We have the chance to show compassion for people in need

I believe problems that can be solved with money are the easy ones to fix. No amount of money is going to end gun violence or abortion, but we do have a social problem that is easily solvable:

The hundreds of refugees that ICE is depositing on the streets of downtown Phoenix with nothing but the clothes on their backs and the home address of their sponsor.

This is not the zombie apocalypse invading our southern border that you hear about on twitter. These are poor families with children who are legally here moving through the asylum process.

All they need is 1-2 days of food and shelter and help getting to their destination. So far, it’s been left up to the faith community and volunteer organizations. Today another 190 people were dropped off on the street, because the churches could only accommodate 50.

This is a big expense for churches and individuals, but for governments it’s a small amount. I say spending $100,000 to alleviate suffering and prevent the ballooning of our homeless population would be a good use of tax dollars.

Compassion is a shared value, religious or otherwise, and this is an opportunity to practice it today.

If they work, Montini, what’s the big deal with charter schools?

I am surprised at EJ Montini’s continued angst regarding charter schools. If someone can provide a great education to our children in a more cost effective manner and also make money why would that be a bad thing?

If a charter school is doing a poor job at educating students, parents will not enroll their children and the school will get no state funding.

When charter schools were created

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❚ the idea was if you have a better way of educating students you can use your own money to create a campus, hire educators, create a curriculum. If you do a good job parents will enroll their children, and only then will you receive public money.

If doing this you can make money, great. If you purchase curriculum from a business associated with you and that works well for your students, then great.

If all of these things work amazingly well and you end up with a valuable school that you can sell for millions of dollars, then great.

I fail to see the problem that needs to be solved with this idea.

I’m embarrassed for our country watching Trump insult McCain

As an Arizona native I admired Sen. John McCain when he was known as “Maverick.”

At times he veered away from that position, but I still admired him for his service to country. I had an upper classmate who was also a prisoner at the Hanoi Hilton.

I respect McCain for his service and sacrifice. From what I’ve learned about his treatment at the hands of his Vietnamese captors, no one should fail to respect Sen. McCain.

For Donald Trump to criticize Sen. McCain when he was alive was politics. But to criticize McCain after his passing is disgusting.

Trump will never come close to Sen. McCain or for that matter any of his own presidential predecessors. I am embarrassed that he is our president.

I do not understand how anyone can respect this president. Besides his disgusting behavior, he seems committed to being divisive.

President Trump had the opportunity to be a great president, but his ego has revealed that his priorities are selfish. I fear the remainder of his term. Thank heavens there is a balance now in the House of Representatives.