As Adam Dickter reports, Ed Koch’s endorsement of Republican, Bob Turner, for the seat vacated by Democrat Anthony Weiner is causing some uncertainty, at least in the polls, as to the outcome of the race between Turner and Democrat David Weprin (“Weprin’s Tightrope,” Aug. 26). By the time the election date arrives, I hope the “average” voters will all display their economic common sense, and Jewish voters, especially, will display their seichel [wisdom] by voting for Weprin.
As a proud Jew with Israel’s best interests at heart, I was bothered by President Barack Obama’s words [in a May speech calling for 1967 borders to be a starting point for negotiations between Israelis and Palestinians], as was Ed Koch. The vote for U.S. representative from Queens/Brooklyn, however, is not an Obama popularity contest. When push comes to shove, actions speak louder than words, and no president of the United States can afford to take actions that will damage Israel, especially with the Middle East in its current state of turmoil. It is simply not in our national interest to do so; Congress and the American people realize that, and the president does also.
What is in the best interests of “average” folks in the district, including Jews, is to have a representative who cares about our economic well being, who won’t seek to decimate Social Security and Medicare, and who won’t prevent dedicated volunteers suffering from cancer from being compensated under the Zadroga [9/11 Health and Compensation] Act.
Fresh Meadows, Queens
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