Tucson Speaks Out: May 23 letters of the day

May 12, 2021: News of Republicans questioning an $87M no-bid contract to house immigrants in Arizona and Texas and July 8, 2022, a $177M no-bid contract for similar services in North Carolina.

The Republicans want cuts to wasteful and unnecessary spending, and President Joe Biden accuses the “MAGA” Republicans of cutting programs that will negatively affect hard-working Americans.

Maybe the first thing Republicans can address is the number of and dollar amount of no-bid contracts being awarded by government agencies with no oversight or accountability.

April 20, 2023, Washington Examiner: ICE gave $87M no-bid contract to business with Biden ties, raising conflict of interest questions (two years later).

ABC News April 19, 2023: DEA chief faces probe into ‘swampy’ hires, no-bid contracts

Spending cuts are a common sense partial solution to out-of-control spending.

Charles Nedrow

Northwest side

Good questions

Where did the COVID-19 virus come from? Where do we get our solar panels? Where do we get our wind turbines? Where did the spy balloon come from? Who has unauthorized police stations in our country? Who sends Hunter Biden paychecks? Who is attacking our currency? Who makes the ingredients for fentanyl? Who is bringing a new coal plant online every week? Who is building their military to attack Taiwan? Where are the Democrats? Didn’t they take the same oath?

Bill Blaine

Marana

Using up Arizona water

The U.S. provides military protection for the Saudis in exchange for a reliable oil supply. The Saudis now have decided to cut oil production, causing increased gasoline costs to consumers. Now, Saudis are buying and leasing Arizona land while depleting the water tables to grow alfalfa for their cows in Saudi Arabia. The U.S. issued no consequences against Saudi Arabia for the killing and dismemberment of Jamal Khashoggi.

What will the Saudis do next?

Max LaPlante

Southeast side

CRT

Arizona’s Superintendent of Public Instruction is lacking in understanding of Critical Race Theory. Perhaps he should do some research. I believe that race and racism is so deeply embedded in the USA that most are unaware that it is a construct, something fabricated, embedded in our culture. Because it is so systemic in our country, it is difficult to change, if not impossible. The Superintendent is blowing smoke at us to go along with his expanded definitions of CRT and making Critical Race Theory a political issue.

Toni Kane

Oro Valley

Women’s sports

The enactment of Title 9 was groundbreaking legislation for females. It prohibited sex-based discrimination in any school or any other education program that received funding from the federal government. Sadly many men were against this legislation to no avail. This was groundbreaking legislation for female sports programs, and many women have benefited significantly for their entire lives due to this legislation.

This legislation has trickled down to high school sports and even to the large youth programs. And now, trans women are being allowed to compete, absolutely unfairly with women. My biggest question is where are the real women who worked so hard for Title 9 and women’s rights? Are you women so afraid of being labeled transphobic that you will give up your hard-won rights to avoid labeling? I find it puzzling that real women are not flooding their legislators and appropriate academic institutions with unrelenting comments of outrage.

From an old man with four sports-minded granddaughters who simply wants a fair playing field.

Loyal M Johnson Jr

Oro Valley

What a national disgrace

CNN allegedly took the moral high ground when they fired Don Lemon. In their infinite wisdom, they decided to give an insurrectionist and serial sexual abuser a prime-time audience of supposed independent and undecided voters. What a joke! Cheering when he knocks his abuse victim and when he announces his intentions to pardon the leaders of the January coup.

What’s next for this once-respected network? A white nationalist hour of disinformation hosted by Tucker Carlson and take your pick, Marjorie Taylor Green or Kari Lake. The cruelty hour hosted by Greg Abbott and Ron DeSantis. Those charismatic leaders would surely boost CNN’s sagging ratings.

The real national disgrace is for the media to continue to give a voice to these anti-American and extreme voices. Would it help if we re-watched the movie “Network,” went outside and yelled: “I’m mad as H, and I am not going to take it anymore?

James Robinett

Southwest side

Digital coupon conundrum

I use my desktop PC to download coupons to my accounts. If a person has only a (dumb) smartphone, they may choose to spend time at customer service, letting the store’s representative download the desired coupons for them. If enough customers do this, maybe the stores will change their digital coupon access to be more inclusive. Don’t be scared, Republicans; I didn’t say DEI.

James Abels

Midtown

Bigotry, the epitome of ignorance

The unrelenting and increasing number of attacks here and abroad on Jews, their persons, their cemeteries and synagogues is appalling. Bigotry, in my opinion, is the quintessence of ignorance; the epitome of intolerance, small-mindedness, and the inability to empathize or walk in the shoes of others.

Bigots come across as a sour, hateful lot with a singular talent for pushing onto others things they most despise in themselves: mavens of malevolence. They should quit their vicious attacks and educate themselves about the remarkable, momentous and live changing accomplishments Jews have made not only to Western Civilization but to the entire world. We should be thankful to them and honor them for their many contributions to humanity.

William Muto

SaddleBrooke

Post Prop 412 thoughts

North of Banner UMC on Campbell Avenue is about a dozen empty acres of land used as a retention basin for the North University Neighborhood Association (NUNA). For decades in the past, before the basin, the NUNA used to flood badly from rainwater runoff from the University of Arizona. This basin alleviated much of the flooding.

Now that Prop 412 predictably failed, how about supplementing the UA power needs by covering these acres with solar panels? According to the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, an acre of solar power produces between 394 and 447 MWh per acre per year. This would allow the UA to continue to flourish but without the political failure of another terribly flawed franchise agreement.

In years past, in my neighborhood dealings, the UA refused to put solar panels on the back of its football video board and over most of its parking garages. I really think the badly conceived 2019 renewable power agreement between the UA and TEP will lead to the failure of future Tucson franchise agreement referendums.

Matt Somers

Midtown