Letters to the Editor in Madison County
Looks like John Shimkus is running from the voters again. It's one thing, Mr. Shimkus, to give interviews to symphathetic reporters. It's quite another to actually be accountable to the people who elected you. You should be ashamed.
Letter to the Editor - Collinsville Heral
Sunday, October 15, 2006 10:08 AM CDT
And this one:
And here's another couple of letters from voters - one from a veteran and graduate of West Point...
And this one:
If you go through the LTE's in the local papers, they're all for Stover, and yet the papers' editorial boards are endorsing Shimkus. The local establishment is doing everything it can to keep Shimkus in office, but if the mass quantity of letters to the editor and the massive numbers of people marching with Stover in the parades are any indication, there's genuine, grassroots energy in this campaign! People are excited, and working around the clock. We aren't going to let Shimkus coast into victory!
Are you?
Letter to the Editor - Collinsville Heral
Sunday, October 15, 2006 10:08 AM CDT
TO THE EDITOR:
Voter education is a hallmark of the League of Women Voters. Illinois voters have come to rely on the League to sponsor nonpartisan candidates' forums and debates, open to all, as an effective way to learn about the candidates and their platforms.
The League of Women Voters of Collinsville is disappointed that both Jay Hoffman (D-Collinsville), incumbent candidate for the 112th District in the Illinois General Assembly, as well as John Shimkus (R-Collinsville), incumbent candidate for the 19th District in the U.S. House of Representatives, have decided not to appear in a forum sponsored by the LWV-C on Oct. 16 prior to the Nov. 7 general election.
Hoffman, who agreed on Sept.25 to attend, changed his mind two days later. His scheduler stated that Hoffman would not commit until he heard whether his opponent, Carol Kugler, would be allowed to speak unopposed.
John Shimkus' scheduler stated that "given what happened this weekend," referring to the news of the resignation of U.S. Rep. Mark Foley's (R-Florida), Shimkus would probably not attend. He later said he would be out of town.
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One of the tenets of the League is "that democratic government depends upon the informed and active participation of its citizens." Both Shimkus' and Hoffman's decisions not to participate in the League's nonpartisan forum is a great loss for the voters of this community.
We hope that voters will see the importance of the information gained at these events and contact the candidates to encourage them to participate.
THE LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS
Collinsville
And this one:
Candidates who actually attended forum should have been heard
Wednesday, October 25, 2006 8:09 AM CDT
TO THE EDITOR:
The League of Women Voters recently held a forum for all current candidates. This is no easy task to present for the voters in this area, and due to bad weather, the attendance was not as expected. Worse still was the fact that two incumbent candidates refused to attend.
Our present federal representative for the 19th District, John Shimkus, was not there. His opponent, Danny Stover, was present but not allowed to speak because of League rules. Mr. Hoffman, our state representative was not present either, but his opponent, Carol Kugler, was there. I think we should let the people who show-up speak. Shame on Shimkus and Hoffman.
JACKIE PETERSEN
Collinsville
And here's another couple of letters from voters - one from a veteran and graduate of West Point...
TO THE EDITOR:
As a resident of U.S. Rep. John Shimkus' (R-Collinsville) hometown, and with two sons, both graduates of West Point, currently serving in Iraq, I felt compelled to share my thoughts concerning Shimkus' involvement in a situation that has been prominent in recent national news.
As graduates of the United States Military Academy, the congressman, as do my sons, wears a graduation ring with the inscription "duty, honor, country."
I find not honor, but flaw of character in the choices made by Shimkus as chairman of the committee overseeing young teenagers in the House Page Program. Although Shimkus was aware of previous questionable acts, he chose not to do the right thing.
Thoroughly investigating the improper predatory messages sent to current and past teenage pages and sharing this inappropriate disgusting behavior with the entire committee was his duty. Shimkus chose politics over family values when he chose to protect a prominent Republican Party fund-raiser, U.S. Rep. Mark Foley, who represents a wealthy Florida district.
The duty of any adult, much less a military officer, congressman and parent, would be to protect the children from this disgusting, sick individual. Shimkus' actions, or lack of, have harmed innocent children and inflicted more damage to the Republican Party than sharing the truth by exposing a pedophile using his public office to prey on young impressionable boys.
What's unbelievable is that Foley, an Internet child predator, was appointed chair of the House caucus on missing and exploited children. That, according to news reports, the Republican House staff warned the page class of 2001-2002 to stay away from Foley shows that Shimkus knew or should have known that children were in danger.
Shimkus' flaw of character not only dishonored the country, state and district, but dishonors generations of that "Long Gray Line" of West Point graduates whose leadership reflect their duty, their honor and our country.
CHAS MAYFIELD
Collinsville
And this one:
Candidate Danny Stover deserves your vote
Sunday, October 15, 2006 10:08 AM CDT
TO THE EDITOR:
For Illinois voters in the 19th U.S. Congressional District, the choice is crystal clear:
Danny Stover is pro-stem cell research. John Shimkus is not.
Danny Stover is pro-increasing the minimum wage. John Shimkus is not.
Danny Stover would vote against tax cuts for billionaires. John Shimkus voted for them.
Danny Stover would vote against despoiling one of our last major animal habitats, the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. John Shimkus voted instead to drill there, thus endangering its wildlife.
Danny Stover would vote for research to develop alternative fuel sources. John Shimkus voted instead to give tax breaks to giant oil companies, who have no reason to search for alternative fuel resources that would put them out of business.
Danny Stover would vote against salary increases for Congress until the minimum wage is increased. Shimkus has accepted $31,600 in raises for himself while voting against increasing the minimum wage for working families.
Danny Stover strongly supports our troops and believes they are performing valiantly. He does not support a mismanaged war. Shimkus supports Bush-Cheney-Rumsfeld in the most disastrous blunder in U.S. foreign policy history.
Danny Stover would vote for working families and the middle class. John Shimkus has voted in lock-step with the Bush-Cheney-Rove agenda for the super-rich. That could explain why Shimkus has received more than $1 million in donations from the super-rich and corporations.
In the Drum Institute Report on Public Policy, Shimkus' 2005 voting record on middle-class issues got a grade of 'F'. Danny Stover's voting record would have gotten a grade of 'A.'
There is much more, all of which shows why the working families of the 19th U.S. Congressional District have no voice and no representation in Washington. John Shimkus does not reflect their values.
Keep these thoughts in mind as you enter the voting booth.
SUSAN PENSONEAU
Collinsville
If you go through the LTE's in the local papers, they're all for Stover, and yet the papers' editorial boards are endorsing Shimkus. The local establishment is doing everything it can to keep Shimkus in office, but if the mass quantity of letters to the editor and the massive numbers of people marching with Stover in the parades are any indication, there's genuine, grassroots energy in this campaign! People are excited, and working around the clock. We aren't going to let Shimkus coast into victory!
Are you?
