Vote suppressors want a weak IRS
From Shrink The Tax Gap news, “In recent testimony, IRS Commissioner Paul Rettig said the annual tax gap now likely exceeds $1 trillion.” For anyone who doesn’t know what the tax gap is — it’s those people who don’t pay the taxes they owe. The IRS is too shorthanded to go after those funds.
Also from the Shrink The Tax Gap news, “Here’s the math made simple: invest $80 billion and get back somewhere between $480 billion and $1.4 trillion in the first 10 years, and much more after that.“
This is why, I believe, the GOP is fighting so hard to keep Joe Biden from doing anything and to keep people from voting. Those who don’t pay their taxes don’t want to see the IRS have proper funding to do their job.
Janet Pipes
Northwest side
Can’t judge all by actions of one
Re: the May 27 article “Trust in medical practice easily eroded.’
I read with dismay the op-ed column by Kendra Gaines. While the experience she and her friend had with a truly dishonorable physician is absolutely to be condemned, one does not judge an entire profession by one dishonest individual. Nor can the opioid epidemic be lain at every physician’s foot, although many share in the blame. In my over 40 years of teaching medical students and residents in Northeastern, Midwestern and Western medical schools, I have never witnessed education aimed at “personal profit.” Rather my colleagues and I have endeavored to instill the art as well as the science of medicine to our pupils. It is an honor and responsibility to practice medicine.
Leslie Barton-Holmes, M.D.
Midtown
‘Equity’ defense is itself racist
Re: the may 27 article “Yes, Tucson really does need to have an Office of Equity.”
The writer’s arguments in favor of funding an Office of Equity in Tucson city government is the most blatantly racist and sexist defense of a position on “equity” I have ever seen. To propose that one can only be equitably represented in government by a person of the same race and sex is frankly preposterous. What about personal belief systems, political positions and one’s personal moral code that have nothing to do with race? Are these of no consideration? Her viewpoint that demographics and the color of one’s skin or gender are the baseline for ensuring equitable representation is the best example of discrimination and racism she could ever provide. A sad commentary, indeed.
Rich Ulery
Green Valley
Lawmakers hold back education
Support education instead of voter suppression.
Why are Arizona students becoming pawns for the angry and misinformed? Education, let me repeat, education is the most important skill one can acquire to be an independent, productive and resourceful person.
For decades, Arizona’s school system has ranked at the bottom in academic achievements nationwide.
Highly talented teachers and knowledgeable administrators have been fighting with Arizona‘s legislators for years to improve the quality of education in our state’s schools. Every student should be afforded a superior learning experience. Many holding public office have seriously thwarted improving education in Arizona for years.
Why are these elected officials allowed to shortchange our children with their political agendas? Unfortunately, students are not a No. 1 priority with all Arizona lawmakers. Only when parents value education more than their political party, raise the pay scale for teachers, support our professionally trained experts, and vote out those who reject the importance of education will Arizona’s school system flourish.
Joanie Rose
Northeast side
Bipartisanship is a pipe dream
“Enough.” That’s what I just said in an email to Sen. Kyrsten Sinema regarding her continued opposition to ending the filibuster because of a supposed belief in the possibility of bipartisanship with the GOP. To think that such a possibility exists in what is now the party of Trump, is naïve at best and duplicitous at worst.
The vote by McConnell’s tribe of Trump enablers in the U.S. Senate against the creation of a bipartisan Jan. 6 commission is ample evidence that bipartisanship is doomed for any major legislation. And the fact that Sen. Sinema was one of only two Democrats who didn’t even vote for the commission one way or the other is further evidence of a dereliction of duty on her part.
Sen. Sinema, it’s way past time to start acting like the Democrat you were elected to be and vote to end the filibuster and start supporting Democrat-sponsored legislation!
Karen Schickedanz
SaddleBrooke
History, honestly taught, is goal
Arizona Republicans just passed a law, Senate Bill 1074, designed to preclude training, orientation or therapy “that presents any form of blame or judgment on the basis of race, ethnicity or sex.”
This law was passed on a party-line vote with no public hearing (always bad process and almost always bad law). The goal here is to stop people from teaching that slavery was the fault of the white race and that the result is systemic racism that needs to be addressed.
What is wrong with an honest look at the past as part of striving for a better future that is more inclusive?
David Bachman-Williams, social studies teacher
Downtown
Time has come to resume life
The EEOC says businesses can require employees to be vaccinated against COVID-19 without violating federal laws while some interpretations of Fourth Amendment and the 1964 Civil Rights Act claim the exact opposite; businesses asking for proof of vaccination or denying entry based on vaccination status are violating privacy and property rights.
Meanwhile issuance of COVID-19 passports is under discussion. Finally, millions are being vaccinated under Emergency Use Authorization, meaning the drugs are still experimental but humanely offered to the masses because of apparent early effectiveness. Can we forcibly march all Americans into this laboratory petri dish?
Let’s not waste our time on any of these issues. Those that choose to be vaccinated have had ample opportunity to do so and given the incredible success of the vaccines we can fearlessly embrace free and open society once again. Marie Antoinette said, “Let them eat cake!” and was guillotined for her insensitivity. I say, “Let them get sick!” and hope that my head stays firmly attached to my body.
Jeffrey McConnell
West side
Sinema story was overplayed
Re: the June 2 article “Sinema reveals reason for missing Jan. 6 vote.”
I was disappointed to see Sen. Kyrsten Sinema on the front page. Not only was the title misleading, the explanation “because of a personal family matter” was handled in the first paragraph. How does Sinema earn a half-page spread on the front page?
Her stand on the filibuster is disingenuous. I am not interested in her very lame ideas on that matter. If she truly wants to represent the people of Arizona, it is time for us to recognize her power grab for what it is. She needs to work on her own side of the aisle, too.
Over the past years, excellent legislation has been waiting for bipartisan support and has not even been heard in the Senate. Time for change.
Joanne Fisher
Northwest side
Memorial Day articles stirring
The articles in the Star on Memorial Day were very moving, and the National Memorial Day Concert was beautiful and thoughtful.
But the email I received from my 84-year-old brother, a retired Marine, was very sad. He was a gunnery sergeant in Vietnam, he mentioned the names of friends lost there, as well as the name of the lance corporal who died in his arms.
And the terrible loss of life, when a patrol went out on a beautiful, sunny day and were ambushed. There was such a terrible loss of life, he cried as he marked off their names.
They died without flags flying or music playing, but in utter chaos, as have all who died in battle. None of them wanted to die but were willing to do so in order to protect our country.
It is a terrible thing that members of Congress are so willing to follow a known liar and turn their backs on one of their own who speaks the truth.
Beverly Mahl
Southeast side
Sinema acting independently
I have read many letters written by irate Democrats attacking Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, a Democrat, especially for not agreeing to get rid of the Senate filibuster, which has been in existence for decades. Barack Obama, Joe Biden, Kamala Harris and many other Democrats in the Senate supported it when their party was in the minority. It encourages compromise on legislation. Biden disgracefully now calls it “Jim Crow 2.0.” Sen. John McCain, a Republican, was famous for bucking his own Republican Party and voting independently. That attitude of course is what the Arizona Daily Star funneled and asserted when endorsing a supposedly ‘independent-minded” Democrat Mark Kelly for the Senate. Thus far though, he has shown little independent thinking. The Democrats’ war on a woman, Sinema, is motivated by their desire to get their progressive leftist agenda passed in the Senate. Sinema and Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va, thus far are standing in their way. But how long can they endure and withstand the hate, anger, threats and intimidation from those within their own party?
Tomas Ortega
North side
