Speak Out is a reader-generated column of opinions. If you there’s something you’d like to comment on in Elgin or beyond, send an email to [email protected]. Please include “speak out” in the subject line.
No on workers’ rights: The Amendment 1 issue on the ballot should voted down. First, the Illinois Constitution should be reserved for legal issues that broadly affect all Illinoisans. It should not be used willy-nilly to cover issues for the benefit of any special interest group. The public employee pension debt fiasco is a case in point. Second, the amendment and its vaguely worded provisions will be the source of endless argument and court challenges. Third, it was not reasonably and perhaps not even legally discussed and vetted before last-minute approval so a lame duck session of the legislature could adjourn.
Solar farms waste land: A “farm” is supposed to mean land used to grow food for humans, not solar panels. How can humans eat solar panels? Those hundreds/thousands of acres could be put to better use as actual food farms or even as potential housing for the homeless. But then, if climate change is “caused” by humans, eliminating humans through starvation and exposure to the elements would reduce the pollution humans cause thus ending climate change, right, environmentalists?
Rake your leaves: It seems the more leaves I rake, the more they keep accumulating on my lawn, most of which are coming from my neighbor’s trees. There really should be a law that everyone is responsible for their own foliage — no exceptions allowed!
Bailey not a ‘poor’ farmer: Darren Bailey is a millionaire, not a poor farmer from southern Illinois. He has employees, high-tech equipment, and applied for and received pandemic money all while complaining about closing down businesses and mask mandates. A million people died of COVID-19. He is part of the problem in Springfield, having voted against pandemic relief, against more police and against gun control. We are better off now than we were four years ago under Bruce Rauner.
Biden pushing agenda: Our beloved president is at it again. I was watching “Jay Leno’s Garage” and there was Biden pushing his electric car agenda and his war on oil and gas. Leno should be ashamed of being part of it as he has dozens of gasoline and diesel powered cars. Biden was actually driving a Ford pickup retrofitted with electric motors. Shameful spending of probably hundreds of thousands of taxpayer dollars for travel for him and the entourage. As the world crumbles, he’s laughing with Leno!