Maxwell: Readers sound off on Hope Florida, love bugs, manatees and sucky columnists

No one believes you’re doing a good job, Scott. Everyone believes you’re terrible in your work.Tim

All of you? That’s a bit of a depressing way to begin today’s column.

Today’s read was enjoyable.Mom

Tim, take that.

I appreciate your article on hurricanes and love bugs. [Love bugs have returned. There will be hurricanes soon. Wait a minute, Florida.Vienna sausage and saltines were staples in our home’s hurricane survival supplies. Yes, they were survival food, and I had them a few times when I was younger.Lee

Vienna sausages were something my mother used to feed us. I always thought that happened on days when we had messed up.

rumpy-pumpy? It’s a novel one.David

It can be difficult to think of several family-friendly ways to explain what love bugs do while they’re together when writing about them.

Mother f****er, you are a bastard.Manny

That is definitely not family-friendly.

Scott After reading your editorial today, I am pleased to be a longtime, devoted Sentinel subscriber: Sentinel is instructed by DeSantis to cease looking into his controversy. That isn’t taking place. The typical law-abiding individual is aware that federal funding cannot be taken from our most vulnerable citizens. Keep searching for the truth.Tom

Politicians that don’t want their actions revealed have attempted to prevent journalists from asking questions for as long as there has been journalism. It’s an old saw that doesn’t work very often.

Mao ZeRon was a wise decision! Fantastic column, but regrettably chilling.Michael

Unfortunately, the name is appropriate. Throughout history, attempts have been made by authoritarian leaders to regulate and control the media. In particular, Mao Zedong promoted the idea that politicians must control the media in order to benefit the ruling party.

It’s hilarious that you believe your shit publication is actually read.Tristan

In Tallahassee, I know at least one man who is so worried about our publication’s readership that he is attempting in vain to get people to stop reading it.

I appreciate your article today. In a rare revolt, Floridians defeated a plan to reduce AP money for public schools. My son eventually tested out of classes with the equivalent of a second-semester junior after taking AP subjects. As a registered Republican, I am completely horrified. More examples of how to speak up and effect change are needed.Doug

Recent examples include the strong, bipartisan opposition to the proposals to build golf courses and hotels in state parks. Voting and speaking up can have a positive impact.

For thirty-three years, I was employed by the Florida Department of Education. Only DOE employees and the institutions objected when Republicans once suggested halving the payment for low-income college students. People in poverty don’t have time for phone calls or letters. The phones rang nonstop when they later decided to decrease funds for both the rich and the poor by 10%.Tom

Until those who aren’t directly affected by a policy speak up for others who are, change frequently doesn’t occur.

I like the opinion piece from today, “Don’t overtax Floridians while giving corporations a pass.” Additional tax incentives are given to other Florida businesses and industries each year, and eventually they build up to the location you describe.Michael

Michael, I agree. There is always a payer. And it’s typically citizens in Florida. In addition to having more toll roads than any other state, Florida has increased sales taxes by over $1 billion and lowered corporate taxes by over $5 billion in recent years. There is always a payer.

You might find it difficult to comprehend that corporations are exempt from paying taxes. I never did.Steve

Steve, a corporate lobbyist coined the claim that corporations don’t pay taxes years ago in the hopes that some people would believe it. The spinsters have hope because of you. I assume you think businesses don’t pay anything, such as salaries, utilities, or invoicing, if you think they don’t pay taxes. It’s all bullshit. They do, of course. Businesses frequently receive breaks that they use for everything from CEO bonuses to stockholder dividends rather than immediately passing on to customers.

I adore manatees. While canoeing and kayaking on the upper Indian River and Mosquito Lagoon, I’ve had numerous close encounters with them throughout the years, some of which have been almost miraculous. I find the state’s most recent action, which you described, to be extremely troubling. [Florida opposes manatee rescue operations]. Perhaps developers should be designated as the state’s official sea animal.Craig

How many Save the Developers license plates we could sell is unknown to me.

Maxwell: The cost of Florida’s freedom to pollute is manatee corpses

Would you kindly inquire further about the most effective ways that the general public might contribute to this? Which officials should we contact and where can we contribute?Kevin

You wager. Audubon Florida (audubon.org/florida) and The Sierra Club’s Florida Chapter (sierraclub.org/florida) are two of the state’s oldest environmental organizations. Additionally, there is Save The Manatee (savethemanatee.org) for this particular topic. Additionally, if you are concerned about the policy, get in touch with your state legislators (www.leg.state.fl.us) or the governor (www.flgov.com) and tell them that the Department of Environmental Protection should cease battling a court order requiring them to begin protecting manatees, as they should have been doing all along.

Manatees dead? Nothing fresh. State and local governments are lying to developers in order to get payoffs. In another ten to twenty years, manatees will be extinct. So folks will cry, go to Starbucks for a latte, then drive their Beamer back to their home with the perfectly manicured St. Augustine lawn and feel proud for sending 5 bucks to Save the Manatees.Jim

I don’t advise you to become an inspirational speaker, Jim.

Scott, I’ve learned a lot from your recent posts. I wish everyone was obliged to read them. Keep up the good work, and if the governor puts you and other staff in jail, I will help with the GoFundMe account to come up with bail money and legal fees.Charles

Good. Save the Journalists!

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