Letters to the editor: July 1

We encourage readers to submit letters to the editor on issues of interest to East Valley residents. Submissions should be no longer than 300 words, factually accurate and original thoughts of the writer. Please be brief and include name, address, city and phone number for verification. Letters and comments may be edited for clarity and length.

Submit your letter to the editor

ENERGY

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Pelosi ignoring principles

How soon we forget! When she became speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives in 2006, Nancy Pelosi promised that under her tenure the House would be the “most honest, [the] most open, and [the] most ethical Congress in history.” Yet look closely at the facts as they apply to the infamous American Clean Energy and Security Act that was passed by the narrow margin of 219-212. The House leadership crafted this bill behind closed doors and included 1,200 pages of text, 397 new governmental regulations, 1,090 new economic mandates, and more than 300 pages of text with no index that amended the previous legislation on a paragraph-by-paragraph basis.

And what about any Republican Party amendments to this bill — were any remitted? The House leadership discarded all but one out of the 220 amendments submitted by House Republicans and allowed next to no time for debate. Representatives would have had all of nine hours to study this 1,200 pages of text before voting.

Democrats complain that under former Majority Leader Tom DeLay, Republicans also rushed through legislation, but Pelosi has offered even less opportunity for bipartisan collaboration. So much for an honest, open, and ethical Congress! It’s now time for a change we can really believe in this time — kick out one of the most unscrupulous Democratic leaders in the history of this country.

STEVE TROXEL

GILBERT

JEFF FLAKE

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Congressman not doing job

I am greatly disturbed that on Friday, as Congress was gathered together to vote on one of the most important votes to ever come down the pike (the cap-and-trade tax), our congressman, Rep. Jeff Flake, R-Ariz., was a no-show. When I called his offices to ask why, I was informed that he was in Alabama at his daughter’s scholarship competition.

The problem that I have with that is Flake was hired by the citizens of this state to represent them in important government matters, which he failed to do. This tax that passed the House will be an incredible tax increase on the citizens of this country. It will contribute to turning this nation into a third-world nation and our congressman decided to let this opportunity to help stop this monstrous tax go by without even a vote. I consider this to be insubordination to the people for whom he works. For this reason, Flake will not get any votes from me or my family in the next election. This is why we have some of the problems we have today, because of a government that does not take their responsibility to heart.

DAVID LAND

GILBERT

IMMIGRATION

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Pearce’s opinion lacks facts

Sen. Russell Pearce, R-Mesa, engages in his usual hyperbole and inaccuracy in his latest column, “Enforce immigration law now! (Perspective, Sunday).” He isn’t honest, and his use of “statistics” weakens whatever validity his arguments might have. You have to wonder just where he gets his evidence.

One example illustrates his problem. In his column he writes about a House of Representatives study called “A Line in the Sand: Confronting the Threat at the Southwest Border.” What he claims about the report is flat dishonest: “Illegal immigrants kill 9,000 Americans a year — 25 each day, 12 by stabbing and shooting, and another 13 by drunken driving and related crimes.”

In fact, the study he cites doesn’t mention a single one of these supposed facts he uses to bolster his argument. So where did Pearce get these numbers? And why didn’t he do his own fact-checking before publishing this column?

We all agree that our border needs to be made secure, even more so now that Mexican drug cartels are crossing into the United States. But Pearce, in his usual hysterical and absurd way, writes such a poor defense of his view that he diverts attention from the issue and to his inability to articulate his view.

MIKE MCCLELLAN

GILBERT