Accusers go silent
I wonder what has happened to all those women who were supposedly harassed by Herman Cain while he served as president of the National Restaurant Association.

Just a few weeks ago, this was the sexual harassment event of the century.

Once his polling numbers dropped due to these accusations, so did the interest of the press and the liberal commentators that inhabit most of what passes for network news these days.

After all, who needs proof of guilt when unfounded accusations will do nicely?

James H. Boyette,



Think of small companies
A recent letter writer urged passage of a law that would force all Internet retailers nationwide to collect and pay sales tax to the state of Florida for sales in the state.

But every coin has two sides.

The typical e-retailer is a one- or two-person business.

Just setting up your e-commerce software to collect taxes for every state is a huge task. Then filing 50 quarterly reports and payments - with requirements varying by state and keeping them updated - may force many of these small retailers to close.

Fewer retailers in the marketplace hurts consumers by reducing competition and the variety of products available.

While I appreciate the position of bricks-and-mortar stores that are losing sales to online retailers, many businesses with physical stores are also selling online now. Why? Because that's how people are shopping.

When the marketplace moved from horses and buggies to automobiles, those companies that adapted to the change were the ones that survived. Rather than bashing your online competition, isn't it better to jump into that pool and compete with them, where your customer base is broader?

It would be easy for the Legislature to see taxes on e-sales as a quick source of funds, but more taxes are still more taxes.

Is that a door we really want to open?

Lynn Thompson, Neptune Beach


How do we pay?
President Barack Obama is campaigning to extend the payroll tax cut for another year at a cost of $110 billion.

This is a noble idea, but the issue is how to pay for it.

The money would come directly out of the Social Security Trust Fund, which is rapidly going broke.

So, in effect, the money is being redistributed from retired seniors to working people. This after Obama already took $500 billion from Medicare to fund Obamacare, and recipients of Social Security got no cost of living increase for the past two years.

I'm beginning to think that Obama doesn't like seniors. Maybe he should just borrow the $110 billion from China, and let our grandchildren worry about paying it back.

Tony Piermatteo,

Ponte Vedra Beach


What's the point?
I sometimes wonder if we would have been better off today if we had not won the Revolutionary War. Possibly we simply could be just like Canada. How many wars has Canada been in?

In 2001, we probably had no choice but to go after al-Qaida in Afghanistan. But we've been there over 10 years. It's costing us $10 billion a month. Like they say, "A billion here and a billion there, and soon you're talking about big money."

Why are we still there?

James DePalma,



Limit expectations
For those following the new mission to Mars that will land the vehicle named Curiosity, a few words of caution.

Despite reports in the media, Curiosity will not detect whether life ever existed on Mars or might still exist.

Curiosity carries 15 tools and instruments (not including the descent imager) to be used once it lands. None are designed to detect life.

A much more sophisticated experiment would be required and may only be possible if Mars samples are eventually returned to Earth.

Don Beattie, Fruit Cove


Not acceptable
Many thanks to the Times-Union for once again shining a light on the shenanigans of Sen. John Thrasher (he is pushing a bill to benefit a Jacksonville company).

When are all of our elected officials going to realize that "back room politics" and cronyism aren't going to be tolerated?

Scott Binder,

Fleming Island


Defying stereotypes
The article on homeless by Matt Soergel was both interesting and timely.

He brought out the fact that many working people are without jobs and are living on the streets. This fact alone suggests that America is in a depression.

Many of the homeless are war veterans, whose numbers will keep increasing as they return to their homes.

In addition to having to endure cold weather, often freezing, they are also handicapped and unarmed in all senses - some without legs as well as arms.

Hopefully, funding for homes will be found for those living on the street.

C.S. Smith, certified historian,

Kingsland, Ga.