Send Jeffries, Schumer packing and vote in leaders who will deliver

It’s not surprising that the political wrestling has begun in the U.S. House and Senate as to who the new leadership should be. The newly elected Democrat representatives won on progressive promises they put themselves on the line for and they cannot and will not compromise their values. In my opinion, Hakeem Jeffries disqualified himself when he said that he would not support Medicare for All. And Mr. Chuck Schumer would have to do a real turnaround to be considered for leadership, which would demand fighting for policies he has not been strong for thus far.

The names of who will lead the House and Senate aren't as important as the policies they must commit to. Any leadership to be considered must be totally committed to these things for starters:

1. Ending the war with Iran
2. Stop funding the genocide in Gaza
3. Restoring the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program
4. Funding healthcare
5. Medicare for All
6. Raising the minimum wage

In my opinion, no one who seeks leadership should be considered without committing to these mandates. The days for personal power and position must end. The people have spoken, and now the elected officials must put the people first.

The Rev. Michael L. Pfleger, senior pastor, Faith Community of St. Sabina Church

New lawmakers must press Jeffries

Later this week, U.S. House Democrats will choose their leadership, and Hakeem Jeffries is running for speaker unopposed. Chicago’s incoming U.S. representatives, including Patty Garcia, shouldn't treat that vote as a formality.

Jeffries’ instinct again and again has been to protect the leadership structure first and fight second. In March 2025, after Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer handed Republicans the votes for a six-month blank check, Jeffries refused to say whether Schumer should stay. But after the shutdown collapsed that November, he broke his silence and expressed support for Schumer. Jeffries waited months after the New York City mayoral primary to endorse Zohran Mamdani — then the Democratic nominee — finally doing so the day before early voting.

Yes, Democrats just won the House. But winning an election against Donald Trump is not the same as governing against him, and the record shows how Jeffries folds under pressure.

The leadership ballot is secret, but nothing stops a new member from saying what he or she expects of a speaker before casting a vote. Our incoming representatives should ask Jeffries for specific commitments on how he’ll use this majority, and say publicly what they heard.

Chicago sent fighters to Washington, D.C. Their first vote should prove it.

Troy Gould, Heart of Chicago

No action Jackson

I wonder what U.S. Rep. Jonathan Jackson, D-Ill., had to do on Tuesday that was so important that he missed the impeachment vote on Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. The measure failed by seven votes. Eleven Democrats were absent. No wonder people are angry with the Democratic Party.

Tom Kosinski, Ravenswood Gardens

Living up to Lincoln

If President Abraham Lincoln is looking down on us right now, he must be pleased.

In our midterm elections, this nation gave birth to new freedom. A "government of the people, by the people, for the people" didn't perish from the Earth. Competent candidates defeated special interests. Black, Native American and Latina candidates made history. Abdul El-Sayed and Chris Pappas won Senate races in Michigan and New Hampshire, respectfully.

America is a work in progress. We still have much to do to make this a country that truly exercises “with liberty and justice for all.”

At Gettysburg, Lincoln expressed a belief in our country’s future. In this election cycle, we have kept the faith.

William Dodd Brown, Lincoln Square

Stay patient

I applaud reader Eli Washington for his letter in Wednesday's Sun-Times. I too want to remind everyone change will not happen overnight. We need to remain calm. Donald Trump is still president and says he will work with Democrats, but I think that is doubtful.

Virginia Dare McGraw, Naperville

Welcome back, America

The blue tidal wave established that no matter what party, what religion, what social persuasion, united we stand. Black people, Asians, Native Americans, women, youth, Latinos, whites, "Dreamers," seniors ALL count. With the exception of Native Americans, we all are descendants of immigrants. Yet together we ARE the blue tidal wave and we matter. Congratulations, my fellow Americans. Well done.

Jude Smallwood, Royal Palm Beach, Florida

Not sitting pretty after blocking Judge Perry

It's interesting that U.S. District Judge April Perry is presiding over the “Broadview Six” case that's tied to the future of Andrew Boutros as U.S. attorney for the Northern District of Illinois — an appointment Perry originally received from former President Joe Biden but then was blocked by then-Ohio Sen. JD Vance as political retribution for criminal prosecutions against Donald Trump

In the end Perry, who is qualified to be a U.S. attorney, became a district judge, Boutros became a controversial U.S attorney, and Vance earned one of the strikes against him as Trump's vice president and now as a probable candidate for president.

Ed Stone, Northbrook

Keep big money out of Chicago elections

In the weeks preceding the midterms, well before results came in for Chicago’s first-ever fully elected school board race, one thing was clear: Our democracy had been sold to the highest bidder.

Michael Sacks, chairman and CEO of GCM Grosvenor who is worth an estimated $2 billion, spent nearly $6.5 million to influence the school board race through the Common Ground Collective super PAC. In the final stretch, Sacks gave $700,000 to Jessica Biggs’ in her bid to become Chicago Public Schools Board president. The next largest spender in the election was retired executive Jim Frank, with $3.8 million. Together, the two men accounted for 46% of total school board spending, outspending the Service Employees International Union and Chicago Teachers Union combined by more than 4 to 1.

Small-dollar donors accounted for less than 1%.

Regardless of partisan affiliation, most Americans agree that allowing individuals to sway elections through unlimited spending is a sign of a broken system. And this moment is about more than Sacks. It's about who gets to shape our democracy, whose voices matter and whether ordinary Chicagoans have a meaningful say in decisions affecting their communities.

For everyday Chicagoans like us who aren't billionaires or corporate executives, contributing $20 or $50 to a candidate we believe in often requires real sacrifice. We give because we believe that candidate represents us. We vote because we believe every voice should carry equal weight, regardless of income or background.

But that's not how the system works now. Sacks and Frank along with financier Paul Finnegan and the Walton family (yes, Walmart largest shareholders) have leveraged their personal wealth to exert influence over Chicago elections far beyond the power of their individual votes.

Chicago needs a fair election system —one that could level the playing field for candidates and voters, give candidates with fewer resources a fair chance to compete and rein in the influence of outside moneyed interests.

The question facing Chicagoans is whether we will accept the appearance of democracy or finally confront the concentrated wealth working to diminish our voices. Because a democracy in which wealth determines who gets heard is a democracy in name only.

Anabel Mendoza, founder, Democracy Unbought

Ishan Daya, co-founder and co-executive director, Institute for the Public Good

Increasing e-bike, scooter safety

As we build bike lanes — and expand shared electric bicycle and scooter use — we face the same challenges other cities have with rider behavior: tourists riding on the sidewalk, teens tripling up on scooters and newbies with noise-canceling headphones blowing through stop signs. As much as we might sometimes want evolution to run its course, we shouldn’t have to wait that long, as there is a better way to improve atrocious Lime and Divvy rider behavior: require the operators to build a secure, community reporting feature into their apps as a condition of their upcoming contract renewal.

This is technically very doable: Allow someone witnessing unsafe riding to submit a photo or short video directly through the Lime or Divvy app. With the recording’s time and location data, Divvy and Lime could cross-reference that information with its own vehicle location and trip records to assess the complaint, and where the evidence supports it, identify the associated rider account.

That review would happen privately within the company. The person reporting would never receive the rider’s identity or trip information, and the rider would not receive the reporter’s identity. Just like with parking tickets, these reports could be contested (and reviewed by humans where appropriate), and there would be ample warnings and mandatory safety rules refreshers before a violator could use e-bikes or scooters again. But continued violations could lead to temporary suspension, and ultimately, loss of riding privileges, with responses proportionate to severity and repetition.

We need shared bikes and scooters. They contribute directly to a reduction in traffic and the cancer-causing emissions cars produce. They aren’t going anywhere. They're only increasing in popularity, so we need to get serious about how we expect people to use them. Sidewalk riding and dangerous behavior undermine public confidence and make walking more stressful, especially for older adults, people with disabilities and families with young children. We can and should require that the giant companies that provide and profit from this equipment include the mechanisms for making their widespread use safer for everyone.

Cyrus Dowlatshahi, Humboldt Park

No to Peoples Gas

With the cost of living continuing to rise, many Chicago residents are already struggling to keep up with their monthly expenses. Peoples Gas is asking for a $144 million dollar rate increase, which could make monthly bills increase $6 to $8 more. While this may not seem like a lot, it could add unnecessary stress on families and individuals who are already struggling financially. As winter approaches, this means some Chicagoans will have to decide between buying groceries or heating their homes, a choice nobody should have to make.

As a society shifting to sustainable energy, should we really be investing in infrastructure that will prolong our use of fossil fuels for another century? People’s Gas wants us to remain dependent on their product and by replacing these pipes now, it will make the transition to clean energy more costly and difficult. I believe that this gives us an opportunity to explore other options to fuel our city instead of continuing to rely on fossil fuels. We need to make the right decisions today to provide a future for generations to come. The effects of climate change have become apparent. But it's not too late. Chicago can set an example for communities around the world to take this crisis seriously and invest in energy sources that don't destroy our planet.

I believe the Illinois Commerce Commission should reject this rate increase. Chicago residents should not carry the cost burden for a company’s expensive projects, especially when those investments will make it harder to move toward more sustainable energy. Enough is enough!

Meredith Holland, Rogers Park

Prison reform needed, but prisoners should do time

Nobody should be incarcerated in a living hell hole. Yes we have a necessity to lock criminals up, but prisons must be humane. Psychiatric services, medical care, education and safety must all be provided. In-prison gangs must be dismantled and separated in order to destroy them. Nonviolent and low-level offenders must never have to face prison gangs for protection or worse.

At the same time, inmates should serve their full sentence . I favor strong prison reforms, not dismantling them, as we have folks that are just noncompliant to the laws of our society and dangerous to society .

Mike F. Zaczek, Orland Park