Monday's letters: Extremist takeover, hospital board agenda, Trump's tax returns

Zealots taking over Sarasota, Manatee

Three reports Dec. 1 in the Herald-Tribune confirm – as if confirmation were needed – the growth of extremism on the Suncoast.

► The dismissal, effectively, of Sarasota County Schools Superintendent Brennan Asplen.

► The meeting of the reconstituted Sarasota Memorial Hospital board.

► The efforts of Michael Flynn to install a far-right representative as leader of the Sarasota County Republican Party, albeit unsuccessful.

Related: Jack Brill defeats Michael Flynn-backed challenger to become Sarasota GOP chair

And to the north, Manatee County voters soundly defeated two moderate and thoughtful Republican county commissioners in favor of hard-right candidates.

More: How to send a letter to the editor

Swollen with unwarranted certitude, the new Sarasota School Board, the freshly installed members of the hospital panel and Flynn’s supporters personify single-minded zealotry, many fueled by their unshakable loyalty to Donald Trump and, in some cases, fealty to his lies about the 2020 presidential election.

Jack Brill, acting chairman of the Sarasota Republican Party, prevailed in a close election Dec. 1 against Flynn’s candidate, an Englewood activist. In his endorsement of Conni Brunni, Flynn had the effrontery to quote Thomas Jefferson, saying Brunni stands “like a rock” for her principles.

As a native of Charlottesville, Virginia, I prefer Jefferson’s more salient words: “I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just.”

Richard J. Strafford, Bradenton

New Hospital Board must put politics aside

Health care in Sarasota County is at a crossroads, as demonstrated at the Public Hospital Board meeting Nov. 29.

Coincident with the meeting with the five new board members, a large contingent of individuals materialized, at times interrupting with unsubstantiated opinions.

More: Hospital COVID protocols to be investigated

Attendees heard painful and tragic stories of patients and families affected by the early waves of COVID-19.

Dedicated medical personnel described long hours following sound medical information. Daily efforts were described to update the latest proven effective treatments.

During their campaigns, some new members made it clear they had a political agenda. Often ignored were Sarasota Memorial Hospital’s achievements – including a trauma center, residencies, cancer and behavioral health facilities and a new Venice hospital – while maintaining five-star and “A” ratings.

Now the new members have real responsibility. They must provide oversight that supports continuing high-quality care. Regulators will expect the system to continue to provide proven medical care in an organized fashion.

If the board members create an environment where health-care personnel cannot be retained or recruited, they will have abdicated their responsibility. It is time to leave any personal or political agendas at the door and work for continued forward progress in health care.

Bruce Fleegler, MD, Sarasota

Public has right to see tax returns

As a consequence of a recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling, the House Ways and Means Committee has received six years of Donald Trump’s tax returns.

Before the ruling, Trump had successfully shielded his financial information from congressional and public scrutiny. A tradition of financial disclosure by candidates for federal offices was ignored by candidate Trump in 2016, consequently encouraging other candidates to take this same low road.

We the people should demand that Trump’s tax information be made available to the public. There is no reason for the Ways and Means Committee to withhold this information from the people.

With Trump's recent announcement of his candidacy for the presidency in 2024, public disclosure of this tax information becomes important. It might give the public a glimpse into his financial past, as well as a hint at what full financial disclosure for candidate Trump might look like.

Better yet, Congress should pass a law requiring full financial disclosure for all candidates for all federal offices. Such a law could give the public a small measure of a candidate’s financial integrity.

Robert Herickhoff, Nokomis

Trump deflects blame for dinner

Former President Donald Trump, a self-proclaimed brilliant negotiator, businessman and entrepreneur, has declared that his recent meeting with Ye (Kanye West) and well-known white supremacist Nick Fuentes was the result of Trump wishing to help out his old friend.

Ye, however, has said that he attended the dinner to ask Trump to be his 2024 running mate, which he did.

Trump has indicated the presence of the self-declared white supremacist was the result of Ye deceiving him and catching Trump unaware of whom exactly he was meeting with.

Given the two stories, perhaps the ex-president should seriously consider serving under an individual so successful at tricking someone as brilliant as he.

Lee Hoffman, Lakewood Ranch

This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Extremists making inroads on Gulf Coast, release Trump's tax returns