Views from readers: Parking woes + Congressman Palazzo
Parking woes
Memorial Hospital at Gulfport has the worst patient parking.
Patients have to drive around the parking structure hoping they win the parking lottery and find someone leaving, or get there several hours early and wait until their appointment time.
I have been there hours early and have seen staff members come out, in their scrubs, and name badge, eat lunch in their cars and go back in. They take up spots that should be for patients.
Security, which has no presence in the garage, has told me that they can’t monitor the staff members who haven’t registered their cars with the hospital, or even find out who they are.
So, patients are left to drive around or get there hours early. Twice I gave up and called and did a telemedicine appointment so that I could get the medication I needed. Something must be done.
Memorial should have off-site parking with a shuttle bus for employees and discipline those who abuse the system and park where patients need to park.
Craig Whitehead
Gulfport
Palazzo votes
Every day since the Republican caucus removed Liz Chaney from her leadership position, I call U.S. Rep. Steven Palazzo’s office to inquire on how he voted. His office personnel who answer my call each day say he has not told them.
When I press for an answer, all I get is “it was a voice vote and therefore a secret vote.”
I asked for the chief of staff, and I get the same reply. He said the only one who knows how he voted is Representative Palazzo.
Apparently Mr. Palazzo believes his vote is secret, and he does not have to tell the people he represents how he voted. He forgets he represents Mississippi voters and has a constitutional responsibility to inform his constituents how he voted.
Gary E. Longanecker
Diamondhead
Republican dilemma
Whether or not you think national polls are accurate, it is at least worth considering the long running Gallup poll identifying the percentage of voters who are Republicans, Democrats and Independents.
Searching this on your computer will show that nationally 25% identify as Republicans, 32% identify as Democrats, and 41% identify as Independents.
Gallup publishes these three preferences going back many years. With some notable exceptions, these percentages remain, more or less, constant over many years with variances of only a few percentage points.
Our leaders acknowledge that we are a nation divided (Republicans and Democrats roughly equal) and the most sought after votes are the Independents.
How is this relevant today? Please consider that Trump Republicans are going to (and when this is published, probably will have) removed Liz Chaney as the No. 3 Republican in the U.S. House. This is happening/happened because Mr. Trump and his allies cannot tolerate her criticism of the former president and his role in the Jan. 6th storming of the U.S. Capitol.
Now consider the Democrats — for as long as I have lived, they proclaim theirs is the “Big Tent Party,” accepting all people, regardless of sex, race, and nationality and elastic enough to tolerate differences of opinion.
Now consider the people in the middle, the 41% Independents.
Place your feet in their shoes and then choose which political party most appeals to you. This is the Republican dilemma now and into the foreseeable future.
Charles A. Boggs
Long Beach