Posts from — May 2008

Peter Roskam held a campaign event at the Jewel in Elmhurst yesterday. I say a campaign event. Peter would tell you he’s just staying in touch with his constituents. I suspect that as the election draws closer you won’t be able to pick up a six pack of a frosty beverage at the 7-11 without having to shake hands with your Congressman who just wants to listen to your concerns.

Here’s what the puff piece in the Elmhurst Press had to say:

A handful of residents patiently stood in line Tuesday to spend a few minutes speaking with U.S. Rep. Peter Roskam, R-6th District, of Wheaton.

Roskam visited the Jewel-Osco at 153 E. Schiller St. in Elmhurst from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. as a way to connect with residents, he said.

“Washington, D.C., can be an echo chamber, and I want to make sure I’m listening to the district I grew up in,” Roskam said.

Residents spoke to Roskam about everything from community issues to national ones like high gas prices, the war in Iraq and Social Security concerns.

Elmhurst resident Carol Chlystek said she appreciated Roskam’s efforts to connect with the community that he represents.

“I think it’s interesting that he came out to the community,” Chlystek said. “I spoke to him about international relations and education issues. He was very perceptive to my ideas.”

Around 35 people waited to speak to Roskam for as long as they needed. Roskam recently held a similar event in Bartlett, said Brian McCarthy, Roskam’s district director.

Greg Ryan of Elmhurst said he and his family decided to take time of their day to meet with Roskam because they support him.

“I’ve known Peter Roskam for a while and have been aware of Peter Roskam’s record for a while,” Ryan said. “I’m very impressed. … His heart and mind are in the right place.”

McCarthy said residents were free to talk to Roskam about absolutely anything on their minds, calling the event a “fair game.” He added the events happen a few times a month.

After meeting residents at Jewel-Osco, Roskam and his team and Elmhurst Chamber of Commerce & Industry Director John Quigley walked up and down York Road to meet with business owners.

“He stopped in and was a very nice man,” said John S. Rezny, president of York Furrier, 107 N. York Road. “I’m a supporter, and he wanted to know about the businesses and the climate.”

Isn’t that special. Did you check out the food prices while you were there Peter? Did you talk to any food stamp recipients and explain why you had voted against giving them an increase?

Sadly, I wasn’t present at this event. I apparently wasn’t on the handpicked list of safe Republican voters who were given advance notice. Next time you come to Elmhurst Peter, come down to the Jewel on the south side, where the Democrats shop.

Since I couldn’t attend Peter I need to give you my questions here:

• Why do you keep voting to support George Bush’s war against Iraq and sending our young men and women there to die?
• Why do you continue to vote in favor of George Bush’s continued practice of torture and inhumane treatment of prisoners and endless detention without trial?
• Why do you disrespect the sacrifice of the men and women who serve in Iraq and Afghanistan by voting against providing the support they need on their return - support like the new G.I. bill.

You can just drop me a note Peter and I’ll publish your answers for all to see. Othwerwise, I’ll just catch up with you the next time I go out to buy eggs.

Tuesday morning, 5/27, Peter Roskam took a few minutes out of his busy schedule for one of his recurring appearances on WIND’s repugnant John and Cisco show to engage in a little Clinton-bashing. (You may recall Roskam’s recent appearance on the show when he insinuated that the Clinton’s would attempt to blackmail the super-delegates in order to win the nomination) I assume that spreading innuendo about his Congressional colleague is something that falls outside of his official duties and is part of his assigned role with the McCain campaign, but I can’t be certain. It was unclear whether he was calling from his Congressional office.

I have my own opinion about what he said but I’ll let you judge first. Here’s a transcript of the brief exchange, the first item of business in the call:

CISCO: “So as much as I hate being in a position where it sounds as though I’m defending Hillary, when you hear her bring up RFK and bring up how in the past party nominations have taken a lot longer certainly… and then people freak out over her using RFK, it kind of sounds like what she was getting at wasn’t all that bad.

ROSKAM: “Well I think it sort of…her problem is that…there is sort of a dark narrative about the Clintons right?”

CISCO: (sound of agreement)

ROSKAM: “There is these stories that follow them about not just being real aggressive towards…being aggressive towards being political opponents in the political sense but being REAL AGGRESSIVE toward political opponents and different operatives over the years. So when she invokes the assassination of Senator Kennedy it just kinda spotlights this feeling that a lot of people have about her…kinda that what won’t she do to get elected…and that’s…that’s why it just sounded bad.”

CISCO: “Because of the past history and people wonder is she bring that up just to plant the seed…”

ROSKAM: “Yeah. I mean it’s beginning to sound like a weird movie script doesn’t it? She’s kind of like the water skier after he goes down and just not letting go of the rope…

CISCO: “Being dragged through the water but not giving up…”

ROSKAM: “Yeah, that’s right. So it’s probably a two or three day story and it’ll end up going away…but I also think that it…it does highlight what a lot of people think about the Clintons…but obviously not going to that extent…but what won’t these people do to win this thing?”

What I hear is my Congressman, Peter Roskam, right wing radio code referring in code to the some of the accusations that have been fabricated out of whole cloth about the Clintons by members of Roskam’s own party (who is it that will really do anything to win?) - stories like those surounding the tragic suicide of Vince Foster - in an attempt to defeat Bill Clinton in the 1996 election. Roskam know’s his audience is familiar with this garbage - so all he has to do is ues words like “dark narrative” and “REAL AGGRESSIVE” to get that audience imagining all sorts of conspiracies behind Clinton’s remark the other day about the RFK assassination. I believe that Roskam knows exactly what he is doing and I think it is very sad that we have a man like him, devoid of conscience, representing us in the House.

Incidentally, this same show that Roskam is fond of appearing on, did a spot within the past few days mocking Senator Byrd for his display of grief on the Senate floor upon hearing that Senator Kennedy, his longtime friend and colleague, had been diagnosed with a brain tumor.

In a press release dated May 22nd, 6th District Congressional candidate Jill Morgenthaler takes her opponent, Peter Roskam, to task, for his consistent failure to support legislation that would benefit Illinois veterans, including his recent no vote on the GI Bill. The release states:

Sixth District Democratic Congressional Candidate Jill Morgenthaler blasted her opponent Peter Roskam for his votes against veterans in the days leading up to Memorial Day. “What does Peter Roskam have against U.S. troops and veterans? Roskam says he supports vets and then repeatedly votes against us. When Roskam ran for Congress he said he was for our troops, but he voted against appropriations for the new GI Bill and against the future of our troops and veterans.”

“Roskam needs to keep his promises to our soldiers. He voted with President George Bush and John McCain and voted against soldiers and veterans. Our troops deserve better treatment. They deserve the healthcare and education that they were promised when they signed up,” said Jill Morgenthaler.

Morgenthaler, a businesswoman and a Colonel who served in the United States Army for thirty years, supports the new GI Bill (Post 911 Veterans Educational Assistance Act) and advocates that Congress should keep its commitment to health care and education benefits for the soldiers who have served our country. “Roskam and his fellow Republicans say they support ours troops and then vote against them. We need well trained soldiers to protect our nation. If we send soldiers in to battle, we need to keep our bargains with them after the battle.”

Amen to that. Roskam has been steadfast in his support of allowing George Bush to continue to send our young men and women in to harms way in Iraq. It’s time he offered them something more than photo ops and flowery statements when they come home. Roskam’s only interest in vets appears to be in using them as props in his re-election campaign. Speaking of which, Roskam was here in Elmhurst over the weekend for the Memorial Day Parade. I did not attend, but I understand from someone who did that Roskam used the event, not as a commemoration of those who have served and died but as a campaign event, replete with a coterie of marchers with Roskam for Congress signs.

[Thanks to Champaign County Ohio Democrats for the heads up on this. ]

In 1791, the people of the United States amended their new Constitution to state that “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion.”   They hoped to avoid the religious establishment and persecution that had existed under England’s rule.

Not long ago, Peter Roskam and 30 fellow religious extremists in Congress decided that the establishment clause of the Constitution did not apply to them and signed up as co-sponsors of H. Res. 598: Supporting the goals of the Ten Commandments Commission. The meat of the resolution is as follows:

Resolved, That the House of Representatives–
(1) supports the goals of the Ten Commandments Commission and recognizes the vital contributions of America’s tens of thousands of spiritual leaders, churches, synagogues, fellowships, ministries, and organizations participating in Ten Commandments Weekend; and
(2) congratulates the Ten Commandments Commission and all supporting spiritual leaders, churches, synagogues, fellowships, ministries, and organizations for their key role in promoting and ensuring recognition of the Ten Commandments as the cornerstone of Western law.

Ten Commandments Weekend came and went earlier in May without this piece of drivel ever having been voted on. It has gone, and will go, nowhere. It is important nevertheless, because it tell those of us who Peter Roskam represents in Congress that Roskam actually supports the establishment of Judeo-Christian religion by the United States government or, if not, has extremely poor judgement as a legislator. Roskam was alone among the Illinois delegation in supporting this resolution.

The mission of the Ten Commandments Commission, whose goals Roskam supports is a bit incoherent. Its web site proclaims that:

The Ten Commandments Commission was formed in the spring of 2005. The main purpose behind the organization was to create a global think tank with the world’s leaders who have already recognized the power behind the TCC…

…The focal point is the annual Ten Commandments Weekend that will be held on the first Sunday in May…

…Our objective is to have 5 million strong members/supporters and bring the Ten Commandments – Watchman United on the Wall message to every church and ministry in the nation…

…We are encouraging everyone to wear the Ten Commandments Pin that we have made available as a powerful display of unity and reverence for God’s holy word. The pin is available for $15.00 and is also a unique fundraising platform. The Ten Commandments pin is available in bulk orders (50 and more) to ministries at a cost of $7.50 each, plus shipping. Financial contributions by ministries and the sale of pins are the commission’s greatest sources of fundraising…

…We have designed ways to reach out to potential members by making it easy for them to SIGN OUR PETITION TO SUPPORT ISRAEL. By signing on the web people take a stand with Israel to support their fight against terrorism. It is also a petition to the US Administration not to abandon Israel but to stand up with her plight for freedom…

…One of the ways to increase awareness and urgency was to establish a weekend in which we can come together and celebrate God’s eternal moral law…

…WATCHMEN UNITED ON THE WALL” mission also includes: Efforts to help restore the futility of the depleted “Garden of Eden” through the regeneration of the land: rich, fertile soil in which to grow healthy, life-sustaining vegetation and livestock. This new breakthrough in organic soil conditioning was developed by a group of Believers and respected Agricultural Scientists. It uses a ‘Sustainable’ approach which focuses on maintaining the resources the Creator has given us, and not depleting them. The system in its early stages has already proven to revolutionize conventional agricultural methods to a more natural system that builds soil organic matter and humus levels, thus yielding a much greater quality and larger quantity of food products…

…TCC will become Watchmen for curricula being disseminated throughout American public high schools and colleges, specifically regarding the history of the Middle East and the current conflict that is biased toward Islamic interest. We recently discovered that huge sums of money had been given to US Universities by Saudi Arabia to write such curricula and foster research to substantiate their cause. It is TCC’s intent to stop this practice and insure that the curriculum being taught to our youth is accurate, truthful and balanced in the perspectives presented…

I think their mission statement needs a little work. Confused? Maybe this video from Ron Wexler, the TCC’s founder will help:

No, doesn’t help much. Would it be too much to ask that if our Congressman must support some wacko extremist organization, he at least choose one with a little message discipline.

The point is, this is all highly offensive to those of in Roskam’s district who are (1) sane and (2) do not to subscribe to the Judeo-Christian creed, and (3) support the Constitutional protection of freedom from established religion and (4) hope for a peaceful two-state solution in Palestine and not further conflagrations in the Middle East. Roskam owes us all an apology.

While I have your attention, can I interest you in my “My Congressman is an Idiot” stick pin. Only $15.00, $7.50 in bulk orders of 50 or more.

The House voted overwhelmingly last week (5/14) in favor of the long-awaited Farm Bill which included substantial improvements in funding of food programs to help the poor.

Among the food program provisions are improvements to the food stamp program:

• Increasing the $10 minimum monthly benefit (unchanged for 30 years) to $14, and indexing it for inflation
• Increasing and indexing the standard deduction for households of three or fewer
• Removing the cap on the deductible amount of child care expenses in eligible households
• Indexing the food stamp household asset limits ($2,000; $3,000 for households with elderly or
disabled), which have gone unchanged for decades
• Allowing more families to save without penalty by excluding education savings and tax-preferred
retirement accounts from food stamp asset limits.

In my opinion any President or Congressman who would oppose these modest provisions for the poor is without heart and without conscience. Peter Roskam voted against them. President Bush then vetoed them today. Then Roskam voted against them again.

There has been a bit of a snafu regarding the veto and the veto override today. It seems that a clerical error resulted in an incomplete copy of the bill being sent to the President so it seems the exercise will have to be repeated. That gives Roskam a chance to vote again and redeem himself. Please call him and ask him to quit being a creep and vote to help our brothers and sisters who are hungry. Roskam can be reached at his Washington office at (202) 225-4561 or in Bloomingdale at (630) 893-9670.

Then go and read Ellen of the Tenth’s post on the farm bill vote. She “scooped” my usual sources and I first learned about the vote last week from her blog. Ellen shares some insight on what its like to depend on food stamps.

MoveOn.org has launched a campaign to pressure Republican presidential candidate John McCain to fire his chief advisor, Charlie Black, who in his work as a lobbyist has represented some pretty creepy foreign clients including dictators Ferdinand Marcos in the Phillippines and Mobuto Sese Seko in Zaire and mass murderer Jonas Savimbi in Angola. Here is MoveOn’s ad:

Charlie Black is a long-time Republican political operative who has served as an adviser to Presidents Reagan and George H.W. Bush, who themselves showed little compunction about cozying up to tyrants and terrorists when it served their ultra-right pro-corporate agenda. He is obviously without conscience and I concur with MoveOn that he should be dismissed.

In addition to contacting McCain at (703)-418-2008 to urge him to dismiss Charlie Black, residents of the 6th should contact Peter Roskam, who serves on the McCain Campaign’s Illinois Leadership Team. Roskam can be reached at his Washington office at (202) 225-4561 or in Bloomingdale at (630) 893-9670.

After you’ve made your phone calls, mosey on over to WBEZ’s web site and listen to the Worldview interviews from May 19th with Thomas Carothers of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace and with James
Jordan of the Alliance for Global Justice.  The theme was the so-called “democracy-building” agenda under President Bush and predecessors. I think the show points out pretty starkly what a sham and failure this agenda has been, back as far as Nixon and Reagan and should help motivate you to throw out the McCains and the Roskams and their spooky hangers-on like Charlie Black. The world can’t handle much more of their brand of “democracy-building”.

Addendum 5/22: The Washington Post published an article about the Black controversy today.