War suspends rules and serves the worst of us
Woods Cross, Utah: The least legitimate leaders typically run the most aggressive nations. Today those leaders include Vladimir Putin, Benjamin Netanyahu and President Trump. There is a reason for this causal relationship. The pathway to long-term power is easiest to tread during a time of war. People feel like they can’t change horses (military commanders) in the middle of the stream.
Trump is amping up America’s wars at the turn of the new year, and Putin and Netanyahu both refuse to give up theirs. Trump’s Jan. 3 strike on Venezuela’s capital is just prelude music for more to come.
All of the slowly scaled-up Western Hemisphere war-making and the blossoming culture of bribery must take a toll on otherwise sentient good-guy and good-gal Americans who serve as slaves in the presidential cabinet. Have you noticed that Trump cabinet members have proved that folks from all walks of life can be corrupted absolutely and quickly with bribes of government positions, fame and power? These folks come from the once-respectable professions and pursuits of law, business and banking, university teaching, the military, church-going — you get the idea.
Today, however, these folks seem to be incapable of smiling while carrying out their governmental duties or speaking to the press or to Congress. What shows on their faces instead is the weight of the dishonesty and cruelty of the administration they are a part of, and their embarrassment at carrying out their slavish roles in the government. For a life of luxury and safety, however, they will bear up under it all! Kimball Shinkoskey
A simpler time
Brooklyn: Remember the good old days when most of us just wanted the Epstein files released? Robert Braunstein
Back to business
Garden City, L.I.: We have kidnapped the head of the world’s largest exporter of fentanyl and other dangerous drugs (while his successors run free, I might add). We have invaded a country of some 30 million people, and Dozing Don wishes to run it himself. OK, all well and good. Can we please now get back to the Jeffrey Epstein thing? Paul Falabella
Out-of-bounds invasion
Vernon, N.J.: As a senior citizen living in New Jersey, I need help! Can someone explain to me what recently happened? How is it possible for a president of a country to send armed forces to another country and kidnap its president? Where are the protesters? The people? The politicians? The courts? The Congress? Numerous laws — international and constitutional — were broken. Please explain these actions. Jane E. Moser
Imperial arrogance
Madisonville, Pa.: Our actions in Venezuela are nothing more than an excuse to seize its oil reserves. We will “run” Venezuela and eventually install a government that will do Washington’s bidding. All this without a congressional declaration of war — their silence is approval enough for this administration. And how do we, with any semblance of credibility, insist on dictating terms in either Ukraine or the Middle East when we are as guilty of behaving as an aggressor? This should be, but sadly will probably not be, the line that shouldn’t have been crossed. Congress, we are looking at you. Tom Mielczarek
Redrawn boundaries
Redondo Beach, Calif.: The race is on to see who will publish the first maps that show Venezuela as a U.S. territory. John Chevedden
Erased victims
Manhattan: On Jan. 3, I had the misfortune of watching Trump’s press conference. As usual, he pathologically lied, stating that there had been no homicides in Washington, D.C. for six or seven months. In truth, there had been 28 since he announced a federal takeover in D.C. If Trump is so proud of his no-homicide claim, I urge him to notify the families of Tristan Johnson, Sarah Beckstrom, Jermaine Durbin and Jayla Vaden that their loved ones are still alive. In this sickening display, Trump has taken a page out of the Alex Jones playbook when Jones claimed that school shooting victims were child actors. For shame! Jeffrey Nelson
Just started
Forest Hills: I find it a bit worrisome to see in your daily letters to Voice of the People some that are virulently nasty regarding Zohran Mamdani. No matter how we voted, can’t we give him a chance to see what he can (or can’t) do? The man has been mayor for less than a week, for pity’s sake! J.M. Culley
Gotta pay for it
White Plains, N.Y.: Mayor Mamdani expects to make many changes in the city, but he is going to need the approval of the governor to do many of them. His idea of free bus fares makes no sense to me because where is he going to get the money to pay the transit workers if no money is coming in? And what about money to pay for needed repairs on the buses? He expects to get money by raising the taxes on the rich, but many of the rich will leave the city when he does this. His ideas border on being communist, in my opinion. Joan Cocurullo
Free or fare ejections
Brooklyn: Dear Mayor Mamdani, everywhere I go on the city’s buses or subways, I see people fare-beating the system and laughing while they do it, like it’s some sort of game or joke. It is out of control. They don’t realize the harm they are doing to the rest of us by depriving the MTA of much-needed revenue. I also ask myself why I should pay when they are not. Please either make our subways and buses free for everyone or find solutions to make everybody pay. George Nader
Direct impact
Manhattan: Randy Mastro was appointed first deputy mayor in March 2025. Immediately, a dispirited city administration came to life, with particular focus on quality-of-life issues affecting residents and visitors. Mastro directly addressed an unchecked crisis: illegal ticket vending at Battery Park. Tourists seeking to visit the Statue of Liberty were defrauded daily by unscrupulous ticket-hawkers pitching water tours departing miles away that charge high prices and can’t land on Liberty Island. Mastro directed the administration’s public safety committee to engage stakeholders and enlisted relevant government agencies to collaborate. Significant success was achieved over the summer and momentum continued through autumn, with near elimination of the illicit vending. Of note, since Mastro left city government, all progress at Battery Park has been undone. The number of illegal street sellers has returned to well more than 50 scammers per day. Hopefully, the new administration may focus on and address such issues going forward. Mike Burke, chief operating officer, Statue Cruises
Purse strings
Upper Nyack, N.Y.: Extra! Extra! Gotham’s controversial vehicle congestion toll plan is projected to pull in an extra $50 million over the planned first-year $500 million (“De-congestion on nose,” Jan. 11). Bully for the effort, and thanks that traffic is down, though still too heavy; that the air is less dense, though still with strong emission fragrance; and that streets are “safer,” according to Gov. Hochul. But ever-rising tolls and fares fall through holes into overly expensive contracts that see cost overruns, delayed projects and review from accountants with poor eyesight. Whatever extra cash drivers throw into the congestion pricing till — in fact, all toll revenue — must go through a new state financial counting house and be given back piecemeal to the MTA when expenses are fully reviewed for reasonable cost. The MTA sees revenue sources as a cash cow, and only it sits on the milking stool. Art Gunther
Next comes fire
Belvidere, N.J.: Voicer Jim Black is off to a good start and halfway there with the earliest biblical account of God’s wrath at humanity culminating with the great flood. Although the next time we incur God’s wrath to such an extent, He will punish us in a different way. After the floodwaters receded, Genesis 9:11-13 tells believers He will not cause a flood to destroy the Earth, and the rainbow is a sign of His promise. Jim’s summation is correct: A bigger chastisement is likely on the horizon for one of these future generations. I posit that it will be a lot worse when God destroys whole continents with sulfur and fire instead of just two cities, because of an immoral world. Dan Arthur Pryor
