The Issue: New York City rings in the new year with yet another subway-shoving incident.
How many people are going to be pushed onto the subway tracks before the politicians actually do something more than just say how terrible it is (“Miracle on the tracks,” Jan. 1)?
Why don’t they emulate the sky-train system at John F. Kennedy Airport, where there’s a protective barrier and no access to trains or tracks until the train actually stops for boarding?
Meanwhile, when an inmate in an upstate prison is horrifically beaten by correction officers and then the victim tragically dies, Gov. Hochul spends millions on new cameras, demands staffing changes and hires outside consultants to review the prison system.
Niles Welikson
Williston Park
Thankfully, this victim lived. What he and anyone else has to do to keep safe in the New York City subway system is to do what Hochul does when she is using her so-called “safe subways”: Don’t stand at the edge, move to the middle of the platform — and then surround yourself with about half a dozen state troopers and city police.
Then the subways would finally be safe.
Bruce Collins
Middletown, NJ
With all good wishes to the fellow thrown to the tracks on New Year’s Eve and lucky enough to have landed in the trench, and with all due respect to all fellow subway frequenters, why do so many people stand at the very edge of the platform?
Sorry, folks, but while we are entitled to be safe, we also all have an obligation to protect ourselves.
Stand against the wall, or with your back to the tracks so that you can see someone coming at you. And for God’s sake put your phone away. Don’t become a victim as a result of a lax attitude.
Lou Maione
Manhattan
If you watch the full video of the man being pushed onto the tracks, you will also see several people jumping the turnstiles.
Crime in the city is out of control. Mayor Adams has to bring back stop-and-frisk. When that policy was in place, the police were able to get the criminals off the streets.
Anthony Amore
Staten Island
The Issue: The House of Representatives voting on its next speaker on Friday.
I totally agree regarding the coming election for speaker of the House (“Re-elect Speaker Johnson,” Editorial, Dec. 31).
If the Republicans do not elect Speaker Mike Johnson, a Democrat may end up as speaker, controlling the House agenda.
It seems to me that if Johnson is not elected on the first vote, the Republicans can kiss their majority away in 2026, which will hinder President-elect Donald Trump in the last two years of his presidency.
Are the Republicans that stupid, to fret away their opportunity to bring America back from the disaster years of the Biden administration?
Let’s hope that the naysayers come to their senses by Jan. 3 and vote in the one person who will marshal Trump’s agenda to Make America Great Again. That’s what the people voted for.
Richard A. Ketay
Newark, NJ
The last thing the Republicans need is another farcical removal of the speaker, followed by weeks of making fools of themselves as they attempt to pick a new one.
What’s more, that budget plan passed by the House was a disaster. Republicans need to move on now that the budget deal was corrected, unify and get moving on Trump’s agenda. Enough of this silly infighting.
Robert DiNardo
Farmingdale
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