Sunday's letters: packing Supreme Court, surviving COVID-19, Trump's bad behavior, more
Reject candidate who would pack court
I watched the debate Oct. 7 between Vice President Mike Pence and Sen. Kamala Harris. One major issue came up that should be totally unacceptable for any American voter: packing of the Supreme Court.
Harris refused to say that Joe Biden wouldn’t pack the court, and by her refusal indicates that he would.
President Franklin D. Roosevelt attempted to pack the court. Thank God he failed.
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Had he succeeded, our country would be under one party rule, even to this day.
I predict the cost of packing would be:
• Filibuster rule would be broken.
• Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico would become states and have four Democratic senators.
• The Electoral College would end and California and New York would dominate the USA.
America would be in turmoil. So, no matter which side you are on, you cannot in good conscience vote for anyone who wishes to pack the Supreme Court.
Joel Sainer, Sarasota
My hellish experience with COVID-19
I am a COVID-19 survivor.
A slight temperature and extreme fatigue escalated to a positive result, without any of the accompanying symptoms of loss of taste and smell, or difficulty breathing.
It was unbelievable the speed with which this virus grabbed me by the throat, chewed me up and spat me out, leaving me weak, dizzy and unable to walk or talk properly.
I could obtain no aid from any agency once they heard "COVID positive." Help was needed to shower, since crashing onto a tile floor while dizzy tends to end badly. My doctor's office could not refer anyone since it was "not a billable service," the staff said.
Not showering for nine days was not pleasant. Finally, an agency in Fort Myers helped me.
Meanwhile, a truly ecumenical bunch of seven friends – two Jews, three Muslims, one Catholic and a humanist – organized meals, leaving them on my doorstep.
After that hellish experience, I have the dubious distinction of belonging to the COVID-19 Survivors Club!
COVID-19 is not "a hoax" as some believe, or "just the flu." It is a vicious killer that plays Russian roulette with our lives.
Sushila Cherian, Punta Gorda
Trump’s behavior endangers others
I was shocked and disgusted by President Donald Trump’s behavior after being discharged from Walter Reed National Military Medical Center.
Just one day after his joyride around the hospital in a hermetically sealed SUV, putting his Secret Service agents at great risk, he took his hubris even further. From the steps of the White House, he ripped off his mask and posed for a campaign video.
He could still be contagious.
To date, around two dozen people in contact with him have tested positive for COVID.
Meanwhile, we have been wearing masks, self-distancing and washing our hands to protect ourselves and those around us.
My husband was unable to celebrate his 90th birthday with family. Countless people we know have missed weddings, funerals, graduations or the birth of grandchildren.
More than 200,000 Americans have lost their lives. Many more have been sickened, some for months.
Yet, our president crows, “We should not let COVID control our lives. It’s just like the flu!”
Sadly, many of his followers will believe his lies and face dire consequences, while infecting others.
Linda Crosskey, Englewood
President celebrates violation of norms
Do you remember the first presidential debate you ever watched? It was exciting to see two public servants discuss their honest differences with civility. The next morning, the school history or civics classes devoted a whole session to it.
What would a civics teacher have made of what passed for the first presidential debate this election season? Who could watch that debate and even consider a life of public service?
President Donald Trump’s boorish display and complete disregard for the rules should surprise no one by now. I am sure he gave his staunch 43% base of supporters the red meat they have come to crave.
Trump supporters love to celebrate his violation of civic norms. They can now add presidential debates to that list, alongside the electoral process itself. Both are now as bankrupt as Trump himself.
To what end? At what cost to his campaign and the country?
To any undecided voters, aren’t you exhausted with being civil, observing social norms and wearing a mask to keep others safe, all while the president misbehaves?
Is the cognitive dissonance getting to you? If so, with an overwhelmingly decisive result on Nov. 3, this miserable chapter in our history could be over in less than a month.
Roberta Emerson Ingrassia, Sarasota