Tucson Speaks Out: Dec. 18

New FBI director

As a former Special Agent of the FBI with 24 years of experience, I have concerns about Kash Patel’s nomination as FBI Director.

The Director of the FBI should be independent of DOJ and the White House.

Patel would be loyal to the White House and would add further to the weaponization of the Bureau.

Patel has previously called for shutting down FBI headquarters and drafted what critics call an “enemies list” of his political opponents.

His potential confirmation raises concerns that traditional checks on the FBI director’s authority would be weakened.

Patel’s lack of FBI experience is a concern. His national security background is largely tied to his time as a Trump loyalist.

Under Patel’s leadership, the bureau’s focus would shift toward politically motivated investigations. If confirmed, Patel is likely to install allies in key roles, including a new chief of staff and general counsel.

Patel is too radical, extreme, and too political. His appointment will do extreme damage to the mission of the Bureau.

Tom McGorray

Northwest side

Selling off the waste of the wall

Complaining about the Biden administration has become one letter writer’s dream job/life. He lies with uncommon steadfastness. If he’s so enamored by the way the Texas is saving the steel to build the worthless wall that kept animals from their natural territories, maybe a move to Texas would do him good. I know for myself and at least a dozen or more other commenters who understand that you’re a GOP party enthusiast and a member of the Cult of T. There are hundreds of thousands that believe the same thing you do in the backward state of Texas. Why not use your lies where they will be much better received, instead of a democratically left-moving Tucson? You’d probably be much happier there since the next four years are going to be hell in the rest of the country. Biden brought money and jobs to Arizona, 45/47 didn’t.

John Bingham

Northwest side

Sun Corridor-Tucson Metro Chamber merger

After reading that the Tucson Metro Chamber and the Sun Corridor have merged in order to improve Tucson’s economic situation. I was reminded of a quote from Alan J. Lacy, the CEO of Sears Holdings in 2005, “The merger of KMART and Sears would create a great company with a great retail business.”

Mark Van Buren

Oro Valley

Community Corridors Tool

Re: Opinion piece “Concern About Community Corridors Tool” printed 12-15-24

This op-Ed column exemplifies NIMBY-ism at its peak, and that is not a good thing. Here in Tucson, we need every tool available to set up conditions that may lead to the creation of more housing. This tool is a good start, and more is needed. More housing of all kinds is needed in Tucson, and new housing along collectors and arteries is easily the best idea for where housing ought to be created. The two largest impediments to solving our housing crisis (and this is the reality on a local level and also on a national level) are zoning codes and NIMBYS. Zoning codes prevent most types of housing from being created, and NIMBYS complain about pretty much every potential project that comes along. Please, City of Tucson, adopt this Community Corridors Tool.

Robert Lanning

Downtown

Same old echo chamber

If the New York Post says it…check another source! “Bidding starts at $5.” Doesn’t say how much the steel actually sold for. Also, the steel will rust whether erected or not. Simplistic NY Post ‘rust’ rhetoric, devoid of relevance.

Texas geniuses, who want to secede from the Union, may keep the steel for their own ineffective border wall around the entire state.

Taxpayers won’t foot the bill because Trump won’t raise taxes but raise borrowing to pay for his border monument. If you don’t want to pay for replacing the steel, don’t build a static wall that is relatively easily defeated. Build a dynamic surveillance system to monitor the border. Pass functional, bipartisan immigration legislation.

I agree. Unbelievable.

James Abels

Midtown

Survival of the ‘fittest’

There’s no scientific doubt that vaccines over time have kept us not merely alive but well. The polio vaccine is an example. I don’t know how many of us remember the iron lungs that so many children who had contracted polio experienced to keep them alive. The vaccine eliminated the need for the apparatus and almost eviscerated every trace of polio. Now many of Trump’s cohorts want to eliminate vaccines and, as a historian, I can’t help remembering “social Darwinism” or “survival of the fittest.” It seems that Trump’s extreme group, by talking about eliminating support for vaccines is pushing for a society that, while not necessarily mentally the fittest, may be so physically. In short, it seems that they are attempting to create a society to serve them and not a government that serves the people.

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Barbara Benjamin

Foothills

Trump appointee Hegseth

Mr. Trump seems bent on the destruction of our country. Incredibly, he won the election with people who ignored his lies, his empty sound-bite promises, and lack of any real policy to judge what is to come. We now have an indication of that by his desire to pack his government with people who are clearly incompetent and dangerous. Take Pete Hegseth, an alcoholic, who has been accused of rape. His skimpy military record clearly shows he lacks experience to run the Department of Defense. Do we really want this man as the principal defense policy maker and advisor? What he has made clear is his position on women in combat and desire to decimate our military leadership. He also wants to eliminate the VA by privatizing the health veterans’ care and eliminating VA facilities. Like Trump, he will not fix problems but rather create them. God help us.

Michael Mount

Foothills

Star should report real news of local medicine

I would appreciate it if the Arizona Daily Star stopped functioning as the public relations department of the Tucson medical industry.

On Monday, the Star ran a story from the Miami Herald under the headline, “restoring function,” about teacher who had a stroke and was brought back to a functioning level with a new electrical device. The same day, the Arizona Mirror ran a story under the headline “A man radicalized by statistics” about the shooter of the United Healthcare CEO.

I know the statistics, but they did not radicalize me — what radicalized me was having healthcare in nine different countries and then coming back to the states to deal with the US medical industry. Doctors in Nigeria saved my life from malaria; doctors in Ecuador saved my life from two pulmonary embolisms and doctors in France saved me from the famous “widow maker” occlusion of the left ventricle.

We need to stop canonizing the people in the medical industry.

Steve Devitt

East side

Re: We won’t be ‘immigration enforcers’

Published Dec 15. Never been prouder of our local elected officials for standing up to narrow-minded, hate-mongering soon-to-be federal officials. Tucson is on the right side of history.

Margaret Zanger

Midtown

Public unions over public service

I heartily agree with the Guest Opinion: “Biden values public unions above actual public service.” Dec. 14. The public unions want higher pay and benefits, shorter work weeks and longer vacations. They aren’t particularly interested in improving government services. In 2020, federal employees worked remotely due to the pandemic, but now almost five years later they still haven’t returned to their offices. When a government fails to provide a good education system, fails to maintain the streets, and fails to provide law and order, the average citizen has very limited options because governments are monopolies. This is one of the main reasons the Democrats got swept on Nov. 5.

Douglas R. Holm

East side

Prop 201

Prop 201 banned red-light cameras in 2015. The proposition included a change to Tucson Code such that the only citations that are valid and enforceable are those delivered in person, at the time of the violation, by the officer witnessing the violation. The city is prohibited from using any traffic control technology that does not provide an eye witness who can testify to the violation in court.

Paul Peterson

East side

Eat less, save money

As the nation is sucked down the MAGA drain, along with otherwise stalwart citizens, the wealthy and powerful, are slipping down the same vortex.

It is curious to me that men and women of high standing and education should know better than to kneel to Donald Trump, a crass and seasoned criminal. But if they do, they can be offered the rank of capo in this ballooning crime family. It is a jelly-like organism spreading fast.

Their value is already paying off. As food prices keep ascending, and to allay citizens’ complaints, MAGA is starting a program as proposed by some of MAGA’s swiftest thinkers, with placards and TV ads that say “EAT LESS.” You can bring down your grocery bill with the promise of a safe way to be hungry in your own home, in your apartment, or your car.

Ron Lancaster

North side

Wastewater use in Santa Cruz River

I have pondered this issue for a while. I have also noted a muddy/dirty taste and smell in my water. I would like to know if the Water Dept is surreptitiously introducing the wastewater into out drinking supply. They have alluded to the possibility.

Nancy Hendon

West side