Trump's Capitol speech, Social Security cuts, rare diseases

Capitol speech evokes reactions

The behavior of the Democrats Tuesday night was disgusting [“Trump takes credit for ‘swift,’ ‘unrelenting’ action,” News, March 5]. They showed they are anti-American and out of touch with many American people.

How could they not stand and applaud great Americans introduced by President Donald Trump? The Democrats showed their true colors. Shame on all of them! They acted like children.

— Joseph Bello, New Hyde Park

Donald Trump talked about a mandate, but he won the popular vote by only 1.5%. And he states half-truths if he feels he can get away with them.

He said everyone would get a tax break, but the richest 1% would get six-figure breaks while the poor and middle class would probably get three-figure breaks. Trump is turning against our allies and speaks and acts like an enemy of the Constitution.

And Elon Musk, who leads the Department of Government Efficiency, calls Social Security a Ponzi scheme. What will Musk and Trump do there?

— Hillary A. Brown, Farmingdale

Donald Trump’s plan to sell “gold card” visas for about $5 million will open the door to citizenship for Russian oligarchs, South American drug cartels and human traffickers to come here and ply their trades.

Trump campaigned on closing the border to these very criminals. Apparently if you are a well-to-do criminal, U.S. citizenship is yours.

— Bill Eddings, Massapequa Park

In the past six weeks, has it not become evident who Donald Trump is working for? He is decimating our institutions, our stock market, our security, and our standing in the world.

We are now standing with Russia. What is going on, and how long will our legislators stand for this? This is frightening.

— Karyn Rhodes Dornfield, Westbury

Unqualified people have been given great unlimited power over all of us [“Fear amid fed job cuts,” News, March 2]. We are now apparently faced with every person in Donald Trump’s administration, either elected, appointed or who just showed up, serving mostly themselves.

Seeing these people destroy this country is horrible. Watching their followers not seeing what is happening is terrifying. The divide in this country is palpable. The administration seems to want to create fear, division and confusion, as it keeps the “little people” from doing anything.

The plans in Project 2025 are happening, and Trump supporters refusing to see it is amazing. And it looks to be mostly because people were uncomfortable with transgender people and afraid of some immigrants who entered our country illegally. Were they afraid someone beneath them was going to take their jobs?

— Susan Scharf, Flushing

Nothing secure about Social Security cuts

The proposal to lay off 7,000 workers from the Social Security Administration is a slap in the face to the more than 70 million people who receive Social Security benefits and the millions of others who are now paying into the system “SSA: ‘Significant’ cuts are coming,” News, March 1]. Many top-level executives have already resigned.

Not all issues can be solved through automation. Face-to-face public service is often needed to apply for benefits and resolve problems. Already-long waiting times will get longer for appointments at offices and phone calls.

Is this the first step to show that a federal agency can no longer function and Social Security and Medicare get handed over to private industry?

Currently, administrative costs are less than 1% of the federal budget. Can this be matched by private industry?

— Glenn Olszewski, Patchogue

The writer worked for the Social Security Administration for 40 years.

Rare disease council would help families

Scott D. Reich, chief executive of Believe in a Cure, asks state legislators to establish a rare disease advisory council to improve access to resources and streamline care for patients with rare diseases and their families [“NYS needs a rare disease advisory council,” Opinion, Feb. 27]. There are more than 10,000 of these diseases, yet in New York, there is no collaborative council to help these families who struggle financially and emotionally — often feeling isolated and overwhelmed.

Well-known diseases such as diabetes, breast cancer, and obesity command instant recognition, funding and social media space. Rare diseases do not. A council would foster public awareness, improve access to care, coordinate statewide support systems, and devise a more efficient insurance program.

New York should join the 29 other states that already have rare disease advisory councils. At an initial proposed cost of only $100,000, our legislators have an opportunity to lend a powerful and empathic hand to these families.

— Karen Bartscherer, Herricks