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Tenth Newswww.tenthdems.org

JULY 2011 Illinois Tenth Congressional District Democrats Newsletter Volume 8, Edition 7

For information or to volunteer:Email us at newsletter@tenthdems.orgOr visit our website at www.tenthdems.orgOr call us at 847.266.VOTE (8683) Or write to Hon. Lauren Beth Gash, Chair, Tenth Dems, P.O. Box 523, Deerfield, IL 60015

Editors: Barbara Altman, Susan Friedman, Allan SperlingEditorial Staff: Joan Attenberg, Herb Brenner, Eleonora di Liscia, Hon. Lauren Beth Gash, Adrienne Kirshbaum, RonLevitsky, Leslie Lipschultz, Kim Rodriguez, Steve Sheffey, Laurie Kaplan SinghDesign: Sean KealeyDistribution: Ravi Ganapathy, Glenn Stier, Dave DuBordieu, Cosette WinterPhotography: Ravi Ganapathy

The opinions expressed are those of the writers, and not necessarily endorsed by Tenth Dems

In This Issue:Editor’s Note ................ 1Volunteers Celebrate .. 1Taking Back WI ........... 4An Uncommon Man ...... 5More Demagoguery ... 6

Congress Watch ......... 7Yes, We Did! ............... 8

EDITOR’S NOTEGeorge Rosenblit was an integral part of the Tenth News from its inception. Go towww.tenthdems.org, where all of our past editions are archived. Open any issue through March 2010, and you will almost certainly see George’s name on the masthead and his byline above a significant article. When I began as Tenth News editor in January 2007, I quickly learned to spell Rosenblit with one “t.” George wrote opinion pieces; he shared reminiscences; and he wrote lengthy series in which he analyzed important issues. For nearly two years a partial photo of George graced Tenth News issues: those were his eyes under the bill of the Bush’s Last Day cap, which he designed.

One of my favorite essays was George’s Thanksgiving meditation, published in December 2008, in which he reflected on Barack Obama’s

✶ ✶More Pictures From the Tenth Dems Celebration Inside

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The Hyatt Deerfield was the place to be for celebrating Democratic values and achievements on Sunday, June 12.

The evening began when Tenth Dems Chair, Hon. Lauren Beth Gash, shared a heartfelt memorial tribute to George Rosenblit, the mover and shaker who helped launch the Tenth Dems. (See excerpt on p. 9.) Rosenblit provided leadership, inspiration, and handmade shelving for the benefit of all members of Tenth Dems and our communities. His legacy of volunteer service and the memory of his well-lived and much-loved life will never be forgotten.

Vice Chair John Hmurovic followed up with a tale about Abraham Lincoln. John said, “Abraham Lincoln rode through the night, calling out… ‘The Confederates are coming! The

Confederates are coming! They’re coming to take our guns away!...’” The rapt audience erupted into laughter, and the evening progressed, peppered with Sarah Palin jokes.

All the guest speakers emphasized core Democratic values of fairness, opportunity, and cooperation. Democrats, they said, built a large and prosperous middle class with economic policies that create jobs, while establishing Medicare and Social Security, and the healthcare reform legislation that will give

all citizens access to affordable healthcare. They all also acknowledged that Democrats will have to fight for every vote in the 2012 elections.

The keynote speaker was Senator Mark Begich of Alaska, who shared his exciting story of becoming the first Democrat

George Rosenblit (1924-2011), Volunteer Extraordinaire

Tenth Dems Volunteers and Supporters Celebrate Achievements and Service with a Great Party by Kim Rodriguez

2011 Tenth Dems interns pose with Sen. Mark Begich

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Volunteers Celebrate continued from page 1

in nearly 30 years to win a senate or congressional seat from Alaska, which he described as the “reddest of the red states.” Sen. Begich shared his campaign strategy as “widening his circle of friends” and discussed why he confronts talk radio critics on-air and how playing poker has taught him to be patient about winning. During Q&A, he spoke about the federal budget as a “moral document” instead of an ideological statement where tax breaks for the wealthiest corporations should not be given at the expense of the elderly, the poor, and

military veterans. He emphasized his belief that “an attack on them is an attack on YOU!”

Additional speakers included Wisconsin State Senator Lena Taylor and State Representative Peter Barca, Minority Leader of the Wisconsin Assembly. Sen. Taylor, one of the Wisconsin “14” Democratic state

senators who fled to Illinois to protest the proposed “Budget Repair Bill” intended to strip the collective bargaining rights of Wisconsin public employees, gave an electrifying speech about the value of being a Democrat. “As a woman, as an African-American, I can go anyplace I want because I have the right. So I couldn’t sit down when I saw rights being taken away,” she said. Taylor and Barca provided updates on the current recall efforts against Republican state senators and the present state of the ongoing labor protest in Madison.

The event honored all those who recently ran for office at all levels of government within the 10th District. “Running for office can be very difficult, and tonight we honor those who put themselves forward to run for public service. Their commitment to serve our communities is appreciated,” said Gash.

The speaker lineup also featured introductions by the three declared candidates running for the 2012 Democratic nomination for Congress in the Illinois 10th Congressional District. The audience heard three-minute speeches from Bob McKenzie of Wheeling, Brad Schneider of Deerfield, and Ilya Sheyman of Waukegan.

“The energy in the room shows that Democrats are fired up and ready to get to work making a difference in the 2012 elections,” said Gash.

A welcome presence at the event, the new 2011 Tenth Dems summer interns, cheerfully sold raffle tickets, greeted attendees, and created decorations. These young people, who range in age from high school to graduate school, energetically participated in any way needed to help make the event a success. Begich quipped that the event was “one of the best organized Democratic events” he ever attended and called the turnout of young people at the event “exciting, because the future rests not with us but with young people, especially those here.” TD

more photos on pages 3, 9 & 10

Adrienne Kirshbaum and Karen Singer welcome walk-ins

State Rep. Daniel Biss and Northfield Township Trustee Karen McCormick

Former West Deerfield Township Trustee Bob Rosenbacher with West Deerfield Township Trustee Ron Levitsky

Gregg Garmisa, husband of Tenth Dems Chair, Hon. Lauren Beth Gash, hugs Gash’s mother-in-law, Estelle Garmisa

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Laura Tomsky, Executive Director of Community Connection in Waukegan

Rep. Peter Barca, Minority Leader, Wisconsin Assembly

Roberto Luna, supervisor, 2011 Tenth Dems internsTenth Dems Events Chair Sandra Schirmang with Sen. Mark Begich

Wendy Warden, incoming chair, EDDI (8th District Democrats and Independents)

Kim Rodriguez with Senator Mark Begich

Wisconsin State Senator Lena Taylor

Congressional candidate Bob McKenzie

State Sen. Lena Taylor with Steve WalankaCongressional candidate Ilya Sheyman

Tenth Dems Vice Chair John Hmurovic

Hon. Debra Shore, Commissioner, Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago, with Eleonora di Liscia

Ravi Ganapathy w. Sen. Mark Begich

Congressional candidate Brad Schneider

Keynote Speaker Sen. Mark Begich

more photos on pages 9 & 10

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If you have been paying attention to developments in Wisconsin over the last few months, you already know about the recall efforts under way against six Republican state senators and the efforts to undo Governor Scott Walker’s bill to effectively kill public unions. Anyone interested in helping our northerly neighbors can find much to do.

First, a brief recap: In February 2011, claiming a budget shortfall which some argue he helped create through giveaways to corporate friends, Governor Walker proposed a draconian budget repair bill. Embedded in the bill was the provision that state employee unions could no longer collectively bargain, except to negotiate wage increases up to the rate of inflation. Because Republicans hold the majority in both houses of the legislature, 14 Wisconsin State Senate Democrats (the Fighting 14) fled to Illinois in order to block a vote on the budget bill by preventing a quorum. Approximately three weeks of intensive public protests against the bill ensued. Outraged Wisconsinites occupied the State Capitol, and the surrounding square was filled with protesters. A group of Tenth Dems traveled to Madison on February 26 to show our organization’s support for their cause. See Tenth News, April 2011, at www.tenthdems.org.

On March 11, 2011, Governor Walker, who had insisted that trashing collective bargaining rights was essential to his budget repair, suddenly decided that maybe it wasn’t. By breaking the collective bargaining provision out of the budget bill, the Fighting 14 were no longer needed to reach the higher quorum required for budget bills. With no notice to the 14, Republicans rushed the bill through a nighttime session.

Democrats responded with recall efforts against eight Republican senators, protest marches, and legal action. A state court judge issued an injunction against the collective bargaining provision. Democrats successfully gathered petitions to force recall elections against six Republicans. These elections are slated for July 12, 2011.

This is where you come in. There are a number of opportunities for Illinois residents to assist in taking back Wisconsin. Organizations working to stop Walker and his destruction of the middle class include We Are Wisconsin, Act Blue, Democratic Party of Wisconsin, and United Wisconsin.

We Are Wisconsin (www.wearewisconsin.org) is a coalition of unions, religious leaders, student, community, and political action groups such as Planned Parenthood Advocates of America and Wisconsin League of Conservation Voters. Check their website calendars for upcoming events or to make a donation. Recent events included marching on the capitol and Walkers against Walker.

Act Blue is a fundraising clearinghouse for Democrats. You can donate to any of the Democrats running to unseat Republicans in the recall by visiting their site at www.actblue.com.

In charge of all recall campaigns, the Democratic Party of Wisconsin (www.wisdems.org) needs help with door-to-door canvassing, phone calls, data entry, food and office equipment donations, and letters to the editor. You can also donate money, volunteer for an individual candidate, or order a “Recall Walker” bumper sticker. The web address for volunteering is: http://www.wisdems.org/takingbackwisconsin.

Currently running in the recall to unseat Republicans are: Jessica King in District 18 (includes Oshkosh and Fond du Lac), Jennifer Shilling in District 22 (includes LaCrosse), Fred Clark in District 14 (includes Stevens Point), Shelly Moore in District 10 (northwest Wisconsin), Sandy Pasch

Taking Back Wisconsin: How You Can Help! by Eleonora di Liscia

Tenth Dems’s Support for Wiscon-sin Workers Reunites SchoolmatesHerb Brenner, a precinct committeeman in Moraine Township and an active member of the Tenth Dems, recently renewed acquaintances with former elementary school classmate Paul Soglin (after more than 50 years) during one of the many Madison protests. Herb joined a Tenth Dems caravan to Madison to support the hard-working union workers protesting against the unjust removal of collective bargaining rights by Republican Governor Scott Walker and the Republican-controlled legislature. Soglin, who served six terms as mayor of Madison during the ‘70s, ‘80s and ‘90s, recently got the itch to return to public service. He was elected to a seventh term in May.

Soglin’s very first election, which he won, was for student council president at Philip Murray School in the Hyde Park neighborhood of Chicago. Herb Brenner was the losing candidate. Soglin went on to law school and politics, whereas Herb studied psychology and became a CPA. Only later in life did Herb become involved in Democratic politics. Herb hopes to see his schoolmate again when he next travels to Madison with Tenth Dems to support Democrats in the upcoming recall elections.

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In the mid-1970s, I was a member of an Amnesty International chapter that met at Lake Forest College. Most of our work involved writing letters of support for prisoners-of-conscience around the world. At one meeting one of our members, a quiet professor of religion, mentioned that he was going to visit the Soviet Union in order to smuggle Bibles to dissident Jews. That he himself wasn’t Jewish didn’t matter. Nor that the trip was dangerous—on his return, he spoke of being followed by men presumably from the KGB. He simply felt compelled to act on behalf of those who faced persecution.

That was my introduction to Ron Miller. Over the next 35 years, Ron’s accomplishments as a scholar, teacher, and activist made him an exceptional resource and inspiration to so many of us living within the 10th Congressional District. His sudden death on May 4 has robbed the entire world of a singular voice of compassion, reason, and uncommon humanity.

Born in St. Louis in 1938, Ron attended a Jesuit High School and later a Jesuit seminary. Eventually he received a PhD in the history and literature of religions at Northwestern University. He left the Jesuits in 1975. That same year, “as an embodiment of my new interreligious faith,” he co-founded Common Ground in Deerfield, an organization dedicated to the advancement of interreligious understanding. He eventually chaired the Department of Religion at Lake Forest College.

A noted scholar who wrote several books with fresh insights on Jesus and the apostles, Ron was probably best known locally for his Common Ground lectures on a vast array of topics dealing with religion and philosophy. The depth and breadth of his knowledge were dazzling—he knew Latin, Biblical Greek, Hebrew, and German. Never condescending, his talks were filled with enthusiasm, playfulness, and stimulating questions. As one of my friends said, “If Ron Miller didn’t get you thinking, you must be brain dead.”

His personal religious views reflected a questioning mind. He liked to use as a metaphor for religious intolerance people in the same house, each rushing to a different window and insisting that his/her window was the only source of light. Instead, as related by his good friend, Laura Bernstein, Ron looked at the world’s religions as spokes of the same wheel. Although differing at the extremes, as the spokes moved closer to the hub, they became one. Ron was as comfortable seeking inspiration from Abraham Joshua Heschel, the Sufi poet Rumi, or the Buddha as he was from Jesus. He also divided religion into two areas—cognitive (belief systems) and performative (ritual activities and ethical conduct). For Ron, following one’s religion should be demonstrated not only by belief and ritual but, more important, by ethical conduct and

a sense of responsibility toward one’s community. What one does on behalf of others Monday through Friday is far more important than attending religious services over the weekend. As Ron wrote in one of his most provocative works, The Gospel of Thomas, “First of all, we need to let go of the worship of Jesus. He was not among us to be worshiped but to be imitated.”

It is not surprising that someone who held strong religious views also should have possessed deeply held political beliefs. Nor that one should have so strongly influenced the other. Politically, Ron was an unabashed progressive and not shy about taking a stand. In The Gospel of Thomas he wrote, “Our own government operates at a tribal level of consciousness, assigning

people white hats or black hats.”

He went on to attack American foreign policy, which he identified as fostering imperialism: “Does no one reckon the cost of maintaining an empire? That tab far exceeds the billion dollars a day we spend to maintain our military hegemony in the world. It translates into countless Americans living without health care, losing their jobs, struggling to be educated in woefully inadequate schools, coping with despair in our forgotten slums. Our jars are almost empty.”

In his book, Wisdom of the Carpenter, which contains daily messages of inspiration, he portrays Jesus as a social reformer and defender of the poor. For example, he uses these words attributed to Jesus, “‘God has sent me to let the oppressed go free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.’”

Ron supported many progressive causes. Laura Bernstein recalls that he advocated a two-state solution in which Israelis and Palestinians would live side-by-side in security and peace. He worked for nuclear disarmament. Deeply disturbed by Islamophobia, he pursued educating the public about the true nature of this Abrahamic faith. Speaking at a West Deerfield Township Democratic program dealing with politics and religion, he exposed the religious hypocrisy of the Republican right and called for both the separation of church and state and a respect and appreciation for others’ faiths.

As a Catholic, Ron was personally opposed to abortion but also opposed the government’s imposing draconian anti-choice laws. Rather, he believed that Catholic families should open their homes to pregnant women wanting abortions and encourage these women to give birth and place their babies for adoption.

Although he believed strongly in nonviolence, Ron did not favor complacency that condoned injustice, stating that “it is justice,

An Uncommon Man on Common Ground by Ron Levitsky

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President Obama gave two speeches on the Middle East in which he restated what everyone already knew: “We believe the borders of Israel and Palestine should be based on the 1967 lines with mutually agreed swaps, so that secure and recognized borders are established for both states.”

President Obama also spoke out against Palestinian attempts to delegitimize Israel. He opposed attempts to unilaterally declare a Palestinian state. He reaffirmed that our commitment to Israel’s security is “unshakeable.” He opposed any effort to impose terms and conditions on Israel. He reiterated Israel’s right to self-defense. And he asked for answers from the Palestinians regarding the recent Hamas-Fatah agreement.

But the Republicans jumped all over the unremarkable reference to the 1967 lines in an attempt to create divisions where none exist. Marc Stanley wrote that “the fact is, bad information about the President’s stance on Israel has been intentionally pushed by Republicans in a cynical attempt to gain favor with Jewish voters. This is a dangerous game, one that won’t result in electoral success for Republicans. Instead, it creates only one loser: Israel. The state of Israel is best served when America speaks with one voice. By creating the illusion that there is a rift between Republicans and Democrats on Israel, Republicans are emboldening Israel’s enemies and are sending a scary message to international audiences that support for Israel isn’t rock solid. The consequences of those actions could have grave implications for the future of the Jewish state.”

Here in Illinois, Mark Kirk, Robert Dold, and Joe Walsh fell all over themselves as they attempted to use Israel as a wedge issue.

Sen. Mark Kirk (R-IL) sent an inflammatory email survey to his constituents asking if “the United States should pressure Israel to fall back to its pre-1967 lines.” If Kirk needs to ask that question, he’s even more out of touch than we thought. But, of course Kirk

isn’t really asking. He’s suggesting a falsehood — that someone (I wonder who?) wants to pressure Israel to return to the 1967 lines.

President Obama himself could not have been clearer in his speech to AIPAC. The President explained that “1967 lines with mutually agreed upon land swaps,” by definition, “means that the parties themselves—Israelis and Palestinians—will negotiate a border that is different than the one that existed on June 4, 1967... It is a well-known formula to all who have worked on this issue for a generation. It allows the parties themselves to account for the changes that have taken place over the last 44 years. It allows the parties themselves to take account of those changes, including the new demographic realities on the ground, and the needs of both sides.”

Those of us who actually read the President’s original speech instead of relying on the misleading headlines understood it this way from the start, but there is no excuse for Kirk to continue to misrepresent what the President said after the President’s May 22 AIPAC speech. (Kirk’s email was sent afterwards, on June 7.) Kirk never objected to similar statements from George W. Bush. If he really supports Israel, Kirk should spend less time attempting to make good on his boast to make “this guy” a “one-termer” and more time promoting bipartisan support for Israel.

Rep. Robert Dold (R-IL) is another politician who can’t read. Dold said that he was “disappointed in the President’s decision to dictate terms to our ally in the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian peace process.” Really? Here is what President Obama actually said in his original speech: “Now, ultimately, it is up to the Israelis and Palestinians to take action. No peace can be imposed upon them — not by the United States; not by anybody else.” That’s the opposite of dictating terms. Dold won in 2010 by claiming he was pro-choice so often that some voters believed him (his recent vote for H.R. 3, the Republican anti-choice bill, proved otherwise). Now he’s trying to win re-election by speaking out against things President Obama never said. We should not be fooled again.

And then we have Rep. Joe Walsh (R-IL). Walsh claimed that “President Obama has effectively abandoned the 50-year old alliance with Israel” (Walsh seems to be unaware that the US and Israel have been allies since Israel’s rebirth over 60 years ago) and, astoundingly, chastises the American Jewish community for being insufficiently pro-Israel, claiming that liberals side with the Palestinians. This from someone whose pro-Israel record stretches back all of five months.

National Jewish Democratic Council President and CEO David A. Harris responded to Walsh as follows: “I am positively astonished at Walsh’s offensive statements and deeply disturbed by his assertions. He knows precious little about anything he speaks about and he embarrasses himself in the extreme with his comments. Mr. Walsh owes the entire Jewish community an apology for his patently absurd and atrocious statements about our commitment to Israel.”

We deserve better from Kirk, Dold, and Walsh. We’re stuck with Kirk for five more years (not that anyone is counting), and Walsh misrepresents another district, but we can take care of Dold by electing a Democrat in the 10th District in 2012. TD

More Demagoguery from Kirk, Dold, and Walsh by Steve Sheffey

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There’s clearly no limit to the pain today’s GOP is willing to inflict on the American public as it pursues its radical agenda to shrink govern-ment and turn taxpayer dollars into private sector profits. It’s also clear the radical right can count on Illinois Senator Mark Kirk and 10th District Congressman Robert Dold for support at every turn as they attempt to dismantle vital government programs—stripping millions of elderly, uninsured, and jobless Americans of basic health and human services under the guise of fiscal discipline —only to redirect the public funds (i. e., tax dollars) to private coffers.

In a blatant display of this agenda, 42 Senate Republicans, including Illinois’ Mark Kirk, voted on May 25 for a budget bill, crafted by House Budget Committee chairman Paul Ryan, that ends Medicare and replaces it with a voucher scheme that funnels tax dollars to the in-surance industry. Fortunately, the Ryan bill failed to pass this chamber of Congress, thanks to 51 Democrats and four Republicans-- Olympia Snowe, Susan Collins, Scott Brown, and Lisa Murkowski—who voted against it. In the House, Ron Paul also voted against the Republican budget bill, saying the spending cuts did not go far enough. The bill passed the House two months earlier, with 10th District Congressman Robert Dold toeing the GOP party line and voting for it.

The right’s agenda to kill Medicare and replace it with private insur-ance plans is nothing new. “Ending Medicare is the Republican version of going for the gold,” Tom McMahon, executive director for Americans United for Change, wrote in The Huffington Post on June 6. (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/tom-mcmahon/in-race-to-end-medicareme_b_870896.html)

“Republicans have had their eyes on this prize for a long time. [They] fought tooth and nail against Medicare at its inception, and [they have] fought every day since to hand the trust fund over to their friends in the private insurance industry,” McMahon wrote.

That Kirk and Dold voted for Ryan’s draconian proposal to end Medi-care and gut Medicaid should come as no surprise. Both have proved beyond a shadow of a doubt their steadfast commitment to helping the radical right carry out its agenda to dismantle vital government programs—including Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, and last year’s Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act—regardless of the cost to the American people.

Dold’s website makes perfectly clear his position on Medicare reform, at least for readers used to deciphering Republicans’ Orwellian dou-blespeak. In a carefully crafted position statement designed to create the false impression that he is seeking to protect constituents —when, in truth, he is doing the bidding of the insurance industry—Dold states: “To ensure the survival of this critical program for our children and grandchildren, we must make necessary reforms now. These changes should include neither cuts in benefits nor tax increases.

First, we must take strong action to cut waste, fraud, and abuse that cheats Medicare out of millions of dollars annually. A bipartisan effort to find broad solutions to Medicare that will lower health care costs and increase access to services for beneficiaries is essential.”

This short statement, which is otherwise chock full of contradictions, false claims, and outright lies, contains one simple grain of truth: Dold wants to reform, not repair, Medicare. If he and his ultra-conservative leaders truly aspired to make more efficient the program that provides high-quality medical care to the elderly, they would draft and propose legislation that accomplishes this valid objective. For example, they would have supported the Affordable Care Act’s reduction of Medi-care Part C, otherwise known as Medicare Advantage, which costs significantly more than traditional Medicare with no measurable benefit to beneficiaries. We are sure Democrats in Congress would join Republicans if they were to propose an army of auditors to help eliminate actual waste and fraud in Medicare. Such an undertaking might even create jobs.

But the fact is, the Ryan Medicare plan doesn’t even attempt to eliminate waste, fraud, or any forms of corruption. It simply seeks to transfer government funds away from the government and its Medi-care contractors to the private insurance industry, where the relent-less incentive to earn profits can be expected to make the situation far worse.

And while Dold says “the reforms must not contain cuts in benefits,” the Ryan plan does exactly that. It gradually raises the Medicare eligibility age from 65 to 67, virtually guaranteeing that whatever cost savings result from withholding benefits to 65 and 66-year-olds would be more than offset by the higher costs of treating less healthy 67-year-olds. And, unlike Medicare—a government-run insurance system that directly pays healthcare providers—the Ryan plan would cut checks to insurance companies instead. Starting in 2022, benefi-ciaries would receive financial assistance from the government to purchase insurance from private insurance companies, instead of the guaranteed healthcare they receive now. “If you couldn’t afford a policy adequate for your needs, even with the voucher, that would be your problem,” Paul Krugman explains in his July 5, New York Times op-ed column, “Voucher Care is Not Medicare.” (http://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/06/opinion/06krugman.html) And the fact is most seniors would not be able to afford adequate health coverage should the Ryan plan become law. The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimates the out-of-pocket cost of coverage equivalent to Medicare under the Paul Ryan plan would increase by $6,000 in the first year. What’s more, experience and common sense tell us the quality and scope of

Kirk and Dold Vote to End Medicare, Putting Insurance Industry Profits over Seniors’ Access to Medical Care

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As a self-employed person, I have a health savings account com-patible insurance plan.

That means my premiums are not too bad, but I have a really high deductible and no office visits. I pay all healthcare costs below $5,000 out of pocket. So imagine my surprise when I was expecting a $200 to $300 bill for my annual check-up, and instead I got a lab fee of $20. Then I took my daughter for her annual checkup, and again the same surprise. My story is hardly a tearjerker. But what this means to me personally is that because of healthcare reform, I don’t have to balance my budget before getting a mammogram or other preventative care.

Free preventative care is one of the many benefits of the Afford-able Care Act (ACA) put in place by the Obama Administration and the Democrats, benefits that Republicans are aggressively trying to roll back. Sure, we wanted a public option. Sure, the reform may not go far enough. And more work needs to be done. But consider-ing we couldn’t even pass a toothless patient bill of rights and the battle for healthcare has waged for decades, the ACA looks pretty darned historic.

Besides free preventative care, here is a reminder of some ACA highlights:

• No more lifetime cap. The annual benefit cap has also been raised. (Insurance agents say that the lifetime cap affected only a tiny percentage of the insured, but it’s nice to know you won’t be one of them.)

• Children cannot be declined for preexisting conditions provided a parent qualifies for insurance.

• Insurers can’t drop you for being sick (unless you committed fraud or misrepresentation).

• As of 2014, you can’t be denied coverage based on preexisting conditions.

• While insurance coverage will become mandatory, individuals or families making less than $43,320/$88,200 will qualify for subsi-dies to purchase insurance.

• Small businesses can receive tax credits for offering insurance for at least a couple of years.

• The closing of the donut hole for senior citizens is being phased in.

The Act does contain a few caveats. For individual plans, to fully access the Act’s benefits, you must understand the term “grandfa-thered,” according to Maggie Nessim, owner of Faller Insurance in Niles. If you enrolled in your plan before March 23, 2010, it is considered grandfathered and is therefore exempt from some of the ACA’s benefits.

“To not be grandfathered, you have to make a change to your policy or the plan or deductible or reapply in order to be consid-ered compliant with the ACA,” said Nessim.

Nessim cautions people to consult a knowledgeable insurance

agent before changing their plan. People with multiple children may now find each child rated separately instead of being lumped together, which could increase premiums. Nessim also cautions that while preexisting conditions may be covered for children un-der age 19, insurance companies may increase premiums substan-tially for that child—a loophole that Democrats may have to fight to close in the future. Even with these shortcomings, the ACA prom-ises better coverage and more security to millions of Americans.

And the ACA isn’t the administration’s only healthy reform. Re-member embryonic stem cell research? President Obama not only removed former President Bush’s restrictions, but also provided federal support for new research. Unfortunately, in August, 2010 a federal district court halted embryonic stem cell research, but the Obama administration is currently appealing that decision. Were Obama to be defeated in 2012, it is unlikely that a Republican administration would pursue this appeal.

In February 2009, Obama and the Democrats expanded the state Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) to cover at least 4 mil-lion more children. Bush had blocked similar bills.

In January 2011, the Obama administration took on food safety by passing the Food Safety Modernization Act. The Act moves the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) from passively responding to

Yes, We Did! The Affordable Care Act and Other Healthy Reforms

by Eleonora di Liscia

continued on page 9

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Congress Watch continued from page 7

medical care provided under a plan that puts decision-making in the hands of for-profit insurance companies would be significantly inferior to the medical services currently provided by government-run Medicare. The Ryan plan also essentially dismantles Medcaid—the government program that provides medical services to impoverished Americans.

Sadly, we know Bob Dold and Mark Kirk did not lose any sleep over the Ryan bill’s potentially devastating impact on the elderly and the poor. After all, had it passed, it would have accomplished their objec-tive: to transform tax dollars now used to finance efficient government programs providing basic medical care to elderly and impoverished Americans into insurance industry profits. TD

Yes, We Did! continued from page 8

food contamination outbreaks to actively preventing such public health threats. Specifically, the Act allows the FDA to issue manda-tory food recalls and requires more frequent inspections of food producers. Just this May, an early rule issued under the Act allows the FDA to detain food that it believes was produced in unsanitary conditions. Before enactment of the Food Safety Modernization Act, the FDA had to work with a state and initiate a federal lawsuit. Another rule requires food importers to notify the FDA when a food has been refused entry by another country. In keeping with Presi-dent Obama’s open government directive, the FDA now provides easy-to-access recall information on line.

In June 2009, the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act gave the FDA the power to regulate tobacco. Under this new legislation, the FDA revived a 1996 regulation that restricted ciga-rette manufacturers from appealing to young people. The law bans candy and fruit flavored cigarettes as well as labeling products as “lite” or “low tar.” It also prohibits cigarette companies from spon-soring athletic or entertainment events, giving away free samples to young people, and selling or giving away t-shirts with product lo-gos or brand names. As of January 2010, the FDA requires tobacco manufacturers to submit information about additives and ingredi-ents. Warning labels must now be more prominent. The Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, an organization dedicated to reducing tobacco use, characterized this law as “the strongest action the federal government has ever taken to reduce tobacco use. “

Of course, all this good work can be undone if Republicans take control of the federal government. Under President Obama and the Democrats, we can continue to build on the change. We certainly don’t want to wake up in January 2013 and find ourselves singing, “You don’t know what you’ve got till it’s gone.” TD

Editor’s Note continued from page 1

historic election as President of the United States in the context of dinner table conversations with his children and grandchildren. Like George, the article was warm, genuine, and thought-provoking. George’s last series for the Tenth News investigated and reported on “sources of energy and their relationship to public health and global warming.” Each article examined a different energy source—water, wind, solar, nuclear, oil, biofuels—and analyzed in depth the pros and cons of our reliance on that source. Each article was meticulously researched, both through Internet sources and George’s reaching out whenever possible to others with opposing viewpoints. He was a lifelong learner.

George continued the “sources of energy” series until illness sapped his own energy. In the April 2010 issue of the Tenth News, we honored George’s extraordinary service to Tenth Dems with a front page feature.

George Rosenblit was a delightful human being whom it was a privilege to know and to work with and to learn from. We will miss him, but his legacy of intellectual curiosity and tireless volunteer service will long endure. - - BA TD

Karen Singer gets a hug from Wisconsin State Sen. Lena Taylor

Laura Tomsky with Samantha Thomas Mayor Leon Rockingham of North Chicago with Cynthia Alexander

We will miss George tremendously. He was integral to the development of the Tenth Dems; many of our early meetings took place in his living room. There was nothing, big or small, that George couldn’t do, and he was a key part of our leadership. He was the recipient of our very first Volunteer of the Year Award in 2006. In 2007 we named the award the George Rosenblit Volunteer of the Year Award in his honor. George worked enthusiastically for candidates and causes he felt strongly about. He worked hard to make the world a better place and we are grateful. …

Those of us who knew George will carry his memory in our collective conscience, and in that way he will continue to be an important part of Tenth Dems, our community, and our lives. . . ALWAYS.

Excerpted from Hon. Lauren Beth Gash’s remarks, “Hon-oring the Memory of George Rosenblit (1924-2011)”

Wisconsin continued from page 4

in District 8 (includes parts of Milwaukee and Waukesha), and Nancy Nusbaum in District 2 (northeast Wisconsin). Links to each candidate’s campaign can be found on www.wisdems.org. The website also has a calendar for upcoming events. A map of Wisconsin senate districts can be found at: http://legis.wisconsin.gov/ltsb/redistricting/PDFs/Senate.pdf

Wisconsin Republicans are trying to turn the tables. On June 8, 2011, the Wisconsin Government Accountability Board certified recall elections against three Democrats: Dave Hansen of Green Bay in District 30, Jim Holperin of Conover in District 12, and Bob Wirch of Pleasant Prairie (Kenosha County) in District 22 (this is practically next door, folks!). The Wisconsin Government Accountability Board approved petitions despite allegations of fraud. For example, one circulator said the petitions were to support Indians or support schools. The Democratic Party of Wisconsin will need help fighting those recalls.

All recall elections would be held in July, unless multiple Democrats run against a Republican slated for recall, or multiple Republicans run against a Democrat slated for recall, in which case the primaries will be held in July and the elections in August.

Republicans are running spoilers in some races, registering as Democrats in order to force a primary and delay a recall. All recall elections could be further delayed by either party’s legal action.

Down the pike, the Democratic Party will fight to recall Governor Walker. Under Wisconsin law, Walker cannot be recalled until one year after taking office, which will be January 3, 2012. Papers to file a recall can begin circulating as of November 3, 2011. Wisconsin Democrats will need assistance with gathering signatures as well as other activities.

United Wisconsin PAC (http://www.unitedwisconsin.com) is a grassroots effort dedicated to filing papers to recall Governor Walker. While you cannot sign the on-line pledge unless you are a Wisconsin resident, you may be able to volunteer with the effort or make a donation.

If there was ever a time to fight tyranny, this would be it. The unbridled power grab and dirty tricks of the Wisconsin Republicans must be stopped. Governor Scott Walker and his colleagues have besmirched a state with a renowned progressive history and a reputation for electoral honesty. Here’s our chance to make a difference. TD

Uncommon Man continued from page 5

not the absence of force, that is the absolute in conduct.” The true success of a society is not how wealthy and powerful it is, but rather how it treats its most vulnerable inhabitants.

One of Ron’s greatest lessons was the importance of dialogue. Dialogue starts with oneself. Paul Tzirides, a former student at Lake Forest College, remembers Ron encouraging him and other students to question their own beliefs—not necessarily to change them but to deepen one’s own understanding. As Ron would tell Paul and other students, “Blind faith is never a good thing.”

Too often civic engagement is modeled as one side “debating” the other, often in sound bites, raised voices, and mockery. But even a genuinely formal debate isn’t necessarily civic engagement, if the purpose of the exercise is to defeat an opponent, rather than to share and learn from one other.

From Healing the Jewish-Christian Rift, which Ron co-authored with Laura Bernstein: “Dialogue is demanding and difficult. It is often painful. It entails deep listening, letting others define themselves, and being willing to confront and transform deep-rooted prejudices in ourselves.” In real dialogue, each side becomes so genuinely engaged with the other that neither can prepare in advance what to say. One activity Ron used for interfaith dialogue was to pass a cross around a circle of Christians and Jews, asking each person to share a personal reaction. Frequently there were stark differences of opinion, which led to a deeper understanding and appreciation of one another’s faith.

What if Democrats and Republicans, Israelis and Palestinians, and pro-life and pro-choice advocates engaged in this type of dialogue?

Paul Tzirides also remembers Ron’s unusual take on miracles, such as Jesus feeding the multitude with a few loaves and fishes. Perhaps what really occurred, Ron opined, was that the crowd, inspired by Jesus’ example, shared their own food with those less fortunate. What a miracle that would have been.

Maybe the real purpose of Ron’s life is to show us that miracles can be made every day in the world by everyday people who see beyond divisive labels in religion and politics to the essential core of goodness that makes us all truly human. As Ron reminded his students, “Your next breath is a hope, not a guarantee.” For many, that hope is tied to a desire to own and consume more and more. Let us learn from Ron Miller’s example that faith, compassion, and the search for common ground is what really makes life worth living. TD

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Ellen Beth Gill with Sen. Mark Begich.