When Kamala Harris made her run for the presidential nomination, she went nowhere. Her support was dismal, and she dropped out early. During her years as vice president, she has been seen by many voters as a joke, with her nonsensical “word salad” comments and her lack of accomplishments. Even Democrats feared the loss of President Joe Biden in part because it would be Harris who would take over the Oval Office.
Now suddenly, Harris is being touted as ready for the presidency, capable and intelligent — all qualities that she was considered to be lacking a few short weeks ago.
The only rational conclusion is that the dislike or hatred of Donald Trump is so overwhelming to many people that they have a need to convince themselves and others that the failed Harris is their savior.
— David Howard, Rockford
Excitement over the election
I am a fan of President Joe Biden, but I think he did the right thing in resigning. If Kamala Harris wins the election, Biden can proudly take credit for the next president of the United States and will know that she will continue with the advancement of many of his own achievements.
It’s great to see so many people excited again about the new dynamics!
— The Rev. Clara S. Thompson, Montgomery, Illinois
Harris ineffective at her job
Kamala Harris has used the race and gender card to avoid or deflect criticism. She was selected four years ago to balance the ticket, as has been done throughout our history for presidential elections. Although she has been an effective spokesperson for certain racial and gender issues, she has been ineffective at dealing with illegal border crossings and other meaningful problems she was asked to address.
For most of her time as vice president, she has kept a low profile. She needs to be put to the same tests and be able to be criticized the same way a white male candidate would be.
— Tom Barr, Riverside
Thoughts about ‘diversity hire’
For all the people complaining that Kamala Harris is a diversity hire, how is that worse than the Republican candidate, who is a nepo baby who got his start because of his name and whose sons, daughter and son-in-law got their jobs because of him?
— Phillip Seeberg, Naperville
Trump’s predictable reaction
Donald Trump was fixated on Barack Obama’s birth certificate for years. The Black attorney general of New York is a “racist,” according to Trump. A U.S.-born federal judge is a “Mexican.” Manhattan’s Black district attorney is an “animal” and “degenerate psychopath.”
Kamala Harris is now a presidential candidate, and Trump’s views on women are painfully obvious. It’s going to be a long, filthy and depressing campaign.
— Michael M. Bates, Tinley Park
Biden’s withdrawal disturbing
The sudden withdrawal of President Joe Biden from the presidential race and the coronation of Vice President Kamala Harris as his successor has been disturbing to me. While I did not support the president and certainly will not support his successor, I always felt Biden was a good and decent man. But what has been highly disturbing is the way his previous Washington insider supporters turned on him after the debate fiasco a month ago. These same insiders were telling us for months that he was sharp and on top of his game when it was clear that he wasn’t.
Instead of Democrats forcing him out via the 25th Amendment months ago and having a fair primary process with good people wanting to compete for the job, Democratic voters are left with no choice. Would Harris have won a fair primary process? Possibly or even probably, but now we’ll never know.
Now who is the “threat to democracy”? I’m upset about this, and I’m not even a Democrat.
— Rick Kyle, Wheaton
What drove Biden’s decision
Joe Biden has decided to step aside, and there are many people to be blamed for this decision. First of all, there are his parents, who taught him to be a decent human being who respects others. When he was teased as a child for his stuttering, Biden did not become a bully who attacked others to mask his own inadequacy. Instead of seeking ways to retaliate against his attackers, he practiced reciting William Butler Yeats and Ralph Waldo Emerson to improve his fluency. Because of this ingrained, gentle approach, Biden was not able to match Donald Trump’s nastiness and bullying.
Blame the Catholic Church, whose tenets provided Biden with the inner strength and peace to look outside himself and act for the good of others (1 Corinthians 13:1).
Blame Jill Biden, whose loving support gave him the manliness to step down so that American women would not be subjected to four years of verbal abuse and catty remarks under a president who has little or no respect for women.
Blame his son, Beau, for increasing Joe Biden’s pride in America by serving in the Army and showing character enough to earn the Bronze Star for his service in Iraq. (Did either of the Trump boys serve?)
Blame Hunter Biden, who gave human form to Joe Biden’s strength of character by conquering his drug addiction. He further affirmed his father’s respect for our legal system by accepting the guilty results in his federal gun case and did not flood the airwaves by denigrating the courts with complaints of a witch hunt — leaving those unrelenting accusations to be bellowed by Trump about his own court case.
Yes, Joe Biden has stepped down from the campaign, but he has taken a giant step up in the opinion and the love of every grateful American.
— Mary Ann Kehl, Wilmette
Illinois has 3 political parties
Jim Nowlan’s review of the economic and political state of Illinois is on the mark (“Illinois should be an economic powerhouse. Why isn’t it?” July 21). However, there are two additional factors. First, Illinois has three distinct political parties: Chicago Democrats, Illinois Democrats like Paul Simon and Dick Durbin and Republicans. Second, from 1870 to 1980, Illinoisans elected members of the House of Representatives with cumulative voting. This ensured that there would be Republican legislators from Chicago and Democrats from downstate districts.
Those “minority” representatives moderated the discussion with bipartisan cooperation across the aisle.
— Joe Vosicky, Elmhurst
Tax help for senior citizens
In Olivia Stevens’ July 22 story about suburban homeowners struggling with their taxes, Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas is quoted as saying, “These increases are hitting households with senior citizens.”
Having been a former employee of the Cook County treasurer’s office, I know about two options available for low-income seniors that can help those struggling to pay their property taxes.
One is the state tax deferral program that works like a loan. According to the Cook County assessor’s website, “This program allows qualified seniors to defer a maximum of $7,500 per tax year (this includes 1st and 2nd installments) on their primary home. The loan from the State of Illinois is paid when the property is sold, or upon the death of the participant.”
The second is the low-income senior citizens assessment freeze. According to the Cook County assessor’s website, “Senior homeowners are eligible for this exemption if they are over 65 years of age and have a total household annual income of $65,000 or less in the 2022 calendar year. A ‘Senior Freeze’ Exemption provides property tax savings by freezing the equalized assessed value (EAV) of an eligible property. This does not automatically freeze the amount of their tax bill, only the EAV remains at the fixed amount.”
Educating seniors about these options can help alleviate their financial stress regarding rising property taxes.
— Kathy Posner, Chicago
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