Supports a REAL national health plan (IMPROVED MEDICARE FOR ALL), delivered by single payer.
Supports withdrawal from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan NOW.
Supports labor and reinvigorating the union movement.
Supports public funding for federal campaigns.
Is pro-choice.
Supports real immigration reform that does not criminalize the 12 million immigrants living here now, including a humane pathway to citizenship and working with the international community to boost the economies of these immigrants' home countries to give them more incentive to stay home -- rewriting NAFTA and CAFTA would be a good place to begin in this effort.
DeKalb's 3rd Ward alderman was assisted in his campaign last spring by Joe Wiegand. If his name sounds familiar, it's because Wiegand ran Jim Oberweis' gubernatorial campaign last year (see blueollie's post on the campaign's use of fake news headlines) and Chris Lauzen's winning state senate campaign in 1992. He is a former DeKalb County Board member, a personable guy, excellent speaker and arguably the P.T. Barnum of the far-right faction in DeKalb County.
Another person who helped the 3rd Ward effort was Jon Zahm of Maple Park, a political consultant and associate of Wiegand's. Maple Park is situated on County Line Road so part of the town lies in Kane County, part in DeKalb County--he dabbles in both and more. Zahm was behind a dubious Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request made to City Hall that culminated in a smear of the incumbent alderman and associated lies that perhaps contributed to his 14-vote loss in the election.
Because of his involvement in a campaign so blatantly slimy that it may yet result in an aldermanic recall ordinance, Zahm's activities have been on my to-do list and last weekend I had the chance to check on some of them. The result was discovery of the Illinois Center Right Coalition (ICRC), an organization formed to unseat Democrats and Republicans in Name Only (RINOs) at all levels--yet is not a registered PAC.
this *could* be good news for democrats here in illinois -- if they are resolved to take some of these seats from republicans. more importantly, it hints at the possibility of once red states turning purple. "Among the findings of the Rural Strategies poll are: Rural voters deliver a narrow plurality to a generic Democratic candidate for President: 46 - 43 percent."
Costello gets some credit here for voting with the progressives. Weller was non-voting.
Again the leadership as represented by Emanuel and Durbin refuse to stand up to, or at least force the Republicans to take ownership of the Iraq war. Here are the full House votes.
Update: Even Pelosi voted against it!!! Update 2 the list after the jump:
Tim Johnson in Illinois' 15th District (which contains the University of Illinois) is facing plenty of pressure on his wishy-washy position on Iraq. Americans United for Change has targeted Johnson (and 5 other Republican House incumbents) with ads attacking their support of the Iraq war. At the same time, Republicans are looking to draft a primary challenger against Johnson because of his not-quite-full-throated-enough support of President Bush's war. Things are looking very tough for Johnson who has seen his reelection margins decline every year since redistricting.
There is no telling who the Democrats will be running to oppose him. 2004 and 2006 candidate David Gill has not been raising money and has little cash on hand. Suggestions, rumors, something I've missed?
With our support Dr. David Gill can be elected Congressman for Illinois' 15th District. The case for Dr. Gill is compelling. His energy, integrity and common sense make Dr. Gill a better representative for the people of the 15th District, than does current incumbent Timothy Johnson, an old-style George Ryan republican of no accomplishment whose support of the Bush Administration has led to the wasteful and counterproductive sacrifice of thousands of American lives in Iraq, the imminent bankruptcy of Medicare, profligerate federal spending, degradation of our environment and the continued deterioration of our healthcare system.
"No Child Left Behind," the Bush administration's under funded plan to raise the academic achievement of all students, is so flawed that one must question the motivation of those who designed and passed this legislation. All Americans desire quality education for their children and accountability in our public school system, "NCLB" appears to be designed instead as a means to dismantle our public school system.
(Felt this merits FP exposures, glad to see Dr. Gill joining us. Look forward to future news, events and updates from IL15.
~Welcome to our 'Mad Hatter's Tea Party' Dr. Gill~ 8D - promoted by SAldrich)
Like many Americans, I've long been concerned regarding the manner in which President Bush misled our country into the war in Iraq. I've been concerned by the scorn President Bush has shown for our obligations under the Geneva Conventions with respect to the torture of prisoners. However, it is President Bush's acknowledgement that he repeatedly authorized wiretaps of American citizens, without obtaining warrants, which appears to directly violate American law.
There may be some explanation offered by President Bush regarding both Iraq and our torture policy which might render it inappropriate to impeach him on these grounds. With respect to the topic of spying on American citizens, though, there is no "wiggle room" for this president.
Hello, my name is Dr. David Gill and I am running to unseat incumbent Rep. Tim Johnson (IL-15). I promise to be a strong voice of opposition to President Bush and his short-sighted policies that Tim Johnson has rushed to support. Below is a summary of my Prescription for America:
Health Care
My plan would cost businesses no more than 7% payroll tax this figure could be even lower if we eliminate Bush's tax-cuts for those earning a quarter-million per year or more.
I am not promoting the socialization of medicine, being a practicing physician for 20 years I know what a disaster that would be: the Federal Government should not dictate how medicine is practiced. I do believe in a single-payer insurance plan that would save you, the citizen, by cutting HMO and insurance profits and overhead expenses.
Hot on the heals of John Laesch's recommended diary at Daily Kos, Dr. David Gill has followed suit with a recommended diary of his own. "Dr. David Gill for Congress (IL-15)" lays out his stance on the positions for the blogosphere activists and looks like it is getting a positive response.
Illinois is quickly becoming one of the states with the closest ties between some of our challengers and the blogosphere. An excellent beginning.
