In a long life, I can’t recall a more bleak point in time
President Trump’s executive order regarding health-care subsidies will affect some 78,000 Arizonans. Who will pick up the slack for these folks?
Will hospital emergency rooms be the providers of unpaid health care?
So sad. Add to this the whole DACA issue, Iran nuclear agreement, NAFTA, return to coal powered generating stations, proposed tax cuts, removal of more efficient automobiles, Puerto Rico’s need for assistance, etc. and it just wants me to sit down and cry.
In most of my 81 years, I cannot recall a more depressing time. I remember fear but never depression.
Where will we go from here?
— Lela Aldrich, Tucson
Isn’t it time to stop watching, subsidizing professional sports?
Oh, please stop watching the NFL all you flag waving, anthem singing patriots.
Previous sports player strikes have shown that people will survive without professional sports to watch or attend. Let’s let pro sports die. Professional sports franchises are subsidized by taxpayers and that money can be put toward funding our long suffering public schools.
I remember a former NFL player taking a knee whenever he made a big play. I found that act rather clownish, but oh well. On another note, Arizona corporate tax revenues are surprisingly down. No trickle down economics there and no money left over for public schools.
I think a sound strategy would be to cut corporate taxes because ... that’s always the answer.
But wait, we can stop subsidizing pro sports franchises and fund public schools. — Nicholas Madison, Phoenix
Another day, another news item in which the gun is central
Laurie Roberts’ heartbreaking piece in Monday’s Arizona Republic described the murder of two sweet little girls by their father. The piece ended with the mother’s wish that people “remember the girls.”
What I hope people will remember of Laurie’s article is that the mother filed for, and was granted, an order of protection from the father, but the judge didn’t order him to turn in his guns.
— Gary Gentry, Phoenix
Feeling fury over president’s slight of slain Green Beret
I am a disabled Vietnam-era Veteran who served in the Air Force and Navy.
I am hurt and angry about the call to the widow of the slain Green Beret and feel if Americans really respect our service to this nation, we must demand this president resign or be removed.
He has disrespected John McCain’s service more than once, and even if we don’t agree with McCain he is an American Hero. I am so angry I am not able to sleep because I will think of this horror.
When the president dishonors a slain Green Beret and we are not outraged then we are in serious danger of losing our nation. — Herbert Bourne, Mesa
Congress needs to act so VA can deal with docs who fall short
Your editorial on the VA accents the problem with federal medical institutions. Many physicians are not licensed in the state where they are located. Thus the local medical boards have no jurisdiction in these matters unless a complaint is lodged with the appropriate state. This could be solved if Congress: 1) requires practitioners at VA Hospitals to be licensed in the state they are practicing and 2) require the VA to report care that falls below the standard of care. Of course if the VA does not adequately monitor the standard of care then nothing will improve the problem. — Edmund Leff, MD,
Paradise Valley
Perhaps young people can deliver us from all the political turmoil
I read Mr. Ian O’Grady’s My Turn column regarding the DACA debate and it brought tears to my eyes. Not tears of sadness, but rather tears of reassurance knowing there are young people out there who value the contribution that diversity adds to our culture, not only locally but beyond as well. Young people like Mr. O’Grady give me hope that perhaps the ugliness and divisiveness that pervade our politics and culture can be eventually be reversed.
— SL Sondag, Scottsdale