America is too messed up to vote for president in 2024. Why not wait until 2025?

Let's just vote in 2025

Here we are hurling to a presidential election in just over six months.

We have two major candidates with incredibly low approval ratings. One candidate is in court facing federal charges; the other is showing age limitations.

Congress should move the election to 2025. We need a reset. Let’s take all that is odd and unprecedented and start over in an odd year.

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Democrats and Republicans can each have a primary, President Joe Biden can serve one more year and the other incredibly flawed candidate, former President Donald Trump, can have his time in court.

We as a country need new blood. The next generation needs to step up. What we have now can’t be our end-all.

Voter apathy is real. This cannot be what we show the world.

Linda Gray, Sarasota

Pitch in to save the planet

I was really taken aback by the Ingrid Jacques column in the Herald-Tribune on April 14 (“Biden’s new EV rule will change how you drive, like it or not”). To be fair, I rarely agree with what she has to say.

But when it comes to electric vehicles, I agree. We are not there yet. But that is not my issue.

The new rule demands that automakers quickly amp up production of EVs or risk hefty fines. Jacques wrote that “The timing of this rule isn’t a coincidence. It allows Biden to claim a ‘win’ on his promises to the climate change crowd months ahead of the presidential election.”

Despite Jacques' argument, she believes that Biden is catering to the “climate change crowd”?

Let’s see. That would be humanity, at least those who believe in science and not conspiracy theories.

This is 2024, Ingrid. Everyone needs to pitch in. Please catch up.

William Trautman, Sarasota

No need for immigration reform

I want to thank our oh-so-politically-motivated Manatee County commissioners.

Their “special meeting” April 16 about the impact of illegal immigrants in Manatee − conspicuously timed with campaign pieces from two of the incumbents about said issue − in fact, produced zero evidence to support their claims that illegal immigration is creating more problems in our county.

What a delightful twist of fate. Well played, commissioners.

Kristina Skepton, Bradenton

Age of elitism is nearing its end

At 86 and counting, I’ve seen great and mainly positive changes occurring in this country.

The 1950s and 1960s were exciting and ever changing. Unions grew strong, the blue-collar middle class prospered, and we grew stronger through honest hard work, diligence and perseverance.

Then subtle changes began. Gaining higher education became the suggested norm. Blue-collar work was looked down upon. We (the whole world) soon developed an elitist outlook on the planet and our fellow man.

I believe we’re now seeing the final stages of this elitist drive. Lying, gaslighting and viewing the world through rose-colored glasses – and not how it actually is – are all becoming more and more exposed.

Thankfully, “all” knowledge is more readily accessed. And I feel people have now had enough of what’s been foisted upon us. A not-so-quiet “reset” is going on.

I believe what’s now ahead of us is going to be more honest, traditional and time proven.

I may not live long enough to see the full reset, but I do predict we’re about to enter a new growth era without elitists driving the ship. And “diversity” done the right way will be one of the strong drivers.

Al E. Bavry, Sarasota

Bob Graham: Modest man of the people

In tribute to the memory of a true leader, I can state without hesitation that the late Sen. Bob Graham was loved by many. His devotion to the future of Florida was demonstrated in so many examples of his visionary leadership.

Bob Graham’s heralded workdays made so many of us feel that here was a leader who could learn from the common folk.

His genuine respect for the everyday toils of his fellow Floridians, no matter their station in life, inspired greatness by example.

Among all of Bob Graham’s attributes, I cannot imagine a greater one than his modesty.

He gave us the gift of the importance of the Golden Rule: Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.

Jack Levine, founder, 4Generations Institute, Tallahassee

City plan for affordable housing welcome

I’m very happy to see Sarasota committing money to affordable housing in the downtown area. And not just a little bit.

This will be a long-term investment that probably won’t cost the taxpayers any money. It will be managed by professionals, not the city of Sarasota. And will greatly improve our city.

I have owned a rooming house in downtown Sarasota for 25 years. Many of my tenants work downtown. And since land and building costs are so high, no one would make a similar investment now.

Ed Carlstrom, Sarasota

David logo signals city of arts, culture

Why are Sarasota city commissioners changing our logo?

Who decided that the iconic statue of David needs to be eliminated?

How many more meetings are needed to discuss how their new logo will look on a T-shirt? Will a change to letters, colors or swishes represent the uniqueness of our destination, as the statue does?

Have the costs associated with this change been considered?

Do these five commissioners recognize that they have opted to eliminate a logo that symbolizes our introduction to arts and culture from the iconic John Ringling and his Ringling Museum of Art.

Many Florida destinations have a sun, and beaches, and colors. Only Sarasota has David, the statue that stands in the Ringling Museum Courtyard, along with 76 life-size statuary and hundreds of paintings in 21 original galleries.

They were all donated by John Ringling, who was a visionary and instrumental in developing and beautifying a small fishing town into the metropolitan, tropical resort destination it is today.

Carole Nikla, Sarasota

Manatee commissioners do a poor job

Please pay close attention to what the charlatans masquerading as county commissioners are doing to Manatee County:

Replacing a county administrator with 30 years of experience with a former administrator who now faces three felony charges.

Ethics violations.

Vaccine-gate.

Trying to ban abortion clinics that don’t exist.

Turning Manatee County into a gun sanctuary.

Stealing bougainvillea plants from residents.

Buying voter registration data on the county dime.

And the latest stunt: A forum on immigration reform with taxpayers’ money − because the border between Manatee and Sarasota counties on U.S. 41 is being overrun by immigrants and needs to be secured immediately.

What do these items have to do with making Manatee a better place to live? The answer is simple: nothing.

Commissioners would rather feed their egos and have their puppet strings pulled by developers than do the hard work of improving the county’s infrastructure, preserving the environment or tackling the issue of affordable housing.

Before you fall prey to the glossy mailers that will soon be infiltrating your mailboxes, do some research, stay informed and vote accordingly.

Michael Polin, Bradenton

If birth forced, let men share burden

Perhaps it’s time that abortion laws apply equally to men. Selective enforcement against women, such as the ancient law recently resurrected in Arizona, just isn’t fair. It never was.

But then again, only some of us were allowed to vote. That was then. Equal protection didn’t exist.

Alas, if a man could push out a baby through his you-know-what, we wouldn’t even be having these discussions.

If Americans passionately support the Constitution’s equality principles, we might consider granting benefits − and applying burdens − to men and women equally. We live in modern times, after all.

Legislators may need to be creative. For example, when a law prevents a woman from obtaining medical care leading to an abortion, the same law might require the corresponding biological father to suffer a substantially similar and have his wages garnished appropriately.

It could be based on the costs of the burdened woman carrying the fetus, and the average economic value of that fetus’ life (fortunately, tort law has already figured out this last part.)

The Virgin Mary excepted, it takes two – each receiving benefits and each carrying a burden.

Jeff Lombard, Sarasota

This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: America isn't ready to elect a president now. Let's wait until 2025.