Let's dump Trump in ash heap of American history: Letters to the Editor, Sept. 10, 2023

Make best use of IRL funds

A new state bill provides $100 million to restore Indian River Lagoon water quality. However, legislation language is vague enough to allow use of funds for projects that won’t restore IRL water quality.

As originally envisioned, funds should be largely allocated to fixing wastewater infrastructure issues. This is because aging and overcapacity sewage treatment plants and the high number of septic systems are top contributors to the excess of nutrients that fuel the harmful algal blooms that are killing the IRL.

The legislation also states that by 2030, sewage treatment plants need to be upgraded and residences on septic must be hooked to sewer lines or converted to new septic systems. The best long-term solution is to connect to sewer, especially since the newer septic systems have a mixed performance record. This is an ambitious timeline, but necessary to fix restore the IRL.

Contact your municipal, county, and state representatives and tell them the funds should be spent to upgrade the sewage treatment plants to: reduce sewage spills into the IRL; treat the water more effectively to remove more nutrients; increase capacity to enable adding more houses on sewer; and retrofit so treatment removes contaminants like pharmaceuticals and PFAS (research shows ozonation is effective).

Funds should then be used to: construct new sewer lines to neighborhoods currently on septic; fund house-to-sewer hookups for converted septic properties; and prioritize the barrier island region of South Beaches for septic to sewer conversion due to low elevation areas contributing more nutrients from septic systems.

Eileen Grenon, Melbourne Beach

Now hear this (not)

Cell phones are a wonderful addition, and almost a necessity in today’s environment. But like any other “tool," used improperly they can be distracting and obnoxious. For those who remember Nextel, they were rude and obnoxious, forcing everyone within earshot to participate in private conversations because the users would not use the built-in privacy earphone. Instead, they would broadcast their conversations to everyone around. Some establishments would require the users to go outside if they insisted on not using the privacy function.

It appears we have come full circle with cell phones, iPads, and portable computers. While awaiting my turn in therapy the other day, one person was sharing their business conversation while another was watching a series of old movies in our small waiting room, both determined to be louder than the other, brandishing their status symbols. I know there are earphones, Bluetooth earpieces, and other accessories made to keep devices private, “quiet," and nondisruptive to other people held captive nearby. Unlike the boom boxes in cars passing by that rattle your windows and compress your eardrums, they are nonetheless an irritant to those who do not need to hear about your aches and pains, business dealings, love life, and YouTube movies.

Technology has made it possible to impose our likes upon others without considering their feelings or preferences. Technology in the hands of those who fail to learn how to properly use it is a terrible thing to waste and a downright disruptive annoyance.

Thomas Johnson, Palm Bay

Cordial political event welcomed

Reading and listening to the news of the day I, like many, feel disheartened. Then something happens to renew my spirit. Recently, along with about 100 of my fellow Brevardians, I attended a panel discussion arranged by the League of Women Voters of the Space Coast held at the Florida Solar Energy Center in Cocoa.

The event, titled “Women In Florida Politics: A Non-Partisan Discussion," featured three elected officials from differing political parties and positions. For 90 minutes Florida State Rep. Anna Eskamani, Brevard School Board member Katye Campbell and Rockledge City Councilwoman Sammie Brown Martin responded to questions from the moderator, Jennifer Jolly, a national board-certified social studies teacher for Brevard Public Schools.

Each panelist spoke passionately and knowledgeably about her responsibilities to the community. They also shared their backgrounds, views on current issues, reasons for entering the political arena, and the necessary requirements for others interested in public service.

The cordial atmosphere began with a social gathering hosted by the League of Women Voters of the Space Coast. The welcoming introduction included two Brevard County students from a Brevard public high school and a public university who spoke of their interest in our Constitution, the rights and responsibilities afforded by it and the importance of voting.

The entire evening was a pleasure from beginning to end, leaving the diverse audience with hope for future, uplifting events open to the public, sponsored by the League of Women Voters of the Space Coast.

Fran Baer, Titusville

More: Torres: As DeSantis campaign flails, the governor continues to ignore insurance crisis

Deducing that deductible

There have been numerous comments on sites like NextDoor about rising insurance rates on both vehicles and houses.

Decades ago, each year I would see my health insurance costs increase. Each year, what I would do is increase my deductible, and generally my actual premiums that I paid would stay about the same. I figure the money I saved by increasing my personal exposure to cost probably would have added up to more than enough after the first two to three years to pay all of my deductible, and have money left over.

In some cases, it may be that the annual premium on either may be higher than the deductible. That means someone is paying the "deductible" many times over each year even if they have no claim.

What I would suggest be considered is to at least provide customers with the option to significantly increase their deductibles. 

For customers who are willing to take on more personal responsibility for damage,  my guess is they could see a significant drop in their insurance rates.

Just something to check out as I'm going to do with my own insurance agent.

Ilene Davis, Cocoa

Dear BREC: Are you serious?

I can only assume that the members of the Brevard Republican Executive Committee whose letter appeared in FLORIDA TODAY on Sept. 3 have not read the 91 charges in Trump's four indictments because if they had, they wouldn't have had to ask the question "What is going on?"

Stephen Nicholas, Rockledge

Speaking of that indictment ...

"The individual issuing the indictment was Fani Willis, district attorney for that area. Willis did not clarify what the president had done to merit indictment and/or arrest, nor did she even hint at any laws that had been broken ..."

This is the quoted language of three members of the Brevard County Republican Executive Committee in their letter to the editor about Trump's indictment that appeared on FLORIDA TODAY's Sept. 3 Opinion page.

Ms. Willis did not create the criminal charges; they were decided by a grand jury.  The Trump lovers apparently forgot to check the indictment to see the many crimes that the grand jury "clarified" from Trump's actions. Let me help these myopic critics by directing their attention to the web page containing the actual indictment:  https://tinyurl.com/4nrbxnm7.

The writers are not well advised legally about the First Amendment. The right to open one's mouth is absolute, but the content that flows from the mouth has limitations, and those limitations may have adverse consequences for the speaker.

Francis J. Clifford, Suntree

Make America America again

For 27 years I swore the oath “… to support and defend the Constitution against all enemies foreign and domestic…”

But what, exactly, makes America great enough to fight, and if need be, to die for?

Three things make America great. First, one man, one vote, all votes are equal. Second, if we don’t agree with the results, courts decide. Third, in the tradition of George Washington, we peacefully transfer power, and we get on with it. Over the last few years we have sullied the vote, trashed the courts, and mocked the peaceful transition of power. Increasingly, survey results show that 10% to 25% of us think violence is OK to put their man back in power.  Other parts of the world operate that way. I want no part of it.

America, show your true colors and rise up, but not with violence as on Jan. 6. Rise up at the ballot box and give that man a beating that will dump him permanently to the ash heap of American political history. If necessary, send the party that enables him there, too. Enough! Enough! Enough! Let's get on with it and make America America again.

John Carley, Indialantic

Ageism and politics

It should be noted that in 1776, Benjamin Franklin (80 years old) was making corrections to the Declaration of Independence written by someone less than half his age. At age 84, he was making more corrections to the draft of the Constitution. The founding fathers did not set age limits for elected officials because we have the option to vote every two, four and eight years and remove any congressman, president and senator not able to do their job.

In 1984, then-73-year-old Ronald Reagan quipped about his opponent Walter Mondale during a debate, saying: "I will not make age an issue of this campaign. I am not going to exploit, for political purposes, my opponent's youth and inexperience."

Do we want a president with the “youth and inexperience" of Vivek Ramaswamy and Ron DeSantis?

Angela Harris, Cape Canaveral

This article originally appeared on Florida Today: Don't make age politlcal issue: Letters to the Editor, Sept. 10, 2023