Newsday letters to the editor for Tuesday, Nov. 7, 2017

Take a refresher on rules of the road

May I suggest that the opponents of red-light cameras enroll in a defensive driving course [“Red-light cameras and rules of the road,” Letters, Oct. 29]?

For as little as $30 or $40, you can refresh your knowledge of traffic rules and laws. It’s much cheaper than paying for traffic tickets or driving through parking lots and other intersections to avoid the cameras.

Some lessons include not driving too close to vehicles in front of you, counting to three before turning right at a red light, knowing who has the right of way at a four-stop-sign intersection, signaling when changing lanes, turning on headlights when using windshield wipers, and heeding speed limit signs, especially in school or work zones.

It’s not that I am for the cameras, but what are the alternatives: Safer drivers? Fewer accidents?

Ralph Fierro Jr., Kings Park

When Sears began to go downhill

I was not surprised to read that Sears and Whirlpool are going their separate ways [“Sears, Whirlpool curtailing long partnership,” Business, Oct. 25].

As a young couple buying our first home in the 1970s, my husband and I grew up with the advice to buy from Sears. In those years, the name Sears was synonymous with American made and built to last. I can still remember TV commercials with two guys walking into the store to replace tools that were decades old, because Sears stood by its lifetime warranty.

We first realized Sears had changed when our appliances showing their age started to break down. Calls for service were outsourced to a center clearly not in the United States. The service was frustrating and disappointing. Everything in my home was purchased from Sears: appliances, tools, furnishings and carpeting.

Sears failed to understand, when you bail out on America, proud Americans will bail out on you!

Dee Palser, Valley Stream

Flake was brave to criticize Trump

I was pleased to see Republican Sen. Jeff Flake openly criticize President Donald Trump [“Targeting Trump,” News, Oct. 25].

In a speech on the Senate floor, Flake said he had had enough. He could no longer listen to the lies, the insults or the disregard for decency that the president engages in daily.

Flake came to my attention when his book taking on the Trump presidency, “Conscience of a Conservative,” was published in August. Flake’s ranking for voting conservatively is one of the highest in the Senate.

Flake showed great courage speaking out the way he did. He said there are other Republican senators who think the way that he does, and that he is confident that they will eventually speak out, too. I hope he’s right.

Bruce Long, Babylon

States must work on lowering their taxes

I see the big liberal tax-and-spend states are up in arms about the proposed federal tax plan, and perhaps rightly so [“GOP shakes up taxes,” News, Nov. 3]. As an overtaxed New Yorker, I do not want to lose my tax deductions.

However, my question is, why don’t these big tax-and-spend states find ways to reduce the local taxes and spending instead of complaining about any change that might benefit the entire country? Things will never get done with today’s politicians. Their first and last priority is to get re-elected. This is why we need term limits. Nothing will ever get done with these political lifers.

Keep in mind we have a $20 trillion federal deficit, and growing. The bubble might burst one day. Then the future of our loved ones will be in serious jeopardy. Let’s start thinking about the future, not just me, me, me!

Bernard McGrath Holbrook

Writer was also a fine vibes player

I was sorry to hear that Don Bain died [“Donald Bain, ghostwriter of novels,” News, Oct. 29].

What may not be known is that he was a great vibes player. He played in a quartet that sounded just like the Benny Goodman Quartet.

Many of us went to hear Bain and his band play at clubs. We even had them play at both of our daughters’ wedding receptions at our home.

Brian Keane, Patchogue