Letters to the editor for Sunday, October 1, 2023

Letters to the editor should be 250 words or less. Include your name and city or community of residence. Guest opinions should be 600 words or less and include a brief summary of the author’s credentials relevant to the topic. Guest opinions may include a head shot of the author. For the Fort Myers News-Press, email submissions to mailbag@news-press.com and for the Naples Daily News to letters@naplesnews.com

Commissioners didn't listen

Last week the Collier County Board of Commissioners voted on a budget that reduced funding to one of the most popular ballot initiatives this county has ever seen: Conservation Collier. They did this despite hundreds of emails and over 50 in person speeches urging them not to. It’s disappointing our representatives didn’t listen to their constituents and don’t understand why natural land acquisition must be a priority now. The cuts to this program won’t create impactful relief from financial stress for homeowners (an average of $20 less per year in taxes towards this program) but they will be incredibly impactful on the program as a whole (a loss of almost $50 million). These conservation properties protect us from flooding and provide clean drinking water. To say that’s not a budgetary priority at a time when Collier is predicted to get record flooding, hurricanes, and saltwater intrusion is short sighted and dangerous. The county’s children are facing a crisis where they could be the last generation to live, work, play, and retire in Naples as flood maps show a grim future for coastal Collier. That future could be mitigated by conservation investments now, which are the cheapest infrastructure available, but the commissioners clearly didn’t care. For every lost dollar to this program, we will pay exponentially more in coming years as we scramble to provide citizens with basic resources like clean drinking water. To Commissioners LoCastro, Hill, Kowal, and McDaniel, the people will not forget your betrayal.

Em Kless, Naples

Vaccine disinformation

With a new variant of COVID starting to spread across the country, a new booster came out recently and is available at no charge for most recipients. Here in the Sunshine State, under the guise of freedom, our governor (and failed presidential candidate) along with his hand-picked surgeon general, are advising against those under 65 taking advantage of these injections. This, the state with the highest number of hospitalizations, evidently wants to maintain this ranking by using disinformation about the shots. I’ll bet Ronnie and his family will get them -- he just doesn’t want you to know. Here, with the highest number of senior inhabitants, they are advising against participating in this booster. The yearly flu vaccine is also available at this time of year. Are they going to advise against this also? Never mind what the Florida governor says and, if you are truly afraid to get this preventative, just simply ask your primary physician. Stay out of the hospital and you’ll help prevent your family and friends from needing a ventilator as well.

Florida is NOT the epitome of freedom like the ads show.

Glenn Chenot, Cape Coral

Religious dogma in schools

I attend Collier County School Board meetings. A chance meeting with member Jerry Rutherford gave me the opportunity to ask him about public statements he’s made asserting that Thomas Jefferson didn’t mean what most people think he meant regarding the separation of church and state in America. Rutherford holds that Jefferson did not really mean to emphasize this principle. Jefferson, like several of the Founders, had a well-educated and insatiable intellect and curiosity. I don’t believe that the author of the Declaration of Independence had any question about the centrality of a broad tolerance to the success of our secular democracy.

As he has done in school board meetings, Mr. Rutherford cited the 1802 letter Jefferson wrote to the Danbury Baptists. I hadn’t read it. Maybe Rutherford was right. I looked it up.

Here's what Jefferson wrote:

“I contemplate with sovereign reverence that act of the whole American people which declared that their legislature should ‘make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof,’ thus building a wall of separation between Church & State.”

There is no ambiguity here. For eons, religious nationalists have sought to impose rigid beliefs on others and especially on democracies. Rigorous analysis of many cases demonstrate that theocracies of virtually any kind constrain the freedom of thought and accompanying experimentation that has made American great.

Religion and nationalism frequently/usually/perpetually result in tribalism and war. We don’t want or need that kind of dogma in our schools.

Michael Sales, Naples

Hypocritical Democrat

The word hypocritical does not even begin to describe the self labeled Democrat writer who urges other Democrats in Florida to stay and "fight" against the Republicans and Ron DeSantis. He uses the same exact word and phrase the Democrats say makes President Trump a criminal for the January 6th actions of a crazed mob. Arrest that man for conspiracy to incite a violent riot. Just like he wants to have President Trump arrested for saying the same exact thing. Fair is fair, and no one is above the law, right? Unless you're a hypocritical Democrat.

David Liebenguth, Fort Myers

Baby a shared responsibility

I want to thank Sally Lam for her letter pointing out the inequalities in shouldering care for children. No "Pro Life" legislation that bans abortions after a certain time period includes the obligation for the male partner to provide pregnancy care and continuing child care. Consensual heterosexual relationships that result in pregnancy are the result of two participants. So many women are left to bear the medical, physical, financial and emotional burden of child care with little help from the partner or the government. If people are truly "Pro Life or Pro Baby" they should consider adopting the following motto: With Pleasure Comes Responsibility. And act on it.

Patricia Howard, Naples

Donalds wrong on Ukraine aid

This week, behind closed doors at our nation’s Capitol, Congressman Byron Donalds came up with a plan to make drastic cuts to military training for U.S. allies abroad. His now-failed Continuing Resolution (CR) proposal to avert government shutdown would have brought the $300 million budgeted to the Dept. of Defense training program down to a mere $20 million, and, according to his statement made to Fox News Radio, would refocus the military training away from Ukrainian troops. It’s a good thing Donalds’ bill failed. Not only would this bill have weakened our U.S. global military footprint, but it would have left masses of NATO and Ukrainian troops without the necessary skills and training in the wake of Russia’s brutal invasion.In the same week that Ukrainian President Zelensky visited Congress, Byron Donalds then claimed on Recount that “there’s no money in the House right now for Ukraine. It’s not there.” But don’t believe him. The fact is, for only 3% of the U.S. military budget, we can help Ukraine beat Russia. If Byron Donalds was truly “fiscally conservative,” then he’d realize that helping Ukraine now can help prevent a bigger war in the European continent that would cost American taxpayers way more than what we are spending now. It's our fiscal responsibility to help Ukraine. Congressman Byron Donalds doesn’t understand these issues. Southwest Florida deserves better.Alexandra Zakhvatayev, Cape Coral 

Who’s driving the train?

U.S. politics are full of it – the latest question is “Who’s driving the train?” That is what my grandpa Hoyle, my mom’s dad, must surely be asking from the grave. He was what they call a “railroad man.”

“Alexander” was his name and he was a good Christian soul. He worked more than 50 years for the railroad in coal-country Pennsylvania, rising to the position of freight conductor. He sired a dozen children, nine boys, and I know if he’s looking down on us today, he’s got to be wondering if we’ve all lost our minds.

For me, “Who’s driving the train?” has become an anxiety-arousing, personal metaphor for the question: “Who is running the country today?”

It must surely be because of the lack of stature of those in charge, and lest we forget my grandpa’s experience: Stature is born of worthy accomplishments, not name, not position, not status, and certainly not wealth. That’s why Alex whispers in my ear today. “People who don’t know what they’re doing are at the controls, grandson.”

He is reminding us that the American engine was made to work for the people of the entire nation. He is telling us that its freight is the fairness, honesty and truth that will be delivered to the waiting hearts and minds of all who believe in the nation's future − it’s just too important a task to be letting fools, old men, and rookies drive the train.

Ed McCoy, Bokeelia

Immigration unchecked

How can the president of the United States, who has been voted in by the people to protect the country and its’ people, have the audacity to stand before them on TV and proclaim that the border is “secure”? The entrance of illegal immigrants from around the world is breaking all records, and they are taking over the “sanctuary cities” to the point where these cities are going broke taking care of them, while many of our own citizens are crying for help!  Not only that, the drug cartels are killing our citizens by the thousands, while the man who vowed to protect us is doing nothing!

Anyone with half a brain can see that this is being done to bring in the liberal vote, which will probably be done illegally sooner rather than later.  No wonder they don’t want voter ID.

This immigration situation is something that should concern everyone, regardless of party.  Think about it!

Marilyn Doherty, Naples

Reducing the deficit

I have a way to start to reduce our insane deficit created by President Biden. As everyone knows, Biden has created totally open borders with thousands of illegal aliens entering our country weekly, mostly through the southern border.

So to reduce the deficit, why not fire every INS and border security agent manning our airports and cruise ship ports.  Might as well let everyone getting off a plane or off a cruise ship just walk on in.  Saves a fortune.

Michael Adler, Miromar Lakes

Credit card debt, GM strike

Credit card companies are racking up losses at the fastest pace in almost 30 years.  Losses currently stand at 3.63%, up 1.5 percent from the bottom several years ago, and experts forecast them rising another 1.3 percent to 4.93%.  Americans owe more than $1 trillion on credit cards, a record high.  The situation is beginning to loom as like a repeat of the Great Financial Crisis of 2008.

At the same time, a strike for more pay looms at General Motors.  Workers at GM accepted major concessions in 2007 when it appeared that GM would go under.  Subsequently, the industry recovered and automakers’ profits soared along with the pay of GM’s CEO, Mary Barra, who took home $29 million in 2022 as she made 362 times the median GM employees’ paycheck.  In 1965,  CEOs’ compensation was only 21 times that of workers.

The position of the UAW is not just about autoworkers, it is about all workers in the United States.  As UAW president Shawn Fain said: “Our fight is not just for ourselves but for every worker who is being undervalued… we are all fed up of living in a world that values profits over people. We’re all fed up with seeing the rich get richer while the rest of us continue to just scrape by. We’re all fed up with corporate greed. And together, we’re going to fight to change it.”

If our economy wants to avoid another 2008 financial crisis caused by credit card losses, the billionaire class is going to have to share their wealth so workers can pay their credit card debt.  We are all in this economy together; we should progress together.

Sally Lam, Naples

Senate dress code

Yes, I understand that the "norm" changed, especially during the COVID work-at-home period.

Now we are seeing companies requiring their employees to actually return to the office on, at least, a few times per week basis.

But this – the new dress code, or rather the lack of one, espoused by the U.S. Senate’s leader, takes the cake.

Talk about catering to a few!  If they are saying that someone can’t (or won’t) do their job based on this new dress code – God help us all!

Try getting (or keeping) a job, let alone an executive one, wearing gym shorts and a hoodie.  And, make no mistake – being in the U.S. Senate is a privilege and (allegedly) an executive level job.  Oh, by the way, lest we forget, we the people are their employer.

Interestingly, the U.S. Senate staffers are not eligible for  this new dress code – what?  Another example of "rules for thee, but not for me?"

I’m all for attire that is considered "business casual" for both men and women, a jacket, shirt but no tie, slacks, but this new move to cater to a few is demeaning to the position and to us U.S. citizens.

What kind of example is being given our youth and the new up-and-coming working generation?

Michele Norbeck, Estero

Free speech at risk

A critical part of any successful "experiment" is for the participants to be fully aware, via fact-based education, of the experiment’s goals and advantages.In the case of America’s democracy experiment, it’s starting to appear that almost half of we participants don’t have a clue or an appreciation of what our democracy means and how the resulting free lifestyle we enjoy is because of it.Because of this wide-spread educational lack of understanding of what our democracy experiment means, we are becoming increasingly vulnerable to authoritarians who now have weaponized Free Speech protections to spew democracy-destroying propaganda in order to take down the very democracy that enshrined our Free Speech right to speak truth to power.If authoritarians win, the first thing they’ll outlaw will be the very weapon they used to destroy democracy: Free Speech.

J. Cant, Naples

Biden and the border

President Biden and DHS Secretary Mayorkas claim that the border is secure. As usual, watch what they do and not what they say. Texas put barriers in the Rio Grande to stop illegal immigrants. Biden's government sued to have them removed. Texas put up barbed wire to stop illegal immigrants. The Biden administration ordered border guards to cut the wire down. Biden sends troops to the border, but not to secure the border, but to process the illegal immigrants into the country. The actions of the Biden administration prove that their interest is an open border, regardless of what they say.

Ron Wobbeking, Naples

Absurdities lead to atrocities

“Those, who can make you believe absurdities, can make you commit atrocities.” (Voltaire - French Philosopher 1694 - 1778)

Voltaire’s words continue to ring true in modern times.

Witness the rise of Nazi Germany where belief in a master race (white supremacy) culminated in devastating atrocities.

Witness Trump, his absurd claim that the election was stolen and the violent attack on our U.S. Capitol January 6, 2021.

Witness DeSantis attacking woke, diversity, Disney World, equality, women’s rights and immigration, absurd attacks.

Witness the denial of climate change and the denial’s consequent impact on our biosphere, on our existence.

It’s time to stop watching Fox News, to stop believing absurdities, lest we we find ourselves engulfed in atrocities.

Joe Haack, Naples

Pandora’s Box

It looks like the impeachment inquiry on President Biden because of his son is an example of opening Pandora’s Box (a process that generates many complicated problems as the result of unwise interference in something).  Suppose we find the Bidens have done nothing wrong and out of the box comes information about: a representative hiding sexual misconduct; a representative transporting young women across state lines; a representative behaving poorly at a concert; a representative believing in nefarious space lasers; a senator amassing a fortune on government medical programs; children of a previous president enriching themselves on the presidency.

I’d prefer to see 12-year charts showing progress or lack of progress from an administration.  Twelve years would cover Obama, Trump, and Biden for four years each.  There could be charts for economic measures, COVID related measures, infrastructure progress, illegal border crossings, certified lies, etc. The Naples Daily News is often trashed by the MAGA group for being too liberal.  Charts with data would deflect much of that criticism.  I challenge the Naples Daily News to produce the 12-year charts with supporting data.  Let’s see where the chips fall.

Bernie Kennedy, Naples

Business meetings

I was not born yesterday. I am 89 years old.

In my 40 plus years in business I have been in meetings in the U.S., Canada, Belgium, England, Sweden, Finland, Germany, France, Spain and Italy. In all those meetings I have never had a friend or relative of mine or any of the participants in the meetings place a call or receive a call, to say Hello to the group or to talk about the weather.

I was not born yesterday!

James Thomas, Bonita Springs

Stop digging

There is a saying “when you find yourself in a hole, stop digging!” America is currently in the hole for about $31 trillion dollars, with this news we quickly have crazy claims from the right and left throwing mud at each other and neither one is correct and both are misleading.

A Democrat congressman recently claimed on TV that Trump increased our national debt by 40% but this claim was not put in the proper context which is a common tactic with media and politicians. The original report stated: "Under Trump, our national debt increased roughly 40% and currently 25% of our national debt was accumulated during the Trump presidency," not exactly good news either.

The right is busy with misleading claims of record debts by Biden, since the U.S. government has embraced deficit spending for many decades along with the interest, unavoidably everyday sets a new national debt record under ALL presidents. On Biden’s inaugural day the national debt was $27.7 trillion, Biden has added over $3 trillion to that; on Trump’s inaugural day the debt was just under $20 trillion and he added another $8 trillion to the debt with both incurring excess spending for COVID relief. Our debt surpassed GDP in 2016 and has continued to do so every year since. Both presidents have instituted policies that will continue to add to the deficit for years to come.

Its time for Americans to look around and demand we STOP DIGGING.

Robert Martin, Naples

Avoiding scams

Moved to Florida after living in Rochester, NY and retired from the police department after serving 33 years. Lived in Fort Myers for the past 24 years. As soon as I moved to Florida I became aware of air conditioning companies charging the elderly an enormous amount of money for practically doing nothing. I moved into Tropicana mobile home park where we had over 700 mobile homes. Unfortunately every home was destroyed by Ian including ours so we moved. The people in Tropicana learned about my police background so at our meetings I was informed by many elderly residents how much they were being charged for carpentry, electric, driveways, siding, carports and air conditioning work. The #1 scam being perpetrated against the elderly in the whole state of Florida are air-conditioning companies. I volunteer to do these investigations because of who the victims are. Everyone living in Florida and several other Southern states MUST have A/C in their homes, businesses and cars. That is why there are so many companies doing a/c work. They come out of the woodwork like roaches. And if you check you will find some of these owners have many complaints against them but they are still in business. The crooks simply hop to another company that has a license and work for them. I have investigated these companies for the past eight years.

One popular a/c company charged an 80-year-old lady who was mentally and physically challenged $16,000 for unnecessary duct work. Same company next day. 70 year-old male $12,000 for attic duct work.

I received a letter the following week from an employee that just quit working for this company that wanted to report this company for taking advantage of the elderly and would tell the resident they had mold. This bad company was doing duct work because the duct work was where the residents couldn't see it. Please follow these rules. If you get a phone call and you don't know who it is just hang up. Obvious scam by phone is when they ask you to give them money cards. Remember not to give money to anyone up front. Please get at least three written estimates. Check on all these companies through the BBB. Ask your neighbors/friends if they dealt with this company before.

Al Joseph, Fort Myers

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