Going backward painful

I feel shame. I did what I could. I wrote emails, I called — even those who were not my senators. But the big, bad bill passed. Senators and representatives had to be coerced or threatened to vote for it. That is a very big sign that something is wrong. This bill will not decrease the national debt that so many said they were concerned about, and it will negatively impact health care for people and communities and create conditions for children to go hungry. This is a very unkind bill.

Why do I feel shame? My country, so vast and so rich, in people, places, talents and needs, has people in leadership who decided that there are many people and places that don’t matter. That only those with loads of wealth and power matter. Because they have the power, they can decide what they want and take it. Poor people with no money will go without. Those with no power will have to just figure it out.

This country that cares so much for fetuses will not support health care and tests for the bodies that carry the fetus. If the fetus makes it through a birth, good luck with health care, food and housing, or making it through what used to be called childhood diseases and now will be childhood killers.

America used to be generous. Now it feels scary, distrustful, angry, cruel and small.

The small is in the thinking. With our wealth, vast in so many ways, we can’t seem to come up with a truly fair tax system, which allows us to cover everyone with health care and cover basic needs. We cannot seem to figure out affordable housing and help with day care, both for children and adults. We are bewildered with taking action regarding energy and climate change, even though suggestions and answers have been available for over 50 years. As a nation, we have destroyed our trust and goodwill in the world. Trust is fragile and so difficult to earn.

Our economy will probably collapse with the very high level of debt, and then everyone will feel pain. The wheels are in motion and just keep rolling downhill, causing so much unnecessary destruction. Going backward is painful. Most people prefer to move forward and want answers to the real problems in their lives.

— Laura Davis, Inverness

Chicago Tribune, Thursday, July 24, 2025