Congress steps right up to get vax

So members of Congress are the first to be lining up to be vaccinated against the virus no matter their age ["LI Congress delegation gets vaccine," News, Dec. 21]? I am outraged that the younger members, such as Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.), who for months have been criticizing the administration’s effort to quickly bring the vaccine to the market, suddenly are the first to reap its benefits. Nowhere on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention priority list do I see congressional members listed as "essential" workers. I say that’s probably because they don’t work and are non-essential. Hypocrisy, thy name is Washington.

Chuck Darling,

South Setauket

I found the headline "LI Congress delegation gets vaccine" misleading and inaccurate. I believe it should have been "LI Congress Democratic members get vaccine." The delegation’s Republican members deferred the opportunity to get vaccinated, and the COVID-19 shots would go to those who need it the most. As someone in his mid-80s and considered in the high-risk category, I found it disconcerting to read that all the members of the Democratic Party delegation representing Long Island exercised their authority and got the coronavirus vaccine. To me, their disdain for doing what’s right is a sad commentary on their character and their supposed leadership. I and those like me are forced to wait to be vaccinated because of politicians who have abrogated their responsibilities to serve the people. I find it sad.

Bob Kersch,

Great River

When I hear people hailing this president as a hero for getting a COVID-19 vaccine so quickly, I almost can’t believe it ["Trump a tough act to follow," Letters, Nov. 29]. Quick would have been a vaccine in March or April, before more than 285,000 lives were lost. As a recently retired registered nurse, I cry daily for the souls lost and all those on the front line battling this "Democratic hoax," as the president called it in March. Tell that to the families who lost loved ones during this pandemic. Now, America has had its deadliest days of lives lost. Hero? No. To me, more like a zero.

Theresa Ferm,

East Meadow

We have a measles vaccine for measles, a shingles vaccine for shingles, a chicken pox vaccine for chicken pox, a meningitis vaccine for meningitis, a polio vaccine for polio, and the list goes on and on ["Linking Trump name with COVID vaccine," Letters, Dec. 27]. If we have a Trump vaccine, is it for the Trump virus?

Susan Polowczyk,

Hauppauge

If Rosie poster helps us, all the better

Regarding the letter "Linking poster to vaccine isn’t right" [Dec. 22], of all the things one could get angry about in 2020, the alleged misappropriation of Rosie the Riveter has to be near the bottom of the list. The image has been used for purposes other than World War II for 70 years, so why get mad about it now? Besides, the letter pointed out that "hundreds of thousands" died in the war. Unfortunately, at the rate we’re going, more Americans will die from COVID-19 in less than a year than we lost during all the years of that war. I think we all should do our part and get the vaccine when we can, so I support any messaging that gets more people to do so.

Guy Jones,

Smithtown

Creating more awareness of IDAs

As industrial development agencies across Long Island continue to come under fire, Newsday’s article "Tax breaks recaptured" [LI Business, Dec. 4] highlights a crucial part of our annual reporting and review process that ensures accountability and compliance with the terms of the agreement. Like all IDAs, the Nassau IDA’s goal is to continuously drive economic growth by expanding the long-term tax base and creating quality employment opportunities for residents. Every transaction is carefully reviewed by the IDA’s independent board so the best interests of the county and its residents are obtained. And when a company that received IDA benefits fails to maintain its part of the agreement, the IDA has the ability to rescind and recapture the benefits approved. This is an important point to stress. There is continuous communication between our clients and us, both before and after an agreement is ultimately reached. No rubber stamps and no unchecked progress. That is our commitment. This is our obligation.

Richard Kessel,

Merrick

Editor’s note: The writer is chairman of the Nassau Industrial Development Agency.