Debt ceiling ‘debate’ is about simply paying our bills
News broadcasts and articles about the debt ceiling fight seem to sidestep the fact that this isn’t a squabble between Republican and Democratic politicians about concern over the national debt. This is Republicans using the threat of defaulting on our payments to our debtors as extortion to force their draconian budget cuts. The GOP uses the threat like a game of chicken: seeing who will flinch first. When Obama was president, they did the same thing and Democrats caved to GOP’s budget cutting demands that adversely affected government programs for years beyond. This year it is Extortion 2.0: force Democrats to make draconian cuts for years to come to avoid being sent into default and sending our economy into serious recession. Republicans weren’t so worried about our national debt when Trump was president, spending like mad and giving a huge tax cut to the wealthy (their primary demographic). Suddenly, with a Democratic President, they act so worried about it, revealing their mendacity and hypocrisy.
Jeffrey St. Clair
North side
1872 Mining Law
Back in 1872, when our current mining law was written, this is how it worked. You found some minerals. You built a mine. And dug some wells. You added houses for the miners. When the minerals were depleted, you packed up your pony and left.
I am sure there is copper somewhere outside of populated areas in Arizona. Why doesn’t Hudbay send a guy out, and when he finds something, follow the steps in my first paragraph, and we all get along. It sounds easier to start from scratch than to buy houses you don’t need and deal with the fallout.
Instead, Hudbay is trying to drop five open pits into a populated area. Then, they will dip their straw in and suck out approximately 13 million gallons of groundwater per day, destroy a national forest, turn state land into a toxic dump and contaminate neighborhoods for miles.
Cathy McGrath
Vail
Ciscomani eye-opener
The deceit and falsification that Republican Representative Juan Ciscomani has been exhibiting since taking office is finally catching up to him. He would have us believe that he comes from a poor, hard-working immigrant family and has a love for the middle and lower middle class American citizens in his District. Wrong. Does he really think that all of his “constituents” are so stupid as to not know what the Republican Party has done to America over the past six decades? Apparently, it is his greatest desire to attract financial support from the Republican billionaires, as demonstrated most recently by his vote in favor of seriously cutting Social Security, Medicare, Veteran benefits, Medicaid and benefits to children. He has shown himself to be in lockstep with all of the Republican radical atrocities instead being strong enough to be non-partisan and support what is good for his District and America. Wake up constituents, do not consider re-electing Juan Ciscomani.
Dale Pelton
Northwest side
DeLaura’s continued eligibility to Play PAC-12 Football
I realize, for myself, how inured I have become to the too familiar news regarding male athletes (college or professional) with checkered pasts e.g., sexual harassment and assault or domestic violence, who continue to be eligible to play in their respective sport. In the case of college football are the prospective phenoms of the game or the future franchise pros like the equivalent of “too big to fail” banks that are bailed out — the financial outlay to protect “programs” and special players? One can only imagine what better things alumni endowments could be used for. Inequality is perpetuated over and over, and the guilty need only to write an apology or pay a fine.
James Naughton
Northeast side
Tucson government
Re: the April 30 article “Tucson to study creating city-run electric utility; TEP opposed.”
What a surprise to see a City who can’t fix the roads, can’t provide safety of City residents, a City that wants to plant a million trees in a City short of water now wants to run the electricity generation of the Tucson area! Living in a Pima County unincorporated area that the City would like to annex, now that is just plain scary! Would we rather have Pima County and TEP provide for services they do reasonable well? Answer is yes — unequivocally. The City of Tucson should concentrate on doing a few things well.
Dave Locey
Foothills
Rational gun control
Another mass killing ... how rare? It’s obvious, nothing will motivate our moribund Congress to act on reasonable, rational gun control (without violating “rights” conferred by the 2nd Amendment) until a Congressperson, or the minor child of a Congressperson, is murdered in a mass shooting. And not just any Congressperson, it has to be a Republican congressperson. Otherwise, no deal, no rational gun control legislation such as expanded background checks, requiring manufacturers to obtain approval for assault weapons-as differentiated from banning specific gun types (as required of drug manufacturers when introducing a new drug), red-flag laws, etc. will be considered, let alone acted on. Nothing. Until Republicans can “mourn” the death of one of their own there will be no Congressional action. Wait ... there will be thoughts and prayers.
Jack Graef
SaddleBrooke
Preserve the credit worthiness of the US Government
Re: the May 7 letter “Budget limit.”
I don’t usually agree with what this letter writer writes. However, I must agree with part of his most recent letter. His child has run up a maximum credit card debt — and the letter writer is aghast. What to do? I quote from his letter: “First, I pay the bill.”
Congrats! You need to immediately contact all Republican Members of Congress and remind them of this — tell them to vote to raise the National Debt Ceiling and preserve the credit worthiness of the US Govt. What comes next is open for debate, but you do NOT allow debt to go unpaid, or ruin credit ratings. And there is a difference between laying down rules going forward and starving the poor kid. Remember, you once told him it’s ok spend more — where’s all that cash from Trump tax cuts?
Norman Epstein
Midtown
SAWP
Re: the May 7 article “Southern Arizona Authors: Romance, reflection, mystery and history.”
Although thrilled to discover a review of my book, Sticky Karma, in Sunday’s Southern Arizona Authors, I must give credit where credit is due. Jim Rankin, Margaret Fleming, and John Hollowell were the founders of the Southern Arizona Writing Project, not me. I was, however, invited to participate in the inaugural seminar, went on to become a research assistant for SAWP, and years later a board member.
The initial experience and ongoing association shaped my path as a teacher and a writer. One premise of the project was that if one were to teach writing, one should be writing. In presentations and trainings around the state, I was constantly surprised at how few English teachers wrote and at how many had been shamed by teachers when they were students.
The Writing Projects that sprang up all around the country were like a Renaissance in education. It saddens me now to hear of so many books being banned. I can only wonder what unhealed trauma is at the bottom of that.
Lee Shainen
Midtown
It’s the guns
Politicians both local and national have asserted that there is nothing that can be done about our mass shootings. If there is really nothing that an elected official can think of to help stop our nearly every day massacres then don’t vote for them. Do not vote for them! Anyone running for elected office who suggests that our problem isn’t the easy accessibility of guns is not a serious candidate. Do not vote for them! It’s the guns.
Rick Unklesbay
Midtown
Pools and youth swim teams should be a City priority
Dear Editor,
I called the City of Tucson this morning and asked whether it would be offering the low-cost, recreational swim teams that Tucson children and youth have enjoyed in all parts of town for decades. I was told, “We are working on this. Call back on May 23.” Tucson is hot in the summer, and it is difficult and often unsafe for children to play and exercise outside. Yet last year, the City did not offer swim teams, explaining that there was a shortage of lifeguards — this despite the fact that every pricey local swim club and even the County pools fielded swim teams that year. I urge the City to make this a priority for our children and youth this summer.
Suzanne Rabe
Midtown
Making up rules as they go
President Biden has has effectively hemmed in China’s pacific fleet using agreements with the Philippines, Taiwan and Japan that establishes US deployments on islands around their countries. GOP makes a lot of noise about this accusation and that, but as always scant if any evidence. On the other hand Trump practically publicly worshiped at the altar of Putin. The invasion of Ukraine actually feeds into the argument that Trump was allied with Putin, as it meant Putin was going to get what he wanted without a fight. Trumplicans say whatever they want as though it’s a fact, like fiscal responsibility — a concept that only surfaces with Democrat administrations and COVID — then make up rules as they go along that clearly are blatant lies (Garland/Coney-Barrett). Before this is all done China is more likely to invade Russia for the water in Lake Baikal than invade Taiwan.
Dan Pendergrass
West side
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