We must build back better
I understand that inflation is worrying. I understand that it’s a pressure on your result that makes a lot of things unaffordable. Stopping public spending to help people in need, repair infrastructure or tackle climate change will not stop inflation. There are many other causes of inflation other than your spending or spending on social issues.
We need the Build Back Better legislation to be passed to address the problems that have endured for decades.
Congress has just passed a defense spending bill that represents a significant increase. Increase defense spending despite the fact that we are spending more than the combined spending of 10 other countries. It was not called inflationary.
Our governor proposed and passed a $ 99.7 billion state budget, which included $ 3.5 billion in federal pandemic relief, which should have helped the people of Florida. But instead, it will be used for his satisfaction, allocated to needs that he believes will support his re-election. Its budget is short of any help for working families, senior care, affordable housing, child care, health care. These are things that are necessary, but will continue to go unfulfilled. Those weeks of federal unemployment insurance that the governor did not allow citizens to get would certainly be good for their needs now.
Lewis Robinson, Fort Myers
Peace is the highest goal
Peace. What a wonderful word! What a powerful concept!
We pray for it; we wish it to others. We are looking for him here on earth and in the hereafter. We reward those who work to make it happen with Nobel Prizes and top honors and even worship. After all, isn’t Jesus called the “Prince of Peace”?
Yet, with all the words of peace given, the world seems to be consumed by the very antithesis of peace – war – including killings, wanton destruction, inhuman exploitation, mass displacement, deadly clashes. between religious and family groups as well as ancient enemies. And yes, war can all too often take place between acquaintances, neighbors and family members.
Campaigns have been launched in the name of peace. The Peace Corps was designed to send American envoys to encourage cooperation and partnership among people around the world. We read about “peace offensives” and peace missions.
Statesmen and religious leaders have devoted their efforts and, in some cases, even their lives to arbitrating controversies and calming passions for the cause of peace. In doing so, they incurred enmity and hatred from some who engaged in deadly retaliation. Mohandas Gandhi, Yitzak Rabin, Anwar Sadat and Martin Luther King each became martyrs in their quest for peaceful reconciliation between ethnic and religious factions.
The “war hawk” and the “dove of peace” are indeed different creatures, and each arguably has a place in the universe. The one we embrace depends on us and the values we hold. Each form of behavior has a price and each offers its own rewards.
Given the choice, I gladly opt for peace and do everything humanly possible to achieve it.
Robert P. Sanchez, Naples
Restore Holiday Print Editions
We were surprised to see in the newspaper that there would be no problems on December 24th and 25th. We assume that would imply that there would be no news on the holidays, which is ridiculously not the case. We urge you to re-evaluate this policy in the future. There are many issues in our complex world that we need to know about in a timely manner.
Janice and Michael Danzig, Estero
Piney Point injection wells
What flavor do you like your drinking water?
To me, this is just another case of public officials, elected or not, conducting business in a way that shows complete disregard for the public they “represent”.
The government messed up at the local, county and state levels and now apparently they literally want to bury their mistakes. How do they know that the area in which they want to hide their misdeeds is completely waterproof? Look at a map and you will find that the affected area is above the Florida aquifer; an area where a large amount of Florida drinking water comes from. This same map shows “areas vulnerable to contamination” at or near this hiding place. Due to the size of the aquifer, any resulting problems will be generalized.
Norman Cannon, Fort Myers
Enough of Trump; let’s move on
It is truly remarkable that this section is still full of letters referring to Trump, and yet he disappeared at sunset almost a year ago. Please stop, will you!
Why not focus on the accomplishments of our new president and his administration who alone have accomplished more in 11 months than the four years of Trump’s reign. Aren’t we all better off now, happier, healthier, and more united, which is exactly what Biden assured us when he ran for office and became president?
Let’s look at and cherish the present and the future, and let’s not dwell on the past, unless we’re driven by nostalgia.
Frank Sterdjevich, Naples North
It’s time for Republicans to right their ship
What happened to the Republicans? Their representatives in Congress and state governors, like DeSantis and state legislatures, are fighting vaccine and mask mandates despite overwhelming scientific and medical evidence that vaccines and masks save lives! I guess we’re approaching a million COVID deaths so far. How many American deaths will it take to convince them?
Those same Republicans are against passing the National Voting Rights Act, while Republican state lawmakers are passing laws that restrict voting rights. Governor DeSantis gladly signed such a law here in Florida!
It is time for Republicans to reject these individuals who are killing people and restricting our right to vote. I suggest we start here in Florida.
Bill McMaster, Naples
What about COVID deaths under Biden?
I have a fairly simple question. If Donald Trump deserved to be severely reprimanded for his handling of COVID-19 and approximately 385,000 people have died in the United States under his watch, why is Joe Biden not severely reprimanded for approximately 400,000 people who have died? under his supervision? After all, Biden has one major weapon that Trump didn’t have – a vaccine.
Ron Wobbeking, Naples
How can we support Trump?
Trump sold the Americans a bill for goods. He had no plan to bring jobs back from China, Vietnam, Mexico or any other country where our government has stupidly allowed our companies to take them. Many new jobs were created in these countries by American companies during his presidency. The United States actually lost thousands of mining and manufacturing jobs during Trump’s tenure.
He had no intention of replacing Obamacare.
He had no intention of distributing vaccines against the COVID-19 virus and had in fact published detailed plans for such emergencies left by Obama.
He had no intention of rebuilding our failing infrastructure – fixing the thousands of bridges, roads, sewage systems, airports, degraded water and air, etc.
He had no intention of lowering drug prices – he actually proposed a new rule banning the importation of drugs from Canada and Europe just before he left office.
Trump had no plan to stop the build-up of nuclear weapons in North Korea, and he had no intention of preventing Putin from trying to take back countries that were once part of the Soviet Union but which are now independent.
Trump has left us with a struggling economy because of his failed handling of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Trump was a failure as president just as he was a failed and crooked businessman and failure as a decent human being who treated women despicably, told thousands of lies and nearly succeeded to overthrow our democracy.
How can we support it given this record, a factually verified record?
Len Solo, Naples
