Readers hold forth on metropolis retirees’ rights, Thanksgiving and NYC Correction

Floral Park: Re “ ‘Wholesome’ rebuke to Eric” (Nov. 23): The Medicare Benefit plan is a medical insurance mannequin confirmed to foster corruption, supply fewer supplier selections and place revenue forward of high quality care through the use of prior authorization protocols to delay or deny providers that medical doctors deem essential.

I labored for town for 35 years. I performed by the foundations. I wasn’t a celebrity however I used to be a diligent and devoted worker who received the job carried out. I strongly consider I earned and deserve the advantages awarded to me after I retired almost 10 years in the past. Altering the foundations now to remove a profit I and each different retiree had been promised and earned was unfair, unethical and evil when the previous mayor tried to do it. In my view, it will likely be simply as unfair, unethical and evil if achieved by the adoption of what Mayor Adams and academics union chief Michael Mulgrew at the moment are advocating.

Like nearly each retiree, I’m sympathetic to the aim of higher controlling the price of healthcare advantages. However I don’t consider the pursuit of that aim ought to fall so instantly and closely upon retirees. That our well-earned and justly awarded advantages are being thought to be a burden on town that should be shed is reprehensible. We did what we had been requested so as to earn what was provided. We need to be revered, to have the commitments made to us honored, to proceed having our crucial healthcare selections made by our medical doctors as a substitute of a plan’s directors and to be left alone to take pleasure in what time we’ve got left. Walter A. Czwartacky

Manhattan: It’s so attention-grabbing to match Mayor Adams’ speeches earlier than he was elected to what he’s doing and saying now. Has he been influenced by former Mayor Bloomberg, who he considers his mentor? Like Bloomberg, he has no respect for the academics within the non-charter faculties and has no issues reducing positions and funds there. No concern for the constitution faculties getting enough funds as a result of they can get funding from the millionaires/billionaires who’re pleased to take action. Earlier than his election, Adams expressed his issues for the general public faculties however now has no downside with firing academics and elevating class sizes. Additionally, he said earlier than he was elected that as a civil servant, he realizes how troublesome it might be for Medicare recipients to lose their protection. Want I say extra? Marilyn Levin

Cincinnati: Many Democrats see all social phenomena by the prism of sophistication battle. Many reject the concept of merit-based stratification of society as a petty bourgeois concomitant of capitalism, which itself is an unfair and unjust financial system due to its competitiveness — and they don’t seem to be going to take it any longer as a result of, effectively, they know what is true and you don’t. Ditto the laborious proper as a result of they’re simply as harebrained, rash, impulsive and stuffed with righteous indignation about their points. So, after the midterms, we conclude that one political gang primarily canceled the opposite. Hey, that’s fantastic by me. Paul Bloustein

White Rock, British Columbia: The next verse was written with a honest consideration of the numerous hungry souls worldwide for whom there’s nothing to be grateful: I say go me the vacation turkey, peas / and the scrumptious stuffing flanked / by buttered potatoes with gravy / since I’ve mentioned grace with loads ease / for the nice meals obtained I’ve thanked / my Maker who’s discovered me worthy. / It appears that evidently in contrast to the various of these / within the unfortunate Third World nations / I’ve been discovered by God deserving / to not need to endure the terrible woes / and the stomach-wrenching hunger / suffered by them with no dinner serving. / So hand me the succulent corn / the cranberry sauce, fresh-baked bread / since for my grub I’ve praised the Lord / but I needn’t hear about these born / whose meal I’ve been granted as a substitute / as they obtain naught of the grand hoard. Frank Sterle Jr.

Carle Place, L.I.: Re Metropolis Councilwoman Julie Gained: Gained received or Gained misplaced? Comfortable Thanksgiving! Rudy Rosenberg

Redondo Seashore, Calif.: Donald Trump thought he had six Decide Aileen Cannons on the Supreme Courtroom. John Chevedden

Lackawaxen, Pa.: No, good riddance to you, Voicer JoAnn Lee Frank, to your lame-brained commentary on Home Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s stepping down. Sing alongside, for those who can, with Bob Dylan/Joan Baez: “The machine weapons are roaring / And the puppets heave rocks / And fiends nail time bombs / To the palms of the clocks / Name me any title you want / I’ll by no means deny it / However farewell, Angelina / The sky is erupting / I need to go the place it’s quiet.” You consider GOP management of the Home “is trigger for celebration.” However they’ve already used up all their good concepts — privatizing Social Safety; waging twenty years of warfare in opposition to international locations that had little to do with 9/11; giving tax cuts to the rich, who already had found out the way to evade taxation; COVID is rather like the flu; local weather change is a hoax. Perhaps you need to try larger floor in Tampa or St. Pete! John A. MacKinnon

Bronx: Yo, Voicer Josh Greenberger: If smash-and-grab turns into authorized? That’s the stupidest letter I’ve ever learn. Richie Nagan

Forest Hills: The ever-present TV and radio spots for sports activities betting platforms all finish with the compulsory disclaimer: “Playing downside? Name 1-800…” Yeah, we’ve received a playing downside — the shills in your silly adverts maintain pressuring us into making what they know are horrible bets! Promo code: SUCKER. Alan Hirschberg

Bronx: To Voicer Sara Ross: How are you going to inform the place folks come from? And, you suppose the bank card is for meals stamps? You make a number of assumptions and, as everyone knows, if you assume, you make an ass out of u and me. W. Twirley

Brooklyn: On Monday, the NYC Board of Correction held its month-to-month assembly. In contrast to on the earlier month’s assembly, members of the Division of Correction hierarchy attended (final month they didn’t even trouble). Nonetheless, slightly than wait and listen to the testimonies from the general public and people in NYC custody, the DOC members left, together with Commissioner Louis Molina. Nonetheless, it was not solely the testimonials of the justice-affected and previously detained that he skipped out on. He didn’t hear three of his personal officers present testimony. So not solely does he have little to no regard for the humanity of the detained and their households, he has no regard for his personal officers. As commissioner, he ought to have stayed and listened not solely to these of us with lived expertise as previously incarcerated folks however for his personal employees. Goes to indicate you the place his and his lackeys’ priorities lay. Eileen M. Maher

Stamford, Conn.: Voicer Miriam Applebaum and our resident statistician, Voicer Michele P. Brown, each miss my level. I by no means blamed Manhattan District Legal professional Alvin Bragg for the wretched legal historical past of the person with 60 arrests. However I’m blaming him for his comfortable stance on crime and willingness to maintain the revolving door of justice in movement. Is Applebaum forgetting about Bragg’s employees memo that he circulated days after he took workplace? And Brown demonstrates a scarcity of appreciation for the forces governing regulation enforcement. When cops arrest petty criminals solely to look at them be launched, it chills the motivation to arrest. And to name a petty thief a mere annoyance — I’m wondering if Brown would change her tune if her cellphone, pockets and bank cards had been swiped from her bag by a gifted pickpocket. Tolerance for low-level quality-of-life crimes creates an environment of lawlessness that rapidly escalates right into a crime-ridden society. Peter Janoff