Facts get in the way
for Sen. Graham
It was in 1949 that actor William Bendix first portrayed Chester A. Riley on the series, “Life of Riley.” In each and every episode, there was a time that Riley had to make a decision and he would declare emphatically, “my head is made up, don’t confuse me with the facts.”
Now, 70 years later, Sen. Lindsey Graham, who stated two weeks ago that he was reserving judgment with regard to the impeachment inquiry of Donald Trump until he had read the transcripts of all of the witnesses taken behind closed doors (congressional committees meet that way legally, to keep witnesses from knowing what other witnesses have said).
Now, Sen. Graham says he will not even read the transcripts. Apparently like Riley, his head is made up and he doesn’t want to be confused with the facts.
Dave Glicksman
North side
America eventually
comes around
As the seemingly endless political chaos rages on in Washington, I would offer reassurance (of sorts) to the American people by quoting Winston Churchill: “Americans will always do the right thing, right after they have tried everything else.”
Tony Banks
Northwest side
US must defend against
surprise medical billings
Our local elections are over, and we have a new mayor and council, so we can pay attention to the election coming next November, when we’ll choose our congressmen and one senator.
Many issues need to be addressed. We can get a good picture of what they propose to do about our problems as we listen to their campaign promises.
One such problem is the mounting number of surprise medical bills, which usually occur a few weeks after an emergency visit. The patient assumes his insurance will cover the cost; however, a bill arrives which indicates some doctor or hospital services were denied because they were out of network. In an emergency, you have no choice of hospital or doctor.
Congress needs to look for a remedy that assures the insurance companies will adequately reimburse doctors and hospitals or we risk losing them.
Kent Mayfield
Northeast side
Sinema showing Dems the way to win
Recent letters to the editor expressed disappointment that Sen. Kyrsten Sinema has not voted for a sufficient number of liberal bills. She can’t, nor should she. I have known her for years as an intelligent, thoughtful public servant.
She recognizes that she represents the entire state of Arizona. Today’s problems are complex, and all viewpoints need to be considered. In the last election cycle it was moderate Democrats beating conservative Republicans who were largely responsible for Arizona’s electoral shift as well as Democrats winning the House majority.
With the presidential election less than one year away, I am interested in who is the best candidate to beat Donald Trump, not someone who wants to debate political philosophy. We need to focus on winning, not debating.
Marion Weber
Northwest side
Vice president plays
politics with USAID
Most people with a sense of universal humanity and a wish for the “old days” of a balance of power and party communication, compromise and patriotic duty, know President Trump is interested only in President Trump.
Corruption seems to be the pattern of elected Republican officials across the country.
According to Mother Jones, Vice President Pence is pushing to send foreign aid to Christian groups in countries like Iraq, with his pressure overruling nonpolitical decisions by career staff and leading to the removal of one top USAID official after some of Pence’s favored Christian groups were turned down for grants.
USAID regulations state funding decisions “must be free from political interference or even the appearance of such interference and must be made meritoriously, not the religious affiliation of a recipient organization, or lack thereof.”
Just like the Donald. Corruption breeds contempt. Fascist Republicans must understand that is why people are unfavorable toward this administration, not simply their incompetence.
Sheldon Metz
Northeast side
Good first step would be putting a price on carbon
Re: Nov. 8 letter “Dumping Paris accord will cost us.”
Yes, it will! Climate change is already costing us plenty. But let’s look at the positive side of this equation.
In recent years the cost of green energy has fallen so dramatically that it will be much more expensive not to make an expedient transition away from fossil fuels.
A 2018 study calculated that a rapid rebuilding of the world’s energy infrastructure — when compared to a continuation of the status quo — could save us $26 trillion by 2030.
I agree with the writer. Pricing carbon (as proposed in U.S. House Bill HR 763) would be a fair and effective first step to “nudge us all away from fossil fuels.”
Greg Lewis
Midtown
Retired judge’s opinion shocking
Regardless how you feel about Trump, and there is much to criticize, retired Judge Charles S. Sabalos’ letter to the editor calling for Sen. Martha McSally to convict Trump in the Senate is almost unconscionable. He has convicted Trump based on the prosecution’s evidence alone, and much of it gathered in secret. He isn’t waiting to hear the other side.
I’m not defending Trump but due-process principles, and I hope Sen. McSally will consider all of the evidence before reaching any conclusion if Trump is tried in the Senate, as seems likely. But Rep. Adam Schiff and now the judge have thrown due process, and the “bedrock principle of governance based on the rule of law,” to quote the judge, under the bus in their hatred of Trump.
James Tuhtill
Oro Valley
Rare bipartisanship
on immigration
Re: the Nov. 5 article titled “Bipartisan proposal seeks to expand immigrant workforce, support Arizona agriculture.”
Finally Congress has proposed a bipartisan bill to address one part of the undocumented immigration problem. This bill changes the H2-A visa program by adding a five-year renewable visa and some new year-round visas, and more seasonal visas. This bill will help crop farmers meet their annual need for seasonal workers, and dairy farmers’ need for year-round labor.
In addition, immigrant laborers with clean criminal records will have access to the green-card process for themselves and their families. This bill has the support of more than 200 trade and labor groups and is a great first step towards solving a multilayered undocumented immigration problem. Hopefully it gets moved along without too much pork attached to it.
Cal Rooker
Northwest side
Gronk worthy
of UA honors
The greatest professional football player to emerge from the now-pathetic UA football program is tight end Rob Gronkowski, who retired from the New England Patriots after making the catch that won the Super Bowl last season. You would think that UA would want to honor this incredible athlete in some way, but the football powers here apparently just don’t care.
When I wrote the director of athletics suggesting that UA honor Gronk, perhaps at a halftime ceremony (that might just have the effect of boosting sagging attendance), I got no answer. When I wrote him a second time, the director deigned to send me a generic “Thank you for your interest in UA football” response, without responding substantively.
Many think that Rob Gronkowski is the best tight end ever to play the game of football. He’s one of ours. But the underwhelming and overpaid folks in charge choose to snub this great man.
Stephen Saltonstall
Northeast side
Elementary school, TUSD honor veterans
I would like to take this opportunity to give a heartfelt thank you to Dr. Gabriel Trujillo, the staff and especially the students at Johnson Primary School for the Veterans Day recognition ceremony held on Friday, Nov. 8. Veterans in attendance came from all eras of conflict, representing WWII, Vietnam, the Gulf War and Afghanistan.
Students like Melani, Jaqueline and Anacel provided those veterans in attendance their personal appreciation for our service, through letters and storybooks that expressed their thoughts on our service and what it meant to them. The entire ceremony including the Veterans Day poem read by the students and the wonderful luncheon provided by the PTA to the Honor Guard flag ceremonies hosted by the Pascua Yaqui American Legion Post 125, all came together to make an extraordinarily memorable day. Thank you.
Dennis Currie
Southwest side
