I can regret that the lack of public access of candidates is not a positive trend in our government elections (“Holding candidates accountable is more difficult than ever in the digital age”, Madeleine Doubek On Government, January 21). At the same time, what is happening these days for “real live journalists” appears to the layman to be nothing more than pretentious, self-absorbed reporters who come to a press conference (when they can find one ) with an agenda of their own and looking for the opportunity to throw that “gotcha” question that will make the interviewee look like a deer in the headlights. Then the social media side of journalism takes over.

Is it any wonder that voter turnout is so low when we have to endure months of this showboating, to the point that no candidate is spared slander? I’m sure it’s been going on for ages, because elections have used any format at their disposal to portray the other as vermin. But with literally thousands of outlets for this stuff today, the common man is distracted by all the noise in the system.

JOHN F. PHELAN
Winnetka

To compete, you need the help of the super-rich

Subject: “Preckwinkle on Griffin’s dollars, the electronic monitoring fight and biting the tax bullet” (AD Q&A, January 25): Would Ken Griffin’s money be needed if it weren’t for candidates like Governor JB Pritzker and former Govt. Bruce Rauner before him, who are so rich they can afford to pump tens of millions of dollars into their own campaigns? How is a regular guy like Aurora Mayor Richard Irvin supposed to compete with Pritzker without the help of someone like Griffin? It’s fair to wonder what Griffin will want in return, but as long as super-rich individuals like Pritzker are going to run for office, it’s unfair to criticize middle-class candidates like Irvin for accepting donor money. super rich like Ken. Griffin.

DAN PALMER
Evanston

Duncan has the right idea about crime

My Thoughts After Reading Arne Duncan’s Ideas on How to Solve Chicago’s Violence Epidemic: What a Breath of Fresh Air (“Duncan Rips Lightfoot on Crime,” Greg Hinz On Politics, January 26). He correctly stated that we already had more shootings in January 2022 than in a horrible January 2021. The fact that he mentions shootings instead of murders shows how dangerous the city of Chicago has become.

Duncan also uses the words “demoralized” and “overworked” to describe Chicago cops. There’s a reason so many people skip the department by the hundreds, either in retirement or in other departments. He states that the Chicago cops are not used properly. When this happens, leadership is challenged. When a mayor and the rank and file cops, including the leaders of the Fraternal Order of Police, are at odds, only bad things can happen to a town that desperately needs the leaders to work together.

Chicago cops need all the help and support they can muster, and it needs to come from leadership who understands that when a department has lost faith in its leaders, change is desperately warranted.

BOB ANGONE
Retired Chicago Police Lieutenant
Austin, TX