Oh, to be 77 again?

Biden ‘continues to be fit for duty,’ doctor says after physical | Feb. 29

I am 81 years old. I am active, but occasionally, especially in the morning, a little feeble. I freely admit to sometimes forgetting the name of my neighbor’s new puppy, or even the name of a favorite movie I’ve watched a dozen times. It happens. I’m busy these days and sometimes overwhelmed with incoming data from cellphones, social media, newspapers, television, medical appointments — not to mention my card club. So now, imagine that I have to contend with all of the above while overseeing the minute-to-minute, hour-to-hour and day-to-day operations of the most important country in the world. This is all done under the scrutiny of naysayers and media critics intensely looking for even the smallest slip-up that can be dissected, scrutinized and used as fodder to turn another shovel of dirt over my head every chance they get.

In this context, I am running a superpower, so I get a little help, like two bodies of Congress to shoulder some of the responsibility. But my time is not just spent cleaning up my own house. I’m expected to keep my neighbors’ houses in order, too! Who could blame me if I spend a millisecond trying to answer a question while being interrogated by some biased interviewer who is writing a “quote” before I can even get the mumble out of my mouth? Honestly, there isn’t a day that goes by that I don’t wish I were 77 again.

Joan Wernert, Zephyrhills

Sunshine is free

Gas-powered cars may be cheaper to run than EVs | Feb. 28

Let’s not forget: You cannot drill for oil in your backyard and make your own gasoline, but you might be able to put a solar system on your roof and make your own electricity to charge your EV for — wait for it — $0 per 100 miles, once the solar panels are paid off.

Oliver Niestrat, Tampa

What Sen. McConnell achieved

McConnell will step down in November | Feb. 29

Sen. Mitch McConnell’s announcement that he will not seek Republican leadership in the next Congress is truly a passing-of-the-torch moment for the U.S. Senate. McConnell will be remembered as one of the most effective leaders in the history of that body. Through sheer force of will, he has shaped the federal judiciary in a conservative fashion.

No one in the Republican Party has echoed the themes of peace through strength — the Ronald Reagan model of national security — better than Sen. Mitch McConnell. He passionately believes in a strong America leading from the front and has been uncompromising in his view that we must deal with threats rather than wish them away. There is much to be done, and I’m sure that McConnell will run through the finish line as Republican leader. History will record that he made a substantial and positive impact on the state he loves and the nation he adores.

Paul Bacon, Hallandale Beach

Mom was smarter than Ladapo

Measles? Perfect as we revert back to the ‘50s. | Column, Feb. 28

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I read a humorous column by Stephanie Hayes concerning Florida’s surgeon general. She was right on target. Unfortunately, there is nothing funny about Joseph Ladapo and his enabler Gov. Ron DeSantis. Their No. 1 job is the health, safety and welfare of all Floridians. And they have failed. Thankfully, my mother was smarter than these two buffoons and made sure I got all my shots before entering school. Potentially, she saved me from many diseases. Let’s hope all the other parents are just as smart as mine.

John Bonano, Gulfport

Not very funny

Start with the ‘why’ | Column, Feb. 27

Many people are still arguing about whether former President Donald Trump won the 2020 election. Despite so many election supervisors — Republican and Democrat — saying it was the most accurate election ever, Trump declared it rigged, and that’s all that matters. I was cleaning house recently and ran across a New Yorker article from October 2017, nine months after Trump took office. The article was “Trump I.Q. Test,” a satirical, multiple-choice quiz about how well you know Donald Trump. Question #10 ends with, “…Who will be elected president in three years?” (That’s the 2020 election.) The answer was: (D) “Ha, elections.”

The 22nd Amendment limits presidents to two terms. After Trump’s response to losing in 2020, it makes you wonder, if elected this year, would he use his almighty presidential power in subsequent elections to declare, “Ha, term limits”?

John Day, Clearwater

Get rid of leaf blowers

Hey, gas-powered leaf blowers: We have a really big problem | Perspective, Dec. 3, 2023

Let’s phase out gas-powered leaf blowers. They’re a health hazard for the operator, they spew pollutants and greenhouse gases and they are obnoxiously noisy. Let’s do it over time and subsidize small businesses to cover the cost.

J.F. Squires, St. Petersburg

Sunshine disinfects

DeSantis records blocked | Feb. 28

In 1967, the Florida Legislature passed the Sunshine Law, requiring that the government decision-making process be open to the public. It provides a right of access to governmental proceedings at both the state and local levels. However, Gov. Ron DeSantis not only had the Legislature rewrite the laws to protect his travel for safety purposes, but he has also reinterpreted it to mean he doesn’t have to disclose travel by himself or his aides. As lawsuits pile up on the taxpayers’ dime, he continues to refuse the release of documents to news agencies and others who have requested them. If he has nothing to hide, he should provide the information that has always been available to the public rather than continue to charge Floridians for his denials.

Jackie Kanner, St. Petersburg

Nothing to hide?

DeSantis records blocked | Feb. 28

I understand the governor not wanting people to know where he is traveling to, especially after he led the drive to relax gun laws. But a couple of days after he has been somewhere, there should be nothing to hide about his whereabouts from the taxpaying public nor who he was with on the taxpayers’ dime. It just seems like he is trying to hide something. Public disclosure and accounting go with the job.

Dave Hinz, Clearwater

A waste of time

Florida kids who carry guns could soon face stiffer penalties | Feb. 21

After a Christmas Eve incident in which two kids had guns and one killed a sister when they were fighting over presents, the Legislature is proposing that penalties for illegal possession of guns by minors be increased from a misdemeanor to a felony. Does anyone in their right mind think that young kids would even think about this when they grab a gun and start shooting? What really needs to be done is to keep guns away from them, whatever that entails in this gun-friendly state. Just as capital punishment is not a deterrent for murder (don’t take my word for it, look it up), neither is increasing the level of the crime in this case. I would think all those supposedly bright law school graduates in Tallahassee would think before they propose something that everyone knows won’t work. They are wasting our time and our taxes just so they can say they are doing something.

Frank Soos, St. Pete Beach

I don’t get it

Justices to rule on Trump | Feb. 29

As a senior who has witnessed many elections, I can’t understand what people see in former President Donald Trump. They think things will be better. But they will not. I believe that Trump is a dangerous person and could possibly get us in a war with his incompetence in foreign affairs. I fear for my country, and I fear for the people of the United States if he is elected. Let’s bring back decency to this high office, and a better standing in the world.

Joyce Lindsey, Tarpon Springs

Solving homelessness

Remembering 110 homeless who died in Hillsborough | Feb. 7

Tampa has high poverty and rates of homelessness. The city has programs trying to prevent homelessness with mental health and substance abuse treatment, but homelessness persists. Why? Because officials are not directing enough attention to homeless people already in need. Living in Tampa and working in the downtown area, I witness this almost every single day. Whether it be out in front of the restaurant I work at or underneath the highway roads, the homeless fill the city sidewalks and alleyways. By volunteering and donating to organizations like The Borgen Project, we can eradicate the spread through the source. The Borgen Project mobilizes people to push for legislation like the International Affairs Budget, which allows impoverished communities to receive the aid they so desperately need. Whether it be in your own city or across the globe, poverty is real and things can be done to eliminate the masses crying for help.

Tristen Jerkins, Tampa