Could this be the end of our country?
I thank the director of the Cuban Studies Institute, Jaime Suchlicki, for his letter of Oct. 12, giving us such a concise blueprint for the demise of our country.
He writes: The rise of a Hitler or a Castro-like leader in America would require the destruction of the military, the collapse of the economy, the transformation of the political and religious institutions and the national rejection of a robust democratic past. Not likely in the foreseeable future?
Yikes, I see all the things he mentions happening now. The destruction of the military began when the electoral college selected a commander in chief who was a draft dodger.
He’s destroying the military when he doesn’t read intelligence briefings and doesn't want to hear anything bad about Russia. He says he is smarter than all the generals, he attacks POWs, veterans and Gold Star families.
I see that Wall Street may be OK for the billionaires but the economy is collapsing for farmers, airlines, hotels and the average Joe. We have never before seen unemployment rates like today, there are families in need of food, housing, health and childcare. Small businesses, restaurants,
theaters and stadiums are closing by the day or are on critical life support.
I see the transformation of our political institutions began in the 80’s with
Newt Gingrich when he showed Congress how to wrestle in the mud using name-calling, conspiracy theories, and strategic obstructionism for his activist agenda.
I see the national rejection of our robust democracy and the political rule of all the people, not the white supremacists who seem to dominate the American discourse. Yet, all over America the peoples rule is stopped when our voting is suppressed. Stopped when our elections are interfered with.
What we need in 2020 is 20-20 hindsight — right now. Vote it out, save our democracy and end this excruciating national nightmare.
– John Wyatt, South Miami
CATHOLIC VOTE
In her Oct. 9 OpEd, “Trump? Joe Biden?
What’s a good Catholic to do in November?,” Mary Jo McConahay says that Catholics are told not to vote for Democrats because they “support abortions.”
This often-repeated assertion is not true. Democrats, and even many Republicans, support access to legal abortion because they know that making it illegal does not end abortion, but rather drives desperate women to dangerous, illegal clinics.
The leaders of the movement to eliminate legal abortions do not offer options, but they clearly are not above using the issue to divide and manipulate.
And to answer McConahay’s question: Ignore the lies.
– Sid Kaskey, South Miami
CUBAN POLICY
President Trump’s Cuba policy is designed to make Cubans miserable, hungry, poor and angry enough to overthrow the government. This 1950s Cold-War mentality contributes to an increase in Cuban migration.
On the one hand, Trump is putting pressure on the Cuban government, but at a terrible price to the Cuban people. On the other hand, he is closing the door to safety and a better life, exposing Cubans to risks of abuse and eventual deportation to Cuba, where they may face the same fate.
Now, about 20,000 seek asylum, but the number of people who get asylum does not reflect the human-rights situation on the island. While Trump makes a great show of complaining about human-rights violations in Cuba, he has no problem sending Cubans back in greatly increased numbers.
America faces an epic choice. The results of the election will define the country. These are perilous times The country is at a crossroads; democracy, including immigration and a beneficial Cuban-American policy, hangs in the balance.
– Terry Brant, Melrose
A BIG MISTAKE
If you really want to know where America is heading, think about our president, a super spreader who inspires recklessness, but tells us that we don’t have to wear masks, and asks people to join infected crowds at his rallies.
Do you really want to die and take other Americans with you? Are you that loyal? If we are to survive as a nation, Americans must stop feeding into this insanity. President Trump is a cult leader like many others before him, who were able to con followers into abandoning all reason. He’s no different from Jim Jones, who led his followers to their deaths.
Before giving our democracy away to a con man for four more years of chaos, stupidity and insanity, read “1984” and look at other countries who live under dictatorships.
America made a mistake. We can't let it happen again.
– Richard Brumer, Jupiter
BAPTIST REWARDS
Recently, I submitted a Letter to the Editor titled “Nurse Pay” that was a response to the July 29th Herald article “Frantic to hire nurses, Florida spends millions on recruits.”
The issue addressed was how hospitals were paying travel nurses approximately $100 more per-hour than their own full-time nurses, who are also expected to assist the travel nurses in addition to caring for their own heavy patient assignment.
Much to my delight, I heard from one of my former nursing students that all nurses working with COVID-19 patients in the in-patient settings at Baptist Health South Florida (BHSF) recently received a $5000 bonus for their dedication and efforts.
Nurses working in an out-patient setting received a $2500 bonus.
Once again, BHSF has stepped up to the plate and did what was right. Kudos to Baptist. I am so proud of you.! Let’s hope you have set the example for other health care agencies to follow.
– Gale R. Woolley,
Hialeah
BARR’S SILENCE
Attorney General William Barr’s deafening silence in the face of farright groups that are trying to tear our country apart is reprehensible, further proof that he is working only for President Trump.
Because domestic terrorists in Michigan planned to kidnap a Democratic governor, failure to condemn them shows his complicity.
Is terrorism on American soil fine with Barr as long as the terrorists are Trump voters?
The president had the audacity to condemn the governor instead of the terrorists. Can the average law-abiding citizen assume that Trump approved of this kidnapping plot?
– John Isaacs,
Miami
BAD KARMA
Republicans pushing to confirm Amy Cony Barrett to the Supreme Court just before the presidential election, after denying hearings for Merrick Garland nine months before the 2016 contest, are hypocritical. Their strategy will come back to to hurt.
As history shows, the balance of power always swings, sooner or later, back to the party out of power. When it does, this partisanship likely will motivate Democrats to seek an even more radical constitutional revenge, which will only divide us further.
Fairness creates objectivity. Partisanship creates revenge.
– Glenn Patron,
Miami
KNOW WORLD HISTORY
Are the great American people aware that some of you are falling into a deep hole of submission and following the same beliefs as millions of Germans and Italians did before World War II?
The Fuhrer promised golden greatness, he thought he was powerful and he led innocent believers into a dark abyss using his passion and enthusiasm as convincingly as the leader you now have as your president. Are you aware that the rest of the world is watching you in disbelief and horror that this boastful actor who says he is the best man for everything and wants to kiss all his followers might actually get your votes?
We Europeans have not seen such a dangerous man in the free world since 1939. Wake up!
– Susie Marshall, Malvern, Worcestershire,shocje
United Kingdom
LIKE A LEMMING
After watching the news recently, I was shocked that an adult would ever admit that if President Trump asked her to wear a mask, “I would do so, if asked.” What does she consider Trump — God on Earth?
Medical and science experts have recommended this practice to prevent spreading COVID-19 all along.
May God help us all.
– Richard L. Owen,
Miami Lakes
A FLY LANDS
It’s pretty amazing that the person criticizing the editorial cartoon about the fly at the debate as demeaning to Vice President Mike Pence does not care that the president himself called a highly qualified U.S. senator a monster the very next day.
I guess the fly might have landed on the wrong politician.
– Lainey Nacron,
Miami