LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Maybe Trump was right about media as enemies. Just not how he thought

In his book, Why We Are Polarized, Ezra Klein cites a survey:

Democrats believe 44% of Republicans earn over $250,000. Reality: 2%.

Republicans believe 38% of Democrats are gay, lesbian or bisexual. Reality: 6%.

Democrats believe more than 40% of Republicans are seniors. Reality: 20%.

Republicans believe 46% of Democrats are black and 44% belong to a union. Reality: 24% and 11%, respectively.

FOX doesn’t pay attention to Sen. Bob Casey, it focuses on Rep. Ilhan Omar. MSNBC pays no attention to Rep. Greg Walden, but extensively covered former Rep. Steve King, who had far less power. “The more interested in politics people were, the more political media they consumed, the more mistaken they were about the other party,” Klein wrote. “A polarized media doesn’t emphasize commonalities, it weaponizes differences; it doesn’t focus on the best of the other side, it threatens you with the worst.”

Maybe the media is an enemy of our people — but in a far different way than Trump portrays.

Jeff Kleiman, Boynton Beach

Yes, let’s rename U.S. 27. But not after Trump

In reference to the article about naming U.S. 27 [“Rep. Sabatini calls for renaming U.S. 27 the Donald J. Trump Highway,” Jan. 20], I feel the more deserving politician is former Florida Gov. Claude R. Kirk Jr., whose campaign pledge in 1967 was to fix the “killer” highway from Miami to South Bay. It was a two lane road with no shoulders, no guardrails and canals on both sides. When he was elected, he kept his promise by adding lanes, medians and shoulders that saved lives. I was working for the Florida State Road Department at the time, and I have always felt he was one of our greatest governors.

Clive E. Taylor, Dania Beach

A new use for Big Tech

I signed up online 10 days ago for the vaccine at Fort Lauderdale Stadium, and the message after submission said I would get a call in 24 to 48 hours. I know four people who registered at the same time and no one got a call or an email. I registered on this new phone number today also. [“New phone number unveiled to sign up for COVID-19 vaccine in Broward,” Jan. 21] I have no faith in Florida’s system. I tried to find a number to volunteer to help with scheduling — no results. And I just heard our governor say we don’t need federal help to get on track. They knew for months a vaccine was coming. This incompetence needs to be rewarded at the voting booth. Let Microsoft, Amazon, Walmart — anyone with some logistics experience — get this on track.

Carolyn Townsend, Pompano Beach

Playing the Publix lottery

The chances of getting into the Publix vaccine appointment schedule is like playing the Florida Lottery. Publix has one site that has 18 counties competing to get vaccine appointments. Publix should have one dedicated site for each county. Having one site for 18 counties for making appointments is causing much frustration and anger among Florida seniors. Publix, thank you for what you’re doing, but come up with a better system, so that each county has a better chance in obtaining a vaccine appointment.

Robert Kagan, Boynton Beach

For unity, Biden needs to speak out against far left

President Biden continuously calls for national unity. Actions speak louder than words.

U.S. Rep. Rashida Tlaib called Israel a “racist state” and falsely claimed that Israel was denying access to coronavirus vaccines to Palestinians in an interview. I missed Biden’s response. Must not have been important.

Left-wing antifa riots in Portland and Seattle this week. No comment from the president.

In an unprecedented move, immediately upon taking office, the president fired the National Labor Relations Board general counsel nine months before the end of his term to make his union supporters happy.

The Biden State Department changed the Twitter title of the Ambassador to Israel to the Ambassador to Gaza, Israel and the West Bank. After an uproar, the department changed it back. Sorry, not important enough for Biden comment.

What kind of unity is the president looking for? Does his unity mean unify behind the Biden view of America? Actions speak, President Biden.

Doug Cohen, Boynton Beach