Gov. Bruce Rauner caving to ultraconservatives on abortion

Follow @csteditorialsGov. Bruce Rauner’s threat to veto an abortion rights bill is the epitome of hypocrisy. Candidate Rauner was decidedly pro-choice and supportive of Planned Parenthood. The Rauners still attend fundraisers for this organization that, at times, performs abortions and offers other health care services for women. Does he not see that this latest veto threat is nothing more than a naked ploy to appeal to an ultraconservative political base that he feels he need for re-election?

Illinois, since the “Roe” decision, has been a state with reasonable and few restrictions on a woman’s right to choose. In a recently aired HBO documentary, “Abortion: the Stories Women Tell,” Illinois was featured as a haven for women needing this procedure who traveled from nearby, more restrictive states. If the governor objects to the use of public funds to pay for abortion, then he can use his amendatory veto and let stand the part of the bill that guarantees the procedure will remain a viable choice for women in the event of a reversal of “Roe.”

President Clinton said it best when he said that abortion should remain, “safe, available and rare.” Better availability of birth control due to Obamacare has made the need for abortion go down in recent years. We now need to keep it safe and available. Gov. Rauner, do not play politics with women’s lives. You will just end up looking like a hypocrite.

Jan Goldberg, Riverside

Hold it until you get home

Ald. David Moore (17th) should hang a sign in front of his home saying “public washroom here open to all” (“Gotta go? Proposal would ensure public toilet access in emergency” — April 20) How is it going to be determined that it is an emergency situation? If the alderman thinks this is a good idea, let it start at his house.

George Martin, Forest Park

Rauner dodges blame

Gov. Rauner has been busy. He launched a two-day tour several days ago, during which he placed the blame for the budget crisis squarely on the shoulders of anyone but himself. Speaking with reporters, Rauner billed the trip as a journey to let the people of Illinois know “what’s going on.”

You know what? I agree with the governor. The people of Illinois deserve to know what’s going on. The 10,000 students at my alma mater, Northeastern Illinois University, who are missing days of classes because, under Rauner, the state no longer supports public universities, want to know what’s going on. The 124 prison nurses in fear for their jobs because he wants to privatize the work to an out-of-state firm want to know what’s going on. The workers at countless human services agencies unable to provide for our most vulnerable citizens because he cut off their funding want to know what’s going on.

So, by all means, let’s tell the people of Illinois what’s really going on, and why, more than halfway through the governor’s term in office, he’s yet to propose a balanced budget and the state is stuck with no financial plan, even as it daily sinks $11 million deeper into debt under his watch. I, too, governor, would like to know what’s going on with you.

Sen. Iris Y. Martinez, Irving Park, 20th District

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