What’s next?

DeSantis signs bills on pronouns, gender care, drag shows and more | May 18

Randy Fine, a Brevard County Republican legislator, told an audience at the signing of a bill that would limit access to gender-affirming care: “We are going to do it because God does not make mistakes with our children.”

What’s next? Will the state ban lifesaving surgery for children born with physical disabilities, such as cerebral palsy and spina bifida?

Peggy Millard, Tampa

The $7 million letter

Freedom of the press? | Letters, May 18

After spewing disproven allegations about “the biased influence of the FBI” having caused Donald Trump to fail to be reelected, the letter writer complains that the Times relegated the 300 plus page Durham Report to page 11.

My question is this: Given that the partisan sham investigation took five years, cost taxpayers nearly $7 million and produced only three indictments, resulting in one plea to a minor offense and two complete acquittals, and given that all of this misspent effort was backed by the nearly unassailable power of a special prosecutor’s mandate, why was its final emission of unsupported partisan opinion covered at all?

Gregg Niemi, Tampa

My money back, please

DeSantis signs 3 bills bringing major changes to Florida universities | May 15

I’m struck by the hypocrisy of Gov. Ron DeSantis’ comments at the signing of his most recent bill restricting spending on diversity, equity and inclusion programs at public universities. He said, “You don’t just get to take taxpayer dollars and do whatever the heck you want to do and think that’s somehow OK”. But isn’t that exactly what he is doing?

No one has asked me if I wanted my tax dollars spent to hire election police ($3.7 million) to stop election fraud that doesn’t exist, or to transport migrants who aren’t even in Florida to another state ($600K), or to set aside money for legal fees to conduct a ridiculous fight with Disney and anybody else who speaks out against his policies ($16 million). This all seems to me like way more fear-driven indoctrination than any diversity, inclusion and equity program could ever advance.

Lynn Barnhardt, Tampa

Good side of AI

Warnings on AI | May 17

Here is how you can become wealthy using artificial intelligence. Develop an app that will return all unsolicited phone calls, emails and text messages with long rambling senseless messages. Brilliant.

Dave Hinz, Clearwater