In This Issue: Evan Bayh . .1 Candidates 06 . .4 This Candidate Doesn't A Candidate’s Diary Candidate Diary . .1 Pets vs. Issues . .5 Lake County Clerk candidate Sharon Choice . .2 Kirk and Religion . .6 Wear Prada Narrod is making her first run for public Bill of Health . .2 Fair and Balanced .8 by Sharon Narrod office. Between now and election day she will give us a regular account of what it’s If you divide the number of parades by the number of like to be a candidate. This is Part 4 in For information or to volunteer call: carnivals and multiply that by the pounds of popcorn and that series of articles. 847.266.VOTE (8683) cotton candy, what do you get? Summer in Lake County! Or write to: That of course does not include the antique car shows, Lauren Beth Gash, Chair, Tenth Dems rodeos, art fairs and craft expositions. The last several PO Box 523, Deerfield, IL 60015 Visit the website: www.tenthdems.org weeks have been a haze of shaking hands, handing out my Newsletter: [email protected] “giveaways,” trying to find time to eat, and driving home with thoughts of non-sweaty clothing and air conditioning Editors John Hmurovic, Paul Kelly dancing in my head. Editorial Staff Lauren Beth Gash, Leslie At this point, I can’t imagine why anyone would take a Lipschultz, Harriet S. Meyer, Gregory Mysko, Ross Nickow, Mark Paul, Danny vacation outside of Lake County in the summertime. There Solarz, Ron Weiner is so much to do and so little time to do it. What is it I like Design Carol Jones best? That would be hard to say. Parades are terrific, when it’s not too warm and it isn’t raining. Web Distribution Glenn Stier th As I was walking the Waukegan parade, I chatted with a The opinions expressed10 are those parade-goer about how awful my hair must have looked. U.S. Senator Richard Durbin joins Sharon of the writers, and not necessarily Narrod on the campaign trail. endorsed by Tenth Dems Continued on page 3 www.tenthdems.org AUGUSTT 2006enth Illinois Tenth Congressional District News Democrats Newsletter Volume 3, Edition 8 By the Bayh, Tenth Dems Event Draws About 150 by Danny Solarz Evan Bayh, U.S. Senator and potential presidential candidate, keynoted the third annual fundraiser for the Tenth Congressional District Democrats on June 30. Hosted by Councilman Jim Kirsch and his wife Heidi, of Highland Park, the event drew about 150 attendees who heard Bayh discuss the current state of the United States, and his specific plans to get America back on the right track. The presidential prospect said he believes that State Rep. Karen May (left) energy independence can help transform and candidate Dan Seals America. Besides the obvious benefits of freeing (right) were among the crowd at the Tenth Dems fundraiser. Anne ourselves from foreign oil, energy independence Wedner (above, on left) receives Tenth Dems Volunteer of the Year would create numerous jobs in industries that award from Karen McCormick, as U.S. Sen. Evan Bayh looks on. deal with alternative energy sources. Bayh has some expertise with job creation. About 375,000 jobs were created Administrative Chair John Hmurovic said. in Indiana during his eight-year tenure as Governor. “We do that by reaching out to the volunteers, trying to get more people The event was attended by several of the area's top Democrats, involved in the process.” including state Senator Terry Link, state Representative Karen May, Lake County Board Members Carol Spielman and Anne Bassi, Dan Seals, the Democratic nominee for several Highland Park City Council members, state Representative Congress, spoke to the attendees and stressed the importance of candidate Amanda Howland, and Lake County Clerk candidate volunteerism, donations and the grassroots campaign. Sharon Narrod. The money raised will help all Democrats in the area. “Having volunteers matters,” Seals said. “Volunteers are the “The money is used to elect competent and qualified Democrats to lifeblood of any democratic organization.” every level of office in every part of the 10th District,” Tenth Dems Continued on page 3 Kirk: A Bad Choice on Choice Women’s Bill of by Harriet S. Meyer Mark Kirk looked me in the eye and said, “I Women’s health groups are urging Congress am pro-choice.” It was in May 2004, and he to cosponsor important new legislation. But, Health Rights was speaking with three of us constituents unlike dozens of Kirk’s colleagues, as of this in his Deerfield office. He seemed sincere. writing he is not yet co-sponsoring the “I have the right to health.” He even has 100 percent ratings from Equity in Prescription Insurance Planned Parenthood and NARAL Pro-Choice Contraceptive Coverage Act, the Freedom of I have the right to be trusted. America (because of select “key votes”). Choice Act (the legislative equivalent to Roe In El Salvador, because of medical v. Wade), several sex education acts, the symptoms like those of miscarriage, But during Republican Kirk’s three terms in women are reported by their doctors Congress, women’s health rights have been Plan B for Plan B Act (to make emergency contraception available), the Prevention to the police and are investigated by seriously infringed (see also Women’s Bill of “forensic vagina inspectors” and the Health sidebar). Getting a safe, legal First Act, the Quality of Life for Women Act, or the Stop Deceptive Advertising for prosecutor’s office. Mothers of young abortion is prohibitively difficult. Women children are imprisoned. can’t get contraceptive prescriptions filled Women’s Services Act. without being second-guessed and Kirk belongs to 40 House caucuses, I have the right to respectful and humiliated. Violence at clinics and doctors’ including the Boating Caucus, but not the empathetic treatment and support offices continues. President Bush directs a Bipartisan Pro-Choice Caucus or the from my caregiver. government agency to lie about abortion Congressional Caucus for Women’s Issues. In some states, like Virginia, doctors and STDs. can – and do – refuse to provide Kirk sits on the Appropriations Committee, emergency contraception – without Yes, Kirk voted the right way on key votes – where he has the opportunity to cut funding even telling their patients why or against the Partial Birth Abortion Act, the for abstinence-only sex education. Instead, where they may obtain it. Abortion Non-Discrimination Act, the Child taxpayers are spending more than $200 Interstate Abortion Notification Act, the million a year on these Bush-mandated I have the right to safe, effective, Unborn Victims of Violence Act, and the programs. Studies have shown that these appropriate treatment. Child Custody Protection Act – but they all sexist, misleading and unproven programs Because of so-called “partial-birth passed anyway! may increase early sexual activity and abortion” bans and lack of physician sexually transmitted disease rates, and training, women who experience What’s more, he even voted to bring the first miscarriages or fetal demise may be three of those terrible bills to the floor of the decrease young people’s use of condoms or other contraceptives. denied a safer procedure, such as House (procedural votes). Why? So he dilatation and evacuation. could then vote against them to get his 100 Kirk turned over money that 10th District Complications of late pregnancy, percent rating? So he could help Tom DeLay residents donated to his campaigns to such as incomplete or septic and cronies milk a political wedge issue for support anti-choice Congressmen Kevin miscarriages, are dangerous without all it’s worth? Brady and Pete Sessions of Texas and timely treatment. Bans of this vague Kirk could have voted to make these bills Ernest Istook of Oklahoma – each of whom entity prohibit medical procedures less harsh. He could have voted received a zero percent rating during pregnancy as early as 13 against turning adult siblings, from NARAL Pro-Choice weeks. America. grandparents and clergy who try to I have the right to preventive care. help pregnant girls into criminals And, if Mark Kirk is speaking The Bush administration spends more (against the motion to recommit the out about women’s than $200 million per year on Child Custody Protection Act with reproductive freedoms, I abstinence-only sex education, instructions). He could have voted haven’t heard him. which, studies show, leads to teens for providing “all medically Inconsistent votes, bad votes, having earlier sex and more appropriate information [and] bad donations, no leadership, infections. services” in the Abortion Non- and a Republican Congress Discrimination Act. He could have It’s been two and a half years since that has sent women’s rights the FDA’s expert panel recommended voted for adding language to the down the tubesl, make that over-the-counter emergency oral Partial-Birth Abortion Act to protect Republican Mark Kirk a bad contraception be approved – but the the health of the mother (against the choice on choice. We need a FDA still won’t approve it, even motion to recommit) – but he didn’t! Democratic House and Dan though it would prevent hundreds of In May, the U.S. Supreme Court, by Seals – a candidate who will thousands of abortions each year. declining to hear an appeal, upheld stand up for choice – to The religious Right and the Bush a ruling requiring anti-abortion preserve the health rights that administration threatened to block extremists to pay damages to the majority of 10th District approval of a vaccine against human providers whom they have harmed. voters and Americans support. papillomavirus (HPV), which could But Kirk has helped those Tenth Dems has produced a brochure which shows how prevent thousands of deaths from extremists: He voted twice for women's rights to quality reproductive health care have cervical cancer annually, as well as bankruptcy bills that let them skip been severly eroded during the Bush years, and how infertility and prematurity, which may paying damages by filing for Mark Kirk has refused to use his power as Assistant be side effects of treatment of bankruptcy – and that’s exactly House Majority Whip to fight against the erosion.