Author: Gill for Congress 2006

  “No Child Left Behind,” the Bush administration’s under funded plan to raise the academic achievement of all students, is so flawed that one must question the motivation of those who designed and passed this legislation. All Americans desire quality education for their children and accountability in our public school system, “NCLB” appears to be designed instead as a means to dismantle our public school system.

“NCLB” emphasizes a narrow curriculum and wrongly assumes that all students are academically equal.  It fails to account for the social causes of poor academic performance, including substandard housing, parental unemployment, and lack of medical care for preschoolers.  Ultimately “NCLB” demands that every student in the nation score substantially higher than the average student by 2014.  Before going to medical school I received a bachelor’s degree in mathematics, but one only needs a sixth grade education to understand that, by definition, not every one can be above average.   The federal government has designed a program that guarantees that schools will fail, paving the way for those advocating the public funding of private schools as a replacement.

In spite of all this, my opponent, Tim Johnson, voted for “No Child Left Behind.”  Now, though, in a move that smacks of his typical political expediency, he expresses a desire to fix the flaws of this foolish legislation.  I think we deserve much better representation than Tim Johnson.  We should have a Congressman who does the right thing the first time, a Congressman beholden to his constituents of Illinois’ 15th District.  I will be such a Congressman.  Please support my campaign by visiting our website or contributing here.

The facts of No Child Left Behind

NCLB intends to make schools across the nations accountable through testing

The reality: There isn’t much evidence to support that widespread testing does help schools improve their educational programs. A study conducted at Arizona State University concluded that “rigorous testing that decides whether students graduate, teachers win bonuses and schools are shuttered, an approach already in place in more than half the nation, does little to improve achievement and may actually worsen academic performance and dropout rates.” (New York Times, 12/28/02)

NCLB intends to help all students and schools by holding them accountable for the progress of all their students.

The reality: The law classifies schools as “failures” if they don’t live up to the unreasonable expectation that 100% of their students be proficient on state exams. This requirement is made even more difficult to meet because it includes students whose first language is not English and special education students in the requirement.

 NCLB intends to give families more opportunities to send their kids to better schools.

The reality: Instead of helping the failing schools, NCLB moves children to public schools that aren’t failing or to charter schools. The education at the failing schools isn’t improved; the kids are just moved away to private schools and overcrowd successful public schools.

 NCLB intends to provide poor schools with resources to improve.

The reality: Although NCLB does increase funding for poor schools, much of it is wasted removing kids from their schools instead of improving them. The NCLB policies are targeting poor schools and labeling them failures rather than providing the resources necessary to improve them.

Dr. David Gill for Congress

Like many Americans, I’ve long been concerned regarding the manner in which President Bush misled our country into the war in Iraq.  I’ve been concerned by the scorn President Bush has shown for our obligations under the Geneva Conventions with respect to the torture of prisoners.  However, it is President Bush’s acknowledgement that he repeatedly authorized wiretaps of American citizens, without obtaining warrants, which appears to directly violate American law.

     There may be some explanation offered by President Bush regarding both Iraq and our torture policy which might render it inappropriate to impeach him on these grounds.  With respect to the topic of spying on American citizens, though, there is no “wiggle room” for this president.
Congress passed the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) in 1978, with the explicit intention of striking a balance between the legitimate requirements of national security on the one hand and the need both to protect against presidential abuses and to safeguard personal privacy on the other.  In his self-admitted violation of this law, President Bush has thrown down the gauntlet.  He has challenged Congress, declaring himself to be above the laws of our nation.  Congress must now respond forcefully.

     In 1998, the U.S. House found that President Clinton’s lies regarding his private sex life constituted “high crimes and misdemeanors.”  President Bush’s self-admitted violation of the FISA appears to be an infinitely more serious matter.  Should the president be censured for his actions, as suggested by Senator Russ Feingold?  Anyone with a full understanding of the law and of the president’s own statements should answer affirmatively.  Political gamesmanship, however, has left Senator Feingold with few allies on this question.

     The sad fact is that Feingold’s call for censure does not go far enough, and would be nothing more than a symbolic gesture.  Congress should be demanding full-scale investigations of this president, investigations which might ultimately result in his impeachment and removal from office.  My opponent, Tim Johnson, has failed the citizens of Illinois’ 15th District by quietly standing by during this time of crisis.  As our next Congressman, I’ll defend our Constitution to the best of my ability, without concern for political game-playing or partisanship.

Please help me stand up for American and against George W. Bush and a lethargic Congress contribute here.  Find out how you can volunteer here.

Cross Posted: Daily Kos

Hello, my name is Dr. David Gill and I am running to unseat incumbent Rep. Tim Johnson (IL-15).  I promise to be a strong voice of opposition to President Bush and his short-sighted policies that Tim Johnson has rushed to support.  Below is a summary of my Prescription for America:

<u>Health Care</u&gt

My plan would cost businesses no more than 7% payroll tax this figure could be even lower if we eliminate Bush’s tax-cuts for those earning a quarter-million per year or more.

I am not promoting the socialization of medicine, being a practicing physician for 20 years I know what a disaster that would be: the Federal Government should not dictate how medicine is practiced.  I do believe in a single-payer insurance plan that would save you, the citizen, by cutting HMO and insurance profits and overhead expenses.

<u>Security</u&gt

Bush and Johnson ignited Global Terrorism:
If our goal was to stir up terrorism around the globe, then I believe that we have succeeded. We need a Congress that won’t sit back and vote to give any president a blank check to conduct a war whenever, wherever, and however he or she wants.

We need to refocus our energy and secure high-priority targets here in our homeland rather than fanning the flames of terrorism abroad.  Here is an incomplete list of national security failures by my opponent:

• A 2003 report by the Council on Foreign Relations found a wide range of inadequacies in Homeland security preparedness, including poorly equipped fire departments and public health laboratories that are ill-prepared to defend against chemical and biological attacks.
• Several million cargo ships arrive in U.S. ports every year, but as little as 2% of them are screened.  America has 361 commercial ports that are vulnerable to weapons smugglers.
• A General Accounting Office report (GAO-04-482T) released in Feb. 2004 found that 123 chemical plants in America could potentially expose 1,000,000 Americans to biological harm, but Bush and Johnson have not assured the security of chemical facilities against terrorist attacks because of industry pressure.

<u>Energy</u&gt

I will wholeheartedly support the development and use of alternative energy sources:

• Wind Energy:  17% of Iowa’s energy comes from wind and if congress had the political will, our entire nation could equal or better 17%.  Environmentally friendly building projects would create stable jobs in our communities and help work toward a clean environment for future generations to enjoy.  There is a plan to build the country’s largest wind farm in Arrowsmith, IL, right here, in our own district.  I would support this plan by obtaining federal funding for the project and call upon Illinois lawmakers to pass the building permit for this project.
• Solar Energy:  I will promote tax credits for homeowners that use Solar Technologies.
• Automotive Energy:    First, incremental increases in the Federal minimums of fuel efficiency.  Second, encourage the use of ethanol and bio-diesel fuels which are renewable and help alleviate our nation’s dependence on foreign sources of energy.  Third, we need to continue developing technologies such as using the hydrogen made from solar energy.
• Geothermal and Other Energy:  I will support the development of sensible, environmentally friendly solutions to our nation’s energy problems.  A sustainable future, a healthy population, and a secure America depends on it.

As the next Representative of IL-15, I hope to engage my constituants and work with my collgues to repair our education system, border security, and voting rights.  I hope to return common-sense and honest politics to the House of Representatives, not Tim Johnson’s weak-kneed capitulation to the Bush Administration and “fix-it later” approach.

Please help out by volunteering or contributing.

-Friends of David Gill

       The completion of a task begins with setting a goal. Setting a goal is the most important part of any job, because it is the goal that will be used to judge success, and how to achieve it. Without a clearly defined goal, no amount of effort will be enough. This is why it is important to have a leader. A leader does not set a goal, but guides everyone toward one. A leader takes responsibility for the actions of the group. This means he receives acclaim when the group succeeds, and is bears the brunt of responsibility if the group fails.
      A leader without clearly defined goals will not be successful. Abstract goals are great for building moral, but they are only useful when combined with concrete goals. If the CEO of a corporation walked into a board meeting and proclaimed the goal of the year was to make money without outlining any objectives or course of actions, he probably would not be employed for much longer. For a team to move forward, they have to first define what forward is.
    The discussion of the Iraq war to date has been held only in the abstract. We have been told that are goal is to defeat evil. We have been told that we will not leave until the job is done. We have been told that we are fighting for democracy. As an American, I am behind those ideals. What the country needs, however, is leadership. There has been no task too great, no quest too difficult, nor mission too impossible for America. When the world predicted inevitable failure for the United States, we will built the greatest nation in the world. When John F. Kennedy stated the seemingly impossible goal of reaching the moon in nine years, the country reached it in eight. The history of America is quickly becoming the history of the world. No other region of the world can boast of as much of an impact on the world in such a short time.
    The American military is unquestionably the greatest, most potent, and certainly most powerful military the world has ever seen. In its midst are honorable individuals who are second to none. They can win any battle, wage any war, defeat any enemy. What they cannot due is win a war with no goal. We have learned this lesson before. In spite of the lack of any discernable goals, the military continues to impress me with their dedication to our country. It is the leadership of the America who is charged with providing them a goal that can be accomplished. It is not enough to say they must win. We must define what a win is. We entered Iraq with the goal of ensuring America was safe from weapons of mass destruction. That issue seems to be irrelevant now.
    A rising number of individuals are becoming increasingly distrustful of those in power who are not being honest with the American people. The debate over the Iraq War cannot progress because those in charge are not even letting the public know what they are attempting to accomplish. Are we striving to eliminate terrorism in its entirety? A look at the situation in Israel shows that terrorism can go on indefinitely. We are fighting them over there so we don’t have to fight them over here? It took only twelve despicable individuals to cause three thousand innocent people to lose their lives. This can certainly happen now, regardless of whether or not we are fighting in Iraq. Meanwhile, billions of dollars that could be used to defend our airports and ports are tied up in a struggle that has a debatable effect on our security.
    It is time to have a reasonable debate on this topic. Only after the administration announces what their goals are for this conflict, can we begin an honest discussion over the merits. I am sure there are some very positive things being accomplished in Iraq, just as I am sure there are some negative things going on.  In the face of increasing deaths and violence, it is time we take a serious look at what our goals are in the Iraq War.

Friends of Gill
321 N. Center Street
Clinton, Il 61727
www.gillforcongress.com

The test of our progress is not whether we add to the abundance of those who have much. It is whether we provide enough to those who have little.
    Franklin D. Roosevelt

We have heard reports of a surging economy. But how is this number being measured? Sure the billionaires and millionaires are doing extremely well, but what about the average person? Wall Street prospers, while Main Street falters. They tell us the economy is doing great, but we look around, and do not see the same thing. Gas prices are high, and the cost of all petroleum based items is expected to increase in a few months. That means all products that have plastic, toothpaste, etc will cost more.

Now is the time for America’s enormous wealth to go toward America’s people. Instead of seeing zeroes added to the balances of the accounts of the wealthy, we need to see the needs of the people met. How can we say America is doing well when 45 million Americans lack health care?

The past turns into the present. The present turns into the future. The time of hopelessness is in the past. We, the people, control the present and therefore control our future. Progress is the nature of humans, and it is the soul of America. Those that insist on living in the past will remain there, alone and forgotten. Those of us that embrace change will live in a new world. We all know that America is greatest country in the world. It is now time for us to prove it.

Friends of David Gill

The right to vote is one of the most important rights we have as citizens of the United States of America. It is a right that is the foundation of our great democracy. It is the vehicle that we use to express our concerns, and an invaluable tool we have in voicing our desires. Many aspects of our government are dependent on our collective voting. Most importantly the election of our local, state and federal officials who govern our society.

     Throughout the history of our country, there have been many assaults on our voting rights by those who do not want to see liberty given to all. The 15th amendment was passed in order to ensure that all Americans would be able to exercise their right to vote. Opponents of democracy prevented many Americans from voting through legal loopholes, and it required the Voting Rights Act of 1965 to ensure that the voting rights of everyone were secure. Many provisions of the Voting Rights Act are set to expire in 2007. The current administration seems ambivalent to the fact that many Americans will be subject to restrictions and limitations to their right to vote. Irregularities in recent elections in such places such as Florida and Ohio have many people concerned with the government’s commitment to the voting rights of all Americans.

     As a congressman, I will fight for universal suffrage. The government must restore confidence in the democratic process. The expiring provisions of the Voting Rights Act must be renewed. I am also in support of paper trails for electronic voting machines. Only when we can guarantee that all votes are counted can we have complete confidence in our system. If we are to remain the model of democracy for the world, we must correct the problems that exist today. The indifference that our elected officials are showing in this area is inexcusable, and I will do all that I can to make sure we all are treated equally as citizens.

Dr. David Gill

The will of the people is the only legitimate foundation of any government, and to protect its free expression should be our first object.  – Thomas Jefferson

The will of the people is not being heard. The job of a Congressman is to give voice the will of his constituents. In our great country, we entrust our elected officials with responsibilities. A Congressman is elected by the people. A look at the major pieces of legislation passed recently shows who Congress actually represents. Many people are complaining about rising health care costs, rising energy prices, a faltering education system. Do we get health care reform, an energy bill that addresses the problem or a commitment to the education of our children? No. We get international trade agreements that benefit big business, a bankruptcy bill that further burdens consumers and tax cuts for the extremely wealthy.
    The price of health care is expected to rise by about $597 per person next year. Experts estimate the price of energy to continue to rise. Personal savings is at an all time low. The budget is out of control. And what legislation is the number one priority of the Republican controlled Congress? Elimination of the estate tax. As of 2005, the estate tax affects estates valued at 1.5 million dollars and over.
    The great thing about our government is ultimately, the power is in the hands of the people. The power is not in the hands of a few people who serve as mouthpieces for corporate America, but in the hands of the many. The everyday American is a tax paying, law abiding, and hard working citizen. It is time for all of us to band together, and demand our government quit playing politics with our future. We must remove officials who are unwilling to stand up for the common man, and replace them with ones who will. We have seen five years of a Republican controlled White House and a Republican controlled Congress. Have the will of the people been heard? There is an alternative. There is a future.

Brian Amoah
Friends of David Gill

    I grew up with a different definition of morals. Morals were not conveyed by words, but by actions. How can one say he or she supports the traditional family, and then make it impossible for the traditional family to survive? When we are seeing more and more families with parents who are working two jobs and still not able to afford health care, is the priority really to ensure that credit card companies collect money from those Americans who are finding it harder and harder to make ends meet?   

I grew up with a different definition of morals. Morals were not instilled in what you said, but in what you believed. How can one say they are a Christian when Christ himself said we will be judged by how we treat the least among us? The least among us are struggling. The least among us are not asking for much. They are asking for a chance to guarantee their children can go to the doctor, should they get sick. The least among us are asking that their children have the opportunity to obtain an education, should they want to succeed. The least among us are asking that the leaders of this country listen to them, should they make their voices heard.

I grew up with a different definition of morals. Morals were not something that could be altered, because they were something innate in your heart. Morals were the burning desire to see the world change for the better. Morals were the golden rule. Morals were making decisions that might not make you money. Morals were making decisions that might not make you famous.

Morals were saying you were wrong, but you would try to reconcile it. Morals were doing something you believed would make you a better person. Morals were doing something that you believed would make everyone around you a better person, and make this a better world. Most importantly, morals were the ability to look yourself in the mirror each and every day and say, “I have nothing to be ashamed of.”

They, the “experts,” said the last election was about morals:  “The Republicans won because of their moral clarity.”   “The Republicans won on a moral platform.”   “The Republican Party is a party of morals.”

I look at the leadership in Washington, and I wonder where real morals have gone.   They go out the door the second that the election is over.  I look forward to bringing real morals to the House, and I won’t leave them at the door as the Republicans are so fond of doing.

David Gill

Over the past month, many new and deeply troubling revelations about the GOP culture of corruption and cronyism have come to light. Rep. Tom DeLay, Sen. Bill Frist, and now Rep. Roy Blunt have been implicated in various scandals.  It is important to remember that Republicans, just over 10 years ago, entered into a contract with America that was supposed to represent a complete reversal of the Washington culture.  Today, we know Mr. DeLay himself has become one of the worst offenders driving the Washington culture towards further corruption.
In particular, Mr. Delay’s corruption has spilled out across the nation.  ARMPAC’s illegal, and immoral actions provided Republicans throughout the country with money that was used against their Democratic challengers.  Just in the last election cycle, our opponent Tim Johnson (R-15), received the largest ARMPAC contribution of any Illinois representative candidate.  The amount given to Mr. Johnson from ARMPAC was $25,000.  In rural Illinois, $25,000 is a significant amount of money for a campaign.  Local watchdog groups have called for Mr. Johnson to return the money as other Illinois Congressmen who received DeLay’s dirty money have done.  However, Mr. Johnson has yet to return the $25,000, or state his intention to do so.

Taking a look at some of our opponent’s donors during the last election cycle is quite an eye opener.  Overall, Mr. Johnson received nearly $287,000 from PACs. Some highlights include but are not limited to the following:  
Big Tobacco ($5000) – RJ Reynolds ($3000), Altria ($2000)
Big Oil ($7200) – Exxon Mobil ($1000)
Telecom ($9500)  – SBC Communications ($9500)
Gun Rights ($2000) – National Rifle Association ($2000)

After seeing that donor list, and adding in the $ 25,000 he received from Mr. DeLay, it is not surprising that Mr. Johnson voted with Tom DeLay 85% of the time.

If elected, Dr. Gill will serve as a true representative of the people of IL-15 and the American public as a whole.  Dr. Gill stands for creating a single-payer healthcare system that will eliminate unnecessary waste, and lead to affordable healthcare for every American.  As a practicing emergency room doctor, he is well aware of the fact that the healthcare system in our nation is in need of massive changes.  I refer you to the campaign website for further information on Dr. Gill’s healthcare plan.  

  Dr. Gill will not place the interests of big business or partisan politics above the interests of the people as it seems Mr. Johnson continues to do.  Help our campaign defeat Tim Johnson, and return the 15th district of Illinois to the constituents it rightfully belongs to.  Please consider donating to the campaign to help us challenge Tom DeLay’s biggest investment in the Illinois team of representatives.