Coastal Breeze News

By Roy Eaton During the next month, over four million students will be graduating from various schools, colleges, and universities across our land. As you listen to your commencement speakers’ addresses, I’m sure some of you will be focused more on receiving your diploma and the summer freedom that awaits, than on the advice that will be given. I’m sure many of you are curious about what you will hear. Will the speaker hold your attention and will the message make a difference in how you govern your future? I thought of the numerous graduation ceremonies I was forced to ... Read More »

By Ben A. Wolfe One very hot day I was sitting on my front step here on Marco Island. It was almost 12PM when the mail carrier stopped in front of my mailbox, shutting off the engine of his little vehicle because he had a box to deliver that was too large to put in our mailbox. After putting the box on the front porch, we chatted for a few minutes about the sad state of the current business climate in our country, both public and private. The mail carrier returned to his vehicle. (Let’s call him Jim.) Jim, upon ... Read More »

Final Summary By Roy Eaton America is the greatest nation, but we have temporarily lost our way, for we have strayed from the inherent qualities that have made us the envy of most other countries. We lack empathy for our fellow man, civility in our actions, restraint from entering conflict, and the will and resourcefulness to solve complex problems through negotiation. In addition, our complacency, lack of self-discipline, inability to compromise, and propensity for greed have decimated our economy and tainted our image as the indisputable guiding light of democracy and capitalism. We must correct our present course by reorganizing ... Read More »

Suggested Economic Reforms By Roy Eaton There is no doubt that our immigration policy has been a complete disaster. It is estimated that over the last several decades, between 7 and 20 million immigrants have entered our country illegally, although 10 million is the most widely accepted estimate. Ironically, several of the most vocal among us, who express utter contempt for their presence and wish to immediately expel undocumented individuals from our shores, are often the same ones who looked away when immigrants crossed our borders, because they were in need of their services. Neither political party can escape blame ... Read More »

Suggested Economic Reforms By Roy Eaton In 1975, healthcare expenditures accounted for 8.4% of America’s GNP. Thirty-five years later, in 2010, at an average cost of $8,233 per person, healthcare costs were 17.9% of our GNP, nearly 2.5 times that of the remaining developed nations of the world. If action is not taken to drastically reduce this trend, by the year 2020, this percentage could very well approach 25% of the value of all goods and services produced in our country. Spiraling healthcare costs are the concern of every American. They are detrimental to the individual who now has less ... Read More »

Suggested Economic Reforms By Roy Eaton I can not, in good conscience, suggest modifications to Social Security without first addressing the reform recommendations announced by one of the most prestigious group of influential business men in America, The Business Roundtable. The roundtable, which consists of CEOs of the largest corporations in the United States, and represents roughly 33% of the total value of all U.S. stocks, recommended last week that the current age for Social Security and Medicare be extended to 70 for Americans currently under age 55. It is ironic and disgraceful that several of the CEOs of companies ... Read More »

Suggested Economic Reforms By Roy Eaton It is correct to criticize Congress for past failures, because their lack of insight, complacency, inattentiveness, and inability to compromise has led to our current fiscal dilemma. Congress’s incompetence and laissez faire attitude has compromised the integrity of a balanced system of government that has nearly ceased to function. Two unfunded wars and an unfunded tax cut further exacerbated the need to raise taxes and substantially reduce spending to eliminate deficits and reduce long term indebtedness that can no longer be solely addressed by economic growth. The need for sizeable increases in revenues could ... Read More »

Suggested Economic Reforms By Roy Eaton Roman Emperor Nero, during his reign, occupied himself with unimportant matters while neglecting priorities during pending crises, much like our 112th Congress, which spent much of its time preoccupied with bickering and posturing with their counterparts and contemplating what a woman should be allowed to do with her body while avoiding passage of legislation that would guarantee a woman’s constitutional right to equal pay for equal work. Congress grudgingly avoided the “fiscal cliff,” but failed to address the major issues that confront our great, but struggling nation. Only when forced to vote last-minute legislation ... Read More »

Cooperation and compromise or confrontation and gridlock; the route to Renaissance or Armageddon Guest Commentary By Roy Eaton We are at a crossroads in America. We are a polarized nation at a time when most civilizations with similar longevity began to falter. Former empires began to stumble when their leadership became indifferent to the needs of their populace, engaged in self-indulgence, lacked moral conviction, and waged war to expand markets and obtain natural resources. Most societies failed when the general public became overly materialistic, complacent, and inattentive to the needs of others and to the actions of their faltering government ... Read More »

In the recent week, the Marco Island Police Department has observed an increasing trend in the thefts of bicycles. Although the trend seems to be geographically isolated to the immediate vicinity of Seaview Ct., the Department would like to caution everyone to take steps to prevent future bicycle thefts. Please consider the following crime prevention methods: Properly document your bicycle, including a picture. If there are any unique features or marks, photograph those distinctive characteristics as well. Record the make, model and serial numbers of the bicycle, as well as any additional pieces of equipment such as lights, specialized seats, ... Read More »