Wednesday letters: Elections threatened from without and within

Democracy is the loser when foreign countries such as Russia influence elections. Democracy also suffers when the results of an election are skewed by the actions of those within a nation. Elections in the United States are suffering greatly from voter suppression, lack of transparency and the influence of endless money. Democracy dies when forces from outside our nation attack our elections, but also when forces from within our nation work to control the results of those elections. The will of the American people is ignored. The wealthy and powerful feel that they and only they should decide who will make decisions for the rest of us.

Americans must fight to make sure that the “one man(one woman), one vote” policy rules. Our nation will be destroyed if “one dollar, one vote” prevails and outside forces determine the results of our elections. It would be very sad if, after 250 years, Americans were to allow their nation and their democracy to be snatched away.

Karen Wagner, Rolling Meadows

Labor nominee clueless about working people

I am appalled that Donald Trump’s nominee for secretary of labor, Andrew Puzder, opposes raising the minimum wage. A strong minimum wage would lift millions out of poverty, yet this millionaire cares more about his bottom dollar. The fast-food boss makes more money in one day than his employees make in a year. Working people deserve a champion at the Department of Labor. Puzder has shown time and time again that he is not on our side.

Has Mr. Puzder ever had to choose between paying the rent or putting food on the table while living on a minimum wage? Maybe he should live that life before he tells us wages won’t go up. We cannot afford a Secretary of Labor who sees fair pay as a threat.

Sarah Dennis, Lincoln Park

Trump and the absurd

The definition of ridiculous is a president-elect who refuses to sit for national security intelligence briefings about Russian hacking but who then nominates a Russian pawn, Rex W. Tillerson, as secretary of state.

Michael Shepherd, Bellwood

A year in a horror movie

Thinking back on the highlights of this past year, I can’t help but compare it to a really bad horror movie.

For starters, there is the constant threat of a monster lurking in the shadows, whether in the form of a terror plot or another senseless slaughter on a school campus. And for the obligatory joyous moment or two that divert our focus from the mayhem, there have been the Chicago Cubs, winning the World Series after all those years of futility.

What’s a horror movie without random violence and a bloodletting of the innocent? The slaughter continues unabated in shell-shocked Chicago neighborhoods. And there is also a natural secondary theme of loss and second-guessing —the Lucas Museum and a state budget that remains unsettled.

But ultimately the monster is revealed — and elected. And the movie ends with him tweeting threatening messages to his critics.

All the ingredients are there for a truly tasteless horror classic. And what this movie may lack in subtlety it more than makes up for in suspense, anticipation and, for some, even exhilaration.

Bob Ory, Elgin

March were the violence hits home

Columnist Michael Sneed report that the Rev. Michael Pfleger and others will march down Michigan Avenue on New Year’s Eve, carrying wooden crosses bearing the names of the more than 700 people murdered in Chicago this year. Where Pfleger should be marching is on Chicago’s West and South sides, where most of the murders occur.

Dennis M. Dohm, Oak Lawn