Why middle America leans right
There are possibly three “scientific” reasons why middle America is consistently conservative.
This is the first explanation and it is scientifically provable.
Scientists discovered 150 years ago that a necessary ingredient for childhood brain development is iodine. While most people on the U.S. coasts consume iodine via fish, and have since added iodine to salt as a means of insuring that young minds have this mineral, no such effort has taken place in middle America to address brain development. Therefore the minds of mid-America people are not well or fully developed compared to their peers on the coastal states.
The second “reason” is related to the first in that “conservative” people are naturally reluctant to change, and are quite able to ignore facts/reasons for accepting. This is a rigidity associated with diminished mental aptitude.
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The third reason is dogmatic belief. Once an idea becomes ingrained in a “reduced capacity mind” it is virtually impossible to change via rational reasons.
Vin Allen
Northwest side
Honor Lewis
by voting
We humans mourn when goodness is taken from the world. I believe we feel a sense of personal loss when we hear of the passing of a good soul. I was vividly reminded of this fact last week with the passing of John Lewis. I found myself, like many others I’m sure, wiping a tear from my eye as I listened to his recorded voice echo downward off the walls of the Capitol dome, falling on his flag-draped casket.
He was equally praised by presidents for his courage and perseverance, and by a little boy, who called him his friend. He led a truly historical life, which I’m sure will be chronicled by his biographers, but what made him special to mankind was the simplicity of his love of other human beings.
Now it is time to dry our tears, to refocus, to persevere, to overcome, and in memory of John Lewis, to vote.
Edward Heller
Northwest side
Trump cares
only for Trump
I just looked at Trump’s tweets since July 29, and he doesn’t once mention the U.S. servicemen we just lost in the amphibious accident. So if you want to vote for a person who claims he supports the military but can’t find the time to tweet his condolences, then go ahead. You know it’s not right, but support him anyway.
This is what you want in a president?
Michael Dai
Midtown
For nonpartisans,
it’s pick your poison
Something that has rankled both myself and many other nonpartisans is the abusive and divisive nature of the two major parties. They see no problem with limiting access to the ballot via their filters. The Democrats complain about the Electoral College, but then use super delegates, and the Republicans just seem to do anything to retain power. Why are the rules slanted away from qualified Americans who don’t want to be part of such a divisive process?
We should eliminate government involvement in primaries and allow any qualified American on the ballot. Use preferential choice or a true preference point system in a general election. Eliminate party listings next to the candidates’ names, so we can stop the voters who vote party line with no thought to the actual candidate.
Otherwise, we will always be voting for the “evil of two lessers” and everyone will continue throwing their votes away.
Dan Pendergrass
West side
Biden’s VP will be politically correct
Joe Biden is being pressured to select a Black woman as his running mate because it’s politically correct and it’s the right thing to do at this time. It’s likely the VP will inherit the presidency one way or another. Do we want another inexperienced person heading the country just because it’s the right thing to do?
Political correctness is weakening our country as no one anymore has the freedom of speech without the “I’m offended” police wagging their hypocritical fingers at you. Biden will succumb to the pressure just to get votes to appease the BLM supporters. This will be another “what a choice” come election time.
Richard Tolle
Bisbee
Taxation without representation
I was dismayed two weeks ago to read a letter by a fellow Democrat scolding the party — including Tucson-area representatives Raúl Grijalva, Ann Kirkpatrick, and Tom O’Halleran — for backing a bill giving statehood to the residents of the District of Columbia.
I lived in D.C. for more than three decades before retiring to Southern Arizona and know that this is not a trivial matter. Although they pay federal taxes, the 705,000 U.S. citizens living in D.C., a larger population than both Vermont and Wyoming, have no voting representation in Congress. It’s taxation without representation.
Concerned that D.C. voting rights would be unconstitutional? The statehood bill sets aside a small amount of land for the operations of the federal government and affords D.C. residents equal protections under the law as guaranteed by the 14th Amendment.
I hope that Sen. Kyrsten Sinema and the next elected senator as well as concerned citizens throughout the country will support this bill. It matters.
Miriam Burt
Green Valley
Democracy vs. autocratic dictatorship
Joe Biden is no socialist but Donald Trump is a wannabe dictator. This election is not between socialism and capitalism as one letter writer would have us believe. This election is a fight to save our democracy versus allowing Trump to complete his goal of becoming an autocratic dictator for life. On Nov. 3, we need to send Trump packing if we want to salvage what remains of our democracy and start rebuilding what has already been destroyed.
Jim Notestine
East side
Leftists have taken over the news
Producer Ariana Pekary has resigned from MSNBC. She cited a lack of diversity of thought and amplifying fringe voices to pump up ratings as some reasons. She cited a veteran news person as saying “We are a cancer and there is no cure.”
Pekary said “New details have become available about antibodies, a vaccine, or how COVID actually spreads, producers still want to focus on the politics. Important facts or studies get buried. This cancer risks our democracy, even in the middle of a presidential election. Any discussion about the election usually focuses on Donald Trump, not Joe Biden.”
A senior MSNBC producer told her, “Our viewers don’t really consider us the news. They come to us for comfort.” Pekary’s resignation comes just days after the resignations of Bari Weiss, op-ed writer and editor for The New York Times, and Andrew Sullivan, columnist for New York Magazine/Vox, citing almost identical reasons. They are sounding the alarm that far leftists and their intolerance of other views have taken over.
Paula Martin
Vail
Wear a mask, darn it,
or stay home
One of my few strengths as a teacher of middle school for 32 years was patience. Yet I have no patience for those whining about wearing a mask and there supposed constitutional right not to. I served four years in the U.S. Air Force, my son served for 24 years.
A number of friends and classmates died in Vietnam or came home seriously injured. Thousands of families have lost loved ones in the many wars since the founding of this nation. They know what sacrifice for their country is about.
Someone who can’t wear a mask, unless it is due to illness, has no right to refuse this small inconvenience. The facts are clear, masks help stop the spread of COVID-19, one can be infected and spread the virus to others with absolutely no symptoms, and that will kill some people. To those who refuse to wear a mask I say, “grow up or stay home and see no one.”
Donald Ries
Southeast side
Education of our young not a priority in AZ
Re: the Aug. 5 opinion “Judge defends AZ ruling class in egregious decision.”
Tim Steller hit the nail-head with his article. Why is Arizona ranked something like 48th in educational resources compared to other states? Because people in power do not care to educate children in public schools.
The Invest in Ed people gathered over 465,000 signatures in the heat of the summer with COVID-19 nipping their heels to present a way of funding for public schools that gets around the abysmal amount of funding from the legislature and Gov. Doug Ducey. By creating a 1% surcharge on income over $250,000 for an individual or $500,000 for a couple funds for education can be augmented. We need them.
This petition was thrown out by the Arizona Supreme Court in 2018 but was clearly reworded to avoid confusion by normal citizens. Shall the will of 400,000 citizens be disregarded by a few powerful men? Let the voters decide.
Cynthia Chaffee
Oro Valley
Poll workers keep voters honest
I was a poll worker on Tuesday. Sign up to do that job and you will have a whole new respect for those people. I do.
Because of that experience, let me tell you how to make the whole thing easier, for you and us: Make sure that your actual address listed matches your ID. Make sure that you are at the correct voting place. If you get an early ballot and don’t use it, you automatically have a provisional ballot.
That’s because you got two ballots. I’m sure you don’t want anyone using two ballots. No, we are not calling you a cheat.
Provisional ballots count. Wear a mask, and don’t carry a weapon into the voting place. Any of these things going wrong means that you will come to me to fill out a provisional ballot. We are not there to make it harder for you to vote. We are helping to keep the election fair and honest. Thank you for understanding.
Sandy Gordon
Midtown
Endorsement by police is questionable
Vice President Mike Pence will be in Tucson on Aug. 11, to accept the endorsement of the Arizona Association of Police, a rank-and-file organization representing over 12,000 members, according to their Facebook page. I find it uncanny that at a time when confidence and trust in the police is at an all-time low, this organization chooses to endorse Trump. By endorsing the president, this organization is drawing the line in the sand.
They will support this administration’s racists policies and oppose the progressive community of Tucson. I worked 31 years in criminal justice and I understand the value of fraternal and professional organizations; plus, I understand their right to endorse anyone. However, I have to question them taking an “us versus them” approach at a time where reconciliation should be a priority.
Those of us that advocated not to defund the police are questioning our position in light of the association’s endorsement.
Ed Espinoza
Southwest side
