Medicaid and SNAP benefits saved my life. Why would Congress hurt seniors like me?
Saving lives
I am 65 years old and suffer from several chronic medical conditions, including high blood pressure, diabetes and cancer. I have also been hospitalized on several occasions, including for major surgery. When I received a hospital bill of more than $40,000, Florida Medicaid paid it entirely. This saved me from financial ruin and was lifesaving.
Then, in 2021, due to a clerical error, my Social Security check was cut off. I had no income whatsoever for several months. I applied for and received Florida SNAP so that I would not go hungry. Medicaid and SNAP both saved my life.
As the June 2 Miami Herald editorial revealed, ''Beautiful' bill cuts Florida seniors' food stamps. That's ugly,' the House's proposed cuts to Medicaid and SNAP will be devastating for seniors like me. These benefits are vital — they should never be cut, only expanded.
Brian Douglas,
Miami
Worth saving
As a U.S. Navy veteran, I'm always surprised when I hear people thank military service members for the 'rights that we all enjoy.' I considered it my job to protect Americans from foreign attacks.
While my service might have protected life, the 'liberty and pursuit of happiness' part of the equation was and is provided by the U.S. Constitution. Rather than saying 'thank you for your service,' I wish more people would stand up to the daily attacks on our Constitution.
Many in our country no longer enjoy some rights. Let's do something about it before some of those rights are not available to the rest of us.
Tony Chifari,
Miami
Inhumane action
I am Catholic Cuban American and member of organizations like Cuban American Women Supporting Democracy, the Pedro Arrupe Jesuit Institute and the Miramar Circle of Protection, all working toward a more just society.
As has been reported, more than 500,000 individuals from Cuba, Venezuela, Haiti and Nicaragua will lose their legal status due to President Trump's order and a U.S. Supreme Court decision allowing it to proceed. This legal pathway, known as 'Humanitarian Parole,' was established because of our broken immigration system and reflects the desperate conditions in these nations, where violence and lack of basic necessities prevail. The order allows ICE to deport these immigrants back to the dangers they escaped.
I vehemently oppose this. I urge everyone, especially Republicans who believed their loved ones were exempt from such policies, to speak out against this inhumane action. We must reverse this order and grant these individuals the opportunity to remain in our country.
Silvia Munoz,
Doral
Beauty detoxed
After seeing viral nail design videos online and how cheap it can be to do your own art, I was hooked and immediately bought the needed supplies. However, processes like Gel-X, which is what most at-home nail techs use, can be detrimental to our environment. Ten plastic nail extensions per person, per session, multiplied by millions of people worldwide is bound to take its toll, eventually. Further, the extremely harmful chemicals in acrylic or regular polish end up harming waterways and our health.
To reduce this impact, more sustainable options are emerging. Brands like Manucurist offer plant-based, non-toxic polishes, while The GelBottle has a refill system and recyclable packaging to cut down waste.
For those still interested in extensions, Bio Sculpture promotes biodegradable gel products with less harmful ingredients. Even small changes, like using reusable nail forms or acetone-free removers, can help reduce your beauty routine's footprint.
Anagha Iyer,
high school student,
chair,
Broward Sierra Group, Junior Team,
Miramar
Purging names
President Donald Trump's Department of Defense plans to rename U.S. Navy ships to reflect what it describes as 'warrior culture.' The name of gay rights activist Harvey Milk will be stripped from a vessel — during Gay Pride Month, no less.
Ruth Bader Ginsberg, Harriet Tubman, Thurgood Marshall, Cesar Chavez and others will also be removed from active ships named in their honor. Sadly, the administration doesn't recognize that these civil rights icons are in a warrior class of their own. The Navy has a long tradition of naming vessels after prominent people.
To add to the list of indignities inflicted on the American people by this administration, buildings, roadways, even bodies of water are being renamed to align with the president's whims. This is consistent with the purge of DEI references from libraries and databases.
These actions reflect a culture of repudiation not dissimilar to the sweeping transformation of Cuban society by Fidel Castro's government, which included the renaming of public buildings, institutions and landmarks to reflect revolutionary ideals and to erase symbols of the previous regime.
Rosemary Ravinal,
Doral
Congressional failure
Lots of good, bad and indifferent talk has occurred about the recent MAGA federal budget bill the U.S. House passed.
What is truly annoying is our elected officials' constant stupidity in admitting their stupidity over voting for what they did not know or that they paid no attention to what was in the bill before approving it. A few years ago, U.S. Rep. Nancy Pelosi told America that Congress had to vote for a bill so they could then read it and see what was in it.
Today's GOP representatives, by admitting that they did not know what was in the bill they had voted on and passed, is a call for their immediate impeachment. If this is not failure to do one's job, I am not sure what that might be.
So I continue to fly the flag upside down, as we are in deep trouble.
W.F. Cunningham, III,
Fort Lauderdale
Bondi complaint
A recent article in the Herald revealed that prestigious lawyers and judges have lodged a formal complaint against Florida Bar member and current U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi. The complaint is well-deserved because she either committed or came close to committing perjury during her confirmation hearing four months ago.
Since winning an undeserved confirmation, Bondi has proved herself to be what many Floridians already knew of her: a political hack, provocateur, election result denier and prevaricating lawyer, unfit for the high position of a nation's chief law enforcement officer.
David Kahn,
Boca Raton
Controversial hunt
Florida's black bears deserve respect, not to be chased by dogs or shot over bait piles. Yet the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) just voted to allow a bear hunt using these exact methods.
This decision flies in the face of overwhelming public opposition. At the hearing, people opposing the hunt more than doubled the number of those supporting it. In written comments submitted to the Commission, a staggering 75% voiced opposition.
The FWC is supposed to manage wildlife in the interest of all Floridians, not just the less than one percent of the population who hold a hunting license. Commissioner Steven Hudson stood with the people and voted no, after voicing legitimate concerns over this travesty of a proposal. He deserves our gratitude. The rest of the commission failed in its duty.
At the next meeting In August, we will return and stand up for ethical wildlife policy and for the future of Florida's wild bears.
Jeffrey Konner,
Aventura
Political influence
Florida had a chance to bring a well-known and respected academic, Dr. Santa Ono from the University of Michigan to help the state move forward, but a politicized Board of Governors (BOG) relied on comments by the likes of Donald Trump, Jr. and U.S. Rep. Byron Donalds to reject him.
The last two BOG approvals for university presidents were termed-out politicians. Our State University System, as controlled by BOG, is being degraded and destroyed one appointment at a time. Culture wars should not be part of the decision-making process.
Juan A. Galan, Jr.,
Coral Gables
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Iowa governor vetoes bill restricting private pipelines' use of eminent domain
Gov. Kim Reynolds vetoed a bill Wednesday aimed at CO2 pipelines and eminent domain. She's pictured at her 2025 Condition of the State Address Jan. 14, 2025. (Photo by Robin Opsahl/Iowa Capital Dispatch) Gov. Kim Reynolds Wednesday vetoed a controversial bill pertaining to eminent domain and carbon sequestration pipelines in Iowa. House Republican leaders initiated an effort to reconvene the Legislature to override the veto, but Senate GOP leaders indicated that was unlikely. House File 639 would have increased insurance requirements for hazardous liquid pipelines, limited carbon pipeline permits to one 25-year term and changed the definition of a common carrier for pipelines, making it more difficult for the projects to use eminent domain. Reynolds, in a statement, said she shared the bill's goal of 'protecting landowners' but the bill lacked the 'clear, careful lines' drawn in good policy. 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Opponents to the pipeline project, who were supportive of HF 639, argue the pipeline would negatively impact their properties and health, and that sequestering CO2 does not constitute a 'public use' deserving of eminent domain rights. Landowners opposed to the project lobbied state lawmakers for four years before a bill was debated, and ultimately passed, in the Senate and sent to the governor. Since the bill landed on the governor's desk, landowners have encouraged Reynolds to support Iowa GOP values on protecting property rights. Reynolds said the debate of when the government, or companies with government approval, can take private property is a 'debate as old as the Republic.' 'I've consistently said that if eminent domain is used, it must be rare, fair and a last resort,' Reynolds said. 'But HF 639 isn't just about eminent domain.' Reynolds said the bill sets a precedent that 'threatens' the state's 'energy reliability, economy and reputation as a place where businesses can invest with confidence.' Mary Powell, a Shelby County landowner opposed to the pipeline, said the veto shows that the state motto of, 'Our liberties we prize, and our rights we will maintain' are 'just empty words' to the governor. 'Governor Reynolds chose to support the millionaires and billionaires at the expense of Iowans and their property rights,' Powell said in a statement. Another landowner, Don Johanssen from Cherokee County, said the governor's decision was 'beyond words,' especially as the bill would have given landowners 'some liability coverage' from hazardous pipelines. The bill would have required pipeline operator to carry insurance that covered any loss or injury from accidental, negligent or intentional discharges from the pipeline, and to cover insurance increases that landowners face due to the pipeline. 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'I agree we can do more to limit the use of eminent domain, promote transparency, and ensure responsible land restoration,' Reynolds said. 'We can do better.' Reynolds, who is not running for reelection in 2026, said she is 'committed' to working with legislation to 'strengthen landowner protections, modernize permitting and respect private property.' Taking one element from HF 639, Reynolds will ask the IUC to require all commissioners to be present for live testimony and ensure at least one commissioner is present at every informational meeting. In a statement from Iowa House Republicans, Speaker Pat Grassley said he has requested members sign a petition to reconvene the Legislature in a special session. 'This veto is a major setback for Iowa,' Grassley said in the statement. 'It is a setback not only for landowners who have been fighting across Iowa, but for the work the House of Representatives has put in for four years to get legislation like HF 639 passed. We will not stop fighting and stand firm on our commitment until landowners' in Iowa are protected against Eminent Domain for private gain.' Rep. Charley Thomson, R-Charles City, said he was 'very disappointed' in the governor's decision and that he was supportive of a special session to override the veto. Two-thirds of the Legislature must sign a petition to request a special session, and to override a veto, two-thirds of the members from each chamber must vote to pass the bill again. Sen. Jack Whitver, R-Grimes, the majority leader for the chamber, said he expects most of his caucus will 'not be interested in any attempt' to override the governor's veto. The bill likely would not have advanced in the Senate had it not been for a dozen Republican senators who vowed to block necessary budget legislation until the chamber debated eminent domain. The 12 were also joined by Senate Democrats in pushing for amendments, which were ultimately defeated, and approval of the bill. Senate Democrats said the fight for property rights will continue. 'I'm disappointed by the governor's veto of HF639, but, unfortunately, I cannot say I'm surprised,' Sen. Janice Weiner, D-Iowa City, said. 'There is simply no amount of political posturing or legislative stonewalling that can deny the fact that Iowans' right to private property should never be infringed upon for private gain.' One of the 12 to disagree with the Senate majority, Sen. Kevin Alons, R-Salix, said signing the bill was 'the single option available' to protect the rights of impacted landowners. Alons pledged to 'never quit working' on the issue, but said that means 'very little' to landowners who have been impacted by the 'unprecedented, and unconstitutional land grab.' 'To be clear: the Iowa government has given this private company the right to take people's land for one reason: corporate earnings,' Alons said in a statement. 'This has nothing to do with public use. It's absolutely not necessary for the ethanol industry in our state … And it certainly is not what the founders had in mind.' Alons said when the Legislature returns in January, he and other lawmakers 'will use every tool at our disposal' to 'return property rights back to the people.' Rep. Steven Holt, R-Denison, who sponsored the legislation, wrote in a social media post he was 'profoundly disappointed' by the veto. Holt said the state constitution and the Republican platform are clear in their message that eminent domain is for public use projects. 'Today the Governor has chosen to ignore landowners, the vast majority of the Legislature, the Republican Party Platform and the Iowa Constitution by choosing the economic development argument of special interests,' Holt wrote. Holt said Reynolds, and the Senate had opportunities of the past several years to offer their own suggestions to the eminent domain issue instead of opposing House legislation. 'On behalf of the people of Iowa and their fundamental property rights, the Governor's veto should be overridden,' he wrote. 'This fight for who we are as Republicans is far from over.' House Democratic Leader Rep. Brian Meyer said parties in the House collaborated to 'protect property rights.' 'At the end of the day, there is only one group to blame for the failure of the eminent domain bill: Iowa Republican lawmakers,' Meyer said in a statement. The first phase of the Summit Carbon Solutions project was approved by IUC nearly a year ago, which granted Summit the right to condemn easements from landowners who do not want to voluntarily sign agreements to put the pipeline on their land. Per the Iowa permit, Summit still needs a permit from South Dakota, which it has been denied twice, to begin construction. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
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