Letters to the Editor: How is ‘Medicare for all' ‘unworkable' when universal healthcare works elsewhere?
De Rugy applauds the use of health savings accounts ('The 'Big Beautiful Bill' got one thing right,' July 10). According to her, they allow people to control their own health decisions. I say they're another way to hide the cracks in our inadequate healthcare system. Lewis calls 'Medicare for all' 'unworkable' ('Will Democrats find an anti-Trump to galvanize the left?,' July 11). That's funny. It works well for many of us over 65. So why is it unworkable for everybody else?
So many of us watch those heartbreaking TV commercials for Shriners and St. Jude's children's hospitals. That those institutions need to beg for donations is a terrible indictment of our healthcare system. Shouldn't every citizen have healthcare as a right? That's the way it's done in every other developed country on the planet, with costs far less than what we pay and with superior results.
It's way past time for universal healthcare.
William Blum, Studio City
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Newsweek
26 minutes ago
- Newsweek
Map Shows US Cities Where Homicide Rates Are Highest
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. President Donald Trump has said multiple cities could face federal action to deal with their violent crime, after he declared a public safety emergency in Washington, D.C. Newsweek has produced a map showing homicide rates in cities across the country. Baltimore and Chicago—both mentioned by Trump as possible targets—feature in the map as cities with the second and tenth highest homicide rates respectively, while Washington D.C. comes in at 19th. The data, compiled by the civil rights group Freedom for All Americans, does not present a complete and current nationwide picture, as not all cities have compiled complete figures for 2024. Why It Matters Homicide rates shape policy debates over policing, federal intervention and community investment, especially when presidential action and local officials clash over the meaning of the numbers. Crime levels in cities are making headlines in the wake of Trump's concerns about Washington, D.C. on Monday, when he invoked emergency powers to place the city's police department under federal control and deploy around 800 National Guard troops. What To Know The 10 cities with the highest homicide rates, according to Freedom for All Americans' 2024 data, are: St. Louis, Missouri (69.4 per 100,000 people) Baltimore, Maryland (51.1 per 100,000 people) New Orleans, Louisiana (40.6 per 100,000 people) Detroit, Michigan (39.7 per 100,000 people) Cleveland, Ohio (33.7 per 100,000 people) Las Vegas, Nevada (31.4 per 100,000 people) Kansas City, Missouri (31.2 per 100,000 people) Memphis, Tennessee (27.1 per 100,000 people) Newark, New Jersey (25.6 per 100,000 people) Chicago, Illinois (24.0 per 100,000 people) The group compiled is data from multiple sources, including AreaVibes, NeighborhoodScout, city police reports and public safety databases. Newsweek has contacted mayors' offices' for Chicago, St. Louis, Baltimore, New Orleans, Detroit and Cleveland, via email, for comment. Washington D.C. comes in at 19th, with a murder rate of 17.0 per 100,000 people. Violent crime in the capital hit a 30-year low in 2024, the district's U.S. Attorney Office said in January, citing police data. District Council member Charles Allen and District Attorney General Brian Schwalb both cited this statistic in their criticism of the president's federal intervention in the capital, with Allen calling Trump's actions a "dangerous abuse of power." Mike A. Males, a senior researcher at the Center on Juvenile and Criminal Justice in San Francisco, told Newsweek that urban crime was down across the country. "D.C. has a high rate because it is the only district wholly comprised of a city, but trends for all states mostly are down," he said. Analystsat the Council on Criminal Justice reported year-end 2024 declines in homicides across a set of 40 cities, noting a 16 percent drop in homicides overall. What People Are Saying Trump suggested other cities may face similar federal action to Washington, telling a press conference on Monday: "We have other cities also that are bad. Very bad. You look at Chicago, how bad it is. You look at Los Angeles, how bad it is. We have other cities that are very bad. New York has a problem. And then you have, of course, Baltimore and Oakland. We don't even mention that anymore there." "They're so far gone. We're not going to let it happen. We're not going to lose our cities over this." Washington D.C. District Attorney General Brian Schwalb responded to Trump's move in a post on X: "The Administration's actions are unprecedented, unnecessary, and unlawful. "There is no crime emergency in the District of Columbia. Violent crime in DC reached historic 30-year lows last year, and is down another 26% so far this year. "We are considering all of our options and will do what is necessary to protect the rights and safety of District residents." The Administration's actions are unprecedented, unnecessary, and unlawful. There is no crime emergency in the District of Columbia. Violent crime in DC reached historic 30-year lows last year, and is down another 26% so far this year. We are considering all of our options and… — AG Brian Schwalb (@DCAttorneyGen) August 11, 2025 What Happens Next Some jurisdictions reported declines in homicide in 2024 and early 2025, but national and local trends vary by city and by the data source used. The Council on Criminal Justice and the FBI have both signaled overall declines in violent crime through 2024. Monitoring will continue to see if this pattern continues.
NBC News
26 minutes ago
- NBC News
Transgender Marine speaks out against Trump's ban on trans servicemembers
On Jan. 27, Trump announced an executive order titled 'Prioritizing Military Excellence and Readiness.' It states that, 'expressing a false 'gender identity' divergent from an individual's sex cannot satisfy the rigorous standards necessary for military service.' The order then continues to say, 'beyond the hormonal and surgical medical interventions involved, adoption of a gender identity inconsistent with an individual's sex conflicts with a soldier's commitment to an honorable, truthful, and disciplined lifestyle, even in one's personal life.' On May 6, after a court challenge, the Supreme Court granted the Trump Administration the ability to move forward with the order. That same day, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, delivered a keynote speech at Special Operations Forces Week 2025, that was clipped and posted in a public video on the verified X account for DOD Rapid Response, and said, 'We are leaving wokeness and weakness behind. No more pronouns. No more climate-change obsession. No more emergency vaccine mandates. No more dudes in dresses.' The following week, on May 15, a memo was sent to every branch of the military from the U.S. Department of Defense that stated that all transgender personnel would need to self-identify and begin a voluntary leave process by Jun. 6 for active duty and Jul. 7 for those in the reserves. A transcript posted on the DOD's website on the same day, that cited a 'Senior Defense Official' without listing their name, explained that those who chose to leave would be compensated based on 'rank as well as time in service.' The DOD transcript explained further, that all transgender personnel who leave because of this will receive some benefits, but that it is greater for those who start the process on their own accord. 'So, for involuntary category separation, an E-5 with 10 years of service, we estimate that that involuntary separation payment would be just under $51,000. For an O-3 with seven years in service that involuntary separation pay would be approximately $62,000. The way the voluntary separation pay is calculated is a multiple of two from the involuntary, so that E-5 with 10 years would be approximately $101,000 and the O-3 with seven years in service would be approximately $125,000,' the transcript said. On Aug. 7, however, it was reported by NBC News that the Air Force is denying early retirement to all transgender service members with between 15 and 18 years of military service, opting instead to force them out with no retirement benefits, according to a memo seen by Reuters. The DOD transcript also explained that, 'for those that elect not to voluntarily participate, the primary means of identification for the involuntary process will be through medical readiness programs. Individual medical readiness programs are a long-standing program and policy in the department. They are not new. They are not tied specifically to the implementation of this policy.' Savoie told NBC San Diego they chose to stay, and not begin that voluntary separation process, as an act of resistance. 'There's a lot of reasons to that,' Savoie said. 'I don't have dependents that are specifically banking on me having a paycheck. I know you're probably familiar with the buyout option that they gave, so double what your normal separation pay would be. For me, to be transparent with you, that was about $100,000, so a significant chunk of income. That's about a year's worth of income for me; it wasn't worth it.' 'I didn't commission to make the easy choice, and in this position, when you're faced with choices like these, are you going to make them on principle or are you going to make them on what the easy way out is. That's not everyone's scenario, but it is for me,' Savoie continued. 'I should caveat and say anyone who's taking this right now is under duress. Like it is a forced thing and, again, it does not come without risk. We don't know what they're going to do to us right now.' Savoie said they do have concerns for the future, including which separation code will be used for them if they are forced to leave the Marines and how that could impact their future employment opportunities. NBC San Diego reached out to Savoie's command and the public affairs team for the USMC Manpower and Reserve Affairs office for more information on their status, as well as the status of other transgender servicemembers. They forwarded the request to the Pentagon, where the on-duty public affairs officer referred NBC San Diego to the department's May 15 transcript. When it comes to how many servicemembers, including Savoie, may be impacted by Trump's executive order, in that transcript, the unnamed senior defense official said, 'the Department has cited a previous study that estimated approximately 4,200 service members with gender dysphoria. I have not seen a more recent study the department is relying on. So, that would be the most recent study that we would rely on. And of course, that may not be current as of today because service members are entering and departing service in the normal course of events all the time.' Savoie echoed that, saying 'there's not great numbers on how many transgender people are in the military." "From the communities that I am a part of and my experience working and connecting with other trans service members, I would guesstimate there's maybe seven or eight transgender officers in the Marine Corps," they said. "Some of those I know are not out right now and others, they fly under the radar. Others are taking the retirement and just kind of want to gracefully exit because they've already done their part and they've had to fight their fights under the first ban, and they're tired.' If it were up to Savoie — who has continues to show up for work each day, unsure of what comes next — they said they would serve until their EAS, or end of active service, in 2028.
Politico
30 minutes ago
- Politico
Hakeem Jeffries and the standoff in Illinois
Good Wednesday morning, Illinois. We woke up to a lovely Springfield sunrise. TOP TALKER SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — STANDOFF INTRIGUE: Texas House Democrats huddled for hours Tuesday in a Chicago-area hotel conference room, weighing their next move after Gov. Greg Abbott announced he would end the controversial special legislative session on Friday — days earlier than its scheduled Aug. 19 adjournment. A new special session would be called 'immediately,' Abbott said in a statement. Democrats call it a win. 'We said we would defeat Abbott's first corrupt special session, and that's exactly what we're doing,' Texas House Democratic Caucus Chair Rep. Gene Wu said in a statement. The big question: Will the Texas Democrats return to Austin or remain in Illinois? Their hours-long, members-only discussions wrapped up late and without a plan, according to a person in the room. And CNN reports 'they are debating how much more they can accomplish by prolonging their self-imposed exile.' Before Abbott's announcement, the group met with U.S. House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, who offered words of encouragement. He thanked them 'for their courage, their character, their conviction and indicated that we continue to support them every step of the way along their journey. They're fighting the good fight,' Jeffries told Playbook afterward. Jeffries then flew to Springfield, where he toured a Head Start facility with Sen. Dick Durbin and Congresswoman Nikki Budzinski before taking questions from reporters. On the issue of redistricting, Jeffries said, 'The stakes are high for the people of Illinois, California, New York. There's a reason Trump has ordered Republicans to engage in mid-decade gerrymandering — it's because he wants to rig the midterms. Democrats will respond in self-defense of the American people.' Today: Jeffries headlines the Illinois Democratic County Chairs' Association brunch. Meanwhile, Texas Republicans have pursued every legal and political lever to force the Democrats' return. They even turned to an Illinois court, filing a motion to arrest the Democrats for not showing up to the legislative session. Their filing is here. 'This ain't Texas,' Illinois Atty. Gen. Kwame Raoul said in an interview about the court filing. 'It only applies when these legislators are within the state of Texas. It's not enforceable in the state of Illinois.' There's also a political reason that the case landed in an Adams County, Illinois, courtroom — explains the Sun-Times' Lynn Sweet in her latest TikTok post. What happens next hinges on Abbott's priorities, according to Wu. 'Now, the ball is in Abbott's court.' If the governor makes flooding-relief legislation the top agenda item, the Democrats could be persuaded to return home. But for now, the current session's focus remains a gerrymandering bill — one that House Democrats have refused to vote on, depriving the chamber of a quorum and stalling the entire session. Today: Watch for Texas House Democrats to join Indiana Democratic lawmakers in condemning Vice President JD Vance's support of Republicans' redistricting efforts. About Illinois: Illinois redistricting effort possible, but unlikely to yield more Democratic seats, by WBEZ's Alex Degman and Dave McKinney RELATED Jeffries says affordability could be key message for the midterms: 'America is too expensive. We need to drive down the high cost of living. Donald Trump has failed to do it,' the Democratic leader said at a Springfield press conference, via the Tribune's Jeremy Gorner and Rick Pearson. More in Springfield: Sen. Tammy Duckworth and Sen. Dick Durbin sat down with health care leaders to discuss how the Republicans' megabill will impact Central Illinois. 'Access to quality health care is already too difficult in this country — especially in rural areas—and thanks to Republicans' Big Beautiful Betrayal things are only going to get worse,' Duckworth said. THE BUZZ SPRINGFIELD -- The AFL-CIO summer barbecue on Tuesday doubled as a campaign kickoff for four Democratic candidates running for state comptroller in 2026. Spotted: State Rep. Stephanie Kifowit worked the crowd with a clipboard in hand, collecting the signatures she'll need to get on the ballot. Nearby, fellow state Rep. Margaret Croke talked to county party chairs holding plates of barbecue chicken. Lake County Treasurer Holly Kim's team fanned out with campaign stickers. And state Sen. Karina Villa, who hasn't officially joined the race, roamed the event to gather petition signatures. It's easy to work the crowd at the AFL-CIO schmoozefest, but the four comptroller candidates found themselves carefully choreographing their moves to avoid running into each other in the crowded room of politicos, lobbyists and government influencers. Special guest: U.S. House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries jumped into the crowd for a few selfies and hellos. If you are JD Vance, Playbook would like to hear from you! Email: skapos@ WHERE'S JB At the Orr Building on the Illinois State Fairgrounds at 11 a.m. for a naturalization oath ceremony — At the Director's Lawn at 12:30 p.m. for Governor's Day at the fair — At the Coliseum at 4:30 for the Governor's Sale of Champions WHERE's BRANDON At 3201 South Millard Avenue at 7 a.m. to join the Teamsters Local 705 picket line — At the Chicago Cultural Center at 4:30 p.m. for the My Chi. My Future. end of summer celebration Where's Toni At the Cook County Health Professional building at 10 a.m. to launch a campaign encouraging measles vaccines for children Have a tip, suggestion, birthday, new job or a (gasp!) complaint? Email skapos@ BUSINESS OF POLITICS — NEW POLL: Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi leads in name recognition according to a poll by the Impact Fund, the affiliated PAC of Indian American Impact. The survey also found that in a three-way matchup, Krishnamoorthi leads over Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton and Congresswoman Robin Kelly. The poll was conducted by Z to A Research, which surveyed 615 likely 2026 Illinois Democratic primary voters Aug. 8-10. The margin of error is plus or minus 3.952 percentage points. The full polling memo is here. — Fundraiser: Juliana Stratton held a fundraiser at Arlington's in Springfield that saw 200 guests, including Gov. JB Pritzker, as the headliner. Also in the room: Illinois House Speaker Emanuel 'Chris' Welch (He also attended the AFL-CIO event.). The fundraiser was hosted by political insider Liz Brown-Reeves, Deputy Gov. Andy Manar and Ryan Croke, a Health & Human Services official and Stratton ally. — Thursday at the State Fair: Texas GOP Chair Abraham George is scheduled to headline a meeting with members of the Illinois Republican Party State Central Committee and the Republican County Chair's Association. — Garson Fischer has been endorsed by Illinois Atty. Gen. Kwame Raoul in his bid for judge in the 8th Subcircuit of Cook County. Raoul credited Fischer with winning cases 'to keep illegal guns off our streets and protect kids from online predators.' Fischer has worked as one of Raoul's top lieutenants in criminal appeals. THE STATEWIDES — Illinois proposes lowering scores students need to be deemed proficient on state tests, by Chalkbeat's Samantha Smylie and Becky Vevea — Republicans blame Pritzker, Illinois 'sanctuary' status after Freeport woman dies in crash, by the Rockford Register Star's Jeff Kolkey — Yes, Illinois can tax a tax — but it's bad policy and bettors will pay, by Jill R. Dorson for InGame CHICAGO — Anjanette Young ordinance slated for vote — without no-knock warrant ban: The measure 'will require cops to wait 30 seconds before entry. It's a compromise, one that reflects the shift in the political climate since demand for police accountability reached a fever pitch during the Black Lives Matter movement that exploded in 2020,' by the Tribune's Alice Yin. — Mayor Johnson resolves contract with firefighters union, without major concessions: 'Chicago firefighters and paramedics have been waiting four years for a new contract. Pay raises in the six-year agreement — up to 20% depending on the rate of inflation — are identical to those awarded to Chicago police officers in the contract that Johnson extended and sweetened,' by the Sun-Times' Fran Spielman. — Mayor Johnson's CPS chief resists City Hall borrowing plan, pension payment as budget deadline looms: 'Johnson, a former teacher and longtime Chicago Teachers Union organizer, has strongly supported borrowing as a way to avoid deeper school-level cuts to staffing and classroom services. His appointed school board president, Sean Harden, has echoed that stance,' by the Tribune's Nell Salzman, Gregory Royal Pratt and Alice Yin. — Trump kills union contracts for Chicago EPA workers, by the Sun-Times' Brett Chase. COOK COUNTY AND COLLARS — Arlington Heights hits the brakes on full-scale ban for youth on e-bikes, e-scooters: 'Trustees agreed to keep a recklessness standard in the ordinance, so that police could cite anyone operating any vehicle 'with a conscious disregard for the safety of others and/or the operator,'' by the Daily Herald's Christopher Placek. — Northwest Cook drivers among Illinois' best, Naperville drivers some of the worst, study says, by the Daily Herald's Jake Griffin Reader Digest We asked what food item should be added to the State Fair menu. Michael Churchill: 'Deep-dish pizza. Lou Malnati's or Uno's.' John Fritchey: 'The most on-brand menu addition would be deep-fried Tums because it would upset your stomach and make it better all at once.' Lucas Hawley: 'A Berliner-style kebab!' Bob Kieckhefer: 'Deep-fried butter. For all the things wrong with Texas, they get the State Fair right, including deep-fried butter.' Kevin Lampe: 'Salad.' Jim Lyons: 'Rainbow Cone's original cone.' Ed Mazur: 'Galaktoboureko, the traditional Greek custard baked between phyllo dough and drenched in syrup.' Kathy Posner: 'Gourmet Horseradish-Crusted Pork Tenderloin Sandwich. Illinois, after all, is the No. 1 producer of horseradish in the United States.' Timothy Thomas: 'Harold's Fried Chicken.' NEXT QUESTION: If you were in charge of the federal budget, what's the one area you'd cut back on? THE NATIONAL TAKE — Black leaders say Trump is going after blue cities for a reason, by POLITICO's Brakkton Booker — Trump wants to destroy the drug cartels. He may strengthen them instead, by POLITICO's Nahal Toosi — Chris Murphy goes all in on funding bill boycott as Dems seek bipartisanship, by POLITICO's Jennifer Scholtes EVENTS — Today: A 'Healthcare is a Human Right' Town Hall will be held in Rockford with state Sen. Steve Stadelman and state Rep. Maurice West, both Democrats. Details here — Today: Americans for Prosperity-Illinois is addressing government efficiency in a forum featuring elected officials, watchdogs, transparency advocates and others. Details here TRIVIA TUESDAY's ANSWER: Congrats to Mike Lieber for correctly answering that President Barack Obama liked his burgers with Grey Poupon, made by Chicago-based Kraft Heinz. TODAY's QUESTION: What Illinois river is named for a type of cricket? Email: skapos@ HAPPY BIRTHDAY Illinois Department of Insurance Director Ann Gillespie, former state Sen. Carole Pankau, SEIU Local 1 President Emeritus Tom Balanoff, LBH Chicago political fundraiser Liz Houlihan, attorney Tom Skallas, APS & Associates' EVP Rachel Hoge and comms expert Doug Rivlin -30-
