Justification for Dan Stover Contributions

Danny Stover (IL-19) has fundraisers scheduled:

• Trivia Contest Fundraiser, Metropolis, IL, September 23, 2006, from 7 PM to whenever. To register a team, the campaign or send an e-mail!
• Party time at Ramone's, 1711 Collinsville Rd. (intersection of Collinsville Rd. and Rte. 157), Collinsville, IL, on Tuesday, October 3, 2006, from 5 to 7 PM. They will have the beer and nachos flowing. There is no cover charge for this event. Dan accepts donations of all sizes!

Dan has a new television commercial airing in Madison County. It costs $1,200.00 for just one airing on a local news program. Visit his website and click on video 3 to see his new commercial.

NOTE: The Downstate Democrats for Change held one. It was a blast!

If attend either fundraiser is impossible, here is the information for contributions. Send them directly to Dan (NOT the DCCC -- Dan gets NOTHING from them!).

Here is just one reason -- one of MANY reasons -- to contribute to the Stover for Congress Campaign and vote for him in November. This is a copy of a letter accounting a visit that Dennis Barker had with Republican incumbent Rep. John Shimkus in Washington:

Speaking Truth to Power
Report by Dennis Barker, Local 1899 Rapid Response Coordinator

Congressional Visit in Washington DC during the Steelworker National Rapid Response Conference with Congressman John Shimkus, from the Illinois 19th Congressional District. The meeting was held on June 21st in his congressional office.

Seven Steelworker Members from Sub District 2 attended the meeting. Local 1899 (2 members), Local 1063 (4 members) and Local 9189 (1 member).

The first issues we discussed was the Employee Free Choice Act (EFCA);

John Shimkus’ first comment on the EFCA was I hate this bill. We asked what his issues are with the bill. He said he wants to maintain the NLRB election process, that signing union authorization cards could be done under pressure or someone not understanding what they are signing. We then explained how a card check campaign works also we told him that Illinois already has card check for public employees. We told John that even in campaigns after authorization cards are signed it’s still very hard to get that first contract. We told Shimkus the story of the Monroe County Nursing Home that it took 7 years to get a contract and under the EFCA it would require arbitration after three months to resolve first contract issues. John said the EFCA would give to much power to workers and weaken business in an organizing drive and he believes that the current law is fair to each side. We told him that in over 30 percent of organizing drives result in union activist being fired and it takes 3 to 5 years for the NLRB to rule resulting in companies violating the law with no fear of penalties and that companies hire anti union law firms and hold captive anti union meetings. He did seem to indicate some willingness to consider fixing the problems that occur between the card signing and the NLRB election but was firm on maintaining the status quo of the present flawed NLRB election process.

We then presented him the EFCA petitions asking him to become a co-sponsor of the EFCA from all the Locals in the Sub District with over 1,600 names and letters from seven Local Union Presidents representing over 3,000 members urging him to become a co-sponsor. He responded by placing his hand on his forehead and said, Now here comes the pressure. At the end of our discussion on the EFCA John made it clear he would not become a co-sponsor nor would he support the EFCA if it comes up for a vote.

We then turned to Health Care. We asked if he would co-sponsor H.R. 676, introduced by Congressman John Conyers, which would provide a universal single payer health care system. He asked if everybody here was in favor of a universal health care system when we said yes he went right into the Republican talking points against it.

1. Why would anybody want a system where a Government Bureaucrat would decide what kind of treatment you would get?
2. Or a system that would have Government ration health care?
3. How would you pay for it?
4. For a universal system taxes would have to be raised.
5. His solution for solving the health care crisis is creating Health Savings Accounts (HSAs).

We answered each right wing point he raised;

1. We told him we don’t want Government to control health care decisions either we only want a system where Government has the administration of health care.
2. We want a system similar to Medicare that excludes no one, a system that has comprehensive coverage with Government cost controls.
3. The funding for a universal system would be the job of Congress and as a member that is part of his job to find the appropriate funding.
4. For revenue we told him a good start would be if Congress would not pass the elimination of the estate tax.
5. We told him that Health Savings Accounts would only increase the uninsured problem. For example only the well off, upper income families, could afford to put money in HSA accounts. When you take out the families who can afford the HSA’s of insurance pools then you will see insurance companies increasing the cost to families who can’t afford HSA’s the very families who are already struggling with high insurance premiums.

He then tried to compare the benefits of Health Savings Accounts care to driving an old car! He said when you drive an old clunker you only take out high deductible insurance and only repair the car if you have to. If people would treat health care like driving an old car it would reduce the cost for health care for everybody. And he said that he is not hearing the need for a universal system as he travels around the 19th Congressional District.

We told him that the problem is much worse than he is hearing about each year there are more and more families in his district living without any health care coverage.

The next topic was trade issues.

We told Congressman Shimkus there were two pending trade agreements being introduced by the White House one with Oman, a Middle Eastern County, and Peru. Both agreements are modeled after NAFTA. With record trade deficits and over 3 million manufacturing jobs lost in the last five years we asked if he would oppose these new trade deals. He replied, I am a free trader I’ve always have been a supporter of trade agreements. I will take a look at these if they are introduced.

We also talked about a new bill recently introduced that would ban the import of sweatshop goods. The Decent Working Conditions and Fair Competition Act, H.R. 5635, introduced in the House by Congressman Sherrod Brown (D) Ohio. Shimkus said he was not familiar with this bill but would take a look at it.

As usual John was not supportive of any of our issues and his AFL-CIO voting record is 25 percent and going downhill. The last thing we reminded him of was his broken promise to the voters of the 19th Congressional District to serve only 5 terms in office, which was his campaign promise in 1996. He replied, That is right I’m running again go ahead and put that out, that is what I promised in 1996 and I am running for a 6th term.

NOTE: Dan Stover, is on public record as supporting universal health care. Dan will also co-sponsor the EFCA if elected and he opposes the current failed free trade policies of the Bush Administration that are modeled after NAFTA.

Dennis Barker graciously gave permission to publish this letter. He recently has joined the Downstate Democrats for Change. The office location is 230 S. Buchannan in Edwardsville. 618-656-0370, ddfc@sbcglobal.net. The group invites every Democrat to contact them and join their fight to elect Dan Stover.

In November, EVERYONE can help John Shimkus keep his 1996 campaign promise of only serving SIX terms. Elect Dan Stover in November!

STOVER equals VOTERS!!!