U.S. Rep. Salazar is playing politics with our democracy | Opinion

Democratic State Sen. Annette Taddeo is running against Republican Congresswoman Maria Elvira Salazar for Florida’s 27th Congressional District, on which I am a constituent.

As the Nov. 8 midterm elections quickly approaches, it is important to understand the basic core values of each candidate, and which one will most effectively represent their constituents in the U.S. House of Representatives in Washington, D.C.

Salazar is a strong supporter of ex-President Trump, despite the fact the assault on the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021 was incited by Trump in his attempt to remain in power after losing the election to Joe Biden. The smooth transfer of power from one president to another is the most important element of a democracy.

Salazar’s parents fled dictator Fidel Castro’s Cuban revolution, which created a totalitarian regime with no free elections.

How could Salazar possibly support Trump, who clearly violated the most basic element of democratic government?

Instead of explaining this obvious hypocrisy and contradiction, she instead misdirects the conversation and calls her opponent a socialist.

How could Taddeo possibly be a socialist, when her family fled Colombia’s brutal totalitarian regime?

Taddeo speaks out against authoritarianism and supports democratic leaders. She does not support Trump nor does she ignore his role in the Jan. 6 assault.

Not all government — as a partner in solving problems for our community and country — is socialism. We should elect those who claim to represent our interests and who know the difference between democracy and authoritarianism.

Kenneth Karger,

Kendall

Cruz verdict

Seventeen lives are gone, but their killer will walk, talk, dress, shower, read, eat, sleep and get whatever other privileges he can. All at the expense of taxpayers.

Prosecutors did their job; one even came out of retirement to see that justice was done. However, the taxpayer-paid defense convinced the jury to spare this man’s life. So be it.

There will never be closure for the victims’ families. That would have only been possible with a death sentence.

Marie D. Valenti,

South Miami

Seeking redemption

The Herald’s Oct. 13 front-page story about Dr. Mark Rosenberg, the former president of FIU, returning to teaching touched me significantly.

People make mistakes; we all do. He, under enormous personal pressure, did something wrong and stupid, and paid the consequences. He was humiliated and lost his job.

He immediately apologized in a way that came across as deeply sincere. The least of his losses was his monetary compensation.

Now he seeks to restart and return to teaching, willing to share in the classroom and beyond, the lessons of his life, mentor others, spend time with faculty and students. He’ll do far more than teach a class.

Does he not deserve some peace and privacy? Has he not earned a second chance? Where is our compassion? Does he not yet have much to give?

David Lawrence, Jr.,

Coral Gables

Positive force

Re the Oct. 11 story “UF students get loud in criticizing prospective new president Sasse:” I am a 1975 graduate of Midland University. Nebraska Sen. Ben Sasse was born during my college freshman year. Later in his career, he became the 15th president of Midland.

I have not met Sasse and I am not endorsing his appointment, however, I do know the important lessons of my liberal-arts education at Midland in Fremont, Nebraska. I was nurtured to learn one can grow in a small college environment and be prepared to lead a major organization. Many years later, at age 55, I became president and chief executive officer of the Adrienne Arsht Center.

If Sasse becomes the next president of “Gator Nation,” his Midland experience will be an asset, not a liability.

M. John Richard,

retired president, CEO,

Adrienne Arsht Center,

Miami

Professor’s salary

I’m sure all the adjunct professors at FIU and other institutions are thrilled to learn that former FIU president Mark Rosenberg will be earning $377,000 to teach one — one — course next semester. Actually, he’ll be teaching only half a course, as it will be team-taught, according to the Herald’s Oct. 13 story “Accused of misconduct, ex-FIU leader will return with high-paying teaching job.”

Most adjuncts, who make up the bulk of teaching positions at colleges and universities, consider themselves fortunate if they receive $5,000 per course.

Something is obscenely wrong here. Rosenberg should be compensated at the salary commensurate with his peers as a professor, not as a former university president.

Rene Miska,

Plantation

Power of pink

I was inspired to see the Oct. 7 front page of the Miami Herald in pink and a story with the Susan G. Komen pink ribbon. This is to honor Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

The American Cancer Society estimates 20,920 new cases of breast cancer among women in Florida in 2022. Estimated breast cancer deaths are 3,150 among women in the state this year. Men are getting breast cancer, too.

Early detection and screening increase the chance for survival. The hope begins with awareness.

Keep those pink pages coming in the Herald, along with stories of survivors in the community.

Connie Goodman-Milone,

Miami

Migrant crisis

If all the sanctuary cities welcoming migrants now find they have a “humanitarian crisis,” don’t they think immigrants pouring across the Texas border is the real crisis?

If these mayors would band together and pressure the Biden administration to do something, or if Democrats would actually tackle the immigration problem, things might improve. Until then, all we have is a bunch of talk and hypocrisy.

Barbara Parker,

Palmetto Bay

A better plan?

The Oct. 7 op-ed by Matthew Dickerson, “The Democrats have wasted billions. Republicans should put a halt to it,” would be funny if it weren’t so pathetic.

Dickerson has a selective memory. He neglected to mention the $2 trillion tax scam passed by the Republican Congress under our twice impeached former president.

The key to any capital outlay is the return on that investment. Taxpayers got zero return on the $2 trillion scam, whereas the return from the infrastructure legislation passed under President Biden will be millions of jobs and trillions of dollars in income to middle-class taxpayers who, in turn, will pay into federal coffers.

Meanwhile, some corporations pay no taxes.

David M. Sloane,

Coral Springs

Dangerous drug

When will the Biden administration punish China and other countries for killing our young people with fentanyl?

Enough of it has been seized in the last year to kill every man, woman and child in the United States several times over.

The Drug Enforcement Agency has been warning us of brightly colored fentanyl pills. With Halloween fast approaching, candy can also be laced with fentanyl.

President Biden should declare fentanyl a weapon of mass destruction.

Jose A. Mesa, Jr., Kendall

Such hypocrisy

The cartoon on the Oct. 13 opinion page, taron politicians’ hypocrisy, reminded me of what silent film star Louise Brooks said to English theater critic Kenneth Tynan before her death in 1985.

She said, “I was born in the Bible Belt of Anglo-Saxon farmers who prayed in the parlor and practiced incest in the barn.”

Michael Conway,

Miami Beach

Forces of nature

During Hurricane Ian, many people prayed for God to protect them. Prayer is self-soothing.

However, to protect ourselves and others, and to protect our planet common sense must prevail. Remember, nature always wins.

Ellen D. Coulton,

South Miami