It’s time City Council focused on local issues
I am amazed that our elected City Council, as their first official act, decided to take on U.S. policy. Second is to take up a quality of life issue — electric scooters.
First of all, 70% of the voting public opposed the “sanctuary city” initiative. E-scooters affect a small part of the city, mainly Steve Kozachik’s ward.
Am I the only one that sees these are softball issues compared to streets, recycling reduction without taxation reduction, crime and police response time, infrastructure and becoming business friendly?
There are any number of important issues, but opposing federal policy?!
As a taxpayer, I don’t want to pay for “asylum seekers” who are allowed to cut in line ahead of those who follow the rules, get work authorization while they wait for court dates and disappear into the interior. Let the feds make immigration policy. Work for your voters!
Rich Barnes
East side
City, county make
right call on border wall
Praise belongs to Tucson’s City Council and Pima County’s Board of Supervisors. Their unified efforts to join a lawsuit stopping the border wall construction in Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument, Cabeza Prieta National Wildlife Refuge and the San Pedro Riparian National Conservation Area show environmental and humanitarian support. Kudos to Mayor Regina Romero, the city council and county board members.
Roger Shanley
East side
Our lawmakers must restore US credibility
I was a lifelong Republican until recently. I spent my college years advancing conservative ideology, worked for a Koch-funded organization, and aided Republican campaigns. I am now proud to align myself with the increasing number of moderates, however, largely because of President Trump.
It’s disappointing that our president regularly uses his power for personal gains. He undermined the Mueller investigation, attempted to withhold foreign aid from an ally to advance personal interests, and attacked witnesses during the impeachment hearings via Twitter.
Trump’s conduct is unbecoming of his office and party. Republicans in Congress should redeem themselves by ensuring the investigation is thorough. Every fact and witness should be heard; then let the chips fall where they may.
Congress has a responsibility to see impeachment proceedings through and hold the president accountable. He has diminished U.S. credibility, and the only way we can restore it is through our representatives standing by the rule of law.
Bradley Zynda
Midtown
Stahler cartoon avoids the actual issue at hand
Re: the Dec. 5 political cartoon by Jeff Stahler.
Stahler attempts to show the “no impeachment” opinion as a “let the voters decide” opinion. I might be inclined to agree with him if it weren’t for the known Russian interference (clearly not Ukraine) and the voter suppression efforts by the Republican Party. Unfortunately, it’s not that simple.
Jennifer Jones
Downtown
Letter on abortion ignored other issues
Re: the Dec. 5 letter “Abortion issue alone determines many votes.”
This letter causes me great pain. I don’t like abortion either, but at least I recognize that it is sometimes necessary for a variety of reasons. If for “conservative Christians,” who refuse to vote for a Democrat over this single issue, abortion is “killing,” why do you support other forms of killing such as capital punishment and or certain gun laws?
And second, for all “single-issue voters,” are you so wedded to that one issue that you don’t even care about all the other issues that are threatening the very survival of our country? Are you OK if someone declares martial law and themselves as king? Do you realize that they could change all laws, including your single-pointed attachment to abortion? Jesus taught love and compassion for all if you want a single issue to support. Why is it OK to compromise on his primary teachings?
Dean Pielstick
Downtown
Perdue piece highlights USDA’s powerful lobby
How can USDA Secretary Sonny Perdue espouse cutting food stamps for hundreds of thousands in real need, while also advocating for tens of billions of dollars in “tariff relief” to American farmers due to Trump’s quixotic tariff war fallout? If cutting food for the poor is supposed to make them more self-sufficient and stronger, why does this logic not apply to our farmer? The majority of the farm tariff subsidies go to large corporate farms, not to small family farms. The amount saved by cutting food stamps is minuscule in comparison to the uncontested tariff handouts. I guess the USDA has a powerful lobby and the poor have none.
Donna Strain
Southeast side
Trump used his own nation for personal gain
From President Trump’s perspective, the call was perfect. Trump is a businessman, using leverage to negotiate a deal is his strong suit. Trump knew he had trade bait that Volodymyr Zelenskiy desperately needed, financial assistance to fight Russia, and a personal meeting with the POTUS at the White House to demonstrate the support and solidarity to lend him credibility. And Trump would give him both but, “I need you to do me a favor though ...” Zelenskiy was willing to do whatever it took to protect his country, as Gordon Sondland told Trump the next day after the call, “He will do anything you ask.”
Trump used his leverage against Zelenskiy as any businessman would. Perfect! But the favors he wanted in exchange, withholding the aid and the meeting only benefited one person: Trump.
It’s simple and clear, Trump used the assets of the U.S. against our own interests in order to have a foreign country interfere in our elections for his personal gain. Bribery, extortion and abuse of power.
David Jacobs
West side
At long last, Dems make an impeachment move
Until impeachment, history would just see a scrum of two equally dysfunctional parties in Washington. Granted, it took the Democrats awhile to see impeachment as the sworn duty that it is, but they’ve now done it despite their earlier political misgivings.
The dividend for Democrats in putting country over party, and clearly being on the right side of history, is the stark contrast to where their opposition now finds itself.
The Dems have clearly isolated and defined the GOP for posterity as the party on the wrong side of history.
Dana Whitson
Oro Valley
Trump supporters greatly concern me
As a native son of Arizona and a proud U. S. Navy volunteer who joined in June of 1968, I am distressed by the level of our current political tribalism. Our current political environment is unhealthy and the deviousness is chilling.
By what standards do we choose those in leadership? I look to the character traits of those seeking the positions of leadership. Do they show anger at those disagreeing with them? Do they name call? Do they mock and make fun of those with physical or mental restrictions? Are they honest? Do they act in a civil manner? Do they treat others the way that they want others to treat them?
The current holder of the office of the president does not exhibit the character traits that I can personally accept. I find him to be shallow, mean, vindictive, crude and dishonest. He accuses others of actions he performs. I am most distressed by those choosing to follow this individual.
Steven E. Templin
Sierra Vista
