While I delayed writing “Part II” because of work, family flu and the holidays - it hasn’t been easy to write anyway. The truth of the matter is that on policy I have differences in different areas with all four Democratic candidates in the 14th District, Bill Foster included. But politics often involves compromises - the type where you win some, and lose some, and rarely the type where you get met “half-way.” I had my disagreements with Howard Dean while actively supporting him for president in 2003/4. Very early this cycle I was one of two authors of the former blog “Feingold for Illinois,” but I have substantial disagreements with some of Russ Feingold’s positions too. The test of support cannot be that you are 100% in agreement with the candidate you support - there will be too few, if any, you can support. The issue then is about thresholds - do you agree with the candidate on the issues enough to support them?
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This election has three minimal issue requirements for my active support and endorsement. The candidate must have some sort of universal health care position. The candidate must seek to get our troops out of Iraq and end the Iraq War. The candidate must have something to say about improving the economy - and reforming tax policy is one of the necessary steps. My three issues leave a lot of wiggle room - and leave a lot out that progressives (including myself) care about. I believe in legalized abortion and care about it - and “Bill was talking about his stance as early as May 31, 2007 to Eric Krol (then of the Daily Herald) - but I have left abortion out of my top three. I care about the environment and global warming - but it also doesn’t make my top three (although I see it as potentially part of the solution to our economic woes). There are a lot of other issues I care about deeply, and often discuss in my blog, that also don’t make my list (in no particular order alleviating poverty, union card check, fair trade, upholding civil liberties and reforming FISA and the so-called “Patriot Act,” stopping torture and extraordinary rendition, and thanks to the Bush Administration the list goes on….). How I evaluate a candidate goes beyond my ‘minimal three’ - but they are my priorities.
While there are differences amongst the four Democratic candidates, Bill Foster is close enough for my support, in this race and in this district, to the other two more progressive candidates (John Laesch and Jotham Stein in that order). One can separate policy views from political prospects (i.e. the ability to win an election and then the ability to get things done) - but as much as I admire politicians like Dennis Kucinich, for example, he has not yet gotten my vote for president.
A summary of the issues:
Universal Health Care
Bill Foster supports “universal health care” (earlier public sources include newspaper accounts of debates). Bill is not the only Democrat in the race to do so - John Laesch supports single-payer (my preferred position); Jotham Stein, who is “not wedded to a specific way or plan,” supports universal health care; and Joe Serra supports universal health care.
Getting American Troops Out of Iraq
Bill Foster supports getting American troops out of Iraq and was publicly discussing it as early as May 31, 2007. He is not unique in this - John Laesch believes in getting our troops out as does Jotham Stein. Joe Serra alone among the Democratic candidates seems to advocate keeping troops in - at least for now.
Economic Policy
Bill Foster was out front early on condemning Fermi Lab funding cuts and advocating more funding. Fermi Lab has provided not only high technology and thousands of solid paying jobs (directly and through subcontracting) for the district - but it helps anchor technology in the district (e.g. Northern Illinois’ Physics Department members have collaborated with Fermi). Bill has also talked more broadly about the economic implications of energy policy and environmental policy.
Bill Foster also supports tax reform. He would rollback of tax to 90’s rates on the top 1-2% - and he was talking about the rollback from the beginning of his campaign (see the Daily Herald May 31, 2007). Years before he ran for congress, Bill publicly spoke out for maintaining the estate tax - a tax that would cost his heirs substantial money if kept in place. As Bill said then,
“‘The proponents of estate tax repeal are fond of calling it the ‘death tax’. It’s not a death tax, it’s a Rich Kids’ tax,’ said Bill Foster, co-founder and former CEO of Electronic Theatre Controls Inc., the world’s largest manufacturer of stage lighting equipment, and a person who will owe the estate tax. ‘The estate tax is one of our time-tested and best tools in preventing the aristocracy of an ‘Old Europe’ from establishing itself on our shores.’”
That sounds pretty progressive to me.
In the end when you support a candidate you need to make a judgment. You need to decide if they reflect your policy views enough to earn your support. For me Bill does. You need to decide if you believe that they can enact those policy views - or at least move the ball on them. I believe that Bill can win this congressional race - and that once he has, that Bill’s temperament and approach will help effect change on the issues in congress. What do I mean by “temperament and approach”? As I wrote July 12, Bill’s method of operating is that “[h]e finds what he wants to do, he does the work necessary and he is successful and committed in what he does.”
Finally, at least for me, I think it’s important that you believe you can approach the candidate, once they’re in office, and make your case on an issue and be heard. I believe Bill will give his constituents an honest and fair hearing. He will not always agree with me or others - and you can’t expect 100% agreement - but I think Bill will listen to a reasonable argument and be willing to change his views based on the merits. You can’t ask for more on that count.
So Bill gets my support not because he can win this race, which is important, but because I believe when he wins this race we all will win. I’d like to get used to winning that way. Electing Bill Foster to congress is a great start.
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