Private Bone Spurs just couldn’t help himself with his rants on Memorial Day aimed at “scum” and “monsters.”
Instead of honoring and memorializing the many members of our U.S. military who died and served in the U.S. armed forces, he took the low road. Even at Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia, he couldn’t leave it alone.
Donald Trump has no empathy or the slightest clue about being in the military or what a military family is all about. It brings me to tears that this person is our leader.
Pat Eland, Delray Beach
Memorial Day reflections
Planning a barbecue, sailing, exercising or just resting on Memorial Day is everyone’s choice. But I hope that at any given moment we also thought about those who have fallen to the hands of war — no matter what our politics. We must honor all people who have chosen to live in our free world, where we seem to take so much for granted. We must learn to respect all thoughts and religious values when they are presented humanely. They all matter!
We seem to have lost this in the translation of our politics, making equality something decided by the one leading rather than by our Constitution’s trusted meaning, and by changing laws to work for a particular mindset or ideology. We should not allow someone to pit us against each other, based on loyalty without a rightful cause. We cannot allow this to happen!
Linda Gefen, Boca Raton
A hollowed-out IRS
We can debate whether taxes on the rich should be raised, but they should pay what they owe under the current tax code.
The Trump administration intends to reduce the IRS workforce, as more than 22,000 employees have accepted buyout offers, including experienced forensic accountants and tax lawyers. These professionals are capable of auditing the carefully crafted tax returns of the rich and if needed, litigate against their skilled lawyers and accountants.
One likely result of Trump’s IRS action is that fewer rich taxpayers will be audited and less money they owe will be collected. There could also be a temptation to go after the “low-hanging fruit” by auditing lower- and middle-class taxpayers who lack the resources to hire lawyers and accountants.
It’s another win for the rich and a loss for the rest of us.
Don Korman, Plantation
Sheer stupidity
I used to joke that the conspiracy-theory nonsense many people believe is evidence that Russia has parked satellites in synchronous orbits above the U.S. that broadcast “stupid waves” at the U.S. population. There must be several such satellites parked directly over Tallahassee, because banning fluoride in drinking water is about as stupid as it gets — ignoring science and history.
Of course, the Legislature and governor insisted that local communities cannot opt-out and continue to add fluoride, because they don’t want any comparisons in five years (on the quality of dental care).
Fluoride has been shown repeatedly to be safe and effective for oral health, and oral health has been shown in studies to affect health in general. Some cities banned fluoride only to reverse themselves and add it again after a few years, after they saw the damage. Putin’s investment in the “stupid-wave-satellites” has proven worth the money, and is currently giving him a good laugh at our expense.
Frederick Mitchel, Fort Lauderdale
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