New Yorks GOP surrender and more: Letters to the Editor Nov. 1, 2026

NY GOP surrenderNew York’s Republican Party, which makes little effort to recruit institutional support, is to blame for the lack of quality candidates in general elections (“When Voters Have No Real Choice,” Editorial, Oct.26). In the 1960s, about 35% of New York City voters were enrolled in the GOP and Republicans ran candidates for public office in every congressional and state legislative district. Upstate and in the suburbs, the Republican Party maximized its advantage at the local level and was generally successful until 1964.Politics begins from the bottom and rises.

Perhaps it’s time for local Republicans to attempt that battle plan.David LevineHobe Sound, Fla.Jaded young men Per Rikki Schlott’s column, any diminution of the manosphere scam is welcome — but it’s really only useful if it proceeds from a change in thinking (“Manosphere gets muted,” Oct.28). The central problem of young men “losing faith in just about everything” derives from the stress on Americans to consume.

It makes self-interest the prime virtue.“Truth” — when  self-referential and measured mostly in currency — constricts the imagination. It’s no wonder that, per Schlott’s statistics, 91% of young Americans think “the country is on the wrong track.” Trapped in their own self-interest, they can form no concept of what the correct direction for the country might be, and their inattention gives those in power the freedom to do whatever they want. Brian KellyRockville CentreRogue billionaire?When billionaires like George Soros and Michael Bloomberg use their money to influence people, Democrats never accuse them of threatening democracy as they do with Elon Musk (“Dems get sick ‘trill’ by going after Elon,” Oct.

26). There was a time when Democrats loved Musk — giving him every government contract he wanted and praising his cars. That all changed when he stopped giving them donations and began to oppose them.If he were still ...