Newsday letters to the editor for Monday, Nov. 20, 2017

Keep promises to rural America

I agree with syndicated columnist Kathleen Parker that all future candidates for office should know about the needs and wants of rural Americans [“The day that rocked America,” Opinion, Nov. 9]. No American, regardless of economic status or community, should be left behind.

I also agree that President Donald Trump recognized this better than most seasoned politicians. To a large degree, this led to his election a year ago. But I believe there was one other factor that Parker did not touch on.

Trump lied to people, such as the West Virginia coal miners, when he told them he would bring back their jobs. He may not be able to deliver on a promise to workers in Michigan, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania that the manufacturing jobs that went overseas would come back to the United States. He lied to everyone when he said that there would be a “beautiful” new health care system that would cover everyone at a lower cost.

I do hope future candidates learn from Trump. Care about the needs of all Americans, but be honest with us.

Carl Borruso,Valley Stream

NIFA spending salary unwisely

Nassau County property taxes and fees are out of control. Businesses and our children are leaving.

Yet the Nassau Interim Finance Authority is allowing its counsel, Jeremy Wise, to collect his $107,275 state pension plus his NIFA salary of $195,015 [“ ‘Double-dip’ at NIFA legal,” News, Nov. 7].

If NIFA is OK with giving this amount of money to a public servant, it looks like it is part of the problem, not the cure.

Gary Maksym, Massapequa

Don’t let insults lead to war with N. Korea

In a recent tweet, President Donald Trump insulted Kim Jong Un, calling him short and fat [“Is Trump trade posture good for U.S.?,” Opinion, Nov. 14]. While I am certainly no fan of Kim, and quite aware that he is a power-hungry dictator, I not only question Trump’s choice of words, I question their intent.

In his battle of insults with the North Korean dictator, Trump has thrown all aspects of diplomacy out the window, putting our country in a dangerous position. This Twitter battle will solve nothing, and it looks like an attempt to push North Korea into an act of war.

I don’t want to go to war with North Korea, especially one incited over a tweet. And for Trump to continue tweeting these insults is not only dangerous, it’s ludicrous. Our military and our young men and women should not have their lives put on the line because of inappropriate and immature tweeting.

Elizabeth Aquino, Amityville

Pollution fines are clearly ineffective

After reading about the contamination of Long Island Sound waters in Glen Cove, I’m sure that previous fines of $8,000 and $1,000 would be less than effective for owners of a residential estate cited as a possible source [“Contamination clues uncovered,” News, Nov. 13].

If you multiplied those fines by 10, they still might not be effective. Why not charge the polluters for the cost of the clean-up? Maybe that would get their attention.

Colleen Finegan, Bellport

Hollywood not solely to blame for decline

I’m flummoxed by a letter suggesting that Hollywood is responsible for the destruction of values in the United States [“Hollywood values are not America’s values,” Nov. 13].

We have a president who is an adulterer, promotes gratuitous violence, uses obscenities publicly and frequently, degrades humans and has policies that damage families. The Republicans nominated a Senate candidate in Alabama who faces allegations that as a 32-year-old man, he had inappropriate relationships with 14- and 16-year-old girls. And the party is promoting a congressional candidate from Staten Island who is a felon.

It seems the problems are a little closer to home than Hollywood and more prevalent than people wish to believe.

Cynthia Lovecchio, Glen Cove

Now GOP speaks up on harassment

Many Republicans have come out against GOP candidate Roy Moore from Alabama and called on him to abandon his bid for the Senate [“Political impact of Moore allegations,” Opinion, Nov. 16]. This is because of the allegations that he made unwanted sexual advances on teenage girls many years ago.

Where were these Republicans when Donald Trump was running for president and was also accused by several women of inappropriate contact? He was even heard on tape bragging about it.

I suspect the sudden change of moral conscience has to do with winning elections in 2018. Women are finally getting their voices and will no longer be bullied by the powerful men who sexually harass them and have gotten away with it for years.

Ann Leahy,Wantagh