Home › Blogs › Carl Nyberg's blog

presentation on behalf of Brad Schneider to NDFA members at August meeting

September 6, 2012 - 2:36pm — Carl Nyberg

On August 14, Ram Villivalam, the political director of Brad Schneider's congressional campaign spoke to a crowded room (about 60 people) at the Lincoln Restaurant.

In an email after the presentation Ram said he wanted to make the following points.

1. There are three huge policy differences between Brad and Congressman Dold
-Brad is 100% for marriage equality while Dold is only in support of civil unions
-Brad will protect our Great Lake, fight Republican attempts to defund the EPA, and stress the urgency to use renewable sources of energy. Brad has been endorsed by the League of Conservation Voters. Congressman Dold has an F from the Sierra Club.
-Brad is the only 100% pro-choice candidate and has been endorsed by NARAL Pro Choice America. Congressman Dold voted to defund Planned Parenthood 6 times.

2. The district is completely different from 2010.
-30% of the new 10th is the old 8th where Joe Walsh currently represents and that portion we got voted 51-46 for Melissa Bean in 2010, the worst Democratic year for Democrats in a generation. Furthermore, since those voters are currently represented by Joe Walsh, they have a lot of buyer's remorse and Bob Dold can be easily tied to Joe Walsh due to their similar voting records.
-60% of the new 10th is the old 10th where Dan Seals beat Congressman Dold by 7 points.
-5% of the new 10th is the old 9th where Congresswoman Schakowsky won by 19 points.

3. Brad would have voted for the Affordable Healthcare Act. He does not think we should repeal it. We should take the good and leave the bad. Bob Dold voted to repeal the Affordable Healthcare Act 33 times.

4. As a Member of Congress, Brad would use his 25 years of experience of creating and developing jobs with family owned businesses to help small businesses create jobs so people can gain employment and provide for their family.

[End quoting from Ram's email]

After Ram's presentation which did emphasize electability, there were some questions about issues.

One question was about health care. Ram said Schneider did not like certain provisions of the Affordable Care Act, but would not vote to repeal it. IIRC, Ram indicated that Schneider was not satisfied with how the ACA treated small businesses.

Bob Rosenstein asked about Schneider giving money to Kirk and other Republicans. Ram said Schneider was part of an organization giving money is Israel supporting members of Congress. Schneider gave to Republicans and said that in exchange some Republicans gave to Democrats.

Since Schneider's literature starts with a big quote about making the economy work for the middle class, I asked about how Schneider envisioned do this. Ram responded with "jobs", but didn't articulate a specific plan or program that would create jobs.

NDFA rules require* that NDFA wait for one month before deciding to endorse a candidate. Brad Schneider will be eligible for endorsement at the September meeting.

* with a 90% vote of NDFA's "voting members" the rules can be suspended and a candidate endorsed immediately. But there's a window of time after the meeting that voting members can vote on the decision to endorse or not. Read the bylaws if you have questions.

Comments

September 10, 2012 - 12:24pm — Barry Aldridge

Not an NDFA Democrat

When I asked his representative what "healthcare reform" means to Mr. Schneider, the answer did not include "public option" or "single payer," but support for the ACA. This should be a sign to all Progressives that this candidate is not one of us and does not deserve NDFA's endorsement.

I am very upset that NDFA endorsed Tammy Duckworth because she is a top-down party operative, helicoptered into the race. This is the second time she has disrupted a successful Democratic campaign at the last minute.

For NDFA is it not good enough to endorse someone just because she is a Democrat and we want to retake the House so badly in November. We must also focus on electing Democrat NDFA can be proud of. It may mean fewer "victories" over time, but the ones we achieve become all the sweeter - as with Ald. Arena.

September 9, 2012 - 10:13pm — Carl Nyberg

applying NDFA's mission to Brad Schneider

Northside DFA supports socially progressive, fiscally responsible and ethically committed Democrats.

Does Schneider seem socially progressive?

Does Schneider seem fiscally responsible?

Does Schneider seem ethically committed?

September 9, 2012 - 11:04pm — Carl Nyberg

fiscally responsible?

I think it's pretty clear Schneider supported the United States invading Iraq. Schneider contributed to Kirk in the 2002 and 2004 election cycles when the Iraq War was the big issue.

It does make it hard for me to buy Schneider as being fiscally responsible that he supported invading Iraq and almost assuredly supports the United States bombing Iran.

I looked up Schneider's donation history on Open Secrets. Leaving out the Republicans, these are the Dems Schneider gave to multiple times. (I may have missed a U.S. Senator or two that got two donations.)

Tammy Baldwin-2
Melissa Bean-9 (Blue Dog)
Dick Durbin-4
Jay Footlik-2
Bill Foster-3 (Blue Dog)
Baron Hill-9 (Blue Dog)
Steny Hoyer-2

It seems Schneider naturally gravitates toward Blue Dog Democrats, who are usually the worst on fiscal responsibility.

September 9, 2012 - 10:24pm — Carl Nyberg

socially progressive

Schneider comes out of the AIPAC camp, the hardline part of the Israel Lobby.

The government of Israel and it's allies in the corporate media have been pushing for the United States to use military force against Iran.

The Bush administration invading Iraq showed clearly how going to war undermined the progressive agenda in a broad-based way. It wasn't just on foreign policy, but on everything the national discourse shifted to the Right.

Israel asking for the United States to start a war against Iran--a war not remotely in the interest of the United States--makes it hard for me to support someone from AIPAC going to Congress. And ever if Schneider intended to be a progressive, it would undermine progressive policies to help the Israel Lobby to get its war against Iran.

September 9, 2012 - 11:10pm — Carl Nyberg

does Schneider want to raise taxes on lower income earners?

When I was reading Schneider's position on "fiscal reform" I noticed his website says, Everyone must have a stake in setting our priorities as well as supporting the costs.

To me this sounds like Schneider buys into the GOP argument that the federal government should reduce the standard deduction so that government can broaden the tax base.

See http://schneiderforcongress.com/issues/fiscal-reform/

September 9, 2012 - 10:36pm — Carl Nyberg

whom are the social relations Schneider values?

Those of us who have been involved in politics have seen people elected as progressives become more and more part of the establishment camp. It's just easier for politicians to accommodate those in power.

The countervailing force is to keep strong personal relationships with the grassroots. Ald. John Arena is particularly good at this.

Schneider did not appear in person at Northside DFA. And NDFA has endorsed candidate who sent representatives in the past. But those endorsements went to Sen. Barack Obama, who was running for POTUS and Gov. Pat Quinn, who was running for re-election. They were arguably... busy.

Schneider is a full-time candidate who lives in the Chicago area. NDFA explained to his campaign that the odds of endorsement would be higher if Schneider made the ask himself. Schneider's campaign chose to send a representative.

I can accept prioritizing Schneider's campaign this way.

But Schneider did something worse in the primary.

Tenth Dems had its convention at Vernon Hills High School. There were approximately 200 dues paying members and other people involved in politics there.

Almost all Dem candidates for a whole bunch of offices attended and made their case. Schneider was the only candidate for Congress who declined to attend.

This shows that Schneider does not prioritize having a relationship with Dem activists in his own district.

Even if I accept Schneider is sincere about being a progressive (and I'm skeptical), Schneider has chosen to lead his life and conduct his campaign in a way that his relations to rank-and-file Democrats are weak and his relations to people with money and insiders are stronger.

This leaves him vulnerable to being flipped against progressives.