Poor take a hit in transit delays

Brooklyn: Mayor de Blasio recently articulated his opposition to congestion pricing by saying, “Rich people will pay it without even knowing and poor people and working class people will really take a hit.” The same could be said of the effects of traffic congestion right now. Wealthy people with flexible and salaried employment can afford to sit in gridlock every now and then; if they’re late to work, they’re unlikely to see any difference in their paycheck or risk losing their job. If they’re late getting home, they can afford to pay the babysitter a little extra “without even knowing.”

On the other hand, working class New Yorkers “really take a hit” when their bus barely moves and they’re unable to make it to the start of a shift for which they’re paid by the hour. They “really take a hit” when they can’t pick up their kids on time and have to shell out extra to day care providers. They “really take a hit” when traffic and transit delays cause them to miss a doctor’s appointment, leaving them on the hook for a cancellation fee as well as the additional time off from work it requires to go back.

If the mayor is concerned about congestion pricing being a “regressive tax,” he ought to more carefully examine the status quo. That’s what’s really regressive. Doug Gordon

Stop already

Brooklyn: A few weeks ago, Voicer Joe Curtain wrote about the problem of careless bike riders, I have had many close calls with bike riders, including on a recent Sunday. In Prospect Park, the sign at the traffic light says to push the button and wait for the green light to cross the road. There was a lady walking her bike next to me. The light changed and we began to cross. A dope came speeding out of nowhere and almost hit us. I yelled, “Red light!” and he yelled, “F--- you!” The lady was a bit shaken, saying, “Can you believe that guy? He almost hit us going through the red light and curses at us. They should have red light cameras.” I never notice anyone on a bike stopping for the light in Prospect Park, and because they have no license plates, there is no way to track them down. Does anyone have any idea of how to get bikes to obey the law before someone gets killed?

Victor Rogers

We the savages

Larchmont, N.Y.: One day history will look back upon us and the tens of millions of unborn children we dismember, crush and pulverize and, compared to explorers like Columbus, it will be we who will be deemed the savages. Daniel Liddell

What Columbus did

Stamford, Conn.: To Voicer James Garofalo: You seem to have forgotten that this country was inhabited long before Columbus “discovered” it. This land belonged to the native tribes who lived here. What he did was “discover” something that belonged to someone else and take credit for it. What he did was steal. I come from a Native American heritage and am insulted by the image of my people portrayed in your comments. Just think: If Columbus had stayed home where he belonged, this debate in our city would not be happening.

Audrey Hamilton

Hat’s terrible

Freehold, N.J.: What the world now knows about Rep. Frederica Wilson is that her mouth is bigger than her ears. Shame on her.

Richard Doll

Unfair to Kelly

Bronx: I am not a Trump supporter, but I was outraged at the comments made by Rep. Frederica Wilson. Her insensitive and callous remark that Gen. John Kelly was defending the President to keep his job was despicable. It implies that the general would betray and dishonor the memory of his son, Marine Lt. Robert Kelly, killed in Afghanistan — to protect his own career. How low can you sink, congresswoman? Or are the cowboy hats that you like to wear so tight that they restrict the circulation to your brain, cutting off all common sense and decency? Paulette Sorg

Taught dishonor

Brooklyn: When our children in public schools are told pledging allegiance to their flag is optional, then you will understand why these overpaid buffoons in the NFL think that it is OK to take a knee when the national anthem is played. Glenn Brennan

Give DJT a chance

Mountainville, N.Y.: I’ve been buying this rag you call a newspaper for so many years that I’m ashamed to admit it. I guess I’m just used to the Daily News’ lies and filth. But when are you going to give President Trump a break and let him run this country? He has had more bad breaks this first year as President than any other President in history because of hurricanes, floods, earthquakes, terrorists, North Korea, etc. It’s newspapers like yours that make other countries laugh at us. We’re a grand country that should stand by and support our President. If Hillary what’s-her-name won, what would you have written about her? Americans should be thankful that she didn’t win, but if she had, she should have gotten the same respect any President deserves. Let’s make America great again and give this guy we call President a break.

Charles P. Scibetti

Furor from the skies

Bronx: Is it possible God (He or She) is angry that Donald Trump is President, and is creating these storms back to back? James Pettus

A credo

Smiths Station, Ala.: I believe in: The supreme Constitution, not the judiciary. Elections, not appointments. Term limits, not life jobs. God, family, country, not ideologies. To err is human, to forgive divine. Choices have consequences. Arthur L. Jenkins

No comparison

Brooklyn: State Sen. Andrew Lanza’s push for a bill to crackdown on the makers of the deadly drug fentanyl is admirable (“Drug called Vegas-style mass killer,” Oct. 13). However, comparing the death count to the Vegas atrocity makes me wonder if Trump fever has worn on our politicians across party lines, as none other than our beloved governor as well as Assemblyman Michael Cusick stood with him. I think a lot of our elected officials have fraudulent high school diplomas.

Roderick Jones

Dem bums

North Brunswick, N.J.: All you hear is Democrats asking for gun control, a true bunch of garbage. When the children were killed in Connecticut, President Obama and the Democrats did nothing about gun control. Why now? We all know the answer to that question. Arlene Jurewicz

See ya, Donna

Yorktown Heights, N.Y.: We are deeply sorry to see Erinn Hayes depart from the TV show “Kevin Can Wait” (“Take my wife — please,” Oct. 15). We love Kevin James. He reminds us of our son, but the show lost its humor for us and others we know.

Barbara Battista

Assault vs. advancement

Brooklyn: Those people who harass women or anyone, sexually or otherwise, should be dealt with to the full extent of the law. However, those people who allow themselves to be harassed in order to further their careers, I would call that consensual. Cy Grossman

Double standard

Suffern, N.Y.: What separates Harvey Weinstein from serial rapists who are reviled the world over, Linda Stasi (“Power left pig GREGG VIGLIOTTI free to roam,” column, Oct. 15)? How about if those rapists are Muslim? Then Stasi and her fellow liberal hypocrites will defend these subhuman horrors and what they do to women with their last breath.

Wallington Simpson

Harvey’s hypocrites

Staten Island: The Hollywood elite’s moral conscience is like a light switch: on for issues of health care, gun control and feminism, off for issues of sexual harassment and rape that have plagued their community for decades. The Harvey Weinstein scandal has exposed them for the phony hypocrites they are.

Lauren Hornek

Vast right-wing conspiracy

Manhattan: Re “Fear of a better N.Y.” (editorial, Oct. 16): Once again, The News tries to convince voters that a constitutional convention is the magic elixir to cure the ills of state government. The Daily News suggests there is nothing nefarious in the motivations of backers of this politicized boondoggle. However, the editorial never mentions who these entities are. Sorry, but the notion that Koch and Mercer money have no role in backing a constitutional convention in New York State is laughable. Any informed person is well aware that such mega-wealthy, anti-union families are in the forefront of weakening labor throughout the country. Why would New York, the biggest target, be exempt from their efforts? Gerald Rosenthal