As a former regional director of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Midwest office, I watched with horror Tuesday as the Trump administration closed regional offices and dramatically restructured the HHS. This plan wasn’t just misguided — it has dealt a devastating blow to public health.
Regional offices were not bureaucratic excess; they were critical lifelines connecting federal resources to local communities. In the Midwest, our office was essential in addressing unique health challenges — from rural health care access to managing complex urban health disparities. Closing these offices has created an insurmountable disconnect between federal resources and local needs.
The 25% workforce reduction implemented this week was traumatic and dangerous. These weren’t just numbers, but dedicated public servants with decades of institutional knowledge and deep understanding of regional health dynamics who were abruptly terminated. These were the same people who, during the COVID-19 pandemic, coordinated complex vaccine distribution, supported tribal health services and sustained rural health care systems at their breaking point.
The claim that this reorganization will save money is shortsighted. True cost-saving comes from efficient, targeted interventions — not from dismantling proven infrastructure. By eliminating regional offices, Trump officials haven’t streamlined — they’ve sabotaged our public health system.
Public health is not a top-down endeavor. It requires local understanding, trust and nuanced approaches. The Midwest — and every region of this country — deserves leadership that recognizes the complex, interconnected nature of health care.
This reorganization has undermined decades of progress overnight. It’s time to reconsider a plan that threatens the very foundation of our national public health infrastructure.
Michael M. Cabonargi, former Midwest regional director, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
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MAGA saga
If there is one question that the MAGA movement fails to openly answer, it is, “Make America Great Again’ for whom?”
As the Trump administration is demonstrating, MAGA appears to view “greatness” in terms of America in 1789, when, with a few exceptions, only white males who owned property or paid taxes were eligible to vote.
I’m sure if you asked any member of this group, which comprised roughly 6% of the population at that time, they would tell you that America was great. But if you asked anyone outside of this group, the answer might not have been as positive.
The same holds true today. The ultra-wealthy who are benefiting from and implementing Donald Trump’s policies undoubtedly think he is making America great again. The curiosity is that many average Americans, who are, or may eventually be harmed by these policies, seem to feel the same.
What motivations can compel ordinary people to act against their self-interests so readily? Perhaps it is some form of reverse psychology, where the more people are warned about the dangers of certain actions, the more determined they are to do them, and the less inclined they are to admit they were wrong for doing so.
Perhaps it is because self-interest is not limited to only economic issues. Some, maybe most, people incessantly have the need to have scapegoats that they can look down upon and blame for their or a nation’s problems, and thus they flock to politicians who provide them.
Several recent articles have called the architects behind the MAGA movement some of the most dangerous people in America. I would venture even further and argue that they may be the most dangerous people in human history.
After all, we live in a world today where the destruction of most, if not all, of the human race can be accomplished with ease. Nuclear war, humanly created environmental disasters, artificially manufactured diseases (particularly airborne ones), coupled with increasing disdain for science, medicine and education, are an omnipresent threat.
So while some are now expressing regret for voting for Trump, the problem is that America, and the world, may soon reach a point where the opportunity for such regret will be as extinct as humanity itself. All that is required is to have the wrong people in the right positions.
That point may be fast approaching.
David R. Hoffman, retired civil rights and constitutional law attorney, South Bend, Indiana
Affordable housing shouldn’t be this pricey
In a Sun-Times article earlier this week, “Auburn Gresham gets a new two-building affordable apartment project,” we see a price tag of $47 million for 58 units. But there is no mention of the simple math resulting in an eye-popping $810,000 per unit.
A recent op-ed pointed to this issue, while we are also hearing about the rise in homelessness.
We need our journalists asking the city about these costs and what solutions they have, so that we can make our city more affordable.
Andy Burnham, South Loop
Trailers trash movie experience
A few days ago we went to see “Black Bag,” starring Cate Blanchett, which was highly recommended by Richard Roeper. The movie was excellent. Unfortunately, our entire movie theater experience didn’t fit that adjective. The film was listed as starting at 4:35 p.m. but actually began at 5:05 while we were subjected to 30 minutes of previews, plus advertising from the theater chain, soft drinks and Nicole Kidman touting the moviegoing experience. There were seven trailers delivered at eardrum-shaking levels; five of them showed such disturbing scenes from four horror films and a violent “action movie” that could disturb even the most hardened lover of those genres.
Now we’ll be seeking another chain, probably local, for our next moviegoing experience. If that doesn’t work, two more people who once enjoyed viewing movies on the “big screen” will be counted among those forsaking that experience.
Chris and Bill Craven, Evergreen Park