Letters to the editor for Sunday, January 1, 2023

Hedge blocks view of beach

What was Collier County thinking to install a six-foot-tall hedge across the beach end of Vanderbilt Beach Road? Essentially placing a green wall blocking out our view of the beach!Eyes on the street make for a safe community. Eyes on the beach similarly make for a safe beach. With that hedge there no longer are eyes on the beach.On top of safety, due to the green wall of the hedge, disabled people can no longer see the sunset, for also there is no handicap access to the beach.The hedge was poorly considered.Take down that hedge!David Driapsa, FASLA Landscape Architect, Naples

Sen. Scott shouldn't represent us

Senator Rick Scott sponsored a bill to stop the IRS from hiring 87,000 new agents. His bill would have prevented the IRS from auditing families like his and Donald Trump’s, had it not failed. It would also have prevented the IRS from auditing transactions made through CashApp, Venmo, and PayPal.

The richest Americans have been relatively free from IRS scrutiny over the past decades because the Republicans have been gradually starving the IRS. The IRS needs resources to audit tax-cheating wealthy Americans, whose tax returns are complex and require a lot of resources to audit.

Scott complains that this investment will cost $80 billion. It will bring in hundreds of billions of dollars from wealthy Americans who currently do not pay their fair share.

For example, Donald Trump’s been in a decade-long audit battle with the IRS over the legitimacy of a $72.9 million tax refund that he claimed and received. With the resources to fight this case, the IRS will probably recoup over $100 million from just this one return.

The wealthy should join the rest of us and pay their fair share to support our country. Rick Scott should not be our representative in the Senate.

Tom Donahue, Fort Myers

Trump support disqualifying

The two party system has worked for decades and it’s OK to be either a Democrat, Republican or an independent. However how can anyone that is honest support the corrupt, cheating, immoral, egomaniac Trump. There are so many other negative words that fit his personality and actions but space is limited. It is perhaps understandable that many mistakenly believe he cares for them, but the rational and especially those in elected office should know better and be ashamed of their support. It is obvious that many of his bootlickers are more interested in staying in office rather than doing what is right for our country -- they lack integrity. Trump is a career criminal -- any other citizen would be locked up if they had a career and the criminality of Trump. I was formally an independent voter, however in this climate it would be a terrible disservice to our democracy to vote for anyone that supports Trump. Truth matters -- please watch something other than Fox TV.

Tom Beck, Naples

We should demand better

Let’s all stipulate that politicians play fast and loose with the truth. It comes down to a matter of degree. Some embellish that which has just a hint of legitimacy. Many gild the lily. Several diminish or omit past failures or inconvenient truths. The voters are rarely fooled, but tend to embrace the lies they like, the ones that play into their own self-deceptions.

The mendacious George Santos has been elected to Congress in New York. Without noting each particular fib, suffice it to say that everything on his resume is a lie. We’re not talking about exaggerations, embellishments, or misstatements. These are boldface lies meant to deceive the voters, and it worked. Santos is a liar. There is no reason to believe he’ll change once in Congress.The bar for political truthfulness has been set ashamedly low by Mr. Trump. Unfortunately, aspiring young politicians may be willing to fail the Pinocchio test if deceiving the electorate proves personally beneficial. Their logic is simple — if people are stupid enough to believe my lies, I’ll keep lying. We should demand better.

Kevin McCarthy and his cohorts have a choice. They can be political scoundrels or principled statesmen. They can look the other way or they can show some integrity and throw the bum out.

Kevin McNally, Bonita Springs

DeSantis priorities questionable

The article on Gov. Ron DeSantis using his time and taxpayer money to form a statewide group to investigate vaccine "wrongdoing” was shocking. Research data documents that benefits far outweigh any minimal dangers of COVID vaccines.

Instead he could be working to benefit all citizens of Naples by addressing the unmet need for affordable housing for teachers, medical workers, service workers and those affected by Hurricane Ian.  His priorities make one question his commitment to Florida citizens as our governor.

Dorothy S. Kuzneski, Naples

SUV comparison incomplete

In comparing the Lexus SUV with the Mercedes SUV, Alex Nishimoto did not comment on the cost of service between the two and the fact that the Lexus uses regular gas and the Mercedes uses high test. Shouldn't this be included in any comparison?

Ted Raia, Naples

Florida government bizarro world

As a child, I was an avid comic book reader. I recall a story line in the DC Comics featuring Superman where the superhero pursued a protagonist onto a planet called “Bizarro World.”  In Bizarro World, everything was opposite. Up was down. Right was wrong. Smart was stupid. Strong was weak and on and on and on. Superman had to calculate his every move to ensure it had the intended effect to capture his foe. As I looked at the Naples Daily News headlines of Saturday showing a DeSantis grand jury to investigate “crimes and wrongdoings” involving the COVID vaccine, I believe the good governor is trying to lead Florida further into his version of bizarro world. This move is one in a series that defy logic. First, Florida was a model for efficiency and integrity during the 2020 elections. That logic does not apply in bizarro Trump/MAGA world so the good governor passed laws targeting minority voting patterns, making it more difficult for those who do not support him to vote. Florida students are being taught fact-based history about “America’s original sin” and its impact today. Knowledge is a bad thing in bizarro world so let’s fix that by continuing to perpetuate historical ignorance on the subject so that students can be comfortable in their bizarro world brilliance. The United States scientific community produced a lifesaving vaccine in record time to effectively combat a pandemic that was causing thousands of deaths per day.  It is the reason the majority of U.S. and Florida citizens are walking around without masks today. Temporarily abandoning bizarro world, the good governor goes on TV and touts the advantages of being vaccinated. But, when MAGA godfather Trump is booed by anti-vaxxers while taking credit for the vaccine, well, bizarro world prevails and the good governor officiously convenes a grand jury to find someone, anyone, no matter how minimal the number, who can attest to how harmful the vaccine is.  In bizarro world the calculation is about votes and the 2024 presidential race and not about Florida lives. As I recall, Superman had a limited amount of time to escape bizarro world before he risked destroying himself  from the weight of all the ridiculous contradictions. So, I will live in Florida, but I will not live in bizarro world.

Thomas Minor, Bonita Springs

Term limits long overdue

The 900-page Jan. 6 report has been issued. Not surprising, it’s filled with soaring rhetoric, hypocrisy, heresy, and hearsay normally found in banana republics. We the people will never have the full fact set, so we’re left to choose which editorialized version of the story to believe.

The report does an excellent job of distracting citizens from the much larger issue right under our noses -- we no longer have a government “of the people, by the people, and for the people.” Whether Democrat or Republican, the message from the elites in Washington, D.C. is loud and clear. Anyone, even a billionaire former president, who tries to disrupt our world of power and control will be met with the full wrath of the U.S. federal government and state governments with jurisdictional interest.

For the last two years, Democrats controlled the seat of power while Republicans sat quietly and idly by. Look for a role reversal now that there’s been a change of control in the House. Just don’t expect anything to change because the duopoly is fully entrenched and their goal is to protect their own interests. Moreover, aided and abetted by big media and social media would-be disrupters will have their character assassinated through virtue signaling code words such as racist, misogynist, homophobe, and threat to democracy, to name some.

Anyone targeted by the DC elites apparatus will risk bankruptcy in the process of defending themselves against frivolous lawsuits and congressional committees. Democratic and Republican elected officials and federal government senior executives enjoy job perks, employment benefits, law exclusions, celebrity, and access to incredible wealth opportunities that are unavailable to “we the people.” Congressional term limits and mandatory retirement laws are long overdue, but why would the DC cabal enact these changes? Don’t ask.

Michael Mainelli, Estero

DeSantis is dangerous

Let me start this out, with a big old I told you so! Governor Ron DeSantis running for president in 2024! A sneaky smart move. Get his (DeSantis') Supreme Court to authorize a grand jury into the COVID-19 vaccine. Who pushed Operation Warp Speed? Yes, yes indeed. None other than his most serious opponent for 2024's presidential contest. "Brilliant" move; one move away from checkmate! With the bragging President Trump did he won't be able to unstick any mud generated. I never said DeSantis was not intelligent; I said he was dangerous. Time for a cartoon of Trump in robes, looking at DeSantis in robes saying: "Et Tu Br..."

Robert Jenkins, Naples

Vote for truth, honesty, democracy

I have been waiting on and serving people for a whole lot of years. I rarely hear please or thank you or any kindness shown amongst guests and mutual staff. Actions speak louder than words. Everyone feels so entitled and all about me.

Lying, cheating and stealing is now.

I was asked the other night if I voted.

Then in my face, so who did you vote for. I told them that was private. They in turn said I am proud of who I voted for and will tell you. Honestly that was my clue. My response was it takes a village. Their response was so you voted for Hillary. OMG. I am proud of whoever I vote for but it is not for public discussion with strangers.  Bullying I will not tolerate nor will I ever not vote. I told them all votes were important. They shut up and left. Gosh when you try to take the high road and get us back to having real conversations, we take 10 steps backwards.

I am here to tell you my  vote matters and so does yours. Vote for truth, honesty and democracy. Save this country for your kids. Make hate implode in the faces that preach it.

So disappointed.

Christianne Murphy, Naples

Hear the other side of a story

Instead of turning off Fox News as suggested by a contributor (Change the channel 12/25) I'd like to ask him as a favor to me to tune into Fox News for just awhile.

He just may find out that there is a real problem at our southern border.

He just may find out that fentanyl is flooding into our country and destroying the lives of many young people.

He just may find out the the Hunter laptop story is real and not just some Russian disinformation despite what 51 "intelligence officials" have told us.

He just might find out that there is more to the Jan. 6 committee with video to prove it.

He just might find out that we have a real crime problem in our cities.

He just might find out that Joe Biden has at the very least some cognitive problems.

I could go on but I'm hoping he gets my point.

I've seen MSNBC and CNN and at best they give lip service to the above and at worst the lips ain't moving at all.

So why not give it a try ? What have you got to lose ? Don't be afraid of hearing the other side of a story.

Rick Manuel, Dade City

This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: Letters to the editor for Sunday, January 1, 2023