Island building | Miami Herald

Re the Oct. 17 online Herald story, “Taller buildings in Bay Harbor Islands? A Nov. 6 ballot measure could let it happen,” this amendment will be good for our town for several reasons.

It will allow for an architecturally-significant building with wider setbacks and fewer units than a building developed under current zoning regulations. Additionally, the proposed project will be constructed by a team of well-respected real estate developers who will no doubt create a beautiful building that will help raise property values and enhance the town’s reputation as a quality location. On several occasions this team has publicly committed to working with the Town Council to offer a benefits package that will bring additional improvements to the community.

I plan to vote Yes for this amendment because I consider it a win for Bay Harbor Islands.

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Oil imports

The Oct. 18 opinion by Andres Oppenheimer, “Trump talks tough on Venezuela, but is importing ever more Venezuelan oil,” was extremely illuminating. He very objectively explained the repercussions of our continuing to increase these imports, while also addressing the ramifications of imposing a boycott.

However, there is one thing he did not explain and I fail to understand. Does the U.S. government import all this oil? I was under the impression that our oil companies do the importing so that they could, in turn, sell it to the consumers. I buy my gas from Exxon or Mobil or whomever, not from Trump or the government.

Protest vote

Four of seven Florida Supreme Court Justices voted to keep bundled questions on the ballot. I voted No on all of the bundled amendments (even when I agreed with some of the items) simply to protest bundling.

Combining unrelated items is wrong and preventing this unfair practice should be a proposed amendment on the next ballot.

Helping the rich

I get mad when members of a certain political party refer to Social Security and Medicare as entitlements, as if I am getting something for nothing. I paid into these programs and only hope to get my money back and have medical coverage.

It is outrageous that in order to fund tax cuts to the wealthy — who need no help — there is intent to steal from the poor to give to the rich.

Here's how to solve the problem: No cap on paying FICA tax — you earn it, you pay it all the way; government pays back what it borrowed from the fund, which is probably hundreds of billions; lastly, eliminate the vast amount of fraud. An optional idea is for the wealthy to forgo receiving Social Security benefits.

I hope all the people who voted for this administration realize their “entitlements” are going to be cut. Wake up!

Defending ourselves

Florida’s climate catastrophe hurricane dominates the news, momentarily eclipsing even the presumptive leader who calls this situation a hoax. Too many liars have access to public attention, voicing the dangerous and defeatist idea that there is a cost to defending the earth’s climate, setting environment against prosperity with a zero sum result. And too many have believed them. If humanity is to survive, we must see beyond that.

Environment is prosperity; defending the earth is survival. Every dollar we invest advances science, hires workers, and ripples through the economy, multiplying itself, typically five-fold, with good jobs and strong prospects of future benefits. It’s a path to winning, this week, next year, next human century.

Survival is not a choice, it’s an absolutely primal mandate, the one we must translate through all the layers of politics, greed and liars into collective action.

Voter suppression

It’s Hispanics in Texas, Native Americans in North Dakota, African-Americans in Georgia and ex-felons in Florida. What do these groups all have in common? As a rule, they vote Democrat.

What else do they have in common? The Republican Party is making every effort it can to ensure that their votes are not counted. Is there anyone who could say this is not a form of cheating? I know that word is ugly, but this is not an alternative fact.

Lacking experience

Candidate Gillum’s claim to executive experience is based on his being the mayor of Tallahassee. But Tallahassee’s city government is, and has been, a strong city council, weak mayor form of government. Tallahassee’s city manager is its chief operating officer. He is the one who, among other things, was responsible for any post Hurricane Michael response.

Tallahassee also has joint agreements with Leon County, including the Tallahassee-Leon County Comprehensive Plan. There is also a state Capital Region Transportation Planning Agency.

Gillum’s résumé shows that he became a member of the city council while in college. He became mayor in 2014. Other than that, through 2016, he was handsomely paid as the director of youth leadership programs with People For the American Way Foundation.

He does not have any political capital with either the Republican-dominated Florida or federal legislatures. He has no relationship with President Trump’s administration. So with no real executive experience, no workable political relationships with those in power, and no political capital to spend, how does it make any sense to vote for him? If elected, he will get nothing done for Florida.

Supporting Israel

Kudos and gratitude goes to Senators Nelson and Rubio and Rep. Wasserman-Schultz for not supporting Lara Aqsalem, a rabble-rouser and Israel hater whose BDS activities are well known and whose goal is to vilify and ultimately destroy the State of Israel.

BDS has harmed Israel economically and its academics have been boycotted as well. Yet, Lara seeks a graduate degree at Hebrew University in the very country she has dedicated her life to destroy.

Israel is a sovereign country permitted to protect itself from anyone whose actions threaten it. Any other country would be expected to do the same without any question or letters to the editor. Only Israel is expected to allow a Trojan Horse to enter its borders.

I wish the Israeli Supreme Court would not grant her the privilege of a hearing. Her actions define the word chutzpah. She reminds me of the criminal who pleads for clemency for being an orphan — after murdering his parents.