Free speech is being stifled
The First Amendment says even politicians have the right to free speech. Of course, certain things cannot be done for the sake of logic and common sanity, such as yelling “Fire!” in a crowded theater.
Today, Republicans support and protect their party members in a manner never seen before, until they say or do something that offends the Godfather of Mar-a-Lago. A word, a contradiction, an errant vote, honesty, truth — all offend him.
Look how many people Republicans have censured states-wide and federally. Go against the “Godfather” and you are persona non grata.
Politics used to work because politicians were there for the people. I’m not naive, many were also paid considerations in the goodly days. But they worked for us. Seventy-five percent of Republicans voted for the Civil Rights Act. Not today. All is one.
People are also reading…
Sheldon Metz
Northeast side
Audit an act of deception
Saying the Maricopa County election audit is to answer constituent questions and aid legislative efforts to ensure fair and accurate future elections superficially sounds nice but clearly is not the purpose. It is a deception effort. Contracting a firm with no election auditing experience for $150,000 to do what really is a full recount and more, not an audit, when both contracting parties knew or should have known the work planned would cost multiples of that, is a deception, too.
Taking money from one or more other undisclosed entities to get paid what it may really cost to perform Arizona Sen. Karen Fann’s audit has the contractor working for multiple employers with potentially conflicting instructions. We know very little about this aspect, but deception is certainly possible.
At what point do Fann and the Cyber Ninjas wade into common fraud waters and trigger legal action to recover the taxpayers’ money regardless of political motives? Arizona attorney general, where are you?
Clarence Johnson
Oro Valley
What judge would allow this stunt?
It’s far too long overdue for the courts to step and and stop this fascist attempt to kill democracy in our state and country. I keep wondering what kind of judge would allow such a disgusting PR stunt by the GOP in the Legislature. Now we know this attempt is more than just a silly stupid clown show. I think it is part of a national right wing effort to kill democracy in hopes of hanging on to power by an ever shrinking bunch of right wing anti-American zealots. Where are the judges? Do your job and stop this treasonous stuff.
Donald Shelton
Northwest side
A strong belief, yet no evidence
Many in the GOP say there was no insurrection on Jan. 6, even though there is plenty of evidence that there was.
In the meantime, they believe the election was stolen just because Donald Trump said so and there is no evidence whatsoever. OK, then that means they are smart, right?
Arletta Lewis
East side
Sick of shamers always butting in
I am very tired of the ongoing activity of shaming non-mask wearers and more recently, of shaming people who have elected not to get vaccinated. What is next, shaming people who eat red meat, or who drive gasoline-powered cars, or who don’t install solar panels on their roof, or who actually water plants in their back yard?
These shamers act like they are superior to us unwashed and have the answers to the true path. These shamers also probably tattled on little Johnnie in first grade. Shaming appears to me to be the new non-racist racism. I suggest that the shamers look in a full-length mirror where they may find some warts and also that they heed my mother’s admonition of mind your own business.
Pudge Johnson
Oro Valley
Cancellations strike deep
Trump-worshipping voters and Republican lawmakers with no vision or positive agenda for the country have been spending the majority of their time casting about for some imaginary grievance distraction labeled “cancel culture.” Finally a legitimate example for all to see! House Republicans purge Rep. Liz Cheney for the mortal sin of telling the truth. She honors her oath by repudiating Trump’s election falsehoods and Republicans’ destructive lies denying that Jan. 6 was in fact a seditious violent insurrection.
So what do we hear from this cohort? Absolutely nothing.
What do the rest of us witness? Liz Cheney: canceled. Truth: canceled. Democracy: canceled.
Gary Susko
Midtown
US jobless aid put out of reach
Gov. Doug Ducey has just swept $300 million of federal funds earmarked for unemployment benefits into the coffers. His rationale is grounded in Ronald Reagan’s economic philosophy: “the best social program is a job.” Wasn’t it also Reagan who espoused economic programs that held that increasing the wealth of the richest Americans will “trickle down” to the rest of us? And ketchup is a vegetable?
Ending the federal supplement on June 7 will do nothing to help the many restaurant workers in Tucson who go into the sizzling summer when business historically declines.
Joan Meggitt
Midtown
Fann & Co. tee up another AZ joke
Re: the May 7 article “AZ audit may violate laws.”
How long will these insane challenges across the country be allowed? Congress needs to pass limits on how long after an election challenges can go on and when it’s time to move forward. Arizona has had several legitimate audits and now is subjected to a pseudo audit that taxpayers are on the line for. Insult to us and to democracy. Another joke for pundits about Arizona.
Ingrid Rose
Marana
End the RTA boondoggle
I see that the snake (and other) oil salesmen are starting to beat the drums for the heat island medicine show otherwise known as the Regional Transportation Authority (RTA).
While a coordinated, regional and thoughtful approach is important, the RTA boondoggle is none of these. We need fixed roads, not fatter, hotter ones, but as the pothole slalom increasingly becomes local sport, the RTA just wants to sling new asphalt, providing nothing for the maintenance work that needs to be done.
Throughout the country, forward-thinking communities have found a host of better ways to move people and goods. Apparently unaware of an increasingly heated Southwest, the RTA is stuck in old solutions that other communities know create problems. The RTA brands Pima County as an outdated, mediocre place. We’re better than that. In an increasingly competitive economic environment, Pima County needs a different brand.
Mark Homan
Midtown
Medical decisions remain personal
Unless I am a parent of a minor child or legally appointed as spokesperson/guardian for someone that has been determined to be incapable to make decisions for herself or himself, I do not have the right to intercede in any medical decisions between a patient and their physician, and neither do you. The government, any government, should certainly not have any role in making personal medical decisions.
This is the United States of America, not some dictatorship.
Kip Krasofski
Southwest side
