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
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Fox News
35 minutes ago
- Fox News
Trump admin approves waivers for 3 states to ban soda, other junk food from public food programs
Department of Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins signed waivers with three states on Tuesday, allowing them to prohibit participants of the government's Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) from buying junk food, like soda and candy, through the social welfare program. Arkansas, Idaho and Utah became the latest states to obtain waivers from the federal government to begin banning junk food within the federally administered, but state-operated, public assistance program that provides food stamps to low-income individuals. The three states have become the latest to obtain waivers from the Trump administration that allow states to restrict what type of food SNAP funds are eligible to be used on. Other mostly GOP-led states, like Nebraska, Indiana and Iowa, have also obtained waivers to reform their SNAP programs. Last month, during a Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) event at the White House, Rollins indicated that several states were lining up to get the waivers. "Since my confirmation, [the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)] has encouraged states to think differently and creatively about how to solve the many health issues facing Americans," Rollins said at a press conference announcing the new waivers Tuesday afternoon. "One way is disallowing taxpayer-funded benefits to purchase unhealthy items, like soda, candy and other junk food." Tuesday's waivers bring the total number of states that have moved to ban junk food from their SNAP programs to six. Rollins indicated several other states, including Colorado, Kansas, West Virginia, Texas, Ohio, Florida and Louisiana, are also working through procedural steps in hopes of getting waivers approved. Texas, however, may not even need the waiver after its legislature passed Senate Bill 379 during the last week of its legislative session that ended on June 2. The new bill, which prohibits SNAP participants in the state from using the public assistance program to buy junk food, is expected to be signed by Republican Gov. Greg Abbott, especially after he wrote a letter to Rollins in May seeking a USDA waiver. "The Trump Administration is unified in improving the health of our nation. America's governors have proudly answered the call to innovate by improving nutrition programs, ensuring better choices while respecting the generosity of the American taxpayer," Rollins added Tuesday. "Each waiver submitted by the states and signed is yet another step closer to fulfilling President [Donald] Trump's promise to Make America Healthy Again." On average, 42 million low-income Americans receive food-stamp assistance each month, according to the MAHA report released last month. It added that one-in-five American children under 17 receive SNAP benefits.


Newsweek
an hour ago
- Newsweek
75 Democrats Express 'Gratitude' to ICE in Antisemitism Vote Amid LA Riots
Seventy-five Democrats broke ranks on Monday, joining Republicans in voting for a House resolution condemning antisemitism and expressing "gratitude" for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and other law enforcement personnel. Why It Matters Monday's vote comes as Los Angeles is reeling from days of political unrest after ICE raided several downtown city neighborhoods and arrested more than 50 people, sparking widespread anti-ICE demonstrations. The arrests are part of the Trump administration's broader crackdown on undocumented migrants, which has also swept up people who are legally permitted in the United States and resulted in the deportations of those who haven't been convicted of a crime. President Donald Trump deployed 4,000 National Guard troops to L.A. since the protests started unfolding and mobilized 700 Marines to respond if the strife escalates. Local officials and California Governor Gavin Newsom said they do not want a military presence in the city and the L.A. police chief said it creates logistical challenges for safely handling the protests. What To Know Monday's resolution condemned this month's antisemitic attack in Boulder, Colorado, in which the suspect, Mohamed Sabry Soliman, faces 118 criminal charges. Soliman is accused of targeting a march calling for the return of Israeli hostages in Gaza. The resolution also "affirms that free and open communication between State and local law enforcement and their federal counterparts remains the bedrock of public safety and is necessary in preventing terrorist attacks; and expresses gratitude to law enforcement officers, including U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement personnel, for protecting the homeland." Of the 212 Democrats in the House, 113 voted against the resolution, which was introduced by Republican Representative Gabe Evans. Seventy-five Democrats voted in favor of the measure, including Representative Joe Neguse, of the district in which the Boulder attack occurred. Six lawmakers—five Democrats and one Republican—voted "present." A second, more broadly focused antisemitism resolution led by Representatives Jeff Van Drew, a Republican from New Jersey, and Neguse, received much wider bipartisan support, passing 400-0. Two lawmakers voted "present": Representatives Rashida Tlaib, a Democrat from Michigan, and Republican Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia. Adams, Alma (NC-12) Auchincloss, Jake (MA-4) Beatty, Joyce (OH-3) Bell, Wesley (MO-1) Bishop, Sanford (GA-2) Brown, Shontel (OH-11) Budzinski, Nicole (Nikki) (IL-13) Bynum, Janelle (OR-5) Cherfilus-McCormick, Sheila (FL-20) Cohen, Steve (TN-9) Courtney, Joe (CT-2) Craig, Angie (MN-2) Cuellar, Henry (TX-28) Davids, Sharice (KS-3) Davis, Donald (NC-1) Elfreth, Sarah (MD-3) Frankel, Lois (FL-22) Gillen, Laura (NY-4) Gluesenkamp Perez, Marie (WA-3) Golden, Jared (ME-2) Gonzalez, Vicente (TX-34) Goodlander, Maggie (NH-2) Gray, Adam (CA-13) Harder, Josh (CA-9) Hayes, Jahana (CT-5) Horsford, Steven (NV-4) Hoyer, Steny (MD-5) Kaptur, Marcy (OH-9) Keating, William R. (MA-9) Kennedy, Timothy (NY-26) Krishnamoorthi, Raja (IL-8) Landsman, Greg (OH-1) Lee, Susie (NV-3) Lynch, Stephen (MA-8) Magaziner, Seth (RI-2) Mannion, John (NY-22) McBath, Lucy (GA-6) McClain Delaney, April (MD-6) McDonald Rivet, Kristen (MI-8) Meng, Grace (NY-6) Min, Dave (CA-47) Morelle, Joseph (NY-25) Moskowitz, Jared (FL-23) Moulton, Seth (MA-6) Mrvan, Frank (IN-1) Neal, Richard (MA-1) Neguse, Joe (CO-2) Pallone, Frank (NJ-6) Panetta, Jimmy (CA-19) Pappas, Chris (NH-1) Pettersen, Brittany (CO-7) Riley, Josh (NY-19) Ruiz, Raul (CA-25) Ryan, Patrick (NY-18) Schneider, Brad (IL-10) Schrier, Kim (WA-8) Scott, David (GA-13) Sewell, Terri (AL-7) Sorensen, Eric (IL-17) Soto, Darren (FL-9) Stanton, Greg (AZ-4) Stevens, Haley (MI-11) Subramanyam, Suhas (VA-10) Suozzi, Thomas (NY-3) Swalwell, Eric (CA-14) Sykes, Emilia (OH-13) Thanedar, Shri (MI-13) Torres, Norma (CA-35) Torres, Ritchie (NY-15) Tran, Derek (CA-45) Vasquez, Gabriel (Gabe) (NM-2) Vindman, Eugene (VA-7) Wasserman Schultz, Debbie (FL-25) Whitesides, George (CA-27) Wilson, Frederica (FL-24) What People Are Saying House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries criticized Evans' resolution, telling reporters: "Who is this guy? He's not seriously concerned with combating antisemitism in America. This is not a serious effort. Antisemitism is a scourge on America. It shouldn't be weaponized politically." Evans responded to Jeffries on X: "I served our nation in uniform in the Middle East, as a cop in Colorado, & now as a Congressman. This wildly offensive sentiment from Democrat's Leader is why antisemitism persists. The Left is unserious about finding real solutions." Representative Dan Goldman of New York, who is Jewish, criticized the resolution during floor debate: "You weren't here, Mr. Evans, last term, but there were about 10 antisemitism resolutions that effectively said the same thing solely to score political points. We Jews are sick and tired of being used as pawns." Van Drew defended Evans' measure: "Yes, it is different than mine. Mine focused purely on antisemitism here in the world. But he brings up a valid point not only for Jews, but for many innocent victims... Illegal immigration is not a good thing." David Axelrod, ex-adviser to former President Barack Obama, posted to X: ".@BarackObama deported far more illegal immigrants than Trump, targeting those w/criminal records & the newly arrived. It was done carefully, responsibly & lawfully. What we're seeing in LA is calculated to provoke & escalate. It's a made-for TV reality show, produced by Donald J. Trump." Greene wrote on X after voting "present": "Antisemitic hate crimes are wrong, but so are all hate crimes. Yet Congress never votes on hate crimes committed against white people, Christians, men, the homeless, or countless others." What Happens Next California sued the Trump administration over its deployment of the National Guard to L.A., accusing Trump of an "unprecedented power grab" because he bypassed Newsom to send in the guardsmen. The last time a U.S. president circumvented a governor to deploy the National Guard was in 1965, when Lyndon B. Johnson sent troops to Alabama to protect civil rights activists.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Election results: Vacant House seats in OKC, Tulsa area filled during special election
The polls have closed on three legislative races to fill vacant seats in the Oklahoma House of Representatives, including one in Oklahoma City. House lawmakers finished this year's session with empty seats after three members resigned to take other jobs. The seats were filled in special elections held in Oklahoma County and the Tulsa area. The state Senate filled its own vacancy in May with the election of Republican Bryan Logan, who is the new state senator for a district in eastern Oklahoma. In House District 97, JeKia Harrison and Aletia Haynes Timmons faced off for the Democratic primary to fill a seat that was vacated in April by Jason Lowe after Lowe won election to the Oklahoma County Commission. Shortly after the polls closed at 7 p.m., Timmons was leading, according to early tabulated results posted by the Oklahoma State Election Board. This primary was a winner-take-all election. No Republicans or independents filed for the open House of Representatives seat. District 97 includes portions of far northeast Oklahoma City, plus the metro-area communities of Spencer, Lake Aluma and Forest Park. The district also includes voters in parts of Jones and Midwest City. Timmons, 64, was an elected Oklahoma County district judge for about a decade before she retired from the position in March. Before joining the bench in 2014, she was an attorney working on civil rights and employment law, and also worked for a time in the Oklahoma County District Attorney's Office. Timmons is a graduate of OKC's John Marshall High School and earned a bachelor's degree in political science at Oklahoma State University. She obtained her law degree from the University of Oklahoma College of Law. Harrison, 35, has worked at the Oklahoma State Capitol as a legislative assistant for Tulsa state Rep. Meloyde Blancett. Harrison previously worked as child welfare specialist for the Oklahoma Department of Human Services and also owns a political campaign consulting business called Pen 2 Paper Consulting. She is a graduate of Millwood High School, which is located in House District 97, and earned a bachelor's degree in psychology from Fisk University in Nashville, Tennessee. House District 71 is a sliver of land along the Arkansas River in south Tulsa. The seat became vacant after the resignation of Democratic state Rep. Amanda Swope, who left state government to work for the city of Tulsa. In the district's special election, Democrat Amanda Clinton was on track to win a wide victory over Republican attorney Beverly Atteberry. With more than half of the precincts reporting, Clinton had 86% of the votes counted. Clinton, 46, runs a public relations firm and is an adjunct professor at Oklahoma State University. She also sits on boards for Planned Parenthood and the OSU Foundation Board of Governors. Clinton previously said she's an advocate for reproductive health freedom, access to medical care, clean water and minimizing "state Superintendent Ryan Walters' impact on public schools." She is also active in tribal policy. "District 71 deserves leadership that shows up, speaks truth, and fights like hell for working people, and that's exactly what I plan to do," Clinton said in a news release celebrating her victory. Although once a Republican stronghold, District 71 has been held by a Democrat since 2018. More: One election may have reshaped Oklahoma Senate GOP's politics. Could it shift even further right? Democrat Amy Hossain faced off against Republican nominee Kevin Wayne Norwood in Owasso's House District 74. As precincts began reporting votes after 7 p.m., Norwood took a strong lead in the count. The district straddles Tulsa and Rogers counties in northeastern Oklahoma. Voters have elected a Republican in that district for 25 years. The seat became vacant in December when Mark Vancuren took a job in Tulsa County government. Norwood, 58, is a pastor and works with community initiatives like Keep Owasso Beautiful and Owasso Cares. Norwood has said he wants to build a vibrant economy, safer communities and strong infrastructure and to give Oklahomans tax relief. His priorities also include revitalizing community main streets, and he criticized the "green energy grift" on his website. Hossain, 50, is the chief human resources officer Tulsa's Domestic Violence Intervention Services. She is also the president of the nonprofit Khan Ohana, which works to "break the cycle of poverty among college students." Her priorities include raising the minimum wage, better funding for public schools, access to affordable and accessible health care and housing, according to her website. (This is a developing story and has been updated to add new information.) This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Oklahoma election results for House Districts 97, 74, 71