The top stories last week

Ted Deutch, member, U.S. House of Representatives

The night before Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh’s confirmation hearings, the Senate Judiciary Committee received 40,000 documents without time to review them. More than 100,000 more documents have been kept secret. In the hearings, Judge Kavanaugh refused to say whether he discussed the Mueller investigation with anyone from Trump’s personal lawyer’s firm. We learned that he does not consider Roe v. Wade settled law, thinks even weapons of war can’t be regulated, and wouldn’t say whether the President can pardon himself. The hearings should leave every Senator with troubling questions about Judge Kavanaugh.

Ina Lee, owner, Travelhost Elite of Greater Fort Lauderdale

We are a country at war with itself. The increased polarization on the national, state and local level approaching the November election; the fight for the Supreme Court around the possible appointment of Brett Kavanaugh; the pro versus against Nike campaign with Colin Kaepernick; the battle surrounding President Trump — the list could go on and on. The ugliness and incivility being amplified by the media are demoralizing and take our eye off the true issues that face this country. American can only be great if its citizens can be great with each other and civilly disagree when necessary.

Debbie Wasserman-Schultz, member,

U.S. Representatives

It is now clearer than ever that Brett Kavanaugh would pose an immediate and serious threat to women’s reproductive rights if he’s given a seat on the Supreme Court. Donald Trump promised to nominate Supreme Court judges who would “automatically” overturn Roe v. Wade and this nomination is a dangerous attempt to make good on that promise. Moreover, Judge Kavanaugh has openly argued in favor of overturning the Affordable Care Act. As a breast cancer survivor, I refuse to go back to the days when insurance companies could discriminate against people with pre-existing conditions.

Chip LaMarca, member, Broward County Commission

September is National Preparedness Month, and as we witnessed last week, a tropical storm can come through south Florida at any minute with almost no warning. September is the peak of hurricane season and National Preparedness Month is a great reminder of how critical it is to prepare ourselves and our families. If you have not done so already; make and practice your emergency plan, check your insurance coverage, save for an emergency, and sign up to Alert Broward to receive critical information quickly in a variety of situations, localized or countywide, such as severe weather, evacuations, or public health emergencies.

Tom Shea, president, Right Management Despite a promising outlook for job creation and productivity, FIU’s 2018 “State of Working Florida Report” reveals that Florida’s workforce is faced with issues of inequality in unemployment rates and wage growth. For example, the unemployment rate of blacks was reported at 6.8 percent while white unemployment is at 3.3 percent. From 2000-2017 the typical Florida worker gained $1.27 in hourly wages (adjusted for inflation) while the typical black worker gained 17 cents. One way to impact this inequality in employment and wages would be to follow the actions of many other states and raise the minimum wage.

Anthony Abbate, associate provost, Florida Atlantic University, Broward

Red tide persists on our west coast and this week, as photos of green algae in Fort Lauderdale waterways have gone viral, city officials have been in touch with the Florida Department of Environmental Protection. Best to stay out of the water, and protect your pets from exposure. Residents are advised that pet waste and common fertilizers exacerbate the problem due to the amount of nitrogen and phosphorus they add to the chemistry of the water. But more significant is the correlation between increased incidence and extent of these blooms around the world and warmer, more acidic oceans.

Cindy Arenberg Seltzer, president, Children's Services Council of Broward County

The tragedy of the families separated at the border is ongoing and not getting better. Though numbers are still difficult to pin down exactly, it seems almost 500 children are still separated from their parents weeks after the government was court ordered to reunite them with their families. Not only is the U.S. government in contempt of court by keeping children in the U.S. while repatriating their parents, but last week, there were reports that three Salvadoran children between 12 and 17 years old were sexually abused while in U.S. custody. None of us should rest until these families are reunited.

John Jack P. Seiler, former mayor, Fort

Lauderdale

The White House had serious public relations and governmental relations controversies on two consecutive days this week. First, excerpts of Bob Woodward’s forthcoming book portrayed administration officials and aides as being in rebellion against the president. Second, the New York Times published an opinion editorial from an anonymous senior administration official describing coordinated efforts among staff to push back against the president, his actions and even his instincts. Both the book and the editorial cast a very negative light on the president and his administration; however, the bigger problem may be the chaos, confusion and suspicion that will certainly adversely impact the White House workforce.