Elections have consequences
TC Palm
October 2022
With a very important election coming up in November, it is so important to know the candidate. Does that candidate apply commonsense when making decisions and prioritize safety of Americans as well as preserving our freedoms and rights?
Therefore:
Vote for the candidate who prioritize legal immigration over illegal immigration. That is only common sense.
Vote for the person who believes your healthcare decisions should be between you and your doctor and not from some politician Washington DC. Make sure that people who say follow the science actually do the science.
Vote for the candidate who believes a colorblind society is better than one that that makes race the most important aspect in every decision. One who agrees with MLK that people should be judged by content of character and not skin color. One who believes laws and justice should be applied equally.
In terms of education, doesn’t it make sense to elect candidates who focus on the children’s education and not indoctrination of the students with some extreme leftist principles? Best to vote for the candidates who support parental rights, school choice, academic excellence and not CRT or sexually explicit pornographic books in public school libraries Don’t vote for someone who puts the teacher unions ahead of the students.
Americans deserve to feel safe. Vote for the candidates who puts victims’ welfare over that of criminals. Defunding police and no bail aren’t commonsense and has led to increasing crime in too many of our cities.
Commonsense tells us to support law enforcement. With the false statements that police are racist and are unfairly targeting people of color, people aren’t respecting the police they once did and some feel they are justified in physically attacking police.
Elections have consequences. Make sure to vote for those who love America.
Betsy DiBenedetto, Vero Beach
No more GOP niceguys
Press Journal
November 6, 2022
Wednesday’s front page, 11/2, reveals frayed feelings facing the oncoming red wave. Mr. Reisman enlists a few disgruntled voices of Indian River County Republicans shouting that contemporary, activist Republicans are just bad people. He quotes Mr. Barenborg whose wife had been challenged in her campaign for school board and complains that the gloves coming off had become too uncivilized. It’s a lack of integrity he cries when leaning on Mr. Reisman’s shoulder. What in the referenced letter made Mr. Barenborg so “incensed”? Inquiring minds want to know. More front page whining accused the Republican Executive Committee of endorsing a slate of candidates for Indian River County. Wait. That’s what they’re supposed to do. Mr. Gilliams has been convicted of nothing. Further in this diatribe questioning “the GOP’s future,” are other voices Mr. Reisman feels have been injured by the new Republican “extremists”. A few want the good old days back, before the Big Orange Man started kicking things around. You know, when Romney and McCain were losing all those elections and Republican meetings resembled bridge parties. Geez, the Republican website even listed Trump as the president just last year. No sense of humor, Larry.
Last, the financial health of Ms. Rosario is still irrelevant. When Joe Biden’s Department of Education specifically demands “social justice,” promotes outing gender identity, and pushes “emotional learning” as much as STEM, we see the need for the school board to resist. Yet you persist in bringing up Rosario’s financial past. As the Red Wave approaches we can understand the desire for détente, while forgetting the political labels, but touting where you and your neighbors stand most of the time, makes things happen. In these troubling times, leading means breaking a few eggs. Mr. DeSantis never won the “Mr. Nice Guy” award either.
Norman Grant, Vero Beach
Immigration laws are topsy-turvy
TC Palm
October 20, 2022
I met a couple from Europe in 2020. Now we’re friends. They now own a home, pay real estate taxes, Florida sales tax and abide by our laws. They have upstanding character; worked for years in Europe, saved and retired.
They worship and attend church, follow immigration laws, have visas, don’t spend a day over six months in a year. They followed all COVID rules. (Sometimes relocating two weeks to quarantine in South America before they could enter here and they are vaccinated.)
To reiterate, they are retired and not taking employment away from anyone. They spend their money here.
Their homeland is under socialist/communist rule, they pray for the day they can stay and have their adult children/grandchildren join them too. They witness and experience the American way of life, realizing what we have is special. Possibly even more than some of us realize.
Year after year they complete the paperwork toward a green card. Year after year it is denied. They complete the documents again. They understand the process. They have patience and don’t complain. They are willing to wait till the day they receive a green card.
So let me see if you understand what I understand.
Immigrants that can support themselves in the US, invest in a home/property, spend their savings here, pay real estate taxes/bills, don’t need a job are denied a green card so they cannot spend more than six months.
But on the US southern border immigrants from many countries, with unknown vaccine/COVID status, without money, working illegally are walking across the border without visas. Some probably never leave the US again, never pay taxes, never reach court hearings and depend on US taxpayer dollars.
This is extremely topsy-turvy. When will US politicians change this idiocy? Law-abiding self-sufficient immigrants are not wanted and illegal immigrants are allowed?
Jo-Ann Scotto, Vero Beach
Elections do have consequences, but not always for the better
TC Palm
June 12, 2022
President Obama famously said that “elections have consequences.” Sen. Chuck Schumer said that if the Democrats control the Senate, the House, and the presidency they “will fundamentally change the U.S” (they do, and they have!). They now control everything. How is that working out?
The first thing President Biden did upon taking office was cancel the Keystone XL Pipeline (thus throwing thousands of workers out of work), and enacting hundreds of new laws and regulations that hindered oil and gas production in the United States. This was the first step in the Green New Deal that started inflation spiraling upward. This to pay off those few in his party that got him elected. Next, Biden stopped the migration policies (and wall) that Donald Trump enacted to keep illegal immigration to a trickle (now a flood!). This to satisfy the small “No Borders” wing of his party. Not once did he consider what the American people wanted.
The major cities in our country are controlled by Democrats. How is that working out? Crime is out of control! Murder, robbery, car theft, and every other aspect of crime is up substantially from years before. Yet, Black Lives Matter pushes for defunding the police, and Biden won’t confront them either.
His hand on the Bible, Biden swore an oath to uphold, protect, and defend the Constitution and laws of this country. He has violated every one of those commitments. If that’s not an impeachable offense, I can’t imagine what would be. When Republicans regain the House and Senate after the November election, I hope they will push for impeachment with the same vigor the Democrats did when Trump was in office. Biden might not even be in office by then, but inflation will still be raging.
Wig Sherman, Vero Beach
This administration puts America last
TC Palm
June 5, 2022
I don’t know about you but I am really worried about the future of our country. Things seem to be getting only worse, not better.
American moms can’t find baby formula but there are pallets at the border.
The Biden administration is always a day late, a dollar short when it comes to dealing with our problems — inflation, supply-chain disruptions, high gas prices, baby food shortage and crime — while completely ignoring illegal immigration at the southern border. Their solution is to blame others.
This shouldn’t be a surprise when the Biden administration hires based on color of skin and gender rather than competence.
Ketanji Brown Jackson, just confirmed to the Supreme Court, was nominated because she is Black and a woman. Yet she was unable to define what a woman is.
The leak of a draft of a Supreme Court ruling has left both the integrity of the court and trust within the court at risk. Protesters have been going to the homes of the justices in an effort to intimidate them, despite this being against the law. No one has been arrested.
The media and the White House have mostly been silent on the potential for violence. Sounded like a threat to me when Sen. Chuck Schumer said, “I want to tell you, Gorsuch. I want to tell you, Kavanaugh … you will pay the price.”
In addition, they have been saying that overruling Roe v. Wade will ban abortion when in reality it returns the decision to the states. Facts don’t matter.
What bothers me the most is the delight in which some speak of ending the lives of babies. Human life doesn’t seem to be as precious as it once was.
The last administration put America first, this one puts America last.
Betsy DiBenedetto, Vero Beach
The decisions on abortion law should be returned to the states
TC Palm
May 25, 2022
So we now are a country that saves turtles and at the same time kills its unborn babies. Are we listening to ourselves and realizing the hypocrisy in this? And so many say it with a straight face.
And others (many politicians) feel peaceful protesting in front of judges’ homes is okay, even though it is against the law to attempt to sway the court from performing their job while interpreting the Constitution to the best of their ability.
The court has not publicized its final disposition but if the leaked disposition stands, it does not prevent abortion but leaves it to the people of each state. Isn’t that what we were founded on? “We the people of the United States… .” The people should be allowed to make this decision.
Would I be afraid in the case of incest, rape, or a diagnosis where a pregnancy could cause my death? Absolutely. Should abortion be used as birth control? Absolutely not. But today it is being used in exactly that way. Many lawmakers allude to the use of abortion as a form of birth control. One such congresswoman from California said it is up to a woman to decide whether she can feed another mouth. In all due respect, Congresswoman, that is why you use birth control — not abortion.
It takes responsibility to use birth control. Sometimes it is inconvenient. Too bad. Abortion isn’t a birth-control method. I wonder how many babies that have been murdered might have cured COVID-19, or cancer.
And now the babies who have been blessed with life can’t get formula in the United States. Is there a pattern against babies?
I thought we were supposed to protect those who cannot protect themselves.
Jo-Ann Scotto, Vero Beach
Biden energy policies create perfect storm
TC Palm
March 30, 2022
Economics 101 teaches the basics of how an economy in a free nation determines its market prices through competition, supply of commodities, and demand for the same. One of the prime determiners of market price is competition for like quantities or goods and services!
One of President Joe Biden’s first executive orders was to revoke the construction permit for the Keystone XL pipeline, confirming his campaign promise to end dependence on fossil fuels.That and other actions including limiting leases on federal property and regulating fracking, reduced oil and gas production, limiting competition by reducing incentive by oil companies to drill, thus pulling back from long-term investments. As a result of government intervention in a free market, gas prices skyrocketed. Can there be little doubt that the “Progressive” radical wing of the Democratic Party had a plan for the “Green New Deal?”
Biden’s policies and government intervention have provided the perfect climate to price gas at unaffordable prices, further increasing incentive to purchase electric cars.
It is a false assumption, through market manipulation by Biden’s policies, that electric vehicles are “the answer” to climate control and energy consumption. Also, by lifting sanctions on the completion of a major source of a gas pipeline to Germany from Russia, Nord stream 2, the Biden administration emboldened Putin. He uses Russia’s oil and gas exports to finance his military.
Is America ready to turn our energy independence over to dangerous nations like Russia and China, whose goals are to expand their territories? Why not ask Ukrainians?
China is watching and calculating very carefully how America is moving to dependence on foreign sources of energy, and other essential goods like computer chips.
Can a major source of computer chips like Taiwan be on Chinese Communist radar?
Paul Zelno, Vero Beach
Moms for Liberty: We support good educators and good education
TC Palm
May 22, 2022
Reviewing what has been written in the media about Moms for Liberty and about myself, as local chairman for the organization in Indian River County, focusing primarily on what we are against, it might be best to point out we generally are for what most educators seek.
I’ve come to realize that the majority of educators went into the profession to improve the mind and education of children from kindergarten through post graduate education. Most take extra time for students who need extra help. Many take their own money to buy backpacks, books and notepads for students.M
The problem I and most members of Moms for Liberty have with public education does not involve the majority of educators. Our problem is with a small but dedicated group of political activist educators who first began dominating in unionization of teachers and then began intimidating administrators of education, from principals, to superintendents, to presidents of higher education.
Let’s take for example shaming children in the first three years of their education if they happen to be white; or having young students question their own gender. I know few teachers who would do that. But curricula often supported by unions and some elite educational professionals think these are necessary for racial and gender equity.
Moms for Liberty absolutely knows how significant teachers are for our children. That is exactly why we have become involved in how our children are educated. We totally honor teachers. We are taking issue only with some of the process. It is our intent to do this with respect. But for respect to work, it requires respect for parents from those in charge of our educational institutions. We don’t co-parent with the government.
Jennifer Pippin, Sebastian, Chairman Moms for Liberty
Thankful to be a Floridian during COVID-19
South Florida Sun-Sentinel
April 30, 2022
I’m so thankful to have been living in Florida during the COVID-19 pandemic. Gov. Ron DeSantis was wise to ignore President Biden and Dr. Anthony Fauci’s advice and do what’s best for his state. Those incompetent leaders said we needed lockdowns, but the science definitively shows how wrong they were.
A report by the Committee to Unleash Prosperity found that when considering deaths due to the pandemic as well as education and economic losses, Florida’s handling of COVID-19 ranks in the top 10 among all states. As a Hispanic American, I see how the far left is threatening our freedoms. Nothing has made that clearer than the response to COVID-19. If Biden and the Democrats had their way, more Floridians would have died. Our economy and our children’s education would have been sacrificed for nothing.
We can’t afford to let Democrats stay in power come November. I’m proud to stand with FreedomWorks’ Hispanic Grassroots Alliance (HGA) as they fight the radical left. FreedomWorks has opposed COVID-19 restrictions and supported DeSantis since Day 1 of the pandemic. I will attend their Florida tour in May to mobilize more voters. I hope interested readers will join me.
Sandra Rivera, Vero Beach
The president isn’t feeling the effects of inflation, but we Americans are
TC Palm
April 10, 2022
Thanks to President Biden, I just filled up my car with gas and it cost over $50. It used to cost me about $35.
So now I am paying a lot of gas for my car and I am paying a lot of money for the fuel in his limousine, his helicopter, and his airplane. And paying for everyone else’s in government too because it does come from the taxpayers.
The increase in gas prices, and inflation generally, won’t affect the president’s pocket. Just all the ordinary American people.
Make our country energy independent. Stop funding Russia’s war against the poor people of Ukraine.
So far, one year in office and he is causing this country so much harm. I am not sure how he sleeps at night knowing the damage he has done to our country.
He should stop blaming everything and everyone else for the problems.
Jo-Ann Scotto, Vero Beach
Redistricting shouldn’t be an argument about race
TC Palm
April 3, 2022
The Democrats are firing back at Gov. Ron DeSantis and the redistricting of Florida. They’re playing the race card again. The April 1 editorial from the Palm Beach Post wrote that DeSantis’ thinking is, “if your skin is dark, don’t vote.”
Do you believe that? Even they don’t, but it’s a weapon to use as the state keeps getting redder.
Gannett Capital Bureau John Kennedy wrote on March 30 that Republicans “could win 18 of the state’s 28 congressional districts” if DeSantis takes apart a largely Black voter district. So? Again, Democrats cry that then Black people won’t get a candidate of their choice. That assumes they would only vote for someone Black or at least a Democrat. Is this like “affirmative action voting”?
Why play the race card when simple democracy is at work? When the legislature is mostly red, and they are blue, they need to say “Black.”
Imagine if a district were filled with Central American refugees, who just got the go-ahead to vote; would they demand a district with a candidate who “looked like them”? Would Korean Americans in a district complain they had no choice but to vote for someone from a different ethnic group? What if their district had a Japanese Democrat versus an Indian Republican? Would that be unconstitutional?
The sensible DeSantis says his goal is “winning judicial support for creating districts that don’t take race into consideration.” How racist is that?
Norman Grant, Vero Beach
If there were no Electoral College, California and New York would likely decide presidencies
TC Palm
March 9, 2022
A recent letter was about the need to reform the Electoral College. This would be dangerous. The Electoral College must remain in order to keep a level playing field.
It does not matter that a particular candidate might get more votes nationally, yet the candidate does not win the election. In the case of reform, the states of California and New York would begin to elect every president because they are the most populated and both are liberal.
The Founding Fathers were astoundingly smart, intuitive and ahead of their times. In fact two states split their Electoral College votes by area. This would be a great idea for New York because upstate New York rarely elects the president of their choice. That’s because four of the five boroughs of New York City routinely elect the Democratic candidate.
If we did not have an electoral college, California and New York would be choosing every president. The Electoral College must remain intact.
Jo-Ann Scotto, Vero Beach