Complaints ring hollow
We have had a guest editorial and two letters all saying basically the same thing about the failures of the Biden administration. As my history students use to say, “I am calling bull.” Yes, the number of undocumented immigrants apprehended this year has been high, but it was also historically high in 2019 under the Trump administration. I believe the decline in 2020 can be largely attributed to COVID-19, when many countries closed their borders and all travel was difficult.
President Biden has been in office only nine months and faces resistance to solve immigration issues from Republicans who have few actual accomplishments to run on. Republicans have refused to negotiate immigration reform since Ronald Reagan was president. And the connection of undocumented immigration to our opioid problem is pretty weak. To solve that problem you need to figure out why so many Americans are in physical and emotional pain.
Kalvin Smith
Midtown
Trump’s slander goes unchallenged
Elected Republicans and Republican candidates have demonstrated extreme cowardice by their refusal to reject former President Trump’s “Big Lie.” But, with the death of Gen. Colin Powell, they have sunk lower: They have demonstrated severe moral bankruptcy by not refuting Trump’s attack on Powell claiming he was a RINO (Republican in Name Only) and a warmonger. It seems to be too much for Republicans to not merely defend Powell’s heroic reputation but to put the lie to Trump’s slander!
Barbara Benjamin
Northeast side
Proposition 206 is full of pork
Voters within the city of Tucson will be voting on Proposition 206. This initiative appears to be just a wage increase “promise” — getting to a minimum wage of $15 by 2025. Whether you agree is not the point. Proponents added “pork barrel” legislation that I believe will lead to more control of citizens. This will hurt small and medium businesses significantly.
Businesses will have to pay more taxes and fees to create a brand-new Department of Labor Standards (more pork). This department will investigate employers for violations of this law. Anyone who files a complaint against a business can sue the owner(s). In that case, the city and the lawyers get most of the money from the lawsuit. All these new regulations and fees will result in higher prices to us. Please vote no.
Melanie Clark
North side
Vaccine seekers are turned away
Re: the Oct. 15 article “Short-staffed pharmacies reduce operating hours.”
This article discussed the staffing shortages at pharmacies. One first thinks of possible delays in getting a prescription filled, however another pressing issue is in administering vaccines for both COVID-19 and the flu. We’ve heard of pharmacies being closed for a day due to staffing. However, while I was waiting for almost an hour for my scheduled flu vaccine appointment, I witnessed four persons come to the pharmacy desk to request a “walk-in” COVID vaccine. They were turned away, handed an information card and told to make an appointment. I wonder how many of them really returned or followed up.
Kathy Storrie
Northeast side
Sinema correct on tax increases
Sen. Kyrsten Sinema is on record opposing raising business and corporate taxes. Apparently the senator is the only Democrat who understands that businesses and corporations don’t pay taxes. Their customers pay taxes. When the tax bill increases, businesses and corporations respond by raising prices, as their only source of revenue to pay the bill is from the products and services they sell. The senator realizes that raising business and corporate taxes is taking food out of the mouths of Arizonans to fund the Democrat $3.5 trillion, or $2 trillion, or whatever trillion, expansion of government.
It is too bad Sen. Mark Kelly either fails to understand the consequences of raising corporate and business taxes. Either that, or his allegiance is to the party elites and not Arizonans.
Rick Cunnington
Oro Valley
AZ suffers while Sinema goofs off
Arizonans thought they were electing a self-defined progressive to the Senate. Actually, Sen. Kyrsten Sinema is a Republican with Democratic tendencies. She is a DINO (Democrat in Name Only). Sinema has a monopoly on bad headlines. GOP donors love her and several have given her the maximum donations. The same donors that previously supported Trump. While other senators (except Joe Manchin) were in Washington trying to put together the package to pass Biden’s “Build Back Better” plan, Sinema denied Arizonans a $15 minimum wage, refused interviews attempting to determine what she really wanted, jetted off to Europe to raise funds for her campaign, is opposed to raising tax rates on high-income earners and corporations that benefited from Trump’s 2017 big tax cut, and schmoozes with lobbyists. Arizona will suffer from her “goofing off.” More potholes, poor climate control, no help for children, and the infrastructure will continue to deteriorate. Arizona needs a new senator.
Thomas Wilson
Northwest side
Caregivers who actually care
Most people who chose the careers of police, firefighter, paramedic and medical caregivers do so because they want to help others. Getting a vaccine shot to try to prevent the spread of a disease that can kill people is a very small, but very important, way to care for others. Most of these caregivers are vaccinated against COVID and other contagious diseases. Now a small, but very loud, proportion of these caregivers are refusing to get this little shot in the arm to help others, because they don’t care enough. The majority of the caregivers are being maligned by their behavior and they don’t care. Maybe they have chosen the wrong career and we would all be better off if they lose their jobs.
Bette Richards
Northwest side
Losing your job for what gain?
Re: the Oct. 20 article “Unvaccinated city workers face Dec. 1 termination.”
Their offense? Not insubordination. Terminal stupidity. Come on, people! You’re losing your job to keep your right to lose your life.
John Harris
Southwest side
