Week of Wednesday, March 29, 2023 ■ Page 4
OPINIONS
Letters to the Editor Who’s minding the store? 10700 Stringfellow Road, Ste. 60 Bokeelia, FL 33922 Phone: (239) 283-2022 Fax: (239) 283-0232 Web: pineisland-eagle.com Publisher Raymond M. Eckenrode reckenrode@breezenewspapers.com Executive Editor Valarie Harring vharring@breezenewspapers.com
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Web Poll Previous Web Poll Question: Should Daylight Savings Time be made permanent with no need to “Spring Forward”and “Fall Back?”
■ Yes. 84% ■ No. 14% ■ It doesn’t really matter to me. 2%
Current Web Poll Question: Should the benefit terms of Social Security be re-evaluated
■ Yes. ■ Maybe, but not on retirees ■ No. ■ The Feds should provide a private retirement option. Share your opinion at pineisland-eagle.com
To the editor: The inflation shock that began in 2021 for U.S. consumers has eroded the buying power of our dollars for more than two years now. Under this administration, the Federal Reserve failed to recognize the severity of the problem for over a year when they finally admitted that once again, Biden was wrong when he said inflation was “transitory.” The Fed was ignoring their own “dot plots” and erred on the side of the administration to the detriment of every U.S. resident that depends on “dollars” to pay their bills and buy necessities. Inflation is what caused a B-B-Q pork sandwich with a side of cole slaw to go from $7 to about $20. It was the silent earthquake that began as soon as this president came up with his “Build Back Better” $1.2 trillion spending plan that should have been named “Build Back Poorer” since the incredible inflation it created did exactly that. Finally, the Fed began to at least appear to tackle inflation and started raising rates, albeit at an anemic pace considering they started a year too late. There has been little, if any, evidence of a reduction of inflation but the rate of inflation has begun to slow. That does not mean you are in better shape. It means that you are in “less worse” shape than you would have been if they had done nothing to address it. Now we have the aftershocks and tremors following the inflation earthquake. Few if any of us have reason to worry about Credit Suisse or Silicon Valley Bank in any direct context but, these names are causing a huge economic impact in the “back rooms” of the Fed and the entire U.S. banking system. The Fed and California regulators were, once again, asleep at the wheel and that inability to do their jobs has caused the failure of SVB and several other regional banks in the last 30 days. The regulations were in place. They were not adhered to. By the Fed or California regulators. It's too early to say what the fallout will be both politically and economically from the bank failures but one thing should be abundantly clear. Either no one is minding the people’s store or, whoever is in charge is a complete and utter failure. Max Christian St. James City
Oh, SNAP! Florida lets kids go hungry To the editor: The Federal SNAP emergency food allotments ended in February for Florida. Our
state legislators could have accepted the ongoing Federal assistance for poor families to receive nutritious food. Instead the Republican-led legislators and Governor decided to turn down the extra food assistance for Florida’s children. Giving poor children food would require Florida to receive, at no additional cost to Floridia taxpayers, ongoing aid from the federal government to supplement food for a starving child who is a citizen with two parents earning $2,495 or less. In March those families will only get food aid if earning less than $1,920 a month in Florida. You will recall the average rent in Fort Myers starts above $2,000. a month. The legislature of the Republican Party while ostensively busy protecting zygotes chooses to turn down the help. This punishment of the post-born children of Florida, apparently for no reason, describes the meanness of spirit of Florida’s GOP lawmakers. Food supplements, of course, also are a boost to farmers, and grocery stores, and employees of farms and grocery stores, because the sales volume increases their business viability. Children do better in school when fed, etc. Meanwhile last week, the Coalition of Immokalee (farm) Workers marched across the state to request fair food wage increases, and additional agreements of food sales corporations. They ask is for a code of conduct to not traffic in human slavery, and address sexual assaults on the job. Their petitions are not frivolous demands. The CIW program also asks a penny per pound incentive to farmers for wage bonuses for workers. Farm machinery and H visa “temporary” workers from Mexico compete with these working families for minimum wage jobs in the tomato fields. Obviously this competition is used by the corporations for suppressing wages downward. CIW has a website for more information. Ellen Starbird Cape Coral
DeSantis to Washington as Prez? To the editor: Years ago, a colleague told me that in every negative situation there was a positive — you just had to really look for it. What is the positive if Gov. Ron DeSantis goes to Washington? Answer: He won’t be in Florida any longer. David Stafford Cape Coral
Is America safe? To the editor: Is there anything that government does
We want your opinion The views expressed on the Opinions pages are just that — opinions. These pages are intended to convey a range of viewpoints; opinions printed on this page do not necessarily reflect the views of this newspaper. Opposing views are welcome. Letters to the Editor or guest columns may be mailed to: Pine Island Eagle, 10700 Stringfellow Road, Ste. 60, Bokeelia, FL 33922; e-mailed to pineisland@ breezenewspapers.com; posted to our Virtual Newsroom at www.breezenewspapers.com or faxed to 283-0232. All letters and guest columns must be signed and must contain a phone number for verification purposes. You also can comment on any letter or editorial opinion online at: pineisland-eagle.com
Young angler catches big snook To the editor: My grandson, Hunter Dooley, who is 6 years old, landed his first 37-inch snook, fishing with his mom and dad, Shane and Sherry Dooley, on Spring Break. He's still talking about it … lol! Rhonda Dooley Bokeelia that is more important than keeping its citizens safe? Yet our cities have become gradually worse over time. Recently there was an article saying that the notorious gang MS13 is expanding to Mexico of all places to compete against the cartels. Can you imagine that we have made crime so successful that they can expand to Mexico? MS13 proves that America doesn’t go to war against crime. America is big enough and has enough tools to stop almost anything and certainly gangs like MS13 is a small operation compared to ISIS and the like. The fact that America doesn’t go to war against crime is purely political. Minnesota has digressed as much as any state. Politically Minnesota took two steps. They tried to defund the police and they installed liberal attorneys that were soft on crime letting criminals arrested loose in a few hours and then not prosecute. Can you imagine how insulting and unsatisfying it would be to have someone throw away your work of catching a criminal by letting him loose without even a hearing? The police responded by retiring early and quitting to get a job with some other town. Minneapolis is now short 22% of their budgeted number of police. An attractive pension awaits but many will not suffer for years to qualify for a pension. The result of all this is a step change in crime. People in the cities, stay away from See LETTERS TO THE EDITOR, page 14