I hope for Florida
$10 million was from Medicaid | April 23rd
There is a $10 million hope that Florida’s “donations” were part of the Medicaid settlement. With the help of artificial intelligence, I did some envelope calculations. For Medicaid, that $10 million would have provided compensation for the next year.
• 3,000-5,000 children, or
•2,000-2,500 adults, or
•300-1,000 elderly/disabled people
I hope Casey DeSantis or the Florida board of directors will tell you how many children, adults, seniors, or people with disabilities who want Florida to help with that $10 million.
I don’t hold my breath for answers, but I keep watching to see if Gov. Ron DeSantis will help Casey out from under the bus where he threw her.
Kara Rebel in St. Petersburg
Is this justice?
Hopefully Florida Probes Finished | April 25th
I couldn’t help but laugh after reading a homepage article about Florida House officials concluded a Hope Florida investigation. They believe the crime could have been committed by the foundation’s lawyers and the state attorney general. Don’t worry. They have now overtaken the issue to the FBI and the US Department of Justice. That’s because it’s where accountability thrives, right?
Please be honest. Hoping the Department of Justice, which focused on the current MAGA, investigates one of Gov. Ron Desantis’ pet projects, is like asking Fox to look into the mysterious loss of Henhouse. Don’t pretend to touch someone close to Trump’s world to the Department of Justice, who actually wears a red hat. Yes, thank you for this post – it’s not a news breaker, it’s not a political satire.
David Berg, Tampa
The power is damaged
Details of Desantis’ feud story with GOP over Hope Florida | April 27th
Our governor seems angry that he isn’t always on his own path and that some of his corruption is revealed. When faced with questions about those subjects, he says he relies on calling the boy’s name, as if to insist that those who question him when accused of “conspire with the left” and “conspire with the media” would leave. Previously, it was called “crossing the aisle” and “ensure transparency.”
I miss one of them back then.
Terry R. Arnold, Treasure Island
The disaster of inflation
Market has reached retirement savings | April 28th
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If you listened to Tampa Bay Times this week, you’d think American retirees would have auditioned for Survivor: Financial Apocalypse.
One man doesn’t even see his 401(k). The other is to move his savings of life into a sock drawer.
Certainly, President Donald Trump’s tariffs have given the market a nasty dark eye. bad? absolutely. But don’t pretend that former President Joe Biden’s Inflation Party isn’t bad. In 2022, Biden gave a 25% market decline, 9% inflation, and 34% actual losses, equivalent to burglarship equivalent to financial and tipping burglars.
What is the important difference?
A card hit is like a bad roller coaster: it’s scary, but you’ll trip over most of your teeth.
Biden’s hit was termites: slow, invisible, and by the time you realised, half of your home and your savings were already gone.
Long term?
The market can recover from tariffs.
A bulging dollar? They don’t shrink.
Sleep soundly. Maybe take a peek at 401(k) in the morning.
Doug Longfellow, Tampa
Yes, in journalism
The home evaluation after Pinellas hurricane is flawed | April 27th
A compliment and Times reporter for covering residents’ ongoing issues regarding housing assessments after the hurricane. It is dishonorable that government contractors and most local and state officials are not working to help homeowners overcome serious obstacles to home repairs.
One frustrated and worried homeowner was quoted as saying, “No one really cares.” Well, at least Times reporters are taking sufficient care to tell her stories, study many issues, and document them. We need to continue to support local journalists, especially newspapers.
Liz Taylor, Tampa
Limitations to diplomacy
As an experienced mediator, I believe that successful conflict resolution depends on the parties’ willingness to resolve, regardless of the mediator’s skills. This principle is evident in President Donald Trump’s recent diplomatic efforts, particularly his attempts to mediate peace between Ukraine and Gaza, and negotiate trade with China.
Trump’s ambitious promises, including resolving the Ukrainian conflict in 24 hours, faced an inevitable set-off. Despite his efforts, including the ceasefire talks, the lack of commitment from Russia and Ukraine ultimately led to failure. The same challenges pose with the trade between Gaza and China. The different red lines and interests of these parties – Russia’s position on Ukraine, Israel’s military strategy, and China’s economic policy – determined the outcome.
Diplomacy like mediation is about understanding and navigating these fundamental positions. Even the most skilled mediators cannot force a settlement if the parties do not want to compromise. No matter how powerful it is, it cannot impose its will indefinitely.
The potential solution is to promote open communication and trust among all stakeholders. Proven progress can be made by focusing on shared interests rather than on established positions. Continuous dialogue and mutual understanding are key to resolving complex conflicts.
Tom Feister, Tampa
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Submit your letter at www.tampabay.com/opinion/submit-letter/. The letters are edited for clarity and length.
