Is mediocrity what voters really want?
The primary elections are over - and what have we now? On the national level, Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump will likely face off for the presidency in November. Both are preposterous, unworthy candidates - although for different reasons.
On the state level, Speaker Madigan easily steamrollered the Hispanic challenger in his state House district and saw to it that a defector, Rep. Dunkin, got his legs cut out from under him - thus, reinforcing Madigan's longtime legislative power position.
Cook County President Preckwinkle expanded her power base when her protégé trounced Anita Alvarez in the state's attorney race.
Where does that leave us? Pretty much in the same mess we were in before the elections. Except for Mr. Trump, the establishment has triumphed and remains in power. That means we can look forward to more wild and irresponsible spending and borrowing, more nepotism, more corruption, higher and higher taxes, more intrusions of government into our personal lives and liberties, and more of the endless and stupid preferential treatment given to public employee unions and illegals at the expense of legal residents and ordinary workers.
We have this outcome in spite of the most vociferous pre-election complaints about government and politicians in my memory. I first thought, how could this happen? Why do my friends and neighbors, keep voting the same way, yet expect different outcomes?
But, then it occurred to me that this is what my friends and neighbors really want. They don't want change. I suspect this is so in our county, state, and maybe in our nation.
Apparently, we have reached the tipping point where the number of "takers" has finally exceeded the number of "makers."
If so, may God have mercy on us all as freedoms disappear, government oppression grows, and our once-great nation sinks into mediocrity.
Charles F. Falk
Schaumburg