Tuesday's letters: Thirdhand testimony, fight for abortion rights, more
Testimony from ex-aide thirdhand hearsay
On June 30, the Herald-Tribune published a USA TODAY story devoted to secondhand and thirdhand hearsay testimony from a disgruntled former Donald Trump employee.
It took only moments after Cassidy Hutchinson’s testimony in front of the Jan. 6 "committee" for the denials of its veracity to appear.
All three Secret Service personnel mentioned said they are prepared to testify that the hearsay events never happened. Eight days after Jan. 6, Hutchinson was at Mar-a-Lago, asking Trump for a job.
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If what she said was true, would she really want to work for Trump? She didn’t get the job. Sounds like Mitt Romney, who became a never-Trumper after being denied the position of secretary of state.
Richard Paolillo, Nokomis
Trump attempts to dismiss 'bad news'
Does Donald Trump think Americans are imbeciles? This is in reference to Cassidy Hutchinson’s testimony June 28 to the House panel investigating the Capitol attack.
In posts as Hutchinson was testifying, Trump called her “bad news” – and claimed that he hardly knew who she was "other than I heard very negative things about her."
No, Mr. Former President, she was your chief of staff’s primary aide. The layout of the White House interior offices begs to differ regarding your negative statement about Hutchinson’s visibility, capability to do her job and courage.
Your attempt to dismiss her is invalid. She avidly attempted to communicate with all the top players in the White House to prevent you from going to the Capitol on Jan. 6.
Throughout Hutchinson's testimony, we the American public were privy to the chaos endured by your White House staff, attorneys, security chiefs and others during their multiple attempts to persuade you to prevent the invasion of the Capitol. And the actual “bad news” was your catastrophic doings and aggressive attempts to rev up and join the mob.
We should all thank Cassidy Hutchinson! America can begin to heal and stand proud in the eyes of the world once again due to her courage and testimony.
Agata H. Gobic, Sarasota
Fight for abortion rights far from over
Women of Florida arise: The Supreme Court might have spoken but we have the opportunity to speak out, too.
Everyone running for elected office must support abortion rights, safe medical treatment for women and the right to privacy in those decisions.
According to the Pew Research Center, 61% of Americans support a woman’s right to choose. This is what Americans want.
The efficacy of legal abortion rights has shown that women’s health benefits from legal protections. Prior to Roe v. Wade, there were wards in major hospitals for victims of botched, back-alley and self-afflicted abortions. Septicemia and acute kidney failure were rampant, too.
Obstetricians note that almost two generations of physicians have not seen these wards. Nephrologists haven’t seen these complications in 50 years. That is because safe and legal abortions are a woman’s health issue – as well as a privacy one.
You are not powerless. You can vote and demand respect for women’s rights. You can ensure that the statehouse and Congress reflect the will of the people. Talk to young voters and new voters.
Be sure everyone you know is registered to vote and does vote. Vote, too, and support appropriate pro-choice candidates.
We can prevail!
Susan W. Newmark, Longboat Key
Fed responsible for inflation, not Biden
Accelerating inflation has become a national preoccupation, hitting levels not seen in four decades.
On June 27, the Herald-Tribune published several letters debating to what extent President Joe Biden is responsible for the high prices. Unfortunately, the letter writers disregarded the fact that the Federal Reserve Bank, not the president, has the last word on inflation.
The Fed has failed to stem inflation – keeping interest rates too low, for too long – and monetary policy has been too stimulative. The money supply nearly doubled during the COVID era.
As economist Milton Friedman stated: “Inflation is always and everywhere a monetary phenomenon."
In other words, there is too much money chasing after too few goods.
By not tightening monetary policy sooner, the Fed is now forced to chase soaring inflation. Many economists fear that the Fed could panic and overshoot by raising rates too much.
I don’t share these fears because even with the recent large hikes, the key interest rate is still deeply negative in real terms, i.e., after adjusting for inflation. Real rates need to increase significantly in order to prevent the dangerous spread of inflationary psychology.
Istvan Dobozi, Sarasota, former lead economist, World Bank
This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Front-page story about hearsay testimony, Fed caused inflation
