Surprise: Dems assail Trump's taxes

There they go again, Democrats grousing about President Donald Trump’s taxes ["Report: Prez taxed $750 in ’16, ’17," News, Sept. 28]. Trump, as a businessman, can hire lawyers to look through tax legislation, many enacted by Democrats, to pay his "fair share" as required by law. I guess if one truly delves into these congressmen, entering office as paupers, then leaving as millionaires, they’ll have a lot to answer for, too. If Democrats want to make changes, they should shake Republicans’ hands rather than grasping throats, to accomplish a fair tax structure. I won’t hold my breath.

Robert W. Lobenstein,

Brooklyn

In considering President Donald Trump’s reported tax situation, we may refer to Victor Hugo’s observation in "Les Miserables": "A creditor is worse than a master; for a master owns only your person, a creditor owns your dignity and can belabor that."

Brian Kelly,

Rockville Centre

What do you think is more important to the well-being of our country: standing for the national anthem or paying your fair share of taxes that support our military, police, essential workers, et al.?

Barry Dickson,

East Williston

GOP invoked justice nuclear option

A reader wrote that it was the Democrat-controlled Senate that invoked the 51-vote minimum needed for the upcoming Supreme Court confirmation ["Find truth between the lines," Letters, Sept. 30]. Though Democrats, in 2013, changed the rules for confirming federal judges, they excluded Supreme Court nominees. It was the Republicans in 2017 who invoked the nuclear option for Supreme Court nominees.

Gordon Lewis,

New Hyde Park

Election scenario isn’t too far-fetched

How do you destroy a democracy? Make voting difficult for people who you think may vote against you. Sow distrust of the voting process so that if you lose, you can claim the election was rigged. Declare the results invalid. Refuse to leave office and encourage your supporters to march in the streets with guns and red hats. Declare that you remain in office indefinitely to maintain law and order. Demand the support of your party and your attorney general. Far-fetched? It’s a scenario we have seen in other countries. With President Donald Trump, it could happen here. He has proved adept at twisting the truth and getting rid of anyone who stands in his way. So what are we going to do about it?

Jim Marquardt,

Sag Harbor

Ending controversy over mail-in ballot

Here is a way to solve the mail-in ballot controversy. All governors authorize the National Guard to supervise the process. Use empty, huge mall parking lots as voting centers. Drive to a tent staffed by National Guard troops to verify your voter status, just as we normally do at polling stations. Then drive to one of many other tents with voting machines. Get out of your car and vote, then exit. Some machines can be set up like bank ATMs, where you don’t have to leave your car. The disabled could get a personal Guard person to assist without monitoring the vote submitted. This would take away concerns about what I see as nonsensical fears that the vote would somehow be tainted. Do this at fire department stations, schools and other traditional voting places as well. Keep the traditional walk-in polls open as usual as well.

Patrick Ehmann,

Ronkonkoma

We need justices who are unbiased

Help me out here. As a Nassau County resident, I have been summoned for jury duty and have sat for hours as prospective jurors are questioned as to their ability to make an unbiased decision based on presented facts. If you have a bias, well, thank you for coming, see you in a few years. Our government is now in the process of selecting a justice, for life, who it seems is being selected based solely on her biases. It’s wrong. You can say that this is how it’s been done in the past. It’s still wrong. The simplest solution is to have a Supreme Court composed of nonpartisan justices who have no allegiance to persons or parties. I would think that our leaders could figure this out. Wishful thinking, eh?

Chris Monzert,

Lynbrook

It is ironic, mystifying and tragic that our president is so intent on installing a right-wing anti-abortion judge on the Supreme Court and yet seems to care little about the more than 207,000 Americans who have perished from COVID-19. "It is what it is" was his callous comment concerning those tragic and arguably preventable deaths. They had a right to life, too.

Ellen Fusaro,

East Northport

Some students need sports scholarships

Many students depend on sports scholarships to further their education ["Academics a better route than sports," Letters, Sept. 28]. Without it, they might never afford college. Once there, they can decide their own career path. Not everyone is a scholar. Grades alone might not get them into schools of their choice.

Adrienne Derison,

Flushing