Think a coup
couldn’t happen here?
What’s happening on the American political scene? Maybe you should recall George Santayana’s thinking: “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” And then take time to watch Netflix’s “How To Stage a Coup.” What you will then be able to remember is that every “coup” from Cesar to Napoleon to Hitler to today, 2,500 years, depended upon control of the press. And, when that does not work, send in the military.
If you think it would never happen in the United States, stop a minute and remember that starting with President George Washington in 1791, the military has been used as the final resolution. Sen. Ted Kennedy’s excoriation of President Gerald Ford’s pardon of President Nixon provided us an opportunity to think clearly. When awarding President Ford the Kennedy Foundation’s Profile In Courage Award he said, “Presidents think long term, members of Congress think short term.”
Robert Hollingshead
North side
Congress needs
firsthand testimony
Re: the Nov. 17 letter “The concept of fairness seems to confuse Dems.”
Regarding the identity of the whistleblower: The whistleblower law was enacted in 1989 to allow federal employees with inside information to disclose (incognito) any misconduct so that they would not have to fear retaliation from superiors for exposing that misconduct. In this day and age, I imagine that a whistleblower might also be subject to harassment from fellow citizens as well.
A far as cross-examining the whistleblower: Impeachment is designed to be fact-finding, so that the House of Representatives can decide whether to recommend the removal of an official. This whistleblower’s complaint was all second- or thirdhand information. He/she named the people with firsthand information and those are the people now being interviewed. Cross-examination does not occur until the House of Representatives recommends removal and the case moves to the Senate. If the process is to be “fair,” then only those with firsthand information should be questioned.
Cindy Soffrin
Northeast side
Complain all you like
after you join the city
Re: the Nov. 19 letter “Mayor, council should represent all of us.”
A Foothills resident complains about downtown Tucson, Tucson roads, park maintenance, and Tucson traffic enforcement. He says mayor and council are not representing 98% of Tucsonans. I don’t agree with most of his complaints but more importantly, this letter writer lacks standing, in that as a Foothills resident, he does not pay Tucson taxes nor can he vote in Tucson elections. Perhaps he can lobby his fellow Foothills residents for annexation into the city of Tucson. Not likely, but one can always hope.
Charles Rochman
Midtown
Economy’s performance not relevant to inquiry
Republican letter writers seem to defend Donald Trump in several ways. First he was elected, second, that what he did didn’t rise to level of impeachment, the economy is doing well, or complaints about the process. The facts clearly show an attempt to have a foreign government go after a political opponent. It doesn’t matter how the economy is doing or if Trump was elected. The process allows Trump to face his accusers in the Senate, if impeached. These are irrelevant. The only question is did Trump’s actions rise to level of impeachment?
Craig Miller
Northwest side
President being
treated shabbily
Re: the Nov. 19 letter “Morality doesn’t matter to Forever Trumpers.”
The letter writer presents a hodgepodge of her feelings with very little thought to facts. She speaks of our president as a white supremacist, never mind our past president of eight years was a true racist. The media would never pick on him. She doesn’t speak at all of the lack of journalism exhibited by the Democratic national media, or their true feelings of their lies printed every day, along with their voices on national networks.
Politicians are truly what they are and truly what they have been. The Kavanaugh attempted lynching was an act by people without a hint of decency or humanity. Our current president is being treated the same way.
Take a look at our foreign neighbors, with much moral decay and restlessness.
This is from a Trumper, a Deplorable, Walmart shopper, and a patriot.
Richard Reiter
Oro Valley
