Facts are foundational to good decision-making
Basking Ridge, N.J.: To Voicer David Figueroa: I read a lot of these long-winded delusions people write. You summed it up perfectly. The millions of ignorant Americans who support Donald Trump is scary.
Facts are facts. I personally make all my decisions in life based on facts. As a result, I was successful in life — masters degree from Rutgers University, vice president of employee benefits for a major corporation that has 50,000 employees. Sometimes I don’t like the facts. Nonetheless, to make the best decision, I have to weigh them. I don’t create an agenda and then make stuff up to support it. Good luck to people who do that in the real world.
I don’t affiliate with a party. I review all the facts and vote for who I feel will be the best person to be president. I’ve voted for Democrats and Republicans. Voting for either party because you are only gonna vote for that party, period, is not smart.
Millions want a guy who spends all his time smearing the other candidate and trying to dig stuff up, and when that doesn’t work, just makes stuff up. His supporters will tell you that’s OK because he’s a businessman who has done so much for our country. Please, tell me some of these great things. I’m all ears. I’m open to learning. I’m open to changing my mind if what I’m being told is factual. When I ask for one example of something good, I get insults. I guess they figure that makes them right. Joe Tierney
Best behavior
Auburndale: The debate has shown that JD Vance can be civil and non-condescending, but usually chooses not to be. Cathi Venis
Truth-teller
Kew Gardens: JD Vance won on substance for the two major concerns of voters: the economy and immigration. Tim Walz gave it his best but the facts were not on his side. He also went low by trashing Trump gratuitously as well. Vance was disciplined and answered the questions posed to him by the moderators — who, surprisingly, did not seek any policy opinions on either the Israel and Ukraine war. However, to their credit, they did expose another lie told by Walz when he claimed he was in China during the Tiananmen Square standoff. Coupled with his other lies, he can now safely be deemed pathological. This election presents a stark contrast in that former President Trump has a record to compare with the nearly four years of Biden-Harris. Honest minds would have to agree that Trump’s four years were unequivocally better for the nation. Phil Serpico
Trojan horse
Utica, N.Y.: The main thing we took away from the vice presidential debate is that JD Vance could be more of a threat to American democracy than Trump is. He’s much younger, smarter and slicker than Trump, but equally if not more committed to wrecking our constitutional democracy. There’s a reason he wrote the forward to Project 2025. Also, someone should ask Vance his opinion about closing universities. Spoiler alert, he’s for it! It’s likely that billionaires like Peter Thiel are using Trump to get Vance into the White House as the future of American autocracy. Even more reason for Americans to vote Democrat this November! Jeff and Joan Ganeles
Stated threat
Staten Island: To Voicer Wendy Packus: Actually, Kamala Harris is a better choice for president than Donald Trump. The fact is that countless American lives were lost because of his incompetent response to the COVID-19 pandemic. A second reason for not voting for Trump is that he is promising to get even with everyone who dares to disagree with him. Do you really think such a small-minded person should be president? Eileen Zanelli
Applicable
Bronx: To Voicer Bob Pascarella: You do realize that the adjectives you used to describe your fellow Voicers, or at least the content in this forum, also applies to ex-President Donald Trump, don’t you? Just making an observation. William Bradshaw
Remove bias
Bronx: To those who can’t contemplate voting for a woman to be president, I ask you to revisit a literary classic, “To Kill a Mockingbird.” In the final chapters of the book, in order for the lead character to secure a just outcome for the victim, the jurors were challenged to set aside their color bias to accept the ugly reality of the crime and uplift its victim. Fast forward to 2024. In order to see a viable candidate, accept their narrative and look to uplift our country, some of us need to set aside our gender bias and evaluate a contender. Whose vision will support and promote how to successfully execute the experiment of democracy? If you set aside your bias, you will know there are many ways to come to a decision regarding the best candidate, none of which should depend on the cut of a suit or the style of shoe. Pamela Butler
Totality of issues
Smithfield, R.I.: To Voicer Mary Caggiano: Yes, we agree that inflation is important. The pandemic had much to do with it. The Fed says it’s on the way down, so help is on the way. Of paramount importance are our free and fair elections; a government by and for the people, and not for one man and his family. Moreover, kindness, civility and togetherness of our fellow citizens. On Jan. 6, 2021, Don threatened our democracy by trying to stop or at least slow the electoral process. That same day, he advocated violence against his own vice president who he — and by extension, the people — chose in 2016. Entrusting Don with another term as commander-in-chief would be irresponsible. We have a better, more delightful choice in Kamala and Tim. Stephen De Falco
Under their noses
Floral Park, L.I.: Funny, the New York state attorney general and the Manhattan district attorney spent money and time investigating Donald Trump (a private citizen), but the investigations should have been taking place right in their own backyard — the NYC mayor’s office. I am not saying anyone is guilty, as they need their day in court, but it looks like some type of corruption was taking place with FDNY and NYPD shakedowns and the sheriff’s office’s shakedowns. Makes one wonder where our elected officials’ priorities are. Pay attention, voters! Bob Damato
Canceled
Brooklyn: For the second year in a row, there will be no Medieval Festival at the Cloisters in Fort Tryon Park in Upper Manhattan. This event, which dated back to the 1970s, was always held on the first Sunday in October and brought together thousands of New Yorkers of every race, gender, ethnic group and religion in a festive day of music, song, dance, jousting, falconry, knightly combat, puppet shows and food, with numerous concession stands selling wares of various types from the Medieval and Renaissance periods. It was especially popular with children and a vital part of what makes NYC special. Thanks to Mayor Adams’ sanctuary city policy, coupled with the city’s decision to pay nearly $2 billion in “reparations” for alleged discrimination against minorities on a competitive civil service exam, sacrifices must be made. The Medieval Festival is now just another fond memory of better times in the Big Apple. Dennis Middlebrooks
Say their names
Brooklyn: Re (“The hostages murdered by Hamas: Say their names,” op-ed, Sept. 6): The Palestinians murdered by Israeli soldiers have names, too. The problem is there are too many to say. Don’t forget about the ones raped to death with objects by Israeli prison guards. Jessica Caban
No easy answer
Madisonville, Pa.: It seems that every pro-life supporter always talks about saving the lives of the unborn. But what about the pregnant women? Are their lives worth less than that of the child they are carrying? Not every pregnancy has a happy ending. There are some that can have dire consequences for the woman involved. There is no one-size-fits-all approach that works for pregnancy. Each one is slightly different. And I doubt any legislator has anywhere near the amount of experience dealing with pregnancy and possible complications that a medical professional does, so how are they even remotely qualified to legislate the health care that a woman receives? Too many complex issues get dealt with with overly simplified answers. Tom Mielczarek