Haridopolos is too tied to Trump
This is in response to your editorial board’s endorsement of Mike Haridopolos for U.S. House. As far as I can tell, Haridopolos has abandoned any individual thought and has abdicated his oath to the Constitution. He is nothing more than a rubber stamp for Trump’s agenda which has challenged the three branches of government with his abuse of executive power.
Mike was a “yes” vote on what I call The One Big “Ugly” Bill, legislation that extended tax cuts for the rich and corporations, increased funding for immigration enforcement and defense while reducing projected federal spending on Medicaid and food assistance. Not a great deal for everyday Americans in Florida.
Mike was a “yes” vote on the SAVE Act which requires documentary proof of citizenship — which sounds good on paper, but in practice could create barriers for eligible citizens to vote if they don’t have ready access to all their records. There has been extremely little voter fraud found in Florida.
Mike voted against House Concurrent Resolution 89, which would have directed Trump to remove U.S. forces from hostilities with Iran under the War Powers Resolution. The illegal war has been allowed to continue as gas prices rise.
Trump’s ballroom and other vanity projects are allowed to proceed without any pushback from our congressman. This raises legitimate questions about congressional spending authority, transparency and the use of public funds for projects championed by the president. What oversight did Haridopolos demand of the administration? None.
I believe that we, the people of Florida, want and deserve representation by someone who understands the needs of everyday Americans. Jennifer Jenkins will fight for all Americans. She is smart and resilient and focused on people, not party.
I choose her.
— Joy DeBusk, West Melbourne
Lamenting downtown Orlando’s decline
You have to be delusional anymore if you believe that Orlando is “The City Beautiful.” I believe downtown Orlando is dangerous, especially at night. As I see it, it is crime-ridden, plagued with homelessness and drugs, noisy and dirty, and a drag racer’s heaven. I have dissuaded too many family and friends from moving here. It’s sad. This could be a wonderful place.
— Alex Della-Valle, Orlando
Watergate teaches lessons today
During the Watergate scandal and President Richard Nixon’s 1974 resignation, I taught American government and American history at Sanford Naval Academy.
I wasn’t simply teaching history from a textbook. I was watching it unfold in real time while explaining to my students the Constitution, separation of powers, and the fundamental principle that no president is above the law.
The irony was unmistakable. As my students learned about the safeguards of American democracy, they witnessed a presidency testing those very safeguards.
Watergate demonstrated why a free press, an independent judiciary and congressional oversight are essential to our constitutional system. Ultimately, even members of Nixon’s own party recognized that loyalty to the Constitution must take precedence over loyalty to a president.
More than 50 years later, I wonder what future American History teachers will tell their students about Donald Trump and this period in our nation’s history.
Will they teach what actually happened, or a version shaped by those seeking to protect a political legacy?
My hope is that future generations will examine today’s presidency with the same historical scrutiny we apply to Watergate, regardless of political affiliation.
History must be remembered, not rewritten to protect those who made it.
— Tom Feaster, Tampa
Politicians’ greed shows ugliness of Americans
Instead of representing what’s best in America (honesty, integrity, fairness, compassion), our politicians today seem only capable of representing what’s worst in America (greed, aggression, prejudice, callousness). The ugliest ugly Americans. I served in the Armed Forces to protect and defend the Constitution of the United States of America, for this?
— S.M. Feiner, Orlando
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