Trumpcare bill is a travesty

Well, Trumpcare has finally gotten past Round One.

Trump wanted a win at all costs, so this travesty of a bill was passed by his enablers in the House. Few had read the bill and it hasn’t yet been scored by the CBO, so they had no clue about its actual effects on their constituents — but they did know that it cut billions out of healthcare and it cut taxes on the 1 percent.

Its infinite cruelties are too ubiquitous to list here, but suffice it to say that this plan raises costs and reduces coverage. Millions will lose their current plans and those with health problems will have to pay exorbitant premiums or be left on the ice floe.

As Neil Steinberg puts it, “paying for the care of others is the definition of health insurance.” You can be healthy today, and trip and break an ankle tomorrow.

The House bill excludes its’ own members from the regulations of this legislation. At least they were smart enough to save themselves.

Carol Kraines, Deerfield

Shameful parkland destruction

It’s beyond shameful that someone from Chicago like Barack Obama would be destroying our parkland. It runs contrary to everything that Chicago stands for, and it is a double tragedy because his plans put to use in a neighborhood that needs that kind of help is being ignored. It is a truly shameful thing for Chicago to allow this man to destroy public parkland. No development of Chicago parkland, ever.

John Loftus, Edgewater

No regard for suffering

The health care bill recent passed in the House clearly shows the Republican preference for less health care for millions and more money in the pockets of the wealthy, with no regard for the suffering that will ensue.

Mary F. Warren, Wheaton

Tweet without nuance

President Donald Trump recently tweeted, “either elect more Republican Senators in 2018 or change the [Senate] rules now to 51 percent.” It would behoove this president to express a more nuanced appreciation and comprehension of America’s governmental system, as the record shows he won the election but lost the popular vote by 2.7 million votes.

Mark Stearn, Skokie