Schedule:
10.31.2012 =: US Senate Overview
11.01.2012 1: US House Overview 1 (Northeast, New England, Midwest)
11.01.2012 2: US House Overview 2 (West, Southwest, Texas, South, Florida)
11.02.2012 1: IN-Sen (Donnelly v. Mourdock)
11.02.2012 2: WI-01 (Zerban v. Ryan)
11.02.2012 3: WI-Sen (Baldwin v. Thompson)
11.03.2012 1: MO-Gov (Nixon v. Spence), MO-Lt. Gov, Mo-SoS, MO-AG, MO-Treasurer
11.03.2012 2: MO-Sen (McCaskill v. Akin)
11.04.2012 1: IL-10 (Schneider v. Dold)
11.04.2012 2: IL-08 (Duckworth v. Walsh)
11.04.2012 3: IL-11 (Foster v. Biggert)
11.05.2012 1: IL-17 (Bustos v. Schilling)
11.05.2012 2: IL-13 (Gill v. Davis v. Hartman)
11.05.2012 3: IL-12 (My home district, Enyart v. Gill)
11.06.2012 1 : POTUS/VPOTUS (Obama/Biden v. Romney/Ryan v. Stein/Honkala v. Johnson v. Gray), GOTV/Election Day diary
1 = Morning
2 = Afternoon/Early Evening
3 = Evening/Overnight
Illinois' 17th Congressional District, which was made more Democratic-friendly in the 2011 redistricting, has East Moline City Councilwoman Cheri Bustos (D) against the incumbent Bobby Schilling (R). Eric Reyes is running as an independent. Schilling has run a deceitful flyer claiming he is a Democrat.
Issues:
Cheri Bustos:
Abortion:
As the only female candidate in this race, I would be the first woman to represent this District in its history. I support a woman’s right to choose and will work to ensure that this remains a decision made by women, not the government. I believe a woman’s reproductive health is critically important and support access to family planning and reproductive freedom. In addition, I believe we should expand efforts to use stem cell research to find cures for diseases like diabetes, Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.
Guns:
In addition to protecting the right to bear arms, I believe it is also critical to ensure that we have access to public lands for hunting and shooting, and I will work to protect that access.
PPACA:
The new reform law is not perfect, but makes real improvements in our health care system. It lowers costs for small businesses and makes sure you have coverage that cannot be taken away. It stops insurance companies from denying coverage of pre-existing conditions and allows children to stay on their parents’ health insurance for longer.
I will oppose any attempts to repeal these needed reforms. Instead, we should fix what does not work and pass further improvements that focus on lowering costs, while preserving patient choice and quality.
Marriage Equality/LGBTQ Rights:
She would be a supporter of LGBTQ rights.
Economy:
In addition to strong and growing businesses, we need strong and healthy labor organizations. I believe without labor unions we would not have a middle class – and today both are shrinking. We must turn that around.
We need to focus not just on lowering the unemployment rate, but ensuring the jobs created provide livable wages and good benefits. That means manufacturing jobs.
In the short-term, Congress should pass a new Transportation Bill that can provide immediate job-creation. By investing in our infrastructure, we can create good jobs now and lay the foundation for future growth and prosperity.
Education:
If education is the priority we say it is, then we need to back it up by protecting grant programs and working to reduce student loan costs.
Reform No Child Left Behind with more support for teachers and accountability that doesn’t lead to classrooms just teaching to the test.
Expand Head Start and early learning opportunities.
Reform student loans to reduce costs for college.
Protect and expand college scholarships like Pell Grants.
Improve vocational and job training opportunities for children who decide not to attend college.
Immigration:
On immigration, Bustos supports the Dream Act, and thinks military service “should count for something” toward citizenship. “It’s not just securing the border. ... We have to make sure employers don’t hire illegal immigrants.” And on defense, the U.S. “can’t afford to be the world’s policeman unilaterally. We’ve been paying for wars by adding to the debt. If we get out of those wars, we shouldn’t have to spend as much.”
Bobby Schilling:
Abortion:
Bobby stands with the unborn. Bobby was proud to co-sponsor H.R. 3, the No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act, and he continues the fight to reduce instances of abortion across this country.
Guns:
It is the responsibility of our elected officials to uphold the Second Amendment, although we have seen attempts by Washington to usurp that critical liberty in the past. Bobby understands that the right to defend ones’ self is paramount to sustaining a free society. He will continue to be a champion of the right to bear arms.
PPACA:
Bobby voted to repeal President Obama's health care overhaul, arguing that the law will cost millions of jobs, add $700 billion to the deficit, and do nothing to prevent skyrocketing medical costs.
Bobby also fought alongside Members of Congress from both parties and both Houses to repeal the health care bill’s 1099 reporting requirements, which would have forced job creators to expend money and resources to file burdensome, unnecessary paperwork.
Marriage Equality/LGBTQ Rights:
Supports Amendment to prevent same sex marriage. (Aug 2010)
Economy:
Despite a do-nothing Senate uninterested in creating jobs and a President more eager to campaign than lead, Bobby has actively pursued new ways to revitalize our economy.
Immigration:
I will not support any bill that contains amnesty.
Immigrants must be required to learn the English language as all American citizens are.
Our nation's immigration laws must be respected and enforced. We must secure our borders to ensure illegal immigrants do not enter this country, we must not reward people who do enter illegally, and we must work with our neighbors on border law enforcement and to promote economic opportunity in their countries, in order to prevent illegal immigration for economic reasons. People who are here illegally, but otherwise have obeyed our laws, should be given the opportunity to return to their country of origin, with the option of applying for legal entry into the U.S. This is a matter of preserving our national security, protecting federal, state, and local budgets; and reducing stress on our country's job markets.
Race Rating: Lean to Likely D