Don't put bike lanes on Chicago's main streets

Bike lanes on main streets, especially on bus routes, are ridiculous, and those who suggested that bicyclists are getting too much leeway are correct. Bicyclists routinely violate traffic laws and rarely, if ever, get stopped or ticketed. They pay no city sticker fees to use the streets. They pay no gas tax either. So until they do, let's get them off the main streets.

Bike lanes should be relegated to one-way side streets. Let Chicago Department of Transportation figure out the routes, but they would eventually be faster and safer for those on bikes because of less vehicle traffic. If they need to go a little further, that's the price to pay for no vehicle stickers and lax traffic enforcement. And then on the main streets traffic can flow freely.

Robert Stasch, O'Hare

Limit presidents to one 6-year term

I’ve been saying the following for years: I propose a constitutional amendment that would replace the current four-year presidential term (with the possibility of a second) for first-time presidents, with a single six-year term — in which to forge a legacy, for bad or (hopefully) good.

If an incumbent (or former president, such as Donald Trump) ran for a second time and emerged triumphant, he or she would be restricted to four years. The benefits are at least threefold. As it stands now, two years into the initial first term (and often far earlier), the president is already thinking about reelection, allowing it to distract from the all-important job of running the country. Second, knowing there would be no possibility of four additional years to “get it right” would incentivize the incumbent to do the very best he or she can right from the get-go. Third, it would eliminate the obscene amount of funds spent on campaigning. This seems long overdue to me. I am quite interested to hear the opinions of others, either pro or con.

Rob Hirsh, West Ridge

Chicago Wet Sox

With the White Sox on the brink of baseball immortality for all the wrong reasons, that sound you don't hear is that of rotating turnstiles and capacity crowds. And oh, by the way, thanks for nothing, Mr. Reinsdorf.

Bob Ory, Elgin

A bad plan for North DuSable Lake Shore Drive

Thanks for publishing Nik Hunder’s op-ed about the damage the Illinois and Chicago departments of transportation plan for North DuSable Lake Shore Drive would inflict. Thanks to Hunder for adding data about the destruction this would cause. Just viewing the photo/image shows lots more concrete and less beach than is currently there.

My walk to the beach would increase significantly. Could private corporations profit? Not good for Chicago!

Beth Najberg, Gold Coast

Pay higher taxes, say no to video gambling

Apparently one of the things on the table to address the looming budget disaster is video gaming. This would be terrible in so many ways, and would not actually help the budget.

As with all forms of gambling, video gaming does not produce anything new; it merely diverts money — very efficiently! — that people would otherwise spend on other goods, services and activities, which would otherwise generate their own tax revenues. Although one could see a focused new stream of revenue from gambling, much harder to see would be the dispersed losses in revenues elsewhere.

Meanwhile, the problems created by gambling create additional costs for the city. And video gambling is particularly pernicious. The machines are designed to be powerfully addictive, to trigger our brains in ways that make gamblers keep playing. For example, video slot machines are designed to show, more likely than by chance, "near wins," such as two cherries and an orange, but with cherries visible just above the orange. Such "near wins" are registered emotionally the same as actual wins. And the machines are typically located to prey especially on the weakest among us, such as socially isolated retirees or others, usually poorer people, who have fewer activities available.

Painful though it would be, I would much rather pay higher taxes to address the deficit than have our communities destroyed by the cancer of video gaming.

Tom McDougal, Chicago

Focus on families by renewing child tax credit

Last month, Chicago transformed for the Democratic National Convention. Folks at McCormick Place, the United Center and across the city watched performances, listened to speeches and accepted nominations. The energy was indescribable, and as a volunteer, I was fortunate to see Vice President Kamala Harris accept her nomination in person at the United Center.

Yet some of the promises and claims during the convention rang false. It was disappointing to hear so many representatives focus on families, the importance of economic security and support for the middle class. It was disappointing that many of these talks ignored the very real and salient failure from earlier this year: the blocked expansion of the child tax credit and a lack of action for families in a significant election year.

This lack of action and support only feels more relevant when reading the U.S. Census Bureau's latest Supplemental Poverty Measure. Childhood poverty increased to 12.9%. The child tax credit, which has been essential in pulling children out of poverty in previous years, must be expanded. Policymakers and government officials must demonstrate the values they claim to hold and commit to supporting families. Without this action, every word at last month’s convention feels empty.

Natalie Jones, East Garfield Park