Opinion

Many states, including Arizona, have been trying to institute drug testing for individuals applying for welfare and/or unemployment benefits. Who could object to that?  Employers today commonly require drug testing for employees. Why shouldn’t the state? I personally have had to be drug tested for jobs in the past, as I am sure you have. Even though I am not now nor have I ever been a drug user, that did not matter. All employees and prospective employees had to experience the inconvenience of the drug test. This was the new normal.

So far in 2012, there have been three teachers arrested in the Tucson region for sexual misconduct with minors/students. Two of those teachers are from the Amphitheater School District, and one from Flowing Wells for alleged relations with a student in the Tucson Unified School District. While the details of each case are bad enough, the sad part of the news is that people are becoming used to it. It’s getting to a point where a teacher having sex with a student isn’t as shocking as it once was.

There’s been a lot of talk in the last few months about whether or not the Arizona Legislature has waged war against women. While some shake their heads in disbelief, saying the idea is preposterous, some of us are scratching our heads thinking it may just be happening right before our eyes. As each new bill is approved, or new idea comes from our lawmakers, I ask myself if our gender is taking a giant step backward, rather than leaping forward?

There are two factual inaccuracies in Mr. Franzi’s column that I would like to address:

More on energy costs

There are some parents in this world who aren’t happy about the products being provided by Apple through their Apps program. They are so unhappy in fact, that they felt the need to file a lawsuit.

Next month we will be celebrating our mothers. On Mother’s Day we thank them for raising us, caring for us and being there for us with gifts, hugs and sometimes tears. This year, instead of just telling mom how great she is in person, The Explorer is looking for you to tell thousands of people just how you feel about your mom. Through the “What makes your mom great?” contest, we are taking essays and will be handing out prizes for that special day. 

Over the last year, it’s becoming more and more alarming to see how some politicians are “serving constituents” in Congress, and the Arizona Legislature. I am not talking about the bills being passed, even though there are plenty of them that are just ridiculous. No, I am talking about behavior.

On March 26, a conversation between President Obama and Russian President Medvedev was inadvertently captured by a live microphone; Obama, discussing missile defense, begged for “space,” and promised the Russian leader “flexibility” on the issue until after his re-election fight. Though certainly not intended for public consumption, these comments were no accidental slip; they are entirely consistent with the president’s larger objective of a world without nuclear weapons.

Sandefer should do more research

The four GOP candidates running April 17 in Arizona Congressional District 8, and later in the new CD2, are solid people. Hopefully, Republicans elsewhere are fielding others as impressive.

This week’s edition of The Explorer has the special section, “The Best of the Northwest,” which highlights some of Marana, Oro Valley and Tucson’s finest businesses on the Northwest side.

At long last, On March 26-28, the United States Supreme Court is hearing what has become known as “Obamacare.”  The case is the result of 26 states filing suits in federal courts, and differing opinions from several federal appellate courts.

For some reason I am continually surprised by the nonsense being passed as bills through our Arizona Legislature. It seems with every stupid law, I think wow, and can they get any more ridiculous? And then, well another bill is passed through for approval.