Opinion A6 • Sauk Valley Media
www.saukvalley.com
Monday, December 12, 2016
THE CARTOONIST’S VOICE
WASHINGTON SPOTLIGHT
No briefings, but bluster in abundance How many potential conflicts of interest are there for Trump?
Dave Granlund, GateHouse News Service
EDITORIALS FROM YESTERYEAR | 1916
From our archives: Quality homes needed in Twin Cities What we thought: 100 years ago
Note to readers – Sauk Valley Media reprints editorials and articles from the past as a regular feature. The following When a man pays $4 or items appeared in the $4.50 out of his week’s Gazette on Dec. 11, 1916. wages for a place in which to live, it takes a Philanthropist very large percent of his needed earnings. The demand for the modern house at reahe Twin Cities sonable rental far exceeds of Sterling and the supply in both cities. Rock Falls need a What the Twin Cities philanthropist. They do need is a philanthropist not want a man to give who by contracting on up money for the good a large scale would be of the town, but they do need some man or some able to build a considerable number of modern company of men who will put up money for the small houses accessible to the factories and busigood of the community ness district that could and themselves. be rented from $15 to $18 The Twin Cities need a lot of modern homes that per month. Is there such a man, and can be rented at from if so, who is he, where is $15 to $18 [a month]. he, when will he begin to The average workingman cannot afford to pay build, and how long will it take to have these extra more than $18 and few of them can afford to pay modern houses ready for more than $15 for a mod- occupancy? Hundreds of men ern home. Some of the older hous- in Sterling and Rock Falls are waiting for the es that are for rent are being semi-modernized. answer. Now and then a renter Lowden is insists that the house going strong must have a furnace and Those who were most a bathroom. One renter enthusiastic for [Gov.may get the furnace and the next one may get the elect Frank] Lowden may be the most disappointed bathroom. The improvements take men in the state. While those who were probably a year’s rent or rather lukewarm about more. But the demand his candidacy may for houses is such that become his most enthuthis process of modernization is slow. siastic supporters. Whether it is possible to He is beginning in a build a small cottage with way that will appeal at a furnace, hot and cold least to the folks who water, a good bathroom, pay the freight, and the electrically lighted and freight is to be larger in equipped in a modern 1917 than ever before in way to rent for $15 to $18 the history of the state, is a problem The Gazette something of course for cannot solve. which Gov. Lowden will But this much it does not be responsible. know, and that is that In an interview, Lowden every renter, no matter made this statement, in what line he works, is announcing a plan of entitled to these comcampaign that will please forts at a price that will most taxpayers and in not exceed $15 to $18 a line with his declarations month. before he was elected:
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Editorial Board Jim Dunn Sam R Fisher Sheryl Gulbranson Jennifer Heintzelman Jeff Rogers Kathleen Schultz Peter Shaw t Editorials
avenues that lead to the public crib. But the governor will have the people with him in any action that will “I have so far tendered appointments but to two relieve the state of extra, unneeded, expensive men. In view of the fact officials, or that will make that these men have not for the efficiency of those yet accepted, I do not feel at liberty to mention who are not eliminated their names. I have come by the consolidation of the various state boards. to no conclusion with The governor is on the reference to any other right track and is going appointments, and shall neither make nor consid- strong. If he has the backbone to stick, and will er further appointments at the present time unless adopt The Gazette motto: “Repeal half the laws and some public emergency abolish half the offices,” arises making it neceshe will become the most sary to depart from this popular governor Illinois rule. ever knew. “I want to be free to concentrate all my The inequality efforts for the present of things upon the reorganization of the scattered, unreThe talk is again being lated, and oftentimes revived of reducing the overlapping agencies of electoral vote from the the state government Southern states. There into a few departments. is considerable talk also This part of our program in regard to abolishing seems to me a condition the Electoral College precedent to real and entirely. rational progress along Consider Illinois, which other lines.” cast nearly 2 million That is a program that votes and had 29 elecwill have the heartiest tors. The South cast 2 endorsement of the great million votes and gathbody of voters who must ered for Wilson 139 elecfoot the bills. Consolidate toral votes. the boards, consolidate Admitting half the wherever consolidation Illinois votes were from is possible, and in doing women, which they were so the governor will make not, Illinois people are no mistake or seriously still disenfranchised. cripple the state business The same comparison by eliminating at least applies to practically all half the offices in the the big states that went state. Republican. A DemoThis plan would please cratic vote in the South the taxpayers, and it stands for about three or would not cripple the four Republican votes in state service. But it the North. would make a roar from Nobody who has ever the sidelines where the made any study of either coaches fought the battle country can believe that to make Lowden goverthe Southern Democrats nor. are that much more able The men who make a to vote intelligently or that business of politics look much more patriotic than on the state jobs as their the Republicans of the legitimate prey, and they North. The inequality of will roar until the founda- conditions ought to be all tions shake if the goverthe evidence necessary to nor shuts up any of the compel a change.
THE FIRST AMENDMENT
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.
WASHINGTON – The half of America that has not been bamboozled by Donald Trump’s promises to pull miracles out of his orange bouffant are puzzled by his refusal to attend national security briefings. You’d think a 70-year-old man without government experience or knowledge of world affairs would be intrigued to learn the nation’s secrets and the rationales for its foreign policy decisions. Soon, after all, President-elect Trump will be responsible for continuing those decisions or revoking them. But instead of studying up, it’s clear he intends to rely on retired Army Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn, who will be national security adviser, typically the first aide to see the president in the morning and last to see him at night. Yes, the same general who retweeted fake news stories and longdebunked conspiracy theories and whose son went so far over the line doing the same thing that he was ousted last week from Trump’s transition team. The elder Flynn has recirculated bogus, nonsensical accusations, such as Hillary Clinton being involved in child sex trafficking and secretly warring against the Catholic Church. By the way, the general does not need Senate confirmation. When it comes to the vital post of secretary of state, Trump’s interviewing of candidates has been all over the map. Does he even know what he wants in such a diplomat? Trump seems to relish making people jump through hoops before humiliating them. ONE THING THE world does have more certainty about is that Trump broke with the decades-old One China policy by taking a phone call from Taiwan’s new president, infuriating China, which is likely to think twice before helping us contain North Korea’s nuclear ambitions. Ditto Trump’s White House invitation to the Philippines’ president, who has insulted President Barack Obama and has ordered the killings of thousands of people in his homeland. And the same again for making nice with Pakistan, a nuclear power that hid Osama bin Laden. Trump’s overture infuriated India, another nuclear power. Is Trump planning megadeals with Taiwan? He has openly speculated about doing hotel deals there, and many fat-cat Republicans have been longing for normalized relations.
“There is no bigger story than the news of war. For the journalist trying to report the story, the job is fraught with danger, ethical conflicts, confusion and logistical nightmares.”
represent the opinions of the Sauk Valley Media Editorial Board.
Joe Urschel, Newseum, 2001
Quotes brought to you courtesy of
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annMcFEATTERS Ann McFeatters has covered the White House and national politics since 1986. Contact her at amcfeatters@nationalpress.com.
Russia? Trump still refuses to believe U.S. intelligence agencies that say Russia – in other words, Vladimir Putin – intentionally interfered in the election. Just how many potential conflicts of interest are there? Trump announced that Japan’s richest man will invest $50 billion in the United States, with much of the money actually coming from Saudi Arabia. It’s all about profit. We taxpayers are paying Trump to sleep in his own bed at night. We pay for his office space. We pay for the fuel for his plane and his motorcades. DUMPING SOME stock was peanuts for him. What about his business empire? No matter what he says, money is his bottom line. When Trump’s daughter Ivanka joined him for a meeting with the Japanese prime minister, she was also working out a lucrative deal for a new business in Japan. That’s not to mention that Trump owes huge sums of money to the largest German bank and the Bank of China, both of which want favors. Trump seems gleeful that U.S. allies are in panic mode trying to figure out what his intentions are. Hurrah, shout his supporters, who think it’s fine for their populist idol to blow up years of carefully crafted American foreign policy. We’re supposed to have one president at a time. Trump could at least wait until he’s inaugurated to throw bombs. We also now know Trump wants to privatize government programs such as Medicare. Who would benefit? His rich friends? Behind the Trump bluster is a shrewd businessman who will profit from the presidency even though that’s unconstitutional. Fellow citizens, three words: Follow the money. And while you’re at it, be vigilant. Very vigilant. A democracy can become an oligarchy in a flash. Ignoring intelligence briefings is a start. Note to readers: Ann McFeatters is an op-ed columnist for Tribune News Service.
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