Today's Letters: Let Fla. Democrats vote by mail

Cleaning up Dean's big mess Feb. 8, editorial

I agree with your editorial position that it would be fundamentally unfair to allocate Florida's delegates based on the Jan. 29 vote when all Democrats were told the vote would result in no delegates being awarded. Also, the candidates did no campaigning here.

But we Democrats of Florida need to be represented at the convention in Denver.

While some have suggested a caucus, it would be difficult to implement and would only bring out a small portion of Democrats. I believe a mail vote of all Democrats in the state would be more representative and much easier to implement.

This mail ballot could be sent out after a period of campaigning by both candidates in our state. The cost of the mailing could be offset by an appeal for contributions as part of the mailing. If the appeal does not cover the total cost of the mailing, the Democratic National Committee should make up the difference since they created this mess in the first place.

Frank Lupo, St. Petersburg

Votes have been cast

I agree that Howard Dean has created a mess and you were right to call for action prior to the primary vote. However, one vote counts. Those Democrats who did come out voted for Hillary Clinton. She won and she should be awarded these delegates. What would be fundamentally unfair would be their saying our vote didn't count.

Maggie Tur, Oldsmar

Blame the Legislature

The issue is a mess, a true fiasco, but it is not Howard Dean's mess. It is the Florida Legislature's mess. The national Democratic Party is the national group governing the party.

For the Florida Legislature to violate the national party's rules was wrong. It was wrong for the Democrats in the Legislature to go along with it. Unfortunately, it is the people of Florida who suffer, and possibly the entire nation.

Joanne Hannon, Pinellas Park

Literacy, future crumble Jan. 31, Garrison Keillor column

Phonics and conservatism

How refreshing it was to learn that one liberal has discovered that "there is much evidence that teaching phonics really works." Perhaps others of his persuasion will come around to believing in this evidence. Of course Garrison Keillor is coming very late to the party.

Such evidence was discovered decades ago by more traditional teachers of reading who were able to ignore the dictates of the educational establishment and use their own methods. The fact that phonics has always been associated with conservatives, including conservative teachers is, as he says, undoubtedly behind the scandal of children who are at serious risk of crippling illiteracy. Such evidence of the obvious superiority of phonics has been ignored or frowned upon for years by those in education leadership who have their own ideology and vested interests. They have their own visions, which are far removed from evidence and history. The sad consequences in other areas of learning in which good reading skills are required, are an even greater scandal.

Garrison, welcome to the success of the cultural revolution in achieving its goals in education. Separating students from the history of their country and its values does not require good reading skills. Perhaps someday the progress of the revolutionaries in the other institutions of our culture will dawn upon you as well. You might even become a conservative!

Ron Weaver, Brooksville

Literacy, future crumble Jan. 31, Garrison Keillor column

Pin down the poobahs

Thank you for letting Garrison Keillor tell us that the "grand poobah Ph.D.s of Education" are well to blame for the 27 percent of our nation's children who are not able to read. It's good to know that as they continue "to speak with great confidence about theories of teaching," they refuse to acknowledge that teaching phonics really works, especially for kids with learning disabilities.

Speaking of children with learning disabilities, some have argued that when children don't learn, it's not because of their disability, but because of "dysteachia," a failure to use teaching procedures that produce the desired results. When will we start to hold the "grand poobah Ph.D.s of education" in Pinellas County responsible for the dismal literacy rate in our county?

Frans van Haaren, St. Petersburg

Amendment 1's failings

After reviewing the new property tax laws in Howard Troxler's recent article (The last word on tax fixes, or a start?, Jan. 31), it appears legislators have accomplished little more than "rearranging the chairs on the deck of the Titanic" The objective of reform efforts seems straightforward: End or narrow the inequities paid by neighbors with similar properties, reduce the burden on owners of nonhomesteaded properties and most important restore affordable housing opportunities to first-time buyers, especially young families whom we have dealt an unfair hand. Unfortunately, it appears politically popular shortsighted solutions have prevailed.

The recent passage of Amendment 1 clearly demonstrates this point. The "doubling" of the homestead exemption results in a greater proportionate break for the lowest payers and only worsens the inequities. The overall savings were overstated and can be quickly abolished by increased appraisals or millage rate hikes. Portability serves only those with low bills now, is unlikely a lasting solution to the slumping housing market (a fact the Realtors' association has misjudged) and its legality remains in doubt. No provisions that meaningfully address nonhomesteaded properties exist either. Reform efforts should protect everyone from obscene property tax bills!

Its passage also likely speaks more to the power of unopposed media (in the forms of billboards, television ads, fliers and appearances) than to voter understanding or a mandate. As the greatest democracy in world history, I believe we are walking a slippery slope by allowing government interference in any election, and we should immediately seek laws forbidding this practice. In this country the people should impose their will on the government and not vice versa.

Richard Knipe, St. Petersburg

Linda Saul-Sena and Ikea

Make a real difference

The disproportionately large headlines, mean-spirited attention and column inches given to the issue of Ikea and Tampa City Council member Linda Saul-Sena strikes me as the kind of petty and personal tabloid journalism that makes us weary of reading our newspapers. Give us a break, please!

Apparently, Saul-Sena was so tired of the lack of green building, even as the ice caps are melting, that she dared to go the extra mile to write a letter to Ikea asking the retailer to consider green building practices. How awful!

Saul-Sena has been talking green for two decades. She has had a vision for a better world and has tirelessly worked for it. She can use our help. Instead of this unseemly raking over the coals, maybe we could all carry some of the water with her and try to green up Tampa, not in several years, but now.

Patricia Kemp, Tampa

Government error takes $9,000 from a widow Jan. 31, story

Not an isolated case

This same thing happened to me and my brother last August, and we still don't have our money!

Our father, Leslie L. Gibbons, died on Aug. 5, 2007. Somehow, the Social Security Administration put April 5, 2007, in their computer, thus making it look like he had been receiving SS payments for four months after he'd died.

Just nine days after his death they wiped out his checking account, causing an overdraft of nearly $1,500! I have been to the local SSA office three times, sent numerous e-mails and faxes and phone calls. I thought I had finally gotten the issue resolved, but my brother and I still have not received the refund!

I doubt these are isolated cases, but something that happens more often than it should.

Brenda Hull, St. Petersburg

[Last modified February 10, 2008, 20:29:31]