Monday's letters: GOP shows lack of respect, leadership; debt ceiling arbitrary
Outbursts show lack of character
The president’s State of the Union speech last week was interrupted by the most disrespectful display of behavior ever witnessed by 27 million Americans.
The lack of leadership and lack of respect to quell these outbursts by House Republicans show the low regard these members have for their speaker, Kevin McCarthy. No wonder it took outrageous concessions and 15 votes to elect him.
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene’s yelling “Liar” during the speech is a prime example of the lack of character, values and respect. Some Republicans did not even show up.
More: How to send a letter to the editor
It doesn’t matter what party you belong to, we all have only one president. It doesn’t matter if you voted for him or not, Joe Biden is everyone’s president.
Using the 2020 election as an excuse to show such lack of character is not going to change the results.
We live in the greatest nation on the planet. It’s the greatest democracy. Let us try to be simply civil to one another when discussing politics and let us all show our president the respect he has earned.
Rich Unger, Sarasota
Columnist gets debt ceiling wrong
Ingrid Jacques' Feb. 7 column displayed a failure to understand the phrase “negotiating the debt ceiling.”
The Constitution requires the president and the administration to have “the full faith and credit” to pay the bonds and other obligations the Congress has already passed and approved. The deficit consists of obligations for programs, defense, health, etc., that the Congress has already passed and approved.
The president has the constitutional duty to approve these acts – there is no other choice.
The debt ceiling is an arbitrary limit passed by each Congress. It is not a constitutional provision.
Some legal scholars believe any president could ignore the debt ceiling as it cannot outweigh his constitutional duties. It is impossible for him to do his duty if the debt ceiling is not raised – that violates the Constitution.
Of course, there would be court cases, but one can argue that the constitutional duties would win; however, the U.S. Supreme Court might do anything.
The fact is House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy and other House Republicans could control the deficit by reducing spending for programs in the next budget. (It should be noted that they have not said what they would cut.) They could also raise taxes.
Jacques should become more familiar with the facts before opining.
Edwin W. Martin, Venice, career executive under Presidents Nixon, Ford and Carter
Lawmakers: Try surviving on Social Security
Republican Sens. Rick Scott, of Florida, and Ron Johnson, of Wisconsin, have indicated that they support revisions in how Social Security and Medicare are funded.
Those revisions include Social Security and Medicare program dollars being part of discretionary funding that’s revisited by Congress yearly or every five years. Congress can’t agree on the time of day, let alone agreeing about something that’s so important to so many Americans.
It appears that neither Scott nor Johnson understands or empathizes with Americans who live off their monthly Social Security check alone and must buy groceries, pay the rent and heat their homes, while praying their aging vehicle doesn’t break down.
Nor do the senators understand the importance of Medicare to those unable to afford any other health insurance. Perhaps Scott and Johnson should spend a month on the Social Security and Medicare walk that millions of Americans must walk each month in order to survive.
George Larson, Siesta Key
Follow path of knowledge, not ignorance
In recent news stories, a Minnesota science teacher claims cell theory is a capitalist hoax and Gov. Ron DeSantis challenges the COVID vaccine, what books can be read and what history can be taught.
In two other stories, California scientists created energy from fusion, a possible source of endless future energy, and drugmakers Moderna and Merck have a Stage 3 trial for a cancer vaccine using discoveries in cell science.
We’ve had debates about a flat Earth versus a globe and whether the sun revolves around the Earth or Earth encircles the sun, and now again we are confronting the denial of science and history.
As authoritarian leaders arise, free access to knowledge is limited because dictators can more easily control an uninformed populous. Donald Trump voiced the idea when he said he loves the poorly educated.
If we reject knowledge of science and history, we will be subjects with limited freedom, not citizens with rights and liberty.
Our future lies with discoveries by human intelligence about organic life and understanding the universe. Nature is miraculous and understanding its workings leads to a better life for all.
Knowledge, not ignorance, provides the path forward.
Donna Brua, Port Charlotte
This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Raucous State of the Union address; knowledge, not ignorance
