You can’t blame president for interest rates
A recent letter writer bemoaned the development of property at the LPGA International community in Daytona Beach that he believes won’t sell due to high interest rates and high inflation (“Are you better off? Then vote accordingly,” Nov. 3). The writer also cited low consumer confidence and high energy prices. The implication was clear that the Biden administration is to blame for these economic problems. As any first-year economics student can tell you, inflation results when consumer demand for goods and services exceeds the supply or availability of those goods and services. To combat inflation, the Federal Reserve, which sets monetary policy and makes related decisions autonomously and not subject to federal government approval, raises interest rates to slow spending by increasing the cost of borrowing, potentially reducing economic activity to slow inflation. That methodology has been used in the U.S. for decades in response to inflation.
Blaming the current administration, or any previous administration for that matter, for inflation and high interest rates is a specious argument designed to persuade voters to vote for the political party not currently in the White House. I am hopeful that most Americans are too smart to fall for that warped logic.
Jeff Canose Daytona Beach
Palestine’s goals are clear
In the summer of 1968, after graduating from the University of Iowa, I headed for Kuwait and a job as an elementary teacher at the American School of Kuwait. I was informed that should I visit Israel and have their visa in my passport, I would not be allowed to enter Kuwait. The globe in my classroom had the country of Israel blacked out, as if it didn’t exist. In my view, the goal of Palestine, and all Arab nations, is the eradication of the State of Israel and the Jewish people. It always has been and it always will be.
Janet Pauley Umatilla
Daylight saving time must have national standard
I agree with wanting to cancel daylight saving time, but it has to be done on a national level.
If more states adopt their own times, not knowing, if you call another state, what time it is there is a problem. Driving from state to state, for truckers especially, becomes more difficult as they are restricted in the hours they can drive and that proof could be a problem crossing state lines. It’s hard enough with four time zones. Then there is national TV.
Let’s get rid of it on a national basis. For one thing, let’s see how really strong our representatives are. Can they do it or can they only talk on TV and social media about it?
Steve Russell Off the coast of Florida
Florida senators must help resume military promotions
After 10 months of Sen. Tommy Tuberville holding up military promotions, we have an escalating inability to respond to national security threats as well as threats to our military bases overseas.
Training recruits and forming teams with new leaders takes months. Tuberville has never served in the military and his lack of knowledge of millitary readiness is apparent. Frankly, I am appalled that this has been allowed to continue in the Senate. I think he doesn’t care or, worse yet, is part of an agenda to weaken the military chain of command. For whose purpose?
Florida has two senators who can help to break the logjam of promotions by resuming block voting on promotions. As the reelection year approaches for Sen. Rick Scott, he needs to be thinking of the security of the country rather than who he has to appease in order to be reelected. As voters, we need to contact Scott and Sen. Marco Rubio to express our dismay and concern for the hundreds of military members and their families affected by this inaction.
Sarah Wolfe Winter Garden
