Before we canonize U.S. Sen. Mark Kelly and anoint him as the premier choice to be the Democrats’ vice presidential candidate, let’s take a deep breath and reconsider a couple of things.
E.J. Montini’s testimonial conveniently fails to mention that he interrupted his vigil to return to his first love, one last rocket ship trip. Was that really necessary or merely an indication of his real priorities in life?
During his Senate campaign he never mentioned that for years he directed one of the largest and most well-funded anti-gun PACs in the country. His group’s contributions to anti-gun candidates nationwide are well documented.
During his campaign we were bombarded with his ads in his skin-tight black T-shirts posing with his parents who were apparently policemen and women. What message was that trying to convey?
Did his riding around in the airborne version of a bus really prepare him to deal with illegal immigration, the economy, inflation, abortion and gun control?
Forget Kelly: Make this GOP senator Harris’ VP
The tragedy suffered by Gabby Giffords was horrendous. There is absolutely no question that no person should have to deal with the suffering that she endured and no justification for what happened to her.
That said, Mark Kelly would not be a senator today if Gabby Giffords wasn’t his wife. Also, I personally think using her in campaign ads was wholly inappropriate.
Jake Byrne, Scottsdale
Who knew speeding extends EV range?
I’m thankful for Sen. Justine Wadsack’s information. I hadn’t realized that speeding would extend the range of an electric vehicle!
Scott Davenport, Mesa
Arizona has too many ‘safe’ districts
Three cheers for the open primaries voter initiative.
The next step in reining in the power of Arizona’s two major political parties is restructuring Arizona’s Independent Redistricting Commission (IRC). The IRC is tasked with creating 30 districts for the Arizona Legislature and nine districts for the congressional House of Representatives. New district maps are created every 10 years, with the next redraw in 2031.Of the 30 state legislative districts created by the 2021 IRC, 25 are considered “safe” (13 Republican; 12 Democratic). These districts are considered “safe” based on the unbalanced number of registered voters within a district. Example: District 1 (Republicans 79,800; Democrats 33,750) or District 20 (Democrats 62,620; Republican 17,900).In the 2022 general election, of the 75 state legislative seats up for election in the 25 “safe districts” (25 Senate/50 House), only one seat was won by a member of the “unsafe” party.
If your party of choice is not “safe” in your district, your state Legislature vote is irrelevant.
Randy Garmon, Tucson
Give candidates a civics test
There was an article recently in The Arizona Republic by Charlie Hunt about “old people in Congress.” I am less concerned about the age of those in Congress than I am about competency.
The bar is quite low for members of Congress: age 25, U.S. citizen and residency in the state they’ll represent. Shouldn’t there at least be a “civics” test? A literacy test? Something to let us know those who “represent us” have a command of the English language, have some familiarity with the Constitution and a few other “basics?”
Based on what we see and hear these days, it is doubtful that some members can even read and comprehend at an elementary school level. This is frightening for our future.
Sandra Givens, Sun Lakes
Of course, Phoenix is in denial
I wonder about what, if any, expectations the Department of Justice might have had concerning the reaction of Phoenix poo-bahs to the dirty laundry.
I am a newcomer to Phoenix, having lived at the same address here for only 45 years. But even a newbie like me could have told the DOJ they would shortly find the exalted leaders of the Valley of the Salt River relocated and are now hunkered down on the banks of a new river: DeNile.
You see, when the going gets tough, the tough get going. Right to that safe campground.
I suspect they keep tents pitched there on a permanent basis.
T.G. Fisher, Phoenix
Don’t give up your power to make law
Our voters’ best resource for shaping the Arizona Constitution is under attack. Proposition 134 would cripple the process to place future citizens’ initiatives on the ballot.
The amendment would require EVERY legislative district to meet a petition signature threshold that is currently measured at the state level. By doing so, the already challenging task of placing a citizens’ initiative on the ballot becomes virtually impossible.
If ANY of 30 legislative districts fails to meet its signature threshold, then the initiative fails to appear on the ballot.
This measure does not discriminate between blue or red issues. Any proposed initiative is as likely to be vetoed by one or more districts — either for political or logistical roadblocks. The effort and cost to place a citizens initiative would go up tenfold or more, effectively eliminating all future citizens’ initiatives.
This proposition is not intended to balance the viewpoints of rural vs. urban, or red vs. blue voters — it is only intended to hinder the citizens’ initiative process and to shift power away from voters, leaving it solely in the hands of the Legislature.
Please vote NO on Proposition 134 in November.
Glenn Haselfeld, Prescott Valley
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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Mark Kelly as Harris’ running mate? Democrats should reconsider that
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