Letters to the Editor
David’s Watch Repair
We all fought so hard to keep David the watchmaker among us but today, when I passed by to wave hello at his relocated corner in the tailor shop on Hudson St., he was gone and I was told he had retired. Over more years than I can count, he preformed minor first aid such as replacing batteries and straps, trusted consultations on what was worth fixing, gave new life-giving organ transplants to watches, clocks and even music boxes at reasonable costs, and resold charming old watches from his window and showcase. I know shlepping here from Brooklyn was tough and he well deserves retirement but I, like so many Village regulars, relied on his expertise and kindness. Can you or any of your readers point to a neighborhood master craftsperson his equal?
— Leila Mustachi, Bank St. Old Timer
A Nation Without the Rule of Law
Let’s imagine the U.S.A without the Rule of Law. What does this state look like?
First, we should define the term “Rule of Law.” It is a compact amongst the governed where the people agree upon a set of rules or laws on how the government will proceed into the future. We call this document a constitution. Over the past 248 years the U.S. Constitution has been amended 27 times; the rules have evolved as the times have changed. It is a living document which reflects those changes through a lengthy process wherein the people, through their elected representatives, give their consent. Without these rules or laws, the people have no say in how they will be governed.
Mr. Trump with his executive orders, memoranda and proclamations together with the appointment of Elon Musk, a “special government employee” to head a new creation euphemistically called the Department of Government Efficiency [an ad hoc non-governmental agency] have attempted to usurp the power of the people by bypassing the laws as enunciated in the Constitution. He has challenged birthright citizenship; frozen funds previously delegated by Congress; and is in the process of dismantling agencies previously mandated by Congress, amongst other unilateral changes to the Constitution.
Through presidential executive fiat and the actions of a non-elected government appointee, the nation is faced with radical changes to its agreed upon rules. It is the belief of the president and his appointee that the governed need not give their consent to these changes. Because the president along with his administration as well as the House and the Senate, [both dominated by a compliant Republican Party] are controlled by one party, two of the three levers of a tri-part government are controlled by that party and its leader. Should the courts not intervene, the leader will have unilateral control of the levers of power. The republic will be no more; power will have been ceded to one person and the U.S.A. will have evolved into an autocracy.
Is this what our future “democratic” republic will look like?
—Siggy Raible
Congestion Pricing and Silly Suggestions
I know the future of Congestion Pricing is up in the air. Either way, there is much work to do to address traffic and transit concerns in Manhattan. So, I must comment on some of the sillier suggestions in the article the Village View ran in February.
• Get rid of EZ Pass? Go back to toll collectors and paper ticketing? EZ Pass speeds up traffic flow, reduces fuel consumption and improves air quality. What’s wrong with that?
• Limit truck deliveries to overnight hours and pay drivers double time? And what about paying the workers who have to stay to receive deliveries?
• Ban bikes? Yes, they can be dangerous for riders, drivers and pedestrians. But they provide an affordable option for many New Yorkers. How about working on safety instead?
• There’s never a moment when the MTA is not building or repairing? What’s wrong with that? Isn’t that better than not improving with the times or not fixing things that are broken?
• Free subway fares? Seriously?
• Tax the skyscrapers? The same structures that received city building permits, conduct business in the city and provide jobs to New Yorkers? The most absurd idea yet.
Regardless of Congestion Pricing, we need serious minds and realistic solutions to address important issues. Leave the silly suggestions to Open Mic Nite at our city’s comedy clubs. New Yorkers could use a few laughs.
— Guy Martin
