OPINION

Counter voter suppression with voter turnout

Palm Beach Post
Rev. J.R. Thicklin speaks during a news conference held by the Palm Beach County Clergy Alliance in West Palm Beach Monday, Nov. 29, 2021 to oppose what it calls the three Vs under Gov. Ron DeSantis: voter opposition, voting restrictions and vigilante endorsement, the state's anti-riot law.

On Nov. 30, The Palm Beach Post had an article about religious leaders looking to Gov. Ron DeSantis to rethink the new voting laws passed by the Republican-controlled Florida. These laws make it harder for all to vote. I think the religious leaders’ goal is admirable but will fall on deaf ears. It is the goal of the Republicans to stay in power — anyway they can. The only way Republicans can stop or limit Democratic candidates is to make it hard and almost impossible to vote.

So, what are the Blacks, Latinos and other minorities to do?  Well, they will have to step up and vote,no matter how hard it will be, to accomplish a task that had been proven secure. It will take extra time. They may have to stand in the sun and miss work. In the end, the Republicans will find that good American people will not stand for their vote not to be counted. Religious leaders, it is time to educate your congregations how to vote and abide by the restricted voting laws.

Richard Gurevitz, West Palm Beach

Who wins COVID war of attrition?

The war over the pandemic is clearly divided into two camps, realists and pretenders.

Those who pretend that the pandemic is fake or already over demand there be no vaccine or mask mandates, and we all get back to work, school and vacationing without restrictions. The realists believe the science and the only way to end the pandemic is by herd immunity through mass vaccination.

Right now this is a war of posturing and shouting. Over time, it becomes a war of attrition. More pretenders than realists are going to get sick and die. The pretenders will lose, but can the world really wait that long?

Jeffrey B. Brown, Palm Beach Gardens

Fear of government undermines progress

Joe Biden was inaugurated during the worst public health crisis in over a century and the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression. What he’s accomplished with only the barest of majorities in Congress is historic. Through October, 5.5 million jobs were created. GDP for 2021 is estimated at between 5.5 and 6 percent. Child poverty is projected to fall by half because of the Child Tax Credit in the American Rescue Plan. More than 195 million Americans are fully vaccinated, representing 69.1% of Americans over 12 years of age and 86.2% of those over 65.

So why did a recent Washington Post-ABC poll show “tanking” approval ratings for Biden and Democrats? The principal reason is the effectiveness of Republicans’ favorite memes — “government is bad” and “be afraid, be very afraid.” Republicans are confident that irrational fears will cause Americans to continue voting against their interests. Inflation is significantly up, year over year, but wage increases outpaced inflation last quarter, and inflation is likely to dissipate once supply chains loosen. As for deficit phobia, Republicans unanimously supported the 2017 tax cuts that increased the deficit by $2 trillion and overwhelmingly benefited the superrich. As Biden Builds Back Better, let’s heed the Twentieth Century’s greatest president and move forward together: “the only thing to fear is fear itself — nameless, unreasoning, unjustified terror, which paralyzes needed efforts to convert retreat into advance.” 

Michael K. Cantwell, president, Democratic Club of Delray Beach