POLITICS: The putrid Bryan Kohberger plea deal and more: Letters

A putrid plea deal
I’m both disgusted and mystified by the plea deal offered to Bryan Kohberger (“Surprise plea deal in Idaho coed slays,” July 1).
Although a plea deal in itself is understandable, as it spares the time and cost of a lengthy trial and eliminates any chances of appeal, what I don’t get is why Kohberger gets to keep mum on the details. He will have to give no account regarding the motivation for his crime.
As it stands now, he will be convicted, but instead of taking his secrets to death row, he will take them to the comfort and safety of a prison cell, where he can taunt his victims’ families for the next few dozen years.
What was the prosecution thinking, entertaining this deal for even one second?
E. R. Allen, Quebec, Canada

Don’s rate crusade
President Trump using a visual aid illustrating that the United States ranks 35th in the world in interest rates with a 4.5% rate is pure genius, as it turns up the heat on Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell (“Don’s ka-Powell!” July 1)
If the Fed were to lower the US interest rate down to 1%, the country would save hundreds of billions in interest costs and millions of homeowners could refinance, saving potentially hundreds per month off their mortgages and auto payments.
President Trump 2.0 is fighting for the American people, who have just survived four torturous years under an administration that made every decision against our best interests to seemingly punish us.
Freddie Dunn, Medford

Wintour’s legacy
I agree with Kirsten Fleming’s column on Anna Wintour (“Wintour’s GOP freeze,” June 28).
Remember that Wintour was born and raised in the United Kingdom, where royalty, wealth and privilege create a very class-based society.
In the United States, the people who dress as fancy as royalty are the entertainment-industry celebrities. Fashion is not for regular folks. Real people who wear real clothes, and not costumes, are ignored — but are the backbone of the clothing industry.
The Met Gala was a fashion flop, and the theme was too remote and archaic to be inspirational. Wintour will never be the icon Iris Apfel was, and my advice is to never trust a grown woman with bangs.
Elinor Hite, Carrollton, Texas

Settling for Andy
Michael Goodwin has sounded the alarm: Marxist-Leninist Zohran Mamdani must be stopped (“Blown-out Cuo NYC’s best hope,” July 2).
And for all his flaws, Andrew Cuomo is the best candidate to defeat the intifada-enamored Assembly member in November.
Yes, Sheriff Andy waged an insipid, lackluster primary campaign — losing to the social media-savvy Mamdani.
Still, though the former governor of the Empire State lacks his father’s Ciceronian oratory, Andrew is well-versed in the art and practice of governance.
Mamdani’s antipathy to the private sector and overall economic illiteracy would bring New York City to financial ruin.
The pugnacious Cuomo may not be everyone’s cup of cappucino, but governing Gotham requires more than a little of Machiavelli’s superior skill, competence and decisiveness.
Rosario A. Iaconis, Mineola

See also

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Bezos’ buddies
To all the celebrities and government representatives who despise the so-called wealthy people and oligarchs, I didn’t see you all refusing to attend Jeff Bezos’ wedding (“ ’Til death do us party,” June 29). Your hypocrisy knows no bounds.
Lorraine Fittipaldi, Apollo Beach, Fla.

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