Readers sound off on unvaccinated workers, Paul Pelosi’s attack and debate tactics

Medford, L.I.: Kudos to Republican gubernatorial candidate Lee Zeldin for backing up a New York State judge’s ruling that the city must rehire essential workers who were fired because they refused to take the COVID vaccine and cited that they should receive back pay for being summarily dismissed. Now that’s what I call righting a wrong!

As I see it, a logical extension of this righting of a wrong, particularly in the face of the CDC admitting in mid-August that it made “some pretty dramatic mistakes” in providing faulty guidelines during the pandemic, would be for New York to immediately reimburse restaurant owners who were fined a back-breaking $1,500 fine while operating at 50% capacity.

Has there ever been a more unfair or disheartening government overreach than this sting operation designed to crush small businesses at a time when they were struggling just to get back on their feet?

If there was ever a wrong pandemic policy that needs to be revisited and made right, it’s this cruel $1,500 business fine. And just as essential workers are going to get back pay, restaurant owners should get at least 10% interest on what really amounted to a short-term loan to the state coffers. And with New York State getting $170 billion in federal stimulus aid, there’s no excuse for it not to happen. Luana Dunn

Flushing: So let me get this straight: Lee Zeldin is going to save our state? Isn’t this one of the people who bent over backward to try to give our democracy away to the orange man? He already broke his oath to the Constitution. This guy should be in an orange jumpsuit with the rest of them, not running this state or any other entity! Just another power-hungry loser! Joseph Gross

Beechhurst: Some political pundits have cast the New York gubernatorial race as one between a David and a Goliath. That’s an apt metaphor given that Rep. Lee Zeldin is going up against not just Gov. Hochul but the entire state Democratic progressive machine and its media handmaidens. But there’s an ironic wrinkle in that analogy: Zeldin has a giant Philistine in his corner — namely, Donald J. Trump. As far as the debate goes, our accidental ho-hum governor treated it like a perfunctory ribbon-cutting affair. But the upshot was that she was the ribbon that got unceremoniously cut to shreds. Besides being as corrupt as her predecessor, she’s a walking advertisement for why New Yorkers are fleeing the deep-blue Empire State. Hochul’s highlighting of abortion and Jan. 6 instead of the crime crisis and stifling taxes could end up being the reason Zeldin takes his slingshot to Albany. James Hyland

Bronx: I watched the gubernatorial debate and what I saw was this: When Gov. Hochul asked Zeldin if he was a supporter and a friend of Donald Trump, which she brought up too many times, his answer should have been, “I am running for governor, not Trump. And when I win, I will run this state my way.” And when Zeldin brought up the Buffalo pay-to-play allegations about all the donations Hochul got from vendors, she should have said, “You got a problem with that? Look into it. I did nothing wrong.” In my opinion, there were too many political answers. There should have been more street-talk answers for the average people who watched. You do that and you got the people on your side. I would give the edge to Zeldin. Jimmy Durda

Astoria: After wasting one hour of my life watching the New York governor’s debate, I’ve come to the conclusion that all New Yorkers need to defund the politicians. These so-called leaders and wannabes have lost most New Yorkers’ trust and faith by ruining this once great city and state. Aris Sakellaridis

Cranford, N.J.: Nancy Pelosi needs to submit her resignation, go home and take care of Paul. Elizabeth D’Angelo

Massapequa Park, L.I.: Donald Trump is the instigator of all the violence going on in this country. It starts from the top on down. That’s always been the way it is. He has been encouraging his followers to commit crimes since he came down the escalator. It’s going to get worse before it gets better. He has to be brought to justice and locked up. Frank Mullahey

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Massapequa Park, L.I.: It was nice to see Geraldo Rivera call the attack on Paul Pelosi “a violent, politically motivated attack.” How could he be so sure? I guess, though, the attacker will be released without bail. After all, that is the California way. Raymond P. Moran

Howard Beach: It’s 1933 all over again and would-be fascists are crawling out from under the rocks where they were hiding. Now that morality and critical thinking are under siege, fascists smell intoxicating power in the air. May saner hearts and minds prevail. Ernest Kienzle

Jericho, L.I.: During the summer, New Yorkers fantasized about a Yankees-Mets World Series. Today, their aspirations focus on a Giants-Jets Super Bowl. How the mighty have fallen and the downtrodden have risen. We really do live in an upside-down world. Bob Hoffman

Briarwood: I am writing to expose the MTA as a criminal organization due to their security apparatus stationed at SBS bus stops. At the Main St./Union Tpke. Q-44 stop in Flushing, for instance, riders are subject to burdensome searches on the bus and menaced at the doors upon exit. Security officers demanding tickets practically attack riders as they step off the bus. For a $2.75 fare default, the fine is an exorbitant $100 per violation. Why? These non-NYPD security personnel earn a whopping salary of $100,000 per annum. Further, if you’re not fast enough to purchase a ticket from the machine, then you may miss a speeding incoming bus that usually does not stop at the curb. The whole scene is a surreal nightmare out of a Kafka novel. Either alter this SBS payment system and abolish these highway robbers or riders should refuse to comply in acts of civil disobedience. Another option is to abolish the MTA. Joseph N. Manago

Staten Island: Dear Chuck Schumer, Nancy Pelosi and all Democratic senators (some Republicans as well): The shooting this past week at Tottenville High School (“Boy, 14, shot in leg outside Staten Island high school,” Oct. 25) still hasn’t convinced you that schools need to be safer? No, why would it? You’ve ignored every single one of them. “Thoughts and prayers” are no longer valid. When presented with a bill and a possible solution, you voted it down. I want answers as to why, not the usual run and hide you always do when asked about it. Well, frankly, I’m tired of it. All parents are tired of being ignored on the subject. You waste more money on your wish lists and do nothing to help children. John Pasquali

Astoria: Probably very few people couldn’t care less if you marry your goat, but would you please shut up about it? I’m 70 years old, had many friends of different religions, races and lifestyles and we all got along just fine but now I’m getting fed up with all this needless crap. Basic elementary school back then was to simply learn “readin, writin, rithmetic.” What the hell happened? Martin Warren

Brooklyn: In regard to Voicer Bob Pascarella, who asked whether the voters will allow the Biden administration and Democrats to remain in power and control all of our lives: Is he suggesting that we should let them control half of our lives or women’s lives, and allow election deniers and insurrectionists to control half of our lives? He goes on to ask if we are going to go further down the road to “perdition and moral turpitude, in darkness and hate.” That seems to be more in line with the Republican Party. The Democratic Party is the one with more compassion. Bruce Mercadante