Ciscomani is refreshing change
I get a kick out of all the negative letters about Juan Ciscomani. He is really a bad guy because he wants to balance the Federal Budget. He has never said anything about cutting Social Security benefits or Medicare. Tell me we cannot cut something out of our bloated budget. The Progressives want to continue printing money and kick the can down the road, increasing inflation and creating a burden for our children. The Progressives are scared to death of Ciscomani because he is young, intelligent and speaks to the common man. He is not a Congressman who just votes the party line blindly as the previous incumbent did. Juan is a refreshing change!
Doug Shymway
Green Valley
Turn asylees into recruits
If asylum-seekers at the US border were given this immediate option, it could be a win-win situation for all involved. If he or she is of military service age, offer immediate enlistment. From the border to boot camp, an asylee would have the opportunity to fill a slot in the military that the armed services recruitment is having difficulty filling. That recruit would have two years to learn a trade skill, learn English, serve as a soldier wherever needed, have housing and meals, earn a salary, pay taxes, and in the end, earn citizenship through service. During those two years, accompanying family members could use the salary to settle and build a sustainable future to welcome their soldier home as productive residents of a community.
Debe Campbell
Southeast side
Numbered bands on guns
Re: the May 20 article “Falconer reunited with lost hawk after it drops in on Tucson couple.”
I and most probably others were grateful for the family the hawk visited, who then contacted the correct people to return it to its owner.
A good ending for the hawk and its owner. Wonderful!
Then, a flash of clarity.
I replaced the word falconer or bird with the word guns or gun owner: Guns have numbered bands that can be used to trace them back to their owners. Skill classes take years to become a gun owner. A gun owner must be licensed by the state. Apprentice gun owners have to be sponsored for a license by master gun owners. Gun owners must have their holding facility inspected before they are allowed to keep a gun.
Absolutely the perfect outline for a good ending to protect: children, seniors, bible students, parade watchers, shoppers and on and on.
We can do this. We must do this. Let’s do this now.
Judy Mercer
Oro Valley
Child labor
Re: the May 28 article “Lawmakers look to kids to fill labor gap.”
I was horrified to read this article. This country seems to be moving backward, way backward! Fourteen-year-olds serving alcohol in bars and restaurants? Fourteen and 15-year-olds working till 9 p.m. on school nights? These are just two examples of laws being considered in various state legislatures. There was only one sentence about what should be an obvious solution to the labor shortage: “The most obvious is allowing more legal immigration, which is politically divisive but has been a cornerstone of the country’s ability to grow for years in the face of an aging population.” I realize that illegal immigration is politically divisive, but I don’t see why legal immigration should be. So let’s work on that solution and let children be kids and grow up safely!
Aston Bloom
East side
Debt ceiling standoff is Kabuki Theatre
For the past couple of months, we have watched the drama play out. Republicans claim we need to tighten our belt, “cut up credit cards.” Democrats point out that raising the debt ceiling is not about the budget, it is about paying our bills. Both sides have a point. However, it appears that the Republicans are shedding crocodile tears. If they were honestly interested in cutting expenses, I can point to a couple of places they could get more bang for their buck! Shay Assad, former Raytheon exec, reported on a recent “60 Minutes,” that “The Pentagon overpays for almost everything.” Hundreds of billions of dollars are lost by price gouging by American “patriots.” The IRs estimates it loses 381 billion a year in unpaid owed taxes. Those are just a couple of places where Congress could recover 100s of billions of dollars. Why do they choose to look another way? Don’t be fooled, people, this Kabuki theatre is not about a balanced budget!
Lori Cinnamond
Foothills
O’odham Border Patrol killing
Re: the May 28 article “History linked to O’odham Border Patrol killing.”
Thanks to Tim Steller for his thoughtful essay on the shooting of my friend and occasional coworker Ray Mattia, who died at the hands of Border Patrol agents on May 18 in the community of Menagers Dam on the Tohono O’odham Nation. Ray and I had worked together occasionally over the past ten years on archaeological surveys and cultural resource monitoring projects. Ray brought a deep love and knowledge of the land surrounding his community along the Mexican border. He recently assisted an archaeological contractor on a three-month survey near his community. I will miss his stories and knowledge of his Sonoran Desert homeland and his friendship. I certainly hope justice will prevail in the investigations of this tragic incident. My thoughts and prayers go out to Ray’s family.
Peter Steere
Three Points
Sidewalks, bike lanes, and freeways
Re: the May 25 letter “Sidewalks/ bike lanes.”
The letter writer nailed it.
It was stated not so long ago that, per capita, Tucson has more red light runners than any city in the nation.
Okay. Apples are usually red, and oranges are another color.
I was a professional driver for a good part of my life, but you don’t have to drive a million miles all around the country before you soon realize there is a big difference between Tucson and cities even half this size. Most have a loop or crosstown freeway, or maybe both. It is obvious that the more traffic you have on freeways, the less traffic you have going through intersections (red lights). Freeways save lives, be it pedestrians, bikers or other drivers.
I would bet that you’d have a hard time finding a city the size of Tucson with so few miles of freeway. And a freeway from Nogales to Phoenix by way of Avra Valley will do practically nothing to alleviate traffic in Tucson.
David Hatch
Southeast side
We the People
My grandfather and other World War II veterans bravely fought to help defeat the rise of fascism in the world. In the aftermath, the United States emerged as a superpower and a beacon of democracy. Today, that beacon has dimmed.
Throughout history, some politicians have exploited fear to gain and hold power. Today, they support banning books, restricting reproductive autonomy and suppressing our right to vote.
Fear leads to polarization and “us” versus “them.” But there is no “them.” There is only “We the People.” These precious words in the Constitution proclaim that our democracy derives its power from the people themselves — all of us, not just a vocal minority. Over the years, our democracy has ebbed and flowed, but it’s resilient. We will bounce back from this new low of political outrageousness. If you can find a library book on World War II that hasn’t been banned, read it, and you will see. Freedom is in our blood, after all.
Cynthia Bordelon
Downtown
Truth serum?
What a surprise! Donald Trump, in his bizarre and insultingly inappropriate Memorial Day tweet, so accurately described a faction of his own supporters (and himself). He called out “terrorists, misfits, lunatic thugs, communist, Marxist and fascist pigs.” Donald, I’m amazed. I never thought you’d be so truthful. Are you finally looking at the truth of Jan. 6? And saying our nation has never been in greater peril, right on. I am astounded at your newfound insights. What gives?
Deb Klumpp
Oro Valley
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