This “old white man” would like to respond to a couple of letters that appeared in last weeks’ paper.
First as to why Congressman Faso does not meet with certain constituents. These so called town halls are nothing more than disgruntled Democrats who are fuming over the loss of Hillary Clinton to Donald Trump and they are looking to tar and feather any Republican as a means of venting their anger. I think Faso is wise to avoid these “Trumped Up” meetings. Instead he should meet in town halls that are organized in a non-partisan fashion. I’ll leave it up to his team to come up with the format. Please no responses telling me that Clinton won the popular vote, she did so only because of overwhelming majorities in the bluest of states, California and New York, and that is the precise reason we have an Electoral Vote so that less densely populated areas of the country will have a voice that matters in electing our President.
Second letter opposed national reciprocity for concealed carry. One only needs to read the story about Shaneen Allen, a 27-year-old mother of two, who was arrested after a traffic stop on the Atlantic City Expressway in Hamilton Township to see why this bill should be supported.
During the traffic stop, Allen told a state trooper she had a legally owned gun in her vehicle. She also had a concealed carry permit from Pennsylvania, but that had no legal weight in New Jersey. Allen was arrested on weapons charges that could have sent her to prison for three years. This person is not a criminal, yet faced felony charges based on local state law.
As to the comment that the New York permitting process is “rigorous,” I would describe it as onerous. The process in Ulster Co. takes eight months or more, is expensive and, in my mind, is designed to discourage people from applying. Other states I’ve lived in do a fingerprinting and FBI background check and, if you pass, a permit is granted normally within a few weeks. The so called mandatory safety class in NYS is also a joke, you must take the class before your permit is issued and you can’t even handle a handgun in the class.
Your drives’ license is recognized across state lines, so should your permit to carry a concealed weapon, especially in these troubled times.
Gregory Kleen
Saugerties
Join the family! 
