Tucson Speaks Out: Feb. 17 letters of the day

Water history

In 1901, Teddy Roosevelt gave a speech where he stated, the “western half of the US could sustain a population greater than the population of the whole country if the river water running to waste were saved and used for irrigation.” After he became president in 1902, the Reclamation Act became law. This was the start of federally funded dam, reservoir, and irrigation projects throughout the west. The goal was to get people to move from the east to the west. Guess what? It worked.

Thanks to the government, we have created a very livable and enjoyable environment and made developers a lot of money. Maybe now is the time to take stock in what we have created. Maybe the next step is to maximize the use of storm, reclaimed, and ground water and start seriously looking at ways to stop growth. Let’s figure out how to efficiently use the water we have before we spend trillions on importing more water to make an arid land livable.

Cal Rooker

Northwest side

Absolute monarchy

While watching news regarding SCOTUS’s questioning about Colorado intent of excluding Trump from the ballot, I was reminded SCOTUS will be considering Trump’s absolute immunity claim.

If permanent absolute immunity is confirmed by SCOTUS, would that effectively create an absolute monarchy? If Trump were reelected, could he declare martial law and remain in power? Could he arrange an order of succession for Baron to replace at his discretion?

I’m sure some will say absolute nonsense. Can never happen here! But with permanent absolute immunity, is anything impossible?

James Abels

Midtown

The tribal ape

It has been known for some time that chimpanzees form tribes with great solidarity toward their tribes. They are adversarial toward other tribes to the point of doing battle with them. Unfortunately we see this same tribal solidarity in humans, especially when it comes to politics. The attachment to the tribe and its beliefs are so strong that it causes social division. Walls are built, so to speak between groups. Tribal chauvinism forms, where other tribes are considered to be inferior and truth is only to be found within one’s own tribe. Tribal members can easily become distanced from reality. The most ridiculous things can become truth. Communication breaks down between tribes and violence becomes the only means of solving differences. Authoritarian leaders love tribalism for the above reasons and therefore perpetuate it. Surely by now, one would think that the human race has moved beyond primitive chimpanzee tribal behavior and use our intellect to overrule such ancient yearnings. This sadly is not the case.

Steve Rasmussen

Foothills

Gripes about Biden

Re: the Jan. 24 article “UnBiden America”

A letter writer blames Pres. Biden for all problems in our world, such as the disaster of Afghanistan, the end of our misguided and utterly wrong colonialist war. Now, the US is allegedly not supporting Ukraine enough in its effort to fight off the Russians. Fact check: the US has been the biggest supplier of weapons, but Republicans in Congress fight tooth and nail against Biden’s efforts to push back the Russian military occupiers (absurd to the extreme). Consequently (as reported on the same day), the Pentagon is running out of money to continue this support. As far as I know, we do NOT fight a war in Ukraine, a country that is not part of NATO. However, all western countries, including the US, are doing their best to help the Ukrainians, but our Republicans, apparently paid by Putin through dark channels, have blocked further funding for Ukraine. And what a joke, claiming that Biden supports Hamas. I would chuckle if it were not so ghastly erroneous!

Albrecht Classen

Midtown

Advanced (political) calculus

Senator Tim Scott runs for president, tailoring his campaign messages to Christian conservatives, one of (if not) the most powerful political sectors in the nation.

He falls short in his efforts and drops out of the race.

He wholeheartedly throws his support to and even smiles and says “I love you” to the leading party candidate, as said candidate openly, cruelly trashes the woman who first appointed Mr. Scott to the Senate.

Said candidate gets the nomination and chooses Sen. Scott as his VP nominee to oversee the legislative branch of the U.S. government.

This team wins the election. The president becomes incapacitated or is removed from office.

Guess who becomes president! It’s not AP calculus, or is it?

Wes Ward

Oro Valley

Hypocrisy at the UA

I am confused about Dave Heeke being relieved as athletic director at the U of A. During Heeke’s reign, he hired a football coach who revived the program and achieved a top fifteen ranking. Both the softball and baseball squads made the College World Series. Another of the hires, Tommy Lloyd has made the basketball program a top ten team in the country. In addition, the overall GPA of athletes has risen significantly. On the other hand, Lisa Rulney, chief financial officer, underestimated the amount of cash on hand by over $200 million. Ms. Rulney has been reassigned to another department at her present salary of $500,000 while Mr. Heeke lost his job.

Charles Schultz

Northeast side

My Voice

First they came for the Immigrants

I did not speak out because I was not an Immigrant

Then they came for the LGBTQ

I did not speak out because I was not LGBTQ

Then they came for the Muslims and Jews

I did not speak out because I was not a Muslim or Jew

Then they came for pregnant women and said they

couldn’t get an abortion or women’s healthcare and must be forced to give birth and it was ok if they died

I did not speak out because I was not pregnant

Then they came for the books and banned them

I did not speak out

Then they came for the teachers who could not speak truth and must teach history that Black people benefited from being slaves

I did not speak out because I was no longer a teacher or parent

Then they came for my voting rights

I did not speak out

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My vote was my voice and no longer counted

— Based on Martin Niemoller’s “First They Came”

Rachel Rulmyr Ed.D

Oro Valley

Mayorkas

Well, they did what irresponsible house Republicans do best: blame others for not doing what the House is supposed to do. They are the the ones who need to pass the migrant bill. But it’s much more nasty to blame Biden and impeach his secretary. Besides, it’s easier to waste time than do the hard work of solving real problems. Do you think it has anything to do with an upcoming election?

Jean Israel

SaddleBrooke

On abortion

Imagine your sister, daughter, niece or any young girl is raped and becomes pregnant. Do you want her medical care determined by her, her parents and her doctor, or by a politician who has no medical knowledge and knows nothing of her individual case? Who do you want the doctor to consult on the girl’s care, a lawyer or a fellow doctor? Who would you want to consult if a miscarriage is imminent, a lawyer or a doctor? We who support the Arizona Constitutional amendment to make abortions legal until viability want doctors to be consulted and the decisions made by the woman and her doctor, not politicians and lawyers.

Donald Ries

Southeast side

Another anti-Trump letter

Is anyone else tired of listening to a quad-indicted twice-impeached popular-vote-losing insurrection-leading testimony-ducking judge-threatening lawyer-ignoring witness-tampering day-one-dictatoring disabled-veteran-dishonoring inheritance-squandering clown-makeup-smearing language-mangling serial-sexual-predating draft-dodging casino-bankrupting butler-bullying hush-money-paying real-estate-scamming bone-spur-faking ketchup-hurling justice-obstructing classified-war-plan-thieving golf-cheating weather-map-defacing horse-paste-promoting paper-towel-flinging race-baiting tax-evading evidence-destroying charity-defrauding money-laundering diaper-filling 91-count fluorescent tangerine felony factory? Or is it just me?

Terry Louck

East side

Dear Senator Sinema,

My heart goes out to you.

Four long months and all those weekends you and your colleagues spent wrangling then crafting that bipartisan immigration bill, only to have it go nowhere? It’s a shame, isn’t it?

So, Senator, have you stopped to consider that you and Joe Manchin are responsible for that outcome? By your opposition to ending the arcane filibuster rule, you allowed a minority of a minority to block the two bills that would have protected my right to vote. And now that same small group of senators has flushed your hard-fought immigration bill right down the toilet.

Please ponder that irony, Ms. Sinema, in your fast-approaching, post-Senate years. Your failure to protect majority rule was your “gift” to extremists and now it is paramount to your disappointing political legacy. What a shame.

Leslie Kanberg

Downtown

Biden recalls the ‘Big Things’

OK, who is the president of Nicaragua? I forget. But I know his politics. And who’s the president of Venezuela? Again, name doesn’t come to me. But I know he’s anti-US. President Biden knows the big things, like the need to support Ukraine and to pass a border bill. He has staff to recall presidents’ names (by the way, it’s Ortega and Maduro. Just Google it.) I’m Biden’s age, and I’d trust him for sweeping global policy rather than — what’s his name?

Ford Burkhart

Midtown

Hypocrisy to the max

Trump says he will let the Russians do whatever they want to our European allies because he doesn’t think that NATO pays it’s fair share. U.S. Budget Watch 2024 says that Trump increased the national debt by 7.8 trillion dollars with tax cuts so the wealthy don’t have to pay their fair share. The American Bankruptcy Institute says that Trump filed bankruptcy four times. Trump not only did not pay his fair share, he screwed investors out of billions of dollars. How dare Trump the hypocrite talk about NATO not paying its fair share. Trump has no concept of what is fair and not fair. He is committing treason telling Putin we won’t defend Europe.

Richard Bechtold

West side

Immigration

1,018,399 immigrants applied for and received Legal Permanent Resident (LPR) or Green Card status in 2022. Generally Green Cards are granted based on work skills and education or being a family member of a Citizen or LPR. After five years as an LPR these people can apply for citizenship if; they are at least 18 years old, can read and write basic English, and are of good moral character. To become a citizen LPR’s must go through and interview process and pass a civics test. This is a high-level simplified description of the current system.

So, how many undocumented immigrants do we want to allow into the country? How do we make sure they are of good moral character, can read and write some English, have some education or skill that will allow them to become a self-sustaining member of US society? What is the process for them to apply for a Green Card and how long can they stay?

Cal Rookere

Northwest side

Biden family biz was Joe Biden, period

Hunter Biden’s former business partner Tony Bobulinski will provide sworn testimony to Congress that “Joe Biden was the brand being sold to sell access to America’s adversaries including the Chinese communist party.” And that “the Biden family business was Joe Biden, period.” Bobulinski claims he met with Joe Biden several times in in 2017 to discuss business deals. Bobulinski came forward in 2020 after Hunter Biden laptop’s emails were disclosed involving his doing a business deal with a Chinese Communist Party controlled company with the “big guy” (Joe Biden) receiving 10%. Team Biden then before a debate with Trump, orchestrated a letter signed by 50 intelligence officials saying the laptop was Russia disinformation. That letter was “disinformation.” Bobulinski stated that “the Biden family influence peddling sold out to foreign actors who were seeking to gain influence and access to Joe Biden and the United States government.” Bobulinski believes Joe Biden violated the Foreign Agents Registration Act, the Foreign Corrupt practices Act, and the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO).

Ardel Francis

North side

Baffled

I am baffled by Republican politicians taking their cues from Donald Trump, a man who has no more moral insight than a school yard bully. The idea that decisions with worldwide consequences are being made based on the cranial antics of a man who lacks historical and philosophical depth and vision is both stunning and painful. Withholding aid to Ukraine will have catastrophic consequences.

Linda Dobbyn

Midtown

Out of context

Re: the Feb. 14 letter “Christianity a cult.”

The letter writer obviously did not READ all of chapter 19 of Luke but decided to take one verse 19:27 and use it for his own meaning. Jesus was giving the parable of the pounds which ended with that verse explaining the austere man or lord of the vineyard. Jesus has many verses where He says to love your enemies and love everyone so to say Jesus wants this is just plain ignorant. This is how things get messed up in our society.

Jerry Ferguson

East side