Readers sound off on agenda-driven news, NYC retirees’ perspectives and carriage drivers

Raritan, N.J.: If you find yourself as I do, surrounded on all sides by friends and family who label themselves conservatives, they all have one thing in common: They get all their news watching right-wing news outlets, mainly Fox News. If you ask them to describe what conservatism stands for, you might find a few that can answer that question correctly. They would say smaller government and less regulations. Ask them to name a regulation that needs to be taken away and I’d bet not one could.

When I heard that two major banks became insolvent and closed, I said here we go again. Before the 2008 financial meltdown caused by batching subprime mortgages as an investment tool, regulations were in place to try and prevent such a collapse. They were removed by Republicans so their friends on Wall Street could profit. After the collapse, President Barack Obama put regulations in place, enacting the Dodd-Frank Act to try and prevent it from happening again. The Donald Trump administration chipped away at those regulations, making risky investments possible again.

Although it seems risky investments were only a small part in these recent failures, you have to wonder what comes next. I watched Fox News cover the failures and they were throwing out nonsense about Silicon Valley Bank investing in LGBTQ interests. I tried to find a stock symbol using those letters and couldn’t find one. It seems to me that the meaning of conservatism has taken on a completely new meaning. It now means watch Fox and live in a state of alternate reality. William Brites

West Columbia, S.C.: No surprise that Saturday’s Daily News had two letters from folks who took the Republican bait. Does anyone really believe that Hunter Biden would bring cocaine to the White House and accidentally drop a sample? Someone obviously feels they’re running out of ways to keep Hunter in the headlines. Carol Robinson

Rural Retreat, Va.: Newsflash to the many Voicers trying to tie the dime bag of cocaine to Hunter Biden: Hunter and President Biden had been gone days before this was found. It was a very small quantity. It was not in the Oval Office or private residence. It was found in VP/VIP area below the West Wing guest area where tours and guests of Congress wait. And it was found by the Secret Service, who lost their emails related to Jan. 6. Kathleen Cobbs

Somers, N.Y.: Voicer Tom Ascher has it somewhat backwards. He is confusing liberals with conservatives. He believes liberals are putting out disinformation and silencing people on social media, even suggesting that liberals are leading us down a road to no democracy. Did he see the insurrection that tried to stop Mike Pence from proceeding with declaring Joe Biden president? That was the greatest threat to our democracy. The biggest culprit in spreading disinformation (lies) is former President Donald Trump. He never fails to say the 2020 election was stolen. Some conservatives insist he won by a landslide, as Trump himself has said. Absolutely astounding lies put out by the likes of Rudy Giuliani, Sidney Powell, John Eastman et al are beyond comprehension. Michael Gold

Basking Ridge, N.J.: To Voicer Pete Sulzicki: The student loan forgiveness plan forgives $10,000 of a student’s loan only after they made payments. I’d venture to say that many students have $100,000 in loans and are still paying for $90,000 of it. And 10 years of interest payments reduces the $10,000 they’d receive by a lot, all as a result of COVID. Did you send your COVID stimulus checks back to the government? I’d bet not. Joe Tierney

Bronx: Ban AR-15s or all grade school, high school and college students should refuse to go to school next year. Andre Aubry

Bronx: Gary Cohen, Ron Darling, Keith Hernandez and Howie Rose are full of useless information. They talk too much about nothing. We are watching a ballgame, not at a tea party. They have to talk baseball. They make the Mets games very boring. Ralph Canzone Sr.

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Brooklyn: Before you print a story in your newspaper, you should get the facts right (“Medicare snare,” editorial, July 8). You are doing terrible harm to vulnerable people who may be forced into a Medicare Advantage plan. First of all, the $600 million in “savings” was stolen from the Retirees Stabilization Fund by the Municipal Labor Committee and the city to pay for active workers raises. If the so-called savings were replenished, it would be on the backs of retirees and not taxpayers. One person dying because Aetna refuses to test until prior authorization is approved is one life too many. Our current plan doesn’t require any prior authorization. Free rides to doctors or gym memberships don’t come near to the need for our right to see any doctor we choose. Get your facts from both sides before printing a statement that is totally false. Fran Lowitz

Manhattan: At least two of my most important doctors do not take Medicare Advantage. One of my medications and one procedure done twice a year are subject to prior authorization. Aetna and the mayor have been putting out lies. Susan Schindler

Middle Village: I respectfully request that your Editorial Board correct the mistakes regarding NYC retirees, specifically that our fund was depleted because of the cost of benefits. The truth is that the funds were misused by the MLC for their own purposes and enrichment. Changing benefits on elderly seniors who worked hard for the city, many sick from 9/11 illnesses and should be cared for with what they were guaranteed, not put through this turmoil and distress at this time of their lives, is wrong. What happened to “never forget?” It may be beneficial for someone from the Editorial Board to sit with a representative for the retirees and find out all the facts. Mary Scagluiso

Tobyhanna, Pa.: To Voicers Theresa Polese and Alice Mercado: It is time to switch channels. If you want a class act in dressing, turn to the Weather Channel. See Reynolds Wolf, who is straight out of GQ. Wow! The ladies mostly wear dresses. It’s nice to see in our ultra-casual environment. Joan Teicher

Manhattan: It’s a terrible shame that animal rights zealots are allowed to make slanderous accusations against carriage-horse drivers with impunity. Nearly every sentence in Voicer Rina Deych’s rant, for example, has a factual error or a lie. I’m a horse-carriage driver and owner, and I’ve never done the things Deych claims are common practices. I’ve never worked a horse “nine hours a day, seven days a week,” allowed a horse “to suffer miserably” in extreme heat or cold or housed horses in “tiny, filthy stalls.” I’ve never sent a retired horse to “a brutal, excruciating death in a slaughterhouse.” The city has numerous city regulations dictating working and living conditions for its horses. There are a lot of good people who choose to work with these beautiful animals and take good care of them while providing popular and historic tours of Central Park. Don’t listen to the zealots. Conor McHugh

Howard Beach: Recent editions of the Sunday paper take the cake. I give up, I’m finished. This overpriced abomination of a pamphlet is the final straw. The dimensions are down, and what the hell is this border, compressing the type to microscopic proportions? Since the printing plant left Atlantic Ave. there is never the latest news or sports data! Please tell the owner who was exposed on “60 Minutes” to sell to a serious owner! The paper has become the New York Post Light! I buy the Post but read it from the back for the sports section. Shame on you for the memory of the past Daily News. S. Schwartz

Sprakers, N.Y.: I might be in the minority here, but I like the new smaller crossword. I find it more challenging. The smaller print and boxes force one to concentrate a little more than usual. Good for your brain. Bob Zee