'No Kings' rallies, paying TSA workers

If I didn’t know better, it appeared that Newsday thought it inconsequential to provide a fair amount of coverage to Saturday’s “No Kings” rallies across Long Island [“Crowds join LI ‘No Kings’ rallies,” News, March 29]. If you blinked while turning the pages, you may have missed the story.

I didn’t even see a link to an online photo gallery of the rallies across Long Island to illustrate the peaceful gatherings and increased number of participants at this year’s rallies. Online readers would have seen witty signs, austere messages, and overall camaraderie.

Newsday should have provided more than paltry coverage of what many called a historic moment during these divisive times.

— Thomas Olivieri, Smithtown

I know that Newsday tries to be fair and not lean in any political direction, but when a sitting United States president makes comments like “Good! I’m glad he died,” referring to former FBI Director Robert S. Mueller III, it should be a major news story and not a tiny part of an obituary on page 20 [“Directed FBI, probed Trump,” News, March 22].

When more than 8 million people as part of more than 3,300 rallies across the country show up to stage protests, the largest number of protesters in U.S. history according to its organizers, that story should be on the cover. It should take priority over the reasons for the alleged Gilgo Beach killer’s likelihood of pleading guilty. Readers should not have had to wait for the story to appear 11 pages later.

— Steve Dworkin, Little Neck, Queens

The “No Kings” protest movement on Long Island has me wondering if the protesters truly believe that President Donald Trump is really a king or even a dictator. Is a king elected by a margin of 2 million popular votes and overwhelmingly in the Electoral College?

I don’t see a constitutional crisis. Besides tying up some traffic in the areas of their protests and hopefully getting out some anger for Trump, I don’t see anything positive for their efforts.

— Michael Pazderka, Bay Shore

Newsday’s article said that the police reported no incidents at any of the “No Kings” rallies in Nassau or Suffolk counties on Saturday. An incident occurred, though, at the protest that my family attended in Shirley. It was a well-organized, peaceful, and positive event at which several Suffolk County police officers were present.

Some passing motorists shared colorful hand gestures and words, which is their right. One young male passenger in a pickup truck, however, hurled an almost-full water bottle at the crowd as the vehicle made a turn onto William Floyd Parkway. He also yelled expletives at the attendees. Fortunately, no one was injured, and officers were quickly called. It is sad that this was one man’s response to people simply exercising their constitutional rights. His actions should have no place in our democracy.

Many thanks to those officers and organizers who worked to ensure everyone’s safety and to the respectful attendees who followed all safety protocols.

— Maryellen Viola, Massapequa Park

I tried to decide on a pithy saying on my poster for the “No Kings” rally. My favorite was: “How do ya like those lower prices?” But I thought to myself, “What’s the point?”

Donald Trump is not the problem. The problem is us. We knew Trump had autocratic tendencies for decades. We allowed the president to become too powerful. Where are the checks and balances?

We need to codify into law all the norms, rules and regulations that Trump ignored.

— Jackie Cantwell, Huntington Station

TSA workers could have been paid earlier

A reader blamed the Republicans and Democrats for not pushing through a bill that would pay the Transportation Security Administration workers [“DHS as hostage is a shameful act,” Letters, March 27]. The reader mainly blamed the Democrats although President Donald Trump was the one who kept saying no to at least six such resolutions, and House leaders refused to put a Senate bill, unanimously approved, on the floor for a vote. The executive branch and both houses of Congress are in Republican control.

So, Trump finally issued an executive order to pay the TSA workers, something he could have done weeks before “Order signed to pay TSA employees,” News, March 28].

— Carolyn Newson, Riverhead

Next time there is a government shutdown because our elected representatives play politics with other people’s paychecks, these representatives and their staffs should not get paid until they do their job and properly fund our government.

Since members of Congress are the ones causing shutdowns, they should be the first to feel the consequences. I predict resolution would be swift before any shutdown happens.

— Howard Ammerman, New Hyde Park