To the editor,
What in the world were you thinking when you gave three quarters of the front page and a big photo of the fire in Mill Basin, and only one column without a photo to the story about Brian Gewirtz who went missing from his home on Coleman Street almost a month ago during the middle of the coldest winter in years (“Inferno rips though Mill Basin,” March 13)?
His parents are besides themselves with worry. Your front page should have been reversed, one column to the Mill Basin fire and the rest of the page for a big photo of Brian and that story, being that the story was an appeal for help and for people to be on the lookout for Brian.
Where are your priorities? Are they with a fire or with a young man who was improperly dressed for snow and freezing temperatures, and in need of his medications? Rather than plaster a fire, which nobody could do anything about, you should have focused on a missing neighborhood resident, who might be helped by giving his situation the publicity it truly needs and deserves.
Come on, I know the Courier can do better than this. You need to stay on this story like a hip pocket. Brian may still be alive and the Courier could play a big part in finding him.
David F. Podesta
Marine Park
Trump grump
To the editor,
I am writing this letter in reference to the proposed development in Trump Village shopping center. There was a public meeting held at Lincoln High School in January, attended by a representative of the developer. He was not helpful. In my opinion he displayed a very contemptuous attitude to the individuals who attended the meeting. He started his presentation by saying that he was giving only facts. However that was not true. He evaded questions, mentioned studies but would not name the studies. He refused to commit to any future meetings which would help answer any questions. This clearly shows that the developer does not have much regard for the residents of that area as well as the public officials.
Councilman Mark Treyger (D-Coney Island) was not originally invited because he does not represent the district. In fact his district starts on the other side of the shopping center. Reducing services certainly affects his constituents. In fact the representative refused to give a way to contact him, so he apparently does not want to deal with the residents of the area.
The current Trump Village shopping center serves the needs of the residents of Trump Village, Warbasse, Brightwater Towers and Luna Park. Many of these residents are senior citizens who use walkers, canes and other assistive devices. They need the pharmacies, the banks, Chinese and pizza restaurants. Each is essential. The promise to move them a block away is not acceptable. The site that the representative mentioned is really several blocks away. In order to get there the direct route is down a roadway that during the day has constant motor vehicle traffic including trucks. It would be impossible for senior citizens to walk there during the day. In the evening since it is virtually deserted it would make seniors easy prey to criminals.
In addition a 40-story building would put an undue burden on both vehicular and public transportation. The subways and buses would be overloaded. Crossing the street would become impossible for senior citizens, and dangerous for everybody else. The representative said that the building is only to contain rental units. In addition they are only going to be studios and one bedrooms. I do not know of any development built in the city for at least 20 years that does not have at least two-bedroom units etc.
It is clear that the developer does not want to deal honestly with the residents and public officials of the area. In my opinion all legal and public pressure methods must be used to fight this project. On other occasions I have supported rational projects. I am not opposed to rationale modernization, which this is not. Alan Podhaizer
Coney Island
Rude Rudy
To the editor:
Ex-Mayor Rudy Giuliani’s remarks about President Obama not loving his country are frivolous, gratuitous, and uncalled for.
Giuliani said, “He wasn’t brought up the way you were brought up or I was brought up to love this country.”
He also said that when Obama was 9 he was living in Indonesia with his mother and stepfather and was introduced to Marshall Davis, a member of the communist party. If this was true why did not Sen. John McCain bring this up when he ran against Obama in 2008? And why did not Mitt Romney, the Republican nominee in 2012, also bring this matter up?
Has Giuliani forgotten that Alger Hiss, a distinguished state department official who helped arrange the Yalta conference among President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, Prime Minister Winston Churchill, and Soviet boss Joseph Stalin, did not call Roosevelt a communist. Harry Truman, who succeeded Roosevelt after the 32nd president died, and Richard Nixon — a freshman congressman who investigated and probed Alger Hiss — called the case against Hiss a red herring.
Why wasn’t Harry Truman investigated for subversive activities? Neither Roosevelt nor Truman were called communists, but rather soft on communism.
It is also known that Sen. Joe McCarthy referred to Adlai Stevenson as Alger, and the then-governor of Maryland in 1968, who was the Republican nominee for vice president, said the Democratic nominee Hubert Humphrey for president was squashy soft on communism. It was the Republican nominee for president, Richard Nixon, who ordered his running mate to apologize to Humphrey.
If Rudy Giuliani has some legitimate claim about Barack Obama being a communist or linked to communism, why does he not write at least one book and let the court of public opinion decide one way or the other. Ellliot Abosh
Brighton Beach
Frame game
To the editor,
Many states note on license plates the county the owner of vehicle calls home. New York is a large state with 62 counties. I believe our state license plates should also note the county where the vehicle’s owner lives. With so many vehicles on the road, and with so many more vehicular accidents than in the past, this might prove helpful in locating vehicles that run afoul of the law.
Improperly displayed license plates are becoming more prevalent in Brooklyn. Large license plate frames (some with messages of their own, such as “I’m a Grandfather” or “Proud Oshkosh Parent”) obstruct originating state and other relevant information on the plate. This carries a fine, but is rarely, if ever, carried out.
It’s my humble opinion that the public should be made aware of this important law, and violators should be ticketed. License plates that are covered with plastic are also against the law, and should be ticketed, for it’s difficult to read the letters and numbers under the plastic covers.
Dave Ishk
Mill Basin
Cell hell
To the editor,
Public school teachers have enough to put up with disruptions as is, now we’re allowing cellphones in school. Recalcitrant, defiant students will never surrender their phones to teachers. In fact, they will look to provoke the teacher and then have one of their classmates snap a picture of a teacher attempting to take a phone away by making it appear that the teacher was assaulting the student.
Students will use such phones to text other students in and out of the classroom. Whether it’s the police or teachers, we have a problem of a clear refusal by people to accept authority. These new rules are coming from a mayor and chancellor who are trying to end suspensions for unruly students to begin with. Instead of attempting to enforce discipline in our schools, those in charge are making an already bad situation even worse.
It is also shocking that the unions agree with lifting the ban. Perhaps, if they were made to teach classes they would see what teachers have to put up with during a course of the school day.Ed Greenspan
Sheepshead Bay
Terrorist scum
To the editor,
It is a crying shame to see that Sony entertainment knuckled under to the demands of terrorist scum. Their cowardice has again empowered low-lifes to threaten our people and land, and possibly carry out another 9-11 attack. Each time Americans cower under threats we sink faster and faster into a shivering, sniveling, third-world power.
I say that the people of America, its leaders, military, and corporations come to terms of how great this country really is, grow a big pair, then stand up and launch a large scale 9-11 attack of our own. It’s time to silence and ignore the spineless, politically correct jellyfish that control our once-proud government, and put our full answer to terrorism where our military is.
The world is being taken over by threats from North Korean slime, Taliban cretins, and other religious and governmental dictatorships. The longer we and the remaining democracies let things slide, the more terrible the inevitable war between them and us will become.Robert W. Lobenstein
Marine Park
Cop-n-community
To the editor,
What really bothers me when I hear my neighbors in Brighton Beach and Coney Island complain about the lack of adequate police protection: Gee, the only time there are more police presence is during the summer, and mostly in Coney Island.
So the bottom line is other precincts lose officers because they are on detail elsewhere. Under Mayor Bloomberg he decided to cut the starting pay for police rookies, so why would anyone think of becoming a police officer
Where are the auxiliary cops that once were a presence in Brighton Beach? What happened to the uniformed officers I’d see on a daily basis walking up and down Brighton Beach Avenue? I’m aware that the 60th Precinct has undercover cops, but seeing uniformed cops would be a greater deterrent to any potential crime.
I’ve have been going to the community council meetings month after month, and the constant concerns from the resident about shootings seems similar to Chicago. To quote Councilman Mark Treyger (D-Coney Island), the police force needs to keep pace with the city’s population growth,
Many years ago Chicago had high-rise projects where crime was rampant. People did not know who their neighbors were, and shootings became a way of life. What the smart politicians finally did was to take down the projects and replace them with small townhouses. Then people began taking pride in their neighborhood and got to know their neighbors. Jerry Sattler
Brighton Beach
Toll-light robbery
To the editor,
There are 180,000 vehicles crossing the bridge daily with a daily revenue of $936,000. If you take half of the 180,000 and they pay $10 for EZ-Pass and have the other 90,000 vehicles ride free, that would still bring in a revenue of $1,800,000. Realistically, where is all the money collected in tolls really going?Joe Donato
Park Slope
War heroes
To the editor,
When I read that soldier Brent Grommet’s German shepherd was taken from him when they returned from war, it made me very sad and as mad as hell. This young soldier and his dog, Matty, were together from the beginning at basic training to deployment in Afghanistan. Both were injured by a roadside bomb.
Specialist Grommet suffered traumatic brain injury, hearing loss, chronic pain, and post-traumatic stress disorder. This soldier who fought for his country, sustained serious injuries, and was almost killed only wants his partner and best friend back with him. This is not only a very small price to ask for, but it is also the law. Robby’s Law passed in 1990 and was signed by Bill Clinton.
This hero was told by higher-ups not to speak to the media about Matty the dog or he would wind up in Leavenworth. Talk about loyalty. These two want to be together again and deserve to be. Didn’t the government already do enough to disrespect and harm our veterans with the Veterans Administration scandal? I’m not holding my breath for the return of the dog to his best friend, after we saw the way the U.S. Marine Sgt. Andrew Tahmooressi was held in a Mexican prison for more than 200 days, but I sure will be praying that Specialist Grommet and Matty are reunited. I would hate to think some bigwig took the dog home to his family and won’t give it back or worse. This is the very least we could do for one of our hero’s who was willing to put his life on the line for us.
I think those monsters being held in Gitmo are being treated better than we treat our own veterans. Our president authorized the release of five monsters for the return of one army deserter. Mr. President can’t you authorize the release of one dog for a hero?Rosie Boxer
Rockaway, N.Y.
Problem students
To the editor,
It has often been said that teachers and the police know the city best. Both have been under the gun by either the Bloomberg or DeBlasio administrations. What’s the liberal answer for unsatisfactory schools? More teacher training. What’s the liberal answer to alleged abuses by police? More police training.
Let’s stop the nonsense and put the blame squarely where it deserves to be put. Our schools are failing because of the students who get away with everything and as a result feel that they can continue their disruptive ways as adults. Hence they meet confrontations with the police and soon learn that with the police you don’t play.
Let’s examine the school records of all those accused of crimes, and who did not follow police instructions not to resist.. We would find unsatisfactory behavioral records in schools. As students, they caused such mayhem that the teacher probably got blamed for not being able to “control” them and therefore received unsatisfactory ratings. Let’s end this cycle of stupidity and concentrate on the students who are disruptive in school. When nothing is done, they will invariably become emboldened criminals as adults, fully eager to challenge authority. There is a complete lack of respect for authority figures. That’s when our problems begin.Ed Greenspan
Sheepshead Bay
TV ‘drivel’
To the editor,
It was sad to see that the only “free,” 24-hour, over-the-air news station, CBS-TV digital channel 2.2 has ended. In its place is another mindless series of old TV shows from the 1950s and 1960s.
Since the inception of digital television almost a decade ago many stations have added many sub-channels, which are nothing more than bastions for old movies, vintage television series that no one watched even when they were new, and other “fluff” to fill in the hours.
CBS-TV gave viewers not wanting to be shackled to cable or satellite TV a much-needed flow of news, information, traffic and weather reports. Now due to greed, yes greed, it is gone. It seems as though they will make much more from advertising revenues ending the news and replacing it with garbage.
I guess that the 80 some odd channels of Spanish language sitcoms, Chinese docudramas, Indian comedies, and the usual network drivel will push me, and thousands of other New Yorkers, back to the radio and Internet for news from now on.
Robert W. Lobenstein
Marine Park
Dems the breaks
To the editor,
Yes, it’s super important to be informed and to have opinions but a constant, repetitive drone of negativity, cynicism, anger, and fear accomplishes nothing. It’s far too easy to be critical of others. It’s much more difficult to devise something positive and or good, or to invest the time and effort necessary to become actively involved in local or larger issues and programs in place, or to spend some time trying to offer up something positive: an idea, a movement, or even something already in place that might spark change for the better.
C’mon, two wrongs do not make a right. Just because the other (red) side does it does not mean “we” should too. “We” lost the 2014 midterm elections because the right messages weren’t getting put out and what was being said did not engage the voters enough to get them to actually vote. Maybe it’s time to try other tactics?Barry Brothers
Homecrest
MTAaaargh!
To the editor,
There was a time long ago when the Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s etiquette campaign to bring back good manners — “It’s A Subway Car, Not A Dining Car” and “Stop the Spread Please Its a Space Issue” — was not necessary. In the 1960s it was common to find both penny gum and soda machines dispensing products at subway stations. Clean and safe bathrooms were readily available. It was a time when people respected authority and law.
Previous generations of riders did not litter subway stations and buses leaving behind gum, candy wrappers, paper cups, bottles, and newspapers. No one would openly eat pizza, chicken or other messy foods while riding a bus or subway. Everyone paid their way and there was no fare evasion.
Today riders have to deal with conductors who close the doors while crossing the platform attempting to transfer from a local to the express train. Try looking for the proper way to depose of your old newspaper as more trash cans are removed from more stations. Riders have to deal with aggressive panhandlers, people eating as if at home or in a restaurant, those hogging two seats, yawning, coughing or sneezing without covering and the release of flatulence. Women are periodically accosted by gropers while perverts engage in other unhealthy sexual activities.Larry Penner
Great Neck, N.Y.
Helping hand
To the editor,
I remember when you could get a Kit Kat chocolate bar for 50 cents. In my Brooklyn neighborhood there are places you can get one for a dollar, but a few nights ago, with a certain hunger in my stomach I walked past a certain drug store and when I handed the clerk my Kit Kat bar I was reminded that the last time I was in there I was surprised that it cost $1.51. It seemed outrageously high, but like I said I was hungry, so I said to the clerk, “It’s $1.51, isn’t it?” She smiled while scanning it and said, “Yes.”
I said, “If I had travelled through time from 30 years ago and was told $1.51, I would be stunned.” She smiled and took my two dollar bills and handed me 49 cents in change. I walked outside the store and thoroughly enjoyed the eating experience of the four long, thin pieces of chocolate that make up the bar. So to the point and so sweet. Now, somewhat less hungry I made my way up the avenue. looking forward to my arrival home to have a full dinner. Maybe because I still had a growling in my stomach I stopped in my tracks when I saw a bedraggled-looking man who seemed to be homeless leaning against a building with a sign in front of him with a cup out. I reached into my pocket and thought if I didn’t have any change I didn’t want to give him a whole dollar. Then I remembered the 49 cents change from the outrageously overpriced Kit Kat bar. I dug deeper into my pocket and even though I could feel no change I knew it was in there and I kept digging until I found that one quarter that was in there. When I located it I pulled it out and walked over to the man and before I even dropped the quarter into his cup he looked at me with appreciative eyes and said, “Thank you so much.”
I heard the coin hit the other coins in the cup and I wished him well. He smiled and then I noticed what his sign said: “Thank you for any kindness.” So to the point and so sweet. I resumed my walk home and about a minute later it hit me — the Kit Kat bar had not been outrageously overpriced. It had been the right price, for it enabled me to have that quarter change to give to that man. It reminded me that whatever hunger I have in my stomach there are people much hungrier, and when we can, it’s good for us to lend a helping hand.
Alan Magill
Midwood
Edu-vacation
To the editor,
I saw in the paper that so many children were absent more than 10 percent of the time during the last school year. This doesn’t take into account the students who are marked present and then proceed to cut classes and cause mayhem during the day.
My favorite was when parents would come to school and inform me and other teachers that they were going on vacation for 10 days to two weeks and demand that we give them the work in advance so that their child wouldn’t fall behind. This is absolutely ridiculous. If the child was not there when the work was being taught, the best the teacher could do was to give them pages to read and questions to answer from the texts. The supervisory staff should have stepped up to the plate to remind the parent that school was in session and that these vacation days were totally illegal. This was never done because principals fear parents.
Years ago if a child was absent excessively, the child was not promoted. This would never occur today, as supervisors look to get rid of children who are chronic discipline problems and whose absences are a relief both for them and the teacher.Ed Greenspan
Sheepshead Bay
Martial schools
To the editor,
I was about to come up for tenure when Hugh Carey defeated Malcolm Wilson to become governor of New York in 1974. The United Federation of Teachers wholeheartedly supported Carey. No sooner was he governor than tenure was changed to five years, and therefore myself and others had to wait two additional years to achieve this job protection.
At the time the union urged membership to donate to vote for the Committee on Public Education to get the tenure back to three years.
Gov. Cuomo is falling into the same trap as Gov. Carey did. It doesn’t matter how many years of teaching is required as long as the system allows us to work under the same abysmal conditions. City classrooms have the largest classroom registers and consequently disruptive children in them. No matter what is tried nothing will work until we attempt to resolve the problems of class size and children who refuse to behave themselves in school. It is ridiculous that people who never spent one day in the classroom as a teacher attempt to make rules that classroom teachers have to work under.
When it comes to class sizes, the union pointed out years ago that it had established an expedited grievance procedure in dealing with large classrooms. What expedited procedure? I’ve been retired now for nearly 14 years and the problem persists. Similarly the problem of disruptive children is ignored because no one wants to touch the issue. It is much easier to blame the teacher for the behavior of children who either will not or are unable to control themselves in classrooms. The 600-schools for problem children were done away with years ago, and now the mayor and chancellor are talking about eliminating suspensions for the unruly. The mayor and other critics of teachers desperately need to get back into a classroom and see what goes on during the course of a day.
Stop with the liberal nonsense of total child, alternate assessments, and other jokes, and institute military discipline in those schools requiring it. Any teacher cannot teach without discipline — Schools Chancellor Carmen Farina knows that.
Ed Greenspan
Sheepshead Bay
Pataki’s DOA
To the editor,
One, two, three strikes you’re out! At the annual Conservative Political Action Conference presidential pool of Republican Party primary activists former Republican Gov. George Pataki came in dead last behind all other potential GOP 2016 presidential candidates, including undecided with 0.1 percent of the vote. Just like in 2008 and 2012 Pataki’s presidential aspirations are dead on arrival.
It is time he set his sights on something more realistic. Perhaps consider running against Sen. Charles Schumer in 2016.
Larry Penner
Great Neck, N.Y.
Oaf-icials
To the editor,
Looks as though the veterans’ affairs chief was caught with his foot in his mouth, lying about his military service, and on camera too! It is a sad state of affairs as one by one, our leaders, our so-called impartial newsmen and the people that seek the trust of the populace are exposed. Especially when they boast of experiences they never had or college degrees they never earned, though, most have an excellent B.S. in bull!
My generation was taught not to trust anyone over 30 (I’m 63 now), and my father had a saying that pretty much covered his opinion of politicians and glad handlers: “They all lie — like a rug!” As each politician is disgraced or carted away in handcuffs, it only reinforces my opinion of these leaders. Dad was only too right.
Robert W. Lobenstein
Marine Park
Jeb Boo-sh
To the editor,
If Jeb Bush runs for president he will not get my vote. He is a job killer. Back in 1989 he outlawed “dwarf tossing” in Florida. Many little people lost their income because of this ban. It was a safe sport mostly played in bars. The dwarfs wore helmets and other protective gear and were tossed onto a mattress or against a wall of velcro. They made a pretty good living until then-Gov. Bush stopped it. Who is he to decide what people do for a living?
Nick Finer
Hallandale, Fla.
Bad economics
To the editor,
Is there real reason to celebrate the 22nd anniversary of the New York City Economic Development Corporation? New York City prospered and successfully grew prior to creation of this group and it’s predecessor, the N.Y.C. Public Development Corporation which was created in 1966. In 1991 the N.Y.C. Public Development Corporation (P.D.C.) was merged with the N.Y.C. Financial Services Corporation (F.S.C.) to form the N.Y.C. Economic Development Corporation. In many instances projects supported by these government corporations have been heavily subsidized by taxpayers, commonly known as corporate welfare. Between direct government funding, low-interest and below-market-rate loans, and long-term tax exemptions, the bill to taxpayers in the end is greater than the so-called public benefits.
There is also a relationship between pay-for-play campaign contributions from developers to elected officials looking for favorable legislation, private-property condemnation under eminent domain, building permits, public infrastructure improvements, along with direct and hidden subsidies. In some cases city and state development corporations actually compete against each other attempting to outbid each other in offering potential investors the best deal. This translates to the highest subsidies at taxpayers’ expense.
Don’t forget the conflict of interest for senior staff from municipal regulatory and permitting agencies. Too many leave in the twilight of any mayoral administration to become employees or consultants to the same developers they previously oversaw.
Take Seth Pinsky, former executive director of the N.Y.C.E.D.C. who went on to become executive vice president of the RXR Realty. Some developers try to purchase the support of local community groups by making so-called voluntary donations. They also make promises for capital improvements, which after the major project is completed don’t always appear. Other commitments for creation of permanent new jobs and tax revenues frequently do not meet expectations. If these projects are worthwhile, why can’t major developers use their own funds or obtain loans from banks, like medium and small businesses?
Real business people who believe in capitalism build their companies on their own. How sad that some don’t want to do it the old fashioned way by sweat and hard work. They are looking for shortcuts in the form of huge subsidies at taxpayers expense and favors from elected officials.
Larry Penner
Great Neck, N.Y.
Blott Stringer
To the editor,
Comptroller Scott Stringer is a spoiled child having a temper tantrum. Perhaps he needs a time out. Who knew that taxpayers are paying for members of the NYPD Intelligence Division to serve as his personal security detail. Stringer recently fired four of New York’s Finest from this security detail because they were late in picking him up from his expensive Manhattan home one morning. Is anyone aware that Stringer is the target of any terrorist groups which would merit this level of protection? I seriously doubt that al-Qaeda, Hezbollah, Islamic State or any other terrorists are even aware of his existence.
Municipal employees could never get away with the same abuses. They could not use city vehicles during work hours to chauffeur spouses around town. At a minimum, they would have to reimburse the city for the costs of all these personal trips. The Department of Investigations needs to take a look at this serious potential waste, fraud, and abuse of taxpayers dollars.
Let Stringer assign one of his several hundred staff members to serve as his personal chauffeur. Better yet he could set an example and follow Manhattan Councilman Dan Garodnick’s bill requiring employers with 20 or more workers to sign up for transit checks. Stringer could do likewise and give up both his free parking space at City Hall and his special police parking permit. He can use his transit check to purchase MetroCards. This will afford Stringer the opportunity to join several million constituents who use public transportation on a daily basis and also contribute to a cleaner environment. Stringer talks about being a friend of the 99 percent, yet he prefers the perks of a one percenter.Larry Penner
Great Neck, N.Y.
Cop cop-out
To the editor:
Is excessive force the new norm? The police go through an extensive period of training in hand-to-hand combat, use of a nightstick, pepper spray, and Taser guns. The purpose of this training is to keep the cops safe, have his orders obeyed and in the event of a physical altercation, for the other person to survive and face justice. Killing a person should be the last resort and then, only on the rarest of occasions.
This is not the case: excessive force is the new norm. This allows cops to use excessive force with impunity. Whether this occurs out of malice or fear is irrelevant, the result is the same — dead civilians, and cops who go on as if nothing happened.
As a first-year college student at Bard’s BPI campus, a victim of the criminal justice system, and a man who has studied and practiced law for the past 16 years, I am well aware of how our criminal justice system works, or rather does not work. In my own case, the district attorney and every witness testified that I used a .38 caliber revolver. At the age of 17 that was used to indict and convict me. According the medical examiner and an NYPD ballistics report the victim was shot with a 9mm gun. Guilt, innocence, and evidence are irrelevant, the district attorney will trump all else.
Cops, who are not given consequences for killing civilians, sends a message that cops can kill with impunity. No race of people is safe, as cops kill more white people than any other race. It has been reported that cops have killed everyone from kids to old ladies. None of these cops are locked-up. This encourages a cop versus civilian atmosphere. A civilian has no way of discerning a good cop from a bad cop, a killer cop from one who will not kill them or someone around them. People have video footage of some of the deadly incidents and have seen the footage explained away as inaccurate. This leaves people in danger at the hands of the police, prosecutors, and judiciary. Accountability for cops is not on the horizon.
A civilian that kills a cop is put in jail, generally with no bail, or bail that should be called a ransom. They will remain in jail for years facing either a death or life sentence, before the case is adjudicated. Their conviction is almost certain. In contrast, a cop whokills a civilian, in the extraordinarily rare instance they are charged and indicted for the person’s death, will remain free on bail for years. They will usually not be facing a death or life sentence. Once the case is resolved, which statistically results in an acquittal, or a conviction of some lesser included offense, but not the murder they will go about life with no more than a slap on the wrist. This reinforces the notion that cops are beyond the law, and their lives are more valuable than civilians are.
Michael Kirshtein
The writer is an inmate 96A7220 at Eastern Correctional Facility, Naponoch, N.Y.
Jes’ saying
To the editor,
I came across a poster that read: “If the USA can’t afford to provide basic medical care, feed the poor, protect the environment, maintain our infrastructure, or teach our children anymore, then what exactly is our bloated military budget defending?”
This question has been asking umpteenth times and never seems to be acknowledged and addressed by those whom are elected to office to represent the welfare of the citizens who put them in office.
The electoral and political systems in place in Washington D.C. and in most state legislatures represent and focus on the welfare of those who pay to put them in office, the so-called one percent corporate class.
Extreme party gamesmanship and partisan politics has taken over this country. I do believe the GOP has been, since the day President Obama has taken office, purposefully and maliciously obstructionist to prevent this administration from having successes, and will continue to do so until a new president is sworn into office in 2017. Despite all denials to the contrary, obstruction seems to live in the hearts of many Republicans, as does a perceived racism which includes disdain for the poor.
Reasonable discourse and ideas need be put on the table by all sides of a debate with compromise ruling the day so that advances and laws and such can be put in place that do address the needs of the country, of the citizenry. This is not happening at all. The GOP can claim to have made effort, but in reality all they do is knock down ideas put forth that do appear to have the best interests of “the many” at the core of the discussion. They also tend to create many distractions, that though some may be valid concerns, in reality they shut down all conversation and thus possible movement.
I think many politicians on both sides of the proverbial aisle are inept, partisan, and do not have our best interests at heart.
To quote the great John Lennon: “everybody’s talking and no one says a word…everybody’s runnin’ and no one makes a move…strange days indeed…most peculiar.”
Barry Brothers
Homecrest
‘Carpetbagger’ Hill
To the editor,
How can anyone take Hillary Clinton as a serious candidate for president? In the mid-1970s, when she was a young attorney involved in the Watergate investigation, her own boss fired her for being unethical and dishonest. Had the investigation not shut down when Nixon resigned, she most probably would have been disbarred. As the first lady, she was up to her eyeballs in scandals concerning her and her husband’s actions, both while in the White House, and even before that, back in Arkansas.
After the Clintons left the White House, Hillary Clinton needed a job, so she did what Bobby Kennedy did, she became a carpetbagger senator from the New York, where she had never lived until about 30 days prior to the election. As senator she wrote no laws and did not even sponsor a street naming somewhere. In short, she accomplished nothing. Fast forward to the presidency of Barack Obama. She was appointed secretary of state. She flitted around the world, doing nothing special and managed to make a fool out of herself with that stupid “reset” button that she gave to the Russian president. Then she failed to do her job during the Benghazi debacle where four Americans, including Ambassador Chris Stevens, were murdered in a most savage and barbaric fashion after an eight-hour gun battle. She took no action to help them whatsoever, even while there was still time to help them.
The term “dereliction of duty” comes immediately to mind. Then she had the utter gall to say the attack was caused by a You Tube video, which she knew was false. She was attempting to deflect attention from her lack of any action. So, that’s another job with no accomplishments.
It has recently come to light that she used her private email account to conduct government business which is a crime. She was conducting government business “under the radar” so that her activities could not be monitored. It has also come to light that she accepted a whole lot of illegal contributions from Middle East countries. Admittedly some good was done with some of the money, but that, of course, was not the reason for the donations. Hillary Clinton has no ethics, no honor, no core beliefs and is dishonest to her bones. That is Hillary Clinton from the beginning of her adult life. With a resume like that, her face should be posted on post office walls. We have already seen the results of what a president with those attributes can do to the country. We cannot endure that again.
David F. Podesta
Marine Park
