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 ksorensen@tribpub.com. Please include “speak out” in the subject line.
Happy holidays: Uh-oh, on my car radio I heard the “Christmas Station” promoting their upcoming switch to seasonal fare. In fact, they’re currently running the annual contest to guess the day it all begins (personally, I guessed next Friday). So, if it’s not too inappropriate, I’d like to be first in wishing everyone “Happy Holidays!”
GOP proposes cuts: Why aren’t the news outlets talking about the Republicans’ plans to slash Social Security and Medicare? Some have openly said they want eligibility changes, spending caps and safety network requirements among their top priorities. What I read is they want to raise the age of eligibility to 69. They have said that Social Security will run out soon but it is the surplus that will run out by 2035. Social Security will still be able to pay out over 80% of benefits. Medicare will be able to pay out 90% of benefits after 2028 once the FICA and SECA tax surplus runs out. I’d like to know more about this and what other options they have considered.
Temporary fix: The Nachusa Grasslands in Illinois! The perfect place for the thousands of acres of solar panels and wind turbines that will save the climate … for two seconds, right?
Vote no on amendment: On the November ballot you’ll be asked to vote yes or no on the Worker’s Right Amendment. If Illinoisans are fooled into voting yes for Amendment 1, they can kiss goodbye parental rights, lower taxes and a state turnaround! Also included in the amendment is an outright ban on right-to-work laws that let workers decide whether to join a union or not. Please vote no.
President Bozo: Liz Cheney wants badly for Donald Trump to testify before the Jan. 6 Committee and she promises it won’t turn into a circus. But frankly, how could it be otherwise? If the man evading all their questions acts and sounds like a clown, it’s not a stretch to confuse the disgraced, ex-president for Bozo!
Doing his job: Gov. Ron DeSantis said bridge to Sanibel Island in Florida will be open for the general public Oct. 19 and it did. This is what happens when you focus on the job at hand and don’t worry about changing the gender of kindergarten through fourth grade or what signs to put on bathroom doors or secretly financing white privilege commercials but not taking any responsibility for it. That’s what happens when you just do your job.
