Dan Seals, running as a Democrat for US Congress for the Illinois Tenth Congressional District, spoke to a large and enthusiastic crowd on Monday night at the Tenth Dems
Had Enough Yet? event. Not only did Dan speak, he listened which is something the incumbent never does, unless it's to republican party leadership.
Dan gave some campaign updates:
1. He outraised Kirk last quarter raising $379,000.
2. Beltway journalists that used to call this district safe now call it in play.
3. He is getting tremendous support from our famous and beloved Illinois democrats like Durbin and Obama.
Dan wants us to translate our thoughts and feelings to action and get the word out. Well, I thought about it and I guess I need to work more to get the word out on Mark Kirk which everyone knows I just don't do enough of, but I'll try harder.
On the issues, Dan set out his vision for our district and our country and tells us that we can do better:
Iraq: It is a war of ideology that Bush launched, one lacking accountability and that has led to mistake after mistake and we are still not doing better on security. Dan said, "I have never seen a democracy imposed on a people and definitely not in 5-10 years... We are still working on it. Just look at Florida... We need to draw down troops by the end of the year."
Iran: Iraq has caused us to miss opportunities at pre-emptive diplomacy. We need to conduct diplomacy first and foremost. Sanctions are premature. It is too soon to discuss sanctions and it will only aggravate the situation. We must focus on the UN and bring China and Russia to our side and incentise them to stick with us. Dan also pointed out that the high gas prices have given Iran more leverage.
Values: Dan doesn't want to go back. Waxing nostalgic is not good because we have to remember what the world was really like before and that not everyone had it so good. When Dan looks at values he sees: Responsibility -- We have to do something about global warming. Morals -- health care or rather the lack thereof for too many people. Opportunity -- not everyone is participating.
GLBT Issues: Dan is supportive of the GLBT community.
Taxes: The republicans will again vote to raise the debt ceiling and dig us deeper into their deficit. We have to stop deficit spending and look at our investment in our future and the problems that need to be solved.
Will Kirk run on the environment and education? Dan hopes he does. Kirk is now rated 39% by the League of Conservation Voters. I think that the call of his leadership and, perhaps his lack of any real commitment to the environment has caused him to vote against environmental issues including votes for drilling in ANWR, sale of public lands and allowing corporations to exploit Katrina by obtaining reduced clear air standards. As for education, Kirk voted for No Child Left Behind and then voted against funding it. Susan Garrett pointed out that under Kirk's representation special education is funded at only 14% making it nothing better than an unfunded mandate.
Israel: Dan is not only a supporter of Israel when it comes to its security, but he is also a friend to the principles of Israel and the Jewish people. Dan believes in Tikkun Olam which, to him, represents the civil rights movement that allows him to be where he is today. Dan grew up playing at the JCC with children of all races and religions as is the Jewish custom. Dan believes in the Jewish values of peace and justice. (I can just about hear my (now deceased) Grandma cheering for Dan!) That is the Judiasm that I grew up with.
Concrete Plans for our future:
Universal single payer health care. Dan says to see Physicians for a National Health Program for a detailed plan that he favors. This is the plan supported by Dr. Quentin Young and Dr. David Gill running in the Illinois 15th. To Dan this is a moral issue.
Energy independence:. Dan want us to pull subsidies to polluting energy industires and put the money into research for more efficient and environmentall friendly sources of energy. He directed us to the Apollo Initiative for more information about the program he favors.
Dan saw Joe Biden speak last week. Biden told the group that he has spent about 15 hours alone with the President and just a couple of aids and Biden has concluded that, not only is he incompetent, he is "dangerously incompetent." That is Mark Kirk's mentor and leader and Biden thinks he's dangerously incompetent. Is that what we want for our district and our country?