Posted on 10/21/2002 3:03:01 PM PDT by spintreebob
CHICAGO -- In a contentious and rare mutual appearance, the three candidates for south suburban's State Senate District 15 slugged it out on Chicago area's WYLL AM 1160's last Thursday.,?p>
The debate reflected the race that is heating is up between incumbent Democrat State Senator William Shaw, and challengers Republican Thornton Police Chief Phil Arnold and Rev. James Meeks, pastor of the Salem Baptist Church and heir-apparent of Jesse Jackson Sr's group Operation PUSH
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The leading issue discussed on the afternoon was education. Senator Shaw stated that taxpayers will willingly fork over greater amounts of tax dollars to support education initiatives.
"I don't think working people have an issue at all if they pay a little more to know that kids are getting educated," stated Shaw.
"There must be accountability with the monies raised," objected Meeks, "we (Salem Baptist Church) have seen to it that every 3rd grader in the worst school in our district has individual tutors and we are trying to get their reading levels to at or above grade level."
When pushed on the pro-family issues the differences were evident.
"I'm pro-choice, I believe that the government doesn't have a right to tell a woman what to do with her body," stated Senator Shaw.
"I'm the only true pro-family candidate in this race," said Chief Arnold. "I would like to know how Reverend Meeks will separate himself from his influential friends and their pro-choice positions."
"My friends are not me," said Meeks, "I have many friends with whom I disagree on a wide variety of issues, their beliefs are not mine. I have consistently preached against abortion and will not change my position on it."
On the issue of gambling, Reverend Meeks was the only candidate who said he would not approve of any Casino expansion into his district, Arnold and Shaw both said the matter would require more study.
Of audience members calling in to voice who they thought won the on-air debate, Rev. Meeks placed first, Arnold placed second and Senator Shaw placed third.
The listners are overwhelmingly Bible believing Bible thumpers. But a few conservative non-Bible thumpers and quite a few "liberal" Bible thumpers also listen.
Pro-Family friends of the most conservative (and losing) candidate for governor are very friendly to Rev. Meeks. A year ago, Rev. Meeks tried to reach out to the fundamentalist regular Republicans at the other end of the Crook county suburbs with friendships developing. Meeks is probably an economic liberal...but very open to not only school choice, but other forms of economic choice that would benefit his 55% Black mosttly suburban area. For most voters, Shaw's corruption is the real issue.
Could Meeks be the swing vote in organizing the State Senate?
I have never in my life met a liberal Bible thumper. Could you describe one?
I have never in my life met a liberal Bible thumper. Could you describe one?
Back in the Ogilvie era, Black independent/liberal Dems Sens. Charlie Chew and Dick Newhouse organized with the Republicans. As anti-Daley independents, they weren't going to get any scraps from the table anyway.
Of course, our Republican Leader Lee Daniels voted for the Dem Redmond for Speaker of the House during that same era.
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