Letters to the Editor, Wednesday, July 18, 2018
Nothing to hang their hats on
I recently viewed videos of our current Democratic politicians concerning the issue of immigration, more specifically, illegal immigration.
Sen. Chuck Schumer described it as “just plain wrong.” Both House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi and Hillary Clinton also railed against it. Now all you hear is outrage from these political flip-floppers concerning the issue of describing the current policy as cruel and inhumane. This policy began with President Bill Clinton in 1992 and has been the same since. Where was the outrage during the previous administration? Politicians somehow forget what they have personally espoused. Maybe they should be reminded.
Why the outrage now? Since the 2016 election, the current administration has been under fire from the left for just about everything from President Donald Trump’s tweets (sometimes misguided) to the shoes worn by the first lady.
First we had, and still have, the Russia investigation. Over a year has gone by and nothing that ties Trump to any collusion has emerged. How much longer will this go on? Could this be a “nothing burger?”
Then we were entertained by Stormy Daniels. Heard anything about that lately?
Now we are into immigration, or should I say illegal immigration. No one wants to see children taken from their parents. This would not happen if the parents had not broken the law. It seems Democrats don’t care much for the law, just their agenda. The terms used by the press are “ripped from the arms of their parents” or “put in cages.” If anyone believes such stories, I would love to sell them a bridge.
I can’t wait to see what crisis the Democrats manufacture next. Unfortunately, they don’t have anything to hang their hats on.
Frank Iraggi, Bonita Springs
Sale would hurt Fort Myers Beach
I am completely opposed to the suggestion by Commissioner Larry Kiker and Lee County that now is the time the county may potentially sell a pivotal piece of island property along the north end of Fort Myers Beach where the Seafarer’s Village was.
Once the mall was demolished, the county allowed contractors reconstructing Estero Boulevard to use it for storing equipment between shifts. That was a great idea and it has been helping the crew cut time from the 10-year estimated timeline. As a general contractor, I guarantee you that allowing work crews space for storage is helping cut as many as two years off the timeline.
I’ve worked with the crew and they’ve consulted with me; they are doing a great job getting this construction finished as soon as possible. Any other north-end building project thrown into the mix will compound traffic congestion even further.
Now Kiker suggests they may sell that property? Selling it now will do nothing but hurt the town and the several businesses along the island that are greatly affected by the road construction. Let the contractors finish this project before starting another.
Coincidentally, that property butts up against the property on which TPI Hospitality proposes to build a massive, overcommercialized “resort,” led by developer Tom Torgerson, officially discovered to have had “off-the-record” meetings with Kiker and Fort Myers Beach Town Council Member Anita Cereceda (mayor at that time), a potential violation of the Sunshine Law that led to Kiker’s investigation. Anyone else seeing a connection here?
Bob Conidaris, Fort Myers Beach
Don’t let Collier go to pot
The Naples Daily News July 10 front-page article promoting attorney John Morgan and his campaign to legalize recreational pot is just another attempt, after getting his foot in the door, to get medical marijuana approved. He is now starting to spend his next $5 million to legalize pot. How low will he go?
You can bet he and his supporting cronies have already scoped out locations in cities and counties around the state for their pot shops and growing locations. All he needs is for Florida citizens to believe his propaganda and state politicians that are beholding to him to push legalization through the Florida Legislature. Does this man have no sense of dignity?
Once approved, it won't take long until the potheads are panhandling, camped out in our parks, along Fifth Avenue South and other locations. A spike in crime will also occur. It is now accruing in Denver, San Francisco and Seattle as well as many other locations where pot is approved.
When it comes time to vote, let the politicians know Naples does not want to go to pot. Let your county commissioners know, "No pot for Collier County."
KenRiceman, Naples
Follow the Constitution
Regarding the letter by Vince D’Angelo headlined “Democrats should have provided jurist list:”
A list, provided by one political party, from which the president must choose a Supreme Court justice is, in itself, partisan. The suggestion would contradict the doctrine of separation of powers and Article II, Section 2 of the Constitution, which states that the president nominates judges of the court with the advice and consent of the Senate.
The Constitution of the United States is the supreme law of the land.
Cynthia Hammer, Naples
Terry well-qualified for re-election
As a retired Collier County Public Schools teacher and former colleague of Roy Terry at Naples High School, I am urging you to vote for him for re-election to the Collier County School Board.
I have known Terry for the last four decades — yes, a long time — and have the utmost respect for him. He has been a teacher, a coach and athletic director and has excelled at all three. He was devoted to every activity he undertook and has continued that educational devotion in his role on the School Board.
Terry uses reason and good judgment to guide his actions. We need his continued wise experience on the Collier County School Board.
You can vote in all School Board races regardless of where you live. I will vote for Terry in August and I hope that you will too.
Allen Miller, Naples
School choice options
In letters to the editor, David Bolduc attacked me and now Robert Rappaport is attacking Marla Weiss. What happened to collegiality in the name of educational improvement? Rappaport accuses Weiss of being a shill for special interests without identifying himself as a teacher at Mason Classical Academy. What a hypocrite.
The dichotomy presented by MCA and the regular Collier County public schools represents two extreme approaches. Mason chooses to offer a severely limited curriculum to a select group of students (110 high school students). The language curriculum is loaded with Latin and only recently Spanish I. This is great in the modern business world where students can converse with dead Romans. Music, art and sports are virtually nonexistent. Obviously, the less you try to do, the more likely you should be able to do it well. Enrollment declined 7 percent during the year, possibly because students who might not have tested well were encouraged to leave.
Regular Collier County schools are rich in language, art, music and sports opportunities with 33 art courses and 28 language courses among Italian, French, Latin and Spanish. The music program is known internationally with performances in parades and concerts abroad. The number of sports opportunities are too numerous to report. Outstanding Junior ROTC and vocational education programs are also available. Per law, they serve all students.
Another comparison is demographics.
CCPS: economically needy, 68.52 percent; English as a second language, 12.04 percent; Hispanic: 49.63 percent; home language Spanish, 41.92 percent.
Mason: economically needy, 15.5 percent; English as a second language, 3.99 percent; Hispanic, 19.84 percent; home language Spanish, 11.5 percent.
With school choice, people are free to choose: a democratically open system with an enriched curriculum or an elitist school which serves very few with very little.
Theron Trimble, Naples
Don’t permanently ban offshore drilling
Calls for a permanent ban on offshore oil and gas exploration are shortsighted and would damage Florida’s economic potential for decades to come.
While currently unemployment is low, the economy is doing well and gas prices are reasonable, a permanent ban would prevent future adjustments to economic slowdowns and fluctuations in energy costs.
Locally produced oil and natural gas could be vital to the economic security and livelihoods of thousands, if not millions, of Floridians. Offshore oil and natural gas extraction already coexists in the Gulf of Mexico with tourism, fishing and military operations.
The potential to open up a small portion of the eastern Gulf of Mexico would provide Florida the opportunity to tap into millions of barrels of oil and vast supplies of natural gas to generate electricity, fuel our cars and ensure energy prices remain affordable for retirees on fixed incomes and tourists on a budget.
Of course, any future exploration must be done in an environmentally responsible way. With lessons learned from the past — and with ever-improving technology — there is every reason to believe that tapping into our natural resources miles off the coast will be done with no adverse impact on Florida’s natural beauty.
When considering the issue of further exploration, I urge lawmakers to consider not only the long-term impact on the economy of our state and nation but also the impact on all our citizens — seniors, families, workers and small business owners.
As a growing and vibrant state, we need to keep all options on the table to meet our future energy needs.
Jeff Kottkamp, Cape Coral
Co-chair, Explore Offshore, and
former Florida lieutenant governor
Thomas a simpleton
What is so obvious about columnist Cal Thomas is his take on calling anyone who he disagrees with a liberal or a civil rights activist or "the left."
He's a simpleton.
Richard Quist, Estero
Needed: Honest politicians
We have been let down again by the people we vote into office. Our governor waited until he was sure he wanted a higher office to hit us middle-class and poor people with a restrictive beach law. (Editor's note: Gov. Rick Scott issued an executive order July 12 to block state agencies from taking action on the bill he signed into law in March.)
The beach belongs to everyone, wet or dry sand. This was a great way to get donations from the wealthy. He lost our votes.
Sen. Bill Nelson has been in too long, but he tries to be fair.
President Donald Trump was voted in because we need change; now the opposition won't let him do his job. I don't agree with him on a lot of things, but I can see he is trying to keep the promises he made. They yell when he changes his mind and they yell when he digs in and won't change his plans.
Most of the people we vote into office talk really well, but once in they change their tune. We need term limits. We need to settle immigration now. Our members of Congress do not need so many vacations. They don't do their work. We need change. We need honest people in office.
Lynn Bailey, Naples