Tucson Speaks Out: Nov. 7 letters of the day

Trump's victory

It looks like Trump will be our next president and it is hard to say what comes next. However, I can predict with almost 100% certainty what will not happen:

- The Dems will not file over five dozen frivolous lawsuits claiming election fraud and blame that on their loss

- Harris will not claim the election was stolen and refuse to concede

- Harris will not call state election officials and ask them to find enough non-existent votes to change the outcome

- The Dems will not create a slate of fake electors to go to Washington and replace the votes of the real electors

- The Dems will not form an angry crowd to march on the Capitol and threaten to hang Harris if she certifies the election results

- Health concerns aside, both Harris and Biden will attend the inauguration in January

- As in the Dobbs decision, the GOP got what they wanted. I hope they are prepared to live with the consequences.

Donald Davis

East side

'Rejoice readers' — not really

Last Saturday's newspaper announcement from the Editor about "Rejoicing" struck me as odd, since the AZ Star has reverted to the 1960's with their choice of comics. In these days of vitriol, hatred and division in our country, the comics were a source of relief, but not anymore. The new selections are just not funny or appraise to current times. Please bring back "Pearls Before Swine" and "Non Sequitur", the two best comics out there these days. We need some good humor and insightful comics in our lives, not old worn-out versions being published currently.

Matt Sears

Northeast side

Say what?

When I was coming of age, a trite expression, "It takes one to know one," was considered axiomatic. However, the veracity of that declaration is highly questionable and subject to the character of the people who are invoked.

J. D. Vance recently declared Kamala Harris as "trash". Given that the sanctimonious Vance has flipped from referring to Trump as a "one of USA's most hated, villainous, douchey celebs" and "unfit for our nation's highest office", to being Trump's most ardent supporter, it's apparent that his character assessments are available for sale to whomever can provide him with the fame that he so wantonly craves. MAGA projection is on obvious display in Vance's statement as it is clear to any sentient person that the name-calling sycophant is the very thing that he purports Kamala Harris to be.

Rick Cohn

West side

"Toilet to Tap" — bad marketing approach

The use of reclaimed wastewater for domestic purposes has been attempted using the T to T moniker with terrible results. Hopefully, those promoting acceptance of this source of drinking water will develop a campaign slogan that doesn't turn everyone off. Incidentally, the Phoenix-based should be supplemented with kudos to Pima County Wastewater Reclamation about their advances in exploring the potable uses for reclaimed water over 10+ years.

John Bernal

West side

Red Light Cameras

This is a direct response to Scott Thompson's 11-5-24 letter on this subject. We were snowbirds here in 2015. There were red-light cameras then, and they were effective. We moved here permanently late in 2016, and the cameras were gone. And we could see the negative effects of removing those cameras, because that's when people started blowing through the red lights. Traffic accidents increased substantially since that time. Now the city wants to reinstitute the cameras. Mr. Thompson doesn't like that. (Is it possible he's one of the people who ignore red lights)? So, Mr. Thompson, you get over it!

Ken Shearer

Northeast side

Transportation funding

I think it's time for the city of Tucson to bite the bullet and construct a city-only ballot measure to handle its transportation needs. When the current half cent RTA tax expires, a new half-cent city transportation improvement tax could be installed to take its place. The election to add this tax maybe could happen in May 2025. The replacement tax question for RTA Next, now scheduled for a November 2025 vote, may not do well if the city tax measure passes and if the RTA project mix changes as a result.

Donald Ijams

Please start reporting all the news

Now that America has decided the path forward with Donald Trump I plead with this newspaper to report the news. Stop the liberal commentary and report what clearly matters to the citizens of Arizona. The Daily Star has an obligation to inform and educate the public.

Lisa Walker Hart

Oro Valley

Kamala Harris can hold her head high

Kamala Harris ran a phenomenal campaign. She had little time in which she had a tall order. She had to: bring together the Democratic Party; thread the needle develop her own unique policy platform that did not interfere with her ongoing role as vice president obligated to fulfill the international and domestic policy positions of the current president; select an excellent vice presidential candidate; obtain the financial support necessary to campaign across the country; obtain bipartisan support; and to put herself out there with joy, dignity, and determination on a daily basis for months inspiring millions of Americans.

She did it all. She did it expeditiously. And she did it tremendously well. The outcome is not a commentary on her work but rather on our nation's voters, what matters to the American people, and what we the people will accept. Kamala Harris can hold her head high. Her candidacy did not fail; our people did. May God save us from ourselves.

Amelia Cramer

Not too much to ask

I have a few things to ask of President-elect Trump, especially that he recognize the sanctity of our democracy, human rights for all and rational political discourse.

I ask that he recognize quality education for all Americans and not just the privileged. Such education will help instill in future voters and leaders critical thinking and truth-recognition skills. Without this our children may only see a glimpse of history whitewashed by selectivity and fear of truth.

I ask that he govern wisely for all Americans — a leader for everyone and not just a ruler for a select few. Everyone must demand he that he dispense with reprehensible vulgarity, incessant vitriol and unbridled deceit.

And for women, I urge him to not just protect them whether they like it or not, but to respect and ensure their dignity and inalienable rights without pernicious governmental control of their minds and bodies.

As an American, I don't think this is too much to ask.

Arne Maki

Green Valley

A sad day for America

The comedian George Carlin once said, "Never underestimate the power of stupid people in large groups." That certainly fits a large portion of the U.S. electorate who just put Trump back in the White House. In what universe is electing a malignant narcissist who is a convicted felon to the highest office a good idea? He told us what he has planned in his rambling and sometimes incoherent rants during the campaign. There won't be any guard rails to keep his ego in check this time. I fear for the future of this country and its democracy.

Mary Zimmerman

Demise of democracy

Looks like we handed the car keys back to our demented grandfather.

What could possibly go wrong there??

Rex Witherspoon

Weep for America, and Ukraine

Today, I weep for America. This is the country where lies work, where dehumanizing people works, where denial of science works, where reality is no longer recognized. And I weep for Ukraine.

Irene Little

Green Valley

The bad news and the bad news

Here are my economic predictions for the next couple of years. Prices at the grocery store will remain pretty much where they are. Any savings on energy costs (if there are any) will be offset by higher labor costs at the farm level. Because of water and weather issues farmers are already cultivating less acreage.

If the Trump tariffs actually happen you will see much higher prices for goods at Costco, Target, and online as our trade partners retaliate with tariffs of their own and U.S. retailers pass on the cost of tariffs to their customers.

The costs of things like construction will continue to increase as the labor force decreases. Young white men do not want to do physical work.

At the end of 2025 or at the beginning of 2026 we will slide into a recession. The unemployment rate will trend upward — 5-6% as fewer people can afford (or qualify for) purchases that require loans.

Kalvin Smith

The gargantuan blob of government

On the morning of October 30, a peaceful animal sanctuary in rural New York was besieged by a squadron of stormtroopers from the state's Departments of Health and Environmental Conservation.

Five hours later, they left with paw-shackled Fred the raccoon and P'Nut the squirrel, an internet sensation beloved by millions around the world.

For many, internet animals have become our friends: there's Messi the puma, Bibi the monkey, and Minki the meerkat. And just like with P'Nut, these animals never fail to brighten our day.

Sadly, P'Nut's endearing videos have ended. The state of New York put him and his companion Fred to death just hours after their raid.

This is an egregious example of a government that's metastasized into a gargantuan blob of limitless power.

But as stated in the Declaration of Independence, the government receives its power from we the governed. When it becomes destructive, it's "our right to alter or abolish it."

P'Nut and Fred, you will be missed.

Scott R. Hammond