The White House
It is bad enough that vulgarian trump decorated the Oval Office in disgusting gold objects now he has destroyed the East Wing after lying and telling everyone he would not do that. We do not need a giant ballroom for the extremely wealthy. He doesn’t care if your insurance premiums skyrocket as long as he can play the dictator.
Benjamin Glick, Naples
No Kings
The Saturday No Kings marches were described by the spineless Republicans as being made up of people who hate America. After watching the countrywide gatherings I saw nobody who showed any semblance of hate except maybe for the Great Pumpkin who, with Stephen Miller, orchestrated this whole fiasco designed to intimidate the Latinos and folks with dark skin. After herding them up and sequestering them with zero rights, they realized that 70% of them had no criminal charges. And they are the worst of the worst? The arresting officers had no IDs and wore masks which add a little more fear into detainees. Where did all the funds for these bad actors come from? The Big Terrible Bill passed by the sycophants of you know who. At the same time, their idol was playing golf and could care less about the complaints. His motto is “screw the immigrants” as he feels they’re less than human.
Glenn Chenot, Cape Coral
Ex-hippy’s lament
Looking at the many demonstrators of the “No Kings” people; I thought, “Misery likes company.” Get a life (what’s left of it). Take up a hobby; donate your time to someone that needs help. More importantly, you are too old to waste your time on such foolishness. You should know better, stop being ignorant on the issues.
I thought with old age comes wisdom. Many of you are 60-80; I’m 77. I was a hippy in the 60’s, I worked six days a week from 7 a.m.-6 p.m. at a tire shop (hard work, and party hard on the weekends), protested against the Vietnam War, had long hair and a beard for two years. I understand about fighting the establishment; but you are so far off base on this “king” thing.
Wake up! Go smoke a joint, or check the meds you are on. Finally the country is on the right track; Trump is doing amazing things for this country (the economy and fighting crime); and the world. You are on the wrong team. Educate yourself, or stay home and don’t vote. Don’t be just “another brick in the wall.”
Jim Adduci, Naples
Protect Affordable Health Care
The One Big Beautiful Bill Act (H.R. 1), signed into law on July 4, 2025, will have serious consequences for health care coverage in Florida. While some provisions — such as rollbacks to Medicaid protections — will phase in over time, others will take effect much sooner. The most immediate threat is the expiration of enhanced subsidies for Affordable Care Act (ACA) Marketplace plans, ending this year.Florida leads the nation in ACA enrollment, with 4.7 million residents — including thousands here in Collier County — relying on the Marketplace for their health insurance. Thanks to expanded premium tax credits under the American Rescue Plan and Inflation Reduction Act, coverage became more affordable for families, retirees, and small business owners alike.
Now that progress is at risk. Without those subsidies and with new enrollment restrictions, an estimated 1.5 million Floridians could lose their coverage — most as early as January 2026, according to the Florida Policy Institute. We cannot allow that to happen. Every Floridian deserves access to affordable health care. I urge readers to contact your state and federal representatives and tell them to protect ACA Marketplace subsidies and prevent a preventable health care crisis.
Eileen Briening, Naples
Donate for Thanksgiving
On October 6, I sent the following email to the mayor and City Council. I am an almost 93-year-old Korean War veteran who has been a member of the Fort Myers Country Club for 25 years and am facing knee replacement surgery. Due to my age, potential physical limitations, and military service, I respectfully request that my upcoming FMCC membership renewal fee be waived. Councilman Bochette was the only one to respond, agreeing to vote to waive my fee.
I served three years aboard a Navy destroyer during the Korean War, including two tours in the combat zone. Having served my country for three years, I request that the recipients take five minutes to respond to my waiver request. My goal was to use those fees, $2,200, to split donations to the Fort Myers Rescue Mission, the Salvation Army, Harry Chapin Food Bank, and St. Matthew’s House to help feed the hungry and homeless during Thanksgiving. I will donate regardless of the mayor and councils’ refusal to answer my request for a fee waiver. I encourage readers to do the same. Just to let you know, replies to this letter should be sent to the mayor and council, as well as the mailbag.
John Siko, Fort Myers
Misplaced priority
It’s astonishing that the Trump administration can find tens of billions of dollars to bail out Argentina’s economy while millions of Americans may soon lose their health-care coverage. The Affordable Care Act’s enhanced subsidies — about $36 billion a year — are set to expire, leaving many unable to afford their premiums.
For years, Republican leaders have sought to dismantle the ACA, calling it wasteful. Yet now, with little hesitation, they appear willing to send nearly the same amount overseas to stabilize a foreign government. We’re told this is a “strategic investment,” but it’s difficult to see how helping Argentina’s economy ranks above helping Americans keep their doctors and prescriptions.
If there’s money for a foreign bailout, there should be money to keep American families insured. It’s hard to reconcile claims of fiscal restraint and “America First” with policies that prioritize foreign financial interests over the health and security of our own citizens.
Michael Troop, Naples
Women: The losers
In the foreword of Project 2025, titled “A Promise to America,” Heritage Foundation President Kevin Roberts listed four promises – the first was a promise to “restore the family as the centerpiece of American life.” Project 2025 targeted deep state, reproductive rights, diversity, equity, and inclusion, or DEI and immigration with women in mind.
Trump has followed Project 2025 down the line. Though the federal workforce is 46% female, the Cabinet offices and independent agencies which Trump has decimated are majority female. The Department of Education and the Department of Health and Human Services were both 63% women. Trump’s “deep state” initiative hits women hard.
Add Trump’s anti immigration initiatives and one finds that child care and elder care once available to working women are disappearing. Immigrants make up 28% of long term care workers. 20% of early child care education workers are immigrants. Fewer immigrants means that there will not be enough workers to fill the needs of American families, who are already straining under the cost of care.
The removal of DEI programs from governments, from universities and from corporations impacts women more than all other classes. Research from the National Bureau of Economic Research indicates that white women have been the primary beneficiaries of DEI in education and the workplace. While DEI was designed to level the playing field for racial minorities, white women have received a larger share of new job opportunities in previously male-dominated fields. The removal of DEI from education and business impacts women the most and is pivotal in achieving one of Project 2025’s major goals: “restore the family as the centerpiece of American life.”
So far, women have been primary victims of Trump’s Project 2025. Women will probably begin to notice when they lose their voting rights.
Sally Lam, Naples
Government by cronyism, not law
Our founders warned that when power concentrates in one branch, liberty fades. Project 2025 would make that warning real. It promises to make government more efficient, but in reality it would concentrate legislative and enforcement power in the presidency — a structure Madison called “the very definition of tyranny.” It would also turn much of the professional civil service into political appointees, leaving Congress ceremonial and the public unrepresented. The plan’s principle that “personnel is policy” means over 100,000 experienced career employees (of those not RIF’ed) could be replaced with political loyalists under something called Schedule F (which violates Civil Service CSRA laws). That might sound like reform, but it would destroy the institutional knowledge needed to keep programs running — from Social Security to NASA. If unchecked, will each new administration have to re-staff the government from top to bottom, like changing royal courts with every new king? Instead of efficiency, we’d see confusion, waste, program delay and political patronage. The U.S. Constitution gives Congress — not the president — the power to make laws and control spending. The president’s duty is to faithfully execute those laws, not rewrite them. If we care about effective, accountable government, the 119th Congress must act now to protect its role in our fragile democracy. The next Congress will be too late. Tell Representative Donalds and Senators Scott and Moody that history will remember those who defended the rule of law, not those that surrendered it.
Charles McClinton, Cape Coral
Nobel Prize for Peace
A prize is something given to a person or group as a reward or recognition for achievement, victory, or excellence. It can be rewarded through competition. It can be given in consolation, not for winning, but for appreciated acknowledgment of effort. At his death in 1895, Alfred Bernhard Nobel directed that his fortune of 31 million kronor, today roughly 1.9 billion kronor (198 million USD in 2025 purchasing power), be used to establish yearly prizes to honor those who had conferred the greatest benefit to humankind, one of which is the Nobel Prize for Peace.
After five years of family conflict regarding not receiving the money they expected following Alfred’s death, the first peace prize was awarded to Jean Henri Dunant (Switzerland), founder of the Red Cross and the World Alliance of Young Men’s Christian Associations, and Frédéric Passy (France), a French economist and advocate of international arbitration. They were honored jointly for humanitarian and pacifist work.
Past recipients have not lobbied or openly solicited for the prize; it has been a surprise to them − not so today. The president of the United States has monotonously whined that he deserves the Peace Prize for his excellent achievements on the world stage, when in fact his is a comedy of errors and antics, likened to the Keystone Cops, upon the stage on which he performs. Were he to receive an award, it ought to be a satiric Booby prize − made of fool’s gold.
Gillon Ward, MD, Naples
It’s the economy
Deployment of National Guard in tourist sectors of American cities. Militarization of the DC police force. Retribution against one’s political “enemies.” Ejection of national press from the Pentagon building. Masked federal officers forcibly removing residents from city streets without warrants. Congress’ ruling party abdicating their constitutional duties thereby enabling presidential overreach. Many (perhaps most) Americans are unsettled, even appalled, by such actions created by the ruling political party. However, as despicable as these miscarriages of justice are, their impact on the majority of voters casting their ballots will be superseded by their personal affordability crisis. If Democrats are to win in the midterms, their clarion call must be “It’s the economy, voters!” Without question, responsible legislators and journalists should raise their voices whenever democracy is threatened but, to win elections, pocketbook issues trump a civics lecture. For most voters, Trump’s erosion of democracy is abstract; dwindling of one’s bank account matters more. Trump’s escalation of revenge and retribution are over-the-top but rising grocery, rent and insurance rates are bottom line priorities. Democracy can be saved/salvaged by Democrats winning back the House but to do so, prioritizing current economic conditions must lead the way.
James L. DeBoy, Fort Myers
The reasonable senator
Prior to the 2024 election, one man was ridiculed unfairly due to a medical issue that caused him to miss a word or two, fumble the verbal ball and often appear to be searching for the right words. This man had suffered a minor stroke which made him appear incapable of handling the rigors of the position he wanted to attain. The position: U.S. senator. The man: John Fetterman. Fortunately Senator Fetterman has regained his faculties and even though he likes wearing hoodies rather than a suit and tie, he has become one of the most articulate and reasonable senators of the Democratic Party.
He always is searching for the approach that will narrow the gap between the left and right. He is all for compromise unlike most of the far left leaning Democrats. He shows respect for the opposition, not hatred. He wants to work with the Republicans rather than throwing up roadblocks. He is the type of senator that we desperately need. The Schumers, Van Hollens, Padillas and Schiffs are useless as they are blinded by ideology and care not a whit for the U.S. citizenry. They care only about feathering their nests and don’t care about issues that would benefit America.
We should elect officials skilled in compromise and understanding different perspectives.
Michael Zubrow, Naples
Science is in jeopardy
In response to the writer who wanted us to “dig a little deeper” into the acetaminophen during pregnancy controversy, I looked up the birthinjurycenter.org. as recommended.
The “About Us” page is “Support and Guidance for Families Who Have Fallen Victim to Medical Negligence.” A medical malpractice mill? Their medical expert is Natalie Speer, RNC-OB, who is in charge of medical content. That’s great, a bachelor of science in nursing, but how about a doctor of epidemiology, public health, or medical doctor weighing in?
As for the “report” (study?) that came out a few years ago, which one were you referring to? The latest JAMA study, 4-9-24, was a population-based study of over 248 MILLION children in Sweden. It repudiated earlier studies because it used sibling controls to account for environmental and genetic factors such as higher prenatal weight or BMI, lower socio- economics, smoking, psychiatric diagnosis, and neurodevelopmental disorders. By using siblings, these factors could be somewhat accounted for. Another question. WHY would a woman be taking acetaminophen during pregnancy: perhaps for infection, fever, or migraine? All of these have an increased risk for maternal and infant morbidity and mortality if acetaminophen is NOT used, when indicated. For example, untreated fever can increase risk for neural tube and cardiac defects and oral clefts.
I agree with this writer that his daughter should make her decision based on all information available. But the best place to get this information is from your daughter’s OB-GYN or doctor.
Why would you follow the direction of the FDA demanding relabeling of acetaminophen in pregnancy, when they admit there is no cause and effect between taking acetaminophen and ADHD or neuro disorders and also admit there are many studies contradicting their position on this! Would that make you more confident in this relabeling, directed by the HHS under a person who has no medical degree or scientific background?
Fortunately, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) released a counter directive to the FDA. It is informative, listing the studies and results and why most studies were flawed. Unfortunately, we can’t depend on our government for scientific information. Go to the NIH website. They post: due to the lapse in government funding, the information on this website may not be up to date. Studies are being defunded. Science is in jeopardy in the United States.
Chris Friedrichs, APRN-BC, Adult Nurse Practitioner, Fort Myers
This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: Letters to the editor for Saturday, October 25, 2025
Reporting by Letter writers / Fort Myers News-Press
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