Moraine Township Democratic Organization

Tenth Dems Offers Summer Internships

rdfeldman — Fri, 18 May 2012 18:45:15 +0000

The Tenth Congressional District Democrats (“Tenth Dems”) is now accepting applications for its Summer Internship Program. Internships are available to high school juniors and seniors, college undergraduates, and graduate or law students. Numerous former interns have gone on to professional political careers in Washington, D.C., or currently staff national nonprofit organizations.

The 2012 campaign makes this the perfect time to complete a political internship. General assignments include door-to-door canvassing with candidates, work in campaign offices, and staffing of events and issue forums. Specialized assignments are available in the areas of research, new media, IT management, and political outreach. In the past, interns have staffed Tenth Dems events featuring then-state legislator and now President Barack Obama, Senator Evan Bayh of Indiana, Senator Russ Feingold of Wisconsin, former presidential nominee George McGovern, Governor and presidential candidate Howard Dean, and Senator Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota, as well as numerous Illinois state and local elected officials. The program offers interns a great degree of flexibility to tailor their responsibilities to their interests.

Acceptance into the program is selective and generally contingent upon an interview. Applicants should submit a brief paragraph explaining why they are seeking the internship, along with a resume outlining their ducational background and activities. (Neither need be formal.) Although the internships are unpaid educational volunteer positions, course credit is readily available with cooperating high schools and colleges. Summer interns are expected to commit sixteen to twenty hours per week. The organization is particularly interested in applicants with web administration and/or data management skills.

The work that interns do has long been appreciated and recognized. At a recent fundraiser, keynote speaker Senator Mark Begich of Alaska noted with pleasure the presence of 2011 summer interns. He called their presence particularly exciting “because the future rests not with us but with young people, especially those here.”

The Illinois Tenth Congressional District Democrats is a volunteer group with members from all parts of the 10th Congressional District. The 10th District contains portions of both Cook and Lake Counties stretching from Winnetka through Zion and from Lake Michigan west through Round Lake. The District includes all or part of the following townships: Avon, Benton, Deerfield, Grant, Libertyville, Moraine, Shields, Waukegan, West Deerfield, Vernon, Zion and parts of Fremont, Lake Villa, Maine, New Trier, Newport, Northfield, Warren, and Wheeling. Inquiries may be directed to Rian Watt, Intern Coordinator, at ianwatt@tenthdems.org or Lauren Beth Gash, Chair, at laurenbethgash@gmail.com.

Reception for Scott Drury in Highland Park

rdfeldman — Wed, 09 May 2012 03:44:02 +0000

Scott Drury

Sunday, May 20, 4:00 – 6:00 pm
Home of Thomas & Kathryn Vanden Berk
Highland Park

You are invited to a reception in support of Scott Drury, Democratic nominee for state representative (IL-58th). To join the host committee, purchase tickets ($100 and up), RSVP, or get more information, contact Carolyn, 847-525-8245,or email events@drury2012.com.

Tenth Dems Seeks Fundraising Director

rdfeldman — Fri, 13 Apr 2012 06:17:49 +0000

The Tenth Congressional District Democrats (Tenth Dems) is considering hiring a Fundraising Director. This position is responsible for all aspects of fundraising to help Tenth Dems in its efforts to elect Democrats to all levels of office in every part of the 10th Congressional District of Illinois. This is a full-time position, probably based out of an office in Highland Park, although that may be negotiable.

Responsibilities Include:
1) Raising money through direct contact with prospective donors.
2) Working with others who can contact donors and giving them the necessary resources they need to be successful.
3) Helping to coordinate fundraising events.
4) Leading our efforts to recruit new members and renew existing memberships.
5) Developing new revenue sources for Tenth Dems, and managing any others we pursue.
6) Ideally, making absolutely certain that we comply with all political fundraising laws, and/or working with the person who manages reporting.
7) Ideally, overseeing all reporting requirements for federal and state political campaigns, and/or working with the person who manages reporting.
8.) Supporting all Tenth Dems’ efforts to help elect Democrats.

Necessary/preferred skills and experience Include:
1) Past experience in fundraising, ideally in political fundraising, or a similar transferable skill.
2) Working knowledge of the political campaign finance laws, or the aptitude to learn them.
3) Excellent computer skills. A high degree of comfort with computer databases and technology.
4) A commitment to the beliefs which form the foundation of the Democratic Party, and a strong desire to see Democrats elected to public office.

If interested, send your resume and cover letter to info@tenthdems.org, or call 847-266-VOTE (8683).

Cooperation: Unite Behind Brad

rdfeldman — Wed, 21 Mar 2012 13:00:53 +0000

Competition has been shown to be useful up to a certain point and no further, but cooperation, which is the thing we must strive for today, begins where competition leaves off.

—Franklin Delano Roosevelt

The primary competition is over. It was useful, but cooperation is the thing we must strive for today. We must unite behind Brad Schneider and work for Democrats throughout the 10th District, because we have a shared vision for the community, for the state, and for the country.

Economically, America is moving in the right direction, but Americans face many challenges. We need to elect a leader to Congress like Brad, who will work to improve the economy and to increase the number of jobs.

America needs to invest in its infrastructure—and one of Brad’s key issues includes creating public and private partnerships to reinvest and rebuild our national infrastructure—by repairing roads and bridges, modernizing mass transit, adequately funding clean energy research and development, and improving the electric grid system.

Illinois is in a prime position to be a leader when it comes to creating high-quality, 21st century jobs. This issue is not about the last 25 months, it is about the next 25 years. The state and our communities are home to innovative, dynamic businesses both large and small; great research universities, community colleges, and high schools; and plenty of additional institutions and leaders that can help propagate investment in job training and education. To move forward, we must stop unfairly castigating teachers and instead provide the resources needed so that these passionate professionals can do their jobs.

And to keep the country moving forward, Brad agrees that we need to continue to ensure healthcare coverage for all Americans. We need to protect funding for Medicare, because the system as it is now works quite well while saving the country money. Any effort to herd the sick and needy seniors into a separate but unequal government program while the well-off are able to get vouchers for private care is a recipe for failure.

In 2010, Congress passed the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. It ensures insurance coverage to 30 million more Americans, including those with pre-existing conditions. As the result of many, many compromises, it is not a piece that of legislation that pleases everyone, for the understatement of the year. Called by the right “Obamacare,” the ACA has been unfairly, almost comically derided. But the Heritage Foundation and Milton Friedman, among others, were for individual mandates before they were against it. And a similar statewide program is by and large working in Massachusetts. We need to save the ACA from those that would repeal it with no alternative in sight.

And, incredibly, it being 2012 and all, there are those who would repeal a women’s right to complete access to healthcare, and they need to be stopped. A woman and her doctor should make important medical decisions together … not a woman and her employer. Brad will oppose any legislation that limits women’s access to full and comprehensive healthcare.

As a nation with a burgeoning deficit, how can we pay for all of this? One side thinks that if we just continue more tax cuts on the wealthy, the subsequent boom will cure everything, although that theory was debunked from 2000 to 2008. Brad is someone who can responsibly address spending and revenues. He is for tax fairness, but he is keen on sustaining the job growth and economic gains that America has made recently.

Brad Schneider has been a strategic management consultant for more than 25 years, after receiving his received his B.S. in Industrial Engineering in 1983 and his MBA in 1988 from Northwestern University. A small businessman, he also owned and managed a life insurance agency from 1997 to 2003. He has the experience and vision to help the 10th Congressional District and America move forward.

–Paul Kelly, Tenth Dems

Schneider Wins Congressional Nomination

rdfeldman — Wed, 21 Mar 2012 09:56:27 +0000

Brad Schneider

With 100 percent of precincts reporting, Deerfield businessman Brad Schneider won the high-profile race for the Democratic nomination for Congress in Illinois’ 10th Congressional District.

Schneider received 45 percent of the vote in the Lake County portion of the district and 51 percent in the Cook County portion, according to the two county clerk’s offices. Ilya Sheyman received 40 percent in Lake County and 35 percent in Cook. The other two candidates — John Tree and Vivek Bavda — received 10 and 5 percent, respectively, in the Lake County portion and 7 percent each in the Cook County portion. Schneider will now face Rep. Robert Dold (R-Ill.) in the November election.

In other contested races, West Deerfield Township Supervisor Julie A. Morrison was nominated for state senator in the 29th District, to replace retiring Senator Susan Garrett; Chris Kennedy was nominated for Lake County states attorney ; and Thomas A. Rudd received the nod for Lake County coroner. (All totals rounded.)

Thanks to all the candidates for their efforts! Now it is time to unite to win the November election!

More than 300 Democrats Rally at Tenth Dems Convention

rdfeldman — Wed, 07 Mar 2012 20:08:57 +0000

Keynote speaker Fay Hartog-Levin

More than 40 candidates and elected officials at the 10th District-wide Democratic Convention raised their voices in support of working families, inspiring more than 300 enthusiastic conventioneers Sunday, March 4, at Vernon Hills High School.

The convention was hosted by Tenth Congressional District Democrats, or Tenth Dems. Candidates running for election at all levels of government from all parts of the district were able to meet active and passionate Democrats and interested independents. The convention featured rousing music, sign-waving to support Democratic candidates, and more.

Tenth Dems members conducted a straw poll for their favorite congressional candidate in the March 20 primary. Ilya Sheyman won 73 percent of the votes; John Tree, 20 percent; Brad Schneider, 6 percent; and Vivek Bavda, 1 percent. Although the convention was open to the public, only Tenth Dems members were eligible to vote.

Fay Hartog-Levin, the 65th U.S. ambassador to the Netherlands, was keynote speaker. Ambassador Levin’s speech reminded everyone of the task at hand—getting out the vote and sending Democrats to Washington, to Springfield, and to the many local offices in the district. “The country needs Barack Obama,” Levin said. “But the world needs him even more.”

“There was a generation in the world that only saw America through George W. Bush’s eyes,” Levin added. “The international community needed to see America through President Obama’s eyes. The Dutch and the international community never understood, for example, how a country with the wealth and influence of the United States did not allow many of its citizens access to health care.”

Levin was a senior consultant at Res Publica Group from 2006 to 2009, vice president for external affairs at Chicago’s Field Museum from 1997 to 2005, and an attorney in private practice and at Seyfarth, Shaw, Fairweather and Geraldson. Her parents were Dutch citizens who left the Netherlands during World War II and immigrated to the U.S. thereafter.

Local speakers at the convention vowed to unify after the primary to change the direction of the country and the district and spoke in amazement at the number and the energy of the attendees. “The rally was a fun event and a great way to energize voters,” said Northfield Trustee Karen McCormick.

The chair of the event was John Hmurovic, a recognized expert in area politics. Hmurovic has been chair of Tenth Dems since 2006 after three years as vice-chair and served as a precinct committeeman in Libertyville. He was campaign manager for State Rep. Karen May in 2006, 2008, and 2010, and for Highland Park Mayor Nancy Rotering in 2009.

Tenth Congressional District Democrats, or Tenth Dems, is a group of grassroots political volunteers who formed the organization in late 2003 to help elect Democrats to all levels of government throughout the 10th District. For more information or to volunteer, go to www.tenthdems.org, email info@tenthdems.org, or call 847-266-VOTE (8683).

Listen to the Congressional Candidates Debate on Podcast

rdfeldman — Fri, 02 Mar 2012 11:32:58 +0000

Candidates (l. to r.) Ilya Sheyman, Vivek Bavda, John Tree, and Brad Schneider

If you were one of the nearly 400 people that Tenth Dems packed into the Deerfield Hyatt on Saturday, February 26 for a congressional candidates’ debate, or in case you missed it, you can hear the entire discussion on a Podcast provided by WCPT’s Dick Kay, who moderated the debate. The event featured the 10th Congressional District’s four Democratic candidates in the March 20 primary election: Vivek Bavda, Brad Schneider, Ilya Sheyman, and John Tree.

Moraine Township Van Service Gets $5,000 Increase in Healthcare Foundation Grant

rdfeldman — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 22:11:44 +0000

The Healthcare Foundation of Highland Park has awarded Moraine Township a $40,000 grant — $5,000 more than the current year’s funding — to support the Township’s Door-to-Door paratransit van service for the fiscal year beginning April 1.

The Foundation has underwritten rides to medical appointments for older, low-income, and disabled residents almost since the inception of the Township’s van service in 2006. The Township operates the service utilizing township funds in addition to the foundation’s grant.

Qualified residents may call a dedicated phone line, (847) 432-3000, for 48-hour advance reservations. Vans run weekdays from 8:30 am to 4:00 pm, primarily to locations up to 15 miles away.

In making the new grant, Healthcare Foundation Chairman James C. Styer noted that “the trustees would like to express their support for the high quality program [the Township] provide[s] to the Highland Park/Highwood community.”

For detailed information, consult the township’s website transportation page, http://morainetownship.org/super/transportation.html.

Voter Registration Training

rdfeldman — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 15:10:19 +0000

The greatest gift this country can offer its citizens is the right to vote. And registering fellow citizens so that they are able to exercise that right is a dynamic way to participate in the political process. Tenth Dems is organizing training sessions for residents of Lake and Cook counties. If you are interested in training to be a deputy voter registrar for the coming election cycle, call us at 847-266-VOTE (8683) or contact us at volunteers@tenthdems.org. Be sure to leave your name, address and phone number.

A Comprehensive Look at Robert Dold’s Record

rdfeldman — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 15:23:20 +0000

Robert Dold (R-Kenilworth) had a chance to prove us wrong. He had a chance to demonstrate independence, moderation, and compassion. Instead, it’s as if he’s gone out of his way to prove how out of step he is with the voters in the 10th Congressional District of Illinois. Dold has been in office nearly a year. Let’s take an objective look at his record.

Dold votes with the Republican Party 84% of the time. Want to make some quick money? Find someone who takes Dold’s campaign literature at face value. Pick a vote at random and bet that Dold voted the way John Boehner voted. You’ll win more than four out of five times.

Dold voted to deny women access to quality health care and voted for bills that the pro-choice community strongly opposed. On October 13, 2011, Dold voted for HR 358, the anti-choice Protect Life Act (known in the pro-choice community as the “Let Women Die Act,” because that’s what it would do). Even worse: When Rep. Lois Capps (D-CA) offered an amendment that would have fixed the provision that allows hospitals to refuse abortion coverage when a woman’s life is in danger, Dold voted against her amendment. The bill Dold voted for imperils women’s lives because it allows institutions and doctors to refuse to provide care even in life-threatening emergencies.

Dold has done nothing to create jobs, but he’s done plenty to endanger the lives of women. Here’s how NARAL Pro-Choice America described the bill Dold voted for:

The bill would allow a hospital to refuse a woman life-saving, emergency abortion care even if she will die without it. On top of that, it effectively would ban insurance coverage of abortion in state health-insurance exchanges, denying abortion coverage to millions of women. This creates jobs how?

”This bill is a collection of dangerous ideas that will undermine women’s health,” said Cecile Richards, president of Planned Parenthood Federation of America. “Most devastating, the bill eliminates protections for patients seeking care in emergency circumstances, and would allow a hospital to deny lifesaving abortion care to a woman, even if a doctor deems it necessary.”

“House leaders just can’t keep their eye on the ball and focus on jobs and the economy,” said Richards. “In fact, this bill will increase the economic burden on already struggling American families by eliminating health insurance provisions that could save them from bankruptcy.”

On May 6, 2011, Dold voted for the anti-choice H.R. 3, which bans tax subsidies for private health insurance plans that include abortion as a covered service, prevents citizens from deducting abortion as a medical expense unless it was the result of rape, incest, or to save the life of the mother, and invites the potential for the Internal Revenue Service to investigate how women who had abortions became pregnant and how they paid for their abortions.

“Robert Dold can try to appear moderate all he wants, but after [his May 6] vote there’s no way Illinois will buy it,” said EMILY’s List President Stephanie Schriock. “Dold showed his true colors by standing with his Republican leaders and against the women of Illinois. Dold may have run on job creation, but he has done nothing to create jobs since getting to Washington. Instead, he’s done plenty to take away women’s freedoms and their opportunities to keep themselves and their families healthy.”

Dold flipped on defunding Planned Parenthood. Dold (and Judy Biggert (R-IL)) first voted against defunding Planned Parenthood, but as Bill Beckman, Executive Director of the Illinois Right to Life Committee explained:

The irony is that when they had the final bill passage, they flipped. Both voted for [the bill that defunded Planned Parenthood]. We’re playing games here in reality. Which is better: that they voted against the amendment and for the final bill, or vice versa? I’ll tolerate those Republicans if they vote the final bill the right way, even if they want to throw a bone to Planned Parenthood that doesn’t count.

Dold voted to gut health care reform. Dold voted at least six times to gut health care reform (Roll Calls 97, 98, 99, 100, and 121, 141).

Previously, Dold voted at least 17 times to gut environmental programs that about 75% of 10th District residents support.

Dold voted against sensible gun control. Dold voted with the National Rifle Association to defund the program that requires the reporting of the sale of multiple shotguns or rifles to the same person. As Rep. Chakah Fattah (D-PA) said, “this has nothing whatsoever to do with hunting rifles or guns used in sporting activity. This has to do with long guns with detachable clips used for only one purpose, and that is, shooting large numbers of rounds and killing large numbers of people… I know that some may get paranoid about these issues, but I think we should have at least some paranoia about what this could portend if we don’t take reasonable action in the protection of the citizens that we’ve been elected to protect.”

Dold twice voted with his party against anti-Iran legislation. October 26, 2011, Dold and 236 other Republicans voted against a motion that would have stopped an American mining company from partnering with a London-based firm that has dealings with Iran. Adam Kredo reported in Washington Jewish Week that at a time when elements of Iranian government plotted to assassinate the Saudi ambassador on U.S. soil – not a single House Republican could bring him or herself to support a rational Democratic motion to keep American businesses out of Iran.

If House Republicans are going to be willing to put business interests over Israel’s interests that’s their prerogative, but then it’s the height of hypocrisy to be campaigning on Israel as an issue,” said one Democratic Hill staffer who tracked the vote.

One week later, on November 3, 2011, Rep. Rush Holt (D-NJ) proposed language banning the issuance of securities to businesses that have Iran dealings. Dold voted no. Kredo quoted a Democratic Hill staffer in Washington Jewish Week who said that “The most important national security issue facing the United States and Israel is stopping Iran’s reckless pursuit of nuclear weapons. But for the second week in a row not a single Republican has been willing to support legislation on the House floor to keep U.S. dollars from going to Iran.”

We cannot afford another two years of Robert Dold. We cannot afford to be passive. The only way for us to combat Dold’s head start in fundraising and name-recognition is to start working now. Please—the outcome of the 2012 election is up to you. Get involved now.

—Tenth Dems