"RT @Shoq: Even the American Enterprise Institute (AEI) says #GOP is lying about Reconciliation. http://bit.ly/bCOa9m #p2 #hcr #tcot" — rubberstamprosk
The holiday season is always a pretty expensive time for me what with gift-buying and travel and this year is no exception. But when I received an end-of-the-year appeal today from Ben Lowe’s campaign today, I cracked open the piggy bank and sent him an extra donation in order to help him meet his fundraising goals.
In the 6th District, we are presently represented by one of the most extremely conservative members of Congress, Peter Roskam. Roskam does not share the values of the majority of the district he is supposed to represent. In fact, Peter Roskam uses the privileges of his office and our own tax dollars to actively campaign against policies like universal health care that will benefit the citizens for whom he is supposed to be a voice.
2010 could be the year that we bring Peter Roskam’s mis-representation to an end. We have a fine progressive Democratic alternative in Ben Lowe. The harsh reality, however, is that Roskam is well-funded by the corporate interests he represents and has a history of running agressive campaigns. In order for Ben to get his message out, he will need funding from all of us who want better representation for the 6th District. That’s why I’m doing as much as I can to help the Ben’s campaign. I hope you will be generous in your support as well.
I was pleased to have had the opportunity this past Thursday to meet face-to-face with 6th District Congressional Candidate, Democrat Ben Lowe of Wheaton. I sat down with Ben, and with consultant Kevin Spidel of Patriot Strategies, who, as you may remember, managed the 2006 primary race here in IL-06 for Christine Cegelis, another fine progressive candidate. In the picture above, Ben is signing my copy of his book, Green Revolution.
I have to say that I am very impressed with Ben. He is a warm, intelligent and articulate person with very progressive ideals coupled with a healthy dose of political realism. I think he has the potential to speak to the concerns of a wide variety of 6th district contituencies and bring them together to defeat Roskam, who caters to big corporations and offers nothing to help a district experiencing exceptionally hard times. Ben’s discussion of issues like healthcare and immigration reform and global climate change in terms like “justice” and “human rights” is music to my ears. I can’t wait to see Ben elected. (I kind of wanted to bring him home with me but Kevin intervened).
In the time before the primary, Ben says he will be heavily focused on getting out to meet folks in the district and listenening to their concerns. He is anxious to meet with groups, large and small, and encouraging anyone who is interested to host a coffee for friends and neighbors to get together with Ben.
Ben reports that he is also heavily focused at present on fundraising, a necessary evil when running against an opponent like Roskam who is well-funded by big corporations and extremist interest groups. Ben says that fund raising efforts are starting out well but he has a long way to go. Please consider making whatever donation you can afford through Ben’s website.
I am hoping that the more distinguished bloggers covering the 6th district who follow Roskam will getto know Ben and help to get the word out about his candidacy. Come on Progress Illinois, Prairie State Blue, Bridget in the Sixth, Wurfwhile, Heartland Progressive – this is a great progressive candidate. He deserves your support – or at least your consideration. Peter Roskam is the worst. Lets not allow him to coast to another re-election.
If you watched President Obama’s address to the joint session of Congress last night or have seen the news since, you no doubt heard or heard about Representative Joe Wilson’s inappropriate outburst during the speech. Wilson screamed out “You lie!” when the President stated unequivocally that his proposed health care reform plan would not provide coverage to illegal aliens:
On insistence of the Republican leadership, Wilson, a South Carolina Republican, today apologized for his outburst and his apology was graciously accepted by President Obama.
I was intrigued to see at the New York Times and at TPM this morning , that our own Peter Roskam was seated directly to Wilson’s left during the speech.
It does not appear that they are seated alphabetically, or by state delegation, because they would not fall together. They aren’t seated by Committee because Wilson is not on Ways and Means. They aren’t particularly close in seniority – Wilson was seated in 2001, Roskam in 2007. So either they were seated that way by accident, or they chose to sit together.
I don’t know whether Wilson and Roskam are close. If they were, I would not be surprised. The two have very similar voting records – 93% out of 2318 roll call votes since 2007 were identical according to Open Congress’ nifty new comparison tool as of this writing. Both Roskam and Wilson have been working to defeat President Obama’s efforts to provide healthcare coverage to all Americans. And Roskam has not been afraid to play the illegal alien card himself when he thought it could work to his political advantage.
It would be interesting to hear Peter Roskam’s thoughts on Wilson’s outburst, the nature of his relationship with Joe Wilson, and whether he admonished Wilson himself on his behavior, having been seated right next to him.
And what’s that angry scowl about on Roskam’s face?
Addendum: I just heard Peter Roskam quoted on WBEZ a saying he “cringed” at Wilson’s remarks. But the photo’s don’t seem to show Roskam reacting negatively to Wilson. Rather his attention and his scowl seem to be focused elsewhere. Notably, WBEZ did not quote Roskam as saying he chastised his colleague. Presumably, he did not.
2nd Addendum: The Daily Herald now reports that Roskam was “surprised” and “disappointed” by Wilson’s outburst. The camera does not show that. If Roskam had been surprised we would see him reacting to Wilson at this moment. Instead his expression, IMHO, seems to be a reaction to the President on the podium. Birds of a feather, I believe.
3rd Addendum: TPM has further background on Joe Wilson including his attacks on Sen. Strom Thurmond’s illegitimate daughter (Wilson is a former Thurmond page) and on Rep. Bob Filner who had the temerity to state that the U.S. had armed Saddam Hussein. Its a little frightening, though not particularly surprising, that Peter Roskam would hang out with this guy. Perhaps Peter would feel more at home if he joined the the South Carolina delegation. The climate is nicer (at least for the moment) and South Carolina is a better fit for a 19th century kind of guy like Roskam.
Last Addendum: It looks like, as of this writing, Miller has raised over $750,000 in campaign contributions since Wilson’s outburst on Wednesday night.
If I don’t have much good to say about Peter Roskam these days, I can at least credit him for being consistent. Roskam is quite consistently opposed to anything that might possibly benefit an ordinary working man or woman at the expense of the giant corporations and wealthy individuals whose interests he uses his seat in Congress to represent.
H.R. 626 provides for 4 weeks of paid parental leave to federal employees surrounding the birth or adoption of a child. Federal employees currently receive 12 weeks of unpaid leave (as do all employees subject to the Family Medical Leave Act of 1993). The bill further provides that the employees can use accumulated sick time and vacation time to convert some or all of the balance of that 12 weeks into paid time. Finally, the Office of Personnel Management would be enabled to extend the paid period to 8 weeks. The measure applies only to federal employees and would be at best a weak immitation of pro-family policies in place in many Western countries. Hell, even Zimbabwe gives mothers 90 days at 100%.
Despite Roskam’s vote, along with those of most of his Republican colleagues, H.R. 626 passed by a vote of 258-154. It will now have to be taken up by the Senate.
Peter Roskam deserves to be shamed for his anti-family vote. Please contact him today. You can reach him at (202) 225-4561 in Washington or at (630) 893-9670 in Bloomingdale.
Do you think it is fair for your credit card company to be able to raise your interest on an existing balance without notice and without explanation? Probably not.
But if you live in Illinois’ 6th Congressional district, your Congressman, Peter Roskam, thinks it is just fine, and he said so today with his vote.
The House today sent the Credit Cardholders’ Bill of Rights Act to President Obama for his signature. The Senate version of the bill, which was stronger than the original House version, passed in the House by a 361-64 vote. Peter Roskam was the only member of the Illinois delegation voting against this important measure designed to protect consumers from the worst predatory practices of the banking and credit card industry.
Provisions of the bill include:
Prohibits companies from raising interest rates during the first year after an account is opened
Prevents increases in interest rates on an existing balance unless a payment is at least 60 days overdue
Requires 45 day written notice for rate increases on new purchases
Prevents companies from charging over-limit fees for purchases without prior agreement from the cardholder
Requires bills be sent at least 21 days prior to the due date and that they contain a statement of the total interest and time required to pay off the balance if the cardholder makes only minimum payments
Requires companies to post clearly explained rates and terms on the internet
Prevent companies from opening card accounts for consumers under age 21 without proof of ability to pay
Eliminates fees for telephone payments
Prevents companies from applying payments only to the portion of a balance bearing the lowest interest rate
President Obama has pushed for this kind of action on abusive credit card practices and is expected to sign the bill. The President and the Democratic leadership did a great job of putting this together fast. It is crystal clear which party is looking after our interests.
Roskam’s opposition to this bill, while disappointing, was not surprising. During his tenure Roskam has shown little empathy for the plight of consumers, instead voting pretty consistently for the interests of big business, particularly the finance industry. Roskam also receives substantial campaign contributions from the financial sector.
Roskam’s constituents should take him to task for once again using his office to oppose their interests. Please call the Congressman today. You can reach him at (202) 225-4561 in Washington or at (630) 893-9670 in Bloomingdale.
Thanks to Progress Illinois for this video of our own Congressman Peter Roskam at the Republican National Convention gushing over John McCain’s character saying we know who he is and that we can trust him (implying in Republican code that the opposite is true of his opponent, Barack Obama). Roskam also gushes over his choice of Sarah Palin as his running mate, praising the “centeredness” that she “resonates”:
Now listen to Palin resonating her centeredness all over a caller she think is French President Nicolas Sarkozy:
Palin was, of course, pranked by a couple of Canadian radio personalities. Anybody can get pranked but can you believe that Peter Roskam and John McCain want us to trust this person to run our foreign policy. She thought this was the President of France calling and still she behaved this way. Do we really want her representing, and, potentially leading, our country? Apparently Peter Roskam does. Or did.
That’s right. Despite all his high praise for John McCain and Sarah Palin who has Roskam adopted as his new running mate? Yes, Barack Obama. We don’t know who he is and we can’t trust him but Roskam doesn’t care. Demonstrating his total lack of character, Roskam has chosen to grab onto Obama’s coattails because he thinks it will help him win. This despite Roskam being opposed to pretty much everything Obama stands for and despite his service in the leadership of the the McCain-Palin Campaign.
Roskam will say or do anything to get re-elected. He has no scruples. He has run a campaign of lies and smears against his opponent, Jill Morgenthaler, just as he did 2 years ago against Tammy Duckworth. He appears to have abused his franking privilege to send out campaign materials. He has lied to his constituents about his record. And now he is trying to deceive them into think he represents the same positions and values as Barack Obama. He most certainly does not.
So it’s up to you now 6th district voters. Are you going to send this jerk back to Washington for another two years?
Fortunately, we have a good alternative in Jill Morgenthaler. Watch her below in this clip from a CBS News story on Iraq Vets running for Congress (again, thanks to Progress Illinois). Then check out her website.
Roskam has been able to vastly overspend Morgenthaler thanks to the special interests who are paying for his vote (and yet he his begging constituents almost daily for more money via email). But still, a quick survey of yard signs between home and downtown Elmhurst on Saturday revealed a strength of support for Morgenthaler suprising in this Republican town. Good luck, Jill!
