Arizona's abortion laws
Now that Roe v. Wade has been overturned, Arizona legislators have to decide what will be the law in our state. Let us hope they think very carefully. Middle class and well-to-do women will have no problem traveling to another state to get an abortion, but poor women will not be able to afford it. These women, already poor, perhaps already receiving benefits to survive, will be forced to give birth to a child they cannot take care of and endure the lack of income from a pregnancy and it's recovery time. If they are working at a low-paying job with few, if any, benefits, they will not be able to go back to work as they will not be able to pay for child care. If you have no concern about the women and children, think about the financial cost to the state.
Bette Bunker Richards
Northwest side
Roe was legislation from the bench
The Supreme Court says that Roe v. Wade and Planned Parenthood v. Casey were wrongly decided. If you look closely at the decision it’s more about states’ rights than abortion. The former legacy ruling is widely regarded as legislation from the bench. The federal government is now out of the abortion business because it’s not in our Constitution.
So fellow Arizonans, we are allowed to forge our own path. Yes, there will be court challenges beginning as it should be at the local level, but what do we want?
Jeffrey McConnell
West side
We need truth tellers in Congress
Editor,
Juan Ciscomani wants to represent the people in District 6 in the U.S. House of Representatives. His many TV ads have me wondering who's paying for all of them. In one of these ads Ciscomani disparages our schools and teachers by claiming that students are not being taught the good things about America.
I live in District 6, which includes the Catalina Foothills School District, one of the finest school districts in Arizona. I feel confident that many students could state many good things about America that they learned in school.
We are suffering mightily from the too many lies told by the former president. We deserve to be represented in Congress by a truth teller, not someone who talks smack about our underfunded schools and their teachers. After all, education is one of the good things about America.
Dave Gallagher, retired PCC faculty/counselor
Foothills
Enough is enough
The first problem is the AR-15 is not an assault weapon. It is a semi-automatic rifle. It looks like an M-16 or AK-47, but these are military automatic assault weapons. They spray bullets everywhere. The AR-15 must be aimed and fired one bullet at a time. The trigger must be squeezed for each round. A person has to operate this weapon, it just doesn't go off.
The second problem: Now imagine aiming this AR-15 at a 7-year-old child, with all the classmates and teachers watching. Then squeeze the trigger, obliterating this life in front of everyone. Now imagine doing that same thing five, 10, 15 … more times, reloading and continuing. This is not a mentally ill person, this is not even a human being, I think this is a demon from hell.
The third problem: The demon (shooter) is responsible. Remember that a gun ends these mass shootings. Should we figure out how to bring that to the beginning?
Larry Cory
West side
Ignorance is bliss
The congressional hearings have presented extensive (new) video and direct testimony by multiple Donald Trump appointed officials. Whether spurred by congressional subpoenas, attacks of conscience, or concerns over their own (professional) futures, they all now agree. The 2020 election was neither fraudulent nor stolen. And, after all the (unsuccessful) legal challenges had been exhausted, the Big Lie was repurposed so that supporters could be duped out of hundreds of millions of dollars to further legal actions (another lie). Congrats to all those donors who supported one of the biggest historical grifts of all time. Yes, evidently ignorance really is bliss in Trump world and for the lemmings who simply choose not to use the God given gifts of eyesight, hearing, or a functioning brain to see reality.
Google it or use your trusty dictionary. Lemming: a person who unthinkingly joins a mass movement. Duped: to deceive or cheat easily. Grift: to obtain (money or property) illicitly (as in a confidence game).
Joseph Carpenito
Oro Valley
Do all you can
Re: the June 14 article "How to cope."
“Becoming numb to escape it all” may seem preferable with so much tragedy in the world, but now is not the time. Here are some ideas that perhaps will help and empower us. Minimize your television news intake and get moving. Next, donate money or time to causes locally, nationwide or globally about which you are passionate. Become a mentor to youth with an organization like Big Brothers Big Sisters or Boys to Men. Help young men develop positive, trusting relationships and introduce them to hobbies that don’t involve violent video games or guns. Ask for petition signatures or work for a candidate who represents your values. Stay safe by getting your COVID vaccine and put on a mask in crowded environments. Finally, find a hobby that brings you enjoyment and peace. Even though we cannot control most of this, we can make choices to help where we can. We are a resilient species. Please don’t throw in the towel!
Lorraine Crawford
Northeast side
How long can we put it off?
Someone said "if you are not part of the solution, you are part of the problem." This applies to the most important and urgent issue in our time, global warming. We all need to act to see ourselves not only as Arizonans, or members of a political party, or parents, but as Earthlings. People cry because science is "moving the goal posts." Yes, science changes conclusions as new information arises. It is imperative to listen to the science and do something about the growing disaster. Let's install lots of electrical vehicle charging stations as a nudge for us to get one of the great new electric cars and trucks coming out and do our bit to preserve life on our planet. Let's get solar cells on our roofs to help prevent grid failure and to reduce our electric bills. Have you been thinking about it? Do it before it is too late!
Ken Newman
East side
Do we really count for nothing?
What a farce! The Senate managed to get its act together and vote for increased protection for Supreme Court justices who are already well-guarded. The justices don't even visit the places we citizens frequent because we are the ones who, on a daily basis, market, attend schools, go to work, go to movies, and walk our streets without any kind of protection. Perhaps as many argue we really have established a ruling class and we mere mortals count for nothing.
Barbara Benjamin
Northeast side
Worried about gas prices
In May, the House passed the Consumer Fuel Price Gouging Prevention Act by a vote of 217 to 207 with only Democrats in the yes column and all Republicans and four Democrats voting no. The bill provided a warning that it is unlawful to charge “unconscionably excessive” prices for consumer fuel during presidentially declared energy emergencies, and it gave the Federal Trade Commission more power to punish price gouging. The Senate has not moved forward with the bill. Republicans in the Senate will probably kill it with the filibuster, even though a poll shows that 77% of registered voters want such a measure.
BP, Shell, ExxonMobil, Chevron, TotalEnergies, Eni and Equinor will give between $38 and $41 billion to shareholders through buyback programs this year.
Janet C. Pipes
Northwest side
Checkpoint closed
I just returned from Puerto Peñasco, Mexico, aka Rocky Point. Driving west on Arizona Highway 86 approaching Sells, we encountered the long standing Border Patrol checkpoint. To our dismay, there was a sign, "Check Point closed." Later, traveling south on Arizona Highway 85 from Why towards the border at Lukeville, the long standing checkpoint there was also closed. Human and drug smugglers now have an open route to transport their contraband. Border Patrol (BP) checkpoints act as a deterrent to smugglers and make them take more difficult smuggling routes. BP checkpoints in Cochise County have been closed for over a year. In April, Border Patrol agents seized 12 pounds of Fentanyl at the I-19 checkpoint. Last October, they discovered 50 pounds in a bed of a truck. There was a record number of drug-related deaths last year, most from fentanyl. BP agents have been redirected from checkpoints to processing historic numbers of migrants at the border, which I think was all caused by President Biden's policies.
Haley Roberts
West side
Democrats' threats, bullying and intimidation
I think progressive Democrat activists bullied and intimidated Sens. Joe Manchin and Kyrsten Sinema to support ending the filibuster and vote for Build Back Better. These activists hijacked Sinema while she was in a public bathroom. Activists frequently harassed Manchin on his boathouse in Maryland. More recently, Democrat activists have gathered on streets in front of conservative Supreme Court justices' houses demanding they not overturn Roe v. Wade. All in violation of federal law that USAG Merrick Garland refuses to enforce. He appears to apply the law in a partisan way. A man was just arrested and charged with plotting to kill Justice Brett Kavanaugh. He was found near Kavanaugh's home with a firearm and knife. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer stood on the steps of the Supreme Court saying, "You (Kavanaugh) will pay the price" for overturning Roe v. Wade. Nancy Pelosi praised pro-abortion protesters for showing their "righteous anger." Arizona Rep. Raul Grijalva, and 26 other pathetic House Democrats, just voted against legislation that provided more security to all SCOTUS members and their families.
Robert Nesbit
Vail
Right out of the good ol' playbook
Re: the June 16 article "Who is worse, Trump, who cried fraud, or the Democrats?"
Mr. Jay Ambrose, nicely and easily ran down the familiar list of things to say when threatened or caught, from a book I actually would like to see burned.
1. Blame a person of color. Say that those protesting the deaths of their fellow human beings by law enforcement officers later actually convicted of murder were the inspiration for your “bad conduct”.
2. Say you were not “technically” guilty; say nothing about the spirit or intent of the laws in effect or the leadership called for.
3. Blame your traditional nemesis (the "other side").
4. Reverse the facts and say you were actually protecting and defending the status quo, making sure to take one last rabbit punch at anybody who turns his back to you to walk away. Toss in a few more verbal insults for good measure, too!
Wes Ward
Oro Valley
Solution to high drug prices
Drug prices should certainly be lower, but how exactly do we get there? One way is to start calling on reform of the pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs). Not many people know who they are or what they do, so a simple way to summarize them is PBMs are the middlemen who decide what drugs are on a formulary. Their power is massive, and because of that, their profits have become massive as well. Luckily, both the FTC and Congress have started to see how some of their tactics have led to rising drug prices, and have started to ask the important questions about their role in the marketplace. Getting lower drug prices is going to take all stakeholders, but ensuring that PBMs pass drug savings onto the consumer is a good place to start. Sens. Kyrsten Sinema and Mark Kelly hold incredible influence in the Senate. Having them take action on this issue would have an incredible impact.
Teresa Dickinson
North side
What is the government overlooking in the proposed gun bill?
The proposed gun bill will include records of mental-health treatment and police reports in the expanded background check. But, this is not enough. Most mentally disturbed mass shooters have never been treated for mental health issues. And violent behavior is only available in a police report if the victim files a report. People today want to make the argument that the Constitution gives everybody permission to own assault weapons for their own protection. Well understood! But, in 1776 only “muskets” and “flintlock” pistols that could hold only one round at a time were available. Mass shootings were simply not possible. We have become a very dysfunctional country that has failed to endorse prevention; has allowed special-interest groups and corrupt politicians to run the show; and only focused on massive action after a catastrophe has happened! We have allowed "Freedom for All" to get out of control without enough restrictions.
Hanne Owens
Northwest side
