To the Editor:
Recently, I attended a town hall hosted by two Republicans senators who, although seemingly nice enough, once again were sorry to inform us that the Republicans were unable to pass anything in the Illinois legislature of benefit to Illinois citizens who are suffering under crushing levels of inflation and taxation. However, those of us concerned with pronouns, transgender bathrooms and gold standard healthcare for illegals can be happy with the success of their party’s efforts.
These Republican public servants wanted us to be assured that they, too, were disappointed and would still be “fighting for us.” They were also very careful not to say anything insulting to any Democrats in the room because they said they represented “everyone.” This was in stark contrast to the town hall I attended a few months ago with my State Representative who is responsible for such important bills as the “Transgender Bathroom Bill” and getting tampon dispensers in boys’ bathrooms. She had no such qualms with condescension towards constituents of a different political persuasion; she acted as if she simply didn’t care. She was there to push an agenda - not to serve her constituents. Did it matter to her that over 2,500 witness slips were submitted against her “bathroom bill” (350 were in support)? Nope. She was there to impose Caesar’s will upon the peasants. And she did. If only Democrats cared as much about Illinois’ oppressive tax burdens as they do about the sexualization of children!
While I suppose I should be impressed with the Republican representatives and their more refined manners, I am actually more impressed with the Democrat one. She is fighting a ground war and the Republicans are playing with decorum and table settings. She is playing the new political game while Republicans are stuck in a musty playbook from the 1960s.
The recent articles in the Madison-St. Clair Record regarding huge pay raises as well as some of the new bills that were passed suggest who is winning - and winning big - in Illinois and it’s not the taxpaying working and middle classes. It’s not the small businessman or the family farmer. Not only are these unworthy politicians squeezing residents for more money, they are also in the process of stripping more of our rights away - the Second Amendment and now the First with the passage of HB 2954. It is not a surprise to me that a Democrat would get excited over stripping away another constitutional right but it is stunning that a Republican would vote for such a bill. Don’t be fooled by the name “The Anti-Doxxing Bill;” like the Affordable Care Act, the Inflation Reduction Act and the SAFE-T Act; it is another sugary name with a toxic underbelly.
At this point, it’s become clear to me that most of the current crop of Republicans (party as well as politicians) are neither interested in or have given up governing the State. Perhaps they have found it is easier to let the Democrats enjoy their tax and spend bacchanal - after all, they can’t be blamed for any problems that way. Better yet, when those raises are approved they are approved for Republicans, too. What a gig! As my dad used to say, “They are all a bunch of meatballs!”
So why are you and I - frustrated but loyal conservatives - still giving money to the Republican Party and politicians who claim to “fight” for you but never really define what that means? Why are we continuing to donate to a losing cause? It is good to have hope but at some point even Charlie Brown realized that Lucy was always going to pull away that football.
I propose that neither the politicians nor the Party receive one more penny unless they can demonstrate what they have done to deserve your hard-earned money. After all, where did all the money go in 2022? I will tell you where it didn’t go - it didn’t go to fight Amendment 1 or any of the toxic ISBE curriculum proposed by the teachers union. While the Democrats were running attack ads on Republican candidates, the Republicans either ignored the ads or, as they say, “took the high road.” The problem is those attack ads worked and Republicans lost big in November when they should have scored bigger wins based just on those issues.
If Republicans refuse to face that we are no longer playing chess in the parlor but on the ground fighting against both financial and social tyranny, then there is no reason to donate any money to any Republican politician or the party. At the very least, make them work for your donation; make them beg. Make them convince you that giving to them is a wise investment.
You do at least that much when you buy a car. Until then, best to hang onto your own money as long as you can - at least until the next budget comes around.
Pamela Moody
Edwardsville