Canโt let the dogs lie on this one
Many members of Congress and acquaintances have suggested that in the pursuit of unity we should โlet sleeping dogs lie and look forward.โ
In other words, donโt pursue punishment for the representatives, senators and president that instigated the insurgents to attack the Capitol on Jan. 6. To those people I would ask: If your son, daughter, wife, parent or close friend were killed or injured in a violent attack, would you still โlet sleeping dogs lie and look forward?โ
The people killed in that attack also have family and friends mourning their death and/or injuries. Letโs pursue justice for all the deaths and damage done on Jan. 6 and hold the president, senators and representatives accountable for the damage they encouraged at their rallies and on TV. Once that is accomplished we can better move forward in unity.
Ted Wierman
SaddleBrooke
Banner also adroit with vaccine rollout
Iโve seen several letters complimenting vaccines administered by TMC. Terrific.
But I did want to also say that I received mine from a Banner-run site at Kino Sports Park and it could not have been better. They were so organized and pleasant. It seemed like there were more folks giving information and shots than those receiving.
In and out so fast. Kudos to Banner. Arenโt we lucky to be living in Tucson?
Ellie Eigen
Foothills
Time for court
to stop Rosemont
Hudbay Minerals Inc. is determined to desecrate the Santa Rita Mountains. Several tour books, including Arizona Highways, describe the beauty and tranquility of the mountains, canyons and valleys of that area. Hiking in this sanctuary brings it to life.
The Rosemont Copper Mine would destroy it with the excavations and tailings. It would add carbon pollution from the massive mining equipment and the giant trucks driving on the roads leading to and from that area. It would disrupt the animal and plant life forever and could waste and pollute many million gallons of water.
Water that Arizona desperately needs and is using more of every day. When the mine plays out, what is left for future generations? It is time for the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals to say a final โno!โ to Hudbay and the Rosemont Mine.
Ted Crisboi
Southwest side
To recycle your glass
you must go for a drive
I just got the glass recycling card in the mail and I do not see how this venture is saving money and helping the climate. How do you reduce greenhouse-gas emissions when people are going to have to drive to the nearest recycle spot?
Also, we older people are not supposed to get out any more than we have to during this COVID pandemic. How much did it cost to put up these 22 glass drop-off bins?
It seems to me that it would be more beneficial to separate the glass at the recycle center and haul it off than for a truck going all over town picking this stuff up and expending those resources. I would like to see in the newspaper how this cost breaks down and where this savings is supposed to be.
I am not driving any more than I have to with all the people who run red lights and drive like idiots!
Jerry Ferguson
East side
Trump fought Biden more than the virus
How sad that Donald Trump was obviously more interested in defeating Joe Biden than defeating the coronavirus.
From the very beginning, Trump fought the election results tirelessly. It seemed he was never that excited or concerned about the trail of death and destruction left behind by an out-of-control pandemic.
How many lives might have been saved if he had simply followed the same medical advice that President Biden considers so vital to saving lives and beating this virus?
Kenneth Cohn
Northwest side
Legislature is a friend to climate change
The people of Arizona created the Arizona Corporation Commission to oversee our utilities. The ACC has finally issued guidelines to move our power sources from petroleum-based to renewable energy sources. Now, Arizonaโs Legislature is attempting to wrest the ability to do so from the ACC and vest it in themselves, as evidenced by HB 2248 and SB 1175.
In doing so, they are attempting to keep the state dependent on nonrenewable sources of energy. This flies in the face of science, logic and common sense.
Arizona has enough sunshine and wind to make fossil fuels obsolete, but the legislators are so beholden to APS and TEP that they would rather contribute to the ever-increasing disasters of record heat waves, wildfires and drought rather than allowing the ACC to mitigate them.
This is a travesty and must be stopped
Stephanie Bader
Northeast side
We need a fee
on carbon production
Re: the Jan. 28 article โBiden announces US effort to limit human-caused global warming.โ
President Joe Bidenโs executive order on climate change reduces fossil fuel subsidies. It increases our investment in wind, solar and other clean energies. Itโs a great step forward.
Itโs not enough. We need a fee on carbon production at the source: oil drilling and fracking, natural gas extraction, coal mining, etc.
Yes, a carbon fee will increase fossil fuel energy prices. We can return that fee to citizens as a carbon dividend. That will offset the higher costs.
Yes, the obsolete fossil fuel industry will lose jobs. Constructing a renewable clean-energy infrastructure will create many more jobs.
Contact Reps. Raรบl Grijalva, Ann Kirkpatrick, Tom OโHalleran and David Schweikert, and Sens. Kyrsten Sinema and Mark Kelly. Urge them to co-sponsor carbon fee and dividend legislation.
Jerrold Borchardt
East side
Political chutzpah like never before
Most House and Senate Republicans oppose an impeachment trial, but not because they disagree that Donald Trump violated his oath of office. They arenโt arguing that he didnโt invite extremists, supported incendiary language or incited his supporters to attack the Capitol. They donโt dispute that while Congress was under siege by the mob and at risk, Trump just watched on TV without taking any action, essentially fiddling with his remote while the Capitol burned.
Instead, they oppose impeachment because they are suddenly concerned about unity and the Constitution. This, from the same politicians who refused to recognize election results and falsely claimed fraud because they were afraid of contradicting The Donald.
Initially, this Party of Accountability that rails against negotiating with or appeasing terrorists, claimed Trump shouldnโt be tried because that would spur his supporters to commit more violence. Now, after refusing to act before Trump left office, they claim it is too late to act. What chutzpah!
Bert Veenstra
Oro Valley
Tucson ranks low
on park investment
Because there seems to be a great deal of resistance to the Reid Park Zoo taking Barnum Hill for its tiger exhibit, I decided to check on the park situation in Tucson.
I visited the website of the Trust for Public Land (tpl.org). It has graded the 100 largest cities in the U.S. for land apportioned to parks per capita. It grades each cityโs parks on access, acreage, investment and amenities. Tucson ranks No. 84 on that list of 100. Our poorest score is on investment.
Since Tucson is already short on number and quality of parks, the need for which is even greater during these pandemic times, how can we even consider bulldozing away a beloved place like Barnum Hill?
City leaders, please think again.
Eileen Dudley
Midtown
Thought-provoking
series by Steller
Re: the Jan. 31 article โ450 miles of border wall are monument to a motto.โ
What an excellent series on immigration and the U.S.-Mexico border by Tim Steller. The background of how Trump and his enablers marketed this overbuilt and terribly expensive wall was very telling and makes me sad. Thank you, Mr. Steller. Keep up the good work!
Don Finch
Midtown
Vaccine rollout smooth as silk at Banner South
My wife and I are in our 80s and live on the northeast side of Tucson. It was with concern that we headed south to Kino Stadium not to a soccer game but to receive our COVID vaccinations courtesy of Banner-University Medical Center South.
A big neon sign showed us where to turn off Ajo Road and numerous volunteers and signs guided us to the stops and to the vaccination site and on to the waiting area. All of the personnel and volunteers were organized and friendly.
This all happened in less than one hour, including the 15 minute wait at the end โ and all as a drive-thru. The process was smooth as silk.
We are more than proud of the public-health and medical personnel and are thankful to have two granddaughters who serve the Tucson community as registered nurses.
Richard McCorkle
Northeast side
Sinema must act on the filibuster
Re: the Jan. 31 article โVoterama in Congress.โ
On Jan. 31, I read that Kyrsten Sinema is one of two Democratic Senators to oppose ending the filibuster and that she is not open to changing her mind. What? Why?
Ending the filibuster is essential to passing critical legislation to improve health care, economic justice, protection of the environment, sound immigration policy and much more. Frankly, I am more than disappointed in Senator Sinema; I am embarrassed that I worked for her election and continued to support her when her allegiance to causes of small โdโ democracy were questioned.
The Republicans in Congress, like their counterparts in Phoenix, are interested only in holding on to power by any means, including overturning the will of the voters. They wield power in support of power.
Trusting them, giving them the benefit of the doubt in the name of bipartisan unity is a foolโs errand. It will not advance the needs of the majority, for whom the Mitch McConnellโs of the world hold disdain. Sen. Sinema must reconsider, or many voters will.
Sue Garcia
Foothills
