Readers sound off on Trump’s first term, the Beatles and open-gangway trains

Trump achieved only bluster, grift and decline

Hackensack, N.J.: I am tired of reading the whiny responses from the Donald Trump supporters in this section. What exactly did he do for you? You whine about inflation despite President Biden keeping ours at half (or less) than that of the rest of the world. And let’s not forget that Trump’s $8 trillion in record deficit spending (the overwhelming part of which went to the wealthy) was in part responsible for the inflationary surge, as were the tariffs he imposed on goods that we are all now still paying.

Jobs? Barack Obama created more jobs in the final three years of his administration than Trump created in the first three years of his (pre-pandemic). Economy? Trump ranks seventh in post-WWII economic growth. Simple, provable facts. And then toss in his theft of classified documents, his attempt to subvert the Constitution and his sowing of doubt and division around our elections.

And let’s not forget his lavish praise of tyrants such as Vladimir Putin, Kim Jong Un and Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. And for all those Trump supporters who somehow delude themselves into thinking that weak, feckless snowflake is somehow “strong,” please think back to Helsinki in 2018, where we watched an American president bend the knee to a Russian tyrant. And let’s not forget the brazen corruption of the Trump crime family, starting with son-in-law Jared’s $2 billion “investment” in his hedge fund from the Saudi Royal prince. How much did greedy Donny get from that sweet deal? Biden corrupt? Spare us the feigned outrage. Hunter Biden couldn’t hold a candle to that crew. Ken Byrnes

Start swingin’

Linden, N.J.: Advice for Nikki Haley: “The biggest bang for the buck comes from negative campaigning.” – George F. Will. “Never hit softly.” – Theodore Roosevelt. “It’s a sin in politics to land a soft punch.” – Alf Landon. Or as Spider-Man once told Dr. Octopus, “The best defense is a smashing offense.” Ron Jackowski

Info bubbles

Glendale: In the modern world, with more opinions on any subject than specks of dirt on subway walls, there needs to be a new way of defining how to read a newspaper. In N.Y., this translates to knowing that each paper subscribes to its own guidelines. What’s fit to print often gets tangled up in what fits into the daily narratives. At a glance, the stories take on an interesting chapter-like feel, as if we readers are experiencing a novel-like version of reality on a daily basis. The word that stands out most is “distraction.” The all-powerful wizards of our everyday existence clearly don’t want us to know the truth. Readers also subscribe to their own chosen versions of reality, sensing they have a better understanding of what’s happening than others. Chosen versions of reality at best are nothing more than embraced propaganda. Jonathan Kiddrane

New direction

Warwick, R.I.: Our Congress is a perfect example of the need for term limits. This was never meant to be a full-time job. We need to elect a new Congress that votes to close our borders, keep our jobs here and reduce our national debt. Patricia Hoag

Laudable

Bronx: I can’t think of a better person to honor this Black History Month than Dr. Kizzmekia Corbett-Helaire, a Black woman scientist whose vaccine saved millions of American lives. This immunologist led in the development of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine that successfully combated the pandemic. If only America would take the time to learn about how Black Americans were so instrumental in the growth of America. Perhaps the acquisition of this knowledge would help in race relations. Only a united America will enable us to reach our fullest potential. Gilbert M. Lane

Fave band

New Windsor, N.Y.: Great article in yesterday’s Daily News (“We loved them yeah, yeah, yeah,” Feb. 5). The Beatles are the songbook to my life. I can’t believe it is 60 years later. I also love the Rolling Stones but the Beatles are a notch above them. I remember watching the Ed Sullivan shows in 1964 and I was only 4 years old. A day or so after the show, I had my father buy me the “Meet The Beatles” album. I still have that album, it’s a little worn out. Yeah, yeah, yeah, I love the Beatles and you know that can’t be bad. Vinny Armiento

Nip it in the bud

Schenectady, N.Y.: To Voicer Thomas Murawski: You said 97-99% of abortions are performed for convenience. It takes two! I have a suggestion for you: All men and teenage boys get a vasectomy until they can handle what they participated in! Then there’s no need for abortions! You’re welcome. Diane Hombach

Harmless input

Brooklyn: To Voicers Anne Slamka and Gregory W. Chupa re Voicer Shlomo Klein: I too wondered if Shlomo works for Amazon. Then I thought, “Maybe he’s just being kind, offering tips and suggestions for others.” Some may find his suggestions useful, others may get a chuckle, or he may have brought a smile to someone. In any case, he has not insulted anyone, been nasty or disrespectful. A bit refreshing from what is usually printed. Give the guy a break, he may get joy out of seeing his letters printed. Is he offending or harming you? I think not. I personally prefer his little tidbits compared to some, such as Voicer Bob Pascarella’s! Have a nice day. And to Shlomo: You have a nice day, too. Curious to see your next recommendation, lol. Susan Cassano

Not the place

Manhattan: On Feb. 1, the New York City Transit Authority introduced open-gangway trains on the C line. In her remarks about the merits of one of the biggest changes to the subway experience in decades, while touting the ability of passengers to move seamlessly between cars, Gov. Hochul said, “You’re not trapped — you want to have a different experience… You get up and move around. You see someone who looks more interesting to talk to than someone else, just get up and move around.” I’m sorry, but in her enthusiasm, she forgot the reality of why we ride the subway. It’s not the environment to meet new people. Lately, casual conversation or moving closer to another rider could unfortunately cause an argument or worse. I don’t suggest the subway be considered the place for a meet-and-greet experience. This is not opinion — just read the Daily News. Sharon Walters

Abuse of the system

Hammonton, N.J.: Leonard Greene (“Beating cops not wise,” column, Feb. 4) writes that the migrants who attacked the NYPD will “make it worse for all the other migrants, the law-abiding, hard-working ones just trying to live the American Dream.” Obviously, it escapes Greene’s attention that the majority of these people have illegally crossed our border instead of entering at one of our legal entry points. That means they are not law-abiding. The difference is someone knocking on your front door and asking permission to enter versus someone cutting your fence and breaking your window to enter your home. It certainly doesn’t help that the American dream they are pursuing is our government providing food, shelter and money provided by hard-working citizens’ money. Barack Obama set records for deportations. Too bad Biden was not paying attention as vice president. William Cook

Retro features

Brooklyn: Ever since you took a hard left politically, your paper has suffered, especially the sports department. I’m gonna throw you nincompoops a bone and tell you how to improve your readership: Bring back “The Inquiring Photographer” and “Ching Chow.” Steven Barry Furst II

Not guilty

East Meadow, L.I.: America brings to mind an expression President Ronald Reagan used whenever he’d get frustrated with someone: “There you go again.” Now we’ve decided to indict actor Alec Baldwin. What is wrong with us? He’s an actor. There are people on the set paid to supervise and hand out munitions and firearms. And in this case, not only was this person a supposed professional, her father before her is in the very same profession. Alec is not a professional in munitions or firearms. I believe he got himself in hot water because he said he didn’t pull the trigger, and that’s because he was in disbelief that he had anything to do with this horrible occurrence. Gary L. Drakeford