Football enters abortion, Hurricane Ian notions; how about Trump? Letters, Oct. 9, 2022
Who will help in wake of Hurricane Ian?
With devastation along the West Coast of Florida, where are they now?
Florida has two MLB teams (Miami and Tampa Bay) with players making millions.
Where are they now?
Florida has three NFL Teams (Miami, Jacksonville and Tampa Bay) with players making millions.
Where are they now?
Florida has these team owners and coaches making millions.
Where are they now?
Florida has so many other sports (soccer, tennis, golf, etc.) with players making millions.
Where are they now?
Florida has so many large companies (Coke, Pepsi, Amazon, Walmart, etc.) making millions.
Where are they now?
Florida has so many hospitals and clinics (Cleveland Clinic, etc.) making millions.
Where are they now?
Florida has an average resident who can afford maybe $50 or $100 to help, but for all these groups making millions.
Where are they now?
Marty Hayes, Port St. Lucie
Port St. Lucie trash woes continue
Is it any surprise the city of Port St Lucie and its new trash provider continue to fail us?
The city started the turnover by saying its new provider could not start off collecting the refuse that had been piling up on a timely basis. Then came Hurricane Ian.
On Tuesday, the city published a message stating regular pickup would take place on Wednesday. Then, mid-morning on Wednesday, they suspended collection.
Yes, we had some rain, but you would think those lumbering collection trucks would be able to push through, but apparently not. Within hours, our local mailman came through in his little truck delivering mail. I guess the postal service wasn’t afraid of a little rain.
Now here it is, a day after our scheduled yard waste pickup, and the city has now said the pickups are behind.
Maybe we should let the mail carriers and their union take over and get the city out of the picture.
Robert Dadiomoff, Port St. Lucie
Sadly, abortion issue has become political football
"The hand that rocks the cradle rules the world."
It's so true.
The greatest asset to our planet are the females living on it.
Please don't misinterpret what I'm trying to express. I don't feel all abortions should be denied or illegal. The Supreme Court didn't say that either. Its decision was about the individual states losing their autonomy to self-govern, not banning abortion.
Your recent news article verified that 94% of abortions performed are in the first trimester. No problem.
If you were impregnated by rape from anyone, or a victim of incest (rape also), why would you want to wait to end that pregnancy? Fifteen weeks is almost four months. I hope you wouldn't wait just to decide if you wanted to have the child.
Furthermore, I believe there could be other circumstances that should be considered on a case by case basis, to exceed the 15-week threshold. This is what you should organize to challenge, not make it a political football.
Earl Allen, Stuart
Martin County pet shop ordinance right thing to do
The author of a letter about Martin County’s ordinance banning retail sales of dogs, cats and rabbits may be unaware some pet shop owners charge thousands of dollars for puppies sold with financing that carries interest rates as high as 198%.
Laws are pending in Maryland, Massachusetts, Washington, New York and other states to prohibit these unconscionable, predatory financing practices.
The Washington Post published an article describing these schemes, which can be viewed online at tinyurl.com/mcpetshop
The Martin County ordinance banning retail sales of dogs, cats and rabbits is not flawed. Local governments adopt many ordinances that restrict or prohibit sales of certain items in order to protect the public.
The ordinance banning retail sales of dogs, cats and rabbits was adopted after many months of research and review. If local pet shop owners weren’t aware of the process, they weren’t paying attention.
Martin County's ordinance, which is similar to ordinances adopted in communities throughout the state and the nation, is designed to eliminate the market for puppy mills and kitten factories that produce animals in an unhealthy and often cruel environment. The ban on retail sales of animals does not require existing pet shops to go out of business.
There are only two pet shops in the county that sell animals; other pet shops thrive selling supplies, food and accessories and provide a showcase for pets available for adoption from local shelters. Buyers looking for specific breeds can still purchase puppies from reputable breeders.
When the Animal Care and Control Oversight Board and the County Commission review the local ordinance, they should consider first and foremost the health, safety and welfare of animals and their human companions and vote to leave the county ordinance in place as adopted.
Virginia Sherlock, Stuart
Time to elect politicians with backbones?
Republicans have become like lemmings — ready to follow their leader over the cliff and take the country with them.
Do we want Kevin McCarthy to be speaker of the House — he who needs an exorcism to keep his head from its 180- to 360-degree turns? Jim Jordan to once again become chair of the House Judiciary Committee — he who wants to start impeaching all the members of the January 6 committee, even though those who testified were Republicans?
Do we want Republican legislatures making rules to enable them to win elections by hook or by crook, or deciding what women cannot do with their bodies?
Do you want Gov. Ron DeSantis, Florida’s mini-Trump, to continue his MAGA actions, like telling high school students not to wear masks, or banning books from school libraries, or making the rules so difficult for teachers that they have left en masse?
Or, would you want a strong number of moderates on both sides of Congress who can work together to put through needed legislation?
Don’t you want to return to a time when you had a choice to vote for a Republican or Democrat who acted based on their constituents’ wishes, and not based on the wish to remain in power?
Wouldn’t you want politicians to get back the souls they have sold and to strengthen their spines?
How about a legislator who says publicly what he really believes, instead of going along with the “Stop the Steal” garbage?
Remember: Trump’s promise to pass a bill for Infrastructure? And who finally did it?
Remember: The GOP trying to eliminate Obamacare, with nothing to replace it?
Remember: The lone Republican who saved it?
Remember: The 2017 “tax reform” bill and who benefitted? And who didn’t?
Anne Brakman, Vero Beach
Newspaper pieces inspire thoughts
Two pieces in your newspaper Oct. 2 prompted this letter:
The picture of Lebanon farmers cleaning dry tobacco leaves captures an image of two women doing the work. The farmer is relaxing and enjoying a beverage. Notice there are no tobacco leaf shavings by his chair nor on his clothes.
The other article on the front page, "Preparing is crucial," referencing Hurricane Ian, should have us think that no matter the situation, whether it be in government, business, education or family, one should always be prepared for the inevitable.
Ronald D. Roberts, Sebastian
Martha's Vineyard trip bad omen for nation
Shipping immigrants to Martha’s Vineyard was a brilliant political move for Gov. Ron DeSantis. He, his supporters and far too many so-called Americans of faith agree.
Perhaps some people no longer see people as human beings any more. Then again, our history is based on that premise, be they Blacks, Native Americans, Chinese or any number of immigrants. Capitalism always seems to trump other values.
America long ago lost its right to call itself a Christian Nation. Now, because of Donald Trump, MAGA Americans and Republicans, we are in the process of losing that right to call ourselves a democracy. Trump, DeSantis and the Republican Party seem to understand who we’ve really become.
Anthony Frigo, Jensen Beach
What could happen if Trump indicted?
Based on what I've seen reported, the ex-president could be held accountable by the Justice Department for removing official records from his office..
Will he respond by calling upon his militia groups — the ones he has told to stand back but stand by to take to the streets?
The January 6th insurrection was but one illustration of his thirst for power, which seemingly is boundless. You could not design a more effective threat to American democracy than Donald Trump poses at this hour.
We point to dozens of his actions that illustrate his disregard and actual contempt for our Constitution. His response to any issue seems guided only by whether it will benefit him and and aid him in becoming the unrestrained leader of this country
Should his underlings take to the streets it may make the insurrection look like a sideshow.
It appears an extremist wing, now acting like a cult, is signaling it is willing to follow the ex-president's wishes. Some are talking about a civil war. If given the green light by the ex-president, the unthinkable could unfold.
I am positive the majority of Americans do not want to see the end of living in a Democratic Republic. I do not even think Trump followers would opt out of a democracy when they saw what life would be like for them.
Are Trump, Marjorie Taylor Greene and the like going to overthrow the American government? Hopefully not, but who of us can say that it will not happen?
Sinclair Lewis might have agreed with this quote: "If fascism ever comes to America it will come wrapped in the flag and holding a Bible."
Perhaps fueled by the guile and ego of a power-driven individual.
Roy Bickford, Vero Beach
This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: Football enters abortion, Hurricane Ian notions: Letters, Oct. 9, 2022
