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“Fever Beach” by Carl Hiaasen. (Knopf\/Courtesy)<\/p>\nByron Donalds is a hand-picked Trump stooge. Another lickspittle, he has zero ideas and spouts empty platitudes.<\/p>\n
This state has been run like a fiefdom by the Republican Party for 30-plus years, and over the last eight, we have had both U.S. senators, the whole Cabinet, a supermajority in the Legislature, and the governor run by them. How\u2019s that working out?<\/p>\n
At least when David Jolly was a Republican, he was a sane, sensible, real Republican, not a card-carrying crazy cult member. I have heard Donalds speak. It\u2019s empty nonsense, with no plans other than to do as he\u2019s told, while Jolly has actual ideas.<\/p>\n
The gerrymandered legislative districts will no doubt help Republicans keep their supermajority, but there is much good Jolly can bring \u2014 if nothing more than his veto pen.<\/p>\n
I already voted. I\u2019m proud to say I voted for Jolly.<\/p>\n
\u2014 James Carbone, Fort Lauderdale<\/p>\n
Keep checks and balances<\/p>\n
Putting party affiliation aside, or even if you\u2019re undecided, please vote for the restoration of checks and balances in our government, as meant to be by our forefathers. We all rely on the executive branch and the U.S. House and Senate to be respected and to interact based on the rule of law. Healthy checks and balances are good for all of us.<\/p>\n
\u2014\u00a0Susan Rome, Pompano Beach<\/p>\n
Take your country back<\/p>\n
Every day, the audacity of the Republican Party and its strange adherents still surprises me.<\/p>\n
I can\u2019t believe that they are that down with democracy and freedom. Their willingness to destroy our liberties is overwhelming. To the people of America, I say stand up! Take control again! Long live America.<\/p>\n
\u2014\u00a0Tobie Chernow, Davie<\/p>\n
Donalds and The Donald<\/p>\n
Donald Trump and Byron Donalds are running scared.<\/p>\n
Donalds, a Republican congressman from Naples, had given MAGA and his dear leader complete and total loyalty, ignoring truth, facts and reality. He repeatedly claimed prices were coming down. They weren\u2019t. Well-informed Republicans knew he was adopting Trump\u2019s serial lie.<\/p>\n
Donalds was aboard the Trump train, but he has temporarily jumped off, pretending that he\u2019s a moderate willing to throw shade on his past loyalty to Trump\u2019s policies.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Trump asks voters to vote with him in mind. Trump\u2019s wish is going to have profoundly negative effects on dozens of Republican candidates\u2019 chances, including Donalds. Americans are sick of Trump\u2019s prevarications.<\/p>\n
Just think of the contradiction: Trump says \u201cthink of me when you vote,\u201d and Byron Donalds\u2019 campaign doesn\u2019t want to acknowledge Trump.<\/p>\n
\u2014\u00a0David Kahn, Boca Raton<\/p>\n
Where satire goes to die
\n“Fever Beach” by Carl Hiaasen. (Knopf\/Courtesy)<\/p>\n
Forget \u201cwoke.\u201d Clearly, Florida is where satire goes to die.<\/p>\n
Even the most gifted practitioner of satire \u2014 looking at my shelf full of Carl Hiassen novels \u2014 couldn\u2019t make up this stuff.<\/p>\n
Having state legislators (Ben Albritton and Kathleen Passidomo) backpedal on their support for Amendment 3 is all too typical of the legislative mess in Florida.<\/p>\n
Talk about a gang that can\u2019t shoot straight! The only silver lining here would be defeat of this ill-considered amendment.<\/p>\n
\u2014\u00a0Merri Rosenberg, Boca Raton<\/p>\n
The inequities in taxation<\/p>\n
With great interest, I read all of the opinions regarding Amendment 3, which has several components \u2014 a larger tax exemption, allowable use of taxes, home rule.<\/p>\n
Every opinion is valid because every individual, city and county will be affected differently.<\/p>\n
But are we solving the wrong problem? Missing from the debate is why city and county services are taxed based on property value. There\u2019s no relationship between the value of a home and the use of government services.<\/p>\n
Why should two families in similar circumstances pay such wildly different taxes when all else is equal? Even though I do benefit from this inequity, it\u2019s a problem. This defies logic and common sense, and it\u2019s simply not fair. In my mind, real tax reform would be finding new ways to finance city and county services, unrelated to property values.<\/p>\n
\u2014\u00a0Joe Panella, Boca Raton<\/p>\n