Sensible gun regulation
I had a personal experience with gun crime, twice actually. I worked as a night auditor/desk clerk in a city center motel while in college. I was robbed at gunpoint twice by the same man weeks apart. He made no effort to conceal his face so identifying him in the police mug book was easy. Then it occurred to me since my name and photo was plastered on the front page of the Missoulian I, too, would be easy to identify. I owned a registered (Montana required guns to be registered) 30 Cal. Smith and Wesson hammerless revolver. I applied for a concealed carry permit (Montana required a permit). I needed to:
1. Shoot a passing score with my weapon on the police firing range
2. Identify where I would be wearing this weapon and at what time of day
This was Montana in 1965. The robber was sentenced to 20 years at Deer Lodge. My concealed permit was cancelled as "Circumstances had changed" times have too.
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Robert Cozad
Oro Valley
Ciscomani lets seniors live in cardboard boxes
I just got Congressman Juan Ciscomani's newsletter, where he claims he is "fighting for seniors." He says he will "always work to protect Social Security and Medicare benefits our seniors have worked hard to earn."
I'm 72, and I can tell a lie when I see it.
On April 6, Ciscomani voted to make life for seniors harder by severely increasing Social Security and Medicare wait times for 1.5 million Arizona seniors due to staff cuts and field office closures. Ciscomani prefers to have America default on its debt rather than support seniors.
It's time we got rid of this MAGA extremist and elected someone honest who supports workers in their old age.
Larry Bodine
Foothills
National debt arithmetics
I am somewhat confused about the arithmetics being thrown around about raising the death limit. Be not mistaken, the trend of our deficit spending is a real problem that needs to be reined in. Anyway, both parties have contributed to our deficit spending. Ronald Reagan and Donald Trump have contributed with large tax breaks for the wealthy (44% of Americans do not pay federal income taxes). The Democrats contribute by legislating to develop our deteriorating infrastructure.
Let's compare the two. If we spend $100M on fixing bridges, when it is spent, it is spent. When we lower taxes by $100M, it is not over! That gift keeps giving and giving; year after year. Successful companies invest billions of dollars in the future. The internet is full of analyses showing the Trump tax breaks did not pay for themselves. What am I missing?
Terry Plaza
North side
Total government failure
I feel that what has happened at our southern border since Joe Biden was elected is the greatest crime that has ever been perpetuated against the American people. Texas cities such as El Paseo are under siege and the cost to this country and pressure on law enforcement, hospitals, social programs and tax payers is becoming unbearable.
The border should be closed and we should force Mexico to work with us to stop the human traffickers and cartels. We also need to totally stop the catch and release, because it is nothing more than a ticket into this country and the human traffickers use it to recruit the undocumented migrants who come here.
I recently had dinner with a friend who happens to be a Democrat and she asked me why we don’t use our military on the border.
Yes, we should be using our military to stop this invasion immediately.
Edward Leininger
Northwest side
Biden's border policies
Re: the May 10 article "Southern AZ will muddle through migration increase after Title 42."
Really? Tell that to the ranchers on the border and the people in Yuma who have already been overrun with historic numbers of migrants entering illegally. Where has Steller been for the last two years? Maybe he should interview Tucson Sector Border Patrol Chief John Modlin for a reality check? Steller has no interest in doing that. Why, because I believe he and the Star tacitly approve of Biden's border policies.
Steller and his comrade Curt Prendergast regularly attacked Trump's border policies like building the wall, Remain in Mexico, Zero Tolerance, etc. Steller was critical of Title 42. I think the Star is run by Progressive Democrats, approves of the millions who have entered illegally, thinking they have a right to come here and will become future Democrat voters. It shows by their their lack of doing critical stories about it. Ironically, Biden is now adopting Trump's "inhumane" border policies.
Linda Kelly
East side
Debt limit
To those who are lamenting the position of the Republican party and the debt ceiling, all need to relax. The debt ceiling will be raised in order to cover the existing debt obligation. Kevin McCarthy is forcing Biden to address future spending and limit it to a nominal increase. Inflation is created when the Federal government prints dollars it cannot back thus devaluing dollars in our pocket and raising the costs of all consumables. The only way one gets some control is to limit future spending, a concept Biden refuses to address. We need fiscal discipline to correct the current course, if not, the dollars in your pocket will continue to be devalued.
Bill Dowdall
Oro Valley
MAGA party members are Republicans
Sorry, Mr. Metz, but MAGA was birthed by the Republican party. Marjorie Taylor Greene, Lauren Boebert, Jim Jordan, Georgia Santos, all voted in by Republicans. The Republican party owns MAGA (or they own the GOP). While I understand your desire to separate yourself and the Republican party from MAGA, the only way to do so is to vote them out of office. I'm not holding my breath.
Robert Brabham
West side
Power and water
Two birds with one stone. No. Let’s not kill any birds, but let’s apply the same technology to two different problems. Buy the decommissioned aircraft carrier Nimitz and moor it on the southern California coast. Use its two nuclear reactors to power a desalinization plant next to it. Make them both tourist attractions. Trade the water for California’s Colorado share. Buy the reactors of two other carriers. They are currently being disassembled and mothballed. Instead, reconstruct them on the banks of the Colorado River between Yuma and Quartside. They will provide about 15% more than greater Tucson currently uses. We might even get some federal funds for a demonstration project.
Wiliam Wolfe
Northeast side
Lying should have consequences
It might be easy to achieve decorum in politics by censoring politicians that lie. It is interesting that only lying to congress is illegal. Politicians can lie to the public. Politicians can lie about each other. Politicians can lie about policy. It is no wonder that we the people can be confused by all the false rhetoric spewing from their mouths. Lying should have consequences. Politicians should be statesmen. They should be the best human example, not the most vile, lying, cheating, greedy, power hungry con artists that are ruining our democracy. It is a sad time in America.
Guy Krisay
West side
Illegal border crossings down
It seems that everyone, including the news media and commentators from both the left and the right, turned out to be dead wrong about the predicted mass crossings predicted following the end of Title 42. Crossings are actually down significantly along the southern border, from over 10,000 per day to 2,000 most recently. It turns out that hopeful immigrants didn't even know what Title 42 was and came anyway. The reason most gave for not crossing since the end of Title 42 was President Biden's new restrictions on border crossing: the requirement to apply online to request asylum, without which immigrants will be immediately deported.
Everyone has been stunned by the drop in crossings, but it would appear for now that the Biden policies are working to a significant degree at limiting undocumented crossings. So much for the GOP complaints about "open borders."
Jeffrey St. Clair
North side
The real issues
Re: the May 11 article "The reality of Arizona food insecurity."
Dear Editor,
While food insecurity (hunger) grows in our country, Congress argues over the debt ceiling which shouldn’t even be an issue. Meanwhile, hunger, evictions, and homelessness haunt the millions of Americans struggling with poverty. Local efforts, like the one in Arizona, are to be applauded. At the same time, renewing the expanded Child Tax Credit is a proven method of cutting child poverty in half and needs immediate action. Right now, Rep. Suzan DelBene, along with Reps. Rosa DeLauro and Richie Torres, are proposing the American Families Act that includes this Child Tax Credit. A renter tax credit would also relieve families who are paying up to 90% of their income for rent. Let’s ask our representatives to join them on this path to equity.
Willie Dickerson
Northwest side
Ya think?
Why do the Republicans decry formerly incarcerated individuals the vote, yet they fully support party members for which there are ethical concerns of impropriety (financial or sexual) or have been impeached, indicted, and/or convicted of civil or criminal offenses? Might have something to do with hypocrisy I bet.
Alan Barreuther
Foothills
I hope
I hope today you choose you,
decide where you want to go,
To grow — and finally, go.
To become the best you.
For you and you, and you.
Today,
I hope you’ve gathered the strength,
to choose,
where to go, grow — and finally go.
I hope today you discover the courage
to grab your shoes,
your truths and your power.
No time to judge,
to wait for things to tally.
Not a moment to dally
Get on your way, please go, grow — and finally, go
Today,
I hope you screen your baggage,
Barricade the noises in your head,
neck, arms, torso, legs, and feet.
Pack a pillow, fasten your seatbelt
Get ready for take-off; go, grow — and finally, go
Today,
I hope the words from your mouth
carry your ideas, passions, thoughts,
feelings and intentions.
I hope today you pay less attention,
to the pink noise, chimes, and the clouds
And listen to the voice within.
No time to question,
Not a moment to waste.
Unfasten your seatbelt
Bolt up from your seat, and please go,
grow — and finally, go.
Sam J. Ssemaganda
Foothills
Please mind your own business
My doctor has dropped out of an insurance network because the company, in their divine wisdom, denied payment for this doctor's plans of treatment for several patients. The doctor was a well-known expert in the field and highly sought after. How would you like it if someone challenged your expertise in your chosen field because of its cost to their shareholders or simply their own beliefs?
The Supreme Court is soon going to rule on the use of mifepristone; however, it is none of their business nor the plaintiff's business. The FDA approved mifepristone in 2000 (France in 1988). It has been safely used and should be available to pregnant women who have determined that, for whatever reason, a pregnancy should not continue. Some think Viagra and IVF should be banned as artificial means of insemination, but YOU are the expert on your body and your life. The decision belongs to each individual — please mind your own business!
Cindy Soffrin
Northeast side
Border Patrol releasing thousands more foreign nationals
In May 2022, U.S. Border Patrol Chief Raul Ortiz signed an internal DHS memorandum, "Noncitizen releases from U.S. Border Patrol Custody." It outlined the "paroling in" and release of thousands of foreign nationals from Border Patrol custody onto the streets of America. If apprehensions exceeded detention capacity, foreign nationals, whom we know nothing about, would be released without given a Notice to Appear or an Alien Registration number, and no way of locating them.
Chief Ortiz testified that in his 30 years as an agent, he had never done such an unprecedented memo. The memo was prepared in anticipation of Title 42 ending. That policy is exactly what the Biden administration intended to implement. However, a federal judge temporarily halted it. The Biden administration has appealed it. My opinion is that this memo continues the Biden administration's massive "catch and release" policy enacted since day one. I believe foreign nationals are abusing the asylum system, coming here for economic reasons, but falsely claiming persecution in their home country.
Teddy Francisco
Three Points
Reinstate integrity of Second Amendment
The Supreme Court needs to examine the root cause of pervasive mass shootings with weapons of war in our own communities by restoring the integrity of the Second Amendment by reinstating its integral first four words, “A well regulated Militia." These fundamental words were reinterpreted by a conservative court on June 26, 2008. It led to a tidal wave that upended some 200 years of historic precedent by a slim 5-4 majority led by Justice Antonin Scalia, who argued the first four words were a “preface” to the Second Amendment rather than part of its essential meaning.
Susan Vance
North side
