Letters to the Editors

Flamingo Boulevard is not safe to drive

© St. Petersburg Times, published August 13, 2000

Editor: I'm probably wasting my time and a 33-cent stamp, but I am frustrated.

I live off Flamingo Boulevard in Hernando Beach. At one time, this was a safe road on which to travel. The speed limit is 35 mph, or posted so.

Every time I leave my house to venture into points north or south, I drive with trepidation. Between dodging potholes (many) and raised manhole covers, I also must be alert for motorists who are speeding or tailgating. Hard to believe, but true.

Along Flamingo, there are two dangerous bends in the road: one at Flamingo at San Junn Drive, and the other at Flamingo at Bimini Drive. One does not have clear vision of oncoming traffic. I have had to brake, swerve or even stop to avoid careless motorists.

This carelessness also puts into jeopardy people who are walking, biking or skating. Dogs and children, too. I especially cite construction personnel, but not entirely. It seems Flamingo Boulevard turns into an Indy 500 for some drivers.

On one occasion, my husband was forced to swerve (a vehicle cutting his turn short at Calienta Street and Flamingo). He hit a pothole (covered with water) and as a result we had damages to our car in the amount of $300.

Surely, I can't be the only resident who feels that driving on Flamingo is an accident waiting to happen. It'll probably be me. I don't know the solution, but I had to voice my concern.
-- Alice H. Elliott, Hernando Beach

Vote out those opposing Medicare bill

Editor: Av Med Health Plan and Humana are pulling their Medicare HMOs out of Hernando County at the end of this year. This will affect 9,800 residents of my county. I am one who belongs to Humana and am very much concerned.

We need help and need it now, before the end of the year.

Evidently, Gov. Bush takes no interest in this, as nothing is being done by him or Insurance Commissioner Bill Nelson.

Some people will die if they do not get the medications they need through these HMOs. This a tragedy in our country, and it should not be. If we can help the other countries of the world, why can't we help our own people? Who should come first?

Most of us are not rich and don't know how we will be able to afford medicines we need and treatments such as chemotherapy and radiation costs. Some of us will have to make a choice between food or the medications we need.

There is a Medicare bill coming up before the members of Congress, and it should be supported by the members of Congress. Write or call your congressman.

Our president was right when he said Medicare should include prescription drug costs. The elderly should not be deprived of medical coverage or prescription drug costs. Eventually, this will affect our younger generations as they get close to retirement.

Seniors, especially you, who are on these Humana and Av Med HMOs, get out and vote. We want no excuses. We need help and need it now.

We want Congress to support the Medicare bill and those who don't give a damn about us seniors -- throw them out of office.
-- Rose Nardone, Spring Hill

HMO issue should be above politics

Re: Lawmaker targets HMO "emergency':

Who cares which person suggested it first? I, for one, do not care who gets credit or whatever. It was my understanding from the meeting Aug. 4 that this issue of the HMOs was not a partisan issue. After all, aren't we all residents of Hernando County, regardless of our political affiliation? It is what is best for the people and not who is the best elected official.

I am so tired of the ins and outs of politics -- "I did it first," "He/She is to blame for not getting it done." When will we grow up and accept that some things should not be political?

It is very pleasing to me that Commissioner Pat Novy drafted a letter to be directed to the governor asking for help with this problem. It also is very pleasing to me that state Rep. David Russell, R-Brooksville, has tried to reach the governor to help us with the situation. Both are extremely important to all of us who are affected by the HMOs wanting to pull out of our county. It is not about getting one's picture or name in the paper; it is about helping your constituents.
-- Lois J. Oliver, Brooksville

The government is not your daddy

Editor: Re: Lack of prescription drug coverage and your article crying for "government" to provide drug coverage:

I was speaking with my father about this and told him that maybe what is going on with HMOs in this country is a necessary evolutionary step in getting people to be responsible for their own lives and less dependent on government to do it for them. (Note: my father is one of the estimated 9,800 about to lose Medicare HMO coverage.)

Yes, some will suffer in the process. But in the long run our country will be stronger for it.

How? Hopefully this loss of Humana will cause families to band together to help one another. Hopefully this will cause people to engage in meaningful discussion about the role of government in our lives. And hopefully this discussion will cause people to look at their motivations for wanting what they want. Too often folks will focus only on "their" needs and wants without consequence as to what their desires cause for the rest of the country and those who will be around long after these ego-centered individuals leave Earth.

This minicrisis also should serve as a wake-up call for our young people in the work force. They should see for themselves that government cannot take care of all their needs. They need to realize that when they demand the government do something for them there will be a cost. And sometimes that cost can be prohibitive. Often the government will promise you something this year and yank it out from under your feet the next year.

It seems to me that every time something hits an individual in the pocketbook, the hue and cry is for government to do something about it. Get a grip, people! Take responsibility for yourselves and your families (sons, daughters, husbands, wives, parents, in-laws, grandparents, etc.) The government is not your mommy and daddy who will bail you out of every scrape you get yourself into.

Witness what is occurring right now. Lots of folks are screaming for our Congress to use some of the surplus to provide these benefits. But ultimately, at what cost? What will happen when the surpluses dry up? Will our young people today (and tomorrow's seniors) find themselves paying extraordinarily high tax rates to support this? Remember, the majority of those today screaming for increased benefits will not be around in 20 or 30 years. They will not have to pay the piper. Our kids will.

If our citizens would concern themselves more with making sure they have their own retirements taken care of and along with it save their money to purchase the necessary insurance later in life, then in 30 years we will not need government to babysit us. Try that instead of buying SUVs, huge houses, 52-inch TVs, bass boats, vacations on cruise ships and all other manner of self-gratification resulting in massive debt loads. It may not be as chic as you'd envisioned for yourselves, but when you get to be 60-plus years old, you'll thank yourself that you no longer depend on "mommy and daddy" in Washington. But it has to start now!
-- Vilmar Tavares, Spring Hill

Article advocates cruelty to animals

Editor: Re: Rattler loses its head and its hide, Aug. 2 Hernando Times:

I am dismayed by the prominence of this article and the cruelty it touts. While I agree that a rattlesnake is not akin to a dog or cat, nor a creature one would want to encounter, it is not deserving of being beaten to death, as the subject of this article has done on numerous occasions.

It seems the rattler was simply trying to exist. The article, if one reads it through, does state that rattlers are part of our ecosystem and are best left alone. Unfortunately, many readers will not read past the first few paragraphs where brutality is championed.

As this article is at least the third in the Times recently to advocate animal cruelty, I am left to wonder whether the staff at this newspaper are sadistic, or less evolved as compassionate human beings.

One matter I am sure of, though, is that the grammatical skills of the staff are lacking. The author of this article reports that the snake killer plans to "make himself a wallet." Now, that would be a story worth reporting!
-- Colleen Kasperek, Spring Hill

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