Ground Troops in the Middle East

TPP

I am opposed to the TPP.   Particularly because of the ISDS clause. The problem is stated in 3 online articles reported below:

          There is a lot that is wrong with the “free-trade” model... But nothing is so wrong as the           little-covered but hugely important threat to democracy itself in the form of Investor     State Dispute Settlement (ISDS) provisions, ...formally prioritize corporate rights over        the right of governments to regulate and the sovereign right of nations to govern their     own affairs.

            Investor-State Dispute Settlement clause, which would allow corporations within      the       TPP zone to challenge regulations imposed by member governments in a binding      international court. For instance, a company could protest against health and safety       regulations if it felt they restricted its business. 

          Under the Trans-Pacific ­Partnership, pharmaceutical companies could get up to          eight    years of exclusive rights to their clinical trial data, compared to 12 years currently in       place in the U.S, five years in Australia and little to none in      developing nations.     (American drug makers are intent on preserving the existing standard in a final deal)

          I need not remind you we are a constitutional republic and a country of laws. Even with the chaos and dysfunction occurring in the House, the country is not in peril; because our institutions are base on a constitution and laws. 

          Of the 40 country there are those who function under Marxist economic doctrine, nations subject to occasional military coup disrupting their economic stability.  There are nations that turn a blind eye to the heroin trade and to human trafficking. Nation that require bribes to do business where corruption is rampant, and where multinational corporations with no national loyalty can dictate regulations, making it easier to litigate US regulatory laws.

Vote No on TPP.  Since you cannot amend it, send it back to be revised particularly the ISDS clause and others. 

Thank you for your consideration:

POLICE IN FEAR

Business need educated employees

Dear Governor and Legislators

Since the Governor and most all legislators are products of a public education at some level, why would you support a budget that will retard  Arizona's future growth?  Az. recently has dropped out of the top 20 states in economic opportunity.  Business need educated employees both K thru 12 and College.  If the state cannot provide this work force they will take their jobs were it can be provided.  The argument that the raising fees on services to provide revenue for education and other state needed services is a tax, is ludicrous.  Remember once you are elected office you wear the mantle of Public Servant. This title translates into doing good for the state of Arizona not pander to special interest or narrow reactionary ideology.  Find the money and restore funding to our schools for they are Arizona's future 

Crimes by the Mentally iIl

In light of the continued debate on firearms and the mentally ill,  The Arizona Republic published article on "Rule 11." Rule 11 (the law that allows mental ill charged with a crime to be referred to the civil mental health system) is a travesty of justice.  The mentally ill are not exempt from the consequences of their criminal behavior as is any other citizen.   Fifteen years as a licensed clinician in Arizona working with the mental ill, I have seen many mentally ill defendants who have committing heinous violent crimes, go unpunished under Rule 11.  The civil mental health system have no authority over those who commit a crime and have been referred to their system under Rule 11, nor should they.

The solution already is at hand.  Using the Republics case,  hitting a child in the face with a stone is felony assault.  This defendant is found unable to understand the court proceeding  or assist in his own defense.  He is also unable to understand he is to appear in court and then is subject to pre-trial detention.  Instead of jail he is sent the State Mental Hospital not to exceed 90 days without a court hearing.  He is still charged with a felony and will receive credit for time served. He is to be stabilized on medication and supported until he understands his defense and court proceedings. Once this is accomplished he is returned to the court system for adjudication of his crime, with the assistance of a case manger to monitor his mental health.  Should the defendant be found guilty of the crime his mental illness should be considered in his sentencing.

Rule 11, forces the civil mental health system to intervene with a mental ill defendant with no authority.  The rule allows violent criminals back on the street, with inadequate supervision. It creates a danger to others from those who act out violently while suffering a psychotic episode. Rule 11 may be fine in theory but does not work in the real world and should be eliminated. This one way to assure that the criminally mental ill cannot purchase a fire arm