Readers sound off on Ivanka Trump’s influence, bird flu and utility delivery fees

Will Ivanka beryllium the Queen Esther to King Trump?

Dartmouth, Mass.: As Elon Musk is demonstrating signs of antisemitism by his gestures, words and written commentary and hastily destroying the departments and programs that service millions present and abroad, volition Ivanka Trump play Queen Esther and person this modern-day Haman banished from her father’s court?

It is disheartening that Musk, who bought his mode into President Trump’s interior circle, is unaccountably spewing antisemitic comments present and abroad. His latest televised code astatine a far-right rally successful Germany, encouraging Germans to shed their guilt implicit the Holocaust, leaves nary uncertainty what his presumption is connected this issue.

Axing millions of jobs and filling positions with his handpicked followers, Musk is insidiously becoming the de facto president of the United States. Trump’s unquenchable ego, competitiveness and obsessive request for media attraction whitethorn yet sever his narration with Musk. But it volition not beryllium characterized arsenic enactment for Jews oregon a disavowal of Nazism. It volition beryllium immoderate insignificant oregon mendacious crushed to prevention look for them some oregon to not antagonize Musk, a billionaire with his ain following.

If each other fails, Ivanka, a person to Judaism who inactive retains immoderate power with her father, could beryllium the past whisperer to person Trump that Musk should nary longer beryllium fixed a level successful this administration. And she would thereby support Trump’s presumption by convincing him to banish Musk, who has seemingly formed a spell upon her father. Betty Ussach

Gnawing away

Howard Beach: New Yorkers cognize astir this city’s rat problem. Americans’ authorities is being wantonly devoured. Does anyone odor a muskrat? Ernest Kienzle

Bonkers bona fides

Forest Hills: Do Kanye West’s caller postings suffice him for a Trump furniture appointment? Alan Hirschberg

Standout stupidity

Neptune, N.J.: After observing Trump’s occupation show during the archetypal fewer weeks of his 2nd word and listening to his furniture selections’ responses during their Senate confirmation hearings, nary 1 tin uncertainty American exceptionalism. The American electorate is exceptionally stupid! Vince Nardiello

Reality-based reaction

Union, N.J.: To Voicer Ralph A. Manente: I’ll instrumentality pathos immoderate day! It’s an honorable emotion, dissimilar the dishonest, cultish delusion of Trumpism, with its lies, disinformation, misinformation, hatred and cruelty! At slightest pathos is simply a quality emotion. Trump and his followers woody successful being inhuman and inhumane. Lou Alt

Political victory

Bronx: I was truthful gladsome to spot the MAGA Chiefs crushed by the Eagles! The Mahomes household truthful loves Trump and his kin. They got the drubbing they deserved. Long unrecorded the Eagles! Pauline Graham Binder

Less is more

Bronx: Trump amended hurry and little nutrient prices. Meanwhile, companies are making their products smaller — Tropicana orangish juice, Polly-O ricotta. Shameful. Mary Caggiano

Goon’s gift

San Mateo, Calif.: I judge the aureate pager that was presented by Bibi Netanyahu to Trump was a veiled menace to the president — a much nationalist but subtle connection astir his idiosyncratic hazard if helium goes against the wishes of Israel’s settler-controlled regime, benignant of similar the bloody horse’s caput successful the bed. It appears to person worked perfectly, arsenic Trump past makes this surreal connection that the U.S. volition present “own” the Gaza Strip and grip the taste cleansing and rebuilding of the portion for the “people of the area.” What is his thinking? He dodges the contiguous menace to his idiosyncratic and kicks the tin down the roadworthy for others to wage the terms and prime up the pieces. Whether helium lets Netanyahu reignite the panic bombing oregon tries it himself, the satellite volition not beryllium idly by. Place your bets, ladies and gentlemen. Mike Caggiano

Reign of terror

Brooklyn: To Voicer Chalky White: The changeless maltreatment and torture successful Gaza has been caused by Hamas, not by the Zionists. Hamas has utilized billions of dollars of humanitarian assistance to conception panic tunnels and rocket launchers. Hamas jails governmental opponents and executes gays. There are 2 cardinal Arab citizens residing successful Israel. Wendy Jackson

Not your mother

Scarborough, N.Y.: Before a credulous America turns implicit its currency and reasoning powerfulness to Nvidia, Open AI, Tesla, Meta, Amazon, Microsoft and Alphabet, possibly we should instrumentality heed of their acronym: NOT MAMA. Buyer beware. Thomas F. Comiskey

Service workers

Albany: Gov. Hochul unveiled a $252 cardinal enforcement fund that placed a precedence upon affordability, nationalist safety, economical development, lodging and prosperity. There is simply a missing piece. The stark world is that the wealth afforded by the authorities to the captious nonprofit assemblage is incredibly low. We inquire 800,000 workers nighttime and time to bash everything, yet we bash not wage them what they are worth. With a 30% turnover complaint and a backing operation that relies connected yearly cost-of-living adjustments, nary wonderment determination are truthful galore radical who autumn done the cracks of our intelligence wellness system. For quality services information nett providers and staff, a 7.8% concern volition beryllium peculiarly impactful and alleviate the fiscal strain galore person faced portion moving successful the sector. Lastly, the summation volition enactment a fragile information nett for each New Yorkers. William T. Gettman Jr.

Chemical cure-all

Garwood, N.J.: In Saturday’s paper, Hochul announced that the bird flu has arrived successful New York. As everyone is aware, it has killed millions of poultry, causing the terms of eggs to skyrocket. In immoderate states, the flu has besides begun affecting cattle. For the beingness of me, I can’t judge that farmers haven’t contacted the idiosyncratic astir apt to springiness them the cure for this plague. Obviously, that idiosyncratic is the unchangeable genius present residing successful the White House. I’m definite each of america retrieve the time during COVID erstwhile said genius walked into the Briefing Room and suggested that we each ingest immoderate bleach and COVID would disappear. I would suggest the farmers travel that sage advice, arsenic we each cognize the genius is ne'er wrong. John E. Deichmeister

Padded sell

Glendale: On Jan. 8, I received my measure from National Grid for $111; $20 was for state usage and $91 was for transportation charges. They’re charging maine 4 and a fractional times much for transportation than for the state itself. I privation to cognize if that’s adjacent legal. Same happening with Con Ed: My measure was $227 — $79 for energy and the remainder for delivery. Pretty soon they’ll beryllium forcing maine to beryllium successful the acheronian and cold. I don’t adjacent deliberation the mafia charges that overmuch for its services. John L. Rienecker

Jacked up

Manhattan: According to media reports, Con Ed is proposing different double-digit terms summation for January 2026 for electrical bills by an mean of 11.4% and for state bills by an mean of 13.3%. This would travel connected apical of large increases successful 2023 and 2024. It is imperative that the New York State Legislature measurement successful and halt this outrageous price-gouging attempt. Unfortunately, the New York Public Service Commission, an unelected and unaccountable assemblage successful complaint of Con Ed, has a agelong past of rubber-stamping terms summation requests and disregarding the devastating effects they person connected NYC residents. Con Ed bilks its customers with arbitrarily precocious “delivery charges” for state and energy that are overmuch higher than determination averages, and often astatine slightest 50% higher than the vigor charges themselves. The Legislature needs to halt specified predatory practices and enforce a hard headdress connected transportation charges, tying them to determination oregon nationalist averages. Ilya Kapovich

Obstructed response

Brooklyn: A occurrence broke retired successful Bay Ridge, Brooklyn aboriginal Sunday morning. What is disturbing is that cars parked illegally successful beforehand of occurrence hydrants slowed the quality of the Fire Department to enactment retired the fire. It is simply a immense occupation successful NYC now, particularly astatine night, erstwhile radical volition parkland successful people’s driveways and adjacent occurrence hydrants. I person seen it wherever I unrecorded successful Bensonhurst. Doing this puts people’s lives successful jeopardy on with the firefighters. People who bash this should look steep fines and person their cars towed. Joseph Comperchio

Cursed

Oceanside, L.I.: To my chap Giants fans: Feels similar the opening of a precise agelong Curse of Saquon, doesn’t it? Warren Meyer