

Saturday's letters to the editor

8:42 PM, Jan. 10, 2014  |  Comments
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Impact of action

A recent letter writer makes the point that little has been heard from Catholics about Rush Limbaugh calling Pope Francis a Marxist, and yet they are vocal on other issues. The reason is quite simple: there is a major difference between actions with moral consequences and a simple opinion.

As a case-in-point: the President of the United States coercing religious individuals and organizations to purchase that which violates their core religious beliefs is a moral (and constitutional) issue that has real impact.

Rush Limbaugh spouting off an opinion about Pope Francis doesn't have a moral impact on organizations or individuals. Limbaugh is entitled to his opinion (albeit incorrect) - but the president is not entitled to violate the U.S. Constitution.

The writer also asks if people have to choose between their religion and their political party. The last election shows Catholics voting across the partisan spectrum - so obviously most of the faithful do not agree with this erroneous and baseless assertion.

Hopefully that clarifies the confusion.

Billy Atwell, Director of Communications, Diocese of Venice in Florida


Right after Christmas, my wife and I drove over to North Miami Beach and spent the night in a classic old Surfside hotel. It was fun and well-planned because one night is about all I can take of that coast.

The next morning she wanted to visit the famous Bal Harbour Shops, the very exclusive mall a few blocks away. Mind you, we were going to be browsers as opposed buyers. During that hour, I was exposed to all matter of extravagance to include $8,000 handbags and $600 shirts, the likes of which I had only before seen on LA's Rodeo Drive.

I concluded that if and when civilization ultimately collapses in on itself, it will mostly be attributable to $8,000 handbags and the sad people who buy them.

John Richman, Fort Myers

Test of progress

Re: "Time to change priorities and begin helping the poor," Fareed Zakaria, Dec. 25. Among the various suggestions on priorities outlined in your opinion pages in helping the poor there are many that have merit. Other proposals, though, have been tried and failed.

One of our presidents, I believe, had the insight on how to narrow the currently growing gap between the rich and the poor


This is taken from Franklin D. Roosevelt's January 1937 Inaugural Address.

Michael B. Peceri, North Fort Myers

Practical job seeker

Re: "About 260,000 Floridians will lose jobless benefits in 2014, if Congress doesn't act" Dec. 30. It's also been reported elsewhere that figure is 1.3 million nationally.

What began as a 26-week "unemployment" benefit to assist laid-off workers who are looking for another job, has become, in many cases, a benefit extending to one or two years. When the benefit periods expired, many "workers" who were legally expected to be able to return to work, "coincidentally" applied for Social Security disability benefits.

The Social Security Administration became so overwhelmed with disability claims that the processing period became a two-year wait. They did what all good bureaucracies do; they changed the criteria making it easier for processors and for claimants to qualify.

If an unemployed worker can't find the job that he/she is looking for within a 90 days, that job just ain't there for that worker. If the unemployment benefits are extended indefinitely, that job still won't be there for that worker.

Intelligent and serious people realize the futility of continuing to look for the job that isn't there and take whatever is available, often two or three part time jobs.

Martin Harris, Cape Coral

Poverty cycle

Re: "50 years later, the poor losing battle," Cal Thomas Jan. 4. Mr. Thomas would have you believe that he is lamenting the fact that 48 million people are living in poverty in the richest country in the world.

However, all the help he can offer is this cure: "Stay in school; get married before having children and stay married; work hard; save and invest."

While those are all worthy goals, he doesn't seem to understand that the enemy, or the deterrent to these attributes, is poverty itself.

Roger W. Quagliano, Fort Myers

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