Contrasting presidencies, affordable housing
Former President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama greet community members in the lobby before they walk through the museum at the Obama Presidential Center in Chicago on Friday. Credit: AP/Eileen T. Meslar
Readers contrast two presidencies
The speeches by former President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama at the Obama Presidential Center in Chicago brought me back to what decency, values and normalcy looked like before this administration “Obama at center opening focuses on democracy,” Nation & World, June 19].
How did we get here? How did we let this happen to our country?
There was a time when our nation was held in esteem all over the world. We were respected and felt safe because we knew we had integrity in the White House looking out for us.
Now we’re having wrestling on the White House lawn and disgusting remarks made about a former first lady — not to mention all the other things that have been posted and said by this White House. This should not be normalized.
— Ann Leahy, Wantagh
Newsday’s Nation page on June 20 perfectly highlights the stark difference between our current president and a past president.
We see President Donald Trump pictured showing off his Qatar jet, declaring the gift “a level of luxury that no one has ever seen before” [“Trump unveils Air Force One jet gifted by Qatar”]. We also see an article about the $14 million he wasted on the Reflecting Pool, now plagued with green algae and blue paint chunks [“Blue paint in D.C. pool has peeling issue”].
Conversely, we see Barack Obama pictured at his presidential center, which features books as well as a playground, an athletic center, a basketball court, and picnic areas with grills [“Big surprise from Obamas”].
The contrast is vivid.
— Tiffanie Kempf, Remsenburg
Give young adults affordable housing
It’s time to start offering low-cost housing and rents to our young people on Long Island [“55+ housing lottery,” LI Business, June 19]. More and more are leaving the Island because of the high cost of living. We already have more than enough 55-plus communities.
— Bob Horsham, Ridge
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