We choose Foster (Algonquin Countryside editorial)
February 28, 2008
(Algonquin Countryside/Pioneer Press) - We endorse Bill Foster in the special election Saturday, March 8, to replace retiring 14th District U.S. Rep. Dennis Hastert.
We pick Foster over GOP businessman James Oberweis because we believe Foster's views are more in line with the mainstream voters of the 14th District and Algonquin.
Foster wants the United States to withdraw troops from Iraq sooner rather than later, mentioning that he would like to see withdrawal of U.S. troops accomplished in a period of eight to 16 months. Oberweis believes we should remain in Iraq, viewing the war there as necessary for our security.
Foster believes health care should be more affordable and insurance should be more accessible to more Americans, pointing to the many dollars wasted in insurance-company bureaucracies. We believe that is better than Oberweis' belief that the marketplace will make insurance costs and medical procedures affordable.
And while both men tout their credentials as businessmen, Oberweis' view to make President Bush's tax cuts of 2001 and 2003 permanent seems wrong to us in a time when the country is running a huge budget deficit.
Foster also believes any future Social Security shortfalls can be fixed in a bipartisan manner without drastically changing the program.
Oberweis would like to see younger people have the ability to create small investment accounts. We believe Foster's view has been tried and tested over time.
We believe Foster's position is correct on the renewal of the Protect America Act. Foster believes we should hold telecommunications companies accountable if they spied on or enabled spying on American citizens. Oberweis is reluctant to do so, concerned that it would inhibit cooperation from communications companies in the future.
Though Oberweis spoke about immigration problems when running for U.S. Senate in 2002 and 2004, long before it was a hot-button issue, his solutions are vague and punitive. His answers to most issues are to passively contend the marketplace will solve problems.
We don't believe that Oberweis' conservative rhetoric is enough. It would not well represent the 14th District or Algonquin.
So, we urge you to vote for Foster.