Stuart Loren’s call for less chaos and more common sense is needed, but his path to get there is baffling (“Chicago needs less chaos and more common sense,” Aug. 31). Like Loren, I’ve lived in Chicago and Boston, I “identify with classic liberalism and am politically independent,” and we share a connection with Fort Sheridan. He works for Fort Sheridan Advisors, and I worked at Fort Sheridan as an infantry officer when it was an Army base, before it became a wealthy enclave.
We also agree that “if you care about progressive priorities, you must get the basics of governance right. Public safety, a sound economy, sustainable finances, reliable services and quality education,” which require “voters to elect more pragmatic officials.”
However, we have quite different conclusions for achieving those basics and reducing our current chaos. To me, more pragmatism means moving away from the corrupt, capricious policies of the current administration, such as crony capitalism that imposes bogus tariffs on free trade, punishing leaders and countries the president dislikes while favoring those who flatter him. Stop politicizing the Federal Reserve, Justice Department, arts, schools and museums.
More pragmatism means not widening class divisions by cutting Medicaid and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program funding to give tax breaks to oligarchs. Stop cutting funding to public schools to benefit private schools and tutors favored by the European aristocracy we rebelled against. Common sense means changing a dysfunctional and overly expensive health care system that benefits insurance companies and lobbyists.
Another risk to Trump’s militarization of U.S. cities that Loren leaves out is the negative effects on recruiting our volunteer soldiers. As a third-generation Army veteran, I’ve never heard of any veteran who volunteered to serve because they wanted to stand on American streets and point automatic weapons at their fellow citizens. This unconstitutional partisan politicization is poisonous to unit morale and discipline with long-term consequences for who serves and why.
Many books (Walter Scheidel, Peter Turchin) and studies show that increases in crime, civil unrest and even revolution are caused by breakdowns in the social system and inequalities resulting from having a small elite of enormously wealthy people at the top, a shrinking middle and a large majority of people stuck at the bottom. When people lose hope in justice and equality, they rebel and pivot hard, and chaos ensues.
That historical lesson is worth learning before it’s too late.
— Franz Burnier, Wheaton
In the political center
The longish op-ed by Stuart Loren was the exact opposite of the usual polarized argument, the kind of argument that unfortunately has bled over from the internet onto the pages of most newspapers: It was reasoned, factual, practical and (horrors!) neither hard left nor hard right.
Most of us live in the political center; most of us want a city that works, that prioritizes safety and that realizes that not every wish can be granted. Can we please see more from the practical center?
I realize that most of those in the center are too busy with work, family and life to pen reasoned opinions, but publishing more of their thoughts might help to heal our civic divides.
— Vincent Flood, Evanston
Leaders’ hypocrisy
Why not do a presser from Avenue O?
I noticed Gov. J.B. Pritzker and Illinois’ other politicians did their, “We don’t need the National Guard in Chicago“ press conference from the relative safety of North Wabash Avenue and not on Avenue O.
Avenue O (or O Block, as neighborhood residents call it) is one of the most heavily gang-infested and troubled areas in the city.
Yet, Pritzker and other Democratic politicians chose the safety of the Chicago River near President Donald Trump‘s hotel as the backdrop for their presser on the National Guard not being needed in Chicago.
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The hypocrisy is glaring.
— Bruce R. Hovanec, Chicago
Columnist’s omissions
After reading Heidi Stevens’ column “President chips away at voting rights” (Aug. 31), it appears to me she made a point of omitting information that would go against her views.
She claims that President Donald Trump is willing to “curtail or remove Americans’ rights to free speech, free assembly, a free press, due process,” to name a few. Apparently, she has forgotten what happened during COVID-19: Those who dared question the origins of the virus had their opinions censored. People who dared to question the effectiveness of the vaccine or not get vaccinated lost jobs or could not travel.
In addition, in Stevens’ opinion, Trump is the only election denier. Hillary Clinton told Joe Biden to never concede if he lost the 2020 election. Stacey Abrams also claimed she won her election and did not concede to Brian Kemp.
As in most one-sided opinion pieces, it’s not what you say but what you leave unsaid.
— David Bohac, Willow Springs
Impunity as a tool
How short is the memory of some Americans? Apparently, disturbingly short. In a defense of President Donald Trump’s approach to urban crime, a letter writer on Sept. 2 (“Give Trump a chance”) states, “We want criminals to be held, not released, and made to pay a price. … I believe when politics get in the way, it becomes about the Republicans versus Democrats.”
Indeed. But the current administration flouts these very principles. It supports impunity as a tool to achieve political advantage. May I remind readers that Trump’s first executive action, on his first day in office on Jan. 20, was to pardon or commute the sentences of everyone (about 1,500 people) charged or convicted for their role, including violently attacking police officers, in the Jan. 6, 2021, assault on the U.S. Capitol?
So much for making criminals pay a price and putting politics aside.
— Rachelle Gold, Chicago
Trump given a chance
The letter about giving President Donald Trump a chance is wrong! The letter writer states that we want criminals to be held, not released, but we all know that Trump was convicted on 34 criminal charges.
She states that we need affordable housing and more jobs, but Trump wants to reduce or take away Medicare, Medicaid, lunches for underprivileged children and funding for disease research, and give tax breaks to millionaires while he golfs, outings that cost taxpayers millions of dollars. He destroyed the beautiful garden at the White House and put in concrete.
We gave Trump a chance, and he is destroying our democracy!
— Charlotte Braun, Glenview
Let Pfleger do good
The Aug. 24 letter “Priest should retire” states that the Rev. Michael Pfleger has a long history of partisan politics. I say: Good!
In today’s political scene, liberals tend to promote kindness, i.e., inclusion of everyone. In contrast are the conservative politics that tend to promote cruelty by excluding anyone who does not fit into a constrained conception of normalcy. Pfleger’s actions always epitomize the kindness of inclusion.
Rather than the writer pontificating about how Pfleger needs to retire from active priesthood, how about a better use of his time by advocating the notion that pedophile priests should be retired to jail. That would be the kind thing to do, particularly for the children who attend the parishes to which these pedophile priests have been transferred.
But leave Pfleger alone, the priest who supports kindness over cruelty, so that he may continue his good works.
— Megan Bedard, Round Lake Beach
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