To the editor,
Everyone knows all too well the “pissing match” between the governor and the mayor. Each man seemingly hates the other and now the governor is slapping the face of the mayor and the NYPD by bringing state troopers to patrol the highways and, yes, now the streets of the city.
State police cars were a staple in the surrounding counties and towns outside of the city, mostly seen pulling over speeders or other violators of state traffic laws.
A few months ago they started making the rounds inside the city, patrolling the various highways and parkways. Just the other day while driving up Flatbush Avenue, the state police were pulling over cars and trucks in the heart of Brooklyn!
I know that any show of police activity even in marginal areas is a good thing. It gives criminals a pause to their nefarious activities when police are around. Though, I wonder, along with thousands of other citizens, if this is just another ploy for votes as our illustrious governor prepares for his future presidential bid.
I welcome our state police brothers and sisters in their tireless efforts to enforce the laws and protect the people of the city along with NYPD brethren. But I wonder when the governor’s presidential hopes are dashed, if these fine men and women will disappear back to the outlying counties, not to be seen again?
Robert W. Lobenstein
Marine Park
Lane the blame
To the editor,
Herbert Hoover wanted “A chicken in every pot…” and Bill DeBlasio wants a bike lane on every block. Why? We understand Hoover, but not DeBlasio. It must be part of the liberal idiocy syndrome.
We understand that in liberal New York City, the Bizarro World is front-and-center, and the questionable needs of special interests supersede the actual needs of New Yorkers, but unless the city can prove that bike lanes are necessary for that stretch of Fourth Avenue, then bike lanes become a mere whim of politicians and activists for capricious purposes, instead of legitimate need.
Along the proposed stretch there are illegally double-parked cars, delivery trucks and pedestrians crossing against the light and in the middle of the street. How would bike lanes alleviate that problem and make Fourth Avenue safer? Show proof with accompanying statistics.
In “Finally! Fourth Avenue to get protected bike lanes” (by Caroline Spivack, online March 17) I read the opinions of “experts,” bike enthusiasts, activists, politicians, but no statistics to support the notion that the addition of bike lanes will improve the flow of traffic and add to the safety factor. There is already ample public transportation along Third and Fifth avenues that run parallel to Fourth Avenue. Have city engineers considered those methods of transportation?
It is sound engineering practice that before any change to an existing system (especially a costly one) is implemented, to demonstrate that the existing system is greatly flawed or no longer applicable. Provide traffic statistics showing locations of jams and bottlenecks, along with the location of dangerous locations and the number of related accidents, and demonstrate how bike lanes would substantially improve conditions. Certainly the photo of Michelangelo Maldonaro on his bike giving the “thumbs up” is not proof. Just curious, is Mr. Maldonaro the typical bike rider that will use the proposed bike lanes? Bike lanes are fine for sparsely populated areas, but not for busy metropolises. For example, bike lanes in Managua, Nicaragua would be great.
Tony Giordano said that this is a David and Goliath battle. No, Mr. Giordano, from all that that I have read, it is an “idiocy and logic” problem – and I doubt that logic will prevail.Elio Valenti
Brooklyn
Health to pay
To the editor,
The congressional Republican health care plan will be a disaster for working families. Their plan will take health care away from 24 million people across the country and impose painful taxes on working people. Budget experts predict that out-of-pocket expenses will skyrocket because companies will shift prices to their employees. That means thousands of dollars less in the pockets of working people.
The proposed cuts to Medicaid will wreck our state budget and hurt people in our community who already are struggling to make ends meet. Their plan weakens Medicare. It takes three years off the life of the Medicare hospital fund in order to give a huge tax break just to people earning more than $200,000 a year. Their plan does nothing to deal with skyrocketing prices for medical care and prescription drugs.
The people cutting America’s health care under the banner of reform have never had to worry about care for themselves or their families. CEOs, billionaires, and right-wing politicians get the best care because cost isn’t a factor for them. The rest of us don’t have that luxury. Congress should focus on expanding coverage for more working people, not putting high-quality care out of reach.
Deborah Lozada
Brooklyn
On the slow track
To the editor,
How strange this must be after the MTA made changes with the fare increase. Since then every morning as I listen to the radio there are more train delays. With all this constant Fast Track work that has been done one would figure the trains should now run on time. The same goes to the Long Island Rail Road. With these daily delays the MTA should offer some type of refund.
It’s a nice thought, but this will never happen!!Jerry Sattler
Brighton Beach
Mystery history
To the editor,
Anyone catch the Bill Maher show this past week on HBO? He had a college professor on who maintained that history is not being taught. As a retired history teacher, I can attest to that fact. Lecturing and talking about concepts is frowned upon and many a teacher has been criticized for doing this. History exams for the most part have been turned into reading comprehension tests and students are spoon-fed answers with so-called interpreting documents.
After that discussion was over, the topic turned to Nazi Germany and both the professor and Mr. Maher stated that Hitler was elected president of Germany in 1933. Both need refresher courses. Hitler lost the presidential election of 1932 but the victor, Paul Hindenberg, was persuaded to appoint him chancellor, which occurred on Jan. 30, 1933. Is it any wonder we need a return to teaching factual history?
Ed Greenspan
Sheepshead Bay
Poor judge-ment
To the editor,
Judge Neil Gorsuch said in his confirmation hearings to be an Associate Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court that if President Trump were to ask him how he would vote as to repeal the U.S. Supreme Court decision Roe vs. Wade, the judge said he would walk out the door.
Harry Truman said when you appoint someone to the U.S. Supreme Court, you lose a friend for life. Mr. Truman wasn’t wrong. When his successor Dwight Eisenhower appointed Earl Warren Chief Justice of the United States, Ike later said, “this was the biggest damn fool mistake I made in my life.”
Elliott Abosh
Brighton Beach
Make them choose
To the editor,
Let’s face it. No one likes Albany. It’s a cold place, and do not get me started with the murky politicking that goes on there. Albany culture is so bad that many Assembly members have decided to run in local New York City Council elections. The pay is better and the commute is shorter.
Here’s the catch: they do not have to give up their current seats to run. It’s a win-win! Now, the Governor keeps on talking about ethics reform, and we have seen no results. My suggestion to the Governor and the New York State Legislature is simple: pass a law that compels current elected officials to vacate their seats should they want to run for another position.Samuel Rubenstein
Sheepshead Bay
Fear about care
To the editor,
The current trajectory of the Republican Party is to tear down the infrastructure of the working class. That includes the Affordable Care Act, which stands to be replaced by a dangerously weak substitute. The people see its danger. Please help to make it known. Thank you!
Dave Ross
Brooklyn
