Ego and the future of the country

In response to the Feb. 6 JB Pritzker ego article by the chairwoman of the Illinois Republican Party:

I agree that JB Pritzker has an ego. What successful person doesn’t? I would posit that DJ Trump has an ego on steroids.

I agree that Trump wasted no time “getting to work” after taking office. The president promoted many campaign promises including pardons and retributions. A barrage of signed executive orders and threats to world leaders does not automatically denote effective leadership. We have seen many of those initiatives walked back or blocked by federal judges.

The Israeli hostage deal was primarily Biden’s work and reminds me of the era when Reagan took credit for the work of the Carter administration in negotiating the release of American hostages in Iran.

I agree with the majority of Americans that the immigration system needs an overhaul. During the Biden term, a bipartisan plan had been proposed in Congress before DJ Trump pressured his fellow Republicans to kill the measure. Instead, we have filming of made-for-TV SWAT teams storming sanctuary-city neighborhoods.

I agree that Illinois has significant financial challenges. In citing the Illinois pension system as a major source of our state debt, one has to recall that Gov. Jim Thompson started the ball rolling by kicking the funding for the Illinois Teachers Pension System down the road. If one thinks of Gov. Pritzker as self-serving, then what does that make our new president, who spends time considering whatever tchotchkes he can market.

To the contrary, it’s time to demand accountability from President DJ Trump and end the reckless governance that threatens the rule of law and our Constitution.

Steve Coon

Bartlett