Spurned at the Capitol
When concerned voters take time out of their schedules to attend and testify at committee hearings in Tallahassee, their voices deserve to be heard. This was not the case on Feb. 19 in the Senate Judiciary Committee. The committee met for 90 minutes to hear three bills. The chair, Sen. David Simmons of Seminole County, stated that the meeting needed to end on time. He also said if time ran out, the issue could be carried over until the next hearing. That did not happen.
When the last bill (SB 598) came up, a proposal that would allow licensed permit holders to carry concealed guns onto church grounds with a school on site, Simmons cut away from the sponsor’s defense of the bill for the vote. Despite Minority Chair Audrey Gibson’s questions about taking public testimony — the hearing room was crowded and a number of appearance forms had been filed — Simmons went ahead, saying he would enter the names into the record.
Imagine how would you feel if you traveled to the state capital to testify at a public hearing about an issue and were denied the opportunity to speak? I think it is fair to say you’d be outraged.
Who do these arrogant legislators think they are when concerned citizens are ignored before they can say a word? Surely, all citizens deserve better than the high-handed disregard that fills the halls of our state Capitol.
Patricia Brigham Orlando
The author is president of the League of Women Voters of Florida.
Blurring the line
Gov. Ron DeSantis holds a press conference in The Villages to announce plans for the state to purchase prescription drugs from Canada. Standing immediately behind the governor are two individuals wearing President Donald Trump campaign materials. One is wearing the ubiquitous MAGA hat, while the other is wearing a Trump 2020 campaign T-shirt.
Gov. DeSantis needs to make a clear distinction between his overt support for President Trump and his official duties as governor. He cannot, should not be doing both at the same time. We had enough of this foolishness with former State Attorney General Pam Bondi, who was forever using her public platform to endorse Trump.
Florida taxpayers should not be paying for Gov. DeSantis to conduct campaign rallies for Trump. Did the state GOP pay for this visit to The Villages? If not, the governor needs to be more circumspect as to whom he invites to be on stage with him. Campaign for President Trump on your own time.
Larry Schuchman Orlando
Bringing in Bernie
Sen. Bernie Sanders is leading a movement of voters to transform our country and create a government based on the principles of economic, social, racial and environmental justice. He has not stopped talking to voters in all 50 states since the 2016 presidential election.
The message was clear in 2016, when 75 percent of all Democratic voters under age 50 preferred Bernie Sanders over Hillary Clinton. Sanders captured 43 percent of the primary vote, in spite of obstacles like closed primaries and requirements that voters declare a party affiliation six months to a year before being allowed to vote in states like Florida.
Voters of all age groups and backgrounds came together as the largest group of grassroots donors in history. Sanders has more than 1.2 million online donors going into this election. His first-day donations since announcing his candidacy topped $4 million, more than double any other candidate.
The numbers should demonstrate that “establishment” Democrats should welcome Bernie supporters, which they often try to ignore or shame into voting for obvious Wall Street-funded candidates. His approval rating is 75 percent among Democrats and 85 percent of his base will not vote for anyone else. Bernie Sanders runs as a Democrat in the primary elections because the two-party system in this country makes it impossible to get into state and national debates, and get on election ballots without party affiliation, which is not fair to the candidates or the majority of voters. The largest block of voters in this country now identify as independents!
Mary Pezzi Orlando
