Kanye West smirking with a MAGA Hat on — Washington, DC US – Oct 11, 2018: Kanye West speaks as he meets with US President Donald J. Trump in the White House Oval Office. Credit: Ron Sachs – CNP/Shutterstock

Creative Loafing Tampa Bay keeps reaching into the mailbag, and treading carefully into the comments section. The exercise leaves us increasingly grateful for readers who come to us in print—and especially online—to read the news and thoughtfully respond.

All comments here are from articles posted on our Facebook, except the last letter. Keep it coming, folks (you can email us!), and we’ll keep posting it.

Florida lawmakers finally reach budget deal, here’s what’s in it

Tax payer money should not go to charter or private schools. Public schools are the backbone of America’s education system and always has been. Stop giving away public money to private education companies that have no accountability.—Ryan David

Ridiculous! Vouchers are welfare for the wealthy—Bill Korson

If you are unhappy with the budget, every member of the FL House and half of the Senate are up for re-election. They want your vote. Tell them what you want. Remind them that you vote.—Donna Heald

‘The Guest House,’ a Winter Haven home designed by famed Florida architect Gene Leedy, is now for sale

The old saying around Winter Haven is, “it’s not a Leedy unless the roof is leaking”—Nathan Marshall

Colin, I’m so glad to see you still writing about real estate—Sarah Johnson DiMonaco

The guy who says he’s no longer a Nazi is performing in Tampa

I’ll be there…. Uh uh you can’t tell me nothing—Ally Makaveli Haynes

Free advertising for him—Rio Mackenzie

It’s gonna be sold out regardless of backlash—Noluck Chuck

Is Elon opening?—Chris Domingo

Florida’s jobless rate has grown for 8 months straight

But good thing our taxes were used to make sure those rainbow crosswalks are gone!—Christopher S. Tully

Daily Eats closing in South Tampa next month to rebrand as Meeting House

So everything increases $5-$10—Amber Elaine

Bring back the Old Meeting House ice cream and old school milkshakes.—Matthew Schulis

Leave the recipe for the veggie burger stapled to the telephone pole outside please—Catherine Feegel

But will the shredder bowls survive?—Stormy Livingston

St. Pete beer staple Green Bench opens new location in downtown Tampa

First the Rays, now Green Bench. Soon the Rowdies and Dali Museum. There will be nothing left worth crossing the bridge for…813 > 727—Scott Burgess

when God closes one door(TBBC) he opens yet another(GBB)—Timothy Johnson

Winning and Losing Matter (via email)

As a college Hall of Fame athlete and U.S. National Team coach, I was taught from an early age that competition carries responsibilities beyond simply winning. One of the most important lessons was that when you lose, you shake your opponent’s hand, accept the result with dignity, and work harder to “get them next time.”

That is one reason I could never again support Donald Trump after the events surrounding January 6th. Disputing election procedures through lawful courts is one thing. But continuing to

encourage the belief that the election was illegitimate after repeated court losses, and then watching the Capitol being attacked during the certification process, crossed a line for me.

Now, discussions about compensating some individuals with taxpayer dollars who were convicted in connection with the Capitol riot only deepen that concern. As a Republican, I have

always believed our party stood for law and order, personal responsibility, and respect for police officers and constitutional institutions. Rewarding people involved in that event feels

inconsistent with those values.

Reasonable Republicans can disagree on taxes, immigration, spending, or foreign policy. But sports taught many of us that character is revealed most clearly in defeat. Leaders, like athletes, are ultimately judged not only by how they win, but by how they lose.—Thomas E. Feaster, Tampa

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