That’s where I make permanent enemies—but, take heart, those who don’t make out, a no endorsement can be seen as a virtue, especially in so-called “moderate” districts. You can advertise that you’re unblemished, unbought, unbossed and un-Roeser’ed. But my history has not been resolutely one-party, just socially conservative. In Minnesota, pre-Roe v. Wade, I was a good friend of Gene McCarthy, an admirer of Hubert Humphrey (his style if not his substance). In this state I voted for Democrat Glenn Poshard for governor. I only voted for Chuck Percy twice (once for governor in `64, once for the Senate in 1966 which was probably a mistake but the aging Paul Douglas, whom I regarded as integrity itself, had the annoying habit of nodding off in public meetings. On socially conservative grounds I voted for Democrat Roman Pucinski against Percy in 1972, for conservative Republican Tom Corcoran against him in the primary of 1978 and for Democrat Alex Seith in the general. I never voted for Jim Thompson—casting my ballot for Democrat Mike Howlett the first go-round, skipping the next three.
For the March 21 primary, I intend to endorse for governor only in the Republican category and with rare exceptions will stay within the party’s borders. Then there will be the congressional races. If, perchance, you want to see where I come out in legislative contests, please indicate by corresponding with the Readers Comments box. Yes, you can lobby for your own wishes there, too.
Gidwitz handled your tough questions well and I feel better about him than I did prior to the show.
ReplyDeleteI will still vote for Brady but will vote for Gidwitz or Oberweiss if they win the primary. Otherwise I am for Blago who is as / more conservative than JBT (which is more of an indictment of JBT than a misconception that Blago is conservative). The fact that Daley, Madigan and others in the Combine do not like Blago gives him points as well.
Sadly, I live in a district with no Republican challenger to the Democrat who's husband has pleaded guilty to two felony counts of bank fraud and false tax returns related to $2.3 million stolen in three check kitting schemes.
Than again, living in the "Combine State" corruption on this level is to be expected / is on the low end of the scale. Most Illinois politicians settle for theft in the hundreds of millions if not billions.
I am confident none of the above would garner 80% of the vote if not more.
Jason we have one chance of beating Judy in the primary and that is Oberweis. Brady is so far behind and falling farther he has no money and will not have $ for TV. He lied to everyone from the start he promised to have 3 to 5 million not so long ago the begining of November. He has not put any of his own money in the campaign to speak of. If he doesn't care why should we?
ReplyDeletewww.stoptopinka.com is a must see website for those not familiar with Topinka's real values.
ReplyDeleteTopinka does not represent my values.
Here's a spicy little tidbit for those looking at Brady as the, "good downstate republican." Bill Brady requested eminent domain powers to be used in Champaign IL all to benifit his business.
Legal? Maybe.
Morally offensive, you betcha!
Look it up for yourself~
http://www.news-gazette.com/news/local/2005/01/09/request_for_eminent_domain_a_rocky_issue/
Jim Oberweis has always been the clear choice for my vote. He is exactly what this state needs!
If Oberweis narrows the gap I will vote for him. Hopefully someone will gain on JBT.
ReplyDeleteThe one thing that upset me about Oberweis during Sunday's program was the call that said Oberweis Dairy provides "Domestic Benefits" for homosexuals. How can Oberweis come out publically against special rights for homosexuals yet he gives it to them in his business? No business is required to give "Domestic Partner" health benefits yet Oberweis Dairy has elected to do so (I found nothing on his site to confirm or refute that claim).
AIDS treatment costs $350,000 on average per patient. People involved in this kind of behavior want others to pick up the tab for their behavior.
My point about the show was I came in with the view Gidwitz was as bad as JBT but between what he said Sunday, what I have read in the past few weeks and the fact that I like and voted for Steve Rauschenberger in the past makes me want to vote for Gidwitz if he somehow wins the primary.
Many have said Bill Brady should fold (including Tom Roeser IIRC) since he has marginal support. I wish one of the conservatives would bow out to let the other one get the core conservative vote.
Sadly, it looks like it will be the typical November once again with nobody I truly like and having to decide between the lesser of evils (Poshard over Ryan). Blago over JBT would be such a selection. I hope one of the three (Gidwitz, Oberweis, Brady) can top her.
Tracy R., I am calling you out on your crass attempt to smear Bill Brady.
ReplyDeleteIn your post, you distorted the fact that Brady's home construction company sought a sanitary easement through an adjacent public development of a highway interchange and a sanitary district improvement. Such developments, by the way, occur all the time, and that is what "eminent domain" is all about. Brady's company didn't seek to throw people out of homes; it sought an opportunity to bring sewer and sanitation in to new homes being built on undeveloped land. So your attack is groundless.
Eminent domain is not "immoral". Sometimes the public needs to build and expand roads, schools, sanitation, etc. for the public good. The U.S. Constitution guarantees due process to property owners affected by eminent domain use.
Unfortunately, eminent domain has been abused by some local governments in recent years, and such abuse was the subject of the appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court in the Kelo case, decided last year. Sadly, the liberal wing of our U.S. Supreme Court rule that the taking of homes for projects long since abandoned by the local government was still permissible. Nationwide, conservatives have been working to reverse the effects of Kelo.
Senator Bill Brady has publicly supported efforts to scale back the effects of the Kelo decision and has publicly endorsed the Illinois Senate Republican initiative to prevent the occurrence of Kelo-type condemnations here in Illinois. So unlike your candidate, Oberweis, Senator Bill Brady has taken real action to combat eminent domain abuses. Without declaiming eminent domain as "immoral"..... by the way, is that what your candidate believes?
Dear Tom:
ReplyDeleteThe Chicago Tribune's John Kass & you are probably on to something questioning former Governor James Thompson's motivation. If my late acquaintance--James Skillbeck--were still alive today he might lend something to the discussion. As he aptly put it, "Here comes Big Jim!"