Sarasota Letters to the Editor 12.10.15

Your knee-jerk opinion confused, confusing

Your Refugee Rule of One editorial last week seems both confused and confusing as to the duties of the governor.

The Florida Constitution does not anywhere provide responsibility, as you allege, for the governor to “protect … state’s citizens from harm.”

It does merely say: “The governor shall have power to call out the militia to preserve the public peace, execute the laws of the state, suppress insurrection or repel invasion.” Nothing about “harm.”

The first part of your editorial refers to the “Rule of One.” You refer to an out-of-state corporation that might want to get a subsidy via a tax abatement to move its business here. You say, “Why would you want to pay more in taxes ... to help someone else prosper at your expense?”

Are you aware that the governor’s duties include just that? “In March 2012, the Legislature expanded the powers of the governor to include more oversight over agency rulemaking, members of local jobs agencies and the distribution of money used to recruit new business to relocate to Florida.”

Querying Google can provide a wealth of information. Of course, it often conflicts with knee-jerk opinion.

David Coyle
Sarasota

Don’t ignore Native American side of history

According to Matt Walsh's Thanksgiving editorial, the Pilgrims came here for religious freedom — which they found and enjoyed.

Among a number of things missing from his essay is the fact that while they enjoyed their religious freedom, failing to convert the people who occupied this land (Native Americans), they slaughtered them.
Nothing like revisionist history.

Or it that also President Obama's fault?

Arlene J. Pearlman
Sarasota