Parents should instill kids’ healthy habits
Some parents object strongly to their children wearing masks because they think it is unhealthy to recycle their own breath [“Who are heroes, who are goats?” Opinion, Oct. 10]. I don’t know if that premise is valid, but that doesn’t matter.
Are these the same parents who are giving their children sugar-laden foods, sodium-rich chips, soda, takeout food and the like? These are proven to be unhealthy.
I am not a vegan or organic food proponent, just someone with common-sense nutritional eating habits and moderate indulgences. Children should not be used to make a parent’s political statement when the parent should be instilling in one’s home positive lifestyle habits that really do affect their health.
— Ellen Hynes, Huntington Station
Need kids’ juices? Think outside the box
I am shaking my head at the generation of moms who are expending energy on a quest to purchase juice boxes for their kids’ lunches [“Parents feeling boxed in,” News, Oct. 20]. If there’s a shortage, then buy the big bottles or cans of apple, grape, pineapple or vegetable juices and pour it into an empty plastic water bottle — and send them to school with that.
There are enough things to worry about, but a shortage of juice boxes when there’s an easy solution shouldn’t be one of them.
— Barbara Gilman, Old Bethpage
Seeing mandate on right side of things
I’m a hard-core right-winger who votes Republican down the line. Never in my wildest imagination did I think I would agree with President Joe Biden, Mayor Bill de Blasio or any Democrat, but on the vaccine mandate, they are 100% correct. Forget your personal freedom, forget your individual choice, and disregard what Fox News’ Sean Hannity tells you. Get vaccinated or lose your job.
This is not an issue of freedom of expression but a public health crisis. We all have to pull together.
— Bradley Morris, Astoria
GOP Bannon vote an embarrassment
Enough is enough. The issue is not whether one agreed with the purpose of the committee investigating the Jan. 6 insurrection. The issue is how to deal with someone who chooses to ignore a subpoena [“House votes to hold Bannon in contempt,” News, Oct. 22].
Republicans overwhelmingly voting against holding Steve Bannon in contempt is a slap in the face to our justice system and is an action that you or I would never be allowed to get away with. He should, at least, have appeared and “pleaded the 5th” Amendment (which, of course, former President Donald Trump famously said means someone is guilty).
Considering Bannon’s inflammatory statements and involvement before and on Jan. 5, and his refusal to answer for it, he should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law, and Republicans should be ashamed of themselves for their lack of support for truth and justice.
Lock him up!
— Frank Setteducati, Bridgehampton
Seniors need drug bill passed by Congress
My husband and I are retired and on Medicare. I have written to both Sens. Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand about passing the bill to allow Medicare to negotiate drug prices with the pharmaceutical companies [“Congress should lower prices of drugs,” Letters, Oct. 19]. When did older Americans’ lives become disposable?
The cost of my husband’s insulin hase gone through the roof. A three-month supply costs $1,400, and that is for just one of his medications. We have to choose: Do we eat or do we buy needed medications?
I applaud that the veterans group already is allowed to negotiate their members’ drug prices. Rep. Kathleen Rice (D-Garden City) has stated she does not support this much-needed bill. Taxpayers who are seniors helped vote these same officials into office to protect their concerns, not those of Big Pharma.
Families with young children and the unemployed have received financial help from the federal government. I feel senior citizens deserve to have this bill passed now.
— Nancy de Gruchy, East Meadow
LI should get choice of electric companies
With a perfect storm of a global energy crunch and the prospect of a harsh winter, it comes as no great surprise to read that Long Island ratepayers will likely see a natural gas spike of up to 26% for this winter heating season [“Gas heating bills likely to rise,” News, Oct. 8].
But it’s not so much natural gas prices that should concern Long Islanders and how it affects family and business budgets but the much more prevalent electric rates.
Long Islanders pay among the country’s highest electric rates. One reason is because we do not have the option to shop the market for electric supply as the rest of the state does.
There is no competition here in choosing the best supplier. The Long Island Power Authority has effectively blocked competition from the marketplace even though every other utility in the state has suppliers competing for consumers’ business.
A surefire way for Long Island ratepayers to help stave off inflation and help lower the high cost of living would be for Gov. Kathy Hochul to make LIPA and PSEG Long Island allow ratepayers to take advantage of energy service companies, which would provide energy competition.
— Matthew Lulley, Melville
The writer is president of Hauppauge-based PGP Energy.
Administration can say it achieved this
One accomplishment that President Joe Biden’s administration can claim is the awakening of honest, caring and democratically principled Americans who have become appalled at the social, economic, political and supply-chain devastation hitting our nation.
It is surprising to see that in the latest polls, a little more than 40% of Americans still approve of this president.
— Joe Ruszczyk, Kings Park
