Enough people are clear-eyed to put him to bed
Manalapan, N.J.: Here is a history lesson we should all remember. Arch-conservative Barry Goldwater challenged Lyndon Johnson in 1964 by fiercely criticizing his “liberal policies,” especially the Civil Rights Act and the Democrats’ “soft on communism” policies in Cuba and Vietnam. Much like Donald Trump on Ukraine and the Mideast, Goldwater promised drastic action on Cuba and Asia to replace LBJ’s restraint. We now know this could have resulted in a nuclear war over Cuba because Fidel Castro had secretly been given some small nuclear weapons by Russia. Thankfully, despite poll predictions, Goldwater was annihilated in an epic landslide.
Unfortunately, history also turned against LBJ when he forgot his campaign promise “not to send American boys to do what every Asian boy should be doing,” and we were sucked into the Vietnam quagmire. The price for political dishonesty would never be higher for our nation.
I firmly believe that Kamala Harris understands this, and because of this, she could be one of our best presidents ever. I believe that a combination of female voters, the Sandy Hook generation, labor unions, Black and Latino voters and disaffected never-Trumpers, along with traditional Democrats, will bring her a resounding victory, even a landslide in some states. After this, I think the MAGA movement will disintegrate and we will finally see the end of the despicable Trump hot air balloon.
Don’t believe the polls. As with Goldwater, they have been consistently wrong and, I believe, are vulnerable to manipulation. Herb Paserman
Gaming the system
Tarrytown, N.Y.: Once again, Trump brags about donating his $400,000 presidential salary — peanuts. Somehow, he forgot to mention that his golf trips cost taxpayers $141 million. He visited a Trump property on 428 of the 1,461 days of his presidency (nearly one in three) and is estimated to have played 261 rounds of golf, one every 5.6 days. What happened to he “won’t have time to play golf”? He echoed that at least 100 times while campaigning. Now we have the numbers. He golfed a third of the time in his last presidency! It will only get worse, as he simply does not care about perception. I can also bet those club rates and fees we will all pay for are now doubled. Why should American taxpayer funds benefit a grifter’s golf game? Stephen Talenti
National dissonance
Manhattan: This country is divided in two. Nearly half the country views Jan. 6 as a day of peaceful protests, or as Trump says, a “day of love,” and sees the rioters are patriots and political prisoners who should and likely will be pardoned if Trump is reelected. The other half (myself included) views Jan. 6 as a day of violence and infamy, when our democracy was almost overthrown by insurrectionists who committed treason and were rightfully tried, convicted and sentenced. This is all because Trump refused to concede defeat and instead brainwashed his MAGA supporters into believing the Big Lie that the election was stolen. Apparently, whenever Trump is unhappy with the facts, he creates his own reality. He can’t be trusted to tell it to us like it is, only as he wants it to be for his own political and personal reasons. Chana Schwartz
Cheap stunt
Manhattan: Trump’s blue-collar punt serving McDonald’s to a pre-screened group of shoppers reeks of fascism, canola oil and malarkey. Mussolini regularly appeared bare-chested alongside peasants harvesting grain to gather public support for his policies. Plus there was Mao Zedong, Adolf Hitler, Viktor Orban, even Benjamin Netanyahu — all eager to serve up a meal of division and fear-mongering and exclusion to grab dictatorial power. As we all head to the polls on Nov. 5, let’s hope that Americans realize there is no free lunch as far as preserving democracy goes, especially when served by a 78-year-old charlatan all zippered up in a tattered granny’s apron. Ron Spurga
Spoiled meal
Oak Ridge, N.J.: So, the devil himself shows up at a McDonald’s and the next day, people in 10 states are sickened and one dies as a result of contaminated onions. I swear the guy is rewriting the Bible’s Book of Exodus; it’s the plague of the bad onions. And more interesting, only in America. James Heimbuch
As expected
Dobbs Ferry, N.Y.: Dear Rudy Giuliani, just a brief note to say: You kissed his ass and in payment, he passed gas! What a guy! Renee Keane
Par for the course
Astoria: Reality set in when City Councilmember Sandy Nurse got her butt grabbed by an inmate during a surprise Rikers Island visit. Nurse was more incensed that the incident made its way to social media than about the actual grab to her rear end. Did it bother her so much that the truth was exposed that no matter where a detainee is locked up, he’s still a con? Wake up from your woke world, woman. Aris Sakellaridis
Out of order
Manhattan: On Tuesday, I took the L train to 14th St. and Avenue A. There is no booth at the station and it has two exits beside the turnstiles to pay for the train. At the time I got off the train, there were two Transit people at each exit, I imagine to stop anyone from getting on the train as people exit. People were jumping over the turnstiles, and neither of the two people said anything. It was 2:30 p.m. I see the MTA boss saying the trains are better and safer. What country was he talking about? I vote for Daniel Penny for MTA boss. Dennis Dunleavy
Other ways out
Manhattan: Many people say that they have been in situations on the subway where they felt threatened by homeless people. Yet, all of them apparently were able to extricate themselves from those situations without killing anybody. So, I wonder: When Daniel Penny was in a comparable situation, why wasn’t he able to do the same? James Baldwin
Hit a wall
Patchogue, L.I.: I am reaching out to readers of the Daily News to see if anyone else has had this problem. I have Medicare Parts A and B. My husband is a retired NYPD detective, and our secondary insurance is EmblemHealth/GHI. Our prescriptions are covered through the DEA. I can’t get the shingles vaccine covered by any of my insurances. Out of pocket, the two vaccines would be close to $500. Medicare Part D covers the vaccine, but we don’t have it, as our medications are covered by the DEA, which does not cover preventative vaccines for some inconceivable reason. Emblem does not cover the vaccine because Medicare Parts A and B won’t cover it — yes, that was the reason I was given. I have made numerous phone calls — the insurance help lines, the pharmaceutical company that manufactures the vaccine, the Suffolk County Health Department and the CDC, as they are proponents of prevention. I have gotten nowhere. I feel that I can’t be the only person who has encountered this exasperating and infuriating situation. I would be grateful for any help. Trudy Mansfield
Contempt of crosswalk
Manhattan: I walk across wide West End Ave., not far from Riverside Drive, several times a day. Fast-driving cars that make a right onto West End whisk by dangerously close, it appears to me, more frequently these days. When I visited Los Angeles, vehicles came to a complete stop when pedestrians were in the crosswalk. New York City drivers might observe a courtesy (law?) where a car comes to a halt, or at least slows down, when a person is crossing the street. It happens to be a simple and obvious civility for Manhattan drivers; one not now observed by them, during these harried times and hectic days in the world’s foremost, finest city. Come on, guys and gals, our safety and reputation are on the line here. James A. Fragale
Oral hysteria
Brooklyn: Somehow, I got on the right-wing Epoch Times’ email list. This esteemed journal had the following headline: “How to Remove Fluoride From Your Water at Home.” I guess real Americans get cavities and want to undermine one of the most successful public health initiatives of the last century. Ira Cure
