Letters: Perdido Bay is a lifeless disaster yet government continues to look the other way

Opinions expressed in Letters to the Editor are those of our readers and not the Pensacola News Journal. In order for letters to be considered for publication, they must be 250 words or less and include name, a full address and phone number. Only your name and city of residence will be published. Email submissions to opinion@pnj.com.

Business lobbyists are running the county

Everyone should be worried about the disaster which is Perdido Bay. The lack of life in the bay is a very good example of how our government has not enforced the rules and laws. It has looked the other way while International Paper has killed our bay.

But Perdido Bay may be just one example of how business lobbies have captured the regulatory apparatus which is supposed to protect American’s lives and health.

How about the plane where the door flew off? Or the train derailment where hazardous chemicals were spilled? Our government regulates everything from the food we eat, the drugs we take, to the cars we drive. When this regulatory system fails, American citizens are at risk. It may not be important to you unless you are affected.

Interestingly, it probably won’t even be an issue in the upcoming election for county commissioner. In the last election, Friends of Perdido Bay sent out questionnaires to the candidates. Not one candidate responded.

Jacqueline Lane, Pensacola

Readers don't hold back: Letters: Joe Biden is offering true ‘country-first’ policies; Donald Trump is too unhinged

If Trump’s a draft dodger, so is Biden

In reading the opinion page on Feb. 18, the subject of Trump’s draft deferment came up. I am a U S Navy veteran of the Vietnam War having served in the year of 1967 as a Seabee and also a volunteer.

I respect the writer of this letter stating Trump’s using a deferral system engineered by our government as a means not to serve. All I want to do here is keep our presidents on an equal footing, Biden also used the system not to serve five times and I do not know what was in the minds of anyone who used this system to not serve. They have to live with it, I live with mine.

Again, no attack on the Navy veteran’s view I commend his service in country. But if he tags one, he must tag the other.

Geno Palladino, Pace

Not voting Republican any time soon

I’m an independent voter and you want me to vote Republican?

Florida Republicans have taken away rights from women, parents and their transgender children to manage their own health care. The have eliminated AP African-American studies courses, promoted book bans, made COVID vaccines a political issue, and declared diversity, equity, and inclusion enemies of the state.

Republicans in general believe climate change is a hoax perpetrated by socialists, the last election was somehow “stolen” despite the lack of any evidence, and that it should be harder for eligible voters to actually vote.

They also want to keep out immigrants, all those folks who are doing the dirty jobs that most Americans won’t touch. Well, the border crisis needs to be fixed, as well as the immigration system in general. Yes!

But everyone wants those things. Congress just has to find a compromise. Uh oh.

The Republican leader is a sleazy New York real estate developer who used his time in office to weaken our alliances and make friends with our enemies, give tax breaks to the rich, and to lead an insurrection aimed at overturning an election and the very foundation of our constitutional democracy.

So, I should vote Republican? Really?

Bill Johnson, Cantonment

Hear from our readers: Letters: Trump supporters reject left's sanctimony; We must call out medical price gouging

Remove dropouts from Florida ballot

I just discovered today that the Republican presidential primary ballot in Florida includes the names of at least three former candidates who have since December dropped out of the race, Christie, Ramaswarmy, and DeSantis.

I understand this is according to Florida law, Florida Statute 99.121. Although I have voted in Florida since 1976, I was not aware of this. Although I realize "ignorance of the law", or lack of information about presidential candidates is oft said to be "of no excuse", I am concerned about the misrepresentation this provides to voters.

Yes, they are given a choice, but for those three candidates their choice will be a waste of their vote. Isn't there some duty to the citizens of Florida to either eliminate these names from the ballot, or inform voters they have withdrawn from their campaigns? Trump, Hailey and Binkley may think so.

Denise Scott, Pensacola

The facts back Trump being a creep

Responding to Ms. Resmondo's statement of me hating Donald Trump, hate is a pretty strong word. Extreme contempt would be more accurate. Also, to be honest, I'm not real fond of his worshipers either.

You see, I'm not about to surrender my dignity to a man who insults and demeans. The way I see it, if you support him, by proxy, you support his words and actions too, which means you consider those who of us who have served in the military losers and suckers. I take great offense to that.

In fact, by proxy, you also support everything else he does from his lies, to his admission he likes to sexually abuse women, to his instigating the first ever coup attempt in the United States. Then you try to justify it with juvenile statements like Joe Biden's behavior is "strange around women and little girls." Are you kidding me?

Everything I and others have written about Donald Trump is backed up by evidence, either written, on audio or on video. All I have seen written in his defense are lies, conspiracy theories and sometimes outright fantasy. Same goes for your accusations against Biden. Where is your factual evidence?

Mike Shipp, Pensacola

Mayor D.C. Reeves is being led astray

In regard to the decision to demolish the Malcom Yonge Center, i believe the council and the mayor are on the wrong side of this. I also think this unqualified mayor is being led down the wrong path and is over his head in this job.

So we have a new hotel downtown that we don’t need that’s taking parking spots with it when parking is already a mess downtown as it is (with an out of state company running this fiasco), the tearing down of the center for affordable housing (whatever that means), and then he is going to blame past city council members for his decision.

Whoever is guiding this young man is doing a disservice to the city of Pensacola. Not to mention that the over-building of downtown takes away the one view that we Pensacolians all appreciate, the water.

Maybe someone like Studer could step in and help him make better decisions until he is voted out.

Jeanne Hagan, Pensacola

Never miss a story: Subscribe to the Pensacola News Journal using the link at the bottom of the page under Stay Connected.

This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: Letters: Perdido Bay remains a lifeless disaster ignored by officials