Lisa Wogan lisaw Regional Coordinator Location: Momence, IL Last login: 11/21/09 RSS feed
Originally from Waukegan, my husband, three children and I now live in an 1860 Momence farmhouse built by my great-great grandfather. A U of I alumna, I work as a freelance writer. I also strongly support various local non-profit initiatives, including the preservation-based economic development of Momence's historic downtown district via the Illinois Main Street program. After serving as IL Communications Coordinator for Ron Paul 2008, I'm excited to continue working to boost citizen involvement in government affairs, particularly in the expansive 11th District!
Although it was hard to distinguish their differences during a Wednesday debate, it was certainly clear what common ground three Republican primary candidates shared in their quest to unseat U.S. Rep. Debbie Halvorson, D-Crete, in next November's election.
The three agreed that:
* Government has become too large.
* Private business will rescue the economy, not government spending.
* Government-run health care would be a catastrophic mistake.
Three of the five GOP candidates running in the Feb. 2 primary attended the forum: David McAloon, of Bourbonnais; Dave White, of Princeton; and Henry Meers Jr., of Frankfort.
Manteno's Adam Kinzinger, who has actually received an early -- and rare -- endorsement from the National Republican Congressional Committee, did not participate. His campaign manager, Erik Rayman, said before the event that the rules were changed at the last moment. The fifth candidate, Darrel Miller, of Danvers, was not there.
The event was sponsored by Concerned United Taxpayers.
Sensible reforms needed, not another government takeover
By Adam Kinzinger, Republican candidate for U.S. Congress (IL-11th)
Recently, I held health care town hall meetings in Princeton, Ottawa, Kankakee, Minooka and Bloomington and there is overwhelming interest from people wishing to speak their mind. To accurately represent people you have to listen and to listen you have to be visible to your constituents. These discussions are not easy ones but they are important to have not only in Washington but also within the communities of the district by concerned, committed citizens.
Congresswoman Debbie Halvorson, has yet to hold an open health care town hall forum to allow her constituents one single opportunity to express their passionate and timely concerns. During the campaign last year, she ran on the issue of health care but now she is running away from it. This issue is far too important to run from, as the changes being discussed in Washington will have life-changing effects on seniors, small business owners and middle class Americans.
If you do not have health insurance, that is a crisis to you, but it is also a crisis when a government bureaucrat comes between you and your doctor. We have a crisis, and we need to find immediate, measureable ways to make it more affordable and increase accessibility. At the same time, we need to make sure not to risk the quality of care or individual choice.
I support reforms that allow businesses or associations to pull together their health plans to obtain larger health premium discounts and extending tax-free individual health savings accounts.
I'd recommended tax breaks to individuals who wish to purchase individual health insurance plans and the funding of qualified healthcare centers in uninsured or under-insured areas. Above all, doctors should stop the practice of defensive medicine and to do that Congress needs to address tort reform.
House Bill 3200 creates higher costs, higher deficits and more government control. We cannot afford another national takeover of an industry. Congress needs to act in a responsible manner, especially when middle class Americans are suffering from massive job losses. Americans cannot afford trillions in deficit spending and tax increases on small businesses and individuals. Our country has the best healthcare quality in the world but our system needs sensible reforms.
Congress will start debating health care next month and I look forward to continue traveling around the district to personally meet with people and hear their stories and concerns about this important issue.
Wow, this person sounds kind of like.....like..... What a person in congress should sound like! Is it one of those times that someone is just spilling air to sound like a good thing? That happened with the Presidency in the last election, remember? It may be the real deal though, who is to say?
U.S. Rep. Debbie Halvorson, D-Crete, will conduct two telephone town hall meetings on health care reform proposals.
The first telephone meeting, which is designed for seniors, will be at 6 p.m. Thursday. The second session will be at 6 p.m. Sept. 3 and will be a more general discussion. To sign up for either session, call 815-726-4998.
Constituents who sign up for the telephone town hall meetings will be called the day of the event.
Halvorson said she was in the Middle East from Aug. 8-16. Congressional leaders told her she could not tell anyone she was on the trip until she returned home because of security concerns, she said.
"People accused me of hiding," she said of the delay in having town hall meetings on health care. " ... All I know is I'm not afraid to face criticism, because God knows I've had my share."
'As productive as possible'Holding the meetings by phone allows more constituents to participate, she said. She expects tens of thousands to sign up for the sessions, especially the Sept. 3 one.
"I want these (town hall sessions) to be as productive as possible," she said.
Also, people can express their concerns about health care reform while "in the comfort of their own homes," she said. Halvorson also has a health care survey and information on the reform proposals at halvorson.house.gov .
I would urge all with an opinion on this critical issue to schedule to participate in this forum.
From Kristen McQueary's column in today's Southtown Star:
Meanwhile, U.S. Rep. Debbie Halvorson (D-11th), of Crete, called me Wednesday.
Halvorson was on a congressional trip to Israel from Aug. 8 to Aug. 16 when constituents were demanding health care town hall meetings - as was I in a column last week. The trip couldn't be disclosed for security purposes until the delegation returned, she said.
While health care proposals are changing by the minute, Halvorson said her primary concern is cost. If the final draft increases the federal deficit, she'll vote against it, even though President Barack Obama's administration repeatedly has said he is "not open to deficit spending. Health reform will be paid for and it will be deficit neutral over 10 years," Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius wrote in submitted testimony to the House Energy and Commerce Committee.
"My message right now is we don't have a bill," Halvorson said. "In fact, the moderate Democrats are the ones holding off so we wouldn't have to vote on this before we left. Health care is a big issue, but just because I ran on health care doesn't mean I'm going to vote for a bill that doesn't work and costs too much money. True reform brings costs down. True reform is not what this bill is yet."
Coming Sunday: More of my conversation with Halvorson.
In recent days, a pair of protests was held outside of Congresswoman Debbie Halvorson's Joliet office regarding the impending national health care legislation. Rep. Halvorson is reportedly out of the country thus was unable to attend either event. Here's a video of one of the protests posted at Illinois Review.
One of Rep. Halvorson's challengers, Bloomington Republican Adam Kinzinger, is hosting a series of health care town hall meetings in the coming days. SEE FULL SCHEDULE HERE.
Please consider attending one of these events and passing the word to like-minded friends and acquaintances. Real dialogue and public education on this critical issue are desperately needed . . . that means adding YOUR voice to the debate!
Kinzinger, of course, seeks to oppose Democrat Rep. Debbie Halvorson in the 2010 general election. He is opposed in the February primary election by fellow Republicans - real estate investor Henry Meers and businessman David McAloon.
I've not yet met Kinzinger but can attest that he is the establishment favorite as this article indicates. I have spoken with David McAloon (and his wife, Brenda) on a couple of occasions. He appears to be a sincere candidate. I'm not familiar with Henry Meers.
It will be interesting to see how how these candidates really compare on the issues. Adam and David both have Facebook profiles and post often about their activities and positions. Not sure about Meers. I would urge you all to connect with each of these candidates either at their websites, on social media, etc. and begin formulating your own opinions.
good post Lisa,
Debbie Supported that dastardly "green" bill HR2454. She wishes to pave our destruction with good intentions, I wonder if she even read it.
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—Thomas Jefferson
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