To the editor,
I was transfixed in front of my television, watching the hearings for Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh. I usually do not give a hoot to watch a hearing of any kind, but there was something special calling me.
I can safely say that after only a few hours, the Democratic side of questioning has been shown to be mean-spirited, disruptive and anything but open to answers this good man had to give. One by one Democratic Senators sat in their chairs looking down with disdain, with faces that could only be described as angry, dour and just plain mean. So much for their so-called Senatorial impartiality.
Judge Kavanaugh sat there the first day for over 12 grueling hours being pummeled with misleading and uninformative questions. The man showed them up by keeping his cool and with a professional demeanor, answered the questions even though they didn’t want to hear [his answers] or had no interest.
The funny point came when Senator Dianne Feinstein demanded yet another 50,000 emails on top of the almost half million documents furnished the committee. It reminded me of the time she and other Democrats plopped down a critically-flawed 4,000-page bill for ObamaCare, telling all that they had to pass the bill before being able to read what was inside. I guess she maybe thought we forgot about her antics on that affair.
One final point was brought up as Judge Kavanaugh held his well-worn copy of the Constitution. Over 60 percent of high school students cannot even name the three branches of government nor even understand the basic workings of our government. In a way that is sad, as these future Americans will be lacking in the much-needed knowledge to maintain and better the existing form of government. Seeing that there is a critical number of under-educated individuals, these people will be easily lead by the mob mentality of screaming slogan-carrying protesters and devious men and women in government, trying to lock up a one sided socialist/communist majority.
As reported, these hearings are just a sham as the party in power usually gets the Supreme Court justice they nominate, though for anyone interested enough to watch the process unfold, it is an eye opener as to the hatred between the parties I believe will not be soothed anytime soon.Robert W. Lobenstein
Marine Park
Stop bashing Trump
To the editor,
In response to Elaine Kirsch, I would like to clarify my statements about the mainstream media being “fake news.” I agree with everyone. We need a free, independent media that is not under the government’s thumb regarding what it may and may not report. It is vital to the survival of the republic that an unfettered media does its duty to be a watchdog against government abuse. There is another side of that coin, and that is that the media — in all its forms — report its information fairly and truthfully, without any obvious bias or hatred. That is not the case.
People detected an open bias in the media when George W. Bush was President, even questioning his mental capacity. Really? The man has an MBA from the Wharton School of Business. Fast forward a few years to the Obama administration. He got a free pass from the media. The first black President being criticized? Oh, no, that would be racist and our media certainly does not want to be called racist. Any criticism of Obama was met by the race card. I’m not going into every bad thing he did in his eight years in office. Suffice it to say that none of the many negative things he did drove the media to skewer him.
Now we come to Trump. Early in his campaign, the mainstream media decided it didn’t like Trump, in fact, the liberal mainstream media hates Trump and still can’t deal with his defeat of its heroine, Hillary Clinton. They were all so sure she would win, that Newsweek printed the now-famous cover, “Madam President,” over Hillary’s photo. The liberal mainstream media was stunned by her defeat and still is in denial. We conservatives call that, “Trump Derangement Syndrome.” We know there was an Obama administration effort to make sure Trump was defeated. The Department of Justice, the FBI and the White House colluded together to do everything humanly possible to defeat Trump, and failing that, to find grounds for impeachment. That’s why the Mueller witch hunt investigation was begun.
The media concentrated on anything and everything that is negative about Trump. I agree that he’s vulgar and not a really classy person, but we did not hire this man because he was an altar boy. We hired him to get us out of the mess that Obama created, and he’s doing just that. The mainstream media gives this man absolutely no credit for the many really positive things he’s done, and when it does, it’s very briefly and in passing. The left wing mainstream media has not been honest, truthful and accurate in its coverage of Trump — and that is why he doesn’t think he’s being portrayed fairly or honestly.
David F. Podesta
Marine Park
Serena got meaner
To the editor,
Serena Williams embarrassed herself in front of millions of viewers, by calling the umpire a liar and a thief. She deserved what she got. She was losing to the much younger, more humble, and very talented Naomi Osaka. Serena was foolish to over-react like that, and has instead not only lost the match at the U.S. Open, but lost face.Vicki Wulfken
Brooklyn
Buses are cheaper
To the editor,
Finding $1.4 billion in Federal Transit Administration funding to help pay for the $2.8 billion-plus cost of Mayor Bill DeBlasio’s proposed Brooklyn-Queens Street Car Connector project is easier said than done. That’s why “Feds to Mayor: Don’t count on our cash for your trolley” (Julianne Cuba, September 7) is the truth. Consider all the competing needs that many believe are a far higher priority.
Supporters of the $29 billion and growing Gateway Tunnel project are looking for $14.5 billion in federal assistance. A majority of these dollars would come from the Federal Transit Administration New Starts program.
Assume the next MTA Five Year 2020–2024 Capital Program Plan starts out at $30 billion. First they intend to program $2.265 billion, bringing the total local share of funding for Second Avenue Subway Phase 2 (96th to 125th Streets, including two stations) up to $4 billion. This is necessary to leverage $2 billion in Federal Transit Administration New Starts dollars to support a total project cost of $6 billion! Another $1 billion each will be needed to complete fully funding the $11.2 billion Long Island Rail Road East Side Access to Grand Central Terminal and $2.6 billion Main Line Third Track projects. The backlog of unfunded New York City Transit, LIRR and Metro North safety and state of good repair projects combine for an excess of $30 billion. How will the MTA find $19 billion more on top of $30 billion toward funding New York City Transit President Andy Byford’s proposed 10-year $37 billion subway system recovery plan? Some want billions more to accelerate bringing more of the 471 subway stations into compliance with Americans With Disabilities Act. Others want billions more to increase the numbers of new and rehabilitated subway cars and buses.
The LaGuardia Airport Train to the Plane previously had only $70 million toward the overall project cost of $1.5 billion. Who will make up the $1.430 billion shortfall? Next, there is a one-seat ride from Manhattan to Kennedy Airport which could cost several billion.
Then there is the Triboro X Subway Express (new subway line connecting the Bronx, Queens and Brooklyn for $2 billion, and the Cross Harbor Freight Tunnel for $10 billion.
Many neighborhoods are looking for introduction of either Select Bus Service; Bus Rapid Transit; Limited Stop Bus to Subway or Express Bus Service to Manhattan. There is still the need to bring many Brooklyn subway stations back up to a state of good repair.
Initiation of the environmental review for the proposed Brooklyn Queens Street Car Connector is just the first step of any potential capital transportation project improvement. The journey for a project of this scope can easily take 10 to 20 years before becoming a reality. Given the increasing uncertainties of project financing, growing costs for utility, sewer lines and water main relocation and other more urgent needs, it appears that a new limited stop bus route along this corridor would make more sense. A limited stop bus route could be implemented within two years. All you would need is several dozen buses and additional operating subsidy to supplement shortfalls from farebox revenue. New York City Transit can purchase new buses for less than $1 million each to support this new service.Larry Penner
Great Neck
