Don’t politicize Chicago murders

On Aug. 6, The Daily Herald printed a letter to the editor by James A. Wagner of Barrington that is irrational, uninformed, misguided, and slightly prejudiced.

Mr. Wagner begins discussing the troublesome murder rate in the city of Chicago this year.

However, how taxation and regulation relates to homicide is anyone’s guess because a large majority of these murders have been linked to gang activity. I can only assume that Mr. Wagner wishes to add a few Republican talking points for his disdain of progressive policies.

After years of voting to approve costs for Iraq and Afghanistan that were kept off the federal budget by the previous administration, and while uncharacteristically lowering taxes during a time of war, the Republican Party has only recently used their conservative ideology to stop spending and rein in big government at all costs, including the improvement of our economy.

Because of their stubborn refusal to raise taxes on the top 2 percent of income earners, close corporate loopholes, and end outrageous subsidies to even the most profitable of companies, hundreds of thousands of federal and state workers including teachers, firemen and police officers, have seen their jobs disappear. Black unemployment has correctly been more affected because they, along with many other minorities, make up a large percentage of the public workforce.

When American workers lose their jobs and their benefits, have bills to pay and have families to feed, they turn to their country for assistance. It only follows that there is going to be an increase in the demand for food stamps after the livelihoods of so many have been selfishly taken away.

William Malecki

Geneva