Wouldn’t it be great if during the presidential debates, we could make the candidates speak only about the issues? There are plenty that need attention: immigration, the national debt, health care, crime, Medicare & Social Security, abortion rights, foreign policy, etc. Then we could judge each candidate based on their policies and positions.
Well, I have a solution: Just mandate the following rules:
You have three minutes to speak on each issue.You can only speak about the issue that was asked. You can only say how you feel or what you would do regarding an issue; you cannot say anything about your opponent or their position.You cannot interrupt your opponent (muted microphone). There are no rebuttals.You cannot comment on anything your opponent says, or on anything your opponent has said or done in the past.You cannot say what you wouldn’t do, only what you would do.
The camera would be focused exclusively on the speaker. As a penalty, if you violate any rule, your microphone would be shut off, you forfeit your speaking time on the issue and your opponent is awarded an additional minute to speak.
I guess this really wouldn’t be a debate and the TV ratings would probably be bad. However, we would find out how each candidate stands on an issue. We then can make up our own minds without each opponent attacking each other or stating how they view their opponent’s positions.
Personally, I don’t care what they think about their opponent. I want to know what they think about the issues!
Jerry Phillips, Schaumburg
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In appreciation of child welfare workers
As we observe Child Welfare Workforce Appreciation Week Sept. 9 -13, it is crucial to recognize the remarkable dedication and commitment of our child welfare staff, who work tirelessly on behalf of all the citizens of Illinois, ensuring the safety, well-being, and futures of foster children across our state.
In their role, they serve as the backbone of a system where the State of Illinois acts as the legal guardian for thousands of vulnerable children. Their work is not only vital but deeply challenging, requiring immense compassion, resilience and skill. Despite these demands, they often go unrecognized, working quietly behind the scenes to provide support, stability and hope to children who have experienced trauma and hardship.
Their efforts make a profound difference in the lives of these children and their families, helping them heal and grow in safe, loving environments. This work, while rewarding, comes with its own set of challenges, making their unwavering commitment all the more commendable.
As a community, we must not overlook the vital contributions of our child welfare workforce. Let us take this week to express our gratitude for their extraordinary work, and to acknowledge the positive impact they have on the lives of countless children and families in Illinois.
Mike Bertrand, President and CEO, Lutheran Child and Family Services of Illinois, Oakbrook Terrace, Illinois
No real men in Hamas
I keep hearing how Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is wrong for continuing the fight against Hamas because innocent women and children are dying. Why don’t I ever hear criticism of Hamas “men” hiding among those women and children? What real men do this? I always believed that real men protected women and children, not hid behind them.
Janet Lumm, Schaumburg
Arlington Cemetery visit just one of Trump’s flaws
Larry Craig wrote in a letter to the editor recently that “Dawn Kristensen wants us to simply dismiss Trump because of some things that happened at a cemetery” and applied “whataboutism” to Donald Trump’s flaws by suggesting that we are all flawed.
It was as though Mr. Craig believed that the incident at Arlington Cemetery was an isolated incident rather than simply the latest in a list of, probably literally, tens of thousands of actions that have demonstrated Trump’s unfitness for office.
Trump is not simply flawed. His flaws are legion. He was our most flawed president ever. Megaflaws like his lethal mismanagement of the pandemic and his extensive attempts to negate the result of the 2020 election should, by themselves, disqualify him, but there is much, much more.
He is, emphatically, not well-meaning. He lies as naturally as he breathes. In his quest for power, he has persistently sown dissension that has weakened the nation and may not heal for generations.
Among those of us who require more from a president than not being a Democrat, he has no compensating virtues. He has been rated, in detailed analyses by experts on the presidency, as the worst president ever. The economy during his term was good (not “great”), but this is more likely to have been simply a continuation of the trends that had been in place for years before he took office than the result of any action that he took. He was, for three years, lucky in the timing of his tenure.
I could go on without repeating anything until I fill this entire page.
I worked to elect Ronald Reagan and George W. Bush. I voted against Barack Obama twice and Clintons three times. I expect that if, as I hope, Kamala Harris is our next president, I will be disagreeing with her on policy as soon as her hand is off of the Bible, but, as a normal candidate, her chance of being better than the Worst President Ever is very good and, if voted out, she would leave.
Curt Fredrikson, Mokena