Newsday letters to the editor for Monday, Oct. 30, 2017

Green Party not getting coverage

Newsday reported that the Republican and Democratic candidates for Nassau County executive “squared off” in a debate [“Martins, Curran debate,” News, Oct. 17].

Cassandra Lems, the Green Party candidate for county executive, was not invited and was not mentioned in either of two Newsday articles describing the debate.

All candidates on the ballot should have been invited. Voters have a right to know the views of every candidate.

Lems has appeared along with the other two candidates in several recent debates and forums, and she has offered views and policies not often expressed by candidates of the two major parties.

She has spoken of how the New York Health Act, if enacted, would save the county almost half a billion dollars in health care costs, and she has made a strong case for enacting a progressive county income tax.

She has addressed many other pressing issues, from immigration to patronage to protecting our aquifers.

Failing to cover all candidates on the ballot is detrimental to complete and fair election coverage and basic democratic principles.

Jim Brown, Island Park

Editor’s note: The writer is chairman of the Green Party of Nassau County.

Put a stop to the annoying robocalls

My husband and I are senior citizens and are constantly harassed by robocalls [“Lawmakers must stop the annoying robocalls,” Letters, Sept. 13].

On a recent morning, our phone rang at 7. The only reason my phone should ring at that time is for an emergency. When I answered, the call was from a water company alerting us to work they would be doing in our area in the next couple of weeks.

I would like to know how any organization can invade our privacy in this fashion.

Barbara Cercone, Valley Stream

Widen, rebuild bike path in Wantagh

An extension of the bike path from Tobay Beach to Captree State Park is a great endeavor and will provide access to Long Island’s world-class beaches [“10-mile bike path along beaches planned,” News, Oct. 19].

Unfortunately, the only access points to the path are at Cedar Creek Park or Jones Beach. Wouldn’t it make sense to also rebuild and widen the bike path along Wantagh State Parkway from Cedar Creek Park north?

The bike path along the east side of Wantagh Parkway extends from Brush Hollow Road in Westbury to Park Avenue in Wantagh. The path along Wantagh Parkway has been in disrepair and neglected for many years.

A wider bike path with appropriate access points along Wantagh Parkway would provide access for cyclists, joggers and walkers in the communities of Westbury, Salisbury, Hicksville, Levittown, East Meadow, North Bellmore, North Wantagh, Wantagh and beyond.

Having cycled the existing path many times, I’ve found that parking at Cedar Creek Park is in short supply.

Gary P. Peterson, Levittown

Bring back the draft to share the burden

On Oct. 19, White House chief of staff John Kelly gave a statement about the combat death of a U.S. soldier [“Gold Star dad’s take on Trump,” News, Oct. 20].

“Who are these young men and women?” he asked. “They are the best 1 percent this country produces. Most of you, as Americans, don’t know them. Many of you don’t know anyone who knows any one of them.”

Many of them are kids who don’t have college plans or good job opportunities. They provide the muscle for this country’s defense. They do the fighting and dying.

I believe in a universal draft for the armed services. A draft that provided equal probability for all healthy 18-year-olds to be subject to front-line combat would have Congress and the president thinking more deeply before committing the country to war.

When our country goes to war, everyone should share the burden. It’s not fair for one segment of society — middle-aged, well-off politicians — to make decisions that affect the lives of a group they seldom associate with.

Bill Domjan, Melville

Trump lacks credibility in criticizing military

Let me see if I have this right. President Donald Trump never served in the military. He has disparaged Sen. John McCain, a war hero, and all former POWs.

He disrespected Gold Star parents Ghazala and Khizr Khan. He called decorated four-star Marine Gen. John Allen a failed general. He insulted military veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder by saying they are not strong.

But NFL players are disrespecting our military [“The American flag, the anthem and protests by athletes,” Letters, Oct. 1]?

Tedd Levy, Bellmore