It’s rather ironic that all these Democratic representatives and senators are calling for Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s firing for sharing more sensitive information in a chat app. Yet, I don’t recall any of these outraged members of Congress urging President Joe Biden to fire anyone after the disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan where 13 Americans were killed.
While this sharing of sensitive material must stop, and let’s hope President Donald Trump takes Hegseth to the woodshed for this transgression, it’s not the terrible thing that these hypocrites are making it out to be. Instead of these constant snipes and attacks, wouldn’t it be nice if the Democrats actually offered some constructive suggestions?
Heaven knows we have enough serious problems to deal with, so both parties need to stop trying to make political points and get on with the job of making some difficult decisions.
— Dan Schuchardt, Glen Ellyn
Threat to security
Do people really believe that wearing the American flag in the breast pocket of your suit or wearing socks with the American flag makes you a patriot? Pete Hegseth, the secretary of defense, is a joke and a threat to our national security. If he can’t be trusted with classified material, how can our men and women in the armed forces, at home and abroad, have confidence in this man?
Now about our secretary of heath …
— Silvana Santilli, Oak Park
Impeach Hegseth
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth was a bad choice from the get-go. It took a tie-breaking vote from Vice President JD Vance to confirm him for a position he was eminently unqualified to assume.
In just 90 days, Hegseth has proved himself to be a danger to the nation and the men and women of the armed forces under his leadership. President Donald Trump, stubborn to his core, announced that Hegseth is not in danger of being removed. Too bad for us but even more so for the U.S.
It is now up to Congress to rid the Department of Defense of its very bad and unreliable leader by way of impeachment. The Democrats in the House and Senate recognize that removing Hegseth is imperative. What are the Republicans waiting for?
— David Kahn, Boca Raton, Florida
Voter suppression
The SAVE Act, which has passed the House and has been received in the Senate, would disenfranchise millions of voters. It is voter suppression. This act would require all citizens either registering to vote or updating their registration information to present documentary proof of citizenship in person. For the majority of Americans, this would require a birth certificate or passport. A driver’s license, Real ID or other government-issued identification card would not satisfy the requirements.
Although supporters claim this is to keep those illegally in the country from voting in federal elections, that is already illegal.
About 80% of women in the U.S. who marry have changed their surname. That means an astounding 69 million U.S. women do not have a birth certificate reflecting their legal name. That means that 69 million voters would be unable to use their birth certificate to prove citizenship to register to vote, an unnecessary and undue burden. Others who have changed their names must comply as well.
The act would also create an undue burden on low-income voters by requiring them to purchase a birth certificate or a passport to vote, even though they have voted for years. Birth certificates are not free or simple to obtain, and passports can cost a couple hundred dollars. It would create an undue burden on disabled voters, senior voters, student voters and rural voters, by requiring them to travel in order to register or update their voter registration in person, rather than by mail or online.
The SAVE Act would impact survivors of domestic violence. Many survivors change their name for personal safety while their birth certificate may still reflect their given name. To vote, a survivor would need to go back to their birth name, potentially endangering them and their family.
The SAVE Act would negatively change the way we currently vote in Illinois and around the country — greatly hampering or eliminating online and mail-in voter registration and eliminating voter registration drives.
Every Illinois Democratic member of Congress voted against the SAVE Act, and we know our two senators will do the same. Please thank them.
However, downstate Republican U.S. Reps. Mike Bost, Mary Miller and Darin LaHood all voted in favor of the measure. Let them know how you feel.
— Laura R. Welch, president, Illinois National Organization for Women
Adherence to law
In his dissenting opinion on the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to stop the Trump administration’s deportation of immigrants without due process, Justice Samuel Alito described the ruling as “hastily and prematurely granted.” He added that “both the Executive and the Judiciary have an obligation to follow the law.”
However, the administration’s track record suggests a pattern of disregarding legal boundaries. President Donald Trump’s administration has repeatedly acted as though it were exempt from legal constraints or, more concerning, as if it had the authority to create laws independently. It has ignored numerous court orders, suggesting that judges lack the authority to review administrative decisions.
Administration officials frequently reference a “mandate” from voters, despite the fact that Trump received less than 50% of the popular vote — hardly the overwhelming victory or mandate they claim. Therefore, Alito’s characterization of the decision as “premature” seems misplaced, as this administration has consistently demonstrated unwillingness to adhere to the law, constitutional principles or judicial rulings.
— Andy Olcott, Glenview
Channeling McCarthy
In the letter “Antisemitism no liberty” (April 27), the writer states that “rampant antisemitism on university campuses is not a ‘civil liberty.’” I hardly know where to start. Where is or was antisemitism rampant? Yes, there were protests, bullying, destructive and threatening acts, lots of noise and confrontation. Some Jewish students did feel fear and suffer harm or abuse.
Is the government’s McCarthy-esque response, interrogating Jewish students and faculty individually and withdrawing essential research and program funding, commensurate? Government reaction as we’ve seen in these circumstances is shocking. University officials being pilloried by Congress!
These Soviet-like actions cannot be accepted, much less applauded.
We are the public. Let’s keep our eyes open and our minds clear. So much is at stake.
— Jane Heron, Chicago
Billionaires, stand up
I find it extremely interesting reading the “Voice of the People” letters every day in the Tribune. There are comments from all sides of the political spectrum, and that is great. People voicing their opinions. We may agree and obviously disagree with them.
I always find interesting those who agree with the current administration and the cost-cutting measures, by chain saw, that are being done to the federal budget, regardless of how those cuts will negatively affect every United States citizen in some way.
What those in agreement, knowingly or unknowingly, fail to recognize is that those cuts to Social Security, education, medical programs, research, clean air and water protections, preschool for 4-year-olds, libraries and hundreds of others, are dragging this country back hundreds of years into the past. The destruction is being done by billionaires who obviously don’t care or give a damn about you, the future and how the United States will compete with those countries that are concerned about their citizens and their future.
These billionaires will survive — maybe. However, if you happen to be a billionaire and do care, you had better start voicing your opinion before it is too late.
Your heirs are depending on you. Your voice and pocketbook are good places to start.
— Harvey Orlov, Glenview
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