Leadership should unite
Sen. Rick Scott often says he’s “making Washington work for Florida families.” But in his recent official newsletter he accused Democrats of “hating President Trump,” of wanting “handouts to illegal aliens,” and of “funding abortion and trans surgeries.” These remarks are at best misleading and at worst outright false.
But the remarks aren’t even updates on legislation — they’re partisan attacks sent from an official Senate office, paid for by every Floridian, including the millions who didn’t vote for him.
A senator’s duty is to serve all constituents, not just his supporters. Using public resources to spread contempt crosses a bright ethical line. Harsh rhetoric in campaigns is one thing; weaponizing public power to inflame citizens against one another is another.
Florida needs leaders who lift people up, not tear them down. Leadership should unite, not divide.
Sara DeRudder Ormond Beach
Publix did not have to do this
It is with a very heavy heart that I have decided to stop shopping at Publix as a result of their corporate decision to allow open carry within the store. The decision is “poking the hornet’s nest” for no special reason I can discern. They did not have to do this.
I love Publix and the excellent employees, who I feel are being put at unnecessary risk, as well as Publix customers. I happily spend a lot of money there a couple of times a week.
I am familiar with guns and have taken the lengthy course provided by our Sheriff’s Department in order to keep all of us safer. And of course I know that concealed carry is legal. But somehow that “wild West” gun-on-the-hip aspect of guns is absent when the gun is legally out of sight.
My hope is that enough people will agree with me and let Publix know they are shopping elsewhere so I can return to my favorite grocery.
Cheryl Mahan Merritt Island
Budget shutdown is all grandstanding
Our current federal government shutdown over not passing a 2026 budget is completely unnecessary and political theater at its worst. Democrats, Republicans or finger-pointing really don’t matter because they’re both guilty and the public is suffering and watching our Congress act as mediocre thespians in a bad melodrama. It’s all grandstanding, folks!
Federal government shutdowns began in 1980 with Attorney General Benjamin Civiletti’s legal opinion stating that if Congress doesn’t pass a budget, the government must shut down. This is a legal opinion by an attorney general, not from the Supreme Court. Any subsequent attorney general can reverse this legal opinion. Attorney General Pam Bondi has the authority to reverse Civiletti’s legal opinion and keep our government running and operating with the 2025 fiscal budget rolled over as the 2026 fiscal budget until Congress passes a 2026 budget. If Bondi would take a break from pursuing President Trump’s antagonists, our government would be up and running tomorrow. Why hasn’t Bondi taken this course of action?
Speaker Mike Johnson could call Congress back to session and keep them in chambers until Congress passes a 2026 budget. He has the power to do this, but, does Johnson have the fortitude? Instead, he tells Congress to take a recess.
Congress itself, could do the decent thing and pass legislation extending the 2025 budget. That’s what a decent Congress would do; unfortunately, I think our 118th Congress is made up of indecent people.
For 200 years our government functioned without shutdowns. It helped that we actually had statesmen who wanted what was best for America.
As they say, “Follow the money.”
Lee R. Pitts Orlando
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