Letters to the Editor: Delivering on our promise of jobs and investment to Illinois

As the State Representative for Illinois’ 113th District, I have always been a proponent for securing as many opportunities as possible for working families. The new, groundbreaking legislation I am sponsoring in the Illinois General Assembly to roll out Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) technology across our state is the latest opportunity to deliver on this promise and create an influx of good paying jobs in the region.

I am the lead sponsor of the Climate and Landowner Protection Act, which will allow Illinois to responsibly regulate the sequestration of carbon dioxide underground. Its passage would immediately generate new career opportunities for the people in the Metro East and our entire state, in addition the creation of billions of dollars in CCS-related investment opportunities.

The Prairie Research Institute, for instance, estimates that the development of CCS projects across Illinois could create more than 14,440 jobs statewide. CCS is essential to meeting our decarbonization goals and to continuing to provide reliable power. This is in addition to the thousands of additional jobs CCS can protect by helping to decarbonize important Illinois industries without deindustrializing them as a climate-friendly technology.

Its potential impact cannot be understated. Passage of this legislation would fuel countless economic and growth opportunities for our state and maintain Illinois’ reputation as a world-class industry leader. CCS has been safely used for over 45 years in the U.S., including more than a decade in Illinois. Deepening investment in this technology will help support countless laborers and manufacturers in our region and state.

Jay Hoffman, State Representative for Illinois’ 113th District and Assistant Majority Leader of the House of Representatives

Republican tactics

Republicans hold policies that are unpopular with most Americans: abortion bans, entitlement cuts, and tax breaks for the wealthy.

Democrats have policies that are popular with Americans: free choice in family planning, programs that help the middle class and the poor, and the infrastructure bill that provides good jobs and much needed improvements.

Republicans lost the popular vote in the last two presidential elections. They must rely on the electoral college system to win, so they work hard with state legislators to gerrymander voting districts and make it difficult for certain groups to easily vote or be represented.

They spew disinformation about the dangers of immigrants, calling them rapists, criminals, drug dealers and vermin that poison the blood of Americans. They have become the party of election deniers although have yet to prove any evidence of fraud. They question Joe Biden’s mental acuity, while eating up Donald Trump’s mad incoherent ramblings at his rallies and on social media. They hype inflation, even though our economy shows great unexpected growth after a crushing pandemic, with very low unemployment, higher wages, lower drug and health costs, and great stock market gains.

If all their efforts fail and they still lose, they will cry voter fraud once again.

Trump’s base is a hard core of party loyalists, embracing uneducated white males, evangelicals, anti-abortion zealots, card-carrying Nazis and Confederate flag worshipers. They are fully capable of another January 6. Trump encourages and glorifies that violent mob as patriots and hostages.

Judy Neel, Belleville

Why Bost should reconsider supporting bill

In a recent newsletter, Representative Mike Bost stated that taxpayer dollars should be spent responsibly. I agree and encourage him to reconsider his support of a bill that looks like an irresponsible expenditure of funds.

The American Farmers Feed the World Act, HR4293 is well intended – increasing commodities purchased from U.S. farmers to feed hungry people around the globe in the Food for Peace Program. An analysis of HR4293 by international aid groups like Catholic Relief Services (CRS) indicates this bill would accomplish the opposite – less people fed and fewer commodities purchased.

Currently, a huge majority of Food for Peace sends U.S. commodities to international emergencies. A tiny portion teaches farmers in non-emergency situations to adapt, grow their own food and become self-reliant.

HR4293 changes how Food for Peace operates. It would require a larger portion of U.S. commodities to be shipped around the world, even to places capable of growing their food. A large majority of the cost of this is for shipping. This actually leaves less money for buying commodities. Spending money to ship food to places that can grow their own food is irresponsible and creates dependency.

CRS leaders in southern Illinois thank Representative Bost’s staff for recently meeting with us to hear our analysis of why HR4293 wouldn’t do what It’s intended for. We encourage further analysis to find the most responsible use of federal dollars to feed hungry people and to help people to grow their own food.

Cheryl Sommer, O’Fallon

Christian Nationalism

White Christian Nationalism is a far-right, anti-government, religious movement. Their rising influence is posing a major threat to our democracy and true Christianity itself. A closer look at their underpinnings reveals a dark side with views sympathetic to racism, antisemitism, Islamophobia, homophobia and authoritarianism. Sadly, they have a foothold in the Republican Party, which now retains few remaining vestiges of true Christianity or patriotism.

For eight years we watched white Christian Nationalists demonize a Black president; a man faithfully married for 26 years; a father and husband without a trace of moral scandal or the slightest hint of infidelity. We watched them question his birthplace, assail his character and malign him with racial stereotypes.

Then they idolized a white politician so riddled with depravity, so vile and riddled with extramarital affairs. Their warped and gullible minds were convinced he was sent here by God to save us from liberals.

They have forgiven multiple affairs, porn star payoffs, financial improprieties, an attempt to overthrow our democracy and immoral filth of every kind. Yet they never forgave Barack Obama for being Black.

After divulging classified intelligence to Russians in the White House and hiding stolen classified documents from the government, the majority of Republicans continue to support this treason and decadence, while hypocritically waving the American flag.

Gene Robke, Carlyle

Today’s demagogue?

Jeff Rosen, president and chief executive of the National Constitution Center, wrote an editorial in the Washington Post titled “The Founders’ antidote to demagoguery is a lesson for today.”

Rosen said, in effect, that our founders would be horrified to see our political situation today, offering direct quotes of their fears.

He quotes Alexander Hamilton, who said that “the only path to a subversion of the republican system of the Country is, by flattering the prejudices of the people, and exciting their jealousies and apprehensions, to throw affairs in confusion, and bring on civil commotion.”

Remind you of anybody?

Hamilton wrote to Washington, “When a man unprincipled in private life[,] desperate in his fortune, bold in his temper … is seen to mount the horse of popularity … throw things into confusion that he may ride the storm and direct the whirlwind.”

Does this description also ring a bell?

Rosen offers a quote from Thomas Jefferson that offers another description of a potential demagogue. “If once elected, and at a second … outvoted … he will pretend false votes, foul play, ….

By this time, dear reader, you get Rosen’s point.

Then Rosen offers words from James Madison for the antidote to a demagogue. “I go on this great republican principle, that the people will have virtue and intelligence to select men of virtue and wisdom.”

This November will determine if we have enough virtuous and intelligent citizens to elect a person of virtue and wisdom. Personally, I’m with Madison.

Ray Hollmann, Fairview Heights

Recent letter’s disappointing results

While many liberals chose to denigrate Donald Trump to make Joe Biden look better to voters, in her recent letter Judy Neel tried the opposite tack with disappointing results. Neel says under Biden “inflation is slowing,” which to common folk actually means inflation continues to rise. She opines that gas prices are going down when gas prices are up 78 cents locally just since the beginning of 2024.

Neel thinks Biden has experts on his cabinet. His vice president is one of the least popular (read: incompetent) in modern history. Pete Buttigieg is a transportation wizard … not! The impeachable Alejandro Mayorkas is responsible for our crisis at the border. Jennifer Granholm is an energy wiz, stuffing EVs down our throats and snatching away our gas stoves with a straight face.

The American people don’t need “right-wing messengers of doom” to convince them that our economy is bad, says Judy. She must not get out much. Most Americans experience fiscal pain firsthand every time they go shopping.

Neel opines that the Biden administration will “uphold the principles of democracy.”

In a recent CNN interview, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. argued that Biden is a bigger threat to democracy due to efforts to “censor political speech.”

Make like an Army sniper and be a straight shooter, Judy.

Bill Malec, O’Fallon