Letters to the editor for Sunday, September 24, 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
Gov's unbounded expertise
It appears that our governor has now become a renowned expert on weather as reported in Sunday’s N-P. As he has done before, he poo-poos experts who educate us about global warming, and who believe that our warming planet allows hurricanes to strengthen faster. Of course, his graduate degree in law gives him this knowledge. Why should we question someone who has studied at Yale and Harvard?
Of course, this knowledge accompanies that he has in medicine (i.e. COVID shot not needed) supported by Dr. Lapado (insert duck call here), but few, if any, of his medical associates.
And, of course, his knowledge of the education needs of our children is unparalled. Just look at his efforts to ban books and the teaching of well-known differences in treatment between the races (i.e. Critical Race Theory). He should be applauded for “saving” the next generation.
It must be taxing upon him to have so much knowledge. But, with all that knowledge and political savvy, he is still behind Trump. So sad!
Raymond Brooks, Fort Myers
Derail the clown car
Politics in Collier County and Florida in general have taken on the appearance of a three-ring circus. Except all the acts are clownish.
In one outer ring, the Board of County Commissioners keeps proposing resolutions that are not in the best interest of the citizens of the county. The latest is an attempt to reduce the mill rate for Conservation Collier. Funding Conservation Collier, and using those funds as intended, was approved in 2020 by over 70% of voters in each commissioner’s district. Fear of raising taxes in general neglects the obvious issues of inflation and growth of the population, seasonal and permanent. At the present mill rate, the owner of a million-dollar house would pay $250 more per year to preserve the environment that keeps the property values up by attracting new residents. A person with a million-dollar home can and will afford $250.
In the other outer ring, the dysfunctional school board members keep raising new concerns. First, romanticizing myths of the one-room schoolhouse and the curriculum of 100 years ago were presented. Next, McCarthy era indoctrination claims were made about the course of study. Now two members have recently admitted that they had not reviewed the budget on which they were to vote at the last meeting. The school board needs members who understand the realities of managing a critical 1.2-billion-dollar entity.
But the policies in the center ring are dangerous to health and life. On September 13, Governor DeSantis and Florida Surgeon General Ladapo put out an official statement by the Florida Department of Health that downplays the efficacy of the newest vaccines against the latest mutations of the COVID 19 virus, which clinical studies prove are no longer effectively neutralized by prior vaccines. Dr. Ladapo insists that people under 65 do not need to get the new vaccine, and both he and Governor DeSantis claim that it is not adequately tested, but without providing evidence.
Here is what we do know.
The same Florida Department of Health reported on September 16 that the number of COVID 19 deaths in Floridians had increased to 90,740 from 90,232 just two weeks earlier, an increase of over 500 deaths. While 78% of the deaths, or 70,533 people, occurred in those over 65, 85% of the deaths, or 77,371 people, occurred in people over 60. This means that 6,838 people between 60 and 65 are among the dead. This is the group that Dr. Ladapo says should not take the vaccine, clearly neglecting the data presented by his own department.
While the latest iteration of COVID 19 is not as virulent as the original versions, it is still killing people in Florida at an unacceptable rate. There is now evidence that people over 65 who still get the newer version of the virus, no matter how mild it seems, will experience an increase in strokes and heart attacks. The recommendations of the governor and Dr. Ladapo clearly neglect the available scientific data.
The Barnum and Bailey Circus has retired its pachyderms. It is time for the voters of Collier County and Florida to do the same.
Michael Finkel, M.D., Naples
Don't cut conservation funds
The Collier County commissioners should not cut funds to Conservation Collier. The voters approved this funding.
We need to keep our sensitive lands. If they need to cut something, stop widening and building new roads to help out the developers.
Susan H. Earl, Naples
Move on from UN
Once again the United Nations demonstrated that it is no longer a venue for world leaders to meet and discuss and solve world problems.
It has become a shell of itself. England, France, India and others decided not to attend the recent meeting where once again the autocrat of Iran chose the platform to spew his vicious lies and propaganda against the West and Israel.
The U.S. spends millions upon millions to support this jellyfish of an organization.
People in our country need help and yet our government feeds the belly of the UN beast.
Time to move on and really find a way to solve the problems that the UN was established to handle but has failed.
Michael Zubrow, Naples
Distribution of incomes
Why, I keep asking myself, is it that no one in the news or academia has ever pointed out, exposed, revealed – however you want to put it – what is the actual distribution of incomes in today’s economy. This distribution may tell us more about the state of affairs in the nation than most other sources of information. It reveals just who is rich and who is not and I believe if such data were honestly presented, quite a few people would change perspective about a lot of issues, economically, socially and perhaps otherwise.
Understanding the data we have is the first challenge. It’s well hidden in vast realms of gobbledegook statistics controlled by the government’s math bureaucracy. I’ve searched over the years and seen two, simple, glaring facts emerge.
One is that in the past half-century in America, the rich got richer and the poor got poorer – that’s no surprise. The other is that when graphs are constructed, the shape of the curve is not what you might expect. It is far from what mathematicians would call a “normal” curve – the median is nowhere near the mean.
Roughly speaking, four in ten of us are at or below poverty levels. In ordinary language, the income at the center of the distribution (the median) is significantly lower than the average (the mean), and the top fifth earns approximately 20 times what the bottom fifth makes. So who needs slavery? Just hire more immigrants.
Ed McCoy, Bokeelia
Advice for auto workers
I am sure most of us agree that the auto workers deserve a raise and probably the return of some of the "give backs" that the union agreed to with the auto makers during the great recession of the early 2000's. I understand how union demands work, ask for the moon and settle for less. This time around the UAW is asking for the moon and the stars! They need to wake up a bit. While things look to be in their favor currently they need to remember that when Ford, GM, and Chrysler run out of cars at their dealerships during a long drawn out strike, customers can walk down the street to Toyota, Honda, Volkswagen, and many other dealerships and have plenty of inventory to choose from. Don't shoot yourself in the foot as has happened many times before.
Dennis Miller, Miromar Lakes
Earth's tipping points
A growing number of climate scientists now believe we may be careening towards tipping points, where incremental steps along the same trajectory could push Earth’s systems into abrupt and irreversible change — leading to transformations that cannot be stopped even if emissions were suddenly halted. The Earth may have left a safe climate state and may be producing effects like the thaw of permafrost and loss of the world’s coral reefs happening more quickly than expected.
However, the exact timing of these tipping points remains unknown. We will witness episodes as they happen. One of tipping points is The Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) -- a system of ocean currents that circulates water within the Atlantic Ocean bringing warm water north and cold water south. AMOC could collapse at any time from 2025 onward, as human-caused climate change brings about an ice age in Europe, sea-level rise in cities like Boston and New York and more potent storms and hurricanes along the East Coast. Florida can expect extreme heat, flooding and significant fires from the lack moisture, of all things.
Can our Biosphere cure itself and survive by killing off vast amounts of its living including humans? As humans die, less fossil fuel is used and carbon dioxide’s escape into the atmosphere is much reduced. There are 8 billion humans alive today. If 90% perish, perhaps those surviving could work together and create a second chance for humanity as a species.
In the meantime, most of us will be “toast.”
Joe Haack, Naples
Goal to replace capitalism
Chicken Licken, the sky is falling! So, the United Nations, the Biden administration (Al Gore, John Kerry) and the World Economic Forum are at it again, stoking fears of impending climate disaster in the minds of the hoards drinking their Kool-Aid.But there’s a parallel universe to consider. Communist countries, India, etc., are mega polluters and they aren’t ruining their economies with Green Energy mandates. The U.N. charter should more accurately read “for the purpose of redistributing American wealth.”On 2/10/2015, Investor’s Business Daily reported that Christina Figures, then executive secretary of the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change, held a news conference in Brussels and admitted their real purpose.
She stated, “This is the first time in the history of mankind that we are setting ourselves to the task of intentionally in a defined period of time to change the economic development model that has been reigning for at least 150 years, since the Industrial Revolution.”That economic model, obviously, is capitalism. The climate change goal of the U.N. is thus to replace capitalism, not to save the world from environmental disaster.If you think you can always find such references, or trust fact-check sites online, think again. Disinformation, misinformation and censorship are required by the “swamp” cabal hoping to merge America into a new world order.For us, there’s some good climate news that requires no “garbage in, garbage out” computer projections. The number of hurricanes making landfall in Florida since 1900 is slightly declining, not increasing.Robert Strohaver, Naples
Platform for Democrats
Hey, guess what? The Democrats have asked me to prep their '24 presidential candidate (yet to be determined) for debates with the Republican (also as yet undetermined)! No they haven't! I made that up. But go with it for a minute, and I'll try to sneak up on a point. I actually think I have a simple, succinct winning strategy here. I would have the Dem repeat a mantra verbatim at every opportunity: Choice, guns, democracy and environmental degradation. I cede the rest of my time to my opponent.
Too simple? Look, fully half of the population are women and have had just about enough of the other half telling them how to live, or how to die in the absence of adequate health care. Millions of parents are terrified of dropping their children off at school for what well may be the last time. Millions more still think small "d" democracy makes America America and untold numbers are wondering how much longer our tired, old planet can remain a hospitable home for our species.Are you listening, Democrats? There's your coalition that will do the job in '24. And don't forget to cede the rest of your time to the opponent. You can use the leisure gained to craft your gracious acceptance speech.
Geremy Spampinato, Naples
Homeowners insurance
I read where your fair-minded reporting staff is finding fault with the 11% increase in the cost of homeowners insurance. My question is how do they expect insurance company employees to be paid a “fair wage” and get a “fair share” of the profits if no profits are made?
Don Rader, Naples
Party's over, or should be
The 2023 and 2024 elections will not be about the candidates but the party. One hard-right writer from Naples truly believes Obama’s people are running the country, attempting to control our lives and the news we hear, not the least this publication which I’m sure he deems leftist. His party, the Republican one, has determined to control a woman’s choice when it concerns her life, her health. His party has decided to destroy public education, destroy good teachers and put a Christian stamp on it. His party lies about kids being groomed. His party lies about any concerns for climate change, a hoax. In Florida the governor has banned those words. Talk about government control. His party lies about evil books, removing many from bookshelves. His party lies about those in our society that are "different" according to their norms. Pretty much all of the LGBTQ citizens. We have seen this evil play out in other countries and the atrocities that follow. And when confronted with those lies they pull out the Constitution as if they’ve ever read it, understood it but just parrot right wing media talking points. And "Freedom" is another buzz word that’s become useless in self absorption. Stupid is as stupid does and I’ve seen stupid.
Laurence Jacks, Estero
No way to govern
I look at today's shattered Republican Party with disdain. Kevin McCarthy seems to be woefully unfit for this vaunted position. Now once again, there is a threat of another government shutdown. Is this leadership, is this how any government should be run? I think not! At least one of our local representatives is just looking for a powerful spot that will satisfy his lust. He was once an Independent, then a strong Obama supporter; now, well, just listen to him. He's been embarrassed on MSNBC, then on CNN. Now my politically active friends from around the country mock us. They call this state Floriduh! How can America ever remain a magnificent experiment in self governing if you have members of Congress wishing to destroy it? Please look around a see for yourself; this is no way to govern!
Robert Jenkins, Naples
Starting over
I enjoy a good story now and then. With the ever-increasing pressure to bow to climate activists, I turned to the Bible for inspiration. After all, climate is God’s work and if humans have screwed it up, then God should and will have an answer. If the polar ice caps are melting, if huge chunks of glaciers are calving, if our temperatures are creating the conditions for a planet in decline, if our morality has disappeared, then I want to know what HE is doing about it. So, starting with Adam and Eve, God had little sense of humor. Man farmed, man built cities, and man became corrupt.
Man was destined to fail. For God gave man many skills, love, hate, peace, war, and free will. Man, much like today, corrupted the Earth with sin. Great cities were built on deceit, lies, un-natural love, and the seven sins of man (pride, greed, wrath, envy, lust, gluttony, and sloth). And man did its best to screw things up. So, in the Bible, God looks down on his people and the turmoil they have spawned and decided “enough is enough.” He chose to start over and reached out to the only man with honor, NOAH! And he directed Noah to build an ark. Collecting two of every species, Noah and his family set off, built an ark, and became the seeds of a new beginning. HE created the great flood and destroyed his most precious beings, man.
While an ark may be fantasy, man has created arks saving seeds, creating zoos, and other necessary items to survive God’s wrath. The seas are rising, the Earth is warming, HIS children are corrupt, HIS children have broken the sanctity of trust, HIS children are filled with evil and debauchery, and HIS patience has run out. If climate activists are right, our Earth will be covered with the cleansing waters of God. He will seek and destroy the wicked, the cities of evil (NYC, LA, SF, along with others), be swallowed into the great seas, and mankind will cease to exist. God will start over, again. Sounds like a real disaster to me.
Jack Holt, Cape Coral
Trump the avenger
Former President Trump is expressly centering his campaign on serving as an “Avenger” for perceived wrongs done to him, coupled with his recent pledge, if elected, to jail his political opponents and others he deems to be his adversaries.
This seems to be selling well in the public domain. Nearly all of his Republican presidential competitors say they will support him if he gets the party’s nomination, even if convicted for felonious conduct, and most have promised, if elected, to pardon him and, presumably, any charged and convicted cohorts, possibly even the January 6th criminal rioters.
The public appears to be buying in, too. The polls show him with close to 60% approval over his GOP rivals. (Wonder if he'll imprison them, too).
The latest weekend polling also shows him in a head-to-head deadlock with President Biden, including a comfortable lead here in Florida, which is not too comforting for many folks.
What has become of the Republican Party?
What has become of our country?
And, what will become, if he prevails?
Marshall H. Tanick, Naples
Criminal and his sycophants
Now that he and his co-defendants have been charged and arraigned in Georgia, the big loser is asking for money to augment his defense coffers. One of the methods being employed is selling T-shirts with his thug persona mug shot and the words “NEVER SURRENDER.” This is so rich in that he did exactly that on Thursday evening. He gave himself up to authorities in a prison famous for it’s unsavory population and maltreatment of same and is the proper venue for this criminal. His sycophants in public and in Congress are claiming this was a political hit job and state he did nothing wrong. If stealing classified documents and sharing their contents with others is nothing then I guess so are incitement to riot and conspiring to overturn the cleanest and most valid and legitimate election in history. He and his clueless followers are still claiming he won the 2020 election even though there was not a shred of evidence including numerous recounts verifying the outcome. I don’t know what else needs to happen to prove he is a lawless individual who thought his surrender would never happen and the enactment of the 14th Amendment invalidating his candidacy may have to be introduced -- riots be damned.
Glenn Chenot, Cape Coral
Just come out
I recently read a newspaper story claiming that Democrats and other people who think of themselves as liberal are leaving Florida because of the political situation here.
I live in Florida and I’m the person of liberal persuasion and a Democrat. And I agree that the political situation in Florida today is abominable. But I also think that running away is the wrong thing to do. What I think should be done is that we all need to stay here and fight.
When Ron DeSantis ran for governor the first time he won by a razor thin margin. Federal senatorial elections in Florida recently have been won by razor thin margins. In Lee County where I live there are almost as many registered Democrats as there are registered Republicans. But registered independents exceed both of them. I note this just to demonstrate that Democrats even in Lee County are not alone. There are a lot of us.
Given that, it appears to me that one of the best ways to fight back is to be visible. As I drive around Lee County I often see lots of Trump flags, I see a few Let’s Go Brandon flags and I also see some confederate flags. But I never see Democratic flags, I see very few gay pride flags and I don’t think there is any such thing as a liberal flag. That’s too bad. Every Democrat and every liberal should be flying such a flag. I hope someone more artistic than I can create something that we could accept as a liberal flag.
I’m an old gay man. I am old enough to remember Harvey Milk as a human being long before it was a documentary or a feature film. Harvey Milk was the architect of the most effective stratagem for the advancement of gay rights. And more than one observer has been befuddled by the extremely rapid pace at which gay rights have been adopted in this country; much of that credit belongs to Harvey Milk. He was of the opinion that marches, demonstrations and protests and letters to the editor are all quite important. But the most important thing you can do he said, and it became his anthem, was “just come out.”
And that’s what I’m thinking Democrats, liberals, progressives, people who still believe in the Enlightenment and people who don’t think “woke” is a bad word should do. Just come out. Advertise your presence with flags, bumper stickers and any other way you can think of just so that others know that they are not alone. Just so that others know that there are a great many of us.
Just come out.
Robert Gabriele, Cape Coral
This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: Letters to the editor for Sunday, September 24, 2023
