Star needs to admit it is ‘biased’
The Arizona Daily Star Editorial Board predictably endorsed Mark Kelly for Senate. They endorsed all Democrats for Congress in 2018. The Star said Martha McSally aligns too much with Donald Trump. Well, she is a Republican.
Hasn’t Kyrsten Sinema aligned with Chuck Schumer? The Star neglected to mention how Kelly became wealthy from corporate speaking fees, or his sweetheart deal he received from Pima County for World View.
The Star is being disingenuous in claiming as “hypothetical” the Democratic majority control of the Senate would end the filibuster. They fully know the plan, for SCOTUS too. The Star did not mention Kelly’s support for providing millions here undocumented with citizenship, his support for banning legally purchased semiautomatic rifles and high capacity magazines, or his support for Joe Biden’s huge tax increases and government spending.
People are also reading…
The Star needs to be honest with its readers and admit they are Democratically biased.
Aida Reed
North side
McSally still making the same mistakes
I looked forward to the debate for the Senate seat currently held by Martha McSally. I wanted to see an exchange of ideas and positions that would rise above the muck of the senator’s attack ads. No such luck.
Despite the best efforts of the moderators, it was an ugly and unproductive event. Neither side won in my opinion, but the senator was unbecoming of her office as she repeatedly called her opponent Counterfeit Kelly. Totally uncalled for.
He referred to her throughout as Senator McSally. One would think that she would recognize that character assassination did not win her the seat against Sen. Kyrsten Sinema. Why does she feel it’s appropriate now?
Alan Hadfield
Northwest side
Voter access is key part of environmental justice
Voting is a basic right and we need to make sure everyone, no matter who they are or where they live, can take part. Unfortunately Black, Indigenous and people of color are often left out of the big “get out the vote” engagement pushes. That needs to change.
Native American households are 19 times as likely as white households to lack indoor plumbing. Native women are 10 times more likely to experience assault and violence. Many times, where these statistics are higher, it directly relates to where there is mining, fracking and other extractive industry that not only pollutes and threatens species, but puts lives at risk.
These front-line communities need to be assured the ability and access to participate in our elections. They have so much at stake. Access to voting is an important part of environmental justice.
Brytnee Laurette
Downtown
Gun owners
need to get a grip
If gun owners want to show they are decent, law-abiding citizens, and most of them are, then they have to be willing, nay, eager, to see that owners that use guns illegally are prosecuted. What the McCloskeys did, when they threatened people that were walking near their home, was illegal. If they had just stood by their house with the guns at their side, that would have been legal.
Threatening people that were not threatening them is illegal. The president of the U.S. and the NRA support them. The governor has said he will pardon them if they are convicted. Does anyone think this will help the gun debate?
Owning guns carries a huge responsibility. If responsible gun owners want to show antigun citizens they are reasonable, they need to be behind the enforcement of gun laws.
Shawn McNamara
South side
We won’t know
the winner for a while
American voters need to be prepared that we will not know who won the presidential election on Wednesday morning. Most Republican voters will vote in person, and most Democratic voters will vote by mail. This means that it will take time to count mail-in votes, maybe days.
I personally do not mind the delay in results if it means an accurate count and that more Americans voted safely. However, the delay will probably get the Trump voting conspiracy going. It may appear that he has won the election or that the election results are close before mail-in votes can be counted. Get ready, it ought to be quite a show.
Richard Bechtold
West side
Voting by mail
is so convenient
Thanks to the U.S. Postal Service and the Pima County recorder for a safe, secure and efficient vote-by-mail process. I received my ballot Thursday, Oct. 8, and returned it, via the U.S. mail, the following day. The recorder’s office web site noted receipt and verification of my ballot on Wednesday, Oct. 14.
Five days, including a holiday weekend, to mail and have my ballot processed is exceptional. Vote early!
Scott Beach
Northwest side
Pandemic’d out? We wish
Yes, people are pandemic’d out. Especially my friend and her mom who, since March, have the debilitating, disabling, chronic version of the virus. Both formerly in good health and self-employed, they cannot work.
Their only financial help was the federal aid, late to start in Arizona, and now finished. We are all ready to be done with the virus. It is not done with us. Wear a mask, stay safe, stay well.
Carolyn Leigh
West side
You’re paying
for Trump’s wall
At Donald Trump’s Tucson Airport rally he stated, “You aren’t paying a penny for the border wall. It’s all compliments of the federal government.”
News flash, the federal government gets its funds from our tax dollars. Only those who do not pay taxes are not paying for the wall.
Julie Bowers
Northwest side
Human traffickers, terrorists and the wall
Re: the Oct. 18 article “Future of border wall about to be handed over to voters.”
As extensive and detailed as it was, the recent excellent article written by Curt Prendergast didn’t cover the subjects of sex trafficking and terrorist entry. Logically it would seem that it would be difficult to smuggle groups of young girls via the ports of entry. More likely they would be walked across in remote areas and then wait for pick up by motor vehicle.
The same for overseas terrorists who would not want their entry documents scrutinized at a port. The new wall would reduce if not stop these practices. As a previous letter writer mentioned Mr. Prendergast did a super job of ensuring that the article was fair and balanced. This should be the standard of all news outlets. The Arizona Daily Star included.
Andrew Gullo
Three Points
An independent’s view of SCOTUS
Why are some people criticizing Amy Comey Barrett and her nomination to the Supreme Court? She has an exceptional legal background and a record of adherence to the Constitution. Legal scholars rate her qualifications as superior.
And why are some people criticizing the nomination/confirmation procedure as being against the rules and against the will of the people? There is no law or rule that states Supreme Court appointments cannot be made late-term by the political party which controls both the presidency and the Senate. The will of the people is a political term without precise numbers used to deceive people into believing that it means overwhelming majority.
Pollsters agree that the country is approximately evenly divided between liberal and conservative voters.
Those who object to the late-term nomination/confirmation procedure should lobby the Legislature to write into law a set of rules for the procedure. Both liberals and conservatives play the political game to their own advantage.
Gordon Marvik
Northeast side
Show respect
by wearing a mask
I am your 70-year-old neighbor. Your life matters, as does mine. I read in this morning’s Arizona Daily Star that people are “pandemic’d out.” Individual opinions regarding CDC guidelines during the pandemic are without merit.
What matters is that we are all responsible members of our community and have respect for one another. As I encounter people with masks, I think: “That person is responsible, and respects me and our community.”
Each encounter is a reinforcement of the values (responsibility and respect) that will keep “America, America,” without losing who we are as a country. Wear your mask proudly and follow the CDC guidelines.
Mary Kay O’Rourke
Downtown
Do your part
to fight the virus
The risk of transmitting respiratory (droplet/airborne) viruses like COVID-19 and common flu/colds is best mitigated by: First, self-isolating as much as possible, to reduce the overall public number of potential contact points.
Second, wearing a mask if you must be out, to reduce your adding to (exhalation) or picking up from (inhalation) that community viral load.
Third, washing hands before food prep or eating, after using the bathroom, coughing/sneezing, etc., just as all good hygiene practices dictate, to reduce the spread of many microbial diseases, including the bacteria that often cause food poisoning.
Unnecessary fear of fomite transmission (from touching contaminated items) only contributes to the continued scourge of plastic pollution from the single-use takeout containers, straws, utensils and cups/lids that many municipalities had been transitioning away from. Refillable, reusable, deposit-based solutions must accompany our newfound sidewalk-dining experiences and walkable streets.
Camille Kershner
East side
How I know
that Barrett lied
During the hearings, Sen. Kamala Harris asked Amy Coney Barrett, “Prior to your nomination, were you aware of President Trump’s statement committing to nominate judges who will strike down the Affordable Care Act? And I’d appreciate a yes or no answer.” Barrett maintained that before she was nominated to the Supreme Court, she was unaware of his public statements, “I don’t recall hearing about or seeing such statements,” Barrett said.
There is no successful lawyer I know, who does not keep up to date with the news. I would expect no less from Barrett, who is on the faculty of Notre Dame Law School and who obviously is interested in the judiciary. Thus, it is absolutely clear to me that she lied.
So, when she says later on, “I would hope the committee would trust my integrity,” I have to say that “No, you have clearly started your tenure by lying,” and no thinking person will “trust your integrity.”
Robin Steinberg
Midtown
People tired of Trump’s incompetence
Poor Donald, he and his supporters are tired of the pandemic. We are all tired, but most of us are trying to be responsible. The president chose to “downplay” the pandemic in January, ignored CDC guidelines and failed to create a responsible COVID plan. We now have a national health and economic disaster.
Trump and his supporters continue to mock and ridicule responsible behaviors that will save lives and help our economy recover. His crowds and supporters are A-OK when he lies, makes stuff up and demeans the best in the world health professionals/scientists and institutions with vile, divisive and disgusting language.
Yes, we are all tired, but this is where we are: We have a president who is incompetent and has willful disregard for science and facts. He has failed to protect, serve and lead our country.
Kathy Krucker
Midtown
Actually,
this is a democracy
The claim that the United States political system is “a republic, not a democracy” is often found in conservative screeds to put down those concerned about threats to our democracy. Extremist Republicans, like LD11 State Representative Mark Finchem, allege that since the Founding Fathers did not design a pure democracy, we cannot lay claim to its underlying principles.
Conservative extremists prefer to ignore that our democracy, like every other on Earth, is a republic insofar as citizen voters choose elected officials to represent them; we are not ruled by nobles which the Founding Fathers feared.
In Arizona, attempts by elected officials like Finchem to use the “republic, not democracy” mantra are cynical bids to suppress voters’ rights and citizens’ constitutionally permitted initiative and referendum processes when these efforts run contrary to the extremists’ views.
In LD11, don’t waste votes on extremist Republicans Mark Finchem or Bret Roberts. Vote for the candidate who actually believes in democracy — Felipe Perez, M.D.
David Pearl
Oro Valley
