Why Hillary’s the mature choice

S

aratoga Springs, N.Y.: In 1972, I was young, naive and idealistic. I was also an elected official (a county legislator at age 23). I ran for and was elected a delegate for George McGovern, for the Democratic National Convention in Miami, from my New York congressional district. I was there when McGovern gave a wonderful and impassioned speech entitled “Come Home, America!” The problem was that he delivered it at 4 a.m., and other than the political zealots, no one else was was watching. McGovern went on to win the District of Columbia and Massachusetts. Richard Nixon won everything else. Say goonight, Irene.

Fast forward 44 years, and we have hordes of idealistic young people supporting a self-described ideologically committed democratic socialist from Vermont for President. He is vying against an establishment Democratic candidate whose negatives are very high. Could he win the nomination? Yes. That is a possibility. Could he win the general election? That is far less probable.

So what to do on April 19 in the New York primary? Vote for ideological purity and take a stand, or vote for practicality and the Democratic tried and true, in the hope that the commonweal can still advance?

At this stage of my life, practicality matters more to me than ideological purity. I do not oppose the potential of a Bernie Sanders, and indeed the reformer in me is drawn to his candidacy, but the adult in me is drawn toward Hillary Clinton, and it is the adult in me who will be casting a vote. John T. Sullivan, Jr.

The old Bern bright

Brooklyn: Like Shaun King, I deplore the Daily News’ endorsement of Hillary Clinton (“Here’s why I totally disagree with the Daily News editorial board’s endorsement,” column, April 13). But I think that King is underestimating the number of older people who will be voting for Bernie Sanders. I am a Baby Boomer who got my feet wet in the 1968 campaign of Eugene McCarthy. I know many older people who are not political junkies but plan to vote for Sanders. It’s not over til it’s over.

Gloria Johnson

Age of enlightenment

Houston: I have one and only one major disagreement with Shaun King’s dissent from the Daily News endorsement. I, too, support Sanders, but I’m not in my 20s, 30s or 40s — I’m in my 70s. Good job, Shaun!

Evelyn Chorush

Seeing the Bern

Camden, N.J.: A long-time colleague and friend keeps me informed on things that are interesting to him. Within the past several weeks, he has posted a few photos of Bernie Sanders in close proximity of Dr. Martin Luther King during marches for civil rights. Until recently, I hadn’t given one thought to the Democratic candidates for President of the United States. But these images of Sanders make a good impression.

Wayne E. Williams

Berning the American Dream

Manhattan: After I heard Bernie Sanders’ last rally, I could no longer keep silent. I am a one percenter. My father lost his entire family to concentration camps and came here with nothing, less than $100 in his pocket. Through hard work and smart investments, he and our family achieved the American Dream. Now Sanders labels that success exploitation. How dare he? For every dollar we make, more than 50% is paid out in taxes. We don’t search out tax shelters and donate a great deal of our profits to charity. So I am truly offended when, with a broad paintbrush, he stands in front of masses of people and target the one percenters. His habit of grouping them all together seems to have a familiar ring: Germany 1939. I was always taught to think before I shot my mouth off.

Andrew Justin

Yes she can

Lincroft, N.J.: A race between Hillary Clinton and John Kasich would give Americans a real election. A Bernie SandersDonald Trump race would be bad, especially because Trump would win. I like Sanders, but if he becomes the nominee, all hell will break out. All we would see and hear is fearmongering about America becoming a socialist nation. Wake up, Democrats: Sanders will never win. Clinton will! Betty Taylor

New York filth

Beaufort, S.C.: Every time Donald Trump opens his disgusting, lying, filthy mouth, he shows us exactly what Ted Cruz meant by “New York values.” These values are the destructive forces of liberalism that have been responsible for oppressing and enslaving us. These are the destructive values that the New York City media elites, of which Trump is a big part, keep trying to shove down our throats. You know — the ones who go around telling people what to think, how to act and whom to vote for. There is good in New York and this country and it’s worth fighting for. Cruz has been fighting for us, and he’s proven himself true to his word. He is an honest, honorable man of integrity. That’s something Trump and his supporters know nothing about. Paul Lester

College for all

Brooklyn: As a social worker working with public high school students eagerly awaiting news on financial aid packages from CUNY and SUNY, I hear on a daily basis about students’ anxieties regarding the cost of public college tuition. While your editorial in support of Hillary Clinton raised some valid points questioning the pragmatism of Bernie Sanders’ policies, one thing gave me pause: Under Clinton’s plan, students would be able to graduate from college “debt free” with “those further down the ladder receiving greater and greater support. Importantly, as structured there would be no handouts to the undeserving.” This caveat sounds distinctly un-Clintonlike. Barbra Kiss

Open carry constitutionalist

Corinth, N.Y.: Some of us remember the victory for Second Amendment rights in the Supreme Court. It was Ted Cruz, when he was Texas’ solicitor general, who was lead counsel for the winning side. Cruz also successfully argued a number of other constitutional landmark victories. Wouldn’t it be great to have a strongly proconstitutional President in the White House again?

Beverly Moran

Citizen Trump

Hopewell Junction, N.Y.: Watch out, Daily News. Payback is a b---h. When Trump becomes President he is going to buy the Daily News and fire everyone.

Celia Oliva

Special K

Howard Beach: As an independent, I had all but given up voting for President. All the front-runners are flawed. But when The News announced its endorsement of John Kasich, a ray of hope pierced the veil of ignorance and anger. Kasich is a long-shot. But then so was a small bunch of colonies declaring independence from a superpower, Great Britain.

Ernest Kienzle

The truth about The Bronx

Goshen, N.Y.: To Voicer Bill Conover: You questioned why we always put the word “the” before “Bronx,” and not before the names of the other boroughs of New York City. The reason is that when the early Dutch settlers came to New Amsterdam, they would travel to visit a settler who chose to establish himself on the southernmost area of the newly established colony that was attached to the mainland. The other boroughs are parts of islands such as Manhattan Island, Staten Island and Long Island (Queens and Kings County, aka Brooklyn). Therefore, if you planned to travel to visit your friend Jonas Bronck, you would be planning to visit the Broncks (the Bronx, today). Joan O’Malley

A letter from the Brooklyn

Brooklyn: Voicer Bill Conover wants to know why people say “The Bronx.” When I studied New York City in the fourth grade, I was taught that the Bronx was settled by someone named Jonas Bronck. Apparently he had a rather large spread up there, and when people wanted to visit his family they would say, “We’re going up to the Broncks.”

Hadassah Klayman

A heartfelt thanks

Jefferson Siegel Brooklyn: My daughter attends Midwood High School at Brooklyn College. I want to thank all her teachers for being so powerful and for not taking their responsibility lightly. I am sure there are days that cause them to question if any of their work is making a difference. I want to assure them that your vast power of influence is making that difference in my daughter’s life on a daily basis. A teacher can inspire values for compassion, philanthropy, hard work, bravery, integrity and commitment. So thank you, thank you, thank you!

Lisa Wadler