Il 14th Cong Dist debate (Hastert's vacant seat)

http://www.john08.com/?p=221

(emphasis added)

The League of Women Voters sponsored a forum on 1/8/08 for all five candidates running for former Speaker Hastert’s open seat in the 14th.
Video of the debate will be posted on the League website and we’ll let you know when that happens so you can see John in action.

Excitement and interest in this race are high.
We were told the LWV expected about 200 hundred people but today’s papers report the crowd was 600.
Last night, John showed that he had the political will to lead and fight for important issues.

Among the candidate’s positions on Iraq, John’s was the only one clear and direct: cut funding for the war, the only real option for a Congressman, and bring our soldiers home now.

Regarding our health care crisis, John’s support of Rep. Conyers’ bill, HR-676, Medicare for All, distinguished him as the only candidate ready to vote for true universal health care.

While the Republicans on stage called for more free market/for profit solutions and John’s Democratic opponents wouldn’t commit to any particular health care financing solution, John offered a national health care plan that 79 members of Congress already support.

John challenged Republican Jim Oberweis’ impartiality on trade issues.
John noted that Oberweis’ investment fund , Oberweis Asset Management, makes $ 14 million dollars a year from investment in China, creating a potential conflict of interest regarding trade legislation. Oberweis did not respond to John’s comments.

John’s willingness to challenge the system on both sides of the aisle for the voters in the 14th district shows what kind of Congressman John will be. That persistence is what makes him a leader on the issues, and will make him a winner in February, March and November.

Campaign finance reform is another issue where John is ready to lead now. Again many opinions were expressed, but John had a real workable tested solution.
He calls for a national policy modeled after Arizona’s clean elections law, a law that has been challenged in court and declared constitutional.

Campaign finance reform is a real issue in this race because we have two millionaires spending large amounts of money.

John ended on a positive note, “If you want to change this country, I ask you to get involved in this campaign.

I believe we have the power and ability to take our government back.”

John is ready to get to work, make real reform happen and help us take our government back from big money and special interests.



Laesch for Congress

My district adjoins the 14th.

I met John two years in a row at the Lee County Democratic Party's picnic. The last time, he sat and talked with us for quite awhile, even though we are not his voters. He spoke about not taking any money from corporate interests. He does not want to be owned.

I was at a meeting the other day where some of the 14th District members were saying that Daily Kos had really bashed Foster recently. I guess he has always been a Laesch supporter.

I met his new wife last summer, too. She is a cutie, and a union carpenter like her husband.

My husband gave him money, even though he is not in our district. We liked his statement on Fermi Lab. Our son works there, and good ol' Denny left without seeing that the lab received the budget it needs. My son's experiment will continue, but he will be given time off without pay. Things are going to be tough for him.

Thank you for posting about John.