Whiteside County Democratic Newsletter

October 2008 From the grassroots, miracles grow. Vol.2, No.5 (9)

 

Editors Kent McNeill, Kay and Fred Turk, Reproduction—Kathy Nelson, Tabetha Ross and Terry Near, Collation—Jane and John Espinosa, Janie Dawson, Glenn Truesdell, Marilyn Kollie and Virginia Ray.

 

DEMOCRATIC HEADQUARTERS FINALLY OPEN ! !

Located on the east side of the Friendship House at the corner of Route 30 and 12th Ave in Rock Falls. Open Monday through Saturday, 10:00 a.m. until ?, as volunteers are available.

 

ELECTION HELPERS ARE VITAL FOR OUR SUCCESS AND GREATLY NEEDED

Call 815-622-9121 or stop in and see what you can do. All of our candidates need your help in contacting voters, also: Marty Mulcahey - Candidate for State Senator of 45^th Legislative Dist. contact Dean at (847) 924-0572; Bill Foster - US Rep. of 14^th Congressional Dist., contact Jason at (812) 484-2347; Bob Abboud - Candidate for US Rep. of 16th Congressional Dist., contact Eric at (815) 543-4269; Ken Novak - Candidate for State Rep. of 90^th Legislative Dist., contact Ken at 815-857-3056

 

UPCOMING EVENTS

*“A Ticket For Change” Drawdown Raffle to support Write-In Candidate Amy Huffman for Whiteside Co. State’s Attorney, Sunday, October 5^th 2-5 p.m. at Holiday Inn, Rock Falls, IL. Tickets are $25 for a chance to win the Grand Prize of $1500 and admits 2 persons for Hors d’oeuvres. For tickets contact Kathy Nelson at (815) 625-3266 or Amy Huffman at (815) 631-0292.

*TOWN HALL MEETING with BOB ABBOUD - Wednesday, October 8^th, 7:00 p.m. at Odell Public Library, 307 South Madison Street, Morrison. All Whiteside County Residents are invited to a Town Hall Meeting to meet Bob Abboud, Candidate for US Representative of 16th Congressional District. If you have any questions please call: Eric at (815) 543-4269.

*Mike Boland’s 8^th Annual Henry County Cookout – Saturday, October 18^th, 1-4 p.m. at the home of Evelyn & Bert Phillips, 11515 – 148^th Street, Orion, IL. Tickets are $25 ea. or $40 couple. Contact Kathy Nelson (815) 625-3266 for directions and more information.

*Whiteside County Democrats Big Bucks Bonanza Drawdown Raffle - Sunday, November 9th, 1 to 5 p.m., at Arnie’s Happy Spot in Deer Grove. Tickets are $50 for chance to win $2500 Grand Prize and includes 2 meals of fried chicken and spaghetti served from 2-3:30 p.m. Contact Lowell Jacobs, (815) 625-2432 or contact a Precinct Committeeperson to purchase a ticket.

 

 

VOTING IN THIS VERY CRITICAL ELECTION

Most of us will be voting on Tuesday, November 4, from dawn to dusk (6:00am to 7:00pm). However, we are able and encouraged to vote early. Any registered voter in Whiteside County can take advantage of Early Voting. The Dates for Early Voting are as follows:

Morrison County Clerk’s Office – Mon. – Fri., Oct. 14th-30^th, 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m., and Sat., Oct. 18th and 25^th, 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 noon.

Sterling Courthouse – Wed., Thurs., and Fri., Oct. 15, 16, 17, 22, 23, and 24 from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Absentee Voting is running now through Nov. 3rd. In order to vote absentee, the voter must be out of the precinct on election day, serving as an election judge out of their precinct, called for jury duty, physically incapacitated, resident of a nursing home, or a temporarily absent student or military personnel. The voter needs to contact the County Clerk’s office, 815-772-5189 or countyclerk@whiteside.org, who will send the application. The voter needs to fill out the application and return it to the County Clerk, who will mail the ballot. The last day to receive an Absentee Ballot application by mail is Thurs., Oct. 30th. Voters can also vote in person at the County Clerk’s office in Morrison from Sept. 25th through Nov. 3rd.

 

ROBBERT ABBOUD

A FORMIDABLE CANDIDATE, FOR THE 16^TH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT

Bob Abboud, Democratic Candidate for the 16^th Congressional District in Illinois, spoke at the Odell Public Library in Morrison from 7:30 to 9:30 pm on Wednesday, August 20. He has seen little positive direction during the last eight years and is very critical of the representation of Donald Manzullo over his 14 year tenure. Few voters are aware of his dismal voting record; while benefiting huge corporations, he has overlooked the basic needs and concerns of the common citizen.

Bob is 51 years of age, the mayor of Barrington Hills, a nuclear engineer, and an owner of a vibrant company. He demonstrates creativity and an understanding of solutions that will help our nation resolve its numerous challenges. As an engineer, he has spent his entire career developing renewable energy, modernizing our military, creating good jobs, and improving our environment.

These are the four chief issues around which his campaign revolves:

1. Economic Development—Manufacturing is the engine. He offered the example of Hamilton Sunstrand that once was an employer of fine paying jobs. Our government now offers Sunstrand incentives to have its work done in Singapore. The manufacturing base needs to be rebuilt.

2. Renewable Energy—There is no energy policy! Science and technology can move America into the future. Bob proposes the creation of an American Power Authority which would combine government leadership and private investment. Under this umbrella all sources of energy, fossil fuels, wind, solar, nuclear, etc., would be coordinated.

3. Health Care—A national health care system that covers everyone is needed. Presently, many people can’t afford adequate health care.

4. Foreign Policy—Bob is for a strong, modernized military. We are spending money frivolously. Fifteen billion dollars a month is used to wage the war in Iraq. We need to find peaceful means of resolving conflicts.

Bob needs your help if he is to win. Check his website – “www.robertabboud.com” or call 815-986-6450.

 

THE COMMON GOOD DEPENDS UPON A STRONG LABOR MOVEMENT

“Not since the Gilded Age of the 1890’s has the wealth gap between the rich and poor in the United States been wider. With 469 American billionaires, the richest 1 % of Americans won 33.4 % of all US wealth measured as stocks, bonds, cash, real estate and personal possessions. The bottom 90% of all Americans divide only 30.4 % of the wealth between them. While 37 million Americans live in poverty, most breadwinners among them have jobs, and some have two or more.” (Rev. John S. Rausch, “A Strong Labor Movement Insures the Common Good,” The Catholic PeaceVoice, Spring-Summer, 2008, p. 4) Rev. Rausch also says the middle class is diminishing.

We are experiencing the “Great Disconnect” in which the economy has grown while wages have remained flat or even declined. “Basically, the gains of productivity were not shared fairly within the economy. Productivity expanded by a vigorous 20 % between 2000 and 2006, but real wages edged up only 2 % during the period. Corporate profits more than doubled since 2001, jumping from 7 % of the national income to 12.2 % in five years. The ratio of average CEO pay to average worker’s pay in 2006 reached 431 to 1. The gravy train pulled out of the station leaving most workers behind.”

“Historians credit organized labor in great part for building the American middle class, and hence fostering fuller equality in society. While labor fought against child labor, it campaigned for the minimum wage, unemployment insurance, overtime pay, pensions, health care, safety laws, Social Security and Medicare. For every gain labor achieved, nonunion workers received a ripple effect of improvement as employers raised wages to avoid unionization.”

 

DVD’S AND FILMS

*Iron Jawed Angels—From 1912 to 1920, a group of fiery young suffragette’s band together to wheedle the US into adapting a constitutional amendment guaranteeing women the right to vote.

*Sacco and Vanzetti—Nicola Sacco and Bartolomeo Vanzetti were Italian anarchists accused in 1920 of murder and put to death in 1927 after a famously biased trial.

*The Savages—Absurd humor and poignant tragedy are seen in efforts to care for an aging father.

Who Killed the Electric Car?—This documentary helps us understand our transportation problems.

*Amazing Grace—This film commemorates the abolition of slavery by following the fortunes of the inspired young parliamentarian William Wilberforce and fellow British abolitionists.

*Stop-Loss—After a tour in Iraq, decorated hero Sgt. Brandon King returns home to his small Texas town and tries to readjust to civilian life. But when he’s called up again as part of the military’s controversial stop-loss program, he decides to go AWOL.

*The Great Debaters—It is 1935 and the small black Texas Wiley College Debate Team coached by Professor Denzel Washington reaches a high enough level of excellence to challenge powerful Harvard University in a historic match.

*An Unreasonable Man (Ralph Nadar)--Interviews and archival footage help illuminate this in-depth profile of one of the most influential political figures—He is a consumer advocate, public pariah, political activist, working class hero, and is willing to take on the big industrial corporations.

Please send the editors the names of books and films that have been meaningful to you.

 

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND COMMUNITY

More means better. Greater consumption equates to an improved quality of life. A nation that has a high gross domestic product (GDP) means greater happiness of its population. Bill McKibben author of Deep Economy: The Wealth of Communities and the Durable Future, 2007, refutes these often accepted assumptions.

Since the end of WWII, economic development has been defined as a growth of a country’s goods and services. The US and much of the world have experienced growth, but it has been uneven. The rich have become wealthier, while the rest of us have lost ground and are more insecure. Much of the growth has relied on cheap, concentrated energy, i.e., oil, coal, natural gas, that has contributed to global warming and a polluted environment.

The downside of this type of growth is greatly exacerbated by the rise of China and India. Unfortunately, they have copied the US lifestyle. Our Mother Earth can not withstand the abuses unleashed upon her without expecting catastrophic changes in the environment.

A modest amount of consumption is needed to sustain a healthy life style; however, McKibben indicates that we have lost our sense of community, which is vital to our happiness. We are social creatures. The next time you shop at a farmers’ market, listen to the animated, happy conversations occurring. It is a social event as much as an opportunity to buy fresh, tasty food grown by our neighbors. The wealth of the community can be readily appreciated.

Durable community development is achieved when the talents and energy of our citizenry are harnessed by this same citizenry to meet their social and physical needs. We need to solve and create our future on a local basis, and this can be done when we learn to work together.

McGibben fills many of the pages of this book with firsthand experiences gained while visiting innovative projects and ways of life around the globe. A few are co-housing communities, community radio stations, novel and often traditional ways of farming, the Amish life style, the exclusive use of buses to move people in and out of urban areas, town meetings, and Fair Trade campaigns.

Unlimited growth is impossible. Human survival is at stake. We face severe challenges. Together we can resolve our problems and at the same time become happier.

 

SERIOUSLY CONSIDER SERVING THE PUBLIC BY RUNNING FOR OFFICE

There will be a Consolidated Election on Tuesday April 7, 2009. The election is of officers for municipalities, townships, park districts, library districts, school districts, community college districts, fire protection districts, and other special districts. Officers provide guidance and leadership for the common good.

Petitions to be on the April ballot can be obtained by contacting any of the above institutions from October 28 to January 16. They can also respond to any questions concerning position duties. Petitions are to be filed from January 19 to 26, 2009.

 

PHONE CALLS MADE EASY TO UNITED STATES SENATORS AND REPRESENTATIVES

Use either of the toll free numbers, 1-877-851-6437 or 1-800-426-8073, to leave messages to Senators Obama and Durbin and to your US representative. A suggestion: Call and State your opinion regarding a war with Iran.

 

If you know of someone who would like to receive this newsletter by e-mail or postal mail, please send us the name, address, and/or e-mail address, by contacting us at whitesidecodems@yahoo.com. If you wish to be removed from our mailing list, call 815-625-3266. Any articles for future newsletters will be appreciated.