Opinion articles provide independent perspectives on key community issues, separate from our newsroom reporting.

Sound Off

Sound Off: January 1, 2026

People pause to look at fireworks from different boats during a celebration in South Florida.
People pause to look at fireworks from different boats during a celebration in South Florida. for The Miami Herald

Sun Herald readers weigh in on local and national topics.

New Year blessing

As the calendar turns, may the coming year bring renewed hope to every home and heart. May we find strength in kindness, wisdom in listening, and courage in choosing what is right. May our community grow closer, our differences be met with understanding, and our shared future be shaped by compassion and respect. May the days ahead be filled with good health, steady purpose, and moments of simple joy. And may peace — within ourselves and among one another — guide us through the year to come.

Trump and Putin

Donald Trump’s overwhelming priority is to increase his wealth. Vladimir Putin’s overwhelming priority is to restore the glory of Russia. Here is where their interests intersect: Russia has enormous resources in oil, gas, and rare earth metals. Trump knows he can make enormous amounts of money from those resources, so he is not going to alienate the man who controls them. This explains why he has not taken a definitive stand in support of Ukraine. He keeps waffling, giving Putin more and more time to gain control of Ukraine. And Putin has been using Trump to keep the West at bay until he, Putin, can gain at least a significant portion of Ukraine for the glory of Mother Russia. If this is correct, then Trump and Putin are working a win-win deal--which explains their long, positive working relationship.

Fortunate

In the past year our president has done more good for the American people and the world than any other president. We are very fortunate.

Rural health

Here we go again. Gov. Tate Reeves celebrates President Biden’s Rural Health Transformation dollars from the fed. Another great job taking credit for Democrat initiatives, just like the Infrastructure Bill his Republican Congress voted against.

Now it matters?

The Trump administration is using allegedly rampant social services fraud in a blue state as a pretext for cutting off $185 million in day care funds. Maybe those of you who are so gleeful about that don’t remember the millions siphoned off from poor Mississippians by predominantly white Republican politicians, celebrities, et al.

Protesting needed

What is it going to take us to speak up about the ACA subsidies expiring? Are you going to drop your insurance, flood the ER or pay the price increases? I’m retired with a government insurance, like our congressmen, but I am concerned for others.

Revenge tour

Tim Walz is being targeted by President Trump like all the other Democrats and non-believers. He pardons convicted criminals and uses our Department o Justice to find anything that will discredit them. The Department of Justice is supposed to be independent of the president.

Send your Sound Offs to soundoff@sunherald.com.

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