Hobbs keeps
her promise
Gov. Katie Hobbs
While campaigning for office, Governor Katie Hobbs promised to protect Arizonans from the bad bills that would inevitably come her way. She has kept that promise.
Were it not for her, concealed weapons would be allowed on K-12 and college campuses; 10-year-olds would be forced to handle guns; using preferred pronouns for trans youth would be prohibited; voting machines would have to be American-made though none exist; county recorders would have to make every individual’s vote public; and being homeless would be a crime.
The Governor’s diligence in vetoing 100-plus bills like these is a testament to her commitment to protect all Arizonans. It is also an indictment of the Republicans who flooded her desk with bills they knew were unconstitutional, vaguely written, unnecessary, harmful, and destined to go nowhere while ignoring real state issues and engaging in political theatrics.
Never let it be said our votes don't matter. Hobbs’ vetoes remind us just how much they do.
Misty Atkins
Oro Valley
Trump's lawlessness
Donald Trump believes that he is a special person who can get away with anything.
I expect to hear him say, "I can stand on Fifth Avenue and hand out top national secret documents to our enemies, and I wouldn't lose any votes."
Alan Rubens, MD
Northeast side
Responsibility
Almost 70 years ago, my mother told me I was responsible for my own actions. Saying others are doing this would not be an excuse. Republicans' defense of Donald Trump is saying that President Joe Biden, Hillary Clinton and Mike Pence also had classified material, despite that none of the above tried to obstruct and hide documents. Now Republicans, the supposed party of law and order, have descended to trying to abolish the FBI and Department of Justice.
Craig Miller
Northwest side
Lack of evidence
Re: the June 17 letter "Equal justice Trump vs. Clinton vs. Biden?"
The author equates Donald Trump’s indictment with allegations against Hillary Clinton and President Joe Biden. Allegations alone cannot support a criminal prosecution. The grand jury’s indictment of Trump was based on testimony under oath and other evidence, some described in the indictment itself. In the case of Clinton, allegations were made and covered in the media, such as those related in the letter (“classified markings on documents were removed when faxed, emails deleted, cell phones destroyed, etc.”), but there was no substantiating evidence to support prosecution. In the case of Biden, the investigation is ongoing. However, Biden’s situation is more akin to that of Pence’s retention of documents, so odds are the result for Biden will be the same as for Pence. In my 36 years of civil litigation practice, clients as well as opponents were often vexed that allegations they believed to be true could not be admitted at trial because of the lack of admissible evidence to support the allegations.
David Kipper
Foothills
Money
Re: the June 19 article "TUSD seeks approval of $480M bond package."
I find it interesting that TUSD would print a list of what they would spend $480 million on in a new bond package.
Maybe I missed it, but where is the list of the millions of dollars of COVID money they received?
When was the last time a third-party audit of TUSD was published in the paper?
“Among the improvements (in the new bond) would be replacing roofs and air conditioning units…” Air conditioning was supposed to be retrofitted to combat COVID. Was this done? If not, why not? Where did that money go?
Why should we taxpayers throw good money into a system where students are leaving in droves to get a better education outside of TUSD?
Paul Ostrowski, Paying taxes to TUSD for over 40 years
West side
Republicans' Bibles
Republicans in the legislature are up in arms over a Democrat hiding their Bibles. After producing fake ballots, denying the election results, and covering up for Donald Trump they needed those Bibles to soothe their troubled souls. Praise the Lord, they found the right person to blame for losing their Bibles 'The Bible Hider.' Armed with the belief such behavior will not go unpunished, they sued! Now they're asking Trump to be forgiven for what he's done, believing it's not as egregious as hiding Bibles.
Jim Dreis
East side
A liberal is
not a leftist
Re: the June 18 article "Poll: Democrats, Republicans share core values."
Liberals support free speech; leftists do not support free speech. Liberals love liberty, leftists do not. Liberals want racial integration and think skin color does not matter. Leftists want racial segregation. Liberals are pro-capitalism, leftists are for socialism. Liberals protect sovereignty of the nation, leftists want open borders. Liberals celebrate Western civilization, leftists denounce Western civilization and call it white supremacy. Liberals hold almost no leftist values, but liberals vote with leftists. I think it would be a good idea if liberals and conservatives talk to each other. Like in the old days, they did not love each other, no way, contentious debates, but they created the greatest country in the world.
Valentine Ferraris
Northeast side
Hudbay hush money
Re: the May 18 article "Court tosses jaguar habitat protection at Rosemont Mine site."
In their infinite wisdom, an appeals court panel has ruled against protecting hundreds of thousands of acres in the Santa Ritas due to a lack of recent jaguar sightings. However, there is another species, at least a million in Southern Arizona, many seen in the area on a daily basis, whose lives and livelihoods depend on the sanctity of this region and its natural water. We are the species with a higher level of intelligence who know that allowing the Hudbay/Rosemont/Copper World project to progress is an existential threat given the water this mine will use and lay forever toxic. Our current and past civic leaders who made their fortunes selling cars and real estate, and politicians, most recently Kyrsten Sinema — those with knowledge and resources to halt this disaster who have stood idly by for years should be held accountable. One wonders how many pockets are lined with Hudbay hush/blood money.
Paul Strautman
Midtown
Fight for DACA
Re: the June 21 article "We must fight for DACA. which allowed me to pursue my dreams."
An inspirational editorial. Michelle Villegas Tapia's opinion piece is a well-written and moving statement of her life story and a damming indictment of the Republican party's continued attack on the DACA program. She is correct to urge us to fight for DACA. I would take this a step further; immigrant rights are everyone's rights. Many of us who live in the U.S. have ancestors that came from other lands, fleeing persecution, poverty, oppression or simply wanting to make a better life for themselves and their families. I am proud that President Barack Obama was the person who initiated the DACA program. I am heartened that President Joe Biden appreciates the contributions made by DACA recipients and the contributions made by other immigrants. Imagine what a nightmare it would be if Ron DeSantis or the former president take over. Massive deportations, cruelty without limits, forcing people to live in fear that they or their loved ones will be rounded up.
James Robinett
Southwest side
