Why punish solar panel users?
Global warming is no longer a theory — it’s a fact, and it is clearly made worse by burning of fossil fuels, as most power generating plants do.
The need for environmentally neutral ways to generate power is critical, if earth is to avoid catastrophic warming. To date, the most feasible of those are wind and solar. I have installed solar panels on my roof, which has significantly reduced my power consumption from Florida Power & Light. At 80, I am unlikely to ever fully recover the cost of installation. I did it because I believed it was the right thing to do, for the people, the country, and the planet.
What the Florida Public Service Commission felt was the right thing to do was to financially punish those whose power bills do not exceed $25/month, by letting FPL and other power utilities arbitrarily add a base charge of $25/month to their bills. So as of my June bill, for the four or five months of the year my solar panels are most effective, I am forced to make an involuntary donation of $100 or more to FPL.
The following notice was slipped into my June bill: “A new minimum base bill of $25, which was approved by the Florida Public Service Commission, is now in effect for metered residential customers whose monthly base electric service costs fall below $25.”
Lawyers can hash out whether this is legal; it is certainly morally wrong. The Public Service Commission should be encouraging, rather than punishing, homeowner investment in solar power.
Jack Morton, Melbourne
Pharmacists and prescription drugs
Just a thought: If pharmaceutical representatives had to pitch their drugs to pharmacists instead of doctors, maybe some change in prescription prices and usage would occur.
Pharmacists generally have more knowledge about the drugs, their composition and generics that may or may not be recommended. They also understand insurance and may recommend purchasing the prescription without using insurance.
I trust my pharmacist when it comes to prescription drugs more than I do my doctor. I truly believe they invest more time and experience into researching new drugs and alternatives. When I encounter the pharmaceutical representative refilling the cabinet with drug samples or setting out coffee and donuts in the doctor’s office, I have to question the prescription decision my doctor has made for me.
Nancy Barrett, Rockledge
Voters should decide abortion laws
I have a very rigid view on abortion. My wife and I could never do it, but neither could we stop or condemn someone who chose to receive one.
Without Roe v. Wade the answer, in my opinion, is simple. Each state must hold a referendum on the procedure. If voters condemn the procedure, there must be exceptions for rape, incest or a circumstance where the mother’s health is impacted or threatened. There must not be rules prohibiting travel to a state where it is legal, and insurance companies must include it as any other procedure.
A friend from work years ago said there should be a referendum on the procedure, with only women voting as they are the ones affected most. Interesting, but probably not legal.
People do not want to be told to wear a mask, but they can try and control a woman’s body? It is the business of the mother/father only, even though others may find it a sin or just “not right.”
How’s that for a rigid fence-sitter? But that is, to me, the only obvious solution to this thorny dilemma.
Craig Graham, Melbourne
Founders valued individuals’ rights
The gentleman who wrote the July 27 opinion column would have us believe that of the 10 original amendments to the Constitution, the Second Amendment was meant to apply collectively to government employees (National Guard/militia) rather than individual citizens.
This well educated attorney uses mental gymnastics to argue that the text of the Second Amendment clearly states that only those employed by the state have the right to keep weapons, and only in the defense of the state.
Anyone who has read the writings of our founders know that they endeavored to protect the natural rights of individual citizens over the whims of those in government. Every living creature is born with the right of self-preservation, and every tyrant since the beginning of time has tried to take away that right from those that they rule or intend to prey upon. I find it hard to believe that the gentleman who wrote the column doesn’t understand this point, and feel it is more likely that he is being disingenuous to rehash tired liberal lies.
Mike Corley, Melbourne
‘Way past time’ to get tough on crime
If people really wanted to stop the commission of felonies with guns, they would stop attacking legal and responsible gun owners and the police, and start enforcing the proper penalties for the crimes.
As long as there are no incentives for the criminals to not do the crime, they will continue, with or without guns. We need to put the teeth back into our judicial system and our law enforcements, and make it unattractive to commit any crime with a gun or any instrument capable of inflicting injury.
It’s no wonder our jails and prisons are overcrowded, and felons still walking our streets. It’s way past time to get tough on crime.
Thomas Johnson, Palm Bay
What are Republicans thinking?
I can’t believe these Republicans.
Republican candidate for Senate J.D. Vance of Ohio told an audience at a Christian high school that people nowadays get divorced too easily, and that they should stay in bad marriages, even violent ones, for the sake of the children. Even though each month 70 women in the U.S. are fatally shot by intimate partners.
Four Republican states — Missouri, Arizona, Arkansas, and Texas — will not allow divorce if the woman is pregnant. And abortion is now outlawed in each of the states. How’s that for freedom of choice?
Florida Republican Rep. Matt Gaetz doubles down on his claim at a conservative Student Action Summit that only unattractive women are worried about abortion rights.
Republican Rep. Glenn Thompson of Pennsylvania, who voted recently against the Respect for Marriage Act protecting gay marriage, three days later attended his son’s wedding to another man. His spokesperson said Thompson and his wife were “thrilled to attend and celebrate their son’s marriage.”
So, Republicans believe women should put up with an abusive husband, stay in a bad marriage, take a baby to term before they can get divorced, and vote against the same marital rights they celebrate with their children?
It took until 1920 for women to earn the constitutional right to vote. I can’t think of a better time than 2022 for women to exercise their franchise to elect people who will respect, trust and enable them to make the best decision for their body and their family. Stop the denigration of women now.
Vicky Dorman, Satellite Beach
He’ll take economics over empathy
It is very interesting that when folks ascribe motives to others, they don’t realize they are projecting their own biases. On the July 24 Opinion page there are statements like “Democrats on the whole are more empathetic” “… “Republicans seem to love chaos and hatred” … “Republicans want to tax the poor and help the rich” … and that Rep. Bill Posey voted “not to impeach and remove the most corrupt U.S. president ever.”
Of course these types of statements are personal opinions, not facts, and do not stand up under scrutiny.
To wit: Which states have large debt and are losing residents due to increasing costs of living and rising crime? California and New York .Who leads them? Democrats.
What was the U.S. like the day Biden took office? Inflation was near zero. Gas was $1.93 per gallon. There were no supply chain problems. We had a record stock market and low interest rates. The U.S. was energy independent and actually an exporter of oil. In fact it was the best economy in 50 years.
So what were the Republicans’ motives then? And what were Trump’s motives?
It is then logical to ask: What are Biden’s motives? Gas has gone over $4 per gallon; inflation is the highest in 40 years. Supply chain problems are everywhere. Stock market way down.
Oh, but he is more empathetic. No thanks.
George Minto, Titusville
Answer to one question tells a lot
It is important when choosing who to vote for, no matter what office, to know whether a candidate is intelligent and honest. To this end it would be great if FLORIDA TODAY asked every single candidate for any office whether they think Joe Biden was elected president and that the election was not stolen.
If a candidate chooses not to answer this question that should also be made clear.
Price T. Bingham, Melbourne
Democrats, we need a message
I agree with recent thoughts from journalist and political commentator Fareed Zakaria: Democrats need to get back to bread-and-butter issues, start building things again, focus on gas prices, food prices, etc.
The culture wars are too divisive. I met 10 people recently, citizens and naturalized citizens from the Caribbean (Haiti, Trinidad, Jamaica), Europe (England), the USA and Africa (Nigeria), all of whom are concerned. Five have switched from the Democratic Party to independent, due to the culture wars, saying there’s too much emphasis on sexual orientation by politicians and people. There is no teacher, anywhere on this earth, who’s waking up and going to teach harmful sexual ideas to their students. We are watching lies, misinformation and such disrespectful behaviors by certain groups who claim to be the moral police. We all care about all students receiving a quality public education and having opportunities to succeed. In my humble opinion, a lot of students are being taught hate, division, bigotry, racism and fear at their homes, places of worship and other places before they enter a school. I firmly believe that the foundation for everything starts in the homes.
There is a time and place for everything and everyone. The Democrats are the “party of the big tent,” with all welcome. Well, we still don’t have a message and we allow Republicans to control the narrative on every single issue. I’m terrified about democracy vs. autocracy.
We need a message, Democrats, or we lose.
Seeta Begui, Melbourne
