Republican Party is off the rails
In the U.S., the only legal avenue to challenge election results is the courts. The Trump campaign and the GOP have failed to produce credible evidence to sway a single jurisdiction. Proof of their myriad claims of fraud and election rigging is nonexistent.
Game over.
An American president and political party would accept this reality, and facilitate a smooth and secure transition to a new administration. The president, GOP leadership and most members do the opposite.
Reversing election results through extrajudicial maneuvers is un-American. Pressuring governors and state legislators to violate election laws is abuse of power. Those who support this and who are complicit through silence are conspirators in an illegal and undemocratic threat to the U.S.
The president wraps himself in the American flag and โlaw and order.โ He respects neither. Nor do the politicians who fail to speak out. The GOP is failing to lead and failing to defend democracy against its standard bearer.
We are a nation of laws. The election is over.
Mike Cohen
Oro Valley
Americans should be vaccinated first
President Trump is under fire for suggesting that Americans should be at the front of the COVID vaccination queue. He believes that our countryโs world leadership in developing effective vaccines at record speed and at significant U.S. taxpayer investment will greatly assist our ability to help other countries.
When we fly, the flight attendant says, โShould the cabin lose pressure, oxygen masks will drop. Please place the mask over your own face before assisting others.โ
America is the adult in the worldโs airplane cabin.
Jeffrey McConnell
West side
Trump supporters must be so proud
Those who voted for Donald Trump must be very proud of their narcissistic, petulant man-child. He has derided age-old traditions, upended Americaโs institutional norms and shredded our democratic institutions. As for his draining the swamp, it is now awash in trembling, impotent GOP senators who are afraid to rebuke Trump for the sake of American democracy.
And yes, character was most definitely on the ballot. Whereas Trump lost the popular vote, his down-ballot Republican colleagues won almost every state and federal race they were involved in. It appears that his character was so repugnant to civilized norms that even lifelong conservatives couldnโt stomach him any longer.
His followers benefited from observing him for the past four years so there are no excuses; you knew exactly what you were getting. We paid the price for your poor judgement once, but Americans chose not to make the same mistake again.
Ron Locher
Oro Valley
Help for those in need this holiday season
According to the Southwest Institute for Research on Women at the University of Arizona, the rate of homelessness is expected to increase from 20 to 29% in the following months due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Given the economic uncertainty that this pandemic has brought upon Americans of all ages, the rates of food insecurity and homelessness have skyrocketed. With the holidays approaching, we have seen an all-time high in the number of cases with no signs of stopping.
Student groups launched a campaign to educate people across the nation on this pressing issue, and student interns even participated in a lobby day where they discussed a potential COVID relief bill for students with their congressional representatives. The Campus Pantry at the University of Arizona is an example of the increased demand for food assistance. A great way to help is by donating food or simply spreading the word about this essential resource.
Bita Mosallai
Oro Valley
Biden should not pardon Trump
In the corporate world there is a concept of โpiercing the corporate veil.โ It is used when corporate officers create liability and do so by engaging in activities that blend their corporate interests with private interests. Running for public office by definition is private process and not the job of the president. By running again they are running as a private citizen.
Donald Trump has not only attempted to disrupt the election, but has done so in a manner that encourages seditious behavior from his adherents. This threatens democracy at its core. Impeachment will not work, as the party hacks will simply let him off.
He should be tried in a court of law and if found guilty be sent to prison to serve as a reminder to those who would tamper with this process, they will be punished. If his followers revolt violently, they will be punished, too.
Dan Pendergrass
West side
