Ex-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi best summed up the standstill in the House of Representatives. “This is their problem and (it’s) their lack of respect for this institution, their lack of respect for the responsibility that we all have to protect and defend the Constitution,” Pelosi said of the Republicans’ antics’ over the selection of a new speaker. This should come as no surprise. This is the same body that had no respect for the transition of power or for a duly elected president. They called Jan. 6 “a mere protest” despite the fact that people died.
The Republicans claim to be the party of fiscal responsibility. How much is it costing our nation to keep on the heat and lights in their chamber while they do nothing but fight with each other? Are they paying themselves a salary? Are they paying their staff? Nothing can get done, no one can get sworn in.
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The bigger question is why do people still vote for this party? The main reasons that I can think of is that they love low taxes and do not mind the lack of government services that are the result (until their Social Security or Medicare run out). Those who oppose unity call themselves the “Freedom Caucus.” Freedom means the ability to have choices.
How many choices do the American people have when the body known as the people’s house cannot govern at all?
Jan Goldberg, Riverside
Legal argument
In a recent letter to the Sun-Times, attorney James N. Perlman argued why the no-cash bail provision of the SAFE-T Act in unconstitutional. While Perlman mentioned the separation of powers between our branches of government, he conveniently failed to point out that there is also a system of checks and balances. The SAFE-T Act legislation to protect citizens — particularly the no cash bail provision — is a check on an overzealous profit-driven judiciary.
Megan Rumpel, East Peoria
Mayor mistake
I’m reading the Sun-Times coverage of next month’s mayoral election and thinking what a sad bunch of candidates — none of them have demonstrated the skills needed for the job. I can’t help remembering that if weren’t for the newspapers and many privileged white Chicagoans, we might have had a skilled and experienced administrator and negotiator, Toni Preckwinkle, as mayor.
Instead, they backed an inexperienced and under-qualified Lori Lightfoot, perhaps assuming she would be easier to maneuver around or manipulate than Preckwinkle? As usual, all these forces outsmarted themselves and their mistakes damaged the city.
I’ll bet Preckwinkle is thinking to herself, “I wouldn’t touch that job with a 10-foot pole.” Oh well, at least we have a competent Cook County board president.
Muriel Balla, Hyde Park
