Submitted by pda_ill_admin on Wed, 09/01/2010 - 18:44

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by Lorin M Klugman

On August 25 Dr. Gill joined the EnergizeUS.org Coalition. This adds to Dr Gill's set of powerful progressive positions on Energy and the Environment,  Worker's Rights and Jobs and the Economy. Another indicator that Dr Gill will be a leader in congress, who will push us forward to a new economic vision. 

The Progressive movement can lead this country back to full employment with sustainable business but needs Dr. Gill's voice in congress to make it happen.

From the EnergizeUS Daily Kos Diary:

There will be no recovery without jobs. It's just that simple. We've watched for thirty long years as the manufacturing jobs that made America strong were spirited away to countries with lax environmental regulations and little or no protection for their citizens. American workers were forced to compete with three hundred million underemployed Chinese who were willing to work for $132 a month.

 

We have to buy it here. We have to make it here. And unless those doing the making are themselves making it our downward spiral will continue.

 

We can make this change and local energy production is the first step we should take.

Dr Gill has already been out front on these issues. From Dr Gill "Workers' Rights" issue page:

We must renegotiate our position within NAFTA and the other trade agreements similar to NAFTA. We must only be involved in trade agreements with tough labor and environmental protections, and these protections must be enforceable through trade sanctions.

It's important to note that Dr. Gill is an "independent" Democrat who stands on principal, not just party line.  Quoting Dr Gill (source candidate's website):

As an independent-minded Democrat, with no assistance from any national political party, I intend to represent your interests in Washington, D.C. I will listen attentively to your concerns and work tirelessly to improve the quality of life for the people of our district.

The White House created the dubious "National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform" aka, Cat Food Commission.  This misguided group is supposed to deal with the cause of the national debt, but instead is  morphing into a commission on Social Security cutbacks.  The need to have a strong advocate for workers becomes all the greater.

Ronald Reagan's presidency started an attack on American worker's living standards. Social Security funding depends on workers earning decent and fair compensation. A decent and fair compensation used to be an American norm before Reagan.

The DLC and Blue Dog Democrats have contributed to the downward spiral. From Jeff Faux's book "The Party's Not Over - A New Vision for the Democrats" 1996 :

"In the 1990's, the New Democrats moved closer into an alliance with business corporations that were ripping up the postwar social contract with unions and demanding a smaller government. The speeches of New Democrats were studded with references "community", "empowerment" and "family values." but these sentiments typically led to proposals to increase the power of the market over social institutions. New Democrats gave priority to free trade over community, the empowerment of investors over workers, and the glorification of economic risk over family economic security. Not suprisingly, a campaign generated by financial firms to privitize Social Security has been supported by the DLC's think tank, the Progressive Policty Institute (PPI), as well as the ultraconservative Heritage Foundation and the conservative libertarian Cato Institute."

Jeff Faux later in the book states:

"There is, in fact, no evidence that balancing the budget and paying down the national dept has ever resulted in sustained economic growth.There is evidence that a sustained deflation in incomes for the majority of working people eventually triggers hard times, for the reason Keynes suggested--there aren't enough customers."

Note! Jeff Faux is an economist and founder of the Economic Policy Institute. What Jeff said in 1996 sound exactly like what is going on right now.  Here is what Jeff Faux says in June 2010 :

....As applied to the United States in 2010, therefore, export-led growth implies a drop in wages and living standards much more dramatic than anything that today's deficit hawks are willing to admit.

 

There is an alternative, especially for an economy the size of ours. That is to prime the pump of the domestic market with government investments that create jobs in the short run and help make us more globally competitive in the long run. But we lack the leadership needed to overcome the country's ideological and political dysfunction. Just as third world politicians responded to the sufferings of their people by claiming "the IMF made me do it," so our deficit-obsessed leaders pass the buck to the bond market, despite the signals - low interest rates, high demand for US treasuries -that global investors are hardly panicked by our fiscal deficit.

That's why we need Dr Gill. A strong and bold progressive who is independent of the current democratic party leaders and failed market based policies. The key to restoring incomes for American workers is to protect the right to organize, union rights. Again from Dr Gill's "Workers' Rights" :

We must enforce legislation that prohibits employers from firing employees who are union organizers. I support legislation that protects the freedom of speech, the right to assemble and the right to organize. These rights represent the very essence of democracy and are founding principles of our culture. As your next Congressman, I will be a proud co-sponsor of the “Employee Free Choice Act”, H.R. 3619.

 

We must renegotiate our position within NAFTA and the other trade agreements similar to NAFTA. We must only be involved in trade agreements with tough labor and environmental protections, and these protections must be enforceable through trade sanctions.

 

We must have legislation that prohibits employers from permanently replacing or discharging striking employees.

 

Workers must be allowed to organize labor unions, free from any interference from employers.

We urge folks to please either volunteer for Dr Gill or donate to his campaign.  You can make a difference.

The following press release was issued by the Gill campaign.

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Aug. 25, 2010 -- FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT: Joan Villa
Communications Director
217-552-5891

Congressional Candidate David Gill, M.D., Joins EnergizeUS.org Coalition

Group Commits to Passing Energy/Jobs Bill

BLOOMINGTON, IL-- Dr. David Gill, candidate for Illinois' 15th Congressional District, has joined a nationwide coalition of nine Democratic candidates committed to creating over 1 million American jobs that cannot be downsized or outsourced overseas.

"Given my focus during three Congressional campaigns on the creation of good-paying jobs, health care financing reform, and green energy development, I applaud the launch of EnergizeUS," Dr. Gill said. "I'm proud to be a charter member of this important movement."

The EnergizeUS coalition was launched this week by David Cozad, Democratic Congressional candidate for TX-06 with the triple goals of delivering jobs in a new energy economy, moving toward independence from foreign oil, and utilizing our nation's resources in a responsible manner. The group also aims to protect our greatest natural resources, including major fisheries in the Gulf of Mexico, from irresponsible and risky decisions by BP and other foreign companies that repeatedly ignore safety procedures and risk the lives and livelihoods of Americans.

"We must deliver steady, high-paying jobs to America by developing new energy technologies to reduce our reliance on foreign oil," Mr. Cozad said.

"If we're going to bring this country in for a safe landing, that means all of us working together," Mr. Cozad continued. "EnergizeUS can bring a renewable energy renaissance home with new jobs and a secure energy future, but only if we make it to Washington -- and we'll need the help of everyone in America to do that. There are Congressional caucuses for a variety of issues. What Americans need right now is a Congressional caucus totally focused on putting Americans back to work. That's the EnergizeUS Coalition."

One of the coalition's charter members, Rep. Raul Grijalva, AZ-07 and chair of the House Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests, and Public Lands, says now is the right time for this country to unite economic and environmental planning.

"We have to start thinking bigger about the relationship between jobs, energy, conservation and urban planning," Rep. Grijalva urged. "A green jobs agenda is exactly what this country needs to stay competitive in a world economy, and EnergizeUS is committed to making sure Congress takes that need as seriously as it should."

The coalition has outlined its positions on EnergizeUS.org, where it will also list new members as they sign on during this election season. In addition to Mr. Cozad, Dr. Gill, and Rep. Grijalva, charter members include Billy Kennedy, NC-05, Lainey Melnick, TX-21, Jim Holbert, KY-05, and Michael Puhr, running for State Representative in Illinois' 104th district.

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Gill 2010