Trump keeps changing our nation for the worst
Does anyone see the parallel with China, North Korea or Russia? President Trump is following their recipe for dealing with those who dare to speak out. How will this escalate? The only difference in Trump ousting those patriots who spoke truth is, we so far do not allow imprisonment, or worse, death. Will this change by keeping a man in office who feels he does no wrong and is void of empathy?
Susan Bennett
Vail
If Trump is a lock, why not stay home?
Re: the Feb. 10 letter “Call the election off; Trump is a lock.”
Such letter writers apparently lack the insight required to keep their innermost thoughts from oozing to the surface when they write the editors. Not only does he expose his contempt for democracy, but his subtle racism by describing Barack Obama’s successful and mostly popular tenure as “darkness.” The cult of President Trump also oozes out through his words.
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He recommended calling off the election. I propose a different tack. On election day, let those who love freedom, democracy and human decency flood the polls with their rational votes and allow those who believe in a “forgone election outcome” to just stay home.
To be sure, one of my innermost thoughts is that there is insufficient space allowed here to list all of the faults and failures of Trump.
Rick Scifres
Green Valley
US debt gets kicked down the road again
Re: the Feb. 10 article “Budget plan from Trump avoids any real effort to curb deficit.”
The article on the front page of the Arizona Daily Star on Monday caused me to have second thoughts about my president, Donald Trump. It had nothing to do with the ridiculous impeachment that the House “trumped” up. Or presidential concern about funds for Ukraine and its new unknown leader being delayed. Nor even the questionable involvement of the Bidens in a Ukraine business for an outlandish sum of money.
What did disturb me was the headline: “Budget plan from Trump avoids any real effort to curb deficit.”
Now, as a banker, that to me is serious! I proudly voted for Trump to balance the budget and to begin reducing the debt.
That no longer appears to be on his agenda, or the Republicans, or the Democratic challengers.
Washington sure knows how to kick the political can down the road for future generations.
Jack Boggess
East side
Tucson voters should consider moderation
Tucson, with our mixture of intelligent youth and our share of the older, experienced population, has an important decision to make this November.
Will our youth choose an option of multitudes of promised freebies or a return to stability, honesty and respect for our national standing?
Often things acquired without effort can be unsatisfying and fleeting. While things requiring effort and work often create lasting rewards.
As an octogenarian, I have lived through many presidencies. I have seen the results of both impulsiveness and moderation. My hope is that both young and old will choose moderation. Doing so will free our government to address the immediate needs of our planet and our people ... global warming, infrastructure and our future generations for decades to come.
Patricia Hyne
South Tucson
McSally’s SECURE Act helps boost businesses
Good laws help me and my fellow financial services professionals serve the best interests of our clients, who include families striving to meet their financial goals, save for retirement, and cover health care needs.
The SECURE Act, makes it much easier for small businesses to offer retirement savings plans and to provide guaranteed income in retirement, significantly increasing overall retirement readiness. It also provides workers with greater flexibility and more incentives to prepare for retirement. The health plan tax and the so-called Cadillac tax would have made it more costly for employers to provide health insurance for employees. The year-end bill permanently repeals these taxes, encouraging companies to offer workers high-quality benefits. Additional provisions protect citizens and businesses who may face financial losses due to flooding or acts of terrorism not covered by standard property insurance.
I am thankful that my senator, Martha McSally, provided strong leadership in supporting this important legislation.
Seth Krasne, member of National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors
Downtown
Trump keeps military industrial complex alive
President Trump increases the military budget in his new budget proposal. Dwight D. Eisenhower warned the nation about the military industrial complex when he said, “they’ll keep you afraid, so you’ll keep spending.”
Since 1990 China has built 40 metro systems. Currently China builds eight airports per year, with plans to double that figure.
We built our last subway system 43-plus years ago in Washington, D.C., and our last airport 26-plus years ago in Denver. Since 1990 we’ve bombed 15 countries.
Eisenhower also said, “Every gun that is made, every warship launched, every rocket fired, signifies in the final sense a theft from those who hunger and are not fed, those who are cold and are not clothed.” Eisenhower was an honorable man.
Jim Dreis
East side
Football program at UA should be put to an end
I’ve read two letters decrying the Super Bowl halftime show. Shakira and J-Lo were too sexy for some folks. Their performances received pearl-clutching outrage, while the head blows on the field were given tacit approval. I was disinterested in the game since the Packers, the team my grandpa played for, were knocked out.
Speaking of knocked out, Green Bay’s leading tackler for the past three seasons is Blake Martinez from Oro Valley. While it’s arguably OK to run a professional league, it’s completely unethical to have unpaid college athletes put themselves at proven risk of brain injury. The University of Arizona should shut down the football program. My uncle was on the last team that Marquette University fielded and that school still seems to be functioning ... with an athletic program even.
Jimmy Bultman
West side
State of the Union’s purpose is forgotten
I am going to vent here. I can appreciate that this State of the Union address is a good way for any president to speak about the direction our country is going under their administration. It is a time to celebrate the good things. It is not a time to disparage all the things that the previous administration accomplished!
The Republicans call the Democrats haters. This after they spend eight years hating President Barack Obama and never giving him credit for the good things he did. When will we ever work together? Think of what we could accomplish if we worked together!
Donna Pierce
Northeast side
What’s Europe ever done for the United States?
Re: the Feb. 5 letter “Europe giving up on America.”
For decades the United States has provided Europe a protective shield costing us billions and perhaps trillions of dollars. While we paid for their defense they showered their populations with more generous social benefits from the defense money they didn’t have to spend.
And what has Europe given us in return? A huge trade imbalance, higher tariffs on U.S. imports, like cars, and restricted agricultural imports.
Now, in a further gesture of appreciation, they want to tax our successful Internet companies. And when there’s heavy lifting to be done around the world to protect all of us from terrorists and hostile nations, like Iran and North Korea, where are they? Generally not on duty. Who’s protecting the oil shipping lanes in the Persian Gulf now even though we are a net exporter of oil? So maybe it’s time we gave up on Europe. Nothing is absolute, but we’ve been getting the short end of the stick for years.
James Tuthill
Oro Valley