Theme parks need regulation
An article on the front page of Sunday’s paper asks if theme parks should self-regulate (“Coaster death reignites debate”). Of course theme parks shouldn’t self-regulate themselves, any more than food processors should self-regulate their products or air plane manufacturers should self-inspect their planes. But as long as some politicians refuse to fully fund the agencies that should inspect and regulate these and other industries, then there will be more deaths and injuries or food-borne illnesses without consequences. Just get used to it, it’s what a lot of people voted for.
John Goonson Satellite Beach
Shutdown is about affordable health care for all
Rep. Randy Fine’s Sunday commentary (“Democratic shutdown is devastating Florida residents in the midst of hurricane season”) blamed Democrats for “shutting down the government to give health care to people here illegally.” That claim is deeply misleading.
Democrats are not seeking to expand health coverage to undocumented immigrants. Federal law prohibits people here illegally from receiving Affordable Care Act subsidies or full Medicaid benefits — and no current proposal changes that.
The real issue is whether Congress will protect millions of Americans from losing affordable coverage when enhanced ACA subsidies expire and Medicaid cuts take effect. Democrats are asking to extend these supports so citizens don’t see premiums double next year.
Saying this is about “free health care for illegal immigrants” distracts from the truth: this shutdown is about keeping health care affordable for working families, not taking it away. Floridians deserve honesty about what’s really at stake.
Elizabeth Popp Kissimmee
Trump is risking voting rights
As a Democrat, I sincerely hope that next year’s midterms will put Democrats in control of the House and Senate. With everything that’s happening in the country, it should be a sure thing. However, I also think it won’t happen.
Currently, Trump and the Republicans are doing everything to ensure that Democratic votes won’t count by revoking mail-in voting, gerrymandering, misrepresenting what Democrats stand for and branding anyone who opposes Trump as radical and an enemy. Of course, Trump may also invent another “emergency” that allows him to cancel the midterms altogether.
Glad that Republicans are comfortable with what I see as an inevitable dictatorship and the elimination of our Constitution. But, hey, we’ll still have a magnificent ballroom at the White House, specially minted Trump dollar coins and higher grocery prices.
Jim James Winter Garden
Trump is president of all Americans
An Associated Press article in Sunday’s Sentinel (“GOP sees shutdown as its win but some fear cuts won’t help”) stated “Since the shutdown began, Trump has moved to cancel $7.6 billion in clean energy grants across 16 states, all of which voted for Democrat Kamala Harris,” and quoted Sen. Ron Wyden as saying “He’s just literally took out the map and pointed to all the blue states.”
Margins in the 2024 presidential election were relatively thin. Donald Trump is forgetting that even in the states that favored Harris, millions of people voted for Trump. And everyone in the United States are his constituents, regardless of for whom they voted. He needs to govern for the best of all of us, not just those who support him.
Doug Quara Mount Dora
You can submit a letter to the editor by sending it by email to insight@orlandosentinel.com or by filling out the form below. Letters are limited to less than 250 words and must be signed (no pseudonyms nor initials).You must include your email address, address with city and daytime phone number for verification. Letters are subject to editing for clarity and length.
