While I don’t think Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas has done a very good job in enforcing the southern border, impeachment is not the answer. The secretary is simply carrying out orders from his boss, President Joe Biden. Moreover, there is absolutely no chance that the Democrat-controlled Senate will vote to impeach him.
Therefore, it’s a waste of time and won’t help independents decide to vote Republican. The House should keep the pressure on the president to consider reasonable alternatives to the recent, ridiculous so-called border security bill.
— Dan Schuchardt, Glen Ellyn
Appropriate action for Mayorkas
If you don’t succeed at first, try, try again. Bravo to House Republicans who accomplished their mission the second time around to impeach Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas. For his lies to Congress and the American people about the border being secure and willful arrogance toward enforcing federal immigration law, Mayorkas got exactly what he deserves. Let us hope that Mayorkas is convicted. Immigration laws must be upheld to keep America safe, and precedence must be set.
But in the meantime, for all the wrong reasons, Mayorkas will not escape history.
— JoAnn Lee Frank, Clearwater, Florida
Schumer should mimic McConnell
U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer should do with Alejandro Mayorkas’ impeachment exactly what then-Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell did with then-President Barack Obama’s nomination of Merrick Garland to the Supreme Court: Refuse to bring it to the floor.
It’s high time that Democrats stopped being nice with a completely dysfunctional Republican Party that’s doing nothing but play foolish political games.
— John Feaster, Valparaiso, Indiana
Taking their orders from Trump
Immigration and border security issues have plagued Republican and Democratic administrations alike. Instead of addressing the issues and working toward effective legislation, Republican U.S. senators and representatives apparently have heeded former President Donald Trump’s efforts to thwart reform in order to provide him with a campaign issue to bolster his 2024 candidacy.
Specifically, Republican senators dismissed the reform legislation proffered by their colleagues — who worked in a bipartisan manner and in collaboration with Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas. And Republican representatives initiated an unprecedented impeachment proceeding against Mayorkas for his alleged failure to control the border.
The Republican senators’ inaction, in dismissing the draft legislation, and the representatives’ action, in proceeding with impeachment, elevate politics over policy and their loyalty to Trump.
Surely, they cannot believe Trump’s boastful pronouncements that he will “fix” the border and launch the “greatest” deportation program, just as they cannot forget his past boastful pronouncements that he would build the “greatest wall,” which would be paid for by Mexico.
— Ava Holly Berland, Chicago
Knee-jerk response to DEI
In the Feb. 11 Tribune, I read the Associated Press article “GOP lawmakers taking aim at DEI” with both sadness and anger. Yet again, lawmakers are taking action in knee-jerk response against a concept I suspect they either do not truly understand or find threatening. “DEI” is just a catchword for them. They could be putting their energies toward improving the lives of the populace, including reducing the burden of the middle class and ensuring that people in this country have adequate food, shelter and a chance to improve their lives.
DEI — diversity, equity and inclusion — is nothing to be afraid of; it does not seek to make the folks in power feel guilty. Rather, it is an understanding of our past to try to improve the future for all.
Diversity has always been a component of this country of transplants, immigrants and the transported. That diversity has brought strength and innovation to the country. Inclusion means that all people have a place at the tables where policies that affect their lives are created. No one knows better what the people need than the people themselves. Equity means that all people have an equal chance to reach their potential. Is not this an idea embedded in our country’s history? (Example: Anyone can become president of the United States.) The idea that if one person gets equity, another loses it, may be the basis for fear of the concept of equity. This should not be true. We should have enough resources to ensure that all people have a chance to reach their potential.
When you boil it down, the efforts against DEI really look like a group of entitled people in power trying to stay in power by fighting the efforts to know our history and try to improve on it. In addition, the targeting of places of learning is deliberate. One of the first targets of oligarchies down through history is the places where freedom of thought, exploration of history, creation of theory, and dialogue and open discourse are allowed to happen. The existence of these places is our future, where students can be exposed to different ideas and then can decide if and how they will use them. Why not give them the chance to do that?
Having people who can think for themselves creating the policies of the future would benefit all of us.
— Icy Cade-Bell, Tinley Park
Picture perfectly representative
If ever a picture spoke a thousand words, a picture in Sunday’s edition spoke 10,000. Pictured are an Oklahoma contingent of six white gentlemen witnessing the white governor signing an executive order against DEI. All of these gentlemen may be fine, upstanding people. But the need to governmentally endorse what Oklahoma’s governance appears to practice? The contrast underlies the frivolity and risibility of the act.
— Terry Brady, Libertyville
Brava for women’s sports articles
About two months ago, I submitted a response to a front-page article on the growth of fan interest in women’s volleyball and women’s sports generally (“College women’s volleyball is drawing record interest, and Chicago fans are all in,” Dec. 16). I noted how, in spite of this article on the front page, women’s sports were rarely covered in the Tribune’s sports section.
But then, at the beginning of February, the Tribune ran three articles on Caitlin Clark and an above-the-fold story on the WNBA trades in the off-season. I just wanted to write again to say: Love it. Keep up the good work and keep bringing out the many important stories in women’s sports.
— Brian Howell, Wheaton
Paper always on my driveway
I, too, would like to recognize my Tribune delivery driver, Ismael Vasquez. I have been a subscriber all my life and have had the Tribune delivered daily to my home for the last 33 years, and my paper is always on my driveway bright and early, thanks to Ismael.
— Linda Berkow, Arlington Heights
Dependable and kind carrier
How awesome is it to have your paper delivered on time, every day, double-wrapped and sitting right by the front door?
Our delivery person, Yvette Loggins, is so dependable and kind, and we have never been this lucky. We just wanted to commend her for doing such a superior job every single day. Thank you!
— Nancy Simmons, Schererville, Indiana
Be sure to tip delivery people
It is lovely to read all the letters to the Tribune from readers who appreciate the individuals who reliably deliver the Tribune to them. I hope that all of these readers show their appreciation by giving these amazingly reliable deliverers a generous monetary tip! A verbal thank you is great, but I don’t know any service that is more deserving of a big, fat monetary tip!
Thank you to Jesus for delivering the Tribune to our driveway 365 days a year. You are amazing!
— Claudia D’Hooge, Glen Ellyn
All the way from Bourbonnais
I’ve been reading the Tribune daily since I was a kid, and now that I am a senior, I greatly appreciate the home delivery and online option.
Chad Sprayer, all the way from Bourbonnais, delivers my daily Tribune to my driveway in Mokena quite early each day. I will continue to renew my home delivery/online subscription due to the great writing and Chad’s consistently timely home delivery.
— Scott Ford, Mokena, Illinois
On time in all kinds of weather
The best part of every morning is getting coffee and the Tribune and putting the radio on. Can’t really get going without the Tribune. So, many thanks to our intrepid delivery person.
Thank you, Veronica Guzman, for making it on time in all weather and for your excellent arm getting the paper to a convenient place. (Maybe you could have a backup job for the Bears!)
— Sheila Berndt, Brookfield
