Disappointed in Herald endorsement

While not surprising, it disappoints nonetheless that the Herald endorsed Peter Roskam for a third term as 6th District Congressman.

Your opening comment that “We haven't always agreed with Rep. Peter Roskam's hawkish stands on war...” is a nice way of saying the Congressman never met a bankrupting war of choice he didn't love, and is actively working with the “Attack Iran first” crowd to ignite another destructive war in the Middle East.

Such policies put me, my family and everyone in the 6th District in peril. Expressing mild disagreement with “his staunchly conservative views on social issues” is a tad generous to a legislator who denies reproductive rights to women and relegates gays to endless second-class citizenship, during a time when gay bashing is on the rise due to hysteria fomented by the anti-gay crowd.

And how about a little candor on the jobs issue. Roskam's political base is the fabulously wealthy corporate elite which has outsourced millions of jobs to pad their bottom line while the formerly great U.S. middle class sinks to the ... bottom. For that kind of destructive governance, the Congressman should hold a job fair every day of the year.

The corker may be your praise of Roskam's effort on behalf of the 30 million medically uninsured because he was “looking for ways to lower insurance costs.” To the folks facing bankruptcy or even death due to our heartless medical insurance system, that must be very reassuring.

At the top of Roskam's agenda for his third term is repeal of the first real hope these previously forgotten millions have been granted. I've met challenger Ben Lowe, and if he's learned one thing in his short, but rich journey through life, it is not to govern like Congressman Roskam.

Walt Zlotow

Glen Ellyn