Letters to the editor for Monday, November 29, 2021

Lee redistricting perpetuates injustice

Regarding redistricting in Lee County, first, let’s recognize County Commissioners Mann and Hamman for their dissenting votes, rejecting option 3. They must be commended for their integrity and common sense approach.

The three men who are promulgating past injustices spoke no substantive reasons for their action.

The board refused to present a motion to reconsider the redistricting decision. The three board members refused to truly listen to the concerned citizens present. The county must not perpetuate the unjust practices of the past. Fort Myers, with all of its unique neighborhoods, geographic differences and similarities, cultural diversity, should be treated as a complete entity, a unified city, a vital part of the county. This redistricting is an abomination and an affront to our beautiful city. I implore our Mayor Anderson to advocate for reconsideration of this action.

Ann Kiely, Fort Myers

Biden cleaning up the mess

In response to some of the letter writers attacking President Joe Biden, my response is that they're all delusional. Biden has only been in office for ten months and he or no one else can wave a magic wand and make everything perfect.

Biden has been systematically cleaning up the mess caused by the last failed administration. If he wasn't elected, hundreds of thousands more would have died from COVID-19. He finally ended a 20-year unwinnable war in Afghanistan. Yes, the withdrawal of troops and civilians didn't go smoothly and U.S. servicemen were killed. Biden couldn't foresee or prevent the attack from happening. There's been no mention of the last failed president's releasing of 5,000 Taliban fighters or his inviting their leaders to come to Washington!

The debt ceiling has been consistently raised under Republican leadership. President Biden has no control over the price of gas. Each gallon consists of various taxes that vary from state to state. Otherwise, gas prices would be the same across the country.

Instead of the mudslinging, letter writers who are constituents of those they voted in or for need to start putting pressure on them. Especially Republican members of Congress who basically have done nothing for the country or its people since Obama was elected president. Instead of the infighting, they need to start working for all Americans.

Louis Herkalo, Naples

Senators wield oversized clout

Sen. Krysten Sinema, a Democrat from Arizona, and Sen. Joe Manchin, a Democrat from West Virginia, have doubled down on their very special status, and have been wielding their monkey wrenches in what they pretend are policy differences but what are really efforts to get publicity for having “values.” No one elected them president.

So they prance around, introducing changes that lessen the impact of the Biden agenda and crowing that they are doing something useful. Other than their avid need for publicity, their mission is to cater to the Republican voters in their states because they think that’s who elected them. West Virginia is considered a Republican stronghold so Manchin is catering to the crowd he thinks will re-elect him.

No one elected them to be the gadflies of democracy. Who needs Republicans when we have “Democrats” like these? Gov. DeSantis recently crowed that Florida now has more Republicans than Democrats. It doesn’t matter what you call yourself if you vote for progress. But progress is a dirty word in the board rooms of America. Did you vote for corporation heads to be your senator?

Harriet Stanton-Leaffer, Matlacha

Trump the new Elmer Gantry

After being around 80 plus years it never ceases to amaze me, the Donald Trump phenomena.

I've said before he is a genius. He is a genius con artist. And apparently a large portion of the population can't see through him. If he were alive in the late 1800s he would have been a snake-oil salesman or a rainmaker. You can picture him standing on the the back of a wagon or the back of a railroad car selling his magic elixir. In fact he may be a reincarnation of Elmer Gantry.

The RNC has raised millions of dollars in his name and he is using it to pay his legal bills. But the faithful don't care. In their deluded and mesmerized state they seem to think he is the second coming of Christ.

Vic Boberg, North Fort Myers

Why the vaccine resistance?

Why are people raising so much Cain about getting the COVID-19 shots?

My kids had to have polio, measles and other shots before they were allowed to go to school! You did not question this, you just took care of it and did it. My husband and I have had both the shots and also the booster shots.

If they do not get the vaccine and get sick it is their own fault. It isn't even foolish, it is worse than that.

Judith Bruckman, Fort Myers

This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: Letters to the editor for Monday, November 29, 2021