The Sun Bay Paper Page 8 January 14, 2022 - January 20, 2022 Letters To The Editor Guest Editorial President Joe Biden went to Atlanta Tuesday to push for passage of what Democrats hail as "voting rights" legislation. The speech prompted pundits to question the wisdom of a president who promised to bring the country together comparing opponents of the Democrats' Freedom to Vote Act and John Lewis Voting Rights Act to Jefferson Davis, George Wallace and Bull Connor. Biden argued that the Freedom to Vote Act is necessary because Georgia Republicans passed SB 202, an election bill that represents "Jim Crow 2.0," and other states introduced laws to promote "voter suppression and election subversion." Among changes in the Georgia bill are provisions that would limit drop boxes to one per 100,000 voters and require voter ID for absentee ballots. "Rules that were implemented in Georgia to accommodate voters in the height of COVID, understandably need to be changed when COVID wanes," GOP strategist Alice Stewart told me. Biden also invoked the most outrage-provoking provision of the Georgia law, which he said "makes it illegal to bring your neighbors, your fellow voters, food or water while they wait in line to vote." After the bill passed, The Washington Post ran a story about a food truck that feeds voters as they stand in line. The headline: "New limits on food and water at Georgia's polls could hinder Black and low-income voters, advocates say." What advocates should be saying is that well-run Georgia counties don't make voters stand in lines for hours and something must be done. Want to boost voter turnout? Insist on more workers, not water. And another thing: To safeguard voters during COVID-19, Georgia expanded vote by mail, early voting and drop boxes. With two other options, voters didn't need to stand in line for hours. And if they chose to stand in line, SB 202 allows for self-serve water stations. "Line warming" -- the practice of trying to "inappropriately influence voters in the crucial final moments before they cast their ballots" -- already was illegal, Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger noted last year. Biden praised the election official, even as he likened the state election law he supported to the Confederacy and segregationists. CNN's Jake Tapper asked the question that begs to be asked Tuesday: Noting that New Jersey bans ballot harvesting and Delaware limits early voting, Tapper asked why "Democrats only complain about the strict voting regulations in red states, in Texas and Georgia," and not in Democratic states. That is not a trick question. The Democrats' Freedom to Vote Act is designed to tilt elections to the left. It would require all states to offer same-day registration, automatic "motor voter" registration, online registration and drop boxes. The Freedom to Vote Act also undercuts voter ID requirements in states that require official photo IDs. "States that do not have a voter identification requirement would not be required to make any changes," according to a fact sheet put out by co-sponsor Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn. And it would make Election Day a public holiday. For an apparent power grab, Biden has turned up the pressure on moderate Democrats to change Senate rules -- dump the filibuster -- to get these measures passed. He's pushing ahead even as voting-rights advocates skipped his speech. They pushed Biden to the precipice, and now they want distance. So, here's the other question that begs to be asked: Are there 50 lemmings in the Senate? Debra J. Saunders To the Editor, Here's what I think of your governor. How would the Governor feel if a mob of violent people broke into the Capitol building in Tallahassee, rifled through his office and police officers defending the building died as a result? Would he refer to it as Christmas, as he did at a recent press conference for the Jan. 6, 2021 Insurrection? Christmas is a celebration of a birth. Jan 6 is a memorial to lives lost and the desecration of the hallowed halls of Congress. I watched it live on TV and was appalled. As a former Air Force nurse stationed at Andrews Air Force Base, I visited the Capitol several times. It is a hallowed hall that was desecrated that day and should be remembered as such. How callus can the governor be to compare the deaths of five police officers to Christmas? Don't those lives matter to him? Republican John McCain, who I voted for, would be appalled also. May he rest in peace that he is not witnessing the deterioration of his party. Compounding the event, was it being ignored by the then CommanderIn-Chief, President who should be court martialed for dereliction of duty. I am ashamed and embarrassed by the misconduct of the Florida governor also. He will never be elected with my vote and my vote matters to me. Alice Mack, RN, retired. Former Air Force Captain, Fort Myers Ed. Note: It has been amazing to me that so many ignore the many many deaths, injuries and the riots in general that occurred during the summer of 2020 where local businesses and police stations were burned to the ground, where loads and loads of bricks magically appeared roadside to be able to be thrown at police... and yet these same people are appalled over Jan 6th, which now seems to have been encouraged or worse possibly orchestrated by our own FBI! Tell me why questions asked by Sen Cruze were not able to be answered? He asked "How many FBI agents or confidential informants actively participated in the events of Jan. 6?" Jill Sanborn, executive assistant director for the FBI's national security branch said in response that she could not discuss "the specifics of sources and methods" of the FBI. Cruz then broadened his question by asking if any FBI agents or confidential informants actively participated in the riot."Sir, I can’t answer that," she said. Cruz then asked if any agents or confidential informants committed crimes of violence on Jan. 6. When he received the same answer, he asked if any agents or confidential informants "actively encouraged" crimes of violence on Jan. 6. "Sir, I can’t answer that." was her answer again! REALLY??...... seems to me the answer should have been an obvious “NONE” but it wasn’t... WHYWASN’T IT??? Please .... Retired Air Force Captain Alice Mack, RN.... can you think of one reason the answer was not “NONE” I myself can only think of one reason the answer wasn’t “NONE” hmmmmn.... Thank you for your letter, I was wondering how I would be able to discuss this FBI travesty and you gave me the perfect opportunity! Quote of the Week If we ever forget that we are One Nation Under God, then we will be a nation gone under. - Ronald Reagan To the Editor, WTF? Biden once again called VP Harris the President? Really? How scary is that? I mean, can you imagine if she were actually President? That would be rough.... What is with this guy? And now he is promoting getting rid of the Filibusters that he lobbied against so many time in the past! Seems like the filibuster sea saw is once again in main stream news. The Democrats used the filibuster 328 times during the 2019-2020 Congressional term... now they want to do away with it....because it hinders them now, but when it helped them, they Loved It! What hypocrites! My parents were first generation and taught us to love America, but I now fear for my country... !!! Armand Kazemi PHONE: (239) 267-4000 MAIL: 16970 San Carlos Blvd. #160, Ft Myers, Fl 33908 E-MAIL: production@sunbaypaper.com WEBSITE & DIGITAL VERSION: http://www.sunbaypaper.com The Sun Bay Paper
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