A devil’s bargain for law and disorder party
Who would have thought that the “law and order” party would now reveal the underlying lynch-mob mentality of many of its members? The Republicans made a devil’s bargain with Donald Trump and their souls are forfeit.
Rudy Giuliani, the enabler, said “Let’s have a trial by combat,” Trump egged them on and the thugs and goons responded. No doubt the anarchist in chief will soon skip town, one step ahead of the taxman and his pardoned accomplices will join him in the dustbin of history.
Kudos to Mike Pence and Mitch McConnell for seeing what their boss had wrought in time to salvage the democratic process.
No doubt many of the base will remain in denial. Maybe Mitt Romney can start an Independents’ Party.
Herbert Schneidau
Foothills
Just another venture in Trump Inc.
The Trump administration and presidency are very similar to most past Trump business endeavors. A model based on inflated or exaggerated worth and accomplishments, with temporary good times, eventually marked by a high employee turnover rate leading to failure and/or bankruptcy.
All the while, it’s propped up by huge business loans, debt and frivolous lawsuits. Something tells me that private citizen Donald Trump will soon be facing his seventh bankruptcy.
Note to Trump: Absolute power corrupts absolutely.
David Keating
Northeast side
Local reps are
loudest Trump voices
At this point, it should be very clear that Reps. Andy Biggs, Paul Gosar and Debbie Lesko want to disenfranchise thousands of Arizona voters for the sole reason that the election didn’t come out the way they wanted it to, and that Kelli Ward is dragging the Arizona Republican Party into that point of view.
Arizona Republican voters should remember this at the primary for the next congressional election and at the next opportunity to select Republican Party leaders.
Winifred Williams
Northwest side
The nose would give it away
Re: the Dec. 27 letter “Trump’s followers are not innocent victims.”
I wish that politicians suffered from the same affliction that Pinocchio had: Every time they lied their noses would grow. Then, we wouldn’t have to be concerned about media bias, because we could vote out the politicians with grossly, protruding noses.
Victor Panizzon
Northwest side
Mr. T will
be missed
Re: the Dec. 20 article “Sam Hughes Elementary won’t be same without ‘Mr. T.’”
The article fails to mention that James Tallmadge was not only an outstanding chess coach but that he took it upon himself to start flag-football, basketball and track and field teams at Sam Hughes. He gave children the opportunity to compete for their school and gain all the benefits that come with playing for a school team . One of his track and field teams won a citywide TUSD championship, quite an accomplishment for such a small school.
Even after retirement, Coach Tallmadge would show up to games and meets, not only to encourage the Sam Hughes athletes but to cheer on all competitors. As an elementary school coach and director of tournaments for 40 years, I can guarantee you that James Tallmadge was one of a kind. His dedication and enthusiasm will be sorely missed in the elementary school sports world in TUSD.
Dale Lopez
Downtown
America left
swinging by Trump
As he swings his golf clubs, the president leaves the American people swinging in the wind.
Donald Gerlach
Northwest side
Mr. Trump,
time to leave
Some years ago, a pastoral counselor friend of ours mentioned that on one occasion a client of his had given him a humorous little figure for his office with a sign attached. It read: Your story is very touching; please leave quietly. How great for our democracy if the current occupant of the White House would heed that advice.
Richard Miller
Northeast side
Wednesday’s attack
will be long remembered
It is with great sadness I express these thoughts. I watched the horrible scene on the steps of our nation’s Capitol as it was overrun by protesters. I will take this memory to my grave. I never thought in my wildest dreams that we would see a sitting president inciting insurrection in my lifetime. Have we lost our way?
My sincere hope is that future generations of Americans will be able to look back and forgive the mess the American people created by electing a president like Donald Trump.
David Sunderman
Midtown
Not so proud
to be an American
We have a lot of explaining to do to the rest of the world. How can the events which occurred at the U.S. Capitol be rationalized, explained or blamed away? No doubt our commander in chief will manage to blame antifa, the liberal press, Hillary Clinton or a host of other Democrats for the riots in Washington D.C.
And make no mistake, this was not a protest, this was an all out assault on democracy, a riot conducted by a ruthless mob incited by none other than our very own president. For the safety, security and reputation of our country, Congress should immediately begin impeachment proceedings of Trump or his removal under enactment of the 25th Amendment.
Tim Wright
Northeast side
Providing for all
by working together
Re: the Jan. 4 article “Ajo group bands together to fight food insecurity during pandemic.”
So inspirational to read the story of the town of Ajo stepping up to make sure everyone had food to eat. Helping each other is the key to getting through not only the pandemic, but to a better future. Congress just did this as well by passing a bipartisan relief package. There is much left to be done to combat the pandemic and the tidal wave of hunger it caused, not to mention the looming tsunami of evictions and rampant un- and underemployment.
We can continue to help each other by contacting our representatives, asking them to continue passing legislation to beat this pandemic and its fallout. This crisis is a time to reset and put America on the road to equity for all. Our calls and letters to our members of Congress can make it possible.
Willie Dickerson
Northwest side
Plan ahead and make good decisions
Re: the Jan. 6 letter “Time for a real debt forgiveness act.”
My wife and I both come from modest beginnings and put ourselves through state universities. When our two children were very young, we started setting aside a small amount each month to help fund their college educations. When selecting universities, my kids considered several factors, not the least of which was affordability. My son graduated from ASU last year and when my daughter graduates from NAU in the spring, my family will have incurred zero college debt.
I think people should be given the chance to make financial decisions for themselves and be held accountable for those decisions if the result has negative impacts. We sacrificed and made prudent financial choices regarding college (and credit card use for that matter), so the government, and by default my family, should not be expected to come to the rescue of those who spent beyond their means.
Bob DeBolt
Northeast side
Trump really was a leader
If nothing else has been patently clear, Wednesday established that for the last four years, Donald Trump has been a leader.
His call to his base to amass in D.C., to protest against the openly conducted election he had fairly lost amid the COVID-19 pandemic, which by reason of his blatant failures to advocate for science-based, reasonable measures to combat the common enemy, had already led to countless unnecessary deaths, became yet another super spreader event.
Yes Donald, indeed you were the true and unrivaled weapon of mass destruction.
It is time for this country to heal for the benefit of the people. Please leave.
Stuart A. Ulanoff
Oro Valley
Of horseshoes
and hand grenades
Prior to the election, I commented in our newspaper that Donald Trump is like a petulant child, unwilling to let us play a game with his ball unless he is allowed to win. I expressed a plea for Trump to simply go away and take his ball if he needed to. If you don’t have the capacity to play by the rules, then go away. Frankly, I believe most good Americans, Democrats and Republicans, would agree.
But Donald wouldn’t do that. He decided if he can’t be guaranteed that he’s the winner, i.e., that he’s not a loser, then nobody gets to play. And so he’s trying to throw a grenade on the playing field that he must vacate.
This is the terrible fallout of a severe narcissistic personality imploding. And that personality belongs to the most powerful person in the world.
Wayne Satten
Northwest side
Capitol siege long in the making
The events of Jan. 6, 2021, in the nation’s Capitol represent the culmination of a widespread revolutionary assault on the American way of life.
The assault has been directed at all three branches of government: the executive branches of the 50 state governments, which are responsible for election security; the several state and federal judiciaries where disputes are handled; and the supreme legislative power of the federal government, the Congress of the United States.
This movement has also attempted to undermine institutions such as public schools and private churches, which together have been responsible for building up the store of public virtue spoken of by our nation’s founders.
Schools are responsible for providing young people with the capacity to act as good citizens. Churches have tried to instill the teaching to love one’s enemies, which for over 200 years has resulted in the peaceful transfer of power in our governments.
Kimball Shinkoskey
Downtown
Keep vaccine distribution simple
Most have heard of the KISS (keep it simple, stupid) principle and it should be applied to the distribution of the vaccine. Just getting it to the health-care workers is going embarrassingly slow. Imagine how bad it will be when we move to “essential” workers? How will they know who falls in the right category? Take their word for it? I see chaos coming from that approach.
My suggestion would be KISS. Finish with the health-care workers and nursing home residents. Then go to mass immunizations based on your birthdate. If you were born on the assigned range of dates show up, show ID, get in line and get your shot. Verifiable, quick and effective. But the best reason to go this route is that it is simple enough to work.
Bert Fredericksen
Marana
