Oceanside, Island Park Letters to the Editor

Economy has not recovered

To the Editor:

Re Al D’Amato’s column “Our next president must fix a broken economy” (Nov. 5-11): columnist John Crudele of the New York Post was mentioned respectfully.

I would like to add to that. Mr. Crudele has written numerous times of how the government provides rosy numbers in the lowering of the unemployment figures. The government resorts to sham inflated numbers of jobs created, some based on seasonal adjustments. It also does not count people who have stopped looking for work out of discouragement, or people who have settled for part-time work because of the lack of full-time opportunities that pay decently.

In reality, people have had to supplement their basic living expenses by drawing equity from their homes and tapping into their 401(k)s, and some are penalized for the early withdrawals. This shows how the middle and working class still has not rebounded in the seven years since the economic collapse of 2008.

To further add to this sham, the Federal Reserve has propped up the stock market and not raised interest rates for big borrowers. Where is Main Street benefiting from this sleight of hand?

If the broken economy is to be truly repaired, the focus must be on the neglected class, i.e. the middle and working class, and the phony numbers must go in the trash can, alongside the trickle-down theory.

Tony Giametta

Oceanside

We stopped Port Ambrose

To the Editor:

We did it. Last week, Governor Cuomo vetoed the Port Ambrose proposal. The offshore liquefied natural gas terminal would have been just miles off our shores, putting communities all across the South Shore at risk of environmental harm while undermining our commitment to cleaner, renewable energy sources.

I applaud Governor Cuomo for this historic and forward-thinking decision. Since I was elected, my agenda has always included ensuring that the South Shore remains clean and green — so I am also proud we won. But you, the irrepressible, determined, undeniable citizens of the South Shore, should be proud, too. This victory would not have been possible without the tireless work of community leaders, advocates for the environment, and everyday South Shore residents who took time from their busy lives to make certain our concerns were heard loud and clear in Albany.

This win reminded me that we are unbeatable when organized — especially when what galvanizes us is so important to the future of our shared, beloved island. And that made all the difference this time.

United, we can achieve great things. Let’s remember that for the next fight and all the challenges we already face. This win is yours, together, citizens of the South Shore. I’ll bet the next one will be, too.

Todd Kaminsky

State Assemblyman, 20th District