The issues Democrats should pursue

Trump has created such chaos in so many areas that it is difficult to know where to begin repairing the damage. My concern is that Democrats and independents who hopefully take control of Congress next year will become so focused on retribution that they fail to develop constructive, organized plans for moving the country forward.

Investigations and accountability are important, but they should not become Congress’s primary focus. Otherwise, we risk falling into a cycle of “tit for tat” while important work goes undone.

Here is my non-prioritized, non-inclusive list of what I hope Congress will address:

• Health care and Social Security: Restore ACA subsidies, make health care more affordable, protect Social Security and restore adequate staffing at the Social Security Administration.

• Economy and debt: Develop a realistic long-term plan to reduce the national debt, address economic inequality and reconsider the consequences of tariffs.

• Government and democracy: Eliminate gerrymandering, strengthen ethics laws governing congressional and executive-branch officials, and consider reasonable congressional term limits.

• Education, research and government services: Restore funding for scientific research, education, national parks and other essential government programs. Examine the effects of DOGE cuts and restore positions that were unnecessarily eliminated.

• Immigration and disaster assistance: Develop a comprehensive immigration plan, protect Dreamers, strengthen the immigration courts and detention system, secure our borders humanely, and ensure disaster aid is distributed fairly.

• Foreign policy and national institutions: Work toward ending the war in Iran, support military families, repair relationships with our allies and restore public institutions and spaces that have been damaged or altered.

I have left impeachment off this list because those proceedings could consume so much congressional time that little else would get done. Congress has enormous work ahead. I hope its members spend less time settling scores and more time repairing institutions and solving problems.

Anne Krick, Warrenville