Democracy seems doomed in US
I grew up in this great republic during WWII, lived through Korea, a president assassinated, Vietnam, Nixon, 9/11. The democracy that is the United States of America survived, learned and moved forward through it all. I was born and raised and lived my life in a democracy.
Now I see the evil empire that the Republican Party has become using their power to ignore the rule of law, to go beyond ignoring majority rule to simply eliminate it, in lockstep obedience to a totally evil Donald “Darth” Trump.
His Republicans will use the cracks and crevices in our system to destroy it. The will of The Donald shall rule all, changing hourly it seems.
Never in all my years did I think I’d see the end of a great republic. But then, neither did my German ancestors in 1933. Does anyone see a path back to true democracy? I don’t. And it’s fading fast!
Costa Rica is looking better and better.
Thad Appelman
Northwest side
Ducey’s tax cuts show ineptitude
It has always been the same tune Republicans have whistled to at least since the time of President Ronald Reagan. If you do not know how to improve the state of affairs, cut the taxes for the super-rich; ignore the needs of the people, neglect education and the health-care system; and do not talk about the crumbling infrastructure.
Gov. Doug Ducey wants to use the worn-out rhetoric of trickle-down economy and hopes that there will be better results with this kind of tax plan, which has consistently failed. This is the classic definition of insanity and simply disastrous for our state. Who has ever heard of rich people gaining a nice windfall through such a tax cut willing to invest in their neighborhood school, for instance?
No one likes taxes, granted, but they are necessary to pay for all the tasks required from the government. Tax cuts pad the pockets of the wealthy and hurt the people. Ducey’s plan is a clear sign of utter incompetence as governor.
Albrecht Classen
Midtown
A death knell for the Pac-12
The recent acceptance of the Name Image Likeness (NIL) protocols as now determined will soon mean the end of the PAC-12 as we know it. This free agency will end the NCAA athletic conferences as we recognize them now.
Unlike the NBA, MLB, NFL and other such monopolistic leagues that have a salary cap or salary structure for each member for parity’s sake, the NCAA has no real monopoly to set up a conference salary cap. As such, the SEC, Big Ten, Big 12 and ACC, due to geography and population, will receive the most benefits from the free agency of college athletes. Due to media exposure, five-star college athletes will make more money in the SEC than the Pac-12. The Pac-12 will become a glorified WAC or Big West Conference.
Don’t be surprised if USC and UCLA join the SEC. Or Washington and Oregon join the Big 12. Unless some salary cap structure is set up in Congress, the Pac-12 will disappear.
Matt Somers
Midtown
Wrong about Conover conflict
Re: the July 4 article “Employee exodus falls to Conover.”
In Tim Steller’s articles about Louis Taylor he criticizes the decision to conflict the defense of the Taylor civil case and implied that Laura Conover was not informed of that decision. He was wrong. I was one of the lawyers who made that decision; Conover was informed and approved of that decision.
The decision to conflict a case does not rest with who is the elected official but rather the Arizona Supreme Court rules and the facts. Conover represented Taylor in his criminal case. She stated her belief in Taylor’s innocence and wanted Taylor to receive money damages in the civil case against her prospective client, Pima County.
The rules state that a lawyer must be loyal and committed to his client’s interest. Conover is committed to Taylor’s interest, not Pima County’s. Conover has not challenged our conflict decision with the Superior Court or the Board of Supervisors, because it was correct.
David Berkman
Northwest side
Putin runs circles around Biden
The U.S. media was gushing over the president’s performance at the summit. But was it a success?
Joe Biden gave Vladimir Putin a list of 16 U.S. targets Russia can’t hack. Biden should have said all U.S targets are off limits!
Ronald Reagan said he would give Mikhail Gorbachev a list of political prisoners he wanted released. Gorbachev always released the prisoners. Biden could not get Putin to release anyone.
Biden killed the Keystone pipeline. His act ended thousands of great-paying union jobs in Canada and the U.S. Biden is allowing Russia to build a gas pipeline to Germany, which will make billions for Putin.
Russia first, America last!
Frank Quiros
Downtown
Discriminatory water rates
Tucson adopted higher water utility rates for some (but not all) Pima County residents who do not reside within city boundaries. The unanswered question is “why” and what reaction might this unfounded policy provoke?
Settled law in the U.S. requires utilities to offer “nondiscriminatory” rates to customers, part of the trade off for monopoly power. While the law usually gives extra deference to municipal utilities, which private entities don’t enjoy, the policy is omnipresent.
“Nondiscrimination” is tested by determining the “cost of service” of customers and applying the same rates to similarly situated ones. Tucson did not do this. It ignored tacit agreements with customers and Pima County (sewers), and offered totally unsupported rationale. Is this unbridled greed?
Perhaps the Arizona Legislature needs to step in. Tucson chose to serve the customers in question. The policy of “nondiscrimination” is sound and there is no local interest which should override it.
Jim Greene
Oro Valley
