It's time to end 'far-right and far-left stupidity': Letters to the Editor, Aug. 6, 2023

No to incorporation

It looks like the committee for incorporation of Merritt Island took off before consulting the people of Merritt Island. Already writing a city charter? Do you think you know what we want? It is not incorporation, Marcus Herman and anyone else who is trying to incorporate.

When doing a study, did you think of what it would take like electing a mayor and that it would take money? Or building a municipal building to house the mayor and the commissioner or anyone else it would take to run a city and how much more money that would take? Hiring and paying for police officers, and another building to house those officers? The sheriff’s department has always done a good job for Merritt Island.

Merritt Island has always been a favored place for people to live. Houses on Merritt Island always sold fast. I was in real estate for a while and anyone coming into the area always said Merritt Island is the place they wanted to live.  Do we need to build more? No. Have you traveled our roads during the day? The traffic gets backed up in the middle of Merritt Island near the bowling alley and is slow-moving. We need the county to do a study on the traffic and see what needs to be done. That is our biggest problem.

Kay Fiorentino, Merritt Island

Let's get 'honest Americans' elected

The July 30 opinion column by Sen. Joe Manchin was spot-on.

I am so tired of political party affiliation determining the fate of our country. I remember when elected officials put aside political differences and worked for the betterment of the citizens and our country. Today, all they care about is how to advance their own ambitions and that of their party. It’s time to end this far-right and far-left stupidity, and get some honest Americans elected. People who want to do the right things, for the right reasons.

It’s an embarrassment to have an aging politician who can’t seem to even follow a teleprompter, and continually makes incoherent and asinine statements, and a loudmouth clown, who thinks he can break any law, do anything, and say anything, about anyone, just because he is supposedly rich, as the two top contenders for the leadership of our country.

This is insane. I’m a conservative-thinking person, and have been a Republican my entire life, but at this point in time, I’d certainly vote for someone who thinks like Sen. Manchin. We need more like him if we are to survive.

Danny Welford, Merritt Island

Slavery and 'personal benefits'

As an educator and as a parent, I am completely against this new social studies standard that Gov. DeSantis is proud of, SS.68.AA.2.3. Ir reads: "Examine the various duties and trades performed by slaves (e.g., agricultural work, painting, carpentry, tailoring, domestic service, blacksmithing, transportation). Benchmark clarification: “how slaves developed skills which, in some instances, could be applied for their personal benefit."

Slaves were considered property; they had no personal benefits. "Trades" naturally implies you get to choose what an individual want to work as, but slaves had no choice. If you had a trade, you would get paid. And to my knowledge, slaves were not paid for their work.

The Florida Department of Education and Gov. DeSantis should recognize that standards should be factual. Using the word ”benefit” represents an opinion. What do they define as personal benefit? Because personal benefit means a profit or gain pertaining to, directed toward, or affecting a person.And if they were not slaves they would have gained a lot more personal benefits, like their free will, in the first place.

Based on these reasons and as an educator, I do not want my colleagues or myself to be forced to teach this ignorant social studies standard to students. We have an ethical responsibility to not intentionally suppress or distort subject matter relevant to a student’s academic program. For those same reasons, as a parent, I do not want to see my children taught and/or be manipulated to think there were any “personal benefits” for slaves. I want my children to be taught that slaves had no free will in the first place.

Marcus Hochman, Melbourne

Tally of Trump's troubles grows

The Republican refusal to acknowledge the truth about the Trump "crime organization" is systemic. Republican political leaders, commentators, and reporters repeat lies.  Like, that Trump is innocent.  That the courts, the FBI, the DOJ are all anti-Republican, and have been "weaponized" against Republicans — because they dare investigate and convict criminals. That the IRS must be defunded — and not investigate the Republican’s largest donors.  That Democrats are "destroying the country."

The list of Trump allegations and convictions is no short list: Four new counts of federal crimes in his attempt to subvert the 2020 election and the peaceful transfer of power. Forty counts of federal crimes in a stolen documents probe; 34 counts of state crimes in Manhattan for paying hush money in 2016 to a porn star. A New York business found guilty of 17 counts of tax fraud and other financial crimes. A $5 million civil damages award, guilty of libel and sexual abuse. His charitable foundation closed for being identified as fraudulent. Two Congressional impeachments (for the Jan. 6 insurrection, and for pressuring Ukraine to name Biden as "under criminal investigation"). An ongoing criminal investigation in Georgia for election interference in the 2020 election.

Anyone who chooses to ignore his criminal conduct is an extreme political partisan, a MAGA cult member, or a sycophant. Based on endorsements by our governor, and our Republican federal and state representatives and senators, most of them fall into one of those categories. Truth be told, they lie, just like Trump.

Jeff Dorman, Satellite Beach

Is this the best we can do?

An aging playground bully versus an aged glad-handing sneak? If this is the best they can do for potential U.S. president nominees, we should dump both parties.

Our nation is filled with extraordinary people. Captains of industry, proven leaders in many areas and even some worthy professional politicians, any of whom could do a better job of leading our nation than these two bozos. The party leaders, if they were truly interested in our country’s welfare, should find and vet these extraordinary people and put them forward as candidates for us to consider. Instead they act like WWE wrestling promoters. Lots of noise and thrashing around with no substance. All designed to increase political fortunes with no regard for the national security,  prosperity and freedoms we enjoy.

It’s time for us, Democrats and Republicans, to say enough of this nonsense. Give us real choices or just go away.

Dave Riemondy, Indialantic

More: Ban COVID vaccine? Why stop there? Letters to the Editor, July 30, 2023

'Lock him up'

So, the latest of three indictments is in and, as he has for the past six years, the self-proclaimed billionaire wants you to believe that he's a victim.

This, despite the fact that he has virtually confessed to all of the accusations because he thinks he's invulnerable to the law.

When he's convicted, he will moan about the jury, just as he has moaned about some of the judges, as he has moaned about the investigations and how he will moan about his sentence.

There is no dispute about what Trump did. He tried to overthrow the government. He had been recorded trying to do it.

Any sane person would have tried to work out a plea deal when faced with these facts.

But just as he has done since he first ran for office in 2016, he will put the nation through still another nightmare, moaning all the way.

And the nation will endure and finally say, "Lock him up!"

Joe Tierno, Melbourne Beach

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Trump's made-for-TV saga

Trump denying responsibility for inciting the Jan. 6 insurrection is preposterous. Every television network captured Trump urging an already psyched-up mob of miscreants to march to the Capitol building in an effort to prevent Biden from assuming the presidency.

Trump propagated lies of voter fraud despite factual evidence to the contrary while ignoring confirmation from staff members attesting to the legitimacy of the election results.

Incredibly, there's a chance Trump may escape justice due to his belief that he actually won and that the election was stolen. Evidently, a damaged ego is a lawful means to justify delusional thinking, facilitating grounds for a legal defense.

It wouldn't be at all surprising for Trump's legal team to assert the individual shown on television encouraging the rebellion was a deep fake or possibly a body double gone rogue.

I have to laugh at our political and legal representatives' spin-doctoring efforts to rationalize unlawful actions. It would make a great television sitcom, superior to HBO's "Veep."

Trump stated upon arrival at the airport after leaving the courthouse, "Persecution of a political opponent, this was never supposed to happen in America." Neither was an attack on our Capitol building, Donald.

Gregory W. Hewitt, Melbourne

This article originally appeared on Florida Today: Is Biden-Trump race best we can do? Letters to the Editor, Aug. 6, 2023