Progress Illinois

It's no secret that Democrats have feasted on open Congressional races in Northern Illinois. Both Reps. Debbie Halvorson and Bill Foster cruised to victory in districts previously held by the GOP last year, bolstered by changing demographics, Republican policy shifts, and Barack Obama's candidacy. While the party has had less success unseating incumbents, a few key retirements -- combined with solid challengers -- could solidify the Democratic stronghold regionally. To that end, national party leaders are signaling they plan to pressure select Republican congressmen to hang it up instead of fighting a tough reelection battle. The Hill reports:

House Democrats and Republicans alike are focused this cycle on putting pressure on certain incumbents thought to be potential retirees. Democrats are doing it because they have basically run out of viable targets. Republicans are going after Democrats with everything they’ve got and hoping an aggressive tack will pay dividends in 2010. [...]

“Republicans who haven’t fought a tough race in years may have to dust off their political operations and get ready to face an aggressive challenger,” said a spokeswoman for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC), Jennifer Crider.

llinois Republicans Judy Biggert and Don Manzullo are on the list -- and it's not hard to see why. 

Continue reading »

Yesterday, the U.S. House passed the Democrat-sponsored Comprehensive Energy Security Act by a 236-189 margin.  The bill would release 70 billion barrels of oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, allow offshore drilling over 50 miles from the U.S. coast, roll back tax breaks for the five largest oil companies, provide tax credits for renewable energy development/conservation, and require utilities to generate 15 percent of their electricity from alternative sources.

All 11 Illinois Democrats voted in favor of the measure, as well as GOP Reps. Mark Kirk and Ray Lahood.  Meanwhile, the six remaining Illinois Republicans -- Peter Roskam, Judy Biggert, John Shimkus, Don Manzullo, Tim Johnson, and Jerry Weller -- opposed the bill.

Despite taking part in the GOP's "drilling is the only answer" antics in August, Roskam explained his nay vote this way: "Any bill that ignores nuclear, anti-idling conservation and basic research is no comprehensive energy bill." Biggert toed a similar line, emphasizing the bill's exclusion of nuclear power in a press release yesterday.  (Could we be witnessing the start of a "Nuke Baby Nuke" movement?)

Yet Rep. Shimkus' response really takes the cake. 

Continue reading »

Bob Abboud, Democratic candidate in the 16th Congressional District, is getting support from some unlikely places. Last week, Major Gen. John Borling, a member of John McCain's national finance committee and an elected Republican delegate from Illinois, endorsed Abboud at a meeting of union members, elected officials, and constituents.

Here's what Borling had to say (taken from an Abboud press release):

With gas prices out of control, the economy weak, unemployment a problem—especially in Northern Illinois-- crushing national debt and skyrocketing health care costs, the 16th District and America need new, visionary leadership. I have endorsed Bob because he has extraordinary judgment and an intelligence that we desperately need in Congress. He is the right man for the job, I support his candidacy because its time for a change in Illinois. [...]

We need to have political representatives who honor their word, display good judgment, and are smart enough to identify and help solve the pressing problems of Northern Illinois and the nation. The nation suffers from career politicians who believe they are owed lifetime appointment ... Approval ratings of the Congress hover around 13 percent and we need to turn the affairs of government back over to citizen servants who will truly earn our respect and approval through effective bi-partisan action. Bob Abboud is that kind of man.

Borling is a decorated Vietnam war veteran who spent time as a POW with John McCain. His endorsement is significant not only because he is a Republican, but also because it shows how important economic issues are in the 16th District race. While Borling disagrees with Abboud's stance against the Iraq occupation, his statement clearly indicates that he trusts the Democrat over Republican incumbent Don Manzullo to solve the region's economic downturn.

A new poll by the Pew Research Center indicates that Americans are beginning to become more supportive of the idea of domestic oil drilling. Driving this shift in public opinion is the idea -- advanced by numerous Republicans -- that increased drilling on U.S. lands will quickly put an end to high gas prices at home. But it's not be that simple.

In an interview today on WRHL's Michael Koolidge Show,16th District Democratic congressional candidate Bob Abboud pointed out why -- contrary to suggestions by his opponent, GOP Rep. Don Manzullo -- drilling is not a quick-fix. Abboud, a nuclear engineer, is running as an energy pragmatist and he raises some very practical concerns. Here's what he had to say:

Internal mp3

ABBOUD: The real question that I ask is: “What does it do for you?” If you look at drilling crude -- crude is a globally traded product. So anywhere that you drill -- whether domestically or on the other side of the globe -- it doesn’t necessarily say that that crude is going to wind up here in the United States.

The second problem is we’re running at essentially 100 percent refinery capacity here in the United States. We have virtually no spare capacity. And so, you know, you can work and create all kinds of new supply of crude, but it’s certainly not going to create new supplies of what you really use and that’s gasoline, diesel fuel, and ethanol.

A recent Time article backed up Abboud's first point:

[T]he U.S. has an estimated 3% of global petroleum reserves but consumes 24% of the world's oil. Offshore territories and public lands like ANWR that don't allow drilling may contain up to 75 billion barrels of oil, according to the EIA. That may sound like a lot, but it's not enough to make a significant difference in a world where global oil demand is expected to rise 30% by 2030, to nearly 120 million barrels a day. At best, greatly expanding domestic drilling might eventually lower the proportion of oil the U.S. imports — currently about 60% of its total supply — but petroleum is a global commodity, and the world market would soak up any additional American production.

As this election cycle continues we will hear more and more about domestic drilling as a cure-all to our energy woes. It's good to see Democras such as Abboud taking that myth on from an economic (as well as environmental) standpoint.

Continue reading »

The "Responsible Plan to End the War in Iraq" is a well thought-out and carefully articulated proposal to disengage the U.S. military from the conflict and refocus on diplomatic and humanitarian efforts. The plan has the backing of over 50 candidates running against GOP House incumbents this year. But so far, only one Democratic congressional challenger in Illinois has endorsed it -- Bob Abboud, who is challenging 16th District Congressman Don Manzullo.

It's no surprise that Abboud is the first one on board. He's an ideas man. In our image-obsessed political environment, it's refreshing to see someone with his background make a run for the House.

Like Rep. Bill Foster in the 14th District, Abboud is a scientist. After a stint in the Navy he worked for the Argonne National Laboratory and Commonwealth Edison as a nuclear engineer. He left ComEd after 20 years to start his own successful research and development lab.

A cursory look at Abboud's website shows that he is applying a scientific approach to his platform. For nearly every policy issue, he has a clearly articulated plan replete with analysis and clearly defined proposals (sometimes even charts and graphs). While Abboud could turn off some voters if he dives into full-blown wonkiness, his ability to provide solid and often ambitious policy proposals is a welcome change at a time when many are looking for fresh ideas.

Continue reading »