Letters: Florida has to live with DeSantis, but the polls show America is wise to his act

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America is wise to DeSantis

So, Gov. DeSantis, all within a few days, turns down $350 million in federal aid from the Inflation Reduction Act that would have supported environmental and green energy projects as well as provided rebates to Florida utility customers, at a time when DeSantis has done nothing to improve Florida’s energy efficiency efforts or helped Floridians with the increases in electric rate increases.

Add to this the fact that he refused to meet with President Biden when he visited the hurricane ravaged Big Bend area. Why? He doesn’t seem to see the need, even though the federal government’s FEMA program can and will benefit those hit hardest by this historic storm. Perhaps, DeSantis does not want to give any attention to a president who actually gets things done on his watch rather than restrict freedoms and protect donors, as is DeSantis’ custom.

We have to live with DeSantis folks, but America doesn’t, and America is wise to DeSantis’ autocratic notions, actions and pettiness…and its getting wiser every day. The shame? We will have to put up with him until 2026. Hey, better us than America at large.

— John King, Pensacola

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Criminals exist on both sides

Regarding the Charles Carlton piece from Aug. 27,

My dear Carlton, at what point in my piece did I express my unending support for Trump? Please let me know. All I did was to try to point out your innate inability to see through the smoke and mirrors being thrown at the public on a day-to-day basis by the Democrats and their allies in the mainstream press and that criminality exists on both sides of the aisle.

I never once said I supported Trump. Your boundless attempts to disparage anyone who disagrees with you or opposes your views are farcical. Why do you make up things that are never said? Boy, that is some peace and unity that you promote. I in no way care who you support in politics. That is your choice, but I feel obligated to point out your own hypocrisy.

Since you like to quote others, there is another saying that comes to mind: “Never argue with a fool.” It is indeed pointless and a total waste of both of our times. By the way, I do not drink Kool-Aid. I prefer iced tea. Have you ever tried talking to people rather than down to people?

Additionally, you do not possess a monopoly on intelligence by any stretch of the imagination.

— Richard Nein, Pensacola

Pensacola needs ice skating rink

Pensacola has much to offer not only those of us who are fortunate to call it home, but also to all the tourists who come 12 months a year. But it does not have an ice-skating rink!

We are in the midst of a very hot summer. What to do, where to go? Wouldn’t it be a huge asset to Pensacola to have a year-round ice-skating rink? There isn’t anything like that nearby. The Bay Center offers some limited opportunities during the Ice Pilots season for the public, I believe, but it’s not a full time/year-round rink.

What could be more fun than getting a suntan at the beach or going fishing, and then on the same day go ice skating? It would be a great vacation memory for visitors to take home, but also something our residents could enjoy as well.

Shopping centers and strip malls have many vacant spaces, and could provide the needed space and parking for such a venture.

— Barbara Lenn, Pensacola

Dementia caregivers need love

Florida must do better for dementia caregivers. Every day I see what Alzheimer’s is doing to our community.

My husband was diagnosed with dementia seven years ago. It changed my life as much as it changed my husband’s. Being a caregiver for someone with dementia is a 24/7 job. There is no break except for the support from organizations like the Alzheimer’s Association, local support groups, family and friends.

According to the Florida Department of Elder Affairs, there are more than 530 people in our area waiting for Alzheimer’s and dementia services from the state. Of those, nearly 500 are considered to be on or beyond the cusp of crisis. These are our neighbors, friends and loved ones in Pensacola and we are failing them.

I hope you can join me at the Alzheimer’s Association Walk to End Alzheimer’s Pensacola on Oct. 1 at Community Maritime Park. At 3 p.m., we will have a beautiful promise garden ceremony followed by the walk. Register online at alz.org/PensacolaWalk.

Together, we will make our voices heard and come together as a community against this terrible disease.

— Barbara Coats, Pensacola

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Anti-Semitic vandals need healing

I am in full agreement with the opinion of Patricia Taylor Edmisten on Sept. 3 regarding the need for a well thought-out consequence for the four teens who are accused of damaging Jewish centers with bricks covered with anti-Semitic symbols.

Yes, the boys need some real consequences, if they broke the law and hurt a population of our community with hateful speech. Yes, they were stupid to do so, but who among us as a teenager hasn’t done something really stupid? No one was physically hurt, thank God, literally.

The boys need to get to know the people their hate symbols hurt. That will not happen in prison or even jail. If our Jewish community would agree, I think that they need to spend serious time working in the synagogue and Jewish charities and getting to know their victims. Understanding is always healing.

Spending time incarcerated without this chance at redemptive learning will only make the boys more hardened and damage more lives in the process.

— Bradley Proctor, Pensacola

Why vote for Biden?

President Biden, I would like you to give me a reason why I should vote for you in 2024. When you took office, you shut down the Keystone pipeline and opened our borders. Ever since the price of gasoline has gone up and so has everything else. I can’t think of anything that I go to the supermarket for that has not gone up in price.

Your open border policy has led to chaos at the border and many cities are overwhelmed by the influx of migrants. People from all over the world are trying to enter our country. How many bad people have gotten into our country?

It seems like the drug cartels are finding it easier to get drugs across the border now. How many Americans have died from drug overdoses? These drug cartels are our enemies. Aren’t you responsible for that by not protecting our country from enemies foreign or domestic?

Our country seems to be in very bad shape right now. So, President Biden, give me a reason why I should vote for you.

— Herbert Kerrigan, Pensacola

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This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: Letters: Florida has to live with DeSantis, but America is on to him