Pushed on the platform by MTA’s poor planning
Long Island City: The Monday report on the Ch. 4 6 o’clock news regarding overcrowding on the No. 7 platform at Grand Central was totally misleading and wrong. Ch. 4 must have been spoon fed the story by the MTA rather than doing its own investigative reporting on the subject. As any regular commuter who uses that platform knows, the crowding problem is a direct result of the closure of the two mid-station escalators for replacement and the MTA’s narrowing of the platform mid-station as a result of the boarding up for construction that they did.
The replacement of the two escalators will take about a year, as the recent replacement of the two escalators at the Third Ave. end of the platform did. It is ridiculous that the replacements take a year to complete. It is because of the bureaucratic incompetence of the MTA, as confirmed to me by a number of outside contractors I spoke to during the replacement of the two Third Ave. escalators.
The incompetence and wasteful spending of money by the MTA is well known. Now they’ve decided to put in place congestion pricing to waste more money.
A painless way to raise funding for the MTA is to put a $1 surcharge on all packages that are delivered by Amazon and all the other delivery services for online purchases.
Paul Camilleri
No credit
Manhattan: Mayor Adams’ program to provide $5.3 million to provide migrants with free prepaid credit cards for food is the height of insanity. The migrants will sell these credit cards for a few dollars on the street just to get much-needed cash. Tell Adams we will not vote for him for a second term if he proceeds with this project. Cecilia K. Gullas
Apply elsewhere
Cornwall, N.Y.: So, now we can beat the crap out of NYPD cops in the middle of the street and nothing happens to these criminals? Where is the outrage? Where is the City Council on this? I bet if one of the brave officers discharged his weapon, City Council members would get involved. They would say, “You didn’t need to discharge your weapon.” I am sorry — when you get hit and kicked in the back of your head, you have every right to shoot. Cops are afraid to fight back because their lives will get ruined. Take this advice if you are thinking about joining the NYPD or if you’re a member: Get out. The city officials and judges don’t give a crap about you. Take the Orange County, Rockland County, Westchester County and state police exams. These counties love and respect the men and women in blue.
Raymond Grosskopf
Legal, in fact
Manhattan: To Voicer Mariann Tepedino: It’s a federal crime to transport illegal immigrants across state lines. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott is not about to commit a federal crime with each busload to teach N.Y. a lesson. The migrants arriving in NYC have the permission of the Biden administration to enter the U.S. — they’re not illegal immigrants.
Vanessa Enger
Deal-breakers
Greenburgh, N.Y.: I was thrilled to read that Congress failed to impeach Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas. If Republicans in the House who are concerned about border insecurity want to impeach anyone, they should impeach themselves for failing to support the bipartisan compromise immigration plan the Senate is pushing. Their reason: They don’t want to give President Biden a win. They are putting Trump over America, and that is an impeachable offense.
Paul Feiner
Hypocritical
Brooklyn: Voters should know that despite Donald Trump’s fulminations about “illegal immigration,” Melania Trump, his wife, entered the United States and worked here illegally. After marrying Trump, she brought her family over via “chain migration.”
Herman Kolender
Zip it
Beverly Hills, Calif.: Has anyone noticed that Donald Trump has a mouth larger than a crocodile? All he does is yap way too much! Now he’s getting most of his words mixed up, just like his brain. Does he have one? Seems like it’s all emotions when he talks. That’s no surprise. He is talking about himself like always. Trump thinks he is the greatest man on Earth. Get over it, Trump, now! That’s how you will make America great again! Is this clear?
Margo Kent
Missed a few
Jersey City: To Voicer Ken Byrnes: Bravo for telling it like it is about Trump. You forgot to mention how he got away with not being in the Army during the Vietnam War. I didn’t have that privilege and served in the war. Also, the Trump University fiasco. It never ends; we don’t need all this drama from this spoiled, fat brat. Anthony C. Zaccone
Unacceptable record
Yonkers: As a registered Republican, I will not be voting Republican in the 2024 election if Donald Trump is the chosen candidate for president. He caused the deaths of thousands by denying the gravity of COVID, which in turn delayed the development of a vaccine. He gave generous tax cuts to the wealthy and meager cuts to the middle class. He praised despots and authoritarians and aligned himself with Putin. He withdrew the U.S. from the Paris Climate Accord, the Iran nuclear deal and the Trans-Pacific Partnership, which allowed advances for China. Trump committed bank fraud by falsifying his financial statements. He is morally corrupt and has had several infidelities while married. Books have been written by several of his close former associates that describe his transgressions and psychopathic behavior. Worst of all, Trump led an insurrection attempt to overthrow our government on Jan. 6, 2021. Another four years of a Trump presidency? God forbid!
Joan Cavalluzzi
Non-negotiables
Ossining, N.Y.: Voicer Pete deMatteo suggests he would vote for President Biden, but we are involved in “three wars,” so maybe Trump will get his vote. The prime directive for any president is to protect Americans from all threats, domestic and foreign, and defend the Constitution. To that end, Biden has done his job. Our support for Israel and Ukraine and keeping international waterways safe is precisely what he should be doing. Standing up to invading dictators of allies should be a cause we support. The former guy, however, would have let Putin take what he wanted. He also failed at protecting us from enemies and attacked our Constitution. Remember Jan. 6, when domestic enemies sacked our Capitol? Trump encouraged and allowed it. But absent all that, what does it say about us when so many still support a proven immoral liar, cheat, fraud, sexual predator and grifter?
Robert Rundbaken
Empty boasts
Staten Island: I am tired of reading the whiny responses from the Donald Trump supporters in the Voice of the People. What exactly did he do for you?
Michael Rosenkrantz
Nuclear option
Mamaroneck, N.Y.: It seems counterproductive for Donald Trump to endorse President Biden canceling the 2024 presidential election and unlawfully remaining in power with full immunity simply because it is for the good of our country. But it sounds like a plan.
Paul Matthews
Lateral move
Carle Place, L.I.: Congressional candidate Mazi Pilip is the least-qualified candidate I’ve seen since the last GOP pick, George Santos. Enough said. Rudy Rosenberg
Accidental lewdness
Brooklyn: Your photo caption (Feb. 5, page 16) about Taylor Swift “pulling a train” at the Grammys is a double-loser. Firstly, I had to ask my husband what he found so funny about it. Despite a rather extensive “locker room” vocabulary, I wasn’t aware of the double-entendre, meaning she was sexually accommodating a group of men. Secondly, this disparaging comment is inaccurate. Her success is due to hard work and talent, not putting in time putting out on the casting couch.
Barbara Krooss
Dangerous game
Hamden, Conn.: Future doctor Kate Cunningham rightly warned fans of Taylor Swift against the brain and body damage caused by football (“Swifties, beware football’s risks,” op-ed, Feb. 7). Unlike basketball and baseball, invented here but played worldwide, football appeals only in the U.S. Seventeen minutes of deadly action per game, with hours of ads, analysis and penalties! Maybe Swifties will help end this carnage so that football joins boxing on the ash heap of major sports.
Petra Peter Gardella