Legislators focus on what's good for them

I am really getting tired of our state and federal legislators. It seems that these people only care first, about assuring their own re-election; and secondly, that their party remains in power.

Examples state-wise include we taxpayers being told that the metropolitan transportation agencies are in dire need of hundreds of millions of new dollars to survive. The legislators pass a good-sized sales tax increase and then, thanks to our spendthrift governor, some $20 million-plus is given away in free rides to seniors, of which I am one, without any consideration of need. Now Governor Blago toots his own horn about being a nice guy and most of the legislators will jump on the "good guy" bandwagon.

The feds are going to give out tax rebates that will cost some $150 billion. Where are they going to get the money for this? Most likely, they will just make the printing presses roll faster and turn out extra new dollars. This will surely boost the dollar in the world financial market, while we continue to spend $10 billion a month in Iraq prosecuting the war and rebuilding what is destroyed.

Meanwhile, we have a lot of families that overextended themselves when they purchased their home. Now that they are in financial trouble, the feds are going to rescue them because we can't have people losing the home they can't afford. Somehow the taxpayer will end up financing this.

Only in America can you be penalized for living within your budget and be rewarded for living beyond your budget But then, apparently legislators don't know what a budget is.

Phillip E. Ritchey

Glendale Heights