The Better Bus Network has been criticized by some riders for unpredictable service and a high number of overcrowded buses, leaving many to wait hours for the next bus.
Miami-Dade County via YouTube
Hashed transit
Re: the Aug. 20 story, “Four new apartment towers, no transit plan, a Kendall neighborhood fights back.” North Miami residents are also suffering from the same malady: extremely poor transit planning. Before the so-called “Better Bus Network” was enacted, residents of North Miami, North Miami Beach, Biscayne Park and the Omni area could rely on Routes 2, 9, 10, 16, 19 and 3 to reach the transit hub at Northeast 163rd street.
The new network changed all that when the planners took away all the mentioned routes except the 9. In my own neighborhood, residents complain of walking as much as a mile to get to this one remaining route.
Meanwhile, about 1,000 new apartments are under construction throughout North Miami. On Biscayne Boulevard at 123rd street, for example, a man dances, sings and twirls in the air a “Move right in!” sign. Between Sixth and 12th avenues, five more high rises are being built.
How will residents without cars get to grocery stores, medical appointments and work? What are county and city planners thinking?
Karin Stahl,
North Miami
Recycling needs standards
The Aug. 4 Miami Herald story, “Miami-Dade aims to significantly cut waste to landfills as they reach capacity,” highlights the county’s urgent waste challenge, as local landfills approach capacity. While there is no single solution, recycling starts with residents getting it right at the bin. An absence of consistent definitions makes that difficult. The good news is that Florida has an opportunity to lead nationally on this issue.
To empower consumers, we need standard definitions and third-party verification of recycling claims. This will provide residents the tools to recycle more materials and reduce contamination.
Congress can help, through the bipartisan Recycled Materials Attribution Act. With more than 10,000 systems in the United States, the RMAA would establish national standards for recycled-content claims, modernize outdated federal guidance and recognize innovative technologies that complement traditional recycling. Six members of Florida’s congressional delegation (Reps. Gus Bilirakis, Neal Dunn, Kat Cammack, Laurel Lee, Kathy Castor and Darren Soto), serve on the U.S. House subcommittee considering the RMAA.
Miami-Dade needs more tools to keep waste out of its landfills and Florida’s representatives should help advance a commonsense solution that strengthens recycling, supports innovation and gives consumers greater confidence in the system.
John Hewitt,
senior vice president,
Consumer Brands Association,
spokesperson,
Recycling Leadership Council,
Arlington, VA
Difficult off-ramp
Donald Trump is driving the economy into a ditch. He lost the trade war with China and still faces the threat that China will cut off the rare earths on which our tech sector depends. He is being humiliated by Iran, which — literally and figuratively — has him over a barrel.
If he is planning on Cuba being an October surprise, he might find the surprise will be on him.
Michael K. Cantwell,
Delray Beach
Fake shock
U.S. Rep. Maria Elvira Salazar has been distancing herself from President Trump’s mass deportation efforts. She may be sincere in her comments about the Draconian steps the administration has taken to deport almost anyone with questionable basis for being in this country, but she shouldn’t clutch her pearls so tightly. She should ask herself why she voted for the “Big Beautiful Bill” and the outrageous funds given to ICE to conduct these deportations.
Salazar is clearly intelligent, but one might conclude she knew exactly what this administration would do with that money and authority.
Stuart A. Goldstein,
Palmetto Bay
Roots of socialism
I was amazed that the Miami Herald would publish the Aug. 20 online viewpoint, “Socialism doesn’t work and history proves it.” The author mis-defines socialism and then tells us how bad it is.
Every example cited — Venezuela, Cuba, Russia — is a dictatorship, not socialism. I don’t know why he didn’t include Hitler’s National Socialist party.
Socialism means nothing more than the philosophy that government exists to help its citizens. In the Middle Ages, that was limited to protecting citizens from bandits and enemies. As society developed, additional services were added: roads, education, healthcare, etc. All industrialized countries, including the U.S., are socialist to some degree, and thank God for that.
Communism doesn’t work because it is based on the theory that all citizens will become totally altruistic and just accept what they are given. Society needs capitalism and the profit motive to succeed. That is how most countries operate today. Capitalism and socialism are not incompatible.
Henry E. Marks,
West Kendall
Rep. Salazar’s dishonor
I appreciated the Aug. 23 opinion by Miami Herald Editorial Board member Mary Anna Mancuso, “The Vatican isn’t a campaign stop and Rep. Salazar shouldn’t have treated it as one.”
As a Catholic, I’m sure most believers and non-believers will agree that there is absolutely no dignity in Salazar using His Holiness, beloved Pope Leo, as a campaign “prop!”
Marcia Braun,
Miami Springs
Understanding society
In Amanda Rosa’s Aug. 21 story, “Who is Angie Nixon, the democratic socialist who scored an upset in Florida Senate primary,” Republican spokeswoman Emma Hall said, “…socialism will always be a political loser in the Free State of Florida.”
If excluding society, the root of socialism, is a liability, does Hall intend to act against society by ignoring racism, sexism, xenophobia, homophobia, criminality, Islamophobia, antisemitism, guns and war?
Demonstrating hostility toward compromise, democracy, courts, constitutions, public health, education, legislative initiatives, science and journalism are clearly antisocial.
Socialism’s response to slavery and the perils of industrialized labor were rejected by antisocial forces that recently passed legislation permitting younger children to work longer hours, while keeping the federal minimum wage constant for 17 years. Universal child care, which working Americans need, is anathema to Hall’s antisocial and heartless philosophy.
The last time these forces dominated, they overran most of Europe and parts of Africa and Asia. They were halted by multiple leaders, representing diverse nations, who put the world’s people before national self-interest.
One photo in Rosa’s article showed a smiling face — a look and invitation every human society understands.
Philip Beasley,
Plantation
Staying informed
The Miami Herald’s Aug. 23 In Depth section renewed my faith in the newspaper. Julie K. Brown’s award-winning reporting on the Epstein investigation is extremely important to the victims and for the safety of all children. We must not forget or give up on this fight to achieve justice regardless of the many diversions placed before us.
Archbishop Thomas Wenski’s informative article on vaccines and the government’s overreach and Mary Anna Mancuso’s opinion on the politicization of U.S. Rep. Salazar’s visit with Pope Leo are both very informative.
All three articles are a must-read and I hope the Herald continues its good journalism.
Kathleen Leitner,
Miami Lakes
Sports fairness
In recent weeks, much conversation and publicity has centered about “sexuality” in the WNBA. Starting with the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, the International Olympic Committee will require a one-time genetic test for athletes competing in women’s events. The test screens for the SRY gene — a DNA marker typically found in the Y chromosome that imitates male sex development.
A negative result (no SRY gene) will allow eligible athletes to compete in events. A positive result (SRY gene present) will not allow those athletes to compete.
In the interest of inclusion and competitive fairness (as it pertains to women’s pro basketball), players testing negative would continue to play in the WNBA. Players testing positive (or refusing to take the test) could be part of a new basketball league. Perhaps the WNBA should consider this.
Dave Oliver,
Miami Lakes