Letters: Rauner owns budget mess

I am writing to ask why Gov. Rauner continues to push his “Turnaround Agenda” before he talks or compromises on the budget? I would like to know what going after unions, property tax freezes, term limits and the rest of his agenda have to do with the budget. I don’t see House Speaker Michael Madigan or Senate President John Cullerton as the bad guys. I see you, Mr. Rauner, as the person holding back everything and everyone with your radical agenda.

Don Sakosky, Dunning

Second City’s stage, spirit stay intact

Amid the shrouds of Second City’s recent fire, I could almost sense John Belushi, Del Close, Harold Ramis, Joyce Sloane and Fred Kaz standing guard over its time-worn performance stage, sparing it from the ravages of fire and smoke.

Vincent Kamin, Streeterville

Love of guns

I’m sure you get letters every day about gun crimes and gun laws, but there can be no amount of letter writing that is enough until we stop this insanity in our country. How many more people have to die before we’re willing to take on the NRA and the gun lobby?

Sean Lowry, Beverly

Another shooting tragedy has happened. Add this latest incident to the roster of those twisted events at grade schools and high schools, movie theaters, a church, political rally and street battles in today’s urban gang wars. Yet, nothing will be done by Washington to implement a weapons reform measure as a means of dealing with this scourge as the NRA controls these politicians like little puppets dangling from their marionette strings. The usual excuse from these special interests forces behind your politicos will be that battlefield-designed semi-automatic weapons don’t kill people; only people kill people. Or, that such relates to mental health issues, not guns.

They will use a Second Amendment argument as a tertiary defense, which has become egregiously convoluted over the years since the intent of the amendment was to secure colonial militias the right to keep and bear arms as a means of protecting themselves from exogenous hostile forces at a time when the nascent U.S. central government and military force structure were anemic. For those who are so foolish to opine otherwise, NRA economic interests are more important than human lives. This crowd pathetically owns America. And it’s just a matter of time before the next attack as this manifesting plague of uncontrolled gun violence continues to march onward throughout this land without any signs of abatement.

Earl Beal, Terre Haute

Limits of 14th Amendment

The 14th Amendment does not give citizenship to children born to people visiting our country or to children born to employees of foreign countries who are working here. It didn’t even give citizenship to Native Americans living here. Why would anyone think that it gives citizenship to children born to people in our country illegally?

Larry Craig, Wilmette

Follow the Editorial Board on Twitter: Follow @csteditorials

Tweets by @CSTeditorials