Who gets the fines?

It was just announced that Volkswagen will pay a fine to the U.S. Government of $4.3 billion.  A few weeks ago,  there were fines in the billions to financial companies in settlements to the government. Good for the government (that's the tax payers ). Strangely enough, we never hear where that money goes. Congress can fix any problems bolstering Social Security by designating those billions in fines to Social Security. It just takes the political will. Write or call your representatives and we can make this happen.

Albert Senegeto, Fort Myers

Liberal needs to let go

The liberal lady from Matlacha just won’t give up.  The Presidential election was won by the Republicans fair and square. Now, she is trashing Sen. Jeff Sessions who has been nominated for Attorney General. I guess she forgot about Obama’s Attorney Generals. Eric Holser was impeached and had to leave office.  His replacement basically cost Hillary the election because of her meeting with Bill Clinton. So, give it up on the Republicans won election. If Trump does badly his first four years then you can vote him out.

Jim McMenamy, Fort Myers

Seeking transparency

An open letter to the President-elect, Donald Trump: Dear sir, Why do you insist on saying that the press are the only ones who are interested in your tax returns? I am a citizen of the USA, born and raised in this country, a registered independent voter, and have never been a member of the press. I am very interested in your tax returns. I do not think that I am the only one. Please become the transparent leader that you keep saying you will be.

Barbara K Chapin, Fort Myers

Leave Matlacha alone

As a northwest Cape Coral resident, I would like to ask the Cape Coral City Council : Why do you think you need to annex the land in Matlacha? My thoughts are that they have their own little piece of paradise and way of life. Let it be. Why do we need more land? We have so many empty lots and land in our city. It seems to me that we in the Cape have enough of our own little piece of paradise.

There seems to be enough issues ahead for us and the issues the council handles is always loaded in countroversy. LCEC, the Bimini Basin, the South Cape Revitalization, the Seven Islands, the ever present Utilities Expansion Project. To me, it seems like Cape Coral city leaders have enough on their plate.

That being said, I do not expect the Cape to lose money on this deal. Sell it to our neighbors for what we brought it for. I say let's be a good neighbor and let Matlacha, Pine Island remain on island time .

Michael Ruede, Cape Coral

Sliding medical fees worked

In my younger days (1953-1962), I worked on several eye research projects at the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary. With this project, I also handled eye clinic patients that needed my non-physician services. It was there that I learned what real (non-political) affordable health care costs were for those not on the Commonwealth’s Public Welfare rolls.

The interviewers that admitted patients to the eye clinic had a sliding fee schedule for the patients that ranged from a maximum of $15 per visit and went incrementally downward to a minimum of 25 cents. If they were still financially strapped, they received "free service."

All of this fell by the wayside once Congress enacted the Social Security Act of 1965 that introduced Medicare and Medicaid. Government officials stated the fee schedule showed prejudice and that all should pay the same amount, plus all Medicare/Medicaid recipients seen would require a paper trail. This immediately resulted in a clinic fee of $25, and within several years it went to $50 and then to $75. To compound this misery, Governor Romney introduced his woeful Affordable Care Act in 2006 followed by the infamous

Ray Jahrling, Bonita Springs

Trump's cabinet picks questionable

Donald Trump wants to boost U.S. Military spending by $500 billion to $1 trillion to protect us. But, what are we protecting? The Department of Education nominee wants to dismantle all public schools. Getting a free education is our major platform for launching the American dream. How will this be protected? The Environmental Protection Agency nominee has built a career representing the interests of the fossil fuel industry, the very industry that the E.P.A. is tasked to regulate. Without clean air and clean water, how will our basic health be protected? The Labor Department nominee is against a higher minimum wage and against paying overtime for all hours worked. He wants to save small businesses from the crushing burdens of unnecessary regulations.

The Labor Department regulates wages, safety and discrimination in the workplace. Instead, it will be protecting the rights of robots? Mr. Trump: You and your cabinet are supposed to be serving U.S. citizens. Guess you did not get that tweet. 

Joy F. Sokeitous, Fort Myers

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