I am a retired registered nurse who worked 36 years mostly in critical care in a teaching hospital in Chicago. Like most of my colleagues, I gave it all I could, which included not only technical expertise but my heart and soul. You have to in this business, because you are with patients, families and their friends when they need you the most.
After doing this for so long I think I know a good practitioner when I see one. It’s the person who can be on top of the clinical situation and yet have a way to help bolster people, especially when the clinical picture is critical. You have to be empathetic.
When I look at this current presidential administration, it’s clear many do not have heart at all. Look at the way people like border czar Tom Homan, press secretary Karoline Leavitt and so many GOP members of Congress like Marjorie Taylor Greene and Lauren Boebert speak and act. Often, they are just plain mean, as if they enjoy dishing out policies no matter the personal and familial angst they cause.
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None of them could be a nurse, especially a good one. You have to have skills and especially heart.
Of course, some are in their positions because a heartless and soulless man appointed them and a subordinated GOP Congress rubber-stamped them in.
Remember our ideal as noted on the Statue of Liberty: “Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free.”
I know there is an issue at the border, that we can’t take in everybody. But don’t forget, we are supposed to be a country that espouses freedom to the oppressed. We are becoming a country that now oppresses those who seek shelter.
Lawrence Kopp, Schaumburg
Federal layoffs will save money
If the government were a business, it would have been out of business decades ago (“Anger, chaos reign amid Trump’s mass layoffs,” Feb.15). Businesses go out of business all the time. In the real world, debt matters.
I feel sorry for the workers affected here. I know what it’s like. I have been fired at least twice, bought out once and just simply let go too many times to remember.
Our government is $36 trillion in debt, and it will come crashing down if we don’t get our spending under control.
Larry Craig, Wilmette
Time for a new conservative party
I saw the article in the Sun-Times regarding the federal layoffs. I was a Reagan Republican, but it is time for me to admit something now. MAGA has taken over the Republican party, and it is gone. RIP, GOP.
It is time for a new American conservative party — perhaps America First, or the Federalist Party?
Whatever it is called, the time is now for American conservatives to start over. This is challenging but also an opportunity to redefine healthy political conservatism in the U.S.
I once read a comment by a German person. They said that it needed to be realized that the first country that was invaded by the Nazi party was Germany. Now that the U.S. Republican party has been completely taken over by MAGA and is no more, it is important to realize what has happened and pivot.
Eileen Buchanan, Zephyrhills, Florida
USAID has global, domestic importance
The abrupt dismantling of the U.S. Agency for International Development poses significant risks to our national security and economic well-being.
For decades, USAID has played a crucial role in addressing the root causes of instability by promoting economic development, education and health initiatives in vulnerable regions. These efforts have been instrumental in preventing the spread of extremism and reducing the need for costly military interventions.
Economically, USAID has opened doors for American businesses by fostering emerging markets and establishing trade partnerships. The agency’s projects often require goods and services supplied by U.S. companies, leading to job creation and economic growth domestically.
The loss of USAID jeopardizes these opportunities, potentially resulting in economic downturns in sectors that have benefited from its programs.
Furthermore, USAID’s presence on the global stage has been a testament to America’s commitment to humanitarian values and international cooperation. Its absence not only diminishes our moral leadership but also allows adversarial nations to expand their influence in regions critical to U.S. interests.
As a vigilant voter, I call upon our policymakers to recognize the indispensable role of USAID in safeguarding our nation’s security and prosperity. Immediate action must be taken to restore and fortify this vital agency, ensuring that America continues to lead through compassion, strength and strategic foresight.
Thais Fletcher, Peterson Woods
Keep combating AIDS
Op-ed writer Adham Sahloul pointed out that gutting USAID in the interest of “savings” and “efficiency” will hurt our safety and security. Upon further review, in one important area — combating AIDS — the savings and efficiency are likely not there either.
The Trump administration issued a limited waiver for PEPFAR, allowing it to resume treatment programs for people living with HIV. Doing so saves lives and cuts down on the spread of the disease. But the waiver failed to include most upfront prevention efforts.
Inevitably, the expected front-end savings will give way to more back-end expenditure of resources to chase the additional cases bound to arise. A stitch in time saves nine.
The administration and Congress must recognize that especially when it comes to fighting disease, a truly efficient treatment must be both proactive and reactive. The full integrity of the United States and the world’s leading AIDS prevention and control initiative must be restored.
Oscar Lanzi, Hyde Park