Voting requires
thought
Why do we vote for particular political candidates? Is it based solely on their party? On their platform? Do we evaluate them independent of the R, D or I behind their names? What do we expect from our representatives?
Critical/independent thinking based on facts or blind allegiance to a particular political doctrine or the head of a party? Are our choices based upon what the candidate can do for us individually or what they can do for the greater us?
Based upon the performance of our elected officials at all levels of government I suggest it’s time for us (we the voters) to do our own critical fact-based thinking before we cast our next votes.
Guy Brunt
West side
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Truthfully,
Biden won
You believe that the election was stolen from Trump? Consider the dozens of lawsuits that attempted to prove Trump had won. According to Wikipedia’s detailed review of over 60 post-election lawsuits filed on Trump’s behalf, “only one ruling was initially in Trump’s favor, and it was later overturned.”
These cases, attempting to demonstrate election fraud, were dismissed regardless of the judge’s party; many of the judges had been appointed by Trump. Why were the lawsuits dismissed? The evidence brought by Trump’s lawyers, when obligated in court to speak “the truth and nothing but the truth,” was insufficient or frivolous.
William Barr, Trump’s loyal Attorney General, concluded that Biden and Harris did win. Courts of law are bound to evidence and constitutional law, not to an individual, as Trump expects, nor the judge’s personal wishes, nor a political storyteller’s hearsay, conjecture, innuendo and surmise, however convincingly narrated and continuously repeated.
Dorothy Johnson
Midtown
Reapportioning Representatives
Re: the Jan. 13 article “Arizona House should grow to give constituents better chance of access.”
In response to Tim Seller’s column regarding Senator Mesnard’s proposal to reapportion the AZ House of Representatives, I would like to propose an alternative: Instead of subdividing each existing Legislative District into three sub-districts, why not rearrange both chambers to be more similar to the U.S. Congress?
I suggest each county be represented by two senators (for a total of 30), and that our state’s population be divided as equitably as possible such that each Representative represents approximately 75,000 people (with a minimum of one Representative per county).
In this scenario, Greenlee, La Paz, Graham, Santa Cruz, Gila, Apache, and Navajo Counties would have one representative each, with the remaining counties ranging from two representatives (Cochise, Coconino) to 58 (Maricopa). There would be 98 Representatives and 30 Senators, representing constituencies in a manner similar to that of the U.S. Congress.
David Peterson
Midtown
Biden pardon Trump? Are you kidding us?
Re: the Jan. 12 article “To avoid turmoil, Biden should promise to pardon Trump.”
Kenneth Lasson, in his guest opinion recommends that Biden should pardon Trump because it would signal “that the outgoing president is not a target and help calm tensions.” This adds insult to injury.
Do the rioters in DC and elsewhere really just want to protect their beloved Trump, who has done so much for them over the last four years, especially betraying our country to Russia numerous times, consistently lying to the public, and attacking the foundation of our democracy to propel himself to the throne of a dictator?
Bravo, what a leader, what a braggart, what a bully, what a cheater!
Pardoning a person only works and is the right thing to do when there is true contrition, when the perpetrator might have been a victim of circumstances or too narrow laws, and when this pardon can ultimately help the nation.
Pardoning a threat to our nation who is ready to incite the mob further is like punching yourself in your face.
Albrecht Classen
Midtown
Please change your ways, Republican Party
If the Republican Party ever returns to the party of fiscal, ethical and social responsibility, creating an economic environment that lifts all people, and legislates to the majority of Americans, I’ll reconsider my affiliation! I’m 78, so please hurry!
Dennis Halsey
SaddleBrooke
Mass vaccination event not right for seniors
The online sign-up systems and mass vaccination sites seem like a good idea for vaccinating younger people, but they are not very appealing to 75+ couples like my wife and me.
We will have trouble getting properly signed up (we may have to enlist our grandkids to sign up for us), and we won’t do well sitting in long car lines.
For one thing, I can never get the songs from my phone playing on my car radio. … How about a smaller, concurrent plan that allocates vaccines to doctor’s offices and neighborhood drug stores, where we’re used to making appointments, enduring short waits, and getting shots?
Al Lockwood
Northeast side
