Letters: Aaron Schock is wrong image for GOP

What kind of fool did Illinois elect to be a U.S. senator? Apparently, Mark Kirk wants to allow a weasel (Aaron Schock) who screwed taxpayers out of hundreds of thousands of dollars to continue as a “frontman” for the Republican Party and Illinois. Am I missing something? What is about a narcissistic punk that was more interested in showing off on Faceback and Instagram that a senator would continue to support him? If Sen. Kirk doesn’t have the common sense to keep thoughts like this to himself, maybe he should resign along with this former “boy wonder” from Peoria.

Put an end to assault on Medicare

With hundreds of billions of dollars taken from the Medicare Advantage (MA) program in 2010 as a result of health care legislation that was passed, the thought of any further funding reductions is very troubling. As an MA participant, I have a firsthand understanding of just how useful and important this program is for senior citizens. If more reductions are made to MA, premiums and co-pays will likely increase. Of course, I do not like that possibility at all, and I know that millions of other participants feel exactly the same way.

As a diabetic, I cannot go without my health insurance plan. If my health care costs were to increase, I would have to take money from other places in my budget, which would be devastating. With so many senior citizens living on fixed incomes, I know that I am not alone in my concerns. Millions of seniors count on MA for their health care and they, too, would experience financial hardship if they had to pay more.I have already written my representative asking him to oppose any future action to reduce funding for our MA program. There are other options for reducing federal spending that do not involve negatively affecting the health and well-being of so many senior citizens in Chicago, throughout the Midwest, and across the United States. My hope is that more citizens, of all ages, reach out to their representatives to ask for assistance on this issue.Mary Greer, GalewoodRauner’s plan

With all the moves our current governor from Winnetka has made since his election, the Illinois Republican Party needs to start looking for a new gubernatorial candidate for 2018. No, not because Gov. Bruce Rauner is doomed because of his taking on the union bosses, slashing millions of dollars from the state’s budget, which will cripple local governments across the state, or even cutting essential services that will hurt the poor and locationally challenged. In fact, Rauner most likely would do well in a re-election bid despite these “tough choices.”

No, the Illinois GOP needs to find a new candidate because Rauner will not seek re-election. Smart politicians and businessmen alike make long-term plans for more prosperous careers. It is no coincidence that Rauner is using the same playbook Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker used to create the perfect right-to-work state in the birthplace of America’s largest trade union of public employees in the United States. It is also no coincidence our governor, despite receiving fund-raising support, recently criticized the state of New Jersey, the home of potential presidential heavyweight Chris Christie. Whether or not Rauner is correct in stating New Jersey is “going down the drain,” what is clear is Rauner has chosen Scott Walker to be “the best and brightest for the job” for U.S. president.

Rauner, a former investor, cannot help but pick who he thinks will win in 2016. It appears as though he thinks Walker will be the union-busting, non-education-having, future face of the Republican Party and leader of our nation. If that future indeed comes true, and Rauner were to fork over a few million dollars (as he is known to do in elections,) it is not completely unreasonable for a President Scott Walker to nominate Rauner for secretary of the treasury or chairman of the Fed, or possibly a running mate. To that end, Rauner would never need to run for re-election in Illinois, the Republican Party here would have time to distance itself from Rauner’s policies, and we all would have to live with the terrible reality that Scott Walker would be our president.

Georgia Jefferson, Lake View

Say yes to veggie burgers

The popularity of veggie burgers is ascending, and in the imminent future they will supplant beef burgers. Veggie burgers are more savory, and they can be made with soy, black beans, mushrooms, grains, lentils and many other fortifying ingredients. They do not derive from cruelty to animals and they do not cause pollution, deforestation, water shortages and global warming. Veggie burgers will become as American as apple pie. Hellish slaughterhouses will close and animals will not have to die.Brien Comerford, Glenview