DeSantis’ abuse of power during Florida election was improper | Opinion

Florida’s bigwig

In all the despair over Donald Trump’s presidential victory, Floridians should not ignore the emerging autocratic activity in our state. Gov. Ron DeSantis abuses his power routinely and has no respect for the fundamental principles of democracy.

Recently, he swayed a statewide election on proposed constitutional Amendments 3 and 4 (cannabis legalization and abortion access, respectively). Rather than let the people decide, as is proper, fair and his legal obligation, DeSantis pushed his personal viewpoint, citizens be damned.

“King Ron” used the state’s treasury like his personal piggy bank, funding advertisements against the proposed amendments. In effect, most of those who voted in favor of both amendments had their tax dollars used to fund a campaign against themselves.

During this election, he also had state regulators threaten broadcasters’ licenses for playing ads contrary to his opinion. A few years ago, he used state regulators to attack Disney, simply because the entertainment company expressed an opinion.

This type of autocratic behavior is not an isolated incident; rather, it his way of governing. Florida is the “kingdom of Ron” and not a democratic state. This is all highly improper, he knows it and does not care.

If this is the governor’s idea of how a free and democratic society functions, God help us all.

Harold Sussman,

Belle Meade Miami

Revising rights

Morning-after political pundits are tripping over themselves attempting to explain why Democrats (and democracy) fared so poorly in the 2024 election. They needn’t bother.

The fault lies (as with most of our cultural conflicts) at the mud-caked, strapped and buckled, black leather footwear of our well- meaning but inexperienced and ill-informed founding fathers.

Ironically, the roots of our mass shooting epidemics and the complete corruption of our representative states and courts can be traced to the unwittingly written “Bill of Rights.” When a government allows politicians and licensed news media to lie profusely and without consequence, as per the “Freedom of Speech” word salad in the bill, it does its constituency a grievous disservice and hastens its own demise.

The convening of a Constitutional Convention to correct the outdated and socially destructive idiocies we labor under is long past due. These self-inflicted ills will continue to divide us until we do.

Alexander Graham,

Rockledge

Hispanics for Trump

Andres Oppenheimer’s Nov. 7 commentary, “Here’s why growing numbers of U.S. Hispanics voted for Trump” is interesting, as he should be the last person trying to describe what happened. First and foremost is the weaponizing of the judicial system, including the flagrant use of the Department of Justice and the FBI, to attack political opponents. That is what tyrannies do and why most of us left Cuba, Venezuela and Nicaragua. Additionally, there is the failure of the U.S. Secret Service in Butler, Pennsylvania, and the vendetta of a New York City Attorney General.

Furthermore, President Biden received more than 14 million votes in the Democratic Presidential Primary. He was later summarily replaced with Vice President Harris, who never got a single vote. That action seemed like a coup.

Hispanics who voted for Donald Trump sent a message against the hypocrisy of Oppenheimer, the progressive left and the legacy mainstream media. Let this election be proof that Hispanics get it, because we have seen this movie before.

Willy A. Bermello,

Coral Gables

Two truths

The level of misogyny and racism in this country is far greater than we liberals appreciate. Donald Trump’s win on the heels of the Obama years, as narrow as it was, should have taught us to appreciate the possibility (now a reality), that voters would not elect a Black woman as president.

Lawyers and legal institutions may be the only real bulwark left against Trump’s authoritarian efforts to enact most or all of Project 2025. Despite his attempts to disavow that despicable manifesto during the campaign, that was surely just another lie.

As a lawyer, my mind has already shifted to mulling ways to rein in what is expected. Trump will have a compliant Congress and sycophantic administration. This inherently puts the legal system to the task of assuring our democratic institutions survive his term.

I intend to join that fight whenever and wherever it arises. Given Trump’s threats to punish his enemies, I will, of necessity, be looking over my shoulders.

Ed Shohat,

Miami

Fairy tales

When I was in school, these were some of the “whoppers” my teachers drilled into me during civics classes:

▪ The electoral college was a compromise to get the slave states and agricultural states to join the union. It is a harmless relic from the past.

▪ Gerrymandering does distort democracy, but as both parties do it, it is no big deal.

▪ An unbiased, apolitical U. S. Supreme Court acts as a check on the powers of the president.

▪ Congress enacts legislation that benefits most Americans. They also act as a set of brakes on presidential power grabs. As soon as any member does anything harmful, they will be voted out of office.

▪ A free press — the powerful fourth estate — will courageously speak truth to power. Our well-informed citizenry will never let a tyrant assume office.

Last Tuesday, we witnessed a full-spectrum massive failure.

Alan Thomas,

Miami

Love a thug

I find it rather disturbing that American voters were given a choice to elect either a prosecuting attorney as the next president of the United States, or a convicted felon and they chose the convicted felon.

Roger Hammer,

Homestead

Plea agreement

Maybe voters chose to elect Donald Trump to save the courts from another 60 trumped-up voter fraud cases, like he filed when he lost in 2020.

Suzzanne Schultz,

Miami

Machismo culture

The analysis in the Nov. 7 article, “Trump won Miami-Dade, once solidly blue, with significant support from Hispanics” is correct in identifying the economic and social issues which motivated many Hispanics to vote for Donald Trump. However, one motivation which might have been of equal importance was neglected: machismo.

Male hegemony over females and their bodies was also on the ballot in the abortion initiative (Amendment 4). Can anyone doubt that most of the 43% who voted against it were men?

Male hegemony is latent everywhere but particularly among Hispanic men. Trump hardly needed to win them over. Many Hispanic men still can not see a woman as their leader.

Martin Motes,

Redland

A new America

The voters have chosen our next president. How sad for our country that in their first speeches after the election, Vice President Kamala Harris and President Joe Biden had to emphasize there would be a peaceful transition of power.

Before 2020, we had taken this for granted.

Jon Wyner,

Coral Gables

Moving forward

As Americans, we have a birthright to elect our leaders. This right was fought for more than two centuries ago. Brave men gave their lives to create a country without government repression of our religious and political beliefs. In the last 100 years, many other rights have been granted to our citizens.

The Nov. 5 election has caused elation for many people and despondency for others. This election cycle, more than any other I have witnessed, has caused divisiveness among many Americans. Terrible things were said about the good people on different sides of the political fence who were only exercising their First Amendment privilege to express their opinion.

The best thing for America now is for both sides to strike a conciliatory tone. We have met on the political battlefield and a victor has been proclaimed. Now we must sheathe our swords and work together as a monolithic society to further the success of our beloved country.

Hayward Simpson,

Lake City