1996 Candidate Free Time; No. 102

<v Announcer>It's almost Election Day, and with television's political ads, commentary, soundbites and spin, you still may have no idea who deserves your vote. Invest 30 minutes and will help WTW Channel 11 is providing two minutes of free, unedited television time to major candidates for federal and local offices. Candidate Free Time allows candidates to speak directly to voters and gives voters a concise, unfiltered look at their choices. <v Announcer 2>Illinois's 8th Congressional District includes northwest suburbs of Chicago, up to the Wisconsin line. The candidates in Illinois's 8th Congressional District are Democrat Elizabeth Ann Hull and Republican Philip M. Crane. The order of the candidates appearance was determined by a coin flip. Elizabeth Hall is a Democrat from Palatine. She's currently a professor of English and director of the honors program at Harper College. She is 59 years old. <v Betty Hull>Hello, I'm Betty Hull, and I'm running for Congress in the 8th District as a graduate of Northwestern University, I was honored last year when their alumni association gave me their prestigious award of merit for contributions to my profession after earning my master's degree and doctorate from Loyola. I've been teaching for the last twenty five years at Harper College, the last eight years. I've also directed the honors program there. In all of Illinois's 20 congressional districts, there are only four women running for the major parties this year and all of us are facing incumbents unless one of us beats the odds against challengers in nineteen ninety seven. Illinois will have an all male delegation to the House of Representatives. I believe that both women and men of goodwill will regard that prospect as simply wrong. Putting myself through college and graduate school while supporting my two children, I learned the hard way, the virtues of the oil money down and no months to pay plan. From my personal experience in prioritizing expenses, I believe we can balance the budget and reap the dividends from retiring the interest on the national debt. In my experience, working with students, bipartisan community groups like the League of Women Voters and especially in dealing with diverse viewpoints in international professional organizations, I have learned the value of hearing everyone's voice and negotiating Win-Win solutions to complex problems. If you have been as appalled as I have at the shenanigans of the Congress under the leadership of Newt Gingrich, shutting down the government to play their little power games, trying to weaken the environmental laws, scrap gun control and cut welfare for the poor while increasing welfare for the rich, I ask you to support me with your vote on November 5th. <v Announcer 2>Philip Crane is a Republican from Wauconda. He's running for reelection as congressman of the district and is 65 years old.

<v Philip Crane>As a former US history professor, before I got into politics, I was able when I finally went to Washington, D.C., to put so many of the things that have occurred and are occurring and will occur into historical perspective. And frankly, I was beginning to grow gravely concerned over whether we were not squandering the future for our children and our grandchildren in this country, which still represents the world's last, best hope. And that was on two counts, primarily one spending and living beyond our means, watching this astronomical national debt, which really involves spending the future of our children and grandchildren. That has to be addressed and we're committed to doing that. The second, though, was the growth of Washington, D.C. and the intrusion of the inside the Beltway bureaucrats and our lifestyles in areas that have had a corrosive effect on the fundamental bedrock foundation of this republic. And that's religious and moral values we have indirectly with and unintentionally, I'm sure. But we have indirectly contributed to the breakdown of religious and moral values, which George Washington said were indispensable props to political prosperity. And there was unanimous agreement on that point by our founding fathers. I think that all Americans have to recognize Washington's intrusion is not a good thing in our lives. Bring the power back home. The history of liberty, as Woodrow Wilson said, as a history of limitation of governmental power, never the increase of it. When we resist concentration of governmental power, we are resisting the powers of death for the destruction of human liberty has ever been preceded by a concentration of governmental power. <v Announcer 2>Illinois's 9th Congressional District includes the north side of Chicago, along the lake plus near north suburbs. The candidates in Illinois's 9th Congressional District are Democrat Sidney Yates and Republican Joe Walsh. Sidney Yates did not participate in candidate free time. Joe Walsh is a Republican from Evanston. He's currently the development director and education reform director on leave from the Heartland Institute. He is 34 years old.

<v Joe Walsh>My name is Joe Walsh and I'm running for United States Congress. I've never run for office before. I'm a teacher and former social worker with a wife and three young children. I'm running against eighty seven year old Ninth District incumbent Cindy Yates, who was first elected back in nineteen forty eight. I'm running to show my students at Oakton Community College that government can work if elected. I will never, ever serve more than three terms. I want to go to Washington for six years, be an energetic advocate for the Ninth District and then return home to teach and be with my family. This is what a representative should be. Sid Yates comes back to his district less than any other congressman in America and among his colleagues, he's almost dead last in voting attendance past two years, he's missed crucial votes on issues like protecting the environment and balancing the budget. I can't remember the last time he campaigned for our vote, can you? I've heard Sid Yates is a nice man, but Republicans and Democrats should at least expect a congressman who shows up to vote and comes home every now and then. What can you expect from me? Well, like most of you, I'm concerned about the quality of our schools, the safety of our streets, the high taxes we pay, about how we're going to make Social Security and Medicare work for all of us. I work hard for you on these issues and I'll always vote. Since April, I've been riding my bicycle through every precinct in this district, from Morton Grove to Lakeview. I've met with thousands and thousands of voters. Just last week, I knocked on the door of an elderly woman in Rogers Park, loyal Democrat. Her whole life, she was genuinely offended that Sidney Yates had the nerve to run again and take her vote for granted. We talked and when she found out I was a Republican who didn't have horns, who wanted to protect the environment and respected a woman's right to choose, she said I'd have her vote. We can do better, she said. If we just start voting for good people, regardless of party who didn't want to make a career out of politics. Well, I agree. And with your help, we can do so much better. Vote for someone more like you on November 5th. Thank you. <v Announcer 2>Illinois's 10th Congressional District includes north and northwest suburbs along the lake to the Wisconsin border. The candidates in Illinois's 10th Congressional District are Democrat Phil Torf and Republican John E. Porter. The order of the candidates appearance was determined by a coin flip. Jon Porter is a Republican from Wilmette. He's running for reelection as congressman of the district and is sixty one years old.

<v John Porter>I'm John Porter. I'm privileged to represent some of the best educated and informed people in America. I'm proud of my record of fiscal conservatism, defense of human rights and the environment and moderate positions on such matters as abortion and gun control. My highest priority is ending federal deficits and the unconscionable transfer of debt to our children and grandchildren. I voted consistently for lower spending and against tax increases, a record praised by the National Taxpayers Union, the Great Commission, Citizens Against Government Waste and many others. This year, the Concord Coalition ranks me first in the Illinois delegation and in the top two percent of the entire Congress in voting for deficit reduction. As chairman of an appropriations subcommittee, I've worked to eliminate wasteful spending while maintaining funding for programs that work for people. For example, I substantially increased funding for biomedical research and investment that reduces health care costs and means healthier and longer lives for all Americans. As one of the so-called green Republicans in the Congress, I voted against efforts to weaken environmental protection and I led efforts to protect our ancient forests. I'm proud to be endorsed by the Sierra Club and to be highly rated by the League of Conservation Voters. I also support a woman's right to choose, but I oppose government involvement through taxpayer funding of abortion. On crime, I support tough penalties for offenders and reasonable gun control. I voted for the Brady Bill and the ban on assault weapons, and I opposed the repeal of these laws. America must be a nation of opportunity where we respect individual judgment, insist upon personal responsibility, and don't ask the next generation to pay our bills. These are the principles I believe in and fight for in Washington. I want to thank the people of northeastern Illinois for the privilege of representing them in the Congress. <v Announcer 2>Phil Torf is a Democrat from Northbrook. He's an attorney and a pharmacist and is 44 years old.

<v Phil Torf>I'd like to thank Channel 11 for giving me the opportunity to speak with you today. The reason why I'm running for Congress is because of Newt Gingrich's contract on America, not the contract with America, but the contract on America that had no vision or fairness built into it. I'm also running because John Porter, my congressman, voted with Newt Gingrich eighty seven percent of the time. And I voted for Porter. I was very surprised when I saw those statistics. I believe that President Clinton's plan to lead us into the next century is fiscally sound. He has a vision and is fair for everyone. But for President Clinton's plan to work, he needs a Democratic Congress. We must balance the budget. We must provide for education for all of our students and all of our adults. And we also have to address health care. Education should be affordable and accessible to everyone, whether it's the elementary school, the middle school or high school or college. Parents in my district shouldn't have to worry about taking a second mortgage on their house to pay for their kids education. We also need an educated workforce to compete in the global economy, which is just around the corner. With my experience and in health care, I've seen the strengths and weaknesses of the health care system, we need affordable health care for everyone, regardless of preexisting conditions, regardless of age, and regardless of your employment status. And finally, and perhaps most importantly, we need serious campaign reform in this country. The voices of corporations pay special interest groups and wealthy contributors are drowning out the voices of the voters in this country. Once we quell these noisy voices, the voices of the voters will rise and the legislators will hear it and hopefully implement policy, which will reflect the voter's needs and wants. The 10th Congressional District has of choice for a change. They can either vote to maintain the status quo in Washington and not see any progress in this country at all. Or they can vote for me on November 5th. I'll make one campaign promise. I will be honest. I'll do my best and I'll always be there for you to knock on my door. Thank you. <v Announcer 2>Illinois's 11th Congressional District includes portions of Southern Cook, Will, Kankakee, LaSalle and Grundy's counties. The candidates in Illinois's 11 congressional district are Democrat Clem Balanoff and Republican Jerry Weller. The order of the candidates appearance was determined by a coin flip. Klemm Balanoff is a Democrat from Chicago. He's a small business owner and is 43 years old.

<v Clem Balanoff>Hello, I'm Clem Balanoff, Democrat for Congress from the 11th District, my wife, Virginia, and I have been married for 15 years and have two wonderful children, Monica and Clement. One night last week, after putting them to bed, Virginia and I sat at our kitchen table and wondered what the future holds for them. Will they have clean air to breathe and safe water to drink? Will good jobs be available so they have a chance to succeed? And most importantly, will their children be raised in a country that still provides hope and opportunity for all Americans, not just the rich and privileged? As a state representative, the first of all I sponsored was to raise the minimum wage in Illinois. I expanded the safe school zones, setting tougher penalties for criminals peddling drugs near our schools. I fought successfully to shut down a toxic waste incinerator that was just five blocks from a grammar school in a neighborhood where basements had flooded for 40 years. I worked with residents to win an 11 million dollar sewer project. Now, when it rains, their basements are dry. I'm proud to have earned top ratings from the Illinois State Council of Senior Citizens, the Illinois Education Association, the National Organization for Women, the Illinois Environmental Council and the AFL-CIO. I believe that what's best for working families is what's best for America. That's why I'm a Democrat and that's why I'm running for Congress. My opponent, Jerry Weller, like his leader Newt Gingrich, has a different vision for America. He believes that tax breaks for the wealthy are more important than Medicare for our senior citizens. He believes that catering to the gun lobby is more important than keeping assault weapons off our streets. He believes that getting his PAC money from corporate polluters is more important than ensuring fresh air and clean water for the rest of us. And he believes a woman should not have the right to choose. My opponent is wrong. If you live in the 11th District, which includes Will, LaSalle, Kankakee and Grundy counties and parts of southern Cook County, you will have the opportunity on November 5th to help regain a Democratic seat by voting for Clem Balanoff. With your vote, you will be saying yes to a brighter future and know to Newt Gingrich. Thank you very much. <v Announcer 2>Jerry Weller is a Republican from Morris. He's running for reelection as congressman of the district and is thirty nine years old.

<v Jerry Weller>Hello, my name is Jerry Weller, and I'm running for reelection to Congress for the 11th District in Illinois, which includes portion of Southern Cook, Will Kankakee, LaSalle and Grundy Counties. It's one of the most diverse districts in Illinois. For the last two years, I've been working hard to make a difference. As your representative, I'm proud of what we've accomplished. We've passed legislation making Congress live under the same laws as the rest of America. We passed the five thousand dollar adoption tax credit to encourage loving families to adopt, gave the president the line item veto and we provided tax relief for working families and small business. We also passed welfare reform that promotes work and personal responsibility and passed affordable health care reform that will help twenty six million Americans. Perhaps most importantly, we proved that we could balance the budget over seven years while still lowering taxes for working families, protecting and strengthening Medicare, and increasing funding in key areas such as education. This was the first balanced budget to reach the president's desk in twenty seven years. We are on track and have succeeded in reducing the deficit by 70 billion dollars, the lowest in 14 years, and have eliminated over two hundred and seventy unnecessary governmental programs on the local level. My legislation redeveloped. The Joliet arsenal will mean nineteen thousand acres for the midday when National Tallgrass Prairie, a thousand acres for a national veteran's cemetery and three thousand acres for job creation and development. Other local projects I've been working on include working to revitalize older suburban communities through promotion of homeownership, affordable housing and brownfield initiatives, as well as helping to establish the common ecological park in the south suburbs to promote open space, recreation and wildlife habitat. We face great challenges and I'm committed to changing how Washington works. I believe we must work to protect our children's future by balancing the budget and creating good jobs, securing our neighborhoods by holding criminals accountable, saving and strengthening Medicare, and continuing to look out for local concerns like the Joliet Arsenal redevelopment. Thank you. And I ask for your support. <v Announcer 2>Southwest of Chicago, Illinois's 13th congressional district includes portions of DuPage, Will and Cook counties, the candidates in Illinois's 13th congressional district are Democrat Susan W. Hynes and Republican Harris W. Fawell. The order of the candidates appearance was determined by a coin flip. Harris Fawell is a Republican from Naperville. He is running for reelection as congressman of the district and is 67 years old.

<v Harris Fawell>I'm here as well, and it is my privilege to represent the 13th District in Congress, this Congress has been a productive one. The very first day the House passed reform ideas that I introduced six years ago to bring Congress under the same workplace laws that apply to the private sector in the first 18 months of this Congress. Thirty four bills I sponsored or co-sponsored passed the House and 12 are now law. I'm probably best known for my record on balancing the budget. While I believe our children should inherit the American dream, not the American debt. But I'm more than just a balanced budget guy. I was a principal author of health insurance reform legislation, which is now law, and it'll help many Americans who have preexisting medical conditions. We need to do more, though. Another bill I moved through, the House makes health insurance more affordable to small businesses, allowing up to 20 million uninsured Americans to be able to get coverage. The bill didn't make it in the Senate, but next year will be different. I've signed up the new Senate majority leader, Trent Lott, to sponsor it over there in the Senate. But I'm more than just a health reform guy, too. As chair of a key House subcommittee, I led efforts to reform nineteen thirties era labor laws to make them better meet the needs of today's working families. These reforms emphasize flexible work schedule, education, training and cooperation between employers and employees. I've also been able to move legislation that protects and expands worker's hard earned pensions. I represent a district where the strong family is still fashionable. I worked for legislation that strengthens adoption in child care, college loans, Headstart and assistance to senior citizens. And while I serve in Congress, I'm not a Washington guy. I'm a lifelong resident of this district. My wife Ruth and I raised three children and we have eight beautiful grandchildren. I'm honored to represent you and I ask for your support on November 5th. Thank you. <v Announcer 2>Susan Hynes is a Democrat from Naperville. She's currently a business owner and is forty seven years old.

<v Susan Hynes>I'm Susan Hynes and I want you to know why I'm running for Congress. My everyday routine is shared by many families in my district. I get my kids off to school and then head for a job running my own business. Throughout a day of phone calls and meetings, I worry about the really important things, like whether my children are safe and learning in school, whether my eighty one year old father can count on Medicare to pay his doctor bills, and whether my husband and I can afford to send our children to the college of their choice, I worry whether the politicians in Washington are going to keep making it tougher for our families to make ends meet. I know we can balance the budget and cut the deficit without hurting people. I will fight against efforts to cut Medicare. As a business owner, I know high taxes choke economic growth. As a homeowner trying to balance the family budget, I know it would be easier if government ran more efficiently and took less out of our paychecks. I will support tax cuts targeted at the middle class families and look for cuts in wasteful government spending. I support making college tuition and daycare expenses tax deductible, helping families work today and build for tomorrow. I will fight efforts to cut student loans and Head Strart. Unlike my opponent, I support the tough nineteen ninety four crime bill. I will hold politicians to their promise to toughen sentences for violent crime and put one hundred thousand new police officers on the street. Unlike my opponent, I will fight cuts in drug free and safe school programs. I will fight for real family values, like passing tougher laws to combat domestic violence. I will take on insurance companies that force women out of the hospital too soon after giving birth. And I support a national computerized effort to track down deadbeat parents who refuse to pay child support. Unlike my opponent, I will fight to keep environmental laws strong, maintaining and improving our air and water quality. That's why I'm running for Congress to stand up for families like yours and mine. I'm Susan Hynes, and I need your vote in November to bring real leadership and new vision to the 13th Congressional District. Thank you. <v Announcer 2>West of Chicago, Illinois, 14th Congressional District includes Kane, Kendall, DeKalb and Lee Counties and portions of DuPage and LaSalle counties, the candidates in Illinois's 14th Congressional District are Democrat Doug Mains and Republican Dennis Hastert. Dennis Hastert did not participate in candidate free time. Doug Mains is a Democrat from West Chicago. He's currently an orthopedic surgeon and is 62 years old.

<v Doug Mains>It is time for a non career politician to step up and offer to serve in the US Congress, someone who knows firsthand the challenges we all face. As an orthopedic surgeon who has cared for patients for more than 30 years, I am concerned about the forty one million Americans without any health care insurance. Unlike others, I support Medicare, I know it works. I have treated thousands of Medicare patients. I also know firsthand its deficiencies, which, if elected, I can help fix. I know tobacco is addictive, and I will stand firm against tobacco companies targeting our nation's children. I firmly agree with the Brady bill and the assault weapons ban, we must keep deadly weapons designed to kill human beings out of the hands of criminals and gangs. I am an environmentalist, I believe we must protect America's natural resources for our families and for our future. I will vote to enforce and streamline our current environmental standards. I am a fiscal conservative and support the balanced budget amendment. I agree with the president that targeted tax cuts are needed to support education. I do not agree with Senator Dole's huge tax giveaways, which surely will increase our debt or require untenable cuts in research, health care, the environment and education. Fellow surgeon and former Surgeon General C. Everett Koop says America's moral decline is caused by three factors loss of personal responsibility, greed and racism. I agree. I refuse to take special interest PAC money, which I believe is corrupting our political system. I'm running in the public's best interest and not for the special interests if elected to the US Congress. I will serve with integrity and work for the common good of our nation. Al <v Announcer 2>U.S. senators are elected to six year terms and candidates must be at least 30 years old, the winner of this race will replace retiring Senator Paul Simon. The candidates for U.S. Senate from Illinois are Democrat Dick Durbin and Republican Al Salvi. The order of the candidates appearance was determined by a coin flip. Al Salvi is a Republican from Mundelein. He's currently a state representative and is 36 years old.

<v Al Salvi>Hello, my name is Al Salvi and I'm running for the United States Senate, my thanks to Channel 11 for giving me this opportunity. My campaign is based on a simple premise. I believe in less government, lower taxes and more freedom. I want to represent the hardworking families of Illinois who feel their government in Washington is too big and unresponsive. I want to represent families who feel their taxes are too high and who worry about the debt we're leaving to our children. You know, our national debt now exceeds five trillion dollars. That burden is the result of Washington career politicians failing to do what every Illinois family must do live within their means. The interest on our national debt is now the largest item in the federal budget. How do we rein in out-of-control spending? The simple fact is we no longer can trust career politicians to do the job. That's why I support a constitutional amendment to balance the federal budget. Paul Simon and Carol Moseley Braun support the balanced budget amendment. My opponent is not. While our country goes deeper into debt, our tax burden has never been greater. I support reducing the tax burden on Illinois families. When he was president, John Kennedy cut taxes which revitalize the private sector and actually increased revenues to the federal government. Ronald Reagan cut taxes and produced the same results, doubling revenues. And in creating a booming economy. However, the painful lesson of the eighties was that while revenues increased, government spending was recklessly out of control. I want to break the cycle of higher taxes, runaway government spending and increasing debt. If Washington doesn't cut spending and pass a balanced budget amendment, government won't have the money it needs to do the things it should like help our seniors, educate our children and fight crime. I want government at our side and not on our backs. I want to be a senator for all the people of Illinois. My name is Al Salvi and I'm asking for your vote. <v Announcer 2>Dick Durbin is a Democrat from Springfield. He is currently the congressman from Illinois's 20th Congressional District and is fifty one years old.

<v DIck Durbin>I'm Dick Durbin. My decision to give up my congressional seat to run for the United States Senate is based on my belief that this election offers an historic choice between the Gingrich Dole agenda and a more positive, hopeful agenda for Illinois' working families. My mother is eighty seven years old. I know how much seniors rely on Social Security and Medicare to have a retirement they can enjoy, not fear. That's why I led the fight against Newt Gingrich's plan to cut Medicare benefits to pay for tax breaks for the wealthy. And I've also always voted to protect Social Security. Mom and dad worked for the railroad. Dad died of cancer when I was 14. Without student loans, I could have never made it through college. A good education is the key to getting a good job. I worked to stop Republican plans to cut student loans for working families and their efforts to abolish the Department of Education. Now I'm working for a tax cut that will help middle income families pay for vocational school, community college or a university education. I voted for welfare reform and I supported the president's anticrime bill that put hundreds of new police officers on the streets of communities throughout Illinois. I was a strong supporter of the Brady Bill and the assault weapons ban. And along with Senator Paul Simon, I enacted legislation that prevents convicted felons from regaining their right to own a gun. My opponent, Al Salvi, disagrees with me on most of these issues. Al Salvi endorses Gingrich's plans to cut Medicare benefits. And Al Salvi wants to privatize Social Security, which could threaten the guarantee of a secure income for many seniors. Al Salvi wants to abolish the Department of Education, and he even wants to change the law to make assault weapons legal again. Choice is clear. Al Salvi will fight for Newt Gingrich's agenda. But as the United States senator from Illinois, I'll fight for you. <v Announcer>We hope candidate free time will help you make informed decisions at the polls. Most importantly, exercise your right and privilege to vote on Tuesday, November 5th.

<v Announcer 2>The candidates statements are their own, and WTTW is in no way responsible for the content.