Israel vs. Hamas bullies; St. Lucie becomes Broward, Palm Beach? Social Security | Letters

How are leaders blind to Browardization of St. Lucie County?

The recent front-page article "Port St. Lucie, county mulling 8600 homes," prompts me to ask several questions of Mayor Shannon Martin and our city and county elected officials:

1. Do you ever say "no" to a developer?

2. Don't you see what rampant growth has done to communities south of us?

3. Are you not concerned when encountering traffic on St. Lucie West, U.S. 1, Crosstown or Port St. Lucie Boulevard?

4. Will you cease pursuing silly and expensive projects like water parks and strive to pay off debt instead?

5. In your quest to create a downtown, why have you not focused on the logical area to have one: west of Interstate 95?

5. Finally, you've been seeking an identity or catch-phrase for our region. Have you considered "Port St. Lucie ― the land of concrete"?

Please, stop with the unchecked residential construction!

Curt Minaya, Port St. Lucie

Increase taxes on wealthiest to help fund Social Security

President Franklin Delano Roosevelt initiated the Social Security Act in 1935 during the Great Depression. The main goal of this act was to pay retirees over the age of 65, using the metric of payroll taxes throughout each one's lifetime.

President Dwight D. Eisenhower began Social Security disability during the 1950s, although it was a goal of Roosevelt's decades before.

Richard Nixon began supplemental security income in 1972.

According to the American Community Survey (from the U.S. Census Bureau), 11.5% of the American population earned $200,000 or more per year in 2022. More people earn within the bracket above $200,000 than the brackets "less than $10,000" (5.5%) and "from $10,000 to $14,999" (3.7%). A combined 9.2% of households earn less than $14,999 per year.

The 2023 payroll tax is capped at $160,200, meaning that anyone earning over this amount is exempt from paying taxes toward Social Security. Both Democrats and Green Party members hope to increase the cap. Such an increase would ease up on taxpayers earning under such an amount.

President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris hope to increase the payroll tax to incomes of over $400,000. Sen. Bernie Sanders has been asking for this for years.

Not all jobs offer health insurance. Much needed health insurance comes with Social Security ― Medicare for those with Social Security disability and retirement. There are many independent individuals who rely on Social Security.

It's time to make these changes.

Anna Santacroce, Fort Pierce

Age just a number when it comes for some in politics

At 81, Benjamin Franklin’s 718-word speech at the end of Constitutional Convention is on the web and might explain be why the founding fathers didn’t put any age limit on holding office.

Ben had had to sail 20-plus days from his luxurious life in France to represent Pennsylvania. His gout was so bad he had to be carried in a sedan chair to Constitution Hall, where he endured 115 days, closed-in during a hot summer.

George Washington was no spring chicken, either, but he, too, kept them all there, working. Then, as president, he traveled north, then south, to persuade people to pay taxes and support a united national government. Was it Washington who said no to term limits? And was it Governeur Morris (he with the funny French name), who edited James Madison’s copious notes and wrote the incredible, compassionate preamble?

I remember George Romney saying it was time to round up all the “entitlements” for the slaughter, which seems opposite to the intent of the United States. President Joe Biden is old, but his confrontation of Republicans at that State of the Union address was masterful.

And President Donald Trump may have more energy, but was he taking a nap on Jan. 6, 2020, when policemen were being crushed, dragged and sprayed at the Capitol?

The presidential election is over a year away. Meanwhile, are disabled children still being taken out of their homes in Florida and Iowa and being put in nursing homes? How many homeless veterans are there? How many falling down bridges, overpasses and schools are there in this " ... nation under God"?

Helen Frigo, Jensen Beach

Republicans must tap fiscally prudent nominee for White House

Rep. Kevin McCarthy is no longer House speaker. He chose what he perceived to be his best political tactic for his own personal gain and the welfare of his party without concern for his country and constituents. Wrong.

He promised to stop Democrats spending binge. He failed.

He promised to pass laws to balance the budget. He failed.

He promised to cut non-military spending to reduce the annual more than $2 trillion deficit and the national debt spiraling over $32 trillion. He failed.

At the end of the day, it’s failures that count.

Despite 426 of 435 house members voting, the "will of the people” was ignored. Eight Republicans asked for ouster of the "speaker” for failure to perform. 202 Democrats voted against him simply because he is a Republican. Had he stuck it out and shut government down, the eight would have praised him. They demanded fiscal responsibility.

I believe the Democrats wanted a shutdown, as witnessed by Jamaal Bowman pulling the fire alarm in a stupid attempt to stop voting so they could blame McCarthy and the Republican Party. Politics as usual. It stinks. I’m sick of it.

The Republican Party has a huge responsibility. Its leaders have to get out of their own way long enough to defend America against the constantly escalating attacks of the Democrats.

Republicans are, however, a party without a leader. Donald Trump cares about nothing other than himself and non-MAGA Tea Party Republicans further split the GOP. Get rid of Trump. Even if he can win, he can’t unite the party.

Republicans must select someone who can lead and unite the party in victory. There appear to be three suitable candidates. I choose the candidate whose state has a budget surplus of over $17 billion and reserves over $11 billion.

Robert Heslop, Fort Pierce

Stand up for Israel against bullies

We all know the gifts of billions of dollars to Iran by Barack Obama and Joe Biden will not be used to plant flowers.

I believe that money has been used to supply arms to Hamas and Hezbollah, the worst terrorist organizations in the world. Biden also left billions of dollars worth of military equipment in the desert to be used by the Taliban.

Obama and Biden should be indicted and tried for treason for aiding and abetting the enemy in the grandest scale possible. They never hid their disregard for Americans. It goes on today.

Israel has had to fight for its survival since its inception thousands of years ago. She has had to deal with giant bullies surrounding her, whose culture is garbage compared to hers. Folks in those other lands are bullies.

If it weren't for oil, part of that world would still be in the dark ages. Many have never accepted Israel's help in turning deserts into the glorious agricultural mecca that Israel is. Israel developed, and sells, the best oranges in the world.

We cannot allow the bullies of the Middle East to take over and destroy the bravest country in the world, Israel.

Ukraine has all of Europe to defend it. It is time to aid the Jewish state of Israel, God's country and people. And it is important Jews of the United States get busy and send arms and/or money to protect and sustain the Israelis.

Go, Bibi. Go, Israel.

Nancy Celano, Sebastian

This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: St. Lucie like Broward, Palm Beach? Hamas bullies Israel | Letters