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Justice denied

Regarding Senator’s Kelly’s prosecution (persecution?) by President Trump and Mr. Hegseth, their decision to continue with an administrative punishment instead of a full court martial may seem the lesser of two punishments but as this scheme was hatched behind closed doors without public access. It smacks of two schoolboys trying to hide a secret from the adults in the room. I feel that Senator Kelly did nothing wrong to alert other members of the military to the possible consequences of committing a crime in regard to the chaotic orders of both the President and the Secretary of War (Defense?). Every member of the United States military receives a briefing on the Laws of War and its consequences; if Senator Kelly were to insist on a public trial, i.e. court martial, both prosecution and defense would be able through “discovery� to actually ascertain the actual facts behind this prosecution with the determination being made by an impartial military court and Judge Advocate General.

Richard Rebl

East side

Elections

One of my favorite sayings is that "elections have consequences." I can't take credit for this statement, it or something like it has been around for a long time.

So when I read or hear someone complaining about some political policy this statement comes to mind. No matter the complaint, be it about the Supreme Court, immigration policy, crime (always blame the other party), potholes, tax policy, or the gap between the rich and the rest of us, it always boils down to the statement that elections have consequences.

We elect the politicians, so choose wisely. It's not the politicians' fault as much as it is the fault of those who elect them.

Howard Strause

Foothills

War against, against, against...

Trump is failing in every respect on the domestic front. Inflation is going up, housing costs are rising, job growth is negative, our health care system is collapsing, and the government itself is massively cutting support for child care, the school system, FEMA, medical research etc. In fact, Trump has abdicated his responsibility as president and turned his back on the American people. Like other petty dictators, he hence resorts to military operations against Venezuela, maybe Colombia, Mexico, Greenland, never meeting any real resistance, which makes it impossible for him to declare war. This braggadocio is nothing but an empty show of power, punching opponents who have no means to fight back. Trump has always been a miserable businessman despite all pretenses; now he is not only a miserable but a horrible president ruining the entire country. ICE has become Trump’s private army, threatening and killing us the people, and the military is abused to hide the truth at home. It’s not MAGA, it’s MAP(oor)A.

Albrecht Classen

Midtown

Understanding the cartels

Emily Bregel’s article about Trump’s threats to attack cartels in Mexico is excellent. His lack of understanding the cartels or Mexico is appalling. Cartels are not centralized but three major criminal groups and dozens of smaller ones all over the country. Strategic strikes on one cartel would help a competitor. Their leaders are not living in obvious places (targets). For every one killed or captured, ambitious members are ready to take over. Claudia Sheinbaum-Pardo is a strong leader but she does not control the cartels and has been cooperating with the U.S.

American troops will never be allowed into Mexico — the capture of Mexico City in 1847 in the Mexican-American War is still remembered. A Trump attack would do little damage to the cartels, end binational drug trafficking efforts, inflame old resentments toward U.S. imperialism, alienate a major trading partner being actively wooed by China, and encourage Mexican Americans to vote Democratic — not wise leadership.

Tom Van Devender

North side

Thank you Michael Chihak

There is never an op-ed piece written by Michael Chihak that I do not enjoy reading or learn something new from. His latest piece in the January 11 issue of the Star about the local food bank and the extent of hunger in Tucson was another wake-up call for our community. The politicians who blame the hungry and poor for their situation and then turn around and fund private schools with public money are not only self-serving but greedy and callous.

And so thankfully, many others in our community step up to the plate to fill this gap and help out our often temporarily unfortunate neighbors. These generous people do not blame the victims but donate to the food bank and other organizations who assist those in need. Our community is made better by their generosity.

Fran McNeely

Northeast side

Spinning January 6

While Trump and his crew spin the incident of Renee Good’s murder, they continue to dismiss the January 6 insurrection (term used in Wikipedia). Good has become a domestic terrorist trying to murder an ICE officer with her car and the January 6 insurrectionists have become patriot protestors according to Trump. 174 police officers were injured on January 6 with several officers dying as a result of the insurrection. The travesty of the injustice is staggering now that Trump has pardoned all criminals found guilty from January 6. Evidently who is a protester and who is a patriot is determined by Trump. In Trump’s world protesters get murdered and patriots get a "get out of jail free" card. The problem is Trump has stacked the deck.

John Kautz

Midtown

Kristi Noem’s choice of slogans

At a recent press conference, ICE Barbie stood at a lectern with the slogan “one of ours, all of yours� proudly displayed on the front.

While the origin of this particular slogan is not totally clear, it is most often associated with Nazi Germany and the wiping out of entire towns in WW2, as a response to the killing of high-level Nazis. Not surprisingly, the phrase has also been used by white supremacist groups as well.

While she is likely to feign ignorance or deny malicious intent, even for an administration so lacking in historical perspective and so willing to flaunt the norms of decency, this simply could not be a mistake.

Glen Vann

West side

Our roads, our responsibility

Modern infrastructure is vital to a strong economy and a high quality of life. Aging roads, congestion, and deferred maintenance don’t just inconvenience us. They raise costs for families and businesses, compromise safety, and slow regional prosperity. Delaying repairs only increases the price tag, making future fixes more expensive.

We have more infrastructure than we have funds to maintain it, which is why investment must be continuous. Roads wear down, traffic patterns change, and growth places new demands on our systems. Infrastructure funding is never a one-time fix. It requires long-term planning and consistent resources.

That’s why I support Propositions 418 and 419 and the broader vision of RTA Next. Both measures tackle these challenges regionally, pooling resources to stretch every dollar further, leveraging state and federal funding without raising taxes. I urge all voters to vote yes on both propositions.

Fausto Hopkins

North side

Minneapolis

Protesting Iranian citizens being killed by authorities. Protesting Minneapolis citizens being gunned down by authorities. (OK, just one. So far. A matter of degree is all.)

Tom House

Midtown

Facts should matter

To LTE “Affordability�, facts should matter. The pandemic, not Biden, caused inflation, as it was worldwide. Trump’s inept pandemic response did worsen it. Biden got us through the pandemic and battled inflation. The author was correct when he stated problems can’t be corrected overnight, so give Biden credit (think food corporations making record profits at our expense). Biden helped bring our economy back quicker than most countries. Trump increased our national debt by 39% ($19.9 trillion to $27.8 trillion). Other than his tax cut for the rich, what was accomplished? Biden increased the debt by 29% ($27.8 trillion to $36.1 trillion) and accomplished good legislation to move our country forward. Looking back, Clinton bailed out Papa Bush, Obama bailed out Baby Bush, and Biden bailed out Trump. This suggests the GOP likes power, not good governance. Call me brainwashed, but please do not call yourself conservative. That ship sailed with Liz Chaney on it.

Ray Bonner

Midtown

ICE conduct spills over to all law enforcement

The column by Tim Steller, was right on point. People are instantly nervous when they see a mass event by law enforcement (DPS gather for search warrant) since the massive, over broad presence of ICE in our large cities, and "coming soon to a community near you" ... Phoenix, Tucson, etc.

I was honored to work in the criminal justice system for over 26 years, and police departments do extensive and constant training to avoid mistakes, to confirm protocol and gun safety, etc.

U.S. citizen teen-agers are being detained and assaulted because they can't prove, fast enough, that they are citizens. Latino friends, colleagues, born and raised here are carrying their passports.

We need to implement policies:

1) A 911 supervisor to take calls for ICE deployments, currently enacted in many cities;

2) Training on civil rights;

3) Outreach by local law enforcement agencies to reestablish the trust that has been so critically damaged by ICE activities.

Until that happens contact Attorney General Mayes' office

Margarita Bernal

West side

Safe, reliable roads matter to families

As a mom driving my kids all over Greater Tucson for school, sports, and activities, I see firsthand how our roads affect families. Narrow streets, potholes, and congested intersections make trips longer, stressful, and unsafe.

Propositions 418 and 419 offer a practical, coordinated approach to fix these problems. By planning regionally rather than piecemeal by municipality, these measures allow projects to be completed faster, smarter, and more efficiently than any single city or town could manage alone. They also draw down state and federal funding to maximize every dollar and protect voters’ intent so funds are used as promised.

For families constantly on the move, like mine, reliable roads are essential. Passing both Propositions 418 and 419 will make travel safer, smoother, and less stressful for everyone. I hope voters will vote YES on both measures.

Irma Gastelum

Foothills

Friends and Family — hear me out

As someone who has been street protesting nonstop since February 2025, I have a dream that all my friends and family, who are all wonderful, intelligent, and caring people, wake up quickly before our country dissolves into a fascist nightmare. Time is of the essence!

I understand your reluctance to get involved in the resistance. It is scary at times. But not just my friends and family, but every American who cares about justice, equality, the rule of law, etc. needs to speak up against the death of our democracy. There are millions of you out there.

I’m asking you to do one simple thing. Put a yard sign in front of your house affirming that you support our Constitution and our democracy. It doesn’t have to be an anti-Trump sign. If your HOA or landlord doesn’t allow signs, put a sign or bumper sticker on your car. Pretty simple and much more constructive than sitting at home, gnashing your teeth.

Sarah McKasson

Midtown

President without restraints

I remember when Republicans were whining about Biden's use of executive orders. It pales in comparison to what Trump is doing. Whatever your political affiliation you should be very concerned about unrestrained actions. It sets a very dangerous precedent. Republicans may be okay, with it being Trump, but how would they feel if a Democratic President acted the same way? Congress needs to retake their Constitutionally granted powers.

Craig Miller

Northwest side