Ives was right to focus on personal responsibility

In a recent LTE, Jeanne Ives was criticized for saying, "Fortunately, the Trump Administration's response to this has been terrific," and "We all have our own personal responsibility to ... stay healthy." President Trump shut down air traffic from China just 10 days after the first confirmed case of COVID-19 was announced, prompting Democrats to call him racist. He then shut down flights from Europe. Health experts stated these actions saved countless lives. Just eight days after the first case was confirmed, the president formed the task force that included the nation's foremost epidemiologists, doctors and other health care professionals. He successfully involved private industry to produce PPE, ventilators and hospital beds. This shows the accuracy of Ives' statement.

The president's task force issued the 15-day plan to slow the spread of the virus on March 16 (now extended to April 30). Each strategy included in this plan involved steps individuals need to take. The responsibility largely rests on individual personal responsibility - a fact that Jeanne Ives recognized in her statement over a week before the plan was announced.

Sean Casten backed Speaker Pelosi when she held up H.R. 6201, the stimulus bill, by demanding nongermane provisions: student debt forgiveness, millions to the Kennedy Center for Performing Arts, funding for sanctuary cities and many more. Casten has voted with Pelosi 100% of the time in the 116th Congress. On March 21, he praised China for its pandemic response; on March 27, he told media not to cover the task force news conferences because they are killing people; on April 4, he called Trump supporters traitors.

Meanwhile, Jeanne Ives is putting out valuable information on her website related to the pandemic from the SBA, HUD, etc. We do not need Casten continuing to represent the 6th Congressional District - we need Jeanne Ives.

James R. Kreamer

Naperville