Letters to the Editor Oct. 15

In just eight months, Biden's poll numbers have tanked. Many Americans think his administration is incompetent. He reads from prepared texts on teleprompters and avoids questions from the news media. He has an apparent open-border policy allowing hundreds of thousands of people to illegally enter the country with no efforts to stop it. No criticisms of Biden's border policies by the Arizona Daily Star, unlike their continual attacks on Trump. The Afghanistan horror occurred on Biden's watch, so he is the one responsible for it. Inflation is a real problem with higher prices for housing, cars, fuel, etc. Biden destroyed our relationship with long-time ally France by cutting them out of the nuclear submarine deal with Australia. We have internal strife across America over critical race theory and mask mandates in our public school systems. Biden and his bunch want to do a radical $3.5 trillion tax-and-spend deal greatly expanding government social welfare programs. "Zero cost" claims further erode his credibility.

Tony Domino

Northwest side

City staff shortages

Tucson is in competition for trained workers. Perhaps there needs to be some long-range thinking.

They should chunk a huge sum of money into Tucson Unified School District. Not just the current Biden money, but more money to train students in practical skills. When I was in high school even the college-bound girls had to take a semester of home economics and the boys took shop. When we traded programs for a day the boys learned to cook an egg and I learned to change a tire. If these programs are intensified for college-bound students, they can learn skills that might find them jobs that will pay for college. More high school grads who can take an engine apart and put it back together. More girls who can hang a picture. More boys who can iron a dress shirt, more girls who can mix a can of paint and paint the kitchen ceiling. More skill development.

Eleanor Soler

East side

Ham-handed Prop. 206

Proposition 206 offers no substantial improvements to our economy. In fact, it will hasten the derailment of everyday living as we know it. This will be a potential cost to our school district if Proposition 206 passes. The initiative will create divisiveness and pit employees against employers by financially incentivizing workers to file complaints. Proposition 206 advances the idea that employees are good, and employers are bad. I have been both an employer and an employee. I understand the value both have to our economy and improving the quality of life for Tucson. As a community, we need to work together and stop fighting each other. Save our city; we must defeat Proposition 206.

P. Harvey Hirsch

Northwest side

The Senate as a frat house

Re: the Oct. 13 letter "Why do we need the Senate?"

I was pleased to read Patrick Allen's comments. I thought I was the only one who believed that the Senate was the most august political body and has been relegated to a frat house. As an example, I heard on the radio why someone like Sen. Chuck Grassley at age 88 would not want to retire. Truth is, he has been retired in place for a number of years. Not just him but members of both parties treat Washington, D.C., as their permanent home. And why not, with all the perks provided to them and the companionship of their respective parties. Why leave? There are exceptions, but not enough to matter.

David Sibik

Marana

Get off Sinema's back

An independent view on the political storm over Sen. Kyrsten Sinema's party loyalty. First, when joining a political party no one takes an oath to support 100% of the political positions one's registered party adopts. That "100% party loyalty" viewpoint is held mostly by party members who are ardent and active in political affairs. Secondly, Sinema doesn't need instructions on "how to vote" from anyone. She has both a doctorate and a law degree, which should validate her ability to thoroughly evaluate the social and fiscal aspects of proposed legislation. If her political views are out of sync with yours, there's always 2024 to "get even."

Gordon Marvik

Northeast side

Sacrificing American lives

In the context of more than 715,000 American deaths from the coronavirus, GOP politicians continue to oppose mandates for vaccinations against the coronavirus.

I believe the Republican Party of 2021 will do anything to regain power in 2022. Opposing life-saving vaccine mandates is evidence of this.

Research now indicates that unvaccinated people are 11 times more likely to die from COVID-19 then those who are fully vaccinated. 

Nevertheless, Republican governors Ron DeSantis, Greg Abbott, Brian Kemp, Tate Reeves, respectively of Florida, Texas, Georgia and Mississippi, continue to oppose vaccination mandates which will save lives.

These governors and the GOP leadership place their political interests above those of the Americans they represent. Truly, a heartbreaking situation.

Stuart Sellinger

Northwest side