Your Views
Parents, children; feds, states
In these challenging times - with the ongoing squabbles between the states and our leadership In Washington D.C. - I think it's important to consider how this nation of ours actually came about.
It wasn't birthed from a single entity - with the resulting 13 offspring. Rather it was 13 disparate orphans that got together and set about putting a family of sorts together. With each of these states of a different age. And with each of them having their own particular interests. With each of them having their own individual strengths. As so apparent at Valley Forge when they assembled to fight the common enemy of that time. And started to get to know each other better.
What a challenge to assemble such a family initially. Made only more difficult in the ongoing years as the number of offspring grew to reach our current state of 50.
Each newly added member needing to serve its own interests first of course. Fighting for a place at the dinner table. Craving for attention. Desirous of first dibs rather than another hand me down. And each feeling it's the most important.
Should the biggest of the bunch be taken care of first? Or the one that cries the loudest? Perhaps the oldest? Or maybe the weakest?
We know that tremendous success can come to big families. Greater overall success than achievable by individual efforts. Success that comes from understanding each other. Accepting each other. Helping each other. Communicating with each other. And realizing that it takes a lot of work on the part of the parents just to keep moving things along each challenging day. And after awhile - that it's time to stop turning to them to solve every problem that comes along. And blame them for everything that isn't perfect.
John Fischer
Palatine,
For pols, it's party first
Why would Michael Madigan and the Democratic Machine of Illinois put a Gerrymandering Amendment on the ballot? What would be in it for them? They will put what is best for their party before the will of the people.
Erik White
Elk Grove Village