Letters

Letters to the editor, Feb. 11

TBO.com
Published: February 11, 2012

Election predictions

In his Letter to the Editor published in "Voices" on Feb. 5 writer Gerald Lesmeister of Weeki Wachee regales us with his own estimates of the percentages of a number of groups of people who will vote for President Obama, unless, of course, the world ends this November as predicted by the Mayan calendar.

His groups include, but probably are not limited to, African Americans, union members and their leaders, Latinos (including illegal aliens), teachers and college professors (members of the National Education Association,) gay/bisexual/transgender, older Americans, and independent voters. I'm not going to quibble over his research, but just caution readers, that is, those of us who can think for ourselves, that his percentages are his own and may bear no relation to actual votes cast in November.

Do people in these groups vote for those, including the president, who will further their agenda or continue their benefits? Of course! That's why we have two parties plus a few independents! African Americans will not necessarily vote for Obama just because his skin is dark; they didn't in 2007.

Union members don't take orders blindly, and Latinos won't vote for Obama just because they get benefits granted to them by many previous administrations. Teachers and college professors are not all wild eyed Liberals (with a capital "L" a la Limbaugh), and sexual preference doesn't determine political preference. Will sixty percent of we "Senior Citizens" vote? I surely hope so, and we do think, evaluate, and decide for ourselves.

So as a senator, President Obama voted for measures that resulted in huge budget deficits. So what? He only got one vote, and that vote included members of both parties.

I think that if I were a member of any of the groups enumerated by Mr. Lesmeister I would be insulted by his assumption that I would vote for Obama, or anyone else for that matter, just because I was a member of the herd.

If the herd is moving in a direction I consider to my benefit, yes, I'll thunder along with the rest. However, even though I'm a registered Democrat, I'll continue to see if the president deserves another four years. See you at the polls.

GB Leatherwood

Spring Hill

Know the facts

I remember Mary Jo Melone's left-leaning columns from her days at the Tampa Bay Times. You always knew what you were going to get. Retirement hasn't mellowed her much, at least when it comes to that sacred tenet of feminist liberals – abortion "rights."

Their strident "my body, my choice" mantra hasn't changed over the years, but technology has, making their one-sided, unscientific arguments even more refutable.

Melone's latest foray reveals the pro-aborts' frustration over recent legislative gains in Florida and other states which have come down (unfortunately, she says) on the side of the unborn.

Imagine having to wait to snuff out a life as long as it takes you to decide whether or not to have a face lift! Or watching evidence via sonogram that what "they" said about "it" just being a "blob of tissue" isn't true; it is moving, it has a heartbeat and it is a live, human being already.

Despite harping about "choice" for 39 years, Ms. Melone and her cohorts seem determined to prevent any scientific facts from affecting this life and death choice from getting out.

They are correct, however, to be united in their fear that if they fight the gradual dismantling of the judicial travesty that Roe v. Wade is, it will be revisited by the U.S. Supreme Court and the lies which have resulted in the death of more than 50 million unborn babies and countless emotionally scarred women will be revealed.

In a recent ruling by the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals which lifted a temporary injunction against the Texas Sonogram Law, Judge Jones stated: "the giving of truthful, non-misleading information which is relevant to the decision (abortion) did not impose an undue burden on the woman's right to an abortion."

Completely repelled by a recent remark made by state Rep. Mike Horner, "I don't think that killing children should be convenient." Are we to assume that it's Melone's position that killing these children should be convenient? Over 50 percent of the U.S. population agree with Rep. Horner and count themselves as pro-life. Who knows, if you look at the real facts, Mary Jo, so may you one day.

Mary L. Wright

Brooksville

A letter to county commissioners

As a concerned citizen who relies on public transit, I feel a need to express my opinions.

Having special needs I use the bus almost every day and see the potential for the bus to raise funds in Hernando County by creating more commerce and bringing Hernando County residents to and from work and also to local shops.

All economists agree that the potential economic growth of a community is directly linked to its public transit. Public transit is not an entitlement, it is a need for the community and a need for economic growth.

This county offers more for potential industry than any other surrounding counties. We have a rail park that offers industry the ability to receive raw materials. But as a county we refuse to extend our public transit to bring employees to them.

As respected leaders of Hernando County I urge you to support the local transit system. And see the need to expand our services to Pine Island and out to I-75 to assist the people there as well as the new PHCC campus on U.S. 19. Take a ride on the bus talk to your taxpayers who need it. I understand that it is a standard practice to cut programs, but when will we invest in the future of Hernando County?

Expanding routes in this county is a win/win investment , again I ride the bus almost every day , and can't say enough good thing about the drivers or the system ,It is safe , reliable and an asset in Hernando County.

In closing, imagine yourself or a loved one losing their means of transportation, what would you do?

How would you get to work? How would you get medical care?

Please respectively learn about the importance of public transit and support our Hernando County.

David S. Philipsen

Weeki Wachee