Rick Scott won’t protect Medicare | Letters to the editor

I turned 80 on Oct. 9. I’m happy to report that my wife and I are relatively healthy. We’ve had medical scares like many seniors, but Medicare and Social Security keep us solvent.

I worry what might happen to these benefits, as I could not afford health insurance premiums at my age, so I’ve been researching both major U.S. Senate candidates. If Sen. Rick Scott is reelected and becomes majority leader, I worry he would lead an effort to shrink or kill Medicare and Social Security.

Scott sees them as government handouts. He wrote a “Rescue America” plan in 2022 that could reduce or end them. But they’re not handouts. Nearly 8% of my income went into these benefits, as did yours. We paid for them.

As a senator, Scott voted against the Affordable Care Act, in vitro fertilization, and to lower drug prices. As governor, he denied Medicaid expansion for Florida’s poor children. What’s so cynical is that Scott, the richest U.S. senator, was CEO of a hospital conglomerate that paid $1.7 billion for defrauding Medicare.

If Scott believes these programs should be eliminated or reduced, he should say so. Instead, his campaign evades or denies his voting record. As a senior who relies on Medicare, I don’t trust Scott to keep it secure. I’ll be voting for the Democrat.

Gerald Stone, Boynton Beach

(Editor’s Note: After a furor, Scott’s plan dropped proposed cuts to Medicare and Social Security.)

Bracing for the outcome

As voters brace themselves for the outcome of the presidential election, I’d like to convey a message.

Many of us will be terribly disappointed with the election outcome and many will be very pleased. Either way, we must accept the next president with dignity, pride and understanding. We’re a nation of love and freedom, not terror and hate.

Riot or assassination attempts showing opposition to the newly elected president will not be tolerated. We live in a beautiful and civilized country. Let’s keep it that way.

Roberta Chaleff, Tamarac

Immigration stalemate

Kamala Harris has a hard time with issues of the border and illegal immigration. That may not entirely be her fault.

Harris tries to pretend that the country favors illegal immigration or open borders. But if I am right, no legislation will pass, and we are in this stalemate with no apparent solution.

To summarize, both parties are too far apart and appear to be willing to maintain a stalemate at all costs. The media focuses on each side’s criticism of the other without focusing on a solution.

My personal opinion is that we need more legal immigration, to offset our low growth rate because of our aging population.

Mike Brewer, Boca Raton

About Amendment 3

I was shocked to see the Sun Sentinel’s endorsement of Amendment 3 of the Florida Constitution. One of the reasons for your support of adult recreational marijuana use is that “many people will use it no matter what the law is.”

Applying that rationale, why not legalize crack cocaine and heroin as well? Many people will use it no matter what the law is.

Ray Koterba, Miramar

(Editor’s Note: As our editorial said, “The reality (is) that many people will use it no matter what the law is. The wiser course is for the state to regulate how it’s sold and to require that it be tested for potency and for dangerous adulterants.”)


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