A letter writer notes that former President Donald Trump’s legal fees are costing him an average of $90,000 per day (“What $90,000 daily could do,” April 3). She asks how many starving children could be fed, how many worthy causes could be funded for the cost of the legal fees for such a “morally bankrupt person.”
One could postulate that if a slew of questionable charges had not been levied against Trump for what many consider to be blatantly political reasons — to keep him from running for office again — then those legal defense fees would not be necessary. How many worthy causes could have been funded by the money spent on the political circuses that were Trump’s impeachments?
Neither impeachment resulted in a conviction, rendering them exercises in futility. And while Trump pays for his personal legal fees, we taxpayers were on the hook for the two impeachment proceedings.
This has nothing to do with charity unless you consider our tax payments to be such.
— MaryAnne Spinner, Chicago
Different venue for candidates
Primary voters have decided that the two major party candidates for president will be Joe Biden versus Donald Trump. It will be the first presidential repeat election since 1956, when Dwight D. Eisenhower defeated Adlai Stevenson.
During a presidential debate, the candidates have their coined responses to questions. They will veer off the actual question and go off on tangents. As both candidates are senior citizens and they both claim that the other has lost some mental acuities, I propose the following in lieu of a debate.
Hold a game of “Jeopardy” between the two candidates hosted by Ken Jennings and independent of both political parties. The categories should pertain to information that a president should know to properly administer the office — such as civics, countries of the world, the Constitution, economics, leaders of countries, how Congress operates, etc.
Instead of having the candidates buzz in, the answers should be written down like in Final Jeopardy. By having them play this game, we the people could really find out how much our future leader knows.
The Nielsen TV ratings would be better than that of the recent Super Bowl. It would be must-see watching.
— Cary Riske, Grayslake
Mayor didn’t offer specific plans
Isabelle Dienstag seems to feel the failure of Mayor Brandon Johnson’s Bring Chicago Home initiative was a simple public relations mistake (“Why progressives keep losing the battle to tax the rich,” April 2). She couldn’t be more wrong.
The reason it failed is because the mayor never brought forth specific plans on how the money would be used.
How was this money to be used? Public housing? Vouchers? Who would get the money? How would it be distributed? Who would monitor its use? And no, I’m not a “conservative,” as Dienstag assumes, for being against it, or a Donald Trump voter, as the mayor alleged. Like most Chicagoans, I don’t want my hard-earned dollars being wasted on some ill-conceived, poorly planned proposal.
I’m fortunate enough to spend part of the year in Texas (yes, I’m a snowbird). Unlike Illinois, Texas has no state income tax. And the sales tax in my Texas city is less than Chicago’s. My real estate taxes for my Chicago home are more than my Texas real estate taxes, even though my Chicago home is half the size. Bottom line, Chicagoans are overtaxed!
Instead of alienating (as Mayor Lori Lightfoot also did), I’d like to see Mayor Johnson reach out to the business community, collaborate on ways to bring more business and residents to the city, and expand our tax base, rather than rely on more tax increases.
— Frank Kern, Chicago
Advice for Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
Recently, almost the entire Kennedy clan visited President Joe Biden at the White House. Unfortunately, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. was missing in action. He ought to join the club and drop his futile presidential race. He is like Don Quixote, who wants to fight the windmills.
He ought to follow the memorable inaugural address of President John F. Kennedy: “My fellow Americans, ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country.”
Robert Kennedy Jr. could do a lot of good for America. Just stay out of this crucial and brutal presidential race.
— Raffaele Di Zenzo, Westchester
Reflecting on boomers’ games
We seniors sometimes talk about America having been simpler, nicer and more innocent in our formative years. But how to illustrate this? There might be no easier way than with our tabletop games. Baby boomers’ early amusements were board games such as Aggravation, Stratego and Risk. Some replicated TV game shows, among them “Concentration,” “Jeopardy” and “The Price Is Right.” A cousin owned Operation, in which the player, the surgeon, eases tweezers through small holes in the board to remove little plastic pieces representing vital organs. A buzzer sounds if the tweezers contact the metal surface around the opening.
With home computers years away, this was the game business. Many products competed, but I favored industry leader Milton Bradley’s Game of Life. In the 1960s version, you drove around in a thumbnail-sized car, maturing, studying, getting a job, marrying, parenting and handling money, which came in denominations ranging from $500 to $100,000. Because he was endorsing the game, the image of irreproachable TV personality Art Linkletter graced the largest bill. Where’s his cultural counterpart today?
Neither old nor ultraviolent modern computer games adhere to reality. But the direction in which they deviate, then and now, undoubtedly says something about society’s drift.
— Tom Gregg, Niles
No ketchup on a hot dog?
A lot of people in Chicago will argue that ketchup does not go on a hot dog, with makes me wonder: Who is eating the hot dog, you or the person making the argument?
They will tell you that what does go on a hot dog are yellow mustard, onion, relish, sport peppers, tomatoes, dill pickle spear and celery salt — ingredients for a Chicago-style hot dog. But why is ketchup a no and tomato a yes? Where do people think ketchup comes from?
And ask that same person: If ketchup belongs on a burger, why on a burger but not a hotdog?
— Stephen Verhaeren, Palos Park
Thankful for our rescue dog
Tom Montgomery Fate’s op-ed warmed my heart and reinforced my thoughts regarding rescue versus breeder dogs (“2 years after getting my pandemic puppy, I finally get it,” March 30).
Our friends discouraged us from pet adoption. Rescues are at the shelter for a reason, so stick with a
breeder, they said.
While traveling the U.S. in our motorhome, we unexpectedly lost our traveling companion, our beloved
bulldog Woody, to cancer. Without him, our travels seemed a little less fulfilling.
Months later, during winter break in Las Vegas, I curiously searched the pet rescue sites. There was Bella, a 1-year-old old English bulldog.
Yes, she has problems. Bella, like Fate’s Gracie, is neurotic. Midwest thunderstorms, high winds and fireworks terrify her. Yapping little dogs and 18 wheelers enrage her. And she is allergic to grass. Luckily, back in Vegas, storms are few and far between. The high winds and swaying palms are another issue. She is afraid of dark shadows, so she has to be accompanied when going out at night.
But with all that said, the unconditional love and joy Bella brings to our lives every day is worth all the money spent on allergy medication and CBD. Her big personality and intelligence are amazing.
We am thankful and honored that Bella rescued us.
— Louise Rudd, Las Vegas
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