Laura Conover’s view appears to be to minimize future criminal activity.

Faux Democrat Mike Jette appears to share LaWall’s view of the office. The choice seems clear. Do you want the County Attorney to be an advocate for vengeance or for a better society?

Steven Brown

Midtown

TEP/ACC lethargy & profit

Re: the July 3 article “$55M in federal funding to help southern Arizona co-ops store power.”

The ADS/Wichner article on how cooperative utilities are utilizing federal funds to invest in solar and energy storage so that … “ they don’t have to buy or generate elsewhere, getting the most that they can out of those investment and saving members money” … raises the question as to why Tucson Electric Power Company (TEP) is not accessing those funds to establish much more local solar and energy storage-demand management systems to achieve the consequent improvements in costs, reliability and deliver benefits to their CAPTIVE ratepayers provided by the Arizona Corporation Commission (ACC).

Perhaps it’s because TEP is an Investor-Owned Utility owned by a Canadian Corporation, Management Performance incentives paid to promote shareholder dividends have a higher priority than cost and rate reductions, and because the rate and profit structure supported by current ACC Commissioners provides no incentives to reduce costs and rates while improving reliability?

Terry Finefrock

Foothills

Hey Democrats, draft Liz Cheney!

That’s right! The Democratic Party should draft Liz Cheney to be their Presidential Candidate in 2024. For all the criticism of Party first at the expense of our democracy under a second Trump term, Democrats can fix that by sacrificing a little bit of their own Party first agenda by sponsoring a strong candidate to overwhelm Trump. That strong candidate is Liz Cheney.

Liz Cheney will draw disaffected Republicans into the picture. Democratic voters will not have a stronger alternative. Trump will be toast! With a little “Country over Party” mentality, Democrats could negate the MAGA movement and reinstate the two-party system that made up American democracy for the past 240 years!

George Kalman

SaddleBrooke

Conover has more sophisticated approach

Re: the July 3 article “No more disinformation and misinformation.”

I admit, I have been a little confused about all of the back-and-forth about Pima County Attorney Laura Conover. But Nina Trasoff and Ron Barber cemented my general feeling that the criticisms of Conover were coming from people who believe that “tough on crime“ is the only response to any crime perpetrated by any person. This country needs to get past its punitive mindset. This knee-jerk reaction when we’re dealing with crimes of poverty and/or people who are mentally ill, addicted, young or unhoused is costly, unproductive and simply creating more people who are more resentful and angry at the institutions meant to protect citizens. This is not creating people better able to live peacefully and productively in society. Laura Conover seems to embrace a more nuanced approach to crime than those simple-minded folks who think punishment is always the answer. She has my vote.

Maggy Zanger

Midtown

Recycling and H2O

Re: the June 28 letter “Recycling but saving H2O.”

Good Lord: haven’t we been through this enough times already, with the pearl clutching dilemma about wasting our precious water cleaning plastic items for recycling? No, you don’t need to hear from experts about this. Just read your water bill and apply some common sense.

1. Seven gallons of clean water is being delivered to your home for 2 cents.

2. Most times recyclables can be cleaned in the same water after the dishes.

3. The few ounces of water to rinse is costing nearly nothing.

4. This water enters the sewer system and is mostly recycled itself.

Lastly, remember, AZ agriculture is using hundreds of millions of gallons of water continuously, making your savings infinitesimally small. Clean your recycling!

Gary Susko

Midtown