AN OPEN LETTER TO THE DAILY HERALD

The title of your August 11th story (“Illinois concealed carry process getting easier”) ignores the most important fact contained in that story. Only 84,000 applications for concealed carry permits have been filed in the entire state of Illinois. The Illinois State Police had said they expected to process 300,000 to 400,000 applications in 2014. As recently as May 8th, the Daily Herald reported that officials "expect about 300,000 applications to be filed this year.”

84,000 people is fewer than one percent of the population of Illinois. That confirms what common sense tells us: 99 percent of people do not want to carry guns. The Illinois law that prohibited concealed carry reflected the overwhelming consensus of the people, but a Federal court overturned the law so that a small group could indulge their “Dirty Harry” fantasies. There is no credible evidence that any significant number of crimes are prevented by civilians carrying guns, but  innocent people have been killed or injured by vigilantes.

Retired Justice John Paul Stevens has predicted that the Second Amendment will eventually be amended by adding the words “while serving in the militia.” That would return the Second Amendment to its original purpose.

Residents of the northwest suburbs held a rally Tuesday in Palatine to protest the policies of Bruce Rauner, Republican candidate for Governor. The rally was held outside the Cotillion Ballroom, where Republicans were holding a fundraising event at which Rauner was the featured speaker.

“Minimum wage workers can’t support themselves and their families without food stamps and other government assistance,” said  Nancy Shepherdson of Deer Park. “But Rauner has said he wants to lower Illinois’ minimum wage.”

“Rauner’s policies would benefit the most fortunate people in our state at the expense of working families, “ said Joe Gump of Palatine. “He would cut taxes on millionaires and billionaires while cutting services to people in need. And he has given hundreds of thousands of dollars to groups that support privatizing Social Security.

President Obama's announcement that the EPA will require power plants to reduce carbon emissions by 30% may prove to be the most important thing he has done. Cynical pundits say this will hurt Democrats in November, but the consensus of scientists is that we must start dealing with man-made climate change now. President Obama is the rare politician who does what's right, not what's popular. He has guided the country through the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression, ended the Iraq War and wound down the war in Afghanistan, accomplished reform of  the health care system, and now taken decisive action on climate change. In contrast, Republicans have obstructed progress and offered no realistic solutions to the important problems facing our country. The American people understand this.