As we celebrate President-elect Barack Obama's electoral victory, and glory in the democratic process that sends him to the White House, let's also think about the very undemocratic process likely to unfold for selecting his successor in the U.S. Senate.

The Illinois Constitution calls for the Governor to appoint the replacement for Senator Obama. At the same time we will see special elections to replace our representatives in the House, like Rahm Emanuel. This process is a throwback to the time when State Legislatures chose the Senator and only the House was by popular vote. The times have changed, and it is critical that the Governor allow some form of democratic feedback to the selection process.

On a beautiful fall Sunday afternoon, 10/12, PDA members and allies canvassed in Racine, Wisconsin in a mostly white working class neighborhoods.  At the beginning of the day, McCain/Palin signs were prominate, but by the end of the day, Obama signs were everywhere.

Connie Hall, Bill Barclay, and Peg Strobel outside Racine's Obama HQ

Laurel Bault, Connie Hall and Amy Cihak, at Racin'es Obama HQ

Sunday afternoon turned about to be great time for canvassing, nearly everyone was home.  Our goal was to contact only self-described undecided voters and ask them who they supported, and if necessary deliver a persuasive message for Obama.  We found it necessary to deliver only a few persuasion messages, but we scrambled to give out signs to everyone who wanted them.  That was gratifying.

- Bill Barclay, Oak Park DSA 

On October 9th, 2007, the Dow Jones Industrial Average and the S&P 500 both closed at new all time highs. By late January 2008 both had lost more than 10% of their value and investors worried about a developing bear market. In the intervening three months the outlook the U.S. economy went positive to negative. In November and December 2007, the auction rate securities market, used by tax exempt borrowers such as hospitals, collapsed with no bids; on Dec 12^th, the Fed announced the creation of by the Term Auction Facility which allowed banks to borrow anonymously for 28 days using a wide range of collateral to meet their pressing liquidity needs and stave off possible bank runs; in March 2008 the Fed orchestrated the acquisition for Bear Sterns by J.P. Morgan Chase for $10/share, down more than 90% from the previous year’s high (Bear was the only major investment bank that refused Fed pressure to assist in the bailout of Long Term Capital Management in the 1990s); and, in that same month the U.S. Congress agreed to a “stimulus package of $150 billion. At the same time the rest of the world began to realize that the 2007 – 08 financial crisis was not restricted to the U.S. So much for the stock market as a leading economic indicator, a status it achieved under Alan Greenspan’s tenure at the Federal Reserve.

On Saturday, October 4th several PDA supporters traveled to Hammond, Indiana to help register voters and encourage registered voters to get out for Obama. Here are two descriptions of that effort.

From Flayveila Griffith, Chicago
Saturday’s experience [10/4 in Hammond, IN] was one of the most compelling, fulfilling, and monumental I've ever had the pleasure of being a part of. It felt as if I was participating in what would surely be written as part of America's history; being a part of it gave me great pride. This is surely something that I look forward to telling my future grandkids about.

And yes would be more than delighted to continue helping out in any way that I can. Please keep me posted.

From: Jane Fulton Alt
I went to Hammond Indiana on Saturday [10/4] to help get out the vote.  It was very well organized, with people gathering at a designated meeting place in Chicago to carpool. Joining up with 3 other like minded volunteers, we talked politics all the way to Hammond.

We arrived in Hammond, Indiana at an elementary school. There were probably well over 100 very enthusiastic volunteers. Everyone was given a packet of information with maps, forms, information sheets and scripts. The head of the office went over all the information we needed and then sent us out to the various neighborhoods.

(Left to Right) IL. State Coordinator Bill Bianchi, Chicago Volunteer Nick Bailey,IL State Coordinator Lorin Klugman

Thursday, Sept 25th three Chicago-PDA members traveled by train to Gary, Indiana to learn how we could help Obama become the next president.
Indiana was never considered a swing state, but election polls now show Obama trailing by only two-points. A good turn out of voters from N. W Indiana will put Obama over the top.

Our day was enlightening and sobering. Lorin Klugman, Nick Bailey and Bill Bianchi traveled by South Shore Line to the Obama campaign's downtown Gary HQ. We were greeted cordially by Raquel Gonzalez and Yeshi who set us up with organized precinct lists that showed voters and their voting history.  Raquel and Yeshi explained that the area is overwhelmingly pro Obama but has a history of low turnout. So our goals were to register new voters and to encourage those who were registered to vote early.

Once in the neighborhood of mostly single family homes, we were struck by the number of vacant houses, some of which weren't even boarded-up, and over grown lots that suggest they've been vacant for years. Here had lived many victims of the economic policies of Reagan, the Republican "Contract with America ", and Clinton's NAFTA and deregulation. Despite the problems, when we announced we were working with the Obama campaign, residents were cordial and helpful.

“People were surprisingly friendly”, said Lorin Klugman. At one well-kept houses next to two abandoned one, an elderly couple came out offering help, water and directions around the neighborhood. Yeshi had told us that people in these Gary neighborhoods appreciate the fact that people are paying attention to them and their concerns.

PDA-Chicago endorsed Mary Flowers’s candidacy for the 31st district of Illinois State Assembly. Representative Mary Flowers is the main sponsor and champion of the Illinois Guaranteed Single Payer Health Care Bill H.B. 311.

"If not for Mary Flowers there would be no HB 311," said Bill Bianchi.

Rep. Flowers not only introduced the bill, but has shepherded hearings throughout the state, where citizens testified about what health care insurance or its lack has meant to them.

The next hearing is scheduled for September 18 at 6 pm, in Champaign County in the Illiinois Terminal Building, 45 E. University Ave., Champaign, Illinois

Rep. Flowers has served since 1985. Her office is on West 79th Street in Chicago.
 

PDA-Chicago and the 14th District chapters Dennis Grosskopf’s candidacy for the 84th district of Illinois State Assembly. PDA Chicago mades it's endorsement following Dennis's presentation to the Chapter Monday Sept 8th. Chapter endorsements opens the door to active support for Grosskopf's campaign.

Dennis Grosskopf is a strong advocate for Illinois' Guarunteed Single Payer Health-Care bill HB311.

Similar to Fannie-Freddie Nationalization/Seizure

Mortgages are important. But nobody ever died from a bad mortgage. The same cannot be said about deficient health care. Only in a nation where the political discourse takes place on such a silly, superficial level could we nationalize one industry without warning before or discussion after, while the very idea of fixing a massive, perennial problem in another industry, using the same technique, is demonized and discarded.

Opening shot...