Crist must seize the abortion issue for Democrats, without sidestepping past views
For Charlie Crist to have few months. And that’s likely to any chance at prying be highly motivating when it Florida from the iron grip comes to voter turnout — often of Ron DeSantis in the the defining factor in an election November gubernatorial election, — and especially for women, he’ll have to hammer on many of whom have rightly felt the issue of abortion. disenfranchised by the current,
Certainly there are other crit- anti-abortion administration. ically important topics for the Just to review, the Republican- state’s leading Democrat to talk dominated Florida Legislature with voters about, too — afforda- passed a 15-week abortion ban bility, for one, something Republicans in March, one that doesn’t even have had no real impact allow exceptions for incest, rape on, despite desultory efforts or human trafficking. DeSantis in areas like homeowners’ insur- signed it into law in April. In ance. Voters would likely leap at June, the U.S. Supreme Court anyone from either side who overturned 50 years of law when had a solution that gives them it struck down Roe v. Wade. And concrete and substantial relief there continues to be talk of on the cost of living right now. even stricter anti-abortion legis-
But abortion isn’t just about lation in the “free state” of Flor- what Floridians want. It’s about ida if DeSantis is reelected. what Floridians are losing. A All of that means abortion is woman’s right to choose, the weighing ever more heavily in right to personal autonomy — Democratic voters’ decisions for those are rights Republicans the fall midterms, as evidenced have taken away from women at by a national survey by the Pew a breathtaking clip in the past Research Center conducted in attend expensive private schools should be let off the hook. What’s more, President Biden touts how these debtors will now have extra funds to buy homes, cars and help the economy.
Shouldn’t aid to pay off a college loan be sent directly to the lenders to reduce that loan?
Otherwise, it’s free cash to deadbeats while their college loans remain as much a burden as before.
SHINING THROUGH
The Aug. 26 Open Mic letter “Applause for Israel’s Gaza bombardment undeserved” presented a Palestinian version of the big lie about Israel. From the day Israel was established, its neighbors have tried to destroy it. The only reason for any bombing by this tiny country is to stop Palestinians’ indiscriminate rocket attacks on Israeli citizens. Great pains are taken to use precision munitions.
As to apartheid, few countries are as inclusive. Most recent statistics show the minority population at 25%, including
Opinion content from syndicated sources may be trimmed from the original length to fit available space.
– Jay Arnold, Coral Gables 21% Israeli-Arab, all with full citizenship rights.
Rather than condemn this country of 10 million, surrounded by hundreds of millions of enemies, marvel at this gem in the Middle East.
– Peter S. Schwedock,
Weston
LOAN FORGIVENESS
The GOP’s pearlclutching over the moral hazard of student-loan forgiveness rates three Pinocchios. Seeing the GOP complain about blue-collar taxpayers shouldering the burden for rich college kids is truly cringe-worthy.
Democrats should call their bluff and propose a refundable tax credit for these workers, paid for by increasing the top marginal rate. Watch the hypocrites squirm.
– Steven M. Urdegar,
Plantation
PAT ON THE BACK
Now that President Biden has proposed a reduction in student loan programs, whom do Republican students thank, or will Republican politicians take credit for that, too?
BOB MCFARLIN
the first two weeks of August. It indicated that a majority of voters, 56%, see abortion as very important in their vote, up from 43% in March. Almost all of the increase is coming from Democrats.
And it’s the same when you ask Floridians. A University of North Florida poll found in February that 57% of Floridians opposed the Legislature’s push to pass the 15-week ban. And that was before Roe was reversed.
For Crist, this is an opportunity — and a challenge. He’s avowedly pro-choice, gets a 100% rating in Congress from Planned Parenthood and has been endorsed by NARAL, the National Abortion Rights Action League. He told the Editorial Board he’d sign an executive order his first day in office to protect a woman’s right to choose.
NOT ALWAYS CLEAR
But he hasn’t always been so clear in his stance, which Nikki Fried, his opponent in the Dem- ocratic primary, seized on in one of her more effective arguments. Specifically, during Crist’s failed bid for the U.S. Senate in 2010, he said he would fight for “pro-life legisla- tive efforts.” But recently, Crist told the Editorial Board that he has a different, broader meaning for the term “pro-life” and
– Bill Silver, Coral Gables
MAKE A LIST
supports reproductive rights.
We have no doubt that he’ll act in ways that are fully prochoice if elected — he has more than answered that question — but word games cannot get in the way if he hopes to generate the enough excitement among Democrats and independents to overcome a political behemoth like DeSantis.
If Crist’s position evolved over time, he should just say it; voters can understand that. He was also a Republican and now says the party became unrecog- nizable, so he left. Again, that’s understandable. It might even make him more relatable. It certainly won him the primary.
In the Aug. 24 letter “Demings’ ads,” the writer asks, “What has she done for her constitu- ents lately and what would she bring to the table if elected to replace [Sen. Marco] Rubio?”
The question is valid, but ask the same of Rubio.
He’s been in the Senate for 10 years and voted “Yes” on anything the Republican president supported and “No” on anything a Democratic president supported. He was an important proponent of the so-called
Gang of 8 immigration bill, which passed the Senate but expired without being enacted.
Rep. Val Demings has been a politician for four years. Like Rubio, she has not authored any significant legislation and she votes with her political party.
The reader should make a list of the five most important issues that legislatures can effectively change (excluding inflation) and compare both candidates’ positions on those before voting.
– Marie Peterson,
Davie
MONICA R. RICHARDSON WEAK LINK
The Aug. 26 story “Cal- ifornia’s Newsom donates $100,000 to Crist’s cam- paign,” parrots a suggestion by Republican flack Bill Whalen that “candidates [like Charlie Crist] may not want to be linked to Newsom and California, where far-left policies and the state’s high taxes, home and gas prices, rampant homelessness and other problems could potentially alienate undecided voters.”
California has a mean household income of $106,916 compared to $80,286 in Florida. As for Whalen, he is associated with the Hoover Institution, named for the Republican president whose economic policies started the Great Depression.
– James L. Wilson,
Plantation
TRIAL BY FIRE
Gov. Ron DeSantis and anyone else who would deny the right of a 10year-old girl or a 65-yearold woman with an unwanted pregnancy to have an abortion should read the First Amendment of our Constitution, then justify their denial or legal reasoning — without citing
DANA BANKER
DeSantis is endlessly flogging the “woke” argument in Florida, and that will continue. No doubt he’ll also go after Crist for changing parties. But none of those topics are where Democrats should be aiming their firepower.
Republicans are out of step with the majority of people in the state on abortion. Crist, as the new standard-bearer for Democrats, has to lead the charge to remind voters of that, without sidestepping or parsing words on his previous position.
Democrats have a real moment here. It’s up to Crist to make sure he doesn’t squander it.
‘‘ DESIGNER: HOW BIG SHOULD THE GAP BETWEEN THE CAR’S FRONT SEAT AND CENTER CONSOLE BE? BOSS: BIG ENOUGH FOR YOUR PHONE TO FALL THROUGH. DESIGNER: AND ALSO BIG ENOUGH FOR YOUR HAND TO RETRIEVE IT? BOSS: HAHA, OH GOODNESS, NO @jordan_stratton
the Ten Commandments.
Are we now living in the age of a Conservative Inquisition?
– Howard Golden,
Miami
MIC DROP?
Gov. DeSantis’ announcement of the arrests for voter fraud last week had the worst audio in the history of broadcasting. Apollo moon missions were more intelligible.
How can I have any confidence in him as a leader when he can’t even hire someone to do a proper mic check?
– Erik Miller,
Hialeah
POWER OFF
The Herald did a bangup job on the Aug. 26 front-page story “‘Our plan might have paid off’: How FPL dollars secretly funded a spoiler vs. Levine Cava.” The big surprise: Our power utility funded it. What a shocking revelation.
FPL should focus on energy and service to its customers and get out of politics; it has become a sleazy stain on our community.
– Nancy Lee,
Miami