Power Lunch Serves up Powerful Inspiration
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In This Issue: Kirk Votes . .1 Public Relations . 5 Do You Know How Your Congressman Votes? Power Lunch . .1 100 Days . 6 Deerfield Dems . 2 Miller & Lerner . 7 Mark Kirk Unmasked as a Party-Line Republican Repubs Wrong . 3 Shut Up & Sing . .8 This is the first in an ongoing series of articles reflect a shift in Kirk’s priorities and allegiances? examining Congressman Mark Kirk’s voting Or are they mere smoke and mirrors? For information or to volunteer call: 847.266.VOTE (8683) record in the 110th Congress. As always, the proof is in the pudding – or, in this Or write to: case, Mark Kirk’s recent voting record. Kirk’s Lauren Beth Gash, Chair, Tenth Dems Six months after his narrow victory over Dan actions on two of the most critical bills debated PO Box 523, Deerfield, IL 60015 Seals, Mark Kirk still appears to be on the on the House floor so far this year (as identified Visit the website: www.tenthdems.org campaign trail. He seems to be working harder by The Washington Post; see box on page 4) Newsletter: [email protected] than ever to recraft his image as a moderate leave little room for optimism. Kirk voted against Editor: Barbara Altman Republican and to rebut those who (accurately) the supplemental appropriations bill that included view him as a rubber stamp for the Bush a timeline for withdrawing U.S. troops from Iraq, Editorial Staff: Joan Attenberg, Lauren Beth administration. He’s been busy sponsoring (or Gash, Ellen Beth Gill, John Hmurovic, Adrienne against requirements to curtail war profiteering, Kirshbaum, Leslie Lipschultz, Ross Nickow, co-sponsoring) a flurry of legislative proposals and against funding for post-Katrina and Rita Dottie Palombo, Mary Reynolds, Steve Sheffey, and seizing every possible media opportunity – disaster relief and recovery. Laurie Kaplan Singh, Marla Sundh all with the aim of aligning his image with Kirk also supported the Republican agenda by causes he knows are important to 10th District Design: Terry Jones not casting a final vote either way on H. R. 4, th voters (e.g., the environment, aid to Katrina Distribution: Glenn Stier, Dave Du Bordieu, which would require the U.S. government to survivors, and help for disabled veterans). Cosette Winter 10 negotiate lower prescription drug prices for The opinions expressed are those of the writers, But how genuine are these efforts? Do they and not necessarily endorsed by Tenth Dems continued on page 4 www.tenthdems.org JUNET 2007enthIllinois Tenth Congressional District DemocratsNews Newsletter Volume 4, Edition 6 Power Lunch Serves Up Powerful Inspiration by Mary Reynolds As Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky put it, “2,062 powerful women and exceptionally secure men” attended her 6th Annual Ultimate Women’s Power Lunch on Friday, Dan Seals, Speaker Pelosi, featured speaker Hon. Geraldine Ferraro, Rev. Jesse Jackson, May 4, 2007, at the and Gov. Rod Blagojevich listen as Hon. Jan Schakowsky addresses the crowd. Chicago Hilton. Among those Representatives Elaine Nekritz and Julie Hamos. Reverend Jesse Jackson also attended, as did his daughter-in-law, newly elected Tenth Dems’s John Hmurovic, one of the “exceptionally present were more than 150 Tenth State Representative Sandi Jackson. Governor Rod Blagojevich secure” men attending the Ultimate Women’s Power attended and spoke about his tenure in Congress as a colleague Lunch, with Speaker of the House Hon. Nancy Pelosi. Dems, envious as we are of the and admirer of Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, the keynote quality of representation our neighbors to the south enjoy. That speaker. Dan Seals, the 10th District’s former (and future) next wasn’t just estrogen in the air; the ballroom was permeated with the congressman, was present and recognized; and he received scent of power exuded by Democrats finally in the majority again. enthusiastic applause from the audience. Senator Dick Durbin also Women came from all over the country – including Congresswoman attended and spoke briefly about Congresswoman Schakowsky’s Gwen Moore from Milwaukee, and a recent transplant to the accomplishments in her committee work, especially on the Boston area back for the event – to bask in the Democratic warmth Intelligence Committee. Michelle Obama was introduced as on a fine spring day in Chicago. possibly our next first lady. Many prominent political figures also were present to help When the afternoon’s formal program began, Geraldine Ferraro celebrate, including at least 100 elected officials from all over spoke first. She contrasted her groundbreaking campaign as a vice- Illinois, among them State Senator Susan Garrett and State continued on page 3 Get the Perfect Gift for Family or Friends Celebrate any joyous occasion – or just treat yourself – with the hat that commemorates this upcoming joyous occasion: 01.20.09 – Bush’s Last Day To order by phone, call 847-266-VOTE (8683). Or place your secure, online credit card order at http://www.tenthdems.org/index.php/800 Hats can also be purchased at the Buy 1 hat for just $20 Moraine Township Democrats Office (plus $3 S+H, for a total cost of $23 shipped) 580 Roger Williams Ave. Highland Park, IL Buy more and save… during our normal office hours: 1:00 PM - 4:00 PM Get 6 hats for just $114! Monday, Wednesday, Friday (plus $6 S+H, for a total cost of $120 shipped) 7:00 PM - 8:30 PM Monday and Thursday To order by mail, send check or money order, (Please call 847-266-8683 along with your phone number and in advance to be sure shipping information to: the office is open.) Tenth Congressional District Democrats P.O. Box 523 Deerfield, IL 60015 Please make your check payable to: Tenth Congressional District Democrats Paid for by the Illinois Tenth Congressional District Democrats, P.O. Box 523, Deerfield, IL 60035 and not authorized by any candidate or candidate’s committee. Contributions are not tax-deductible. Corporate contributions are not allowed. West DeerfieldDeerfield Township Dems are On the Move From your friends in West Deerfield Township Presidential Committees: Who says the election is a long way off? Greetings fellow travelers. Your friends in the West Deerfield Many of our folks have already joined various presidential campaign Township Democratic Organization want to share with you a short committees in support of one candidate or another. With the note about what is going on in our sector in the ongoing battle for primaries now front loaded we will need to be getting out there this our Democratic Ideals. Some of our recent events include: fall with petitions for the primary candidates! God and Politics: We recently hosted a seminar at the Deerfield An Intern: We have been able to arrange for a part-time summer Library on the topic “Is God an Independent? The Role of Religion in college intern. This person is going to help us build a database of our Politics.” The featured guest was the well-known and highly best, best voters. regarded Dr. Ron Miller, author and professor of religion at Lake We have a very full schedule for this summer and fall including: Forest College and the co-founder of Common Ground. Kudos to Ron Fourth of July: This is a big event for us. We typically have a very large Levitsky of the West Deerfield Dems for putting this together. We had and very, very loud contingent that walks the parade and has a booth. a great turnout for this two-hour event and want to do more such This has been great for our visibility. This will be our fourth year. events to reach out to the community. More Seminars: This fall we hope to hold our own presidential Direct Action – The Environment: We put our backs where our debate. Although we will invite Hillary, Barack, John, Bill, and mouths are. On May 12th we did one of our twice annual Adopt a everyone else running, we expect their representatives to show Highway cleanups. Karen Truskowski of our group was able to instead. Nevertheless, we look forward to a lively debate of the arrange with the Lake County Highway Department for us to sponsor various candidates’ positions. a high-traffic, two-mile stretch of Deerfield Road between Wilmot and Riverwoods Roads. Twice a year, in spring and fall, we get out Adopt A Highway: We’ll be out there again in the fall with our there with our orange vests and garbage bags (provided by the garbage bags. It’s better in the spring, but we still do it twice a year. highway department) and clean up the environment. And it’s made a Thanks to all the other townships for their ideas, help, and support. great difference. In the last year we have filled about 30 of those big, Let’s make 2008 a very, very Democratic Year. 55-gallon bags. 2 Republicans Proven Wrong Again by Steve Sheffey In the last election, Mark Kirk’s supporters argued that Democratic about Israel’s occupation of the West Bank and Gaza. In truth, the control of Congress would be bad for Israel. They told us that we had history of the conflict has never been about the occupation. It is over no stronger friend in Congress than Kirk. You can bet we’ll hear the the fundamental right of Israel to exist. ... The United States will same rhetoric in 2008 from Kirk’s supporters. Now that the stand with Israel now and forever.” Democrats do control Congress, let’s see what actually happened so House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD) has a long record of that we can measure their credibility. strong pro-Israel activity.