Socialism works well in Denmark, vote for Democrats and environment
Like Humpty Dumpty, developers must fall
“When I use a word,” Humpty Dumpty said in rather a scornful tone, “it means just what I choose it to mean – neither more nor less.” – Through the Looking-Glass, Lewis Carroll
Sarasota County has stepped through the looking-glass with residents’ interests upside down to development interests.
East County residents support a comprehensive plan amendment preserving Old Miakka’s historic rural community. Developers threaten expensive lawsuits.
Humpty Dumpty’s and developers’ words mean what they choose – not what is real. Here are some developers’ words opposing CPA 2019-C at a recent public hearing and the real meanings:
“Chaos” and “hijacking the process” means Old Miakka residents following county regulations and asking the county to preserve existing rural zoning densities.
“Vested private property rights” means rights to imagined future hamlet rezones without filing an application.
“Millions in county liability” means the county paying developers for speculative, unreasonable investments in hypothetical future density increases.
CPA 2019-C is based on facts and the Old Miakka Plan is in the public interest, maintains Apoxsee future land use and deserves commission approval.
Humpty Dumpty must take a great fall.
Susan Schoettle-Gumm, Sarasota
Democracy is alive and well under socialism
I didn’t intend to write from Denmark, where I have lived for 52 years, but my favorite newspaper published a column full of errors about socialism and Denmark.
Kay C. James wrote “Elders, take on socialism” Sept. 6 with the following points:
• “… socialism has failed everywhere it has been tried for over a century … ”
In fact, Denmark, Sweden and Norway are among the countries living successfully with a social welfare structure: high taxes, free medical services and free education at all levels.
• “In truth, socialists only care about the collective, not the individual.”
At the moment, Danes are adopting rules that masks must be worn on public transportation and elsewhere. They say, “I don’t like it, but I want to think about and protect others.” What is wrong with that approach?
• Socialism “depends upon the dictatorship of a military leader or a political party”? James must be thinking of communism in the Soviet Union.
Democracy is in full bloom in socialist countries; there is much to admire and emulate.
Ellen Bick Asmussen, Dronningmølle, Denmark, and Sarasota
Era of idiocy: Fairness taken to extreme
In reference to Carrie Seidman’s column, “Should Sarasota schools accept parental gift targeted for their own kids?”: Privilege and unfairness seem to be quite disturbing to many people.
When the Titanic started to sink, the captain and officers knew that there was not enough space in the lifeboats to save everyone. Luckily, they lived before the era of idiocy. They decided to save as many lives as they could.
Today, the lunatic left would insist that everyone on board drown, just to be fair.
Bruce Petrie, Sarasota
Vote for Democrats, vote for environment
Environmental issues loom large in this election season. We in Florida are especially vulnerable to water pollution, intense storms, sea-level rise, overdevelopment and any degradation of nature that hurts tourism.
The contrast between the presidential candidates on the environment is massive. We have a president who has failed miserably on this issue, removing public safety regulations, calling climate change a “hoax,” abandoning international climate efforts and favoring the fossil fuel industry.
When enriching polluting corporate paymasters and temporarily goosing the economy are your only objectives, it’s not going to end well for public health. Other Republicans have done little to nothing to offset Trump’s damage.
Joe Biden and the other Democrats on the ballot, in sharp contrast, have a positive environmental record and future agenda.
Floridians are known for being properly concerned, even passionate, about the environment. Take that passion to the polls and vote for Biden and all down-ballot Democrats on Nov. 3.
Peter Burkard, Sarasota
Trump backers are free to speak their minds
What happened to free speech? It seems that anything positive written about President Donald Trump, or said at his convention, is criticized by the left. I’m referring to the Sept. 5 letter “Black speakers at RNC just for show.”
The rare pro-Trump columnist in your paper, Marc Thiessen, is called a “Trump lapdog.”
Should we say that the pro-Biden-Harris people also were “just for show?” Pro-Trumpers have as much right to speak as the Biden fans, without the accusations and name-calling.
I am pro-Trump and love my country. I am not a hateful racist, as I am constantly called. Live and let live, please.
Harriet Joy Epstein, Sarasota
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