Term limits are best response to any 'Senator No'

On April 16, the Daily Herald printed a letter from Richard Olhava of Arlington Heights entitled, "Senator No." Although I have never met the author, I realize I have another kindred spirit in this world.

Our senior U.S. senator, Richard Durbin, has a long record of ignoring big issues as long as he can advance his party's power. He has been in a position of senior leadership in the U.S. Senate for many years, enjoying great influence, with the potential for benefit to his constituents, his state and his country.

Instead, he has chosen at most opportunities to enhance partisanship and personal agenda. He has repeatedly elected to pursue on the national stage weighty subjects of grave importance to our state such as doping in professional baseball athletes and airline passenger comfort, while failing to support a budget passage for years, or ways for simpler, fairer taxation.

But as Mr. Olhava pointed out, Mr. Durbin's behavior is unfortunately typical of many entrenched professional politicians. I, too have come to the conclusion that subordinate only to real transparency, the single best way to mitigate the siren calls of self- and partisan interest is term limits, applicable at every level of government.

Although certainly no panacea, it would be a step in the right direction for fostering more honest and effective representation and administration.

John Stoesser

Barrington