Letters: Obama sets fine example for future presidents

As a Chicagoan, I will always be proud of the service President Barack Obama provided for all America, over the years, through adverse circumstances — from selected media outlets — who often tried to undermine even his successes.

Imagine if he had had the support of those factions instead of their opposition, how much greater the United States could have benefited from such united support. We avoided wider wars nearly every year of his term. He remained courageous and unflappable — articulate and visionary. Less intervention and more diplomacy, fewer lives lost and less money spent on such ventures. For that, he was attacked relentlessly by specific media pundits.

No victory was applauded, each failure amplified; almost to the end again having to prove his citizenship. … Still he prevailed, continued on, and now in retrospect, remains an articulate example for future presidents to emulate.

Vincent Kamin, Loop

Blowing smoke

Republicans in Congress are just blowing smoke with their chants of “repeal and replace.” They have the votes to repeal the Affordable Care Act, but they are eons away from having a workable — and better — replacement.

“Obamacare” has some fixable flaws, but its biggest fault is that it did not go far enough. Every First World nation except the United States has a national health program. Yes, it requires another tax on the working population, but no one is denied medical care and no one with a severe illness ends up in the poorhouse.

The Republicans could create a national health program that truly covers everyone, if only they had the moxie. But, aye, there’s the rub.

Dan McGuire, Bensenville

‘Critical concern’

Your excellent editorial [“Climate change a growing challenge for Trump,” Thursday] points out the absurdity of anyone thinking that climate change is a hoax created by China — even Trump’s fossil-fuel-connected nominees carefully asserted under oath that climate change is real, not a hoax. The vast majority of Americans support the Paris climate accord, are fed up with Congress’ climate inaction, and know it’s not a hoax.

Climate change has been well-documented for so long, that almost exactly 28 years ago, on Jan. 9, 1989, President Ronald Reagan wrote in a letter to House Speaker Jim Wright and Vice President George H. W. Bush: “Because changes in the earth’s natural systems can have tremendous economic and social effects, global climate change is becoming a critical concern.” Reagan wasn’t an alarmist when he called it critical, and climate activists aren’t alarmists now.

To show proper respect for the office of president, Trump must stick to straight talk only. And his first presidential act should be to send climate legislation to Congress for it to enact.

It would be most appropriate if he sent them climate legislation proposed by Ronald Reagan’s Secretary of State George Shultz.

Judy Weiss, Brookline, Mass.

Sad day

On Friday the nation will say good bye to President Barack Obama and Donald Trump will assume the office of president. What should be a day of celebration, sadly will be a day of mourning for the majority of Americans. A sad day indeed.

Michelle Ehrhart, Villa Park

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