A Trump enabler

A Herald reader recently wrote that she supported Randy Hultgren because he is apparently going to protect Medicare and Social Security. She is mistaken. In truth, whatever one may think of Hultgren's efforts on behalf of the 14th District, he is decidedly an enabler of Donald Trump and Trump's policies.

And Trump has no interest in protecting any entitlement program, whatsoever, except programs enriching defense contractors and energy companies. Let's be very clear on this: Hultgren will not protect Medicare and Social Security; he will work with Ryan, McConnell and Trump to cripple or destroy both.

Lest anyone think that Hultgren is resisting Trump's divisiveness, witness Hultgren's participation in Trump's rally in Murphysboro this week. If he wanted to disavow himself of the poisonous Trump agenda, he certainly would not have shown up on the dais with him.

Voters in District 14 will and must understand that any vote for any Republican to national or state office is a vote for continued corruption and vile pronouncements from our top national leader.

Lauren Underwood, on the other hand, running to oust Hultgren in the 14th District, will be sure to vote for programs that truly will protect the middle and lower class interests. She and her Democratic colleagues will not permit Hultgren and his Republican colleagues to revert our health care back to a system where insurance companies can reject applicants with pre-existing conditions. She will fight for a fair system that appropriately taxes the wealthy. She will join Democratic colleagues to demand investigations of the corrupt officials in the current administration, including an investigation of Trump himself and his own violation of the Constitution's emoluments clause.

We can get out of the grip of the Trump nightmare only if we remove enablers like Randy Hultgren from office.

Stephen H. Foust

Batavia