U.S. Senator Russ Feingold

- Voted against the Iraq War;
- Voted against the civil liberties-depriving Patriot Act;
- Supports Health Care for All Americans; and is
- A Potential Presidential Candidate who believes "It's time to stand up - not to cheer, but to fight back."

Wisconsin Senator Feingold also believes in connecting with real people like you. Each year since he was elected to the U.S. Senate he has held open meetings in each of Wisconsin's 72 counties "to listen to people's concerns and answer their questions."

Read Rick Klau's take on the Herald endorsing Chris Kachiroubas for his "comprehensive agenda."

See Hiram Wurf's take on the Herald endorsement of Chris Kachiroubas.

Last, but not least, see Rob Freedman's take on the endorsement of Chris Kachiroubas.

Our collective conclusion? Rob Freedman should have been endorsed hands down. Go to Rob's site, and that of his opponent - the choice is clear.

I'm back from attending a Northern Illinois Chinese Association (NCA) forum on Elections and Chinese Americans held at the Truth Lutheran Church in Naperville, in the old Nichols library building downtown. It was both an informative and really a very pleasant event. I met a number of people I already knew from my Howard Dean campaign days including Nancy and William Chen, and Harry and Chinmei Lee, plus a few people I knew from a great meeting in Woodridge graciously hosted at the Lee's home, during Dean's campaign. I also met quite a number of new people including Tong Jen Fu, president of the NCA and Alice Chen, the NCA's past president.

The first half of the event featured State Senator and DuPage Republican Party Chairman Kirk Dillard, speaking for the GOP, and Naperville Township Democratic Party Chair Rick Klau, speaking for the Democrats. The topic was why voters should join the Republican or Democratic Party and what the party represents.

Dillard, speaking for the Republicans, gave a very able 20 minute speech that often referenced Lincoln and Reagan. He based much of his talk on what Arnold Schwarzenegger, the Austrian immigrant bodybuilder-turned-California Governor, said at the Republican National Convention about his experience in America. With the minor gaff of describing Austria as a formerly communist country (did he mean fascist or Nazi?), it was a well done presentation that was well received.

Rick went on second and described his own experience soon after September 11th. An Orthodox Jewish immigration lawyer friend had an innocent Muslim client that had disappeared for three weeks (seized by the FBI). The lawyer spoke with Rick and said that this point in history (i.e. after the Patriot Act) was going to be a time when children would ask their parents what they had done. Rick wanted to have a good answer. So despite a young family, he decided to get involved politically (first with Howard Dean's early campaign, then later in local Democratic politics). During a question and answer period he explained the importance of national issues that affect all Americans, like having quality jobs, adequate healthcare and union protections (particularly for low-wage earners like those at Wal-Mart), and he spoke to the need to get involved locally as well. He made the basic point that without good jobs people could not afford to live in Naperville. He urged the audience to get involved because it was the best way for them to get their interests, issues and concerns heard in the political process. The audience received Rick's speech well.

The Naperville Sun has a story about some of the costs of implementing President Bush's signature "No Child Left Behind" education plan.

Two Costs The Sun Lists (Outside of Staff Time Spent Not Teaching -- the cost that matters):

Naperville District 204
software upgrades
$229,500

Naperville District 203
substitute teachers cost
permitting curriculum review
up to $200,000

Remember, these are only two of a number of implementation costs we're paying for at the local level, since they aren't funded by the federal legislation. Contrast these costs with the costs to actually teach children.

Recently the Daily Herald ran a story called "Rethinking our way of living." The story focused on the affordability of Naperville housing (or rather the lack of it). Describing a report from the business and community oriented non-profit, Chicago Metropolis 2020, "The Metropolis Housing Index: Housing as Opportunity," the Daily Herald notes "[affordable] houses are [key] to economic, financial and especially educational opportunity." The report states: "It is an economic imperative: Workers must have housing choices close to job centers if our economy is to remain robust."