Sen. Mark Kelly, D-Ariz., speaks during a Senate Intelligence Committee hearing, at the Capitol in Washington, Jan. 15.
Unlawful orders
When I enlisted in the Army in 1967 I learned about refusing unlawful orders in Basic Training. While attending Infantry Officer Candidate School I received even more instruction about not obeying unlawful orders. Had Donald not been suffering from those awful bone spurs he might not have been caught by surprise that such a concept exists.
Al Kackley
East side
Will history repeat
In 1938 British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain signed the Munich Agreement. The agreement would surrender the Sudetenland of Czechoslovakia to Germany to appease Hitler. As we all know, that didn't work well.
Our great negotiator has proposed a similar plan for the Ukraine. This proposal would give Russia all the Ukrainian territory that Russia has forcibly taken. The Ukraine, would also have to reduce their military to 600 thousand and agree to never join NATO. All this to appease the modern day Hitler, Putin. The message to Putin is, you can forcibly take small portions of countries at a time, like Ukraine and Crimea, with no consequences. Great deal for Russia, not so much for Ukraine. This proposal is so parallel to Mr. Chamberlain's who returned to England waving the agreement in his hand. Jeffery and Loyal you do see the parallel, right?
Fred DiNoto
Northwest side
Response to McConnell opinion
Unlike the Democratic Party, the Republican Party has no vacuum to fill. Its ideology is intact:
• If a Republican loses an election deny it. Accuse opponents of fraud. Have them attacked at the nearest legislature. Expect a pardon.
• Invite the richest, most generous supporters of Republicans to a victory dinner. Appoint them to various offices. Grant them unheard-of powers. Supply them with large chainsaws.
• Promise instant miracles: End wars; reduce prices while raising tariffs; cut government expenses, balance government budgets; eliminate government debts; assure voters they can take care of themselves without a government.
• Insist you're the best ever ... anything. You've never lied, committed crimes, broke promises, cheated businesses. Republicans who agree are as clean as God's fingernails.
• Never make plans. Invent extravagant ideas. Assign making plans to others. If it works, take credit. If not, fire them.
• Most important: If Republican policies fail, close the government. Blame Biden.
Robert Robak
East side
Jeffrey's rant
Since my space is limited I only have a few answers to Jeff's diatribe intended no doubt to spur family discussion at the Thanksgiving table.
He's overly concerned about a rare transgender in a woman's bathroom but has no problem with Trump a heterosexual bragging about walking through and ogling naked teen girls.
Name one country that pays tariffs to the US. Tariffs are paid by importer and passed to consumer.
He must have been traumatized watching Bugs Bunny, Uncle Milty, Geraldine, Maudie Fricket et.al. since he thinks they cause trauma for kids. Most his age thought they were funny.
Ronald Reagan would be kicked out of MAGA for being a RINO.
He reminds me of graffiti I saw on a stall in the Engineering Building UW Madison 1968. "Last week I couldn't spell INJUNEER, this week I are one."
David Van Lieshout
Green Valley
Statements without context
Jeffrey, you so love making lists of statements without context. Nonetheless, your "zingers" do not really speak to practicality or morality, and certainly not to critical thinking. You've created another list of your usual non-understanding of the Democrats' nuanced positions on various issues. Many of your statements reflect blatantly convoluted projections, not reality, and much of the rest is too simplistic to address in limited space. Truth is, no amount of discussion of issues, which, despite your statement to the contrary, we address constantly, will ever penetrate the cemented, repeating narrative in your head. Tragically, Donald Trump is a cancer in the body of America, but one I believe we'll survive. His passing will certainly not magically transform the disgrace of his vile, relentlessly lawless presence, but it will create a chance to revive the decency that we once valued and that he so casually destroyed. The credibility of those who believed in him may be damaged beyond repair.
Hope Gastelum
East side
There you go again
Dear Jeffrey McConnell,
To quote your right-of-center Ronald Reagan, “there you go again.” Your piece was a bit simplistic and I will add twisted but I do want to say something about democratic progressives.
As democratic progressives work toward equitable human rights for everyone in our society they are also concerned about narrowing the income gap. Why are we not taxing the rich as we once did? President Dwight D. Eisenhower had a 90% tax rate for the super wealthy and if they weren’t willing to pay the tax they could put their money to work and invest in our society to make it more prosperous. Why so much greed at the top? Why do working Americans like teachers and nurses pay a higher tax rate than billionaires? Looking at the gap between the struggling working class and the wealthy in our country it’s clear that Reagan’s trickle down economics was a ruse. Your complaints about Democrats are too, and should be taken with a grain of salt.
Karen Allison
Three Points
Mark Kelly, Patriot
Senator Mark Kelly is an incredible patriot. And simply for stating the law, Trump wants him court-martialed and even given the death penalty. You can't make this stuff up!
Let's compare. Kelly flew 39 combat missions in Desert Storm and received numerous awards, including two Defense Superior Service Medals, two Distinguished Flying Crosses, and multiple Air Medals. He then went on to fly the space shuttle on four missions. And tragically, his wife Gabby Giffords was shot in the head in Oro Valley in an act of pure political violence.
On the other hand, Trump's military experience is ... oh yeah, he was a draft dodger.
Kelly is fearless and has the intestinal fortitude to stand up for what he believes in, and has always served his country.
Who would make the best President? Isn't it obvious?
Larry Holzman
Oro Valley
Veterans speak out
As a veteran who gladly served his country and didn’t claim bogus bone spurs, I am angered at the way the draft dodger in chief disparages, attacks and misuses our active military and veterans. Time for those who served to present a united front in defense of ourselves and our serving military. Let's exempt from speaking out our serving military since any negative comments would result in harassment or indictments from our litigator-in-chief. Since I have seen no LTE on this subject from our locally infamous writer. Just wondering if he was a veteran. Was he?
Dennis Winsten
Northeast side
Motivational decline
The mere fact that Sen. Kelly, and the others, were motivated to and did verbalize the important UCMJ rule relating to orders from superior personnel is regrettably indicative of how much this country has declined under DJT and his minions.
Kenneth Haber
Northwest side
Ukraine-Russia peace?
Fingers-crossed, this 1,370-day avoidable war may soon end. If an agreement is reached I would like to assist Democratic letter writers with a starter kit of their talking points:
• Yes, there may be a deal but there are no specifics.
• Trump doesn’t care about peace, only the Peace Prize.
• Like Neville Chamberlain Trump is an appeaser.
• Joe Biden did it.
Jeffrey McConnell
West side
Virtue and strength
The recent attack on our heroic senator Mark Kelly will undoubtedly bring him even more honor than he has already earned. But my thoughts are with Gabby, my beloved representative who was gunned down in front of my local Safeway, losing her speech, her balance, and her job. How is she feeling about the threats of Trump's thugs, the blatant lies, the cowardly illegal threats? She has already had to bear the worst scars that political violence can cause. And now she must stands beside our brave, virtuous senator while her family is again threatened by a delusional outlaw, this fascist president who believes he can issue illegal orders and have "his" military carry them out. Sorry, but this will all backfire. Vote BLUE, and get the scoundrel out.
Cheryl Lockhart
Northwest side
Putin's useful idiots
When I was a Republican, we were tough on Russia. Now the Republicans are Putin’s Useful Idiots. Trump’s Ukraine peace plan is a capitulation on Putin’s terms.
This is only part of the GOP’s fealty to Putin. Project 2025 lays out the GOP agenda to destroy our democracy, concentrate the wealth and power with the billionaires and turn America into a fascist oligarchy. We will be like Russia.
Gary Thacker
Midtown
McConnell Op-Ed
Kudos to Mr. McConnell for using a little humor and satire to make some important points about the worldview of today’s Democratic Party. Too often the LTEs and Op-Eds descend into name calling, bile and rants. I enjoy reading what people with a different point of view than my own have to say but I just quit reading a lot of them if they are predominantly name-calling vicious attacks. There are many political issues that lend themselves to reasonable debates and discussions. How about turning down the noise and making some logical arguments?
Ed Wegener
Oro Valley
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