Monday letters: Will next Congress tear apart safety net?

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If inequality and the well-being of hardworking Americans are truly important to the new Congress, they are now in a position to prove it.

More than 43 million people in this country still live below the poverty line and that number would be more than twice as high were it not for federal anti-poverty policies, according to the Census Bureau. Why then would the new Congress be gearing up to attack some of these programs?

I hope we can count on our members of Congress to reject any proposals that would take us backwards — whether gutting the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program by turning it into a “block grant” or reducing access to Medicaid. Instead, they should focus on doing some good, like expanding the Earned Income Tax Credit to workers not raising children, who are currently taxed deeper into poverty.

Now more than ever, we need to focus on making things better for hardworking Americans. Dismantling our safety net is not the way to do that.

Dave Margolis, Arlington Heights

Trump’s razor-thin margin of error on Twitter

I understand that social media is the future and is becoming one of the only ways people correspond today. I know I will sound like an old stick in the mud by saying this, but Twitter and other venues available to the public are truly a double-edged sword. Anyone with any business savvy knows that snap responses can often lead to grave consequences. People are very slow to excuse these “shoot from the hip” statements, and history will prove that many careers and relationships have been destroyed by salvos fired at the wrong target or without a bit of quiet contemplation by their authors. It is also fact that the higher the position of a quick-temper response, the more potential devastation these thoughtless comments can have to innocent people.

I fear our president-elect is putting himself in harm’s way and endangering the security and reputation of our country with his new toy. A Twitter account in the hands of a person that “speaks his or her mind” is like giving a razor blade to a baby. My drunk uncle always spoke his mind at family gatherings and to this day he is avoided at all costs. The stupid statements he makes while in his stupor have created many unnecessary wounds and hard feelings. Having this effect on one family is bad enough. One can only imagine the catastrophic carnage Trump’s mindless, quick trigger can cause our friends and allies worldwide. Please reconsider Mr. President-elect, before it is too late and you cause your own demise or, worse yet, ours.

Ken Karlson, Wheaton

Say no to term limits in Illinois

What if you have an elected representative who is attentive to the needs of constituents? One who does great things for the community, is honest, loyal, shows up for work every day, does not abuse the office and does an all-around great job?

Are they willing to tell me that, because of term limits, I could not vote to re-elect this person just because others’ representatives are lazy, or dishonest?

What kind of government will we have, filled with a bunch of unexperienced amateurs who, like our current president-elect, have no idea how the system works, what the system can do or the ramifications if they don’t do a good job?

I do not want my constitutional right to vote encroached upon by any law that limits whom I can legally vote for. Don’t punish me by not allowing me to vote for the person I want to represent me.

Mike Smith, Oak Lawn

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