How Donald is like Honest Abe

Duxbury, Mass.: President Trump is truly following the Lincoln presidential prototype when it comes to the support of tariffs. Abraham Lincoln was well known as “a consistent and earnest tariff man.” Lincoln favored tariffs as a vital revenue source to bolster internal improvements and infrastructure. This policy was coined by historians as the “American System,” which mirrors much of Trump’s “America First” rhetoric.

The Trump tariff is also following the mantra of Alexander Hamilton, who compared tariffs to nation-building and vital to national security. Hamilton might say something like Trump’s words today: “You don’t have a country without steel and aluminum.”

Perhaps Lincoln summed it up best: “The tariff is to the government what a meal is to the family; but, while this is admitted, it still becomes necessary to modify and change its operations according to new interests and new circumstances.”

Trump, like Lincoln and Hamilton, is committed to nurturing domestic manufacturing, creating jobs and improving national security. Paul Mellen

The calm after the Stormy

Brooklyn: The story about the nondisclosure payment to the porn actress by the Trump campaign is but a sideshow when compared to the Russian connection, high-level defections from the White House, and all the rest. But can anyone imagine if President Obama had been credibly accused of this sexual affair when his newly wedded wife had just given birth? The hypocritical right wing and the GOP would be apoplectic, censuring him for morally improper behavior and God knows what else. For Trump, it is just another day at the office. Unbelievable, Trump supporters, and you know it. Irwin Cantos

Is Bassett chicken?

Manhattan: City Department of Health Commissioner Mary Bassett has put politics ahead of public health long enough. It’s time that she shuts down Kaporos, a ritual sacrifice that contaminates the streets of several city neighborhoods with the blood, body parts and feces of thousands of animals for one week each year. Seven health codes are violated during the ritual, and a toxicology report states that it “poses a significant public health hazard.” Swinging six-week-old chickens in the air by their fragile wings before killing them is also extraordinarily cruel.

Donny Moss

Teaching a lesson

Brewster, N.Y.: Re the pathetically idiotic remarks made by Voicer Anthony Russomano, who claimed teachers were “enthusiastic” in their complaints about the recent storm. In the 33 years I taught in the New York City system, I can count on one hand how many times school was officially canceled. This meant driving to and from work in what usually were hazardous conditions. What was more frustrating to us teachers was that just about every school system in the surrounding area would cancel school for the day. I’m submitting this letter on March 9, two days after the storm hit. Our area still has thousands of households negatively affected by the storm. Russomano questions the enthusiasm and dedication of our city teachers. I suggest he visit a city school and spend a day in the shoes of a teacher before he spews forth any future remarks that discredit the profession.

Fiore Sica Brooklyn: On March 9, you put the pending Trump-North Korea summit on page 7 and put a local squabble between the mayor and governor on the front page? What kind of journalistic integrity is this? John O’Loughlin

Bill’s last chance-llor

Scarsdale, N.Y.: Was there a mayoral appointee in charge of investigating incoming Schools Chancellor Richard Carranza’s previous work experiences? And if it’s true that he quit after 18 months as chancellor in the Houston school system, well that really doesn’t look good on a CV. Houston, you deserved better and New York, you deserve better too! In the midst of the #MeToo and #TimesUp movements, Carranza does not seem to have the character traits that would be the best choice for the position. New Yorkers are a tough breed of hardworking people who very much care about their children and their education. We hope that Carranza leaves his baggage back in Houston and flies here with a tabula rasa — maybe even an apple in his pocket.

Eileen W. Cohen

Taxing her patience

Bronx: The new federal tax laws are driving us crazy. My husband’s Korean combat veterans city real estate tax exemption has disappeared and I don’t know where. The two-state tax (New Jersey for job, New York for residency) has gone up, way up. My pension went up microscopically, but the raise was swallowed up by Medicare contributions plus all prices, especially medicines and paper goods, are going into outer space. A good law should be easily comprehensible; fair and just, as in applicable to all citizens equally; and easily and fairly enforceable for all citizenry. Our tax laws are not, therefore they are not good laws. And tax money in our country is miserably wasted by politicians.

Rose Mary Lancaster

Hot head

Manhattan: When the term “global warming” is uttered, people should take a breath and think. Once upon a time there were just five continents. Once upon a time there was a river in Arizona that, over centuries, morphed into the Grand Canyon. And many islands in the Pacific did not exist until planet Earth evolved. Evolution is a reality. Global warming is a man-made ATM machine. Frank Giffone

Blowin’ in the wind

Oak Creek, Wis.: Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke expresses concern about the number of birds killed by wind turbines. However, Zinke might be surprised to know that the National Audubon Society “strongly supports properly sited wind power” as a way to address climate change. Proper siting means avoiding migratory pathways and environments that could harm endangered species. Audubon explains that if climate change is not addressed, one in six bird species worldwide could face extinction in the coming decades due to habitat loss. By supporting wind energy as one means to reduce CO2 emissions, Audubon is, in effect, prioritizing entire species over individual birds. While there are some negative impacts from wind energy, they are significantly less than the long-term costs of our dependence on fossil fuels.

Terry Hansen

Pray harder

Port Jefferson, L.I.: The reason all these mayors and governors are disrupting their cities and states is because they hate Trump more than anything. They will do whatever it takes to bring him down — even disobeying the laws and going to jail. I’m really frightened as to what’s happening. It’s actually keeping me up at night. Praying is not working.

Grace Fornatora

Furry friends

Manhattan: My mom, who passed away two years ago at 96 years old, brought the first pup into our home when my sister and I were pups ourselves. She explained to us that a dog has a limited time to spend here with us and we would learn to enjoy and respect every minute of it. She started by only allowing us to take care of our new family member if we did our chores and ate all our food. If we were not mindful of our parents, no walking our doggy that night. If we did not prove we were worthy of the dog’s time, we would not be allowed to enjoy it. Even today, my girlfriend and I have a wonderful rescue dog that we take care of together and try to take with us wherever we go. Stuart Ditsky

Bad governor

Manhattan: After reading about Gov. Cuomo threatening an emergency order for NYCHA, I was furious. Time and time again, the governor is just trolling for votes. Maybe once in a while he will follow up on the different things he has been promising to the different people that desperately need help — like homeless people, MTA riders and the poor people of New York City. Instead, he shoots his mouth off and doesn’t follow up. I am angry that I must wait for Cuomo’s MTA to fix the L tunnel, switches, signals, tracks and the trains so I can get to work. Thomas Story

Nursing a grudge

Shorewood, Minn.: Re “Two nurses arrested for having sex with patients” (March 8): Nursing assistants are not nurses. The headline is misleading and an insult to registered nurses.

Marnie Huss

One grand note

GETTY Oakland, N.J.: Voicer Tonto Rabinowitz is obviously unaware that the $1,000 bill was eliminated to make things more difficult for drug dealers. Bob Shwalb