Maybe there is hope

This could get ugly | Letter, Dec. 27

A letter writer warning us that the United States could become the “Ugly States” of America may very well be right. But could there be hope on the horizon? Sen. Joe Manchin followed the lead of Sen. John McCain and voted independently, representing a very “red” state as a Democrat. Colorado’s Democratic governor announced that he will work toward eliminating the state income tax. Gov. Ron DeSantis and Sen. Marco Rubio announced recently that they are addressing climate change. President Joe Biden thanked former President Donald Trump for his successful project that resulted in the COVID vaccine in record time. Let’s hope and pray that these recent events have set the course for our future. If our leaders cannot find compromise and continually engage in divisive fighting, regardless of party, citizens are denied the real process that we expect our leaders to uphold and follow.

Rand Moorhead, St. Petersburg

Where is the governor?

Florida cases skyrocket | Dec. 25

I read in the Tampa Bay Times that Florida cases of COVID have risen 323 percent over the previous week, with an increase in positivity rate from 5.3 percent to 13.8 percent. That’s stunning. Yet out in the public, I find very few precautions — no social distancing and very few mask-wearers. So where is our fearless leader, Gov. Ron DeSantis? Where are his pop-up town halls (never announced to the public, only to his supporters)? Where is his marvelous leadership? When will he start to exercise the responsibility of his position?

Fern Williams, Zephyrhills

You could amend it

Times have changed | Letter, Dec. 25

A letter writer sees the Constitution as outdated and in need of “tweaking.” I’m sure that the Founding Fathers would agree because they devoted the entirety of Article 5 to the method for doing the “tweaking.” It’s called the amendment process. However, there are many who want to shortcut the process because they know that the changes they desire would never be acceptable to the majority of the states or the citizenry. Therefore, they prefer that a handful of black-robed justices make the changes based on their own personal beliefs and biases. It’s a good practice when those judicial opinions match your own; otherwise, not so much. Furthermore, if the Second Amendment doesn’t apply to modern firearms, then maybe the First Amendment doesn’t apply to radio, television or the internet. The Fourth Amendment doesn’t apply to search by wiretap or electronic surveillance. Such arguments surely do not reflect “critical thinking.”

John S.V. Weiss, Spring Hill