Letters to the editor should be 250 words or less. Include your name and city or community of residence. Guest opinions should be 600 words or less and include a brief summary of the author’s credentials relevant to the topic. Guest opinions may include a head shot of the author. For the Fort Myers News-Press, email submissions to mailbag@news-press.com and for the Naples Daily News to letters@naplesnews.com
C’mon, Trumpericans
OK … let’s cut to the chase. Ballrooms and football fields are a good start, but they’re small potatoes. Our current chief executive’s manifest greatness calls for a more appropriate level of recognition. How does The United States of Trumperica sound to you? Let’s stop equivocating and give this titan his due. Awarding him The Trump Peace Prizes might be a good start, but anything short of Trumperica will be damning by faint praise. Get with it, Trumpericans. The time is now! Oh … and don’t forget Mt. Trumpmore.
Gerry Spampinato, Naples
Women in leadership purged
The Trump administration has orchestrated a purge of women from leadership positions across federal agencies and the military. The U.S. military is left with no women in a four-star general or admiral role.
The dismissals began immediately. On his first day, President Trump fired Admiral Linda Fagan, the Coast Guard’s first female commandant, despite her 40-year distinguished career and unanimous Senate confirmation. This pattern continued with Vice Admiral Yvette Davids, the Naval Academy’s first female superintendent, among at least five senior military women removed from their positions. “In the two months since President Donald Trump returned to the White House, his administration has cleared the military of most of its top-ranking female officers…” — Military Times, 3-17-2025
Trump illegally fired Gwynne Wilcox, the first Black woman to serve on the National Labor Relations Board, crippling the agency’s ability to function. The Pentagon has scrubbed references to female military figures from its websites, while NASA received directives to eliminate mentions of women in leadership. Even Arlington Cemetery’s website removed information about female veterans.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s well-documented opposition to women in combat roles has created a chilling effect on female recruitment and morale. Former Defense Secretary Leon Panetta stated these unexplained removals send “a clear signal this is not about merit, not about performance — it’s about that they are women.”
This systematic erasure represents an unprecedented assault on women’s representation in government, reversing decades of progress in gender equality and military readiness.
Guess what. Women vote.
Paul Howard, Naples
The First Amendment
In uncertain times, when executive orders blur the line between dissent and danger, it’s more important than ever to revisit the foundation of our democracy: the First Amendment. The First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution guarantees five essential freedoms — speech, press, religion, assembly, and petition. These rights are not privileges granted by government. They are protections from government. And they belong to all of us.
At the heart of these freedoms is the right to speak — to express opinions, challenge authority, and advocate for change. Whether you’re writing articles, attending rallies, or simply sharing your views with neighbors, your voice is protected. But recent developments have raised serious concerns. A September executive order designating Antifa as a “domestic terrorist organization” uses broad language that could be misapplied to peaceful protestors. Military deployments to cities have escalated tensions. And some citizens now fear that writing or organizing could make them a target.
Let me be clear: speech is not violence. Dissent is not terrorism. You cannot be arrested for your beliefs. You cannot be prosecuted for your words — unless they cross into true threats, incitement to imminent lawless action, or defamation. These are narrow exceptions. The vast majority of political speech, even if unpopular or provocative, is protected.
As a senior and a writer, I know how easy it is to feel intimidated. But I also know that silence is not safety. The First Amendment was written for moments like this — when power must be questioned, and truth must be spoken. So, speak. Write. Organize. Show up. And if you ever feel uncertain, reach out to civil liberties groups like the ACLU, PEN America, or your local legal aid. You are not alone. The Constitution is not a relic. It’s a living promise. And every time we use our voice, we keep that promise alive.
Linda Lindquist, North Fort Myers
Unmitigated gall
Our president tells us the Democrats are “cheating on elections and conning people with facts that aren’t true.” The convicted fraud and election denier has the unmitigated gall to lie about his perceived enemies. He has no empathy for those “largely Democrats” SNAP recipients going without food. Actually, they are mostly children, older adults, and people with disabilities. Trump says “costs are way down.” For whom? Income inequality is widening. The top 20% and his wealthy donors are thriving while millions of Americans live paycheck to paycheck. The rich get richer and he lies about how well the rest of us are doing. Meanwhile the grifter lines his pockets, selling Bibles, watches, coins, trading cards, anything to fleece the public. Gatsby Trump surrounds himself with gold. He likes gold and rich people.
Political loyalty is the major prerequisite for Trump appointees, whether they are advisors, Cabinet members, or judicial picks for lifetime appointments. You must bend the knee, praise the king, and tell him he won in 2020 to work for the authoritarian in charge. If you screw up, especially in some nefarious schemes he identifies with, you can count on a pardon.
If we consider this man to be admirable, we have lost our way.
Kevin McNally, Bonita Springs
Metaphor for fairy tale
Three houses in Washington, D.C., are strikingly similar to those described in the fairy tale of the “Three Little Pigs.”
The first is the Capitol Building, constructed from 1793 to 1826, metaphorically of straw, … a loosely piled haystack with large pockets of hot air, mostly empty, and unproductive. There is no hidden needle to sew it together as a cohesive structure.
The second is the White House, its cornerstone laid on October 13, 1792. It might as well be made of sticks. The porcine resident states there are not enough troughs to entertain “porcinophants,” (sic: worshiping pigs). With a snort and root, he is making room for a new sty, which will be expensive and painted with fool’s gold.
The third building is for the Supreme Court, made of bricks and houses nine. Few windows let light in or out. Petitions are either returned unsigned, with a yes or no response, or with glyphic comments unrelated to history, or take months to years to realize their poorly thought-out future impact.
In the future, with huffing and puffing coming from the four corners of the republic, a giant wind will blow the houses clean, but hopefully, not blow them down.
Gillon Ward, M.D., Naples
Authoritarian bully
When I read Trump’s rotund consigliere Steven Cheung’s statement that Trump has the heart of a humanitarian I almost choked on my breakfast. The way Trump negotiates is with bullying and intimidation. His only object was to win the Nobel Peace Prize and he failed. The right wing here follows him slavishly along but the rest of the world sees him as the authoritarian bully he is. No Nobel Prize for him.
Benjamin Glick, Naples
Wizard of Oz
Growing up, one of my favorite movies was “The Wizard of Oz.” As I think about our country and where we are headed and who is leading this disaster, I can’t help but think of the comparisons to the movie.
Let’s start with our fearless leader, Donald J. Trump. He is the wicked witch, the brainless Scarecrow, the heartless Tin Man, the bullying Cowardly Lion and Oz, the man behind the curtain who thinks he is all powerful but in reality, is just a scared old man.
He surrounds himself with flying monkeys to do his dirty work − JD Vance, Ted Cruz, Marco Rubio, Lindsey Graham, Stephen Miller, Pam Bondi, other members of his Cabinet and the MAGA senators and congressional reps that kneel to him and are afraid to speak up against him.
Well, we all know how the movie ends − a small farm girl from Kansas shows courage and stands up to Oz and thus he is revealed for who he really is, a bully that speaks loudly but is nothing but a meek old man. In the end the “real” Scarecrow, Tin Man and Lion get what they desire, the monkeys finally see the errors of their ways and come to their senses and the wicked witch melts away. We need to find today’s Dorothy who is not afraid to stand up to the old man. Let’s hope this sequel will play out soon, otherwise, we will be living in the wicked land of Oz and this nightmare will continue forever!
E.A. Blair, Naples
Wannabe King Trump
When King Solomon proposed cutting a baby in half, the real mother begged to stop the blade — because love, not pride, guided her.
That story feels familiar today.
As Democrats chose compromise over collapse, pundits said they “blinked.” But like the true mother, they acted to save the country, not their egos.
Donald Trump claimed he couldn’t end the shutdown, yet somehow found time and money to knock down the East Wing of the White House. He could throw Gatsby-style parties, pose with Kim Jong Un and China’s President Xi, and even pardon his co-conspirators from the January 6th insurrection — Rudy Giuliani among them — and the crypto fraudster whose fortune helped make his son half a billion dollars. He even went to court to slash the SNAP program and take food off Americans’ tables.
Rather than confront rising health-care costs for working families, he stoked resentment by railing about paying for “illegal aliens.” And when Democrats sought to fix flaws in his so-called “big, beautiful bill,” crammed through with only a simple majority under reconciliation, he chose spectacle over substance.
Unlike wise King Solomon, wannabe King Trump could care less about the baby.
D.A. Fisher, Naples
Misguided votes
Where is our “leader” during the shutdown? His input is vital for ending this travesty. No president should allow the optics of playing golf at Mar a Lago to preclude his duties to the country.
Of course the Great Gatsby dinner was an even worse example but all these happenings should be proof enough that this president could care less about the starving less-fortunate citizens but the upper echelon can relish in his gratuitous actions toward the upper crust. Of course his feelings toward the lesser of our citizenry was previously known but his lack of empathy has never been questioned but is now readily apparent to all.
The recent deployment of unrequested and unnecessary troops to Democratic led states utilizing the guise of protecting government buildings is just another lawless interdiction by someone who wants to punish certain states for voting against him almost a year ago. These Russian-like occupations were ordered to create chaos and provoke protesters who, if they attack the occupiers in any way, the door will be opened to use the insurrection act. To see through these happenings is relatively easy to discern and it is very difficult to keep the citizens peaceful when they are being instigated constantly by the provocateurs. This is just the latest display of what a dictator with no guardrails can do. The voters were warned about these things prior to the elections but they ignored these and elected this despicable person anyway. I don’t think they got what they paid for and now the whole commonwealth must suffer the consequences of their misguided votes.
Glenn Chenot, Cape Coral
Economic tipping point
In Physics, singularity is a point where the massive forces of general relativity meet the minuscule scales of quantum mechanics and the laws of physics as we know them break down.
In Artificial Intelligence, singularity refers to a future event where artificial intelligence rapidly becomes superintelligent and continues to improve itself at an exponential rate — a hypothetical event beyond which the future is considered unpredictable by humans.
In economics, singularity might be defined as that point where the deficit becomes so large, where workers, because of demographics (low birth rate and the elderly), become so scarce, where inflation becomes so extreme and recessions so depressing that societies are forced to dramatically increase immigration, are forced to impose DEI policies to attract women and minorities, are forced to substantially increase government services and funding for the common good, are forced to eliminate tariffs to achieve reasonable prices and are forced to tax oligarchs substantially.
Expect economic singularity to occur a lot sooner than Artificial Intelligence singularity or singularity in Physics. Otherwise, who will take care of all them elderly, or employ all them young, or feed all them hungry, or heal all them sick?
Joe Haack, Naples
Renewed interest in history
Lately, I have been feeling a renewed interest in American history. Discovering things I had forgotten about, not paid attention to or missed along the way, has been a stark reminder of how valuable history can be to inform and guide the present. Admittedly, I am not a history scholar and like many of us I suspect school was about way more than just what was happening in the classroom. I have discovered or rediscovered events and details that seem like golden nuggets, keys to our future wellbeing, crucial to understanding our times. While there are a number of these events and details along the way that have really caught my attention, the most recent are the 27 grievances against the actions and decisions of King George III listed in the Declaration of Independence. I knew about them and while they made me feel a deep sense of being an American, they were just history. Today, they remind me of what it took to be the United States America, “the Republic for which it stands.”
Susan Kaercher Meyers, Naples
Health care in SWFL
I have grave concerns about our health care in SWFL. Over the past year or so, I have visited my primary doctor, urologist, dentist, eye doctor, a chiropractor, and a specialist or two. The visits are all routine and thank God there are no major health concerns but my experience with a couple of them show the way of health care in America.
At three different types of doctors, I had the unique experience of seeing what our care looks like today and in the near future. All of the doctors were associated with large institutions, but the concern was at the single practitioner. My experience was a cross between a used car dealer and a sales squeeze. The care with the smaller care providers was and is unique. Seems that the care was secondary to the billing. I have never visited a doctor’s office where payment and commitment to care was bundled like some Progressive insurance policy.
I believe these providers will focus on customers who can pay out of pocket, and commit to procedures, along with signing a contract. Insurance will be ineffective and outside of the care they provide. This is called Boutique Care. Memberships, cash payments, and limited patient numbers will bring care to those who can afford it and the rest of us will stand in long lines, pay large deductibles, and wait months for a follow-up visit. But those who have the means to pay upfront will be provided with care most of us can only wish for.
Our health care will become a mix of high volume and quick treatments. Pills, injections and prescriptions will be the accepted form of treatment. The have nots are already forming at the emergency rooms, cluttered doctor offices, and long wait times. I may not live to see it but our health insurance for the 99% of the population will be akin to standing in line for shoes or toilet paper at the local government owned grocery store.
How are you feeling today?
Jack Holt, Cape Coral
Not a fan of Republicans
Our friend in Fort Myers thinks Democrats should be embarrassed. Why don’t we take a look to see who really should be embarrassed! The Republicans voted in a felon, a lousy businessman (with 6 bankruptcies), and a habitual liar, who still claims the 2020 Election was stolen from him. Come on and get real! Our friend congratulated Trump on a job well done. Well, let’s see. The economy is worse off since he took office. He claims Trump helped end eight conflicts between various countries (another lie). He eliminated DEI, which is another way to be a racist! Republicans voted to end Medicaid to our poorest people, and the ACA which the Republicans hate because it’s known as Obama Care.
I know what it’s like to be without health care. In 2008, I was job eliminated after 37 years with my company, due to the Republican recession. Without the ACA, I would not have been able to afford health care for me and my family. So excuse me for not being a fan of Donald Trump and the Republican Party. I could go on and on about how the Republicans treat the American people, but I am limited to 250 words.
Daniel Royer, Fort Myers
Did Dems actually win?
I see the Democrats are crowing over their recent Election Day results but did they actually win anything?
The New Jersey governor’s race stayed blue. The New York mayor’s race stayed blue. The Minneapolis mayor’s race stayed blue. The Seattle mayor’s race stayed blue. Virginia flipped their governor’s race back to blue where it usually is. So is not losing the new winning for Democrats? Just asking.
Rick Manuel, Dade City
Declaration of Independence
A recent newsletter I read recommended that people reread the full Declaration of Independence. Many people are familiar with the first couple of paragraphs referring to all men being created equal. However, a majority of the document details the actions by the King to which they were objecting. Below I list some of them and have retained the spelling and grammar of the time it was written.
He has endeavoured to prevent the population of these States; for that purpose obstructing the Laws for Naturalization of Foreigners; refusing to pass others to encourage their migrations hither, and raising the conditions of new Appropriations of Lands.
He has made Judges dependent on his Will alone, for the tenure of their offices, and the amount and payment of their salaries.
He has kept among us, in times of peace, Standing Armies without the Consent of our legislatures.
He has affected to render the Military independent of and superior to the Civil power.
For Quartering large bodies of armed troops among us:
For protecting them, by a mock Trial, from punishment for any Murders which they should commit on the Inhabitants of these States:
For cutting off our Trade with all parts of the world:
For imposing Taxes on us without our Consent:
For depriving us in many cases, of the benefits of Trial by Jury:
For transporting us beyond Seas to be tried for pretended offences:
For taking away our Charters, abolishing our most valuable Laws, and altering fundamentally the Forms of our Governments:
In every stage of these Oppressions We have Petitioned for Redress in the most humble terms: Our repeated Petitions have been answered only by repeated injury. A Prince, whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a Tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of a free people.
These, among other offenses, were what the founders and patriots of our new country were revolting against the King’s rule and willing to die for the overthrow of his government. All this was said on one page! I guess they understood that brevity is necessary if you wanted a person to actually read your edicts. I leave it to the reader to judge whether any of these issues are relevant today.
William Sartoris, Fort Myers
This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: The United States of Trumperica!!! | Opinion letters
Reporting by Letter writers / Fort Myers News-Press
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