What really qualifies as ‘circus’ in the campaign

The Aug. 20 Daily Herald carried a guest column by Kathy Salvi, chairwoman of the Illinois Republican Party, who branded the Democratic National Convention a “circus” based on speculation on what she claimed it would represent.

Salvi conveniently ignores the circuslike activity at the recent RNC where former pro wrestler Hulk Hogan stormed the stage, tore the shirt off his chest, and screamed insanely at the audience. His manic behavior matched in credulity the performance of Kid Rock, the hack musician notable for stealing piano licks from Warren Zevon to compensate for his lack of talent.

Yet Salvi has the gall to accuse the Democratic Party of a circuslike atmosphere? She goes on to complain that Democrats are the party “gaslighting” America. Do you see how these deceptive methods undermine truth, justice, and democracy in our republic?

Salvi delivered a case study in Republican hypocrisy by parroting Trump in claiming they will “fight, fight, fight” ——supposedly at the ballot box. Yet when Trump lost in 2020, the MAGA movement denied the election’s outcome and attacked the Capitol at his behest.

Salvi can blame Democrats for governmental problems all she wants. Gov. J.B. Pritzker is leading the state toward solvency and prosperity one step at a time because that’s how good governance works. It requires planning and implementation, not the extremist promises and knee-jerk policies for which the GOP is famous.

She’s also wrong that Democrats “have no plan” for our nation. Protecting civil rights, embracing environmental sustainability, rebuilding America’s infrastructure, improving public education, advancing American technology and manufacturing, combating hunger and homelessness, enhancing America’s health care including mental health services, legislating constitutional gun regulation, and establishing wise immigration policies are all in the Democratic platform.

Christopher Cudworth

North Aurora