Desalination energy
Consider this as a step toward insuring our water future. The USS Enterprise, our first nuclear aircraft carrier, has been decommissioned. Park it off the coast of California and use its safe, established nuclear facility to power a desalination plant. Provide the water to California and trade for an equal amount of its Colorado River water.
William Wolfe
Northeast side
Ciscomani votes to withhold IRS funding
House Republicans now have the majority in Congress and seem bent on causing chaos. Rather than advocating for working families, they prefer making concessions for the ultra-wealthy.
For example, their very first bill, the “Family and Small Business Taxpayer Protection Act,” was passed in Congress by the majority and repeals $71 billion of the total $80 billion that was allocated to the IRS under the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), passed in the 117th Congress. The IRA was designed to “overhaul technology, hire more workers, improve customer service, and clear the backlog of unprocessed tax returns.” Apparently, Republicans are more afraid of high-income audits than improving the system.
Ironically, the title includes “family” and “small business” but neither of these demographics would be helped by this bill. Instead, they prefer to prioritize wealthy elites and donors.
Our new AZ Congressman, Juan Ciscomani, voted to slash IRS funding and has already placed the ultra-wealthy above his constituents. Congressman Ciscomani you can do better!
Bobbi Zimmer
Midtown
The rise of nihilism
With the rise of nihilism in any society, comes the reciprocal decline in the belief in truth. Our nation has become split into tribal groups, so polarized that two truths have formed (truth and post-truth). When we as a nation can no longer agree on the truth, we are in serious trouble. Nihilism, post-truth and postmodernism are the goals of any gifted propagandist. The destruction of the truth has been used by many authoritarians of the past to control thinking to favor their agenda. Once the listener was befuddled to the point of not being able to sort fact from fiction, then the tyrant can easily say that his word represents the truth. Followers believe his word because he is the authority figure in their tribe. Suddenly, truth is hated and fiction becomes the tribal truth. The rise of nihilism in our society is the road to authoritarianism, especially when we review the history of authoritarianism in the world. Be careful who you believe.
Steven Rasmussen
Foothills
Gun control
So long as people keep electing Republicans, there will be no gun control laws.
Carola Myers
Foothills
Woke people want to be fair
Re: the March 25 article “Republicans ‘woke’ me, and not gently.”
I enjoyed the opinion piece about conservatives adapting the word “woke” to describe liberals. Of course, “woke” is not an adjective, it’s the past tense of the verb “wake.” Since right-wingers want to be the exact opposite of left-wingers, they would probably enjoy using the past tense of “sleep” to describe themselves.
But state Sen. Justine Wadsack describing herself as “slept” just doesn’t sound right. It would be accurate, because it is the exact opposite of “woke.” Instead, maybe Republicans would like to be called “snoozed.” Or would they prefer “napped?” Try these for size:
“Republican legislators in Arizona are proud to be snoozed.”
“Republican legislators in Arizona are proud to be napped.” This actually makes grammatical sense, but it does make them sound like babies.
So, Republicans, which do you prefer? Do you want to be called napped, snoozed, or slept? The woke people want to get this right.
John Vornholt
Northeast side
The Twin Lakes
Thank you for your vigilant coverage of the Twin Lakes. That is, Kari Lake and Lake Mead. I am alarmed by the frightening news regarding both of them. Lake Mead is running on empty and Kari Lake is, well, running on empty. Please keep us informed about both of them because they each have potentially catastrophic consequences for Arizona.
Peter Bakke
SaddleBrooke
Congress
No surprise! In the Book of Mark, it says; “For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?” Kevin McCarthy gave up his soul to Donald Trump and the extremists in his party. So, it was no surprise when he granted Tucker Carlson exclusive access to thousands of hours of raw surveillance footage from the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol. Or, that he does not condemn the former president who on his Truth Social platform warned of “potential death and destruction” if he is charged with a crime. Further, he opposed the certification of the last presidential election and continues to appoint individuals to leadership positions who support the “big lie” that threatens the very foundation of our democracy. Nothing that Speaker McCarthy does should be a surprise. Jerry Fay SaddleBrooke
Gun rights vs. human rights
That a perceived right to own numerous assault firearms whose purpose is to rip apart people’s bodies is more sacred than the lives of children and adult educators is sick. Equally sick is a member of Congress sending out a Christmas card showing his family holding these weapons. Sick.
Peter Bourque Midtown
IRS system would hurt Spanish speakers
Twenty percent of Arizonan homes speak Spanish, and for many, life in an English-language dominated society can be difficult. Most jobs require English proficiency, and most street signs and government documents are printed in English.
Tax season is already hard enough. As the founder of a translation and interpretation agency, I work closely with the Hispanic community here to help hard-working Arizonans compile what they need for the refunds they are rightfully owed. That is why I’m concerned by a recent proposal requiring the IRS to prepare and file tax returns. Such a system would require Spanish speakers to interact directly with the IRS, an agency known for poor customer service.
It is time for our senators to ensure that their words aren’t just campaign promises and that they stand up for Hispanic voters. Oppose an IRS-run tax preparation system that would make Tax Day even more difficult.
Morgan Lange
Midtown
Gun companies
Re: the March 30 article “We should change the Second Amendment.”
I’d like to add a hearty “amen” to Mr. Chihak’s essay on the need to amend the Constitution to address the insanity of gun violence in this country. And here’s something else to consider: Google any business, especially publicly traded companies, and you will almost certainly encounter bios and often photos of the company’s executives. Try this with firearms manufacturers and you will find no reference at all to these merchants of death, the people who earn millions from selling weaponry no civilian ought to own, and who pay the lobbyists to ensure that the cowards in state and federal office do their bidding. The daily toll of gun violence in this country needs to be laid at the feet of the people who make, advertise and sell guns.
Steve Robinson
Oro Valley
Help Wanted: Better planners
In case you didn’t know, the place you would complain to about a funeral director problem or cemetery screw-up was the Arizona State Board of Funeral Directors and Embalmers. Under Gov. Ducey, our state Legislature terminated that organization effective March 31, 2023. Done deal. They planned to have most of their duties transferred to the Arizona Department of Health Services. However, the bill to do that second step is still being written. Memo to the Legislature: Next time you plan to go skydiving, make sure you finish drafting the purchase order for a parachute, make sure the purchase order is issued and the parachute arrives before you go skydiving. I’m not making this up. This is not an April Fools’ Day joke. The only joke is our Legislature. Please vote for smarter legislators who are better planners in 2024.
Robert Kruse
Northeast side
