End antidemocratic ‘debanking’ and more: Letters to the Editor — Oct. 25, 2026

End ‘debanking’

The Post’s editorial rightly raises concerns about debanking (“ ‘Debanking’ Will Be Back,” Oct. 18). 

But the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency’s findings reveal an important irony: Federal regulators are now complaining about a problem the government itself created.

Under “Operation Chokepoint,” regulators weaponized vague “reputation risk” standards to coerce banks into dropping lawful, politically disfavored clients. Government pressure — not free markets — drove debanking. The Trump administration made progress by removing the “reputational risk” regulation. 

Congress must now enact durable reforms such as the FIRM Act and modernize outdated Bank Secrecy Act and anti-money-laundering rules that force defensive compliance.

Public support is overwhelming: 91% of voters favor objective standards over political considerations. 

David Ibsen

Manhattan

Who’s watching?

To better understand concerns over Flock cameras, compare them to a closed-loop system like the one used by the NYPD (“Public-safety desk: First Cameras, Then Cops,” Fast Takes, Oct. 19). 

That system is highly regulated and the data collected stays in house. Flock, however, shares data with law enforcement and private companies. 

As a retired police detective, I know the benefits of surveillance cameras. They’re not my concern. My concern is: Who else receives this data — and why? 

John Fleming

Punta Gorda, Fla.

Applegate’s agony

It upset me that Christina Applegate’s doctors broke the news of her multiple sclerosis misdiagnosis by exclaiming, “Congratulations, you don’t have M.S.” (“Christina M(I)S-LED,” Oct. 21).

Just because you no longer have the same disease label doesn’t make the symptoms go away. Worse, now she’s left back at square one with no clear path to pursue next.

Gary Stein

Manhattan

Drilling won’t do

Carl Campanile’s story references the Council for a Secure America poll which found that 53% of American adults support energy independence (“Drill, baby drill! Americans want energy independence from foreign countries: poll,” Oct. 19). 

The poll defined energy independence as “the country no longer relies on foreign countries for energy, such as oil and natural gas.” But President Trump declared energy independence in 2019 because domestic production exceeded our needs.

Our real problem with rising gas prices is that global markets determine petroleum costs — which includes domestic oil. Increasing drilling will not isolate us from global prices. We cannot attain energy independence when it comes to oil.

Fortunately, the cost of electricity from solar and wind  is less than natural gas and coal — a good reason to invest in these for true energy independence.

Bill Beckett

Watertown, Mass.

Make schools safe

A mentally ill gunman walked into an unsecured elementary school and killed three children and an adult before a parent with a gun stopped him (“Hand shot off, teach acts dead,” Oct. 22).

School districts are responsible for protecting our children. Where are the metal detectors and armed guards at every school entrance?

Gerald Baca

Las Cruces, NM

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