Real strength is more than its mere projection
Mantoloking, N.J.: I keep hearing that many male voters will vote for Donald Trump because they feel the president has to be a strong man. Really? I recall that we did have a few strong presidents. George Washington comes to mind. Two others I would consider strong are Abraham Lincoln and FDR. Lincoln was tall, but in the eyes of MAGA, that would be all. He was soft-spoken and considered the Civil War to be the last thing on Earth that he would want to be involved in. But we all know what happened. That is, all except Trump. Ask him who won the Civil War and who knows what answer he will give you. FDR was not strong at all in MAGA land. He could barely walk and had to get around in a wheelchair. Thank God for his leadership at a time when the world was in peril.
Now we need another strong man to lead us through these terrible times. Is it the man who had bone spurs to avoid his responsibilities to our nation during the Vietnam War? The guy who calls U.S. troops who died in France during World War I fighting against a well-fortified German army “losers” and “suckers”? Who disrespects our finest veterans, as well as the Unknown Soldier, with his antics at Arlington National Cemetery?
I think the real strong man running for president is a woman, Kamala Harris (photo)! She calls it straight, looks her foes right in the face and says, staring right at Trump, “Putin would eat you for lunch!” Your strong man looked away as she said it. So, if you want a strong man, pick the woman! James Dulong
Game week
Ozone Park: The Mets and Yankees may play the Subway Series during early-voting week. They will have to change the ballot to read: “Trump; Harris; Mets or Yankees.” Ray Hackinson
State seats
Manhattan: Bramhall’s Oct. 14 cartoon was right on target. Saving the planet, at least taking climate action in America, is dependent on a Democratic Senate and House of Representatives. Let’s make sure we have a Democratic president, too. Trump says climate change is a hoax. Americans know better. The Biden-Harris administration made massive investments in clean energy and related American manufacturing, creating hundreds of thousands of clean jobs. Trump would try to claw back these investments, hurting mostly red states, and roll back environmental protections. His tariff plan would cripple wind power. Tariffs mean major inflation for consumers. Importers pass the cost on to us in the cost of goods. New York went astray in 2022. Elsewhere, House Republicans were defeated while we had a red wave. It’s time to oust Long Island Republicans Anthony D’Esposito, Andrew Garbarino and Nick LaLota, and the Hudson Valley’s Marc Molinaro and Mike Lawler, and flip those seats to blue. Laurie Aron
Courting catastrophe
Western Springs, Ill.: A second powerful hurricane blasting Florida dramatically demonstrates the effects of global warming as record-warm seas generate stronger storms, and record-warm air loads the storm with more moisture. For decades, virtually all climate scientists — including Exxon’s — predicted increased temperatures causing extreme weather if we continued burning fossil fuels. These predictions have proved accurate. The United States could be leading the world battling climate change, inspiring and helping other countries to do more while creating millions of jobs in depressed areas here and worldwide. Instead, Trump and most Republicans in Congress are in denial about climate change as they take millions in contributions from fossil fuel interests. No part of our country is immune from worsening storms, floods, heat waves, droughts and wildfires, which dwarf most issues that voters are seemingly concerned about. Richard Barsanti
Do no harm?
Greenwich, Conn.: In her rabid op-ed to persuade New Yorkers to vote on ballot Proposal 1 (“Vote YES to protect abortion rights,” Oct. 13), Dara Kass mentions nary a word about the morality of the barbaric procedure of abortion. Why? Because there is nothing moral about ending innocent human life in the womb. Kass wants to remind voters that they “have the opportunity to stand up for and safeguard reproductive health care.” Excuse me, did she say “reproductive health care”? If she defines reproductive health care as poisoning or dismembering and decapitating babies in the womb, then we should know that the medical education system that produces such indoctrinated so-called physicians has gone completely woke. What happened to the Hippocratic oath to not administer lethal drugs and to save human lives? That’s clearly not in Kass’ purview. The bottom line of what she advocates is dead humans. Natalie Barklow
Oppression as peace
Brooklyn: If I understand Voicer John Francis Fox correctly, what he really wants is for Gazans to opt for supporting some sort of Arab version of Norway’s Vidkun Quisling or the American colonies’ Benedict Arnold. Basically, Fox wants Palestinians to completely bow down, be nicely subjugated and kiss Bibi Netanyahu’s ring by supporting a traitor to their long-term interests. Well, we can see how that kind of thing worked out for Quisling. If Israelis don’t like the way Palestinians choose their leaders, tough luck. This is a family paper, so I will not use saltier language. Zionists do not get to call the tune. I am semi-appalled at the nerve of this kind of presumptuous behavior. They need to grow up. Nick Smith
Bread and circuses
Woods Cross, Utah: America has consented by default to an expanded Middle East war. Our Constitution says we are supposed to debate war involvement locally and tell our representatives in Congress whether to support any foreign war. That ain’t happening, folks. Constitutional experts and politicians are hiding under a rock when they should be advising us to do this. To the rest of the world, it is clear that America will bare its bloodthirsty fangs in Lebanon like it did in Gaza, all in support of a lunatic, far-right dictator in Israel. Job one of American media is to keep the public distracted with all manner of light-minded sports, seasonal TV start-ups, news of celebrities and campaign rallies, and tear-jerker stories of individual Americans experiencing something good for a change. If our citizens have no time left to participate in democracy, our leaders know they have done their job. Kimball Shinkoskey
Best woman wins
Brooklyn: Congratulations to Caitlin Clark for winning the WNBA’s Rookie of the Year award! I hope that Angel Reese and her pals who clearly tried to hurt Clark during the year learn a little something about class and good sportswomanship, as they sat home and watched Clark shine in the playoffs! Joe Ferra
Not-so-subtle slide
Staten Island: Your far-left-leaning, liberal opinions have allowed for Gary Philips’ article (“Jeter is Jazz singer,” Oct. 13) to include the quote by that illiterate Jazz Chisholm, which was: “They introduce me like I’m the f---ing little brother they always wanted.” I have never seen that in any decent newspaper in all my 77 years. Granted, I only started reading newspapers when I was 8, but that’s an awfully long time. I remember when you actually reported the news without any opinions except on the editorial page. Now it’s one big opinion piece, including sportswriters and the comics section. We don’t care what those people think about politics. We just want them to write funny or heartwarming cartoons and excellent sports insights. We also expect the authors of the articles and the proofreaders, as well as the editors, to catch words not suitable for print. Michael Esposito
Left of what?
Manhattan: To Voicer Frank Brady: I’ve been reading the Daily News for 70-plus years and it has always been the same reliable, middle-of-the-road, objective publication. Because of the New York Post’s rabid, extreme right-wing assault, we’ve all become somewhat jaded. Stick with facts, stick with the Daily News. Neil J. Pollicino
Music history
Waretown, N.J.: Voicer Andrew Rubin apparently doesn’t like to check facts. Bruce Springsteen wrote “Blinded by the Light” and released it on his debut album “Greetings from Asbury Park, N.J.” in 1973. Manfred Mann’s Earth Band covered the song on their 1976 album “The Roaring Silence.” Mike Pidhirny
