Let me start by registering my annoyance with Chicago Board of Elections. The website does not provide sample ballots as of Friday, October 24 and the list of write-in candidates is for the March, 2014 primary, not the November, 2014 general election.
Endorsements below the fold:
Crime Victims Rights Amendment--"No"
I asked an activist attorney, Alan Mills, and he recommended a "no" vote on Twitter.The problems people I know encounter with police and prosecutors mostly involve incompetence, racism, sloth, arrogance & corruption. Tinkering with the rights of crime victims doesn't fix these problems.
Crime victims already have rights in Illinois Constitution. If this approach worked so well, why the need to modify the Illinois Constitution?
Also, how does one get the designation "crime victim"? From a prosecutor, right? So, if the prosecutor doesn't want to extend "crime victim rights" to someone, s/he has an incentive not to charge a crime.
Voting Rights Amendment--"Yes"
Republicans have chosen to attack the voting rights of Americans from groups that vote Democrat more than Republican.
In a sensible era, the Department of Justice and federal courts would block this. We don't live in a sensible era.
The more states that protect voting rights, the more pressure on DOJ and federal courts to do their duty and protect the rights of US citizens.
US Senator--Hilaire F. Shioura (write-in)
Congress is behaving badly. I'm voting against Democrats & Republicans. And I think moving in the direction preferred by Libertarian Party would be a disaster.
Shioura is the only write-in candidate in Chicago & Cook County who will have votes tabulated because he registered as an "official" write-in candidate.
US Representative--Marcus Lewis (write-in)
I've talked to Marcus Lewis and he's a little different but his view of society and our local communities is progressive.
Rep. Robin Kelly was awful at her IVI-IPO endorsement session.
She started by talking about employers that had vacancies because applicants didn't have basic skills. When I asked her the next day on Twitter for names of these employers, she said it might not be currently true that they had job openings.
Also, on gun control Kelly was asked about getting draconian (30 year sentences) for possession of illegal firearm. Kelly said that wouldn't pass because Republicans controlled the US House.
Kelly came across as a lightweight who was partly ignorant and partly dishonest and had no interest in challenging people with power.
Governor Pat Quinn (Democrat)
Quinn has to govern Illinois with the buffoons he has in the Illinois General Assembly and the corrupt hacks on the editorial boards of Illinois' newspapers.
Within the context of the people Quinn has to work with, he's done a decent job.
Yes, the pension bill is an abomination.
Yes, charter schools are designed to siphon public money into pockets of 1% and open door to appointing political hacks as administrators (and maybe teachers).
But Gov. Scott Walker, Gov. Rick Snyder and Gov. Rick Scott have shown Republican governors can do a great deal of harm.
Pat Quinn ain't perfect, but I'm actually impressed that the big scandals Bruce Rauner is touting are patronage hires at IDOT and kids dying in DCFS care. If those are Quinn's biggest scandals, he's actually doing a pretty decent job governing.
Attorney General Ben Koyl (Libertarian)
AG Lisa Madigan is going to be re-elected. If the Libertarians get 5% in any statewide race, it will make it easier for their candidates to get on the ballot statewide in 2016. And we need more diversity on the ballot.
Secretary of State--Sheldon Schafer (write-in, Green)
The Green Party needs some love and encouragement. Secretary of State Jesse White has reached the point where he should probably let someone new take the reigns and bring in innovations, like he brought when he was first elected.
Comptroller--Sheila Simon (Democrat)
I like Sheila Simon.
Treasurer--Mike Frerichs (Democrat)
Gifford, Illinois has a population of 979. My parents lived there when I was born. Frerichs is from there.
Gotta vote for the guy from my original hometown, right?
Northside DFA has endorsed Quinn, Simon & Frerichs. I am on the steering committee of Northside DFA.
(more later)
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