Crucifying Trump

The ways the Democrats and the news media constantly attack, vilify, malign and try to trip up President Donald Trump remind me of the ways the Pharisees and the scribes attacked, vilified, maligned and tried to trip up Jesus 2,000 years ago.

The Pharisees and scribes wanted Jesus crucified; the Democrats and media want President Donald Trump impeached, only because crucifixion is no longer the vogue.

Donald Froelich

Mount Prospect

Good and bad of Illinois taxes

Congratulations on a great article regarding loss of residents in Illinois. The depth of the article was stunning. Here are some of the highlights:

When you take the people that have come to Illinois away from the people that left Illinois, the number is only 43,101 that have left in 2016. A very small number.

The records show that 55 percent of departees were under 35 and more than 60 percent reported incomes with modest earnings. Higher earners have come in and lower earners have left - exactly the opposite of what GOP leaders claim. Taxes do not play a role in people leaving.

Of the 5 top states that people left for, three (California, Indiana and Wisconsin) have higher taxes than Illinois. Democratics raised taxes in 2011, rolled taxes back in 2015 to 3.75 percent before raising them to 4.95 percent, still way below neighboring states.

Illinois does not tax retirement income (one of only five states) nor do we pay state taxes on personal property.

The problem that we have is with pension funding caused by Republican and Democratic governors since the '70s not properly funding the pensions. Now we have the new governor's budget calling for another "tax holiday." Not good.

Like with all of the problems we have, you need to understand what the real issues are and not just the talking points of the various parties. Thanks to the DH for helping us better understand all of this.

Jack Halpin

Arlington Heights

Northwest suburban leaders go missing at MLK remembrance

On Saturday, April 6, the Illinois Commission on Diversity and Human Relations sponsored the 51st Annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Remembrance and Commemoration Dinner in Schaumburg. On the dais were many prominent leaders on issues of diversity and racial equality. Robin Robinson performed the emcee duties. Dr. Timothy Killeen, president of the University of Illinois, spoke about renewed attempts to attract and retain minority students. Kwame Raoul, Illinois' attorney general, provided a thoughtful keynote address, touching briefly on the Jesse Smollett case.

Music was provided by Walt Whitman and the Soul Children of Chicago, who provided spirited gospel music performances that touched the hearts of all those attending.

A major highlight of the evening was the presentation of the Dr. Martin Luther King Courage Honor to former NBA player Metta World Peace. Metta World Peace was tweeting his enthusiasm about the award before the dinner had even concluded.

The event provided a range of tones on the remembrance of Dr. King - from optimism on progress made, work yet to be done, and dismay over lost ground in the current environment. The Rev. Brooks closed the ceremonies with a somber reflection on the many hypocrisies encountered on the road to equality.

My reflection was that it was sad to see so few white leaders from the Northwest suburbs in attendance. Only one Mayor of the ten villages within a short drive, Arlene Jurasek of Mount Prospect, was there. Church leaders were few, save for the ever-encouraging Pete Warmanen, Pastor of Our Savior's Lutheran Church.

Next year, let's hope more of our Northwest church and political leaders will participate in this important event in support of all who seek equality in our society.

Chris Mier

Arlington Heights

Electoral College needs fixing

I strongly agree with recent contributor Robert Meale that our Electoral College concept is what we need to provide fair balance among states with various-sized populations, and to promote quick election results.

Just imagine the case of a very close tally in a national popular vote. Every state would be required to recount. The likelihood increases that numerous court battles would ensue, and the results of the election would likely not be determined for many months. Meanwhile, important activities of our government may be suspended or disputed until election results are finally ruled upon by some high level courts.

But, in reality, the way our current Electoral College system has developed is defective. We allow states to determine how their popular vote is used to allocate their electoral votes. Unfortunately, almost all of them have gone with "winner-take all". Thus, the few very highly populated states with large numbers of electors throw all of them to one candidate, even if their popular vote might only be 51 percent to 49 percent. Electors provided by all of the less populated states can thus be neutralized by just one or two large states that send 100 percent of their electoral votes to one party even if their popular votes were close.

The present "winner take all" system thereby violates the principle of fairness our forefathers intended. It violates the concept of "one man, one vote". It makes results much more likely that a loser of the popular vote is declared the winner of the election. And it distorts the power of one party over another. These conditions generate a lack of trust among the voting public. States must be required to allocate electors based on the proportion of their popular vote.

Richard Cichanski

Palatine

A taxpayer-oriented idea on pensions

I was talking with my husband about Illinois and the pension crisis, and he agreed with my suggestion. Thinking this was some kind of miracle, I thought I would offer it up to you guys, and see what you think.

If someone is retired and collecting multiple pensions, I would suggest the following (as a lifelong taxpayer):

The second pension shall be taxed at 50 percent with that portion going to the pension fund. The third pension (believe it or not, some people get three) these are taxed at 75 percent, with that portion going to the pension fund.

At least the taxpayers will feel less taken advantage of this way. So many private citizens collect zero pension. Those jobs went to China. Pensions are, to many people, a thing of the past. The 401(k) has replaced it for us, and maybe it finally is time for the government to catch up to current times for the rest of us.

Diana Skipworth

Bartlett

The need for balance in campus politics

I am writing this in answer to a letter recently read in your column. I recently moved to Illinois from Georgia. Politics there are much more to my liking.

I read Rosemary Colbert's remarks regarding Walter Williams' article on education. Being a conservative who loves history, I feel it is her opinion that is skewed. Having conservatives outnumbered by liberals at the college level has created problems that need to be addressed.

There is a whole generation of young people who are completely intolerant of any opinions but their own, something which I expect their professors have in common. When history is addressed, it is abhorrent to them, so much so that they either want to delete it or alter it.

History is where we learn from our mistakes so they are not repeated in future generations.

Patricia Neesen

Hawthorn Woods