November 6th, 2008 10:56am
Dyanna Chandler
I am sure that these will be my final comments as the site will be disbanded shortly. With the election of President-elect Barack Obama, my participation in the election and campaign process has come full circle. I began my political work with one amazing and visionary candidate, Senator Robert F. Kennedy and end with another, President-elect Senator Barack Obama.Â
The journey has been wonderful, enriching,enlightening and educational. I am blessed to have met so many wonderful people and helped in some small way to shape the elections of many candidates, be they local, state or national. I began in an era of ignorance and intolerance and end in an era of enlightenment, hope and a vision for our future which is including all persons being measured by the content of their character not other factors such as ethnicity and socioeconomic backgrounds. We live in the greatest nation on Earth and I am blessed to have been born in the United States. I am appreciative of the journey for it has enriched and blessed me beyond measure. I urge Americans regardless of ideology, party affiliation, gender, ethnicity,socio-enconomic status to unite with our President-Elect to regain the stature and restore principles on which our nation was founded, with liberty and justice for all. There is not a challenge before us that we united as one nation can not conquer.
I now enter another phase of the election process for I haven chosen to begin my candidacy and seek elected office. Pray for me as I pray for you, our President and the nation.
Sincerely,
Â
Dyanna Chandler
November 5th, 2008 12:57am
Caitlin Hanson
I voted in my first presidential election today for Barack Obama and watched the election coverage excitedly in my friend’s dorm room.
I go to college in Missouri, a bellwether state, and registered to vote here, as well, considering President-Elect Obama needed my vote here more than Illinois would have. After the initial announcement of Obama’s presidency, shouts of all reactions came from the hallways and from outside: excitement, joy, disappointment, frustration.
Many media outlets often portray college students as liberal hippies, similar to the “College Know-It-All Hippies” of South Park. This isn’t the case, however, especially not in Missouri. Many of my peers are staunch conservatives and truly dislike Barack Obama, not only as a candidate, but as a person. They like “their guns and religion.” These conservative peers fear a socialist nation, possibly even the next USSR. Thankfully I know our Constitution would not allow for such an attrocity.
I am eager to witness the coming events of the next four years.  I am highly pro-guns — definitely in favor of the concealed weapon law that was on the ballot for Winnebago Co. — and am not too keen on universal healthcare. That did not stop me, however, for standing behind the rest of the ideals behind which Obama stood, too.
November 2nd, 2008 05:18pm
Don R. Gugliuzza
This will probably be my last post to this blog. I’m guessing that it will be shut down after the election on Tuesday. But I just had to make one last comment.
Obama’s aunt is in this country illegally? Wow! Would that be the explanation for his position on amnesty? Why doesn’t it surprise anyone when a politician is caught with his fingers in the cookie jar. I guess it’s stuff like this that makes me feel good about not belonging to or believing in a political party. Neither of them is worth my time or effort.
Until we meet again, it’s been a pleasure knowing all of you and having the discussions we’ve had. Good luck to all.
October 29th, 2008 08:14pm
Gary Tiffany
I watched the Barack Obama infomercial earlier this evening, and I must say that he stated his case well. He laid out his vision of the next four years and what he plans to do. Hardly any time was spent talking about how we got into this mess, rather he took the stance that we’re here now and what are we going to do about it.
Much of what he talked about he said could be accomplished without too much additional spending. I’ll have to reserve judgment on that. The current economic situation will certainly temper any major spending program. With the economy in the doldrums as it is, whoever wins on Tuesday will have to initiate some spending to help get things back on track. As Sen. Obama got into some of the other initiatives he proposes, like health care, things got a little fuzzier from the spending standpoint.
Sen. Obama certainly is a convincing speaker. I can only hope and pray that, if elected, he can take charge and stand up to those in his own party – like Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid – whose interests are not as straightforward as his. The President is, to a great extent, a figurehead of sorts, because Congress makes the laws, not him. Certainly, he can guide them toward his goals, but at some point he will have to “lay down the law” and keep them in line. His promise at the end of the program to keep people informed and let them know what he is thinking on issues was good. We need more transparency on some of these issues.
Will tonight’s program help Sen. Obama? I believe that it will, in some circles. It may change the mind of an undecided voter because the message was big on hope and the idea that if we all pull together toward a common goal, things will get better. People like that. But for those who have already decided that Sen. Obama is a wolf in sheep’s clothing, I doubt that it will have an impact.
It’s too bad we can’t see the same type of presentation from Senator McCain. I’m not sure what he might say in this forum, but I have to believe at least some of the presentation would be similar. This is the kind of discussion many of us had been hoping for in the debates, but didn’t get.
I look forward to Tuesday night (in more ways than one!). Please, take the time to exercise your right to vote.
Â
Gary Tiffany
October 26th, 2008 08:04pm
Gary Tiffany
At last week’s Voter’s Panel meeting, I surprised a fellow member. At the end of every meeting, we take a straw poll as to who each of the members will probably vote for in the coming election. People’s choices have changed from meeting to meeting. After indicating my choice, Dyanna Chandler expressed surprise at my choice, saying it was opposite of what she had expected.
I have struggled a great deal with my choice over these many weeks. I have always considered myself a moderate Republican – fiscally conservative, but somewhat liberal on certain social issues. Basically, I find myself right in the middle, along with most of the rest of the country. For the most part, I want the government to take care of certain things for the safety and betterment of all, but then leave me alone and not tell me how I should live my life.
In considering the two candidates, I do believe that either Sen. Obama or Sen. McCain could be a good president. Both are very intelligent, well-read, and believe strongly in the opportunities our country offers. From what I’ve seen in the debates and watching the election coverage, Sen. Obama is thoughtful and tends to look at multiple sides of an issue. Sen. McCain seems much more likely to act first and think later. His reaction to the economic crisis, where he suspended his campaign to rush back to Washington to show he was concerned, then was back on the trail the next day, is a case in point. Sen. Obama, on the other hand, remained on the trail, but monitored what was going on and gave input when necessary.
Sen. Obama’s stand on certain issues, especially universal health care, concerns me. (Disclosure – I work for an insurance company that sells health insurance.) The government has never been particularly good at creating efficiencies, and putting it in charge of health care at a time when Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security have serious funding issues just doesn’t make sense. I have to believe that the current economic situation will seriously temper the move toward universal health care. There are a number of better options out there, but it will take serious changes in all areas – limiting punitive damages, curtailing frivolous lawsuits by moving toward a system where the loser pays court costs, setting a minimum basic coverage standard for health insurance policies that’s affordable without a lot of extra coverages that drive up costs, and instituting some form of cost/benefit analysis on extraordinary treatments for dying patients – among other things. We have to realize, too, that doctors are not infallible. Sometimes people die for no reason and there’s nothing we can do to change it. We also have to start taking responsibility for our own health by quitting smoking, eating right, wearing seat belts, etc.
Sen. McCain concerns me, too, but from a judgement standpoint. His choice of Sarah Palin as running mate floored me. I would much rather have seen Joe Leiberman as his running mate. I could support that, but Sarah Palin just doesn’t do it for me. It looks like a bald play to court the religious right, which was having trouble supporting McCain. Jonathan Alter, in the October 20 issue of Newsweek, hit the nail right on the head said that picking Palin “was a confession that McCain could not, by himself, wrest control of the Republican Party.” He had a chance to move the Party back toward the middle, but couldn’t get it done.
The other big concern I have with Sen. Obama is that he would have both houses of Congress in his party. I may be able to trust him, but I’m not so sure about them. I can only hope and pray that they would recognize that the economy trumps all and deal with that as opposed to trying to pass some of their pet programs. Things always seem to work better when differing Parties are in charge because they have to compromise to get anything done. That’s always good.
As I said earlier, I consider myself a moderate Republican. In recent years, though, I’ve found it increasingly hard to align myself with the Republicans as they trend further and further to the right on many issues. That’s just not me. I’m much more to the center, and I try to take a common sense approach with things. For instance, I can support an individual’s right to own a gun AND support a ban on individual ownership of assault weapons. Who really needs an assault weapon anyway?
So back to the issue of the election. My gut tells me that Barack Obama will be a better President than John McCain. Sen. Obama just comes across as more Presidential to me than Sen. McCain. So that’s who I’m voting for on November 4, which is why Dyanna was surprised. If I’m right, maybe he can straighten out the economy and raise our standing in the world among the other countries. If I’m wrong, well, it’s only two years until the next Congressional election and we can hope the Republicans come to their senses and get some good people running. If nothing else, it will be an interesting time!
Gary Tiffany
October 22nd, 2008 06:02pm
Don R. Gugliuzza
I find that I must take issue with two of the endorsements our newspaper has made. The first one will be short and sweet. Ron Waite over Greg Tuite? While I agree that neither is a good candidate, I have searched high and low to find something constructive that Ron Waite has done in his many years in office. So far all I have found is that he accepted his pay check every pay day. While Greg Truite has many shortcommings, he has not yet just sat in Springfield and received paychecks that he didn’t earn. Who knows, maybe he might accidentally do something for his constituents. Anything would be better than what we now have.
The second issue I have with the endorsements is the one given to Dick Durbin. It appears that the only criteria for the endorsement is that he has brought home the bacon. That’s great!!! He is buying our votes with our money. In a situation like that, how can he lose?
Maybe there should have been a few other considerations taken when deciding on an endorsement. One would be that, while others in the Senate listened to their constituents and voted against the Immigration Reform Bill, not Senator Durbin. He kept going full speed ahead on trying to get it passed. When it failed, he started attaching parts of it to other bills to get it approved piecemeal and without discussion or transparency. He proved once again that his only concern is for himself so he continues to do the bidding of his party, corporate friends, church and labor union buddies who are also concerned only for themselves.
How long have we been hearing that our Social Security System is broken and needs to be fixed so we don’t run out of money? Well, it must have been fixed and all is well with it because Senator Durbin voted and got passed a bill that extends benefits to illegal aliens. Glad to know that we don’t have to worry about our social security checks anymore.
Then there’s the little thing like a one year moratorium on earmarks. Senator Durbin lead the charge against that too. If he had voted for it he would have had to go an entire year without spending our money to buy our votes. His position only cost the taxpayers $17 billion. Not much when you consider the bailout, but every little bit would help. If there are projects in Illinois, or anywhere else in this nation, the good Senator and his collegues can submit a bill, have it openly debated on the Senate floor and voted on by an informed Senate. Not the sneaky, but normal manner of attaching it to another bill in the dark of night. AÂ method which does not allow for debate, openess or responsibility.
He may have, as stated in the endorsement, attained a lofty position in the Senate, but if he doesn’t represent the voters who put him there for two terms, what good is he?
I hope that the next election the editorial board with consider all aspects of a candidates record and positions and not just how much money he/she can/has brought back to Illinois
October 22nd, 2008 03:18pm
Dyanna Chandler
I have enjoyed my tenure as a member of the voters’ panel and will truly miss the interaction with my fellow panel members. One of the questions posed at our last meeting was, “How is the rough economy hitting you personally?” I am sharing my response with you and trust that will it encourage others faced with a similar situation. I have always tried to live a frugal, “no frills” lifestyle. I prepare meals from “scratch” and garden vegetables, avoiding the costly pre packed items. I had a retirement fund which I believed would sustain me through my senior years. With fatal and swift irresponsible actions by Wall Street - it was gone.Â
I am now in a financial situation where I am seeking substantive employment. My college degree, unfortunately, is in a concentration where there are nationwide layoffs, workforce reductions and early retirement “buyouts”. I must now “re-tool” for another occupation. I have eliminated all luxuries, i.e. subscription to the daily newspaper, eating out on Sundays, clothing purchases, attending the RSO (Rockford Symphony Orchestra), book purchases, and my food purchases are basic and minimal. I only attend social events and outings which are at no cost.
Despite this, I consider myself a blessed individual because I have overcome three bouts with cancer, have a adult child who is healthy, succeeding in her career and advanced degree academic pursuits.  Blessed also because I live in one of the best countries on earth. I am looking forward with a positive attitude about my future and the future of our country, never backward because I know where my strength lies. I am here by grace, a true survivor. I encourage each of you to look to the future with optimism because our present situation is only a bump in the road; the journey will improve if we faint not.
Â
 Dyanna Chandler
October 10th, 2008 07:22pm
Dyanna Chandler
10 October 2008
I watched the President’s address to the nation this morning; his intention to comfort and assure the American people failed. I was not assured because he did not present an aura of confidence nor did he seem convinced that the proposed steps would be successful.
Why would you form an enconomic team comprised of Secretary of the Treasury, Paulsen; Federal Reserve Chairman, Benejamin Bernake; SEC Chairman Christopher Cox; FDIC, Chairman Shelia C. Bair.
Aren’t these the same individuals who were responsible for oversight of the institutions which, in large part, created the current economic crisis?
I would rather see the $700 billion “bail out package” dispersed among those middle and under class citizens who are suffering in the midst of this mortgage meltdown. This would allow them to met their mortgage payments also keep small business solvent. these individuals, in turn, would avoid contributing to “bad debt” for loan institutions and banks. The President and the Congress want the American people to solve the crisis with taxpayer dollars. Why not a bottom up approach to stimulate the market?
Â
Dyanna ChandlerÂ
October 3rd, 2008 01:43pm
Don R. Gugliuzza
My friends we have again been victimized by the greed and mismanagement of the big bankers of Wall Street. They saw a huge market in mortgages for people who couldn’t afford them and rushed to get their greedy hands on as many of those people as they could. It was like the land rush in 1800’s Oklahoma. They didn’t care about the havoc they would be causing the people they were exploiting. All they cared about was making their bottom line look good so they could get more in pay and perks. Then when times started to get tough, they bailed out themselves on their golden parachutes. Not to worry, their banks, the Chamber of Commerce and the politicians who needed their financial backing for campaigns were there to clean up the mess they had made. And clean it up they did. All it took was $700 billion and additional billions in pork from us, the taxpayers.
I don’t know about anyone else but I’ve had about as much of this as I can bear. Hell will freeze over before I vote for anyone who voted to violate the taxpayers as they have just done. Before you vote, take a good look at who’s asking for your support. If they supported you, vote for them. If not, vote for the other person. We’re the last great hope of this nation. We have to be more responsible in our voting than our politicians have been in representing us.
October 1st, 2008 09:01pm
Gary Tiffany
I got my first “complaint” letter to the editor a couple of Sundays ago. The write was taking me to task for what I said in my first post, “Choices, Choices”, about the subject of abortion and how the Democrats feel one way about it and the Republicans feel quite the opposite, at least according to thier platforms. I said it seemed strange logic to me for the Republicans to not want to allow a choice to have the child, but did want to give parents the choice where to send the child to school.
The writer made the assumption that I was a supporter of abortion and proceeded to blast me for that belief. Unfortunately, I made no such assertations in the article one way or another. I believe it’s a personal decision. What the writer failed to grasp, in his zeal to trumpet his opposition to abortion, was the dichotomy of the Republican stance. On one hand, they are staunchly supportive of your “right to choose” where you want to send your child to school. If your child’s school is not up to par, you should be able to choose to send him or her to another, better, school regardless of what that costs the educational system. On the other hand, they don’t want to allow a family a choice as to whether having a child at a particular point in time is right for them. I’m not making any judgements on whether abortion is right or wrong. I don’t know an individual’s personal situation. It’s just that the logic of the two stances seems odd. How does one support choice for one thing and not the other?
Anyway, it’s nice to know that someone took the time to read the post and to write a letter, even if he didn’t get the point I was trying to make.
Gary Tiffany
Previous Posts
 
