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Tuesday's letters: Medical advances should be available to all

 
Published Feb. 1, 2016

Help choose letter of the month

Letters to the editor offer a significant contribution to the discussion of public policy and life in Tampa Bay. To recognize some of that work by our most engaged readers, the Times will select a letter of the month and the writers will be recognized at the end of the year.

Help us choose from the nominations for letter of the month for January by visiting the website listed below by Thursday. Read through the three letters and vote on the ballot at the bottom of the web page. We will choose the finalists each month based on relevance on topical issues, persuasiveness and writing style. The writer's opinion does not need to match the editorial board's opinion on the issue to be nominated. But clarity of thinking and brevity certainly help.

To see the three January nominees and vote, go to www.tampabay.com/opinion.

Health research reforms give hope for new cures | Jan. 29, commentary

Conflicting purposes

U.S. Rep. Gus Bilirakis reported on increased spending for the National Institutes of Health that will yield significant benefits. He then described the 21st Century Cures Act, which is supposedly a strategic plan to ensure taxpayer dollars are spent wisely.

However, by voting over 30 times to repeal Obamacare, he would effectively deny the benefits of these reforms to those who need them most. He says these reforms are positives for patients. But which patients would these reforms help if Obamacare is repealed?

The work of the NIH is important and the reforms described by Bilirakis could be helpful, but these benefits should be available to all Americans. What is the Bilirakis plan for making that happen?

Joel Price, Dade City

Gun law ready for vote in House | Jan. 29

Listen to law enforcement

I am tired of legislators who don't listen to teachers and, now, law enforcement. I have heard and read that top law enforcement officers do not think that open carry is a good idea. Why don't our legislators listen to the people in the trenches?

If this law passes, I will feel very uncomfortable going into a restaurant, theater, grocery store, etc. My eyes will be always on alert, looking for a weapon. Is this a good guy or bad guy? How will I know?

I am worried that innocent people will be shot and possibly killed for no reason. This is not the wild West. We are a so-called citizen society, but we certainly wouldn't know it from our legislators. I am frustrated, disgusted and simply afraid of the possibilities if open carry is made law.

Marilyn Satinoff, Palm Harbor

Budget proposals diverge | Jan. 30

Legislators show backbone

Bravo to our legislators, who are finally standing up for Floridians. Our mental institutions are poorly staffed and underfunded. Our prisons are powder kegs, with too few guards and low salaries. Teachers have had no regular raises, just occasional handouts from the state.

AIDS transmission rates are higher here than elsewhere in the nation, but Gov. Rick Scott has cut thousands of positions from public health. Thousands of rape kits are mothballed, with victims left to worry and rapists on the loose.

Public parks are now supposed to fund themselves with hunting and grazing, and the state proposes to increase school funding, but only through a shell game by forcing local property taxes to pick up the tab.

And what does our governor want? He wants to "do deals" in his quixotic chase for jobs, which, so far, have risen on their own through the improving economy — not through his efforts — and eliminate all taxes on businesses.

Floridians want their taxes spent on services and safety for now and the future — not for corporate welfare. Let's hope our legislators don't cave in.

Stephen Phillips, St. Petersburg

The case for Trump | Jan. 31

The unvarnished candidate

People wonder why Donald Trump is leading the polls. The reason is simple: There are a lot of people who are fed up with the status quo of politicians who change their persona or beliefs according to which votes they are attempting to get.

People are not so interested in what Trump is saying but in the fact he is saying to the lying hypocrites in office that he is going to be himself, and if you don't like it, stick it in your ear. I may not be a Trump fan, but I like his rough edge. He scares people in office, as they should be.

Andrew Harbuck, Spring Hill

Freedom of religion | Jan. 30, letter

Clubs and churches

I would advise the letter writer to remember that there are already places for students to meet and enrich themselves with this type of club. These places are called churches, synagogues, temples, etc.

If the letter writer was truly transparent regarding First Priority's mission, the club's name would mention its Christian-based motive.

Sandy Alessandrini, Tampa