Rauner undermines democracy in Water Reclamation race

The editorial “Don’t Let Rauner blow off democracy in MWRD race” (Thursday) gives us another incentive to vote in the November election.

The intricacies of the situation are a little baroque for some of us common citizens, but the editorial clarifies the issue enough to reveal how the Rauner regime manipulates government to make it less democratic. It’s horrifying to realize that this sort of thing is happening at all levels. In this case, it’s an effort to put a political appointee in a position to affect the quality of our water, as well as other water management issues, instead of a qualified expert in the field elected by the people.

Please vote.

Rebecca Wolfram, Lawndale

N.Y. Times opinion piece confirms fears

Four problems were raised by the New York Times’ op-ed by an unnamed senior official in President Donald Trump’s administration that condemned him for the divisive way he governs.

The first has to do with the Times for permitting an anonymous attack on Trump, even though it just added to a widespread belief that he is unfit for the presidency. Then there’s the author’s timid decision to withhold his name, casting dark speculation over many so-called senior officials while claiming a resistance to Trump’s rule and an attempt with others to impede his more irrational methods of governing.

All this was written because of Trump’s erratic, dishonest, cruel and dangerous tactics, which disgust most people who aren’t in his diehard voter base. The fourth problem, also not mentioned by name in the explosive opinion piece, is all those Republicans in Congress who accept Trump’s mistakes because they are afraid to stand up to him, mainly out of fear of his base. Their weakness made a government official, unfortunately an anonymous one, express what a lot of people feel about this president.

Ed Stone, Northbrook