JanSchakowsky.org

Please login or register to post comments

| Login |

Home | Wednesday, August 20, 2008

A fighter for families

SchaBLOGsky

About Jan

Springfield, IL | February 10, 2007

Let me begin by saying thanks to all you who've traveled, from far and wide, to brave the cold today.

We all made this journey for a reason. It's humbling, but in my heart I know you didn't come here just for me, you came here because you believe in what this country can be. In the face of war, you believe there can be peace. In the face of despair, you believe there can be hope. In the face of a politics that's shut you out, that's told you to settle, that's divided us for too long, you believe we can be one people, reaching for what's possible, building that more perfect union.

That's the journey we're on today. But let me tell you how I came to be here. As most of you know, I am not a native of this great state. I moved to Illinois over two decades ago. I was a young man then, just a year out of college; I knew no one in Chicago, was without money or family connections. But a group of churches had offered me a job as a community organizer for $13,000 a year. And I accepted the job, sight unseen, motivated then by a single, simple, powerful idea - that I might play a small part in building a better America.

My work took me to some of Chicago's poorest neighborhoods. I joined with pastors and lay-people to deal with communities that had been ravaged by plant closings. I saw that the problems people faced weren't simply local in nature - that the decision to close a steel mill was made by distant executives; that the lack of textbooks and computers in schools could be traced to the skewed priorities of politicians a thousand miles away; and that when a child turns to violence, there's a hole in his heart no government could ever fill.

It was in these neighborhoods that I received the best education I ever had, and where I learned the true meaning of my Christian faith.

After three years of this work, I went to law school, because I wanted to understand how the law should work for those in need. I became a civil rights lawyer, and taught constitutional law, and after a time, I came to understand that our cherished rights of liberty and equality depend on the active participation of an awakened electorate. It was with these ideas in mind that I arrived in this capital city as a state Senator.

It was here, in Springfield, where I saw all that is America converge - farmers and teachers, businessmen and laborers, all of them with a story to tell, all of them seeking a seat at the table, all of them clamoring to be heard. I made lasting friendships here - friends that I see in the audience today.

It was here we learned to disagree without being disagreeable - that it's possible to compromise so long as you know those principles that can never be compromised; and that so long as we're willing to listen to each other, we can assume the best in people instead of the worst.

That's why we were able to reform a death penalty system that was broken. That's why we were able to give health insurance to children in need. That's why we made the tax system more fair and just for working families, and that's why we passed ethics reforms that the cynics said could never, ever be passed.

It was here, in Springfield, where North, South, East and West come together that I was reminded of the essential decency of the American people - where I came to believe that through this decency, we can build a more hopeful America.

And that is why, in the shadow of the Old State Capitol, where Lincoln once called on a divided house to stand together, where common hopes and common dreams still, I stand before you today to announce my candidacy for President of the United States.

I recognize there is a certain presumptuousness - a certain audacity - to this announcement. I know I haven't spent a lot of time learning the ways of Washington. But I've been there long enough to know that the ways of Washington must change.

The genius of our founders is that they designed a system of government that can be changed. And we should take heart, because we've changed this country before. In the face of tyranny, a band of patriots brought an Empire to its knees. In the face of secession, we unified a nation and set the captives free. In the face of Depression, we put people back to work and lifted millions out of poverty. We welcomed immigrants to our shores, we opened railroads to the west, we landed a man on the moon, and we heard a King's call to let justice roll down like water, and righteousness like a mighty stream.

Each and every time, a new generation has risen up and done what's needed to be done. Today we are called once more - and it is time for our generation to answer that call.

For that is our unyielding faith - that in the face of impossible odds, people who love their country can change it.

That's what Abraham Lincoln understood. He had his doubts. He had his defeats. He had his setbacks. But through his will and his words, he moved a nation and helped free a people. It is because of the millions who rallied to his cause that we are no longer divided, North and South, slave and free. It is because men and women of every race, from every walk of life, continued to march for freedom long after Lincoln was laid to rest, that today we have the chance to face the challenges of this millennium together, as one people - as Americans.

All of us know what those challenges are today - a war with no end, a dependence on oil that threatens our future, schools where too many children aren't learning, and families struggling paycheck to paycheck despite working as hard as they can. We know the challenges. We've heard them. We've talked about them for years.

What's stopped us from meeting these challenges is not the absence of sound policies and sensible plans. What's stopped us is the failure of leadership, the smallness of our politics - the ease with which we're distracted by the petty and trivial, our chronic avoidance of tough decisions, our preference for scoring cheap political points instead of rolling up our sleeves and building a working consensus to tackle big problems.

For the last six years we've been told that our mounting debts don't matter, we've been told that the anxiety Americans feel about rising health care costs and stagnant wages are an illusion, we've been told that climate change is a hoax, and that tough talk and an ill-conceived war can replace diplomacy, and strategy, and foresight. And when all else fails, when Katrina happens, or the death toll in Iraq mounts, we've been told that our crises are somebody else's fault. We're distracted from our real failures, and told to blame the other party, or gay people, or immigrants.

And as people have looked away in disillusionment and frustration, we know what's filled the void. The cynics, and the lobbyists, and the special interests who've turned our government into a game only they can afford to play. They write the checks and you get stuck with the bills, they get the access while you get to write a letter, they think they own this government, but we're here today to take it back. The time for that politics is over. It's time to turn the page.

We've made some progress already. I was proud to help lead the fight in Congress that led to the most sweeping ethics reform since Watergate.

But Washington has a long way to go. And it won't be easy. That's why we'll have to set priorities. We'll have to make hard choices. And although government will play a crucial role in bringing about the changes we need, more money and programs alone will not get us where we need to go. Each of us, in our own lives, will have to accept responsibility - for instilling an ethic of achievement in our children, for adapting to a more competitive economy, for strengthening our communities, and sharing some measure of sacrifice. So let us begin. Let us begin this hard work together. Let us transform this nation.

Let us be the generation that reshapes our economy to compete in the digital age. Let's set high standards for our schools and give them the resources they need to succeed. Let's recruit a new army of teachers, and give them better pay and more support in exchange for more accountability. Let's make college more affordable, and let's invest in scientific research, and let's lay down broadband lines through the heart of inner cities and rural towns all across America.

And as our economy changes, let's be the generation that ensures our nation's workers are sharing in our prosperity. Let's protect the hard-earned benefits their companies have promised. Let's make it possible for hardworking Americans to save for retirement. And let's allow our unions and their organizers to lift up this country's middle-class again.

Let's be the generation that ends poverty in America. Every single person willing to work should be able to get job training that leads to a job, and earn a living wage that can pay the bills, and afford child care so their kids have a safe place to go when they work. Let's do this.

Let's be the generation that finally tackles our health care crisis. We can control costs by focusing on prevention, by providing better treatment to the chronically ill, and using technology to cut the bureaucracy. Let's be the generation that says right here, right now, that we will have universal health care in America by the end of the next president's first term.

Let's be the generation that finally frees America from the tyranny of oil. We can harness homegrown, alternative fuels like ethanol and spur the production of more fuel-efficient cars. We can set up a system for capping greenhouse gases. We can turn this crisis of global warming into a moment of opportunity for innovation, and job creation, and an incentive for businesses that will serve as a model for the world. Let's be the generation that makes future generations proud of what we did here.

Most of all, let's be the generation that never forgets what happened on that September day and confront the terrorists with everything we've got. Politics doesn't have to divide us on this anymore - we can work together to keep our country safe. I've worked with Republican Senator Dick Lugar to pass a law that will secure and destroy some of the world's deadliest, unguarded weapons. We can work together to track terrorists down with a stronger military, we can tighten the net around their finances, and we can improve our intelligence capabilities. But let us also understand that ultimate victory against our enemies will come only by rebuilding our alliances and exporting those ideals that bring hope and opportunity to millions around the globe.

But all of this cannot come to pass until we bring an end to this war in Iraq. Most of you know I opposed this war from the start. I thought it was a tragic mistake. Today we grieve for the families who have lost loved ones, the hearts that have been broken, and the young lives that could have been. America, it's time to start bringing our troops home. It's time to admit that no amount of American lives can resolve the political disagreement that lies at the heart of someone else's civil war. That's why I have a plan that will bring our combat troops home by March of 2008. Letting the Iraqis know that we will not be there forever is our last, best hope to pressure the Sunni and Shia to come to the table and find peace.

Finally, there is one other thing that is not too late to get right about this war - and that is the homecoming of the men and women - our veterans - who have sacrificed the most. Let us honor their valor by providing the care they need and rebuilding the military they love. Let us be the generation that begins this work.

I know there are those who don't believe we can do all these things. I understand the skepticism. After all, every four years, candidates from both parties make similar promises, and I expect this year will be no different. All of us running for president will travel around the country offering ten-point plans and making grand speeches; all of us will trumpet those qualities we believe make us uniquely qualified to lead the country. But too many times, after the election is over, and the confetti is swept away, all those promises fade from memory, and the lobbyists and the special interests move in, and people turn away, disappointed as before, left to struggle on their own.

That is why this campaign can't only be about me. It must be about us - it must be about what we can do together. This campaign must be the occasion, the vehicle, of your hopes, and your dreams. It will take your time, your energy, and your advice - to push us forward when we're doing right, and to let us know when we're not. This campaign has to be about reclaiming the meaning of citizenship, restoring our sense of common purpose, and realizing that few obstacles can withstand the power of millions of voices calling for change.

By ourselves, this change will not happen. Divided, we are bound to fail.

But the life of a tall, gangly, self-made Springfield lawyer tells us that a different future is possible.

He tells us that there is power in words.

He tells us that there is power in conviction.

That beneath all the differences of race and region, faith and station, we are one people.

He tells us that there is power in hope.

As Lincoln organized the forces arrayed against slavery, he was heard to say: "Of strange, discordant, and even hostile elements, we gathered from the four winds, and formed and fought to battle through."

That is our purpose here today.

That's why I'm in this race.

Not just to hold an office, but to gather with you to transform a nation.

I want to win that next battle - for justice and opportunity.

I want to win that next battle - for better schools, and better jobs, and health care for all.

I want us to take up the unfinished business of perfecting our union, and building a better America.

And if you will join me in this improbable quest, if you feel destiny calling, and see as I see, a future of endless possibility stretching before us; if you sense, as I sense, that the time is now to shake off our slumber, and slough off our fear, and make good on the debt we owe past and future generations, then I'm ready to take up the cause, and march with you, and work with you. Together, starting today, let us finish the work that needs to be done, and usher in a new birth of freedom on this Earth.

Posted by Jan Schakowsky :: 0 Comments :: Click to Read

Thursday, January 11, 2007

We Must Renew, Restore, and Redeploy

Crossposted at The Huffington Post:

My office has been flooded with letters and calls from constituents who want the President to begin bringing our troops home from Iraq. According to a new poll, an overwhelming number of Americans - 61 percent -- are opposed to any escalation. Instead of a plan to begin redeployment, Americans heard a giant sucking sound from President Bush tonight, pulling our troops further into the civil war that has already taken the lives of so many of our brave sons and daughters.

The President is dealing with an Iraq that only exists in his imagination. I challenge the President to answer the questions: Who are our allies? Who are our enemies? What does winning mean? How long will American troops be there? How many lives are you willing to sacrifice? Escalation presumes that a military solution is still possible in Iraq. The catastrophe facing Iraq is political, and yet there is no evidence of a political process that has any hope of achieving reconciliation.

Escalation makes the grave error of invading Iraq even worse. I am cosponsoring H.R. 353, the Markey-Kennedy Bill, which would prevent the President from spending another taxpayer dollar to increase troop levels in Iraq without the consent of Congress.

Our military may be able to help one armed faction destroy another, but national reconciliation is not possible until Iraq's ethnic groups demonstrate the will to unify the nation. Already, most of Iraq's middle class has left and 50,000 people a month have fled their homes because of ethnic cleansing. The lines between the police, the armies, and the militias are blurred.

After 4 years, it is time for President Bush to wake up and realize that his policy in Iraq has failed. Now we must renew our military, work to restore our diplomatic credibility, and above all, begin redeploying our troops from Iraq.

Posted by Jan Schakowsky :: 2 Comments :: Click to Read

Thursday, January 04, 2007

Minimum Wage Increase in the First Hundred Hours

Crossposted at Huffington Post:

Nearly 15 million Americans go to their jobs every day caring for our children and frail old people, cleaning other people's mess, serving us food in restaurants, and for their efforts receive $5.15 an hour, the Federal minimum wage. If they work 52 forty-hour weeks, their annual income adds up to $10,712 -- $4,367 under the poverty level for a family of three.Other Americans -- the CEOs of the nation's top companies, those with $1 billion or more in annual revenues -- made on average $10,712 by 11:02 a.m. on January 2, 2007, the first workday of new year. According to a report by Americans United for Change, those CEOs make $5,279 an hour, $10,982,000 a year, or 1,025 times more than their minimum wage employees.

One hundred other Americans, the CEOs of the Fortune 100 companies, rake in an average of $8,461 per hour or $17.6 million per year, a cool 1,643 times more than their minimum wage employees. Those CEOs must really be special compared to the woman who changes their mothers' diapers or cleans their toilets.

Democrats have pledged to raise the minimum wage from $5.15 per hour to $7.25 over the next two years. It's hard to imagine any member of Congress objecting. After all, it's been ten years, the longest span ever, since the minimum wage was raised. In that time, we members of Congress have received cost-of-living increases that have raised our salaries over $30,000. And, by the way, Congress was in session a grand total of 103 days in 2006.

In the end, we will pass the minimum wage increase in the House within the first hundred hours of the 110th Congress. But not before we hear President Bush whine that such a raise must be attached to a tax break for business, or Republicans again demand on simultaneously eliminating the inheritance tax -- a break that almost exclusively helps Paris Hilton and other mega-millionaires.

But that's OK. A Newsweek poll found that 68% of Americans believed "increasing the minimum wage" should be one of the top priorities for the new Democratic Congress over the next two years. We need to do this for the 15 million minimum wage workers and their 7 million children. And we need to do it as a down-payment on our commitment to assure that every hardworking American receives a living wage.

Posted by Jan Schakowsky :: 1 Comments :: Click to Read

Thursday, December 14, 2006

Reflection on Haiti and World Aids Day

I stepped onto the plane in Miami on November 29 and before I finished reading the paper, landed in Haiti, a country of 8 million people, the poorest country in our hemisphere. 54% of the Haitians live on $1 a day or less. The official unemployment is in the high sixty percent, but the reality is, there are no jobs for the vast majority of the adults.

Deforestation in Haiti is almost complete. 98% of its trees have been cut down. In Al Gore's movie, "An Inconvenient Truth", he shows an aerial view of the island of Hispanola which Haiti shares with the Dominican Republic. You can see the border between the two because the DR is green and Haiti is brown. I have connected the organization that plants trees in Israel, the Jewish United Fund, with Haitian leaders to see if such a partnership can be useful to address their critical problem.

This was my second trip to Haiti, the first being three years ago, when I went with Ethel Kennedy to present an award to an amazing clinic created and run by Dr. Paul Farmer, the famous young doctor who insisted that even the people of very poor and undeveloped countries could benefit from the most advanced HIV/AIDS drugs and treatments. I fell in love with Haiti on that trip and Paul Farmer became a lifelong friend.

This time I was with another famous man who is making a tremendous contribution to the people of Haiti - Wyclef Jean, the hip-hop artist who came out of the group the Fugees. (Admit it. I'm more hip than you thought!)

Wyclef, born in Haiti and still a Haitian citizen, has used his celebrity to bring help to the homeland he loves so much. He created "Yele Haiti", described as a "new non-political movement founded to help provide both resources and inspiration to help change the country. Projects are designed to make a difference through education, health, environment and community development. The power and reach of music, sports and the media are enlisted to increase the impact of these projects."

Wyclef is truly a national hero. Cheering people lined the streets of Jacmel when he arrived to do a free concert on the beautiful beach, and 50,000 of them came to see him perform for them. It was a sight to behold. Hope and pride were there in abundance.

Wyclef and I spoke at an International Aids Day event in Haiti, and I pledged to work closely with Haiti's government to provide more help. Wyclef was masterful in connecting with the crowd of young people and AIDS workers. He literally speaks their language - Creole - but beyond that, speaks so that they can really hear his message about condoms and testing and safe sex.

The United States has a long and complicated history with Haiti, but suffice it to say that our country has not simply been guilty of benign neglect toward our close neighbor, but in many ways has actively contributed to her suffering

I had a 45-minute meeting with President Preval, the former President who was once again elected last spring to head the country. As interested as he is in aid, he was more interested in trade and was promoting passage of the U.S. Haiti trade bill called the HOPE Act. (It did pass in the waning hours of the 109th Congress, but typical of the Republicans, they attached it to a much bigger bill full of things that I couldn't support.) We also discussed the Commission he established to propose changes to the Constitution, one in which my constituents are particularly interested - the ability of Haitian people with dual citizenship to seek public office in Haiti, which they are now prohibited from doing. President Preval, I am happy to report, is all in favor of that change.

I also met with Haitian Prime Minister Alexis and discussed many issues ranging from security to elections to U.S.-Haiti relations. He conveyed a sense of urgency, recognizing that the Haitian people want to see this democratic government deliver improvements and do it soon.

Along with our U.S. Ambassador to Haiti, Janet Sanderson, I was an official International Election Observer on Sunday, December 3. The people were choosing their local elected officials. As I often do on election day at home, I went to several precincts to watch the process. And I have to say, I was very, very impressed. They have polling "stations" for each precinct as we do, and polling centers with multiple stations. Each eligible voter has a picture ID, the first of any kind of ID in the country, and people seem to like it. At the polling station, there is a list of the names of all the voters for that station, and a photo of each, so you could just look for your picture. People vote on paper ballots in a cardboard voting booth. It was very orderly, especially considering there were 23 representatives from as many political parties at each polling station serving as poll watchers, not counting our group and some government observers. When the polls closed, the election workers carefully counted the unused ballots in front of all the observers, and then counted the votes, holding up each ballot for everyone to see. The next day I went to the tabulation center and watched the 150 people, most of whom sat at computers, tabulating the results and triple-checking the count. Of course, some results will be challenged, but there is an excellent paper trail. Some people from Florida could learn a thing or two from the Haitians!

I spent a good deal of time with the UN mission in Haiti called MINUSTA. They are there to help with security, training police and building a judicial system. They ran the election and assist in development. Everyone seemed very committed to taking advantage of a relatively stable government to help build the physical and political infrastructure that is necessary to make Haiti the jewel of the Caribbean that it can be.

I told everyone I spoke to that the Congressional elections were good news for Haiti. I have spoken to my colleagues who will now be in charge of our international programs, and all of them are enthusiastic about helping Haiti. Every hour of every day, $12 million taxpayer dollars are being spent in Iraq, and what good is that doing? Our security, not to mention the health and prosperity of people around the globe, including Haiti in our own hemisphere, would be much greater if that money were directed toward lifting people, rather than invading them. Peace is much less expensive than war.

Posted by Jan Schakowsky :: 0 Comments :: Click to Read

Wednesday, November 29, 2006

Some Lessons from the 2006 National Elections

1) “YOU CAN’T FOOL ALL OF THE PEOPLE ALL OF THE TIME”, said Abraham Lincoln, and the 2006 Congressional elections proved that. Those lines followed the rest of that famous 1865 quote, “If you once forfeit the confidence of your fellow citizens, you can never regain their respect and esteem. It is true that you may fool all of the people some of the time; you can even fool some of the people all of the time...” George W. Bush forfeited the confidence of the American people, and everyone associated with him – i.e. Republicans – paid the price. Democrats were successful in figuratively putting George Bush on every ballot in the country. This election, all politics were national.

2) REALITY EVENTUALLY TRUMPS RHETORIC. You can only spin so far and so often. The American people knew better than to believe that all was going well in Iraq. It didn’t matter who said it, or how they said it. The vast majority of Americans knew the economy wasn’t great. Their incomes hadn’t increased. They were losing their pensions and health benefits and they couldn’t afford to send their kids to college. Maybe Bush and his pals were doing great, but no one on their own block was.

3) THE IRAQ WAR REALLY WAS A VERY BAD IDEA. Time was finally up for the Bush Administration and the war. What was seen by the 60% of House Democrats who voted NO on the war (not an obviously popular vote at the time) is now seen clearly by most Americans. The Bush Administration misled us into a disastrous, unnecessary, and unwinnable war that is killing our young people and untold number of Iraqis, making us less safe at home, destabilizing the world, and robbing us of our ability to do much of anything good, at a cost of $12 million each and every hour for over 3_ years. The early and persistent anti-war movement helped organize the most massive anti-war demonstration – election day November 7, 2006.

4) REPUBLICANS DIDN’T SIMPLY LOSE THE ELECTION. DEMOCRATS WON IT. Our own Rahm Emanuel, Chair of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, developed a strategy for winning the House and executed it brilliantly. The first task was to shore up our potentially vulnerable “Frontline” candidates, making sure they had the money, message and organization to win re-election. It worked; Democrats did not lose a single incumbent. Nor did we lose a single open Democratic seat. Simultaneously, there was an aggressive recruitment effort to find the very best candidates for a much larger number of districts than had been contested in recent years. In the end, 50 districts were in play, a feat thought impossible at the beginning of the cycle, and so far, we picked up 29. (They are still counting in four districts and there are run-offs in two more.) The Democrats kept pace with the Republicans on fundraising. I myself gave and raised a combined total of $2.7 million for the campaigns, thanks to Sarah Gersten, my Finance Director. There was a special focus on field organizations – good old door-to-door canvassing, phone banks, Get-Out-The-Vote (GOTV) which trumped the vaunted Republican last 72 hour effort. Though I am less familiar with it, Chuck Schumer ran a similarly spectacular campaign in the Senate as head of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee.

5) PROGRESSIVES AND ECONOMIC POPULISTS DO VERY WELL. The media like to pontificate on the “Republican-like” new members that were elected to Congress. This is not true. While there may be a few truly conservative Democrats, many more are straight-out progressives and economic populists. For example, most opposed NAFTA-like trade agreements, privatization of Social Security and the domination of Big Oil. Yes, some are social conservatives, but under Speaker Pelosi, issues like restricting abortion rights will be kept off the agenda, as well they should be.

5) NOTHING IS THE MATTER WITH KANSAS. This election proved that Democrats can win anywhere. Yes, Democrats won a seat in Kansas, as well as in places like Kentucky, North Carolina, and three seats in Indiana. We re-elected our incumbents from Georgia even after mid-decade redistricting by the Georgia Republicans which was explicitly intended to wipe them out. Nick Lampson, a former member who fell victim to Tom DeLay’s Texas redistricting scheme in 2004, not only is back in the House. He won Tom Delay’s seat!

6) IT’S STILL THE ECONOMY, STUPID! (See lesson #2.)

7) KATRINA EXPOSED THE “WIZARD.” Until Hurricane Katrina, most Americans still believed George Bush was a strong leader and that his Administration was competent. Like with the Wizard of Oz, turned out it was all a sham. When push came to shove, they completely failed to deliver. They never recovered from Katrina. Nor have the people of New Orleans.

8) LUCK IS GOOD. Jack Abramoff , Tom Delay, Bob Ney, Tom Foley, Don Sherwood, Duke Cunningham, even a hypocritical TV evangelist – finally it starts to add up that maybe these folks are stinking up our country and it’s time for a change. (I probably left out several more.)

9) ELECTION PROTECTION MATTERS - BUT WE'RE NOT THERE YET . This election showed that we still haven't guaranteed that every person can vote and that every vote will be counted accurately. All parts of the country experienced problems, from voter intimidation to faulty machines to long lines that resulted in thousands of people giving up before they voted. We have two years to get it right.

10) KARL ROVE IS NOT A GENIUS! I’ve been dying to say this. Two years ago, Rove predicted that, under his guidance, there would be a “permanent Republican majority.” Well, nana nana na na!

Posted by Jan Schakowsky :: 0 Comments :: Click to Read

Tuesday, November 28, 2006

Senator Durbin: Run, Barack, Run!

I was thrilled yesterday when I opened my inbox and saw an email from Senator Dick Durbin. The email encouraged people to sign a petition urging Senator Obama to run for President. I too, am a huge Barack Obama fan, and nothing would make me happier than to see Barack run for President. Help Senator Durbin and myself send a message to Senator Obama: Run, Barack, Run!

Run, Barack, Run!

As many of you may know, I'm a huge Barack Obama fan. I've known Barack since he was first elected to the Illinois State Senate in 1996, and I'm impressed by what he has accomplished in his relatively short political career. I'm also proud to call him my friend.

Not only does Senator Obama do a wonderful job representing the people of Illinois, in just a few short years he has proven himself to be an incredibly inspirational national leader. From his memorable and unifying speech at the Democratic National Convention to his new book The Audacity of Hope, Barack has shown that he has the best interests of all Americans at heart.

That is why I want to see Barack run for President in 2008. I believe that he is the right man to lead our country at a time of such turmoil around the globe, bringing Americans together at a time in our nation's history when we need unity more than ever.

Barack has said publicly that he is considering a run, and part of his consideration will doubtlessly include measuring the level of his support from Democrats across the country. So let's show him how strong that support is.

Click here to sign Senator Durbin's online petition to Senator Barack Obama -- urge him to enter the 2008 Presidential race today!

Posted by Jan Schakowsky :: 0 Comments :: Click to Read

Tuesday, November 21, 2006

The Best Is Yet To Come

Last week, I had the privilege of being one of five House Democrats to officially speak in support of Congresswoman Pelosi's nomination to be the next Speaker of the House. Here are my remarks:

The best is yet to come. And, America, we offer you our best, as we nominate Nancy Pelosi to be Speaker of the House of Representatives.

This is a moment about which I will tell my grandchildren, so they can tell theirs.

I want them to know I had the unique, historic honor of seconding the nomination of a great American leader, my treasured friend, Nancy Pelosi to become the first woman in the United States to become Speaker of the House of Representatives. And, think of it, when she takes that gavel, she will become the most powerful woman in the world.

January 4th will be a great day for our Caucus, a great day for Democrats, but more importantly, it will be a great day for the single mom, off to her job as a waitress, struggling to care for her child on $5.15 an hour; it will be a day of hope for the frail old woman who learned her life-saving medicine is not covered by her Part D plan.

The mother who kisses her beloved son goodbye as he heads to Iraq will be praying that Speaker Pelosi succeeds in leading us in a new direction; the women and children in refugee camps suffering from poverty and violence, and the millions dying of AIDS – if they knew, would rejoice that a mother and grandmother who cares about them has arrived on the world stage.

For the majority of Americans who said, for the first time ever, that they believe their children will be worse off than they are, we say ‘NO, the best is yet to come.’ And America, we offer you our best, as we nominate Nancy Pelosi to be Speaker of the House of Representatives.

Posted by Jan Schakowsky :: 0 Comments :: Click to Read