Republicans vs Democrats, canceling vaccine projects, lowering LIRR fares, NUMC

2 parties hate each other’s vision for U.S.

Many Republicans claim that Democrats “hate” America when, in reality, each party hates the other’s vision of what America should be [“Hochul standing up to Texas GOP a must,” Letters, Aug. 12].

The regressive changes that the Trump administration has made and is trying to make demonstrate how the extreme right hated America under Democratic rule.

The appointment of judges to overturn Roe v. Wade meant Republicans hated an America in which women had the universal right to choose what to do with their bodies. The outlawing of diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives demonstrates how much they hate an America in which people of all ethnicities have a fair opportunity for educational and vocational success.

The constant cries of “witch hunt” and “hoax” prove that they hate our civil and criminal justice systems when the results do not favor the leader. The reckless crackdown on immigration and the deportation of people who have contributed to our society for decades evinces how much they hate a diverse and inclusive America.

And the ongoing push to redistrict electoral maps — or rig the midterms along red versus blue lines — demonstrates just how much each of them hates a united America.

— Josh Kardisch, East Meadow

Cancel vax projects and more will die

Cathy Young spoke about the Department of Health and Human Services terminating crucial vaccine development projects worth $500 million [“Vaccine decision could prove deadly,” Opinion, Aug. 8]. The projects have to do with the mRNA (messenger ribonucleic acid) vaccines, which save people from the worst outcomes of COVID-19.

Next to the daily erosion of democracy, this administration’s ignoring of science and its decisions about Americans’ health is what concerns me the most. Older Americans deserve to have the most advanced vaccines. So do children and pregnant women. Every American deserves the best health care available.

I have seen no sign that this administration cares to follow the science and give Americans what we need to be healthy. If Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s favorite acronym, MAHA — Make America Healthy Again — is to mean anything, it can’t mean only pulling food coloring and sugar out of our food. It has to mean that all scientific progress and research that came from the pandemic and informs what we can do for future pandemics will continue.

Young wrote that “the cancellation of these projects could very possibly lead to deaths.” I would delete the words “very possibly.” If many vaccines become scarce or unavailable, it will surely lead to deaths.

— Roberta Comerchero, Commack

If LIRR lowers fares, more will ride trains

Long Island Rail Road fares are already quite exorbitant and seem unbearable for most commuters to merit an average increase of 4.4% [“Union fights back on LIRR change,” News, Aug. 2].

Instead of raising fares, the LIRR should lower them so more people can afford to ride, thereby increasing ridership. In my experience, during “rush hours,” the trains seem only 40% to 50% full as many commuters occupy the whole seat, discouraging anyone else to sit beside them.

Most off-peak trains seem no more than 20% of capacity. Lowering fares could lure commuters who save money by driving or taking a bus.

The LIRR also should continue looking into how to collect fares and eliminating fare evasion. I commute to Jamaica twice a week during off-peak hours. About 30% to 40% of the time, my ticket remains uncollected, which may be good for me but not for the LIRR.

Besides, I have seen several times that fare evaders are neither confronted nor challenged by conductors. Therefore, I support riders protesting this unjust fare increase.

— Raj Gupta, Carle Place

Instead of suing Ryan, make NUMC whole

This entire Megan Ryan situation is “much to do about nothing” [“NUMC sues ex-CEO Ryan,” News, Aug 14]. Ryan should not be hounded by lawsuits. She should be able to walk away free from bad publicity. The CEO position at Nassau University Medical Center has always been a political football used by local politicians to reward someone for services done for the political party in power.

All New York governors have known what was going on and did nothing to stop this blatant payoff practice. NUMC suffered because its CEOs were inadequate. NUMC could do nothing to change the CEO. So, it ended up with a $1.4 billion deficit last year. Now that Gov. Kathy Hochul has taken control of NUMC, just get a competent CEO to run it and pay off the debt.

We need NUMC. I have been treated there and found the care was excellent. The staff is caring and seems only interested in the well-being of its patients.

— John Wolf, Levittown