Build there, and you’re on your own

To ease property insurance woes, Florida governments should buy damaged beachfront property | Column, Nov. 28

Columnist Robert Sanchez’s proposal is one worth considering, but to be truly effective, the expense of buying out property owners would be enormous. If people insist on building and rebuilding on vulnerable (coastal) properties, perhaps they should be denied property hazard insurance of any kind. In other words, they would have to be self-insured. Additionally, they would be required to put up an escrow account that would cover the cost of cleaning up the debris if their structure did not survive a natural disaster. Yes, they would still be required to pay property taxes and, no, they can’t “own” the beach. No matter what impact this would have on insurance rates and property values, I think the number structures on the beaches and barrier islands would drop dramatically. As things are, I think that Florida is rapidly becoming uninsurable anyway.

Jack Ballinger, Palmetto

Democrats for a Trump nomination

An officer and a gentleman | Letter, Nov. 28

I’m sure Democrats will do all that they can to ensure Donald Trump is the Republican nominee. That strategy seemed to work in the midterms.

Bob Orf, Tampa

Lecture the politicians

A wonkish look at why inflation is high | Column, Nov. 26

Congratulations to Professor Murad Antia for a splendid lecture on inflation. The formula — M x V = P x T — was on Nobel-winning economist Milton Friedman’s license plate. I suggest only that he delivered his explanation to the wrong group of students. It has been politicians who have put numbers into the equation, and then offered us all sorts of fanciful explanations for the outcomes. Politicians need a remedial tutorial on basic economics. I’m glad that Antia is doing what he can, for the rest of us know and feel what he is saying, but we remain vulnerable to those who didn’t take his course.

Pat Byrne, Largo