Letters to the editor Letters to the editor Letters to the editor

Cut defense spending

In a recent column by Hillsborough County Commissioner Mark Sharpe ("Charting a course for rail and more in the U.S.," Other Views, Feb. 23), he writes: "I have also called for a major re-evaluation of our defense spending..."

I hope that call was placed to Sen. Bill Nelson, who is a member of the Senate Budget Committee. Cuts to military spending must be on the table, and Nelson can and should make that happen. I would encourage Sharpe to look at a report presented to the House of Representatives last year entitled "Debts, Deficits and Defense: A Way Forward." It clearly outlines cuts in Pentagon expenditures that would result in possible savings of $960 billion between 2011 and 2020.

While we are watching our state and federal officials present slash-and-burn budgets, we also notice that they rarely invoke the necessity of ending the war in Afghanistan or cutting the Pentagon budget. I appreciate Commissioner Sharpe initiating that conversation.

Tampa

Facts are facts

June Ambrose correctly stated that 53 percent of the voters in 2000 were in favor of the high-speed rail amendment ("He's not King Scott," Your Views, Feb. 26). But she failed to reveal what happened next: Between 2000 and 2004 the voters became aware of the outrageous cost of this project. So in 2004 more than 60 percent of the voters were in favor of repealing the 2000 amendment.

So, Gov. Scott is paying attention and doing exactly what the voters elected him to do: Say no to high-speed rail.

Of course, Tribune editors are aware of that. Yet you printed a letter with half-truths meant to bolster your own position on this boondoggle project. Shame on you.

Palm Harbor

Scott not wrong

Mary Shofi Volpe's letter to the editor is full of misstatements ("Scott's God complex," Letter of the Day, March 1). Refusing rail money that will simply go to other states is really a key item because: Whose money is it? It is not the government's! It is our money!

Volpe says Scott is incapable of seeing the big picture. I disagree. He hit the nail on the head calling this what it is, a federal boondoggle.

Sun City Center

Not hard to imagine

I propose we name I-4 between Tampa and Orlando the "Rick Scott Highway." Then, far into the future, we can be reminded of his foresight as governor when we hear on the radio: "... two- to three-hour delay on the Rick Scott Highway this morning due to volume."

Tampa

No comparison

This year is the 20th anniversary of The High-Performance Computing Act of 1991, the law that led to the creation of the Internet. Imagine how different the world would be if, back then, someone like Rick Scott had been the senator from Tennessee instead of Al Gore.

Largo