LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Will a shutdown include the White House?

I watched the president’s TV dialogue on building a wall and his threat to shut down the government with Democratic leadership. It was so laughable and amusing when a president threatens to shut his own government. My question to you and your readers: When a president shuts the government himself, is he ready to walk out or vacate the White House?

Shamim A. Mirza, Plantation

Transportation issues won’t be solved by more money

I want to thank all the voters who increased our sales tax by 16 percent this year. Traffic problems are caused by local governments shutting access to roads and they didn’t need more money to solve the problem.

The money is obviously out there already, just look at the pensions in the paper of city, county employees “retiring” as multi-millionaires. Legislators have been passing unsustainable perks, pork and pensions for decades, and the reality doesn’t seem to faze the voter.

You would have to live to 130 years old to get Social Security benefits equal to the 55-year-old retired Parkland deputy.

David Hyzy, Coconut Creek

Why would students want armed teachers?

The Marjory Stoneman Douglas Commission went rogue and advocated arming teachers — presumably at the behest of gunmakers who finance the NRA and Maria Butina’s Russian handlers.

The students who were victims, who started the March for Our Lives, advocate the opposite approach. Why would anyone subject those kids to guns purposely put in their classrooms — guns that can be easily turned on them once again?

The Russians and Republicans and the NRA will not be happy until every elementary school student is provided with a gun for their own protection. What could go wrong? James L Wilson, Plantation

Broward sheriff should resign

Sheriff Scott Israel is so dedicated to the safety of Broward County that his poor management of the BSO and its staff led to the execution, the murder, of 17 Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School students. Not only are Col. Jim Polan, Capt. Jan Jordan, Sgt. Brian Miller, and Deputy Scott Miller failures, but so is Sheriff Scott Israel. After all, to quote President Harry Truman, ultimately the “buck” stops with him. It’s time, like Capt. Jan Dolan already has done, for him to resign.

Erik H. Schot, Lauderdale-by-the-Sea

Editorial on Acosta, Epstein was politically naive

Regarding your Dec. 13 editorial “Make Acosta explain wrist-slap deal given to sexual predator”: What really led to the lenient plea deal for the molestation of hundreds of underage girls? It’s illogical to assume Epstein’s minimal 18 month penalty — which would have resulted in multiple life sentences under Florida law — came about just because Epstein is rich and had top attorneys.

The real reason was that the deal also gave federal immunity not just to Epstein but to “any (unnamed) potential co-conspirators.” To be clear, these were grown men who, like Epstein, molested teenage girls, some as young as 13. The cover-up was finalized when U.S. District Court Judge Kenneth Marra sealed 15,000 pages of documents, presumably to protect Epstein’s reputation. Really??? It seems more plausible that the legal and reputation protection is for a lot of highly placed men from both sides of the aisle, possibly even extending to presidents Trump & Clinton. Do you really think party politicians in Congress are going to turn over this rock and unseal the documents, as your editors suggest? I doubt it.

Dale Farkas, Plantation