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The Tampa Tribune

Published: February 14, 2009

Ample Rain Is Falling

Every few days the Tribune prints an item about the area's water supply woes, usually blaming them on drought or the "ongoing three-year drought."

Drought? What drought? Every day a table entitled "Rainfall in Tampa" appears in the Tribune's weather section. This table shows that rainfall was above average for two of the last four months and for seven months of the year 2008. Further, rainfall was several inches above normal for the first half of 2008 and was 98 percent of normal for the entire year.

According to these facts, drought is just a lame excuse.

A. A. KATTERHENRY

Clearwater

Defending State Farm
The opinion expressed in your Jan. 30 editorial on insurance is very negatively slanted and erroneous. A 47 percent rate increase was not outrageous. This was the minimum needed to break even. You obviously did not research facts.

You state that State Farm only wants to sell the more lucrative lines. A company has to manage each part of its operation to make a profit, which is very difficult here since Florida is one of the most litigious states in the country.

Gov. Charlie Crist's statements were classless and irresponsible. Legislators have not given the insurance companies everything they asked for. But they did give startup companies $248 billion of our money to capitalize them. They did manage to run off the companies that have been loyal for many years. Legislators and regulators have created an insurance cesspool since Andrew hit.

You state the big boys want more. That is a reckless statement. State Farm has lost many billions of dollars in Florida since Andrew. Solvency is not a technicality. Your opinion that State Farm should put all customers at risk by backing up Florida with the parent company is careless. How long would a company back the Tribune if it lost millions of dollars?
State Farm has served its Florida customers well for many years. It is made up of good people who work hard every day to help people. Florida has serious budget problems, tax problems, insurance problems, and people are leaving this state.

Your editorial board, Crist and others are in for a rude awakening in the not-too-distant future.

CONRAD DENAULT

St. Petersburg

Remember Daniel Pearl

I am sick of hearing our elected officials talking about how we "torture" and mistreat our captives. It is time for us to remember Daniel Pearl and the others who had their heads cut off, on TV no less.

I think it is time to have a "Daniel Pearl Remembrance Day" to remind us all of he difference between waterboarding and decapitation.

ART LEWIS

Lakeland

Hoping Liberal Plans Fail

Most black Americans are elated over the election of Obama. But unlike my fellow blacks, I voted principles rather than skin color. President Obama is a hardcore liberal socialist.

Despite all his talk of change, Obama's philosophy and rhetoric is standard Democrat; everyone is a victim; the solution to every problem is more government spending and control; America's success is evil and harmful to the world; punish the rich; your income belongs to government with it deciding how much it allows you to keep. I love my country. In solidarity with Rush Limbaugh, I too hope Obama's big-government liberal agenda fails.

LLOYD MARCUS

DeLand

GOP Changed

I heard a saying recently that reminded me of the current situation with the Republican Party: "If the only solution you have for problems is a hammer, all your problems start to look like nails!"

Whether it was good fiscal times or the current financial crisis, Republicans' only solution is the same: large tax cuts, preferably for the wealthy.

The last seven years should clear up for all time that large tax cuts for the wealthy do not stimulate the economy. Really wealthy people have everything they need and won't spend a tax cut. Instead they will put it into their stock portfolio, which benefits only Wall Street.

I'm a 72-year-old grandfather who voted solid Republican starting with Goldwater until 2004. I still believe in what was then the Republican philosophy of fiscal conservatism, balanced budgets, efficient small government and, if there was a surplus left over after the all the bills were paid, across-the-board tax cuts for everybody.

Have we reached the point where the Republican philosophy of government is defined by people like Rush Limbaugh, Ann Coulter and far right evangelicals?

I'm sure Goldwater would turn over in his grave if he saw what has happened to his party.

ART CALLESOE

Tarpon Springs

JOIN DISCUSSION

The Tribune welcomes letters and e-mails from readers. The text should be original and no longer than 150 words. By making a submission, you agree the Tribune may edit the letter for length and clarity, and publish it in any medium.

Please include your name, address and daytime phone number. Mail to: P.O. Box 191, Tampa, FL 33601-0191. Or e-mail without attachments: tribletters@tampatrib.com.

The writer is president of the National Association for the Advancement of Conservative People of Color.

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