It is no longer the honest, unbiased court that we had in the past — it now bases its decisions on religious belief and politics.

The court decided that a private company could decide that no employee be covered for abortion care because of its beliefs. Does that sound right to any normal person? A single person or company that has religious beliefs does not have to obey the law of the land because of that faith. Can a judge on the Supreme Court use his religious belief to authorize any person or business the right to deny medical care based on religious conviction? The five-member conservative majority voted that they could.

From Norm Stewart, Aventura, Fla.

Mario Cuomo was no saint

There is more to "Mario Cuomo dead at age 82” (Jan. 1). He was not a reformer, but rather a proud product of the Queens County, New York Democratic Party clubhouse machine. 

During his race against then Rep. Ed Koch for New York City mayor in 1977, there were "Vote for Cuomo, not the Homo” posters all over town.

Cuomo was never above using class warfare as an issue to divide and conquer. Remember his reference to Lew Lehrman’s expensive watch during a debate in 1982? Lehrman was a self-made millionaire who was the founder of Rite Aid drugstore chain. 

One of Cuomo’s claims to fame was being a great orator and debater. In 1986 he followed the infamous Rose Garden strategy in his race for a second term. The late Westchester County executive Andrew O’Rourke had to carry a cardboard cutout of Cuomo to debate. In the end, Cuomo agreed to one token debate at the eleventh hour. 

We all mourn for the loss of anyone’s father. But Mario Cuomo is not worthy of sainthood. He was a mere mortal, like the rest of us.

From Larry Penner, Great Neck, N.Y.

US missing out on millions by not fighting for space contracts

Reformed rules for the export controls applicable to satellites and spacecraft systems went into effect this November. However, with the spread of satellite launch and space technologies, these new U.S. rules seem to be restrictive.

Case in point is Azerbaijan, a pro-Western ally, which launched its first U.S-made telecommunications satellite in 2013, spending $120 million on the project. However, due to hurdles and red tape that the State Department caused, for its second and third satellites for Earth observation and imaging, Azerbaijan went with the Franco-German company Airbus, spending some $300 million on them. The difference: Europeans were more pro-business and aggressively courted Azerbaijan. So it’s a win for the European Union businesses and workers, and a loss for U.S. businesses and workers. Nicely done, U.S. State Department!

In 2015 Azerbaijan will be launching another telecommunications satellite. It’s high time for Americans to borrow a page from European satellite playbook, and win Azerbaijani business.

From Hyre Bysal, Springfield, Va.