Rebuttal
To the editor:
A recent contributor to this publication suggested that we “Vote Democratic” primarily due to a misconception of the state of our economy in Florida and targeting our Gov. Ron DeSantis as the root cause of all the evils described: soaring rents, the disastrous state of the unemployed in Florida, median income comparisons, COVID response, etc.
States with higher unemployment rates than Florida include Ohio, Washington, Maine, Colorado, Rhode Island, Delaware, Maryland, Illinois, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Hawaii, Connecticut, The District of Columbia, New Mexico, New York, New Jersey and California and the last eight of these states all exceeded 5.6% and are the worst in the country. (Unemployment Rates for States (bls.gov)
Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, New Mexico, Massachusetts, Michigan, New York and New Jersey all have higher death rates per 100,000 population due to COVID than Florida.( • U.S. COVID-19 death rate by state | Statista ) None of these states are considered big tourist destination spots meaning they do not get the exposure that Florida gets all year long from our out of state/country visitors.
So, among the more highly populated states that had severe lockdowns issued by their local governors, they are enduring higher unemployment and several with higher death rates from COVID than Florida.
Median income comparisons by national average does not tell the real and relevant story. Many of the states with higher median incomes also have state income taxes, higher property taxes and a much higher cost of living than Florida. The number that is relevant is the cost of living by state — how much does your dollar buy? Florida ranks 25 in this pertinent category.
Yes, you can probably guess some of the 25 states where the cost of living is higher than in Florida: California, Colorado, Connecticut, Hawaii, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York and Washington, to name a few. (Average Cost of Living by State | Chart, List, & Tools (patriotsoftware.com))
So what else will we get if we “Vote Democratic?”
Open Borders, Easier Access to Terrorists, Defunding the Police, Rampant Crime, Revolving Door for Arrested Criminals, Critical Race Theory, Uncontrolled Inflation, Weakened Military, Political “correctness” at the expense of common sense, and Fewer Personal Freedoms are some of the policies or results of “Vote Democratic.”
The 1/27/22 Presidential Tracking Poll (Daily Presidential Tracking Poll – Rasmussen Reports®) has Biden at 48% that strongly disapprove of his job performance and 20% who strongly approve.
It’s hard to say who those 20% are that strongly approve of Biden’s performance. I’ve never met one of them, but I do read their opinions in this publication and have to wonder what it would take for them to change their minds. Our country is clearly going down the wrong path and it’s the current “leadership” put in place by Democrats that is taking us there.
Are these really the standards, policies and way of life that you want for your family and your country?
Max Christian
St. James City