Freedom to Vote Act un-American
Re: the Oct. 15 letter “Senate sets sights on elections bill.”
There has never been a time in American history when assaults on our Constitution and its traditions of conducting affairs have been greater.
If we don’t like Supreme Court decisions, pack it with our friends.
If the 50-50 split in the Senate is impeding our idea of progress, don’t just get rid of the filibuster but scrap this entire half of Congress.
And if we truly want total dominance for our political ideology, we must demand enactment of the Freedom to Vote Act, which replaces the patchwork of state-run election systems with a totalitarian-style top-down system.
This so-called patchwork is actually a quilt of 50 united states and the thread that sews us together is the enumerated powers provided by our Constitution. Since 1789, this document has seen us through 59 presidential elections and thousands of others.
Let’s stay the course.
Jeffrey McConnell
West side
Elections now produce anxiety
I just completed my city and county election ballots and am filled with uncertainty. Will cybercriminals alter local voting machines? Will right-wing politicos question my ballot’s authenticity? Will their operatives knock on my door? I never had these thoughts before sore loser Donald Trump did everything to wreck public confidence in our election system. He has done more to undermine American democracy than anyone, ever.
John Stark
Southeast side
Handicapping the Legislature
Recently, the airways have been inundated with advertising for online sports betting sites. State legislators and Gov. Doug Ducey legalized sports betting in April 2021. Why not explore another source of state revenue — handicapping the Arizona Legislature? Bet an over/under on the number of laws overturned by state or federal courts. Or, a parlay wager on the Legislature defunding public school education, repealing Arizona’s public records laws, and voting to appoint their slate of state electors in lieu of election outcomes. Maybe a straight bet on the state Senate retaining Cyber Ninjas to audit the 2022 elections. The possibilities are endless. The entertainment value — priceless.
Sheldon Clark
Vail
Sinema sees only green
Sen. Kyrsten Sinema apparently is holding out against the Biden agenda to protect corporate tax breaks. Some of the largest corporations pay zero taxes and pay stockholders so they can earn income while sitting, while most Americans who work for a living bear the burden of most taxes. She is preventing providing child care and college assistance to working families, hearing and dental coverage for seniors and other programs that would help Arizonans. She is preventing action on climate change, which threatens our existence. I’m sure she will earn a healthy bonus from corporate boards and lobbying when she leaves the Senate, but everyone else will suffer the consequences. It’s time for her to represent the children, families and seniors in Arizona rather than her own financial gain.
Michael McCrory
Midtown
Our forefathers had mandates
State Sen. Vince Leach, who represents Oro Valley, Catalina, Marana, Casa Grande and Maricopa, recently issued a press release denouncing business vaccine mandates. In his press release, he justifies his opposition saying, “Our country has always honored personal medical decision making.”
His statement is not true. In 1777, George Washington ordered mandatory smallpox inoculation for all his troops. In 1792, the Commonwealth of Virginia passed laws making any person knowingly spreading smallpox a criminal to be fined up to $1,500 or imprisoned for six months.
Our forefathers understood that while personal freedoms are important when confronting public health threats, all citizens have a responsibility to one another. Evidence shows that employer-issued COVID-19 vaccine mandates are an effective tool for overcoming vaccine hesitancy and quickly increase inoculation rates, which protects all citizens.
When the 2022 election comes around, voters in Arizona should look for representatives who support scientifically sound public health measures that protect the public and are proven to work.
Diana Alexander
Oro Valley
Must be doing something right
I was reading the editorial page of the Star this morning thinking, wow, this new opinion editor is pretty right of center. It was then rather amusing to read a letter that included this sentence: “We needed a politically impartial person to follow Sarah Garrecht Gassen’s departure. Unfortunately, another Democrat progressive has taken her place.” I really had to chuckle because if this reader thinks Mr. Prendergast is walking in the footsteps of our previous, much beloved opinion editor who she believes is left of center, and I think he’s too conservative, the Star’s new opinion editor must be right in the center! It will be interesting to see how many readers actually feel comfortable there.
Peggy Hendrickson
Green Valley
