Support civil unions
As you might be aware, the work of many organizations and individuals across the state of Illinois has made civil unions a real possibility here. Illinois House Bill 1826, the Illinois Religious Freedom Protection and Civil Unions Act, would give basic protections to same-sex, opposite-sex and senior couples across the state of Illinois. Benefits would include the right to make emergency medical decisions for a partner, inheritance rights when a partner passes away and state spousal protections. While this is not full marriage equality, it’s an important step toward that and gives basic protections to couples while we continue to work for equality.

To make civil unions a reality, legislators need to hear from people like you.

Please visit civilunionsillinois.org to instantly send a message to your state representative to ask him or her to support civil unions.  If your representative already supports civil unions, spread the word to your friends and family.
 
Your state representative needs to hear from you!  You can make a difference.
 


Angie Buhl
Stonewall Democrats Illinois
Chicago

Against Vatican’s gender bias
Gender discrimination, which the Catholic Church practices and perpetuates, is sexual abuse and it must stop. The church continues to abhor war, rape, trafficking, and other worldwide issues in today’s world. We will never do away with this violence unless we stop the most deeply-rooted violence which keeps them alive and that is gender discrimination.

Why did the Vatican conveniently miss the sin of gender discrimination in its recent listing of four new sins? The pope condones the violence of gender inequality by his actions. That is both unacceptable and sinful.

We cannot welcome this pope until he begins to do away with the church’s continuing violence of sexism. Women who speak up continue to be battered by the church through excommunication or loss of parish ministries. Women have been the backbone of the church, giving their lives to educating, social ministries, healing the sick and blessing the dying. Women have been exploited at best and abused at worst.

We call upon all women and men—including the pope—to stand with us in this witness against misogyny wherever it is found, be it in society or in church.

Sister Donna Quinn
National Coalition of American Nuns
Chicago

Opposed to ComEd’s rate proposal
In these tough economic times, many of us are struggling to pay our bills and afford basic necessities. With utility prices already difficult for many to afford, ComEd has requested that the Illinois Commerce Commission approve a $361.3-million annual increase for its electric customers

You may have already heard about the increase, but ComEd is also trying to tack on supplementary charges that you may not know about. In addition to the $361 million ComEd is seeking on delivery rates, they’re also proposing additional surcharges, called “riders.” One rider would have people pay the costs of equipment modernization; a second one would have people pay for storm damage costs. Here’s the trick: you are already paying for that in your monthly bill, but now ComEd wants to double-bill its customers.

Riders create a fast-track for increases without the benefit of looking at the company’s overall revenue to see if there are offsetting decreases, unfairly shifting the risk on to customers by allowing these unfair increases outside of a rate case audit. Here’s the kicker: They’ve given no estimates as to how high these surcharges will be.

For AARP members, this is an issue of grave concern, as older adults pay up to 25 percent of their already limited income on utility bills. Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan, the Citizens Utilities Board and other consumer groups share our concerns and believe customers should not be asked to pay for those unnecessary costs. These groups have also vowed to continue fighting to ensure that utility customers pay no more than necessary for the services they receive.

Surely, sometimes rate increases are necessary. After all, the cost of doing business increases each year. But ComEd and its parent company Exelon are very profitable businesses. They do not need to pass on to their customers the costs of modernizing their infrastructure or recovering the costs of repairing storm damages.

But ComEd, just like Ameren in the central and southern Illinois, are at it again, seeking the ICC’s approval for rate hikes and surcharges that would all but wipe out the historic, $1-billion rate relief package won by Illinois consumers last year, and wants to raid the wallets of hundreds of thousands of families, small businesses and seniors who are already struggling with the rising costs of gas, prescription drugs, groceries and other necessities.

How can they justify asking hard-working people to pay more money in rates and surcharges?

AARP is urging the Illinois Commerce Commission to say “no way” to this proposal—because it’s going to hit consumers too hard. ComEd’s proposal for rate hikes and surcharges must be rejected.

You can do your part in fighting ComEd’s rate increases by sending a clear message to the ICC—the average consumer just cannot keep up with skyrocketing utility costs. To let the ICC know you oppose ComEd’s proposals, call the AARP Energy Rate Hotline at 1-800-719-3020. It’s time that the ICC stands up for consumers and rejects these exorbitant rate increases.

Bob Gallo
AARP Illinois
Chicago