Legislature a puppet of oil, gas interests | Letters to the editor
A reader is angry at the Florida Legislature for bowing to the demands of oil and gas industries.
I write in response to the op-ed by Dale Calhoun, director of the Florida Natural Gas Association, who wrote in praise of Florida House Bill 1645 (“Smart energy policies mean freedom for all Floridians,” May 16).
According to the state summary, the bill “prohibits construction, operation, or expansion of certain wind energy facilities and wind turbines.” It also “repeals the Florida Energy and Climate Protection Act (which includes the Renewable Energy and Energy-Efficient Technologies Grants Program), Florida Green Government Grants Act, Energy Economic Zone Pilot Program, and Qualified Energy Conservation Bonds provisions.”
It eliminates planning for renewable energy and expansion of energy conservation. It eliminates certification of natural gas pipelines under 100 miles long (the previous limit was 15 miles). It even dips into preventing homeowners associations from specifying what kind of appliances are allowed.
This is a handout to the gas and oil industry.
David Blasco, Fort Lauderdale
Rick Scott’s scare tactics
Two things are obvious every time I hear one of Sen. Rick Scott’s reelection ads.
He knows nothing about socialism, but he is an expert on scare tactics. Shame on you, senator. You must have a very low opinion of voters in Florida. I hope that come election day, voters have an equally low opinion of you.
David M. Cohen, Ph.D., Fort Lauderdale
Gun extremist baloney
I am a retired Marine who qualified as an expert on the M-14, M-16, 1911 and .38 and who is a current gun owner, but not an AR-15. I don’t need one to shoot those feral pigs in the backyard that a Republican senator spoke about (Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La.).
As someone who also shoots pistols weekly, I have to say that Luis Valdes’ argument for campus carry is total gun extremist baloney (“Florida needs campus carry, plain and simple,” May 13).
How many civilians on campus carrying guns are trained to react to extreme danger situations? Or trained to hit what they are shooting at? How many would shoot first and think later? How many more nut cases would be on campuses with guns?
Valdes’ arguments against waiting periods and red-flag laws are the grist of the NRA drivel that has put so many guns in the hands of so many who are not capable of handling them safely.
We need universal background checks and a waiting period, which won’t impact anyone with a concealed carry permit.
We need a rational approach to gun ownership that’s designed with the safety of our citizens and gun owners’ rights in mind. We need to go back to concealed carry only for those who qualify for a CCW card.
When will the right start advocating for arming elementary kids with BB guns, secondary school kids with .22s, and high school students with AR-15s? Does it seem far-fetched? Not if you believe in a “no compromise” approach to gun ownership.
More guns won’t mean safer campuses. It means more people being wounded or killed on our campuses.
Ray Belongie, Lt. Col. USMC (Ret.), Sunrise
Make Medicare better
Despite the availability of information, some older Americans feel trapped in their Medicare plans.
Retired veterinarian Richard Timmins attended an information seminar promoting Medicare Advantage. After selecting his plan, he was diagnosed with melanoma, with an age of onset of 66. He faced difficulty acquiring care.
Such situations call into question the regulations surrounding Medicare information, especially when it can be provided by private insurers. There should be a vetting process for coverage claims that is advertised, with transparency in costs, based on demographics. CMS needs to standardize and verify the content provided by private insurers. CMS must enact a system to gauge understanding of coverage and cost prior to confirmation of plans.
Medicare was designed to finance access for the elderly at a time when medicine had little regard for cost control. It’s time that goal is met.
Priya Patel Housley, Fort Lauderdale