U.S. and NATO need each other, physician assistants need autonomy

U.S. and NATO need to be united as one

In supporting former President Donald Trump’s assertion that Russia can do whatever it wants to NATO countries that do not meet their financial obligation to the alliance, a reader is certainly correct in one regard: Trump has been consistent [“Reactions to Trump remarks on NATO,” Letters, Feb. 15].

It is true that many NATO nations have not met their 2% gross domestic product defense spending contributions, especially countries like Canada with robust economies.

It is also true that 18 of the 30 member nations are set to honor this commitment — up from 11 in 2023. It’s a positive trend.

Some members have contributed more than the obligatory 2%. Last year, Poland allocated nearly 4% of its GDP to defense, more than the United States.

I am reminded of the well-known phrase: “All that is necessary for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing.”

If the United States abandons NATO, I fear Russian President Vladimir Putin will accept Trump’s invitation, and evil will triumph.

 — Ed Weinert, Melville

Letters have been written about Donald Trump’s reevaluation of our nation’s commitment to NATO and which member nations we should support. Few remember that after 9/11, our NATO allies had our backs during the invasion of Afghanistan. Our allies suffered over 1,000 fatalities fighting alongside our armed forces.

It would surprise me if Trump is even aware of this. In 2018, he called Canada, which suffered about 160 fatalities during the invasion, a threat to our national security over a tariff spat regarding aluminum and steel imports.

Admittedly, Europe, bordering Russia, benefits more than our country, but our nation along with our European allies all benefit from this alliance.

In Trump’s mind, everything seems to be a zero-sum game, so that makes our nation one of the suckers and losers, the same way he looks at our armed forces who gave their lives overseas to preserve our freedom and keep us out of larger conflicts.

 — Jeff Fass, Sayville

A reader defended Donald Trump’s attack on our NATO allies. NATO members agreed at the 2014 summit to spend 2% of their GDP on defense, and more than one-third of the member nations met that threshold last year.

When U.S. spending goes to NATO in support of our allies and continues to deter Russian aggression, as proven by Vladimir Putin’s desperate attempts to weaken NATO’s resolve, I don’t think U.S. taxpayers are getting “hosed.”

 — Erik Marcinik, Huntington

The Republican Party used to be fiercely anti-communist, but that has changed as GOP congressional members are following the whims of Donald Trump. Now they have been refusing to continue aiding Ukraine in the war against Russia’s aggression, and they support Trump’s encouraging Vladimir Putin to do anything he wants to do to our NATO allies who don’t pay up.

Don’t Republicans realize they have become the “Appeasement Party,” appeasing both Trump and Putin?

 — Joseph P. Marron, Mineola

Physician assistants need autonomy

For over 50 years, physician assistants such as myself have provided team-based, patient-centric care, and we greatly value our relationship with physicians [“Health care roles on LI evolving,” News, Feb. 5].

We are not looking for independent practice, to distance ourselves from physicians, to compete with physicians, or for expansion of scope of practice. We seek legislation removing unnecessary barriers to care and recognizing the autonomous role we provide working closely with everyone on the health care team.

Current laws require one physician be designated as the supervising physician for a physician assistant, or PA. Having a PA tied to a physician is neither practical nor realistic and represents a legal tether for the PA, physician or organization.

Language in Gov. Kathy Hochul’s budget removing that restriction allows for more efficient utilization of PAs, increases access to patient care and reduces risks for physicians as the PA is responsible for the care they provide. For more than two years during the pandemic, former Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo and Hochul suspended the requirement for physician supervision.

Communication between physicians and PAs continued as always, and I know of no poor patient outcomes. Multiple studies demonstrate PA quality of care, cost effectiveness and patient satisfaction comparable to physicians.

Hochul’s budget addresses supervision of PAs in primary care (where there are physician shortages) and facilities such as hospitals, and it requires those PAs to have over 8,000 hours, or four years, of experience. It will help increase access to care, and our patients will benefit the most.

 — John Hallowell, Great River