I have friends and colleagues that tell me if I don’t like America or what’s happening in America, I should find another country.

Let me clarify something. I not only like America, but I also love America! I love its Constitution and the democracy that it provides. There is no place like it so I shall not move. The freedom to speak your mind is just one of the many freedoms that I cherish.

What I don’t like are the politicians and Supreme Court ignoring our Constitution and walking all over it as if they own it. Like it or not, it is our document, the document of the people, by the people, and for the people. I hope those are familiar words to all of us. Don’t you want to fight to keep it?

I also love the great state of Illinois. It is one of the few states that are standing up for the Constitution and free speech among all the other freedoms it provides.

Sure, the state has problems. Find me a state that does not. As I said in my last article, as far as criminality goes, nothing will change until we do something about guns in this country. So, don’t think that sending troops into various cities, to “help” law enforcement, will make any difference at all. Some differences, touted to have been made already, will fall apart soon enough. A show of force doesn’t always translate into long term change.

I also get comments that other presidents have done much of the same things that President Trump is doing today. I never, ever, get a list of those things other presidents have done, however. I’m sure a list, if I did get one, would include other presidents “picking” on our current one.

If that were true, why would juries of our peers be convicting him in our courts of law? Of course, others will say that the courts of law and the jury of peers were against him. So, I guess, we are saying that the lawyers for President Trump are no good. Worthless at their jobs. Are we also saying that it was the grand scheme of President Biden to pick an attorney general that would pursue the conviction of President Trump in ways that would delay the processes long enough that they never came to completion? Interesting strategy.

Currently, the Republicans are saying that the government shutdown was caused by the Democrats. They say because the bill to prevent the shutdown didn’t reinstate the cuts that have been and will be made to programs such as Medicaid and CHIP (for children), etc., Democrats voted down the bill.

Republicans also say that reinstating these cuts would give undocumented workers access to these and other government programs. But this is not true. Read the article at “forumtogether.org/article/fact-sheet-undocumented-immigrants-and-federal-health-care-benefits/” to see what undocumented immigrants have access to. If you would like more information on the bipartisan Forum group, click on the word Forum at the top of the page.

It is true, however, that undocumented immigrants have access to hospital emergency departments. Everyone in this country has this access. Emergency departments will never ask for your status. They are dedicated to helping everyone and this will never change due to the Hippocratic Oath taken by doctors.

It is also a very small percentage of annual payments made by the government on a yearly basis. Some of the Democrats’ wants are to extend tax subsidies for the ACA program. They say if this is not done, many Americans (not undocumented immigrants) will see a 75% or more increase to the cost of their participation. The Republicans said they will be willing to negotiate on the ACA extension but not until the current bill is passed to reopen the government. You can read more about this at “www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2025/10/01/democrats-republicans-government-shutdown-health-care/”. Do you believe that the Republicans will do this? They didn’t allow negotiations on the current bill.

Here is what Democrats say about President Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill and how they feel it will affect you: “Democrats say it amounts to tax breaks for billionaires and pays for them with deep Medicaid cuts. The White House insists the law protects taxpayers by preventing undocumented immigrants from getting government health benefits — but such individuals were already barred from Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act (ACA), or Obamacare, exchanges.”

You can read about this at “www.npr.org/2025/10/03/nx-s1-5560987/shutdown-undocumented-immigrants-medicaid-obamacare”. In short, Democrats are trying to fight for American citizens to keep them from healthcare bankruptcy.

Many citizens of my age are for many of these cuts because they feel it won’t affect them. The removal of undocumented immigrants, that are not criminals, and work jobs that others in America won’t do, may not affect the government’s income by a large amount, but we must remember that the money lost from the taxes they pay reduces Medicare and other programs’ reserves.

It will eventually affect you and me. Even though tax cuts for billionaires, millionaires, and large corporations never “trickle down” to us, it is a safe bet that the debt accumulation will. Read “taxpolicycenter.org/fiscal-facts/yes-undocumented-immigrants-pay-taxes-and-receive-few-tax-benefits” to get additional information on what immigrants pay.

So, should we sit back and hope that everything will be fine and dandy down the road? Do we have any indication that this will happen? Any at all? Should we sit back and hope certain things will happen as we have done in the past?

Voters truly have the power here to change things. Because of some of the bills being introduced in several states and the gerrymandering being performed to add seats to Congress, we are seeing our power eroded. Some of this even affects both parties. Is there something you can do to change this trend?

Reed Harris is a longtime Rochelle resident and community volunteer.