Letters to the editor for Saturday, June 10, 2023

Our governor, the travel agent

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on Wednesday defended his state’s decision to fly migrants from the U.S.-Mexico border to California.This is the second and third time our governor has used state tax revenue to charter a private jet, fly to another state, pick up immigrants and dump them in a third state. On September 22, 2022, we might remember he orchestrated the recruitment of 49 people, men, women and children, who were in the asylum process, and flew them to Martha’s Vineyard.In June, Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a budget that set aside $12 million to create a program for transporting unauthorized migrants out of Florida. He touted it as the highlight of the state’s new spending when it came to immigration. But just three months later, the money was being used in a place far from Florida, in a very different way: rounding up Venezuelan asylum seekers on the streets of San Antonio and shipping them on private planes to Massachusetts.The latest chartered flights flying across state lines took place last Friday and Monday from Texas, delivering people to Sacramento, California.Officials in Sacramento said the 36 migrants flown there and dropped off at the diocese are asylum seekers in the United States legally and were transported to California after they were misled about the trips. Sixteen migrants came on a flight Friday and 20 arrived on a second plane Monday.Our governor’s justification?“I think the border should be closed. I don’t think we should have any of this. But if there’s a policy to have an open border, then I think the sanctuary jurisdictions should be the ones that have to bear that.”But wait, is he already the president? What is he doing policing in other states and “releasing” those he sees as illegal in yet a third state? Isn’t he still the governor of Florida? Wasn’t the $12 million (interest on the federal funds given for COVID relief) supposed to be used in the state of Florida?DeSantis said Florida taxpayers are on board with his use of state funds to move migrants from Texas to California, saying it was an issue in the campaign in which he was overwhelmingly reelected last year. DeSantis in May signed a law allocating $12 million that can be used for migrant flights.Are you on board?Susan Kaercher Meyers, Naples

Poetic justice

The words “poetic justice” are no doubt lost on Mr. Trump and those who support him even as he is indicted by the Justice Department for the very crimes, and more, he projected onto Hillary Clinton. My dear departed mother cautioned me often that if a person lies, they will cheat and if they cheat, they will steal. Mr. Trump has dabbled in the dubious trifecta of lying, cheating and stealing all of his adult life and now the moral arc of the Justice Department, if not the universe, is bending toward his long overdue justice. There is a lesson for all of us in what has befallen Mr. Trump. Those who value truth must keep pressing that truth against those who engage in self-serving lies, misinformation and distortions to advance their own ambitions at the expense of anyone and anything that stands in their way. Even as a poor Black kid growing up in Jim Crow South, I recognized at an early age that there always seemed to be just enough good people around, willing to do the right thing, that I just might have a shot at the life, liberty and happiness promised to everyone, even on the worst days of folks going out of their way to marginalize me. So, to all of the various marginalized communities, people of color and even organizations in Florida currently being unfairly targeted by the vengeful Mr. DeSantis and his Republican enablers in the Legislature, they should take heart from what is happening to Mr. Trump. With a governor and Legislature bent on indiscriminately spending zillions of Florida taxpayer money (without my own permission I might add)  to convince everyone the windmills the governor tilts at on a daily basis are real and with a governor who treats human beings as pawns on a chess board to prove a juvenile point about immigration, maybe, just maybe, enough “woke” Floridians will decide they have had enough and help to bend that moral arc of the universe in the right direction here in this state. There is also a lesson in what has befallen Mr. Trump for all our Florida politicians who are now desperately trying to “out-trump Trump,” although recent history does not give hope they are paying attention.

Thomas Minor, Bonita Springs

Investigate Obama

Why aren't we looking for the obvious? President Barack Obama!

For eight years Obama was the CEO of the USA while his sidekick and second in command Joseph Biden was running the equivalent of a mafia organization shaking down countries for payoffs. Where was his boss? Why doesn't Congress investigate CEO Obama? How can mob boss Joe invite his cronies to the White House over 80 times without the CEO knowing? If this was happening at Apple, Microsoft or any other fortune 500 company the board of directors would fire these criminals. The indictment of former President Trump is just like a mafia hit to cover up their crimes.

Wake up America, we are being played.

Arthur Maranian, Naples

Immoral Trump

Deny, Deflect and Delay is a much more accurate title than Trump’s inaccurate Truth Social.

Lies, pomposity and misinformation are staples of the egomaniac, crooked, immoral Trump.

Tom Beck, Naples

Advocating for clean energy

From June 10th through 13th, I will proudly be among the 30 volunteers from the Citizens' Climate Lobby (CCL) representing Florida as we journey to Washington D.C. Our diverse delegation, hailing from 14  districts including two volunteers from Collier and Lee counties, is part of a robust assembly of over 800 volunteers nationwide. Our mission is to promote clean energy legislation, a pursuit that is both pragmatic and necessary for Florida's environment-dependent economy.

We will meet with members of Congress and their staffs, aiming to educate them about environment-conscious solutions that stimulate job growth. Our advocacy is grounded in reality: the urgency to diminish energy costs and pollution while also enhancing our local ecosystems and water quality.

Post-Hurricane Ian, Floridians are aware of the escalating costs of extreme weather events. If we fail to adapt and mitigate, these expenses will only continue to inflate if we don't act now. Not acting is a cost we can't afford.

As a resident of Naples, I am deeply committed to the welfare of my community. Our collective responsibility to protect our environment transcends political affiliations. It is about preserving the quality of our air, water, and overall environment for the present and future generations.

Each member of our community plays a pivotal role. We all desire clean air and water, and a flourishing environment. This expedition to Washington symbolizes our dedication to these aspirations as we stand as the voice of a community dedicated to fostering vibrant, livable cities for all our SWFL residents.Solemi Hernandez, Naples

Religious hypocrisy

Thank you Pastor Tom Ascol of the Grace Baptist Church in Cape Coral for reaffirming the absurdity and hypocrisy of all religions with his support of the death penalty for gay persons in the name of God. Perhaps Pastor Ascol can now quote us another passage about his loving God for us to laugh at?

David Liebenguth, Fort Myers

Not a democratic majority

Why doesn’t your paper print some facts. For 3 percent of the population, the LGBTQ Alphabet has changed the country. Boys can use girls' restrooms and locker rooms, boys can play on girl teams, one can declare their gender from the 42 designated genders, men, allegedly, can give birth, children can change their biological sex without parental permission, drag shows are shown to children, and if one doesn’t agree with this 3 percent they are shut down on social networks, or shouted down. That is not a democratic majority world.

John Piccolo, Estero

Florida group makes hate list

The Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) has issued its report that designates certain organizations as hate groups.  The SPLC has added two prominent parental rights in education groups, one based in Florida, to its 2022 hate and extremists list, which now amounts to 1,225 organizations.  The SPLC states its purpose is “dedicated to fighting hate and bigotry.”

The Florida based group is Moms for Liberty. The organization has chapters across the U.S. that are fighting for transparency in children’s education.  Their mission statement says “Moms for Liberty is dedicated to fighting for the survival of America by unifying, educating and empowering parents to defend their parental rights at all levels of government.” This is hate and bigotry? Where is antifa on this list?

The SPLC says in part about Moms for Liberty “they have grown into an anti-student inclusion movement that targets any inclusive curriculum that contains discussions of race, discrimination and LGBTQ identities.” The SPLC has no room for differing opinions.  It is interesting to note that the SPLC recently had one of its attorneys charged with domestic terrorism for rioting against the new Atlanta police facility.  The terrorists threw Molotov cocktails, rocks, bricks, and fireworks at police but that kind of action is free speech not hate, I guess.  I tried to find out if the Moms for Liberty may have engaged in this kind of hate and I came up empty.

By the way, antifa did not make the SPLC hate list.

Nick Blauwiekel, Naples

Vote for Donald Trump

Where are you going America?Are you putting America on her path to greatness beyond 2024, or are you capitulating and surrendering to the socialists, the Woke crowd, the globalist, the Davos crowd, the people that want to see your great country cut back its knees.I hope I don’t have to tell you the dire straits that we are in; economically, financially, militarily, at a most dangerous time when the world is transitioning from a uni-polar world to a multi-polar world.This will require strong, transformational leadership. There is only one candidate that has demonstrated that he possesses these qualities. The American presidency requires a world leader! Not managers no matter how good.

My advice to the Republican Party is to quit acting like the women of the Billingsgate Fish Market and start uniting and rallying behind the strongest leader of your party, a leader with proven accomplishments and all achieved in the most adverse conditions.A man that has demonstrated intellectual capacity, leadership skills, and the vision and energy to reverse course and make America win again.That leader is Donald Trump! Judge a man by his strength, not his weaknesses.My advice to the American people is to rise above the small-minded and inconsequential thinking. Now is the time to put pettiness aside. The stakes are too high for that.We are fighting for the survival of our nation.If you have to, hold your nose, and do as I will, vote for Donald Trump. Your children, grandchildren, and the next generation of Americans will thank you for it.Henry Pfendt, Naples

Egad, I’ve turned woke!

Obviously, living in the woke-free state of Florida is exhilarating.  The gov. claims hordes of people are packing their bags and exiting woke states to move to Florida faster than it takes a drag queen to apply makeup!  Apparently, our lovely weather, beaches, and Disney World have nothing to do with these moves!

As satisfying as it has been to be anti-woke, I feel something has recently changed within me.  Last Monday my wife woke me at 7 a.m.  I didn’t think it was possible for another person to turn someone else woke, but since she woke me I have had unnatural thoughts and feelings that I can’t get out of my head.  I now think that all people are equals, even people whose epidermal hue is darker than mine!  Holy mackerel!  I also have started to think that women should have total control over their own bodies!  What the….?!  Also, I now think some book authors are trying to corrupt young innocent minds with perversion and pornography!  Steady on!  And, now I’m totally baffled about history.  Has it happened again?

Another scary thought invading my mind is that all people should be able to express their sexual and gender preferences without interference from a nosy little man in a suit!  As unimaginable as this sounds, I now think transgendered people deserve health care!  I’m scared to think where this is going.  Good heavens, what will I do next -- vote Democrat and attend a drag show accompanied by a Boy Scout troop?!

I consulted my family physician who did numerous tests and sure enough, I’ve turned woke!  The prognosis isn’t good.  She claims once you go woke you never go back!  Consequently, she referred me to the 29 eminent woke specialists in Tallahassee for follow up.  Upon further examination, I was issued a one-way airline ticket to Martha’s Vineyard, joining what appeared to be a Mariachi touring band!

Jay Custa, Estero

Make Ian a qualified disaster

Congressman Byron Donalds: As a CPA and a tax preparer, I am disturbed that you and the balance of the Florida delegation have not pushed for the passage of the bill submitted early this year that would make Hurricane Ian a QUALIFIED disaster for income tax purposes. The harmful effect to voters/taxpayers is huge financially. Congress' oversight last year and your poor timing so far this year has cost, probably, millions of potential tax savings help if and when this legislation gets approved. I am sure that many of my fellow tax preparers are awaiting the passage so returns for last year can finally be filed or amended so returns can recoup some of the loss allowed to QUALIFIED losses verses what is now the law!

David Bradach, Naples

Large dose of hypocrisy

While nearly all of the Republican presidential candidates, including our Governor DeSantis, are tiptoeing  around the 2,000 pound elephant in the GOP campaign room — the legally challenged former President Trump — at least two of them, Chris Christie and Mike Pence, have asserted that the ex-president is “unfit” to serve again. In  going so, they have parroted the phrase used by Bill Barr.

They ought to know,  as they all have served in his administration: Christie as short-lived head of the 2016-17 Trump transition team, Pence as vice president, and Barr as attorney general.

Setting aside their late-blossoming recognition of what seemed clear to many overseers for years while they wore blinders, their refusal to remain reticent about the emperor’s lack of apparel is accompanied  by expressions of support for him and that they will dutifully vote for him if he secures the GOP nomination.

The pledges by these heavyweights, literally and figuratively, to support and vote for a person they deem manifestly “unfit,” in their words, to occupy the Oval Office raises  real concerns about their judgment and probity.

It could be that they consider the  alternative choice(s), probably President Biden, or other third-party candidates like Cornell West or  even anti-vaccination Democrat Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. to be even less fit. But that hardly justifies these anti-Trump Republicans exhorting their followers to support and vote for a person they deem “unfit” for that high office.

It’s like a lawyer referring a client to a disbarred attorney or recommending a restaurant cited for multiple health code violations.

Their vacillations reflect dubious decision-making and bad judgment, along with a large dose of hypocrisy mixed with opportunism.

Marshall H. Tanick, Naples

This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: Letters to the editor for Saturday, June 10, 2023