An open letter to Governor Bruce Rauner
Dear Governor Rauner,
I would truly love to know who died and made you God. The adoption community is roiling with rumors that you will choose not to sign HB 3079, the adoption reform bill, which would bring the state in line with just about every other state in the Union. Instead, for reasons of your own, you are purposefully choosing costly (which the state cannot afford) bureaucracy. We're in Illinois, though, Land of the Political Machine, and it makes me wonder. It makes me wonder why DCFS, who has historically managed to table all previous adoption bills of the same nature, chose to remain neutral on this one. It makes me wonder if there are friends and relationships that we do not know about and so they knew they could rest easy, even when the bill passed unanimously in both House and Senate. You really can't blame me for wondering. Back office deals happen with regularity in our state, regardless of one's political affiliation.
Forgive me if I am creating rumors of my own, but truly, I cannot think of any other reason why you wouldn't sign this bill. First, the state is in a budget crisis and I know you are trying to trim that budget in every way possible... even in not so popular ways. This bill would reduce the need for a whole office... and it is popular. Very, very popular. Second, it passed both the House and the Senate unanimously. You know better than anyone that we live in an extremely divided state where the two political parties disagree with each other on just about everything. I could even see them disagreeing about the color of the sky if given a chance, yet every single law maker voted for this bill. They were contacted by many constituents and they listened. It is how our government is supposed to work. If a bill has such support, it is certainly not your job to second guess them. I don't recall voting for the position of dictator that last time your office was up for election. Perhaps your staff forgot to mention that little bit of information in your orientation.
Lastly, I can't figure out why you will not sign the bill because it will help children reach their permanent homes faster and know the love of a mother and father sooner. I have a friend whose child came home a couple of years ago having lived in an orphanage. It is just now that she is feeling safe enough to share some of the stories of her life in that orphanage. She is in a wheelchair because of a degenerative muscular disease and in the orphanage accused her of being lazy. Her food would be set across the room, where she couldn't reach it because that would supposedly encourage her to not be lazy. At more than one point, a nanny would tell it would be better if she would just die because then it would be easier for everyone. Due to current DCFS regulations, this family, had they lived in Illinois, would not have been approved to adopt this child. I have met her. She is charming and bright and a joy to everyone. So tell me, Mr. Governor, why would you support an agency's agenda who tacitly agrees with that nanny and it would have been better for this child to die without a family?
I beg you to reconsider you completely unconsidered opinion on this matter. I will admit that my interest is highly personal. Our state's regulations have cost us over 70 days in bringing home our children and there is no end in sight. You signature could change that. Two children, who have no future in their country of birth, could come home sooner and begin to understand what love really looks like. My children's lives, and those of many others, are literally in your hands.
Please, do the right thing and for once, make us proud of being residents of Illinois. Sign HB 3079.
Sincerely,
Elizabeth Curry
I would truly love to know who died and made you God. The adoption community is roiling with rumors that you will choose not to sign HB 3079, the adoption reform bill, which would bring the state in line with just about every other state in the Union. Instead, for reasons of your own, you are purposefully choosing costly (which the state cannot afford) bureaucracy. We're in Illinois, though, Land of the Political Machine, and it makes me wonder. It makes me wonder why DCFS, who has historically managed to table all previous adoption bills of the same nature, chose to remain neutral on this one. It makes me wonder if there are friends and relationships that we do not know about and so they knew they could rest easy, even when the bill passed unanimously in both House and Senate. You really can't blame me for wondering. Back office deals happen with regularity in our state, regardless of one's political affiliation.
Forgive me if I am creating rumors of my own, but truly, I cannot think of any other reason why you wouldn't sign this bill. First, the state is in a budget crisis and I know you are trying to trim that budget in every way possible... even in not so popular ways. This bill would reduce the need for a whole office... and it is popular. Very, very popular. Second, it passed both the House and the Senate unanimously. You know better than anyone that we live in an extremely divided state where the two political parties disagree with each other on just about everything. I could even see them disagreeing about the color of the sky if given a chance, yet every single law maker voted for this bill. They were contacted by many constituents and they listened. It is how our government is supposed to work. If a bill has such support, it is certainly not your job to second guess them. I don't recall voting for the position of dictator that last time your office was up for election. Perhaps your staff forgot to mention that little bit of information in your orientation.
Lastly, I can't figure out why you will not sign the bill because it will help children reach their permanent homes faster and know the love of a mother and father sooner. I have a friend whose child came home a couple of years ago having lived in an orphanage. It is just now that she is feeling safe enough to share some of the stories of her life in that orphanage. She is in a wheelchair because of a degenerative muscular disease and in the orphanage accused her of being lazy. Her food would be set across the room, where she couldn't reach it because that would supposedly encourage her to not be lazy. At more than one point, a nanny would tell it would be better if she would just die because then it would be easier for everyone. Due to current DCFS regulations, this family, had they lived in Illinois, would not have been approved to adopt this child. I have met her. She is charming and bright and a joy to everyone. So tell me, Mr. Governor, why would you support an agency's agenda who tacitly agrees with that nanny and it would have been better for this child to die without a family?
I beg you to reconsider you completely unconsidered opinion on this matter. I will admit that my interest is highly personal. Our state's regulations have cost us over 70 days in bringing home our children and there is no end in sight. You signature could change that. Two children, who have no future in their country of birth, could come home sooner and begin to understand what love really looks like. My children's lives, and those of many others, are literally in your hands.
Please, do the right thing and for once, make us proud of being residents of Illinois. Sign HB 3079.
Sincerely,
Elizabeth Curry
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