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The Tampa Tribune

Published: August 25, 2008

Give Power To Individuals

Regarding "Preserve Social Security" (Letters, Aug. 18):

The opinion that Social Security should be around for our children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren I agree with 100 percent. I do feel, however, that privatizing Social Security is the best way for us to take personal accountability in making sure that it is.

We live in a day and age when too many people feel that the government should be taking care of the things that we neglected to do in our younger years. Since when is it the government's responsibility to take care of what we chose to irresponsibly neglect?

Just because it's privatized doesn't mean you have to invest it in the stock market. Invest your funds where you feel they are going to get you the most money, with minimal loss.

Privatizing Social Security puts the responsibility for my future in my hands. We have trusted it to others for too long, and now there is a chance that it won't even be there when I'm ready to retire. Those who do not want to plan for their future, shame on them.

LORI YARDLEY

Lakeland

Find A Solution

It's awful hard to accept who is right or wrong on the Social Security issue.

Some say don't change it; they deserve what they paid into it. The fears of running out of money are valid, but let's blame the government for that. They expanded Social Security to cover a myriad of reasons and took money out of the system to support unrelated programs.

The current Social Security system could work if our elected officials would get off of their butts and work together to resolve the problems we currently experience. Social Security is definitely overextended, so look at the basic criteria that qualify one for benefits and take a hard look at who should be excluded.

RONALD MORROW

Valrico

Wishing Writer Well

Regarding "More Research Needed" (Letters, Aug. 18):

This writer is not medically trained, but it is widely known that everyone has the potential of cancer, but a correctly functioning immune system prevents the occurrence of the disease. When the immune system is impaired, there is the possibility of the development of cancer. Note that chemotherapy destroys the immune system, but remains as a basic cancer treatment!

The written materials, which I receive from doctors who specialize in alternative medicine, reveal that patients in the conventional medical system have been sent home to die, there being nothing more to help. When treated with alternative medicine, they are eventually declared free of cancer. For many years, Dr. Burzynski of Houston has been curing cancers in children and adults using peptides which he calls antineoplastons.

What is surprising is the fact that the letter writer has survived what is usually a death sentence - that of pancreatic cancer. This is a testament to his surgeon. I wish him well and a long life without the fear of a recurrence.

DEREK BLAIR

Tampa

Preserve State's Wonders

I have family in Florida dating from before 1920 and recently spent two delightful weeks in your state with my son, visiting people and exploring the natural and cultural richness there.

One day I entered Lake Manatee State Park. The ranger asked for an admission fee, so I asked if there were any manatees there. He said there weren't because of a developer's dam. I didn't go into the park, nor did I pay the user fee. Earlier, in Silver Springs, when I asked if there were any manatees there I was told there weren't anymore because of a developer's dam.

Developers made money, yet at the same time they made the public and Florida's largest industry, the tourism industry, bear some of the costs. Florida has great parks and people, but improvements in policy and enforcement that conform to its real economic priorities would be beneficial.

WES LEMMON

Bath, Ohio

Why Import Oranges?

I was shocked when peeling an orange for breakfast and I noticed that the little sticker said South Africa. Did it come from South Africa? Why, when Florida grows tons of oranges? What an extreme case of outsourcing.

MARGARET S. McALISTER

Tampa

Nicolette Rebuttal

While I regret not getting the endorsement of The Tampa Tribune, I do want to commend them on their evenhanded coverage of the Pasco County Commission, District 1 campaign and respond to the endorsement.

Rather than apologize for the support I have received from my fellow first-responders, I consider it a badge of honor to have the support of police and firefighters. Further, I think the Tribune's taking issue with the five percent of my campaign contributions which came from firefighters is a bit of a stretch; I would expect any candidate to raise an even greater percentage of their contributions from people in similar industries or lines of work.

The Tribune does point to a couple of accomplishments my opponent has had a hand in while on the county's payroll but did not acknowledge the countless hours I have spent serving on civic and charitable boards working to improve the county's quality of life and raising money for the less fortunate.

Happily, the voters will decide this election, and I have been listening to hundreds of them every week. The most common refrain I have heard from average citizens and leaders in the civic and business worlds is that my opponent has been invisible.

They know this county needs a new direction, and they have given me a tremendous amount of ideas, in addition to those I began with, to move Pasco forward. They say they have heard enough fancy talk from politicians and know my reputation, as a rancher, a businessman or fireman, for rolling up my sleeves and delivering results. Together we will move Pasco County forward.

JOHN NICOLETTE

San Antonio

The writer is a candidate for the Pasco County Commission, District 1.

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