Tucson Speaks Out: Nov. 15

Trump and the Constitution

The presidential oath of office that is expected to be taken by President-Elect Donald Trump on Jan. 20, 2025, could pose significant problems should he later move to terminate all or portions of the U.S. Constitution.

According to Article II, Section 1, Clause 8 of the Constitution:

Before a president enters on the Execution of his Office, he shall take the following Oath or Affirmation: “I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the Office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my Ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States.”

Shortly after announcing his intention to seek office again back in 2022, Mr. Trump called for the “termination” of parts of the Constitution. According to a report published by the Public Broadcasting System, Mr. Trump made his feelings clear on social media regarding his belief that the 2020 election had been stolen: “A massive fraud of this type and magnitude allows for the termination of all rules, regulations, and articles, even those found in the Constitution,” he wrote. “Our great ‘founders’ did not want, and would not condone, false and fraudulent elections!”

My questions, which may or may not have answers, are: Would termination of parts or all of the Constitution constitute an impeachable offense? If the entire Constitution has been terminated could a president be impeached for violation of the Constitution if it no longer exists?

Obviously, this is a scenario that was never anticipated when the Constitution was conceived and written so many years ago.

David Ricker

Tucson

Sour grapes

Brian from Bisbee complains to the Star about sour grapes. He’s upset that the Star prints more honest, open and I guess liberal LTEs than they do conservative LTEs. He goes on to state that his previous letter wasn’t printed because he’s conservative. The reality that many conservatives in Arizona don’t seem to understand is that Arizona is becoming more blue, and the red hate that. They want a bastion for unabashed lying instead of the truth. As Jack put it in A Few Good Men, “You can’t handle the truth.” The truth is unfortunately Arizona has let the rest of the nation down by voting for a felon and serial liar. At least Arizonans weren’t stupid enough to vote for Kari “I lie to support the liar in chief” Lake. I’m sure Brian is pretty ticked off about that, kind of like sour grapes.

John Bingham

Northwest side

Presidential election

Harris got about 11 million votes less than Biden in 2020. Trump got about one million votes less than he got in 2020. What does this tell you about both candidates! The parties failed in providing good candidates for citizens to vote for. The Democratic Party was out of step with citizens on issues of border, inflation, student debt, equality, etc. The Republican answer to this was a guy way short on character, honesty, and integrity. A great choice of who to vote against from the Republican and Democratic parties. This should be a vote to remember and which party members are best at holding their nose and casting their vote!

Dave Locey

Foothills

Hispanic voters

No, it’s not true — Latino men did not get together one bright shining day and decide to vote for Trump instead of Harris. Some decided not to vote for Harris because they did not think she was a good candidate. To others, Biden could no longer govern effectively. Some guys just voted with their wallets, gas and groceries to be specific. But whatever does the media always have to focus on minority behavior. Next time look at the voting of bald guys, or red-headed guys. You never know they might vote as a bloc.

Manuel Hernandez Garcia

Midtown

Mr. Quigley!

The opinion piece in the Star on Nov. 12 by James Quigley (“Unify America by saving democracy)” proves just why many of us detest Trump and his Republican allies. We acknowledge you believe Trump can do no wrong and that you will follow him to the end of the world. But don’t assert that we are guilty of Trump’s foibles and derangements. Bring us all together? Trump’s the one who resisted peaceful transition of power to Biden in 2020. He’s the one who kept calling his opponents derogatory names during the campaign and promising to punish his enemies once elected. He now threatens to send National Guard from red states into uncooperative blue ones. You wonder why some governors are promising to resist? Trump has correctly been called the Divider-in-Chief.

BTW — a friend has a cat named Quigley. I just suggested she change the name to Resistance!

Dale Keyes

Northwest side

Trump’s replay of his past term

The last time he was president, Trump’s tariffs on foreign agricultural products required a massive bailout of U.S. farmers, costing us $28 billion. We paid for that. It’s safe to assume that new tariffs would further hammer our economy. Foreign producers do not pay the tariffs. We do. Total U.S. sales of agricultural products to China dropped from $24 billion in 2014 to $9.1 billion in 2019.

Here’s another regurgitated idea from his previous term: Let’s give more massive tax breaks to the wealthiest Americans and corporations. What will the 2017 tax plan cost us? $1.9 trillion (with a T) over 10 years through 2028. And now he’s suggesting we extend those tax cuts to 2035. If that comes to pass, we’ll have another $3.9 trillion to pay for over 10 years, or $15,116 per adult in the United States, according to an analysis by the nonpartisan Center on Budget and Policy Priorities this summer.

Jeff Herr

North side

A mountain to climb

With the election over, we need to sheath our swords of vitriol. America faces a myriad of problems.

1. The Middle East is in turmoil. 2. The Far East with China is an ever-increasing threat to Taiwan and the Philippines. 3. The Ukraine and Russia war now nearly three years old, and North Korea joining Russia. 4. Our southern border, drugs and the cartels. These problems won’t be solved in a few weeks.

We must have a strong leader, and Kamala Harris was not that. We need a person who will not accept the status quo. Whether you voted for Trump or not, we need to rally around him and stand with him to show a unified front. So, ladies and gentlemen, we have problems, but they can be solved. If you fight the elected officials, solutions will only take longer. Give him time to address these serious issues and hope they can be solved in less that four years. Do this for our country. America needs all of us.

Jerry Schuchardt

Foothills

Lessons from our past

For more details, please read War Department, “Army Talk 64: FASCISM!” March 24, 1945: “It is important for our future and that of the world that as many of us as possible understand the causes and practices of fascism, in order to combat it.”

World history is the source of some tough lessons about human exploitation and suffering at the hands of a powerful few. Ukraine provides a harsh and very real contemporary lesson. Numerous others, economists too. Yet, it is more convenient to ignore positive lessons taught by our parents, grandparents, teachers, coaches, and scout leaders about what it means to be a law-abiding person, a caring friend, a patriot. A majority of us prefer a felon, convicted by a jury of peers for 34 counts of fraud against us, and a civilly convicted sexual predator, as the face of our nation. We appear to be slipping as a nation of learners. Who covers costs?

Edward Waymire

Midtown

Red-light cameras, again

Another thing about red light cameras: There were issues of enforcement via the U.S. mail, an increase in rear-end collisions, oh and voters lawfully ending them! We used to have police officers enforce red-light running, and they were effective. Our mayor and city council could make this happen. More and better-paid officers would curb rampant shoplifting, median panhandlers — illegal but not enforced — and urban campsites and related property crimes. Better-paid officers equal a more stable department and less crime. I get that Phoenix wants cameras. Phoenix also has hotter days, more traffic and the Sun Devils ...

Scott Thompson

East side