Readers sound off on the war effort, DHS shutdown and hospital overhead |
To win a war, America needs its people on board
Flushing: Why were people who were alive through World War II known as the Greatest Generation? Americans in the service and on the home front were proud to be Americans, even those at home planting victory gardens to grow food. We sacrificed a lot to win the war, and without complaining. Families gave their sons to the military and were proud to do it, and very worried. If you had a family member in the military, you proudly hung a flag with a blue star in your front window. And when they gave their life for their country, the family proudly replaced it with a flag with a gold star.
The government didn’t have to explain or apologize to everyone why a soldier died. It was all too understandable. I’m ashamed when I hear people (especially Democratic politicians) complain about the price of gas when our sons and daughters are risking their lives and dying to protect us. During WWII, gas was severely rationed and no one complained. Sure, we were unhappy about it, but we understood that it was for the war effort. We didn’t complain. We built the machinery to support our sons in battle.
As I see the attitude of the people of this country today, I get sad. Our people think the war in Iran is an inconvenience and we should quit so we can have cheap gas and keep partying. Where did the real Americans go? John Procida
Bronx: Any time we argue details of the pros and cons of any of President Trump’s actions — the goals or effects of the Iran war, the merits or shortcomings of verifying voter citizenship, or debating the results of any legal case for or against Trump, his character or policy — the more we miss the bigger picture. All of Trump’s instinctive motivations fit under three main categories: to feed his insatiable ego, to add money to his or his family’s pockets, or to exact revenge against the people he decides are enemies, despite facts. Anything that benefits America or its people is purely serendipitous. Mike Yorio
Lynbrook, L.I.: Voicer Marc D. Greenwood hits the mark dead-on. So, Trump called Iran’s leaders “scumbags.” Funny — in my rage regarding everything about this regime, that’s just what I call him. Not very polished, but to quote Mark Twain, “In certain trying circumstances, urgent circumstances, desperate circumstances, profanity furnishes a relief denied even to prayer.” Marguerite Westbrook
Bronx: America must not fall for the gaslighting by Trump and his MAGA followers. Trump has called the war with Iran an “excursion.” The dictionary defines an excursion as a brief, pleasurable trip. Nowhere is it characterized as a deadly, destructive war. The gaslighting continues as some MAGA leaders say that boots on the ground on Kharg Island would not actually be boots on the ground because these troops wouldn’t be on mainland Iran. Tell that to the 7,000 American Marines who died on Iwo Jima and the 20,000 wounded during WWII. They weren’t boots on the ground because their heroics didn’t happen on mainland Japan. It should be obvious that Trump is not mentally well. Imagine if Joe Biden had acted like Trump! Gilbert M. Lane
Brooklyn: Anyone notice I’ve been MIA lately? My head is spinning about what’s happening here in NYC and around the globe so much that I’m at a loss for words. Imagine that. All I’m saying is let’s all give peace a chance. Mariann Tepedino
Manhattan: Rep. Hakeem Jefferies’ discharge petition gave the GOP a chance to pay TSA and FEMA workers who’re currently skipping work for alternate employment as the quiet Department of Homeland Security government shutdown continues. Airport lines are running onto sidewalks, and small airports might close as employees skip work to try to make money. It would be so much simpler for GOP senators to agree to Sen. Chuck Schumer’s fairly moderate requests to reform ICE and other federal immigration enforcement agencies as a condition of releasing the DHS appropriation: application of constitutionally required judicial arrest warrants naming a specific person; no breaking into people’s homes; proper and non-misleading ID and body cameras; no face masks. Sen. Schumer and Rep. Jeffries, I applaud you. Enid Graham
Syosset, L.I.: So the new way for Dems to govern is every time there’s a thing they want and can’t have, they throw a tantrum and shut down the government, regardless of who gets hurt? I’m imagining a baby in a diaper with a rattle, screaming for something it wants until it prevails, or doesn’t prevail. Welcome to the Democratic Party in the Trump era. Sheesh. Drew Oringer
Inverted intransigence
Manhattan: The Trump administration keeps blaming the Democrats for the TSA workers not getting paid and the long lines at the airports. It’s not the Democrats. It’s the Republicans to blame! They own the White House and both houses of Congress. The Democrats have proposed a bill to pay TSA workers, who have to be paid now, and then discuss a bipartisan measure to deal with concerns of DHS and ICE agents. The Republicans refuse. Either Congress pass the entire DHS funding bill in its entirety or they’ll refuse to take up the Democrats’ bill. So stop blaming the Democrats! H. Wayne Mirsky
Manhattan: Even with NYC’s sanctuary status, ICE raids still spread terror here. How much worse for others in the state, even next door in Nassau County, where ICE deputizes local police to help do their dirty work? People are in hiding, their children not attending school, and businesses are failing. Gov. Hochul has a half-baked plan to offer equality to the state’s immigrants. But it falls far short of the New York for All Act, which would halt all collusion and information sharing with ICE. State Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins expresses support for the bill, and Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie has not yet stated his position. The three people in the room who’re going to ultimately decide the fate of immigrants in this state must know that immigrant safety impacts all New Yorkers. When people are afraid to report crimes or show up for work, that makes everyone unsafe. Carol Hillson
Newark: To Voicer Steven Fromewick, who wrote about Trump acting like a spoiled child: Attaboy! David Figueroa
Yonkers: Medicare and VA benefits are the nearest thing we have to achieving a single-payer system. Fee-for-service, which both systems are, should not differentiate between site of medical treatment, but hospitals have larger overhead in terms of staffing, utilities, etc., which are used in determining payments by insurance. Doctors’ offices have slightly less overhead, although they do have rent. Save money by reducing the number of vice presidents, etc., at hospitals, capping their pay, and eliminating marketing and fundraising departments. Thomas Schechter