Republicans crucial to effort for funding Florida education
Published November 7, 2003
Editor: A short lesson for state Sen. Ken Pruitt, R-Mars, on solving the educational funding issues in Florida: First, talk to the leader responsible for opposing taxes at all costs.
His name is Bush, though for those having trouble with four-letter words, he goes by Jeb.
Follow the stench downhill to the office of Johnnie Byrd, R-Duh!, and continue talking to everyone affiliated with that R (for rich) party until they either resign or change their ways.
Why Pruitt is going to the community colleges, the most egregiously wronged locations by his own party, can only be chalked up to political grandstanding.
Here's another clue for you, Pruitt: Community colleges already support better funding for education. It's your colleagues that aren't getting it!
-- Brent Yaciw, Wesley Chapel
Concrete proof exists for "mythical' right to arms
Re: Judge's opinions a danger to women, Nov. 2 letter Editor: The letter writer is off and running again when he refers to "the mythical right to bear arms." On what nonexistent theory does he base such an outrageous conclusion?
The Second Amendment of the Bill of Rights states quite clearly, "A well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed." The Constitution of Florida, article I, section 8, states "The right of the people to keep and bear arms . . . shall not be infringed, except that the manner of bearing arms may be regulated by law." What part of these basic principles does the writer fail to understand? It is quite obvious to me that judges interpret and apply existing laws and understand the difficulty in balancing the rights of both parties in the domestic cases before them.
A fair and equitable application of existing laws and individual rights is difficult, at best. The Fifth Amendment states that no person shall be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law. There are two basic constitutional concepts in effect, then, the Second and Fifth amendments.
The right to self-defense is a basic human right. There are more than 300,000 men and women in the state of Florida who hold a license to carry a concealed weapon, and many more law-abiding citizens who legally keep weapons at home.
Men and women alike should take steps to learn how to protect themselves in order to avoid becoming defenseless victims.
-- Lee Hanson, Hudson
Letter writer mistaken about veterans benefits
Re: Veterans are asking for too much in disability pay, Oct. 27 letter
Editor: The letter writer should be ashamed of herself for pretending to know about disability compensation and using her gender as an excuse for not getting her Veterans Affairs benefits.
First, saying, "had I been a male, especially a pilot, I probably would have received 100 percent disability with 75 percent compensation" is a disgusting gender-based attack. Also, her math leaves a lot to be desired. I don't want her doing my income tax.
The VA does not discriminate between sexes or rank. Speaking as a retired female enlisted woman with 100 percent service connected disability, I am receiving 100 percent compensation from the VA, not the military.
Where she gets her figures is a mystery. If a retired military is getting disability compensation, which is less than the retired pay, the compensation comes out of the retired pay, but it is not taxed. If the disability compensation is greater than the retired pay, the veteran waives the retired pay and gets the compensation, which is not taxed.
The retired military's complaint - and U.S. Rep. Mike Bilirakis has been working for us for more than 20 years to get it straightened out - is that we are the only federal employees who do not receive both retired pay and disability compensation.
The writer should visit her nearest veterans service officer so she can get her disability with the VA. They will probably give her $104, tax free, a month.
Does she really think that a person who gave up a normal way of life to devote 20 or more years defending this nation, and is severely injured while defending this nation, is trying to rip off the government?
If she would like to get the real information on disability compensation, she may make an appointment with Pasco County Veterans Service Officer Fred Harrop or Department of Veterans Affairs Service Officer Ted Jackson at the New Port Richey VA Outpatient Clinic before she makes any more of these ridiculous statements.
-- Kathryn L. Robinson, Holiday
[Last modified November 7, 2003, 01:17:07]
