Unfair we can vote out Rauner — but not Madigan

Is anybody shocked that 60 percent of the people of Illinois view both House Speaker Mike Madigan and Gov. Bruce Rauner unfavorably? The only thing shocking is that the number isn’t higher. But while the entire state gets to vote Rauner out of office next year, most of us, sadly, won’t get a chance to send Madigan out to pasture as well. If term limits can’t be enacted to boot Madigan from our legislature, then maybe it’s time to make the speaker a state-wide elected position. But alas, the very same lemmings who kowtow to Madigastan’s king would be responsible for changing the state’s constitution to allow it. As the saying goes, good luck with that.

Scot Sinclair, Third Lake

Google Translate not good enough

It was pretty hilarious to read about State Rep. Keith Wheeler’s suggestion that Google Translate is a suitable way to properly translate the state’s website — from English to Spanish or another language — and would be a “free.” While this technology improves all the time, it is hardly of the required accuracy that a business or government entity requires. Too bad Google doesn’t offer a robotic version of legislators who offer such silly solutions. A lot of money could be saved that way and how could the quality be any worse?

Don Anderson, Oak Park

Dr. King’s warning about military build-ups

As the Rev. Martin Luther King said years ago, any nation that spends more money on a military build-up than on social programs is approaching spiritual death. All those nice church-going people who voted for our current president must be very proud that he is slashing and bankrupting social programs for the poor while asking for a staggeringly high military budget. It is lunacy. Millions of poor people will pay the price to serve the macho needs of a foolish man who has never served in our military.

Edward D.Juillard, West Beverly

Storks don’t bring babies

A reader, Mark M. Quinn, makes the argument that “there is no chance of a man getting pregnant and needing prenatal care,” so men should not have to pay for that health insurance coverage. One has to ask: How does he think babies are made?

Doug Steckel, Evanston