Newcomers, old problems

Here is why the future is bright for USF’s new graduates | Column, May 8

A column about the bright futures of USF graduates mentioned there were 444,500 new Floridians in the most recent period measured, and Florida is #1 in total net migration. I wonder how many of these newbies will stay when they can’t afford homeowner’s insurance, car insurance or housing? How many will be stunned by those second-year property taxes? How many will stay if weather destroys their home or they get in a serious auto accident and they can no longer fight their insurance for reasonable recompense? How many of them came here seeking the “COVID freedoms” and will now be negatively impacted by the recent freedoms taken away by the Legislature? And #1 in higher education? For how long? I’m sure time will tell.

H. Kosinski, Largo

Guns, a good use

Dallas suburb mourns after 8 die in mall shooting | May 8

It would be very honorable for true American patriots to donate their AK-47 and AR-15-style weapons to Ukraine.

Tyler Brahm, Clearwater

A word of warning

Bill Barr’s warning on Trump | Wall Street Journal editorial, May 9

Former Attorney General Bill Barr rightly warns us about a second Trump term, and let’s have a round of drinks to toast him. If Donald Trump is elected for a second term, he will use all four years (if he’s not ousted by a third impeachment trial) to retaliate. He will no doubt use the presidency to get back at every politician who ever said one bad thing about him. Trump retaliates against anyone who is against him. Please, voters, take Barr’s words of warning to heart. I sure will.

Harriet E Browder, Clearwater

Drill one, cap some

Study finds that Gulf of Mexico has $30B unplugged oil well problem | May 9

So what to do about 14,000 unplugged, inactive and presumably leaky oil wells in the Gulf of Mexico? The answer is, basically how much subsidy should we give to the petroleum industry? (If you’re from the right you’d call this socialism.) The answer should be obvious. To drill a new well, the drillers should have to cap and seal some number of old wells that exceeds the number drilled. Let’s start at 5% of the value of the anticipated well. Let’s end corporate welfare.

Pat Ward, St. Petersburg