Letters to the Editor by John Trainor

October 18, 2022

     I love America because it is democracy’s country, and I love democracy. I love American democracy because in its ideal state — a state it has yet to fully attain in any place — American democracy recognizes the intrinsic worth of every person and welcomes diversity by offering a promise of a place where the differences of all people can co-exist in peace. It offers hope that someday in America all people will be free to live their lives as they see fit rather than as others believe they should. America’s original motto, “E pluribus unum” — out of many, one — speaks to unity in diversity as do the first three words of the preamble to the Constitution of the United States of America, which defines the structure and purpose of a government made for democracy’s country. Those words are: “We the people.” Though those words did not at first include all people, many more have been included over time. So we know it works. The hope for the future is that all people will someday be fully included.

     Today, democracy’s country is threatened by those who believe more in one man’s lies of exclusion than in the Constitution’s inclusive truth of ”We the people.” The survival of democracy depends on the votes cast in this election. Those votes depend on whether citizens believe that preserving democracy is more important to their future than today’s gas prices or following the lies of the last election to their inevitable autocratic end. The question is, which has more value to us and our children and America’s future — loyalty to one man, today’s gas prices or democracy. If you love democracy’s country as I do, then you must vote D for democracy.   

September 17, 2022

     What is an existential threat? An existential threat is a threat to the continued existence of something. Democracy deniers are by definition an existential threat to a government of, by and for the people. Elements of the Republican Party claim the United States is not a democracy but a constitutional republic. Democrats believe we are both a democracy and a constitutional republic and they fight for policies that will preserve and strengthen both.

     Two currently active Republican schemes to deny democracy constitute existential threats to representative democracy. One is a petition to the U.S. Supreme Court to consider something called an “independent legislative theory.” This theory could empower state legislators to refuse to certify the results of a presidential election so they can select their own slate of electors. The Supreme Court has agreed to hear this petition. Other Republican elements continue efforts to call an Article V “convention of the states” they say “to amend” the U.S. Constitution. This could result in a rewrite of the founders’ original document. Success for either attempt would mean the end of representative democracy in America as we know it.

     Direct democracy is protected in Arizona through a state constitutional right of initiatives and referenda. Republican legislators have made access to direct democracy more difficult and initiative success more likely to be overturned by the Legislature. Three legislative propositions are on the ballot this election year intended to further undermine and weaken direct democracy in Arizona. They are propositions 128, 129, 132. Vote no on these propositions and help preserve our state constitutional right to practice direct democracy. Join Democrats in their fight to preserve representative and direct democracy and our constitutional republic by voting D up and down the ballot.

January 11, 2022

     Mr. Moorehouse is right — no issue is more important in the coming elections than the preservation of our democracy. (Dispatch Jan. 4) Through Trump’s continuing “Big Lie,” new Republican voter suppression laws, gerrymandering, right-wing media propaganda, the filibuster and other political tricks, we find ourselves in danger of authoritarian government or anarchy in the United States of America in 2022 or 2024.

     Standing with Democrats in their fight to save our democracy at the national level are two conservative Republicans — Liz Cheney and Adam Kinzinger. They are the only congressional Republicans to join Democrats investigating the Jan. 6 attempt to steal our democracy. They are genuine Republicans and true patriots who care about country over party as they risk everything to preserve our democratic government. The same could be said of state and county election officials and workers and volunteers of both parties who did their jobs under great pressure as Trump and his cohorts tried to overturn the election. These Americans stood united in service to democracy and our country. They deserve our thanks.

     Republicans, independents and Democrats and all Americans who believe in democracy must stand united in 2022 and 2024. Since our choices at the ballot box are “R” or “D” and the Democratic Party is fighting to preserve democracy while the Republican Party — firmly in the grip of Trump — clearly is not, our only hope to defeat authoritarian rule or anarchy is for all patriotic Americans to mark “D” for democracy. It will take selfless and patriotic action at the ballot box to ensure that our government of the people, by the people and for the people does not perish from the earth under our watch. No other issue is more important.

December 11, 2021

     Indirectly we all support communism. Our corporations provide jobs for workers in communist China and other communist countries. Our consumers buy goods manufactured by communists. Our farmers sell agricultural products to feed communists. Our businesses deal with communists to tap more markets in communist countries. We all want lower prices, higher profits and wider markets. It’s just business.

While container ships from communist countries wait offshore to unload communist manufactured cargo to satisfy much of America’s material wants and needs, Republicans in our national Congress and Republican state legislatures introduce bills requiring public schools to teach children the truth of the evils of communism. Curiously, no bills reported so far to teach the evils of fascism.

     At the same time the same Republicans introduce bills to prohibit the teaching of the truth of the history of America’s treatment of Native Americans, African Americans, Chinese Americans, Japanese Americans, South American Americans and just about any group of Americans whose descendants did not come over on the Mayflower.

Republicans aren’t concerned about communism except as a label to pin on Democrats to win elections. Republicans label as “communistic” and “socialistic” every Democratic effort to secure democracy and improve life for all Americans. Counting on their vastly improved voter suppression and gerrymandering efforts, the GOP has determined the only platform it needs in 2022 is to continue to demonize Democrats as communists and socialists.

     As we approach Christmas, let us pray the supply chain delivers our capitalistic-generated, communist-manufactured gifts to all American children on time. Looking ahead, let us resolve in 2022 to teach the truth about everything — our greatness, our hypocrisy and our complicity in aiding the growth of communism in order to enjoy higher profits for corporations, lower prices for consumers and more and more business.

November 11, 2021

      Supervisor Goodman in his recent letter justifies the practice of opening Pinal County Board of Supervisors meetings with a Christian prayer. I believe a minute of silence as suggested by Noel Reck of Casa Grande during the Nov. 3 regular meeting would be a better idea. Supervisor Goodman says, “In my opinion, it is imperative that we have our Heavenly Father guide us to make the best decisions for our constituents.”

     With all due respect, Supervisor Goodman, that is the heart of the matter. Many of your constituents do not share your belief in your “Heavenly Father.” Many do not wish to be subject to public incantations to your “Heavenly Father” when they attend public meetings. They do not approve what they believe amounts to government sanction of a religious exercise before, after or during the conduct of public business.

     While it is true that many of your constituents are Christian and would approve Christian prayer as part of the board meeting, as elected officials you should be sensitive to the feelings of all your constituents, not just those with whom you share a religious belief. That is what it means to take an oath or affirmation to support and defend the Constitution of the United States — a secular document that equally protects your right to believe in your “Heavenly Father” and my right not to.

     If you and other board members believe you need to communicate with your “Heavenly Father” in order to make wise decisions for your constituents, a minute of silence will do just as well. You would be joined in that meditative minute by all present. In this way, you connect with your God, show sensitivity to all and avoid the discord and division of imposed public prayer.

Septemer 25, 2021

     I disagree with every unsubstantiated assertion touched on by Cecelia Levatino in her sarcastic listing of Biden’s “successes.” (Dispatch, Sept. 23)

     I will respond to what the writer views as Biden’s most significant “success.” The other six are, by her reckoning, less significant. The writer says, “Biden has destroyed (or is working to destroy) individual liberty in America by mandating the vaccine.”

     Today, individual liberty in America depends on the people of America — the entire group of us — defeating a pandemic. In 1859 John Stewart Mill wrote the following basic principle on individual liberty in his Essay On Liberty:

“ ... that the sole end for which mankind are warranted, individually or collectively, in interfering with the liberty of action of any of their number is self-protection. That the only purpose for which power can be rightfully exercised over any member of a civilized community, against his will, is to prevent harm to others.”

     As elective surgeries are postponed and care is rationed, we can see how those who assert “individual liberty” to avoid vaccination are filling our hospitals and draining our medical capacity and thereby causing harm to others. We can also see that new COVID variants are developing and extending the life of a pandemic that could by now have been controlled through universal vaccination.

     President Biden’s mandate is a use of government power rightly exercised to prevent harm to the general society. Biden’s strong leadership in the fight against COVID will be successful only if all eligible Americans join the fight by getting vaccinated. The more harm done to a society that supports individual liberty, the more likely it is that individual liberty itself will be destroyed.