Hanover Township 2010 Primary Election Candidates

Written by: Trudy Zaja on Nov 19, 2009 2:26 AM EST

Linked to groups: Hanover Township Democrats & Independents (HanDI)

Hanover Township Candidates as of November 18, 2009 for the 2010 Primary Election on February 2.

(Note R= Republican, G = Green Party)

Federal:

US Senator (R-9, G-1)

>“ALEXI” GIANNOULIAS

>DAVID HOFFMAN

>ROBERT MARSHALL

>JACOB J. MEISTER

>DOREY DABNEY

>CHERYLE JACKSON

>WILL BOYD, Jr

US Representative 6th District (R-1)

>BENJAMIN S. LOWE

US Representative 8th District (R-6, G-1)

>MELISSA BEAN

>JONATHAN FARNICK

Congressional 6th District Central CommitteeWoman

>Joan Brennan

>Christine Cegelis

Congressional 6th District Central CommitteeMan (G-1)

>Terrell Barnes

>Robert Wagner

Congressional 8th District Central CommitteeWoman

>Nancy Shepherdson

Congressional 8th District Central CommitteeMan 

>Steve Powell

State:

Governor (R-7, G-2)

>DANIEL HYNES

>PAT QUINN

>“DOCK” WALLS

>ED SCANLAN

Lt Governor (R-6, G-1)

>RICKEY HENDON

>TERRY LINK

>ARTHUR TURNER

>SCOTT LEE COHEN

>THOMAS CASTILLO

>MIKE BOLAND

Attorney General (R1-, G-1)

>LISA MADIGAN

Secretary of State (R1-, G-1)

>JESSE WHITE

State Comptroller  (R-3, G-1)

>RAJA KRISHNAMOORTHI

>DAVID MILLER

>“CLINT” KRISLOV

State Treasurer (R-1, G-1)

>JUSTIN OBERMAN

>ROBIN KELLY

>MARK DOYLE

State Senator 22ND DISTRICT(R-1)

>MICHAEL NOLAND

State Representative 43TH DISTRICT(R-1)

>KEITH FARNHAM

State Representative 44TH DISTRICT(R-1)

>FRED CRESPO

State Senator 28 TH DISTRICT(R-1)

>CORINNE PIERGO

State Representative 55TH DISTRICT(R-1)

>GREG BROWNFIELD

Cook County

Cook County Board President (R-2, G-2)

>TONI PRECKWINKLE

>TERRENCE O’BRIEN

>DOROTHY BROWN

>TODD STROGER

County Commissioner District 15 (R-1)

>JIM DASAKIS

County Assessor (R-1, G-1)

>JOSEPH BERRIOS

>ROBERT SHAW

>RAYMOND FIGUEROA

>“GENE” STAPLES

County Clerk (R-1)

>DAVID ORR

County Treasurer (R-1)

>MARIA PAPPAS

County Sheriff (R-1, G-1)

>THOMAS DART

>SYLVESTER BAKER

Board of Review Commissioner District 1 (R-2)

>BRENDAN HOULIHAN

Appellate and Circuit Court Judges to be listed later

Township Committeemen (R1-, G-1)

>JIM DASAKIS

>JASON PROVENZANO

>TRUDY ZAJA

Metro Water Reclamation District (R-2, G-3)

>BARBARA MCGOWAN

>MICHAEL ALVAREZ

>MARIYANA SPYROPOULOS

>TODD CONNOR

>STELLA BLACK

>WALLACE DAVIS

>“TEDDY” AGUILAR

>MAUREEN KELLY

>MARY ANN PSALEMI

>KATHLEEN O’REILLEY

>JERRY MARZULLO

>KARI STEELE

Regional Superintendent of Schools

Discuss

Trudy Zaja Adopted as Hanover Twp. Committeeman Candidate

Written by: Maureen Stabile on Oct 17, 2009 3:37 PM EDT

Linked to groups: Hanover Township Democrats & Independents (HanDI)

During the membership meeting on Monday, October 12, HanDI members unanimously voted to adopt Trudy Zaja in her bid for the office of Democratic Party Committeeman for Hanover Township. According to HanDI bylaws, adoption is a process whereby members commit not only to endorse a candidate, but to work actively on his or her behalf.

In 2006, Trudy helped to establish Hanover Township Democrats and Independents (HanDI), and has served as Chair of our organization.

As committeeman, Trudy will use her energy and experience to unite the Democrats of Hanover Township and continue inspiring citizens to become more involved in public life.

To learn more about Trudy and her campaign, visit her campaign site: http://trudyzaja.com

Discuss

Steering Committee Election Results Announced

Written by: Maureen Stabile on Sep 22, 2009 1:19 PM EDT

Linked to groups: Hanover Township Democrats & Independents (HanDI)

This message is from the 2009 HanDI Nominating Chair, Bonnie Mansfield:

At the regular monthly meeting of HanDI, September 14, 2009, there was an election of
Steering Committee members, with results as follows:
 
CHAIR
Trudy Zaja
 
CO-CHAIR
Maureen Stablie
 
SECRETARY
Herb Best
 
TREASURER
Linda Best
 
MEMBERSHIP CHAIR
Maureen Stabile
 
Congratulations and many thanks to the new officers for their past and future service!

Lack of health insurance linked to 45,000 U.S. deaths per year

Written by: Maureen Stabile on Sep 18, 2009 1:37 PM EDT

Linked to groups: Hanover Township Democrats & Independents (HanDI)

(CNN) -- A freelance cameraman's appendix ruptured and by the time he was admitted to surgery, it was too late. A self-employed mother of two is found dead in bed from undiagnosed heart disease. A 26-year-old aspiring fashion designer collapsed in her bathroom after feeling unusually fatigued for days.

Paul Hannum's family members say he probably would've gone to the hospital earlier if he had had health insurance.

What all three of these people have in common is that they experienced symptoms, but didn't seek care because they were uninsured and they worried about the hospital expense, according to their families. All three died.

Research released this week in the American Journal of Public Health estimates that 45,000 deaths per year in the United States are associated with the lack of health insurance. If a person is uninsured, "it means you're at mortal risk," said one of the authors, Dr. David Himmelstein, an associate professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School.

The researchers examined government health surveys from more than 9,000 people aged 17 to 64, taken from 1986-1994, and then followed up through 2000. They determined that the uninsured have a 40 percent higher risk of death than those with private health insurance as a result of being unable to obtain necessary medical care. The researchers then extrapolated the results to census data from 2005 and calculated there were 44,789 deaths associated with lack of health insurance.

For years, Paul Hannum didn't have health insurance while he worked as a freelance cameraman in southern California.

One Sunday, Hannum complained of a stomachache which alarmed his pregnant fiancée, Sarah Percy. "He wasn't a complainer," she said. "He's the type of guy who, if he got a cold, he'll power through it. I never had known him to complain about anything."

Hannum thought he had a stomach flu or food poisoning from bad chicken. On Monday, his brother saw him looking ashen and urged him to go to the hospital. "He had a little girl on the way," his older brother Curtis Hannum said. "He didn't want the added burden of an ER visit to hang on their finances. He thought 'I'll just wait,' and he got worse and worse."

Paul Hannum, 45, died on Thursday, August 3, 2006, from a ruptured appendix. His daughter, Cameron was born two months later.

Other studies have indicated that the uninsured are at greater risk of mortality than the insured. A 2007 study from The American Cancer Society found that uninsured cancer patients are 1.6 percent more likely to die within five years of their diagnosis than those with private insurance. In 2002, the Institute of Medicine estimated that lack of health insurance caused about 18,000 deaths every year.

The latest findings come amid the fierce debate over health care reform in the U.S.

Two authors of the Harvard study, Himmelstein and Dr. Steffie Woolhandler are co-founders of the Physicians for a National Health Program, which supports government-backed "single-payer" health coverage.

The National Center for Policy Analysis, which backs "free-market" health care reform, calls the Harvard research flawed.

"The findings in this research are based on faulty methodology and the death risk is significantly overstated," said John C. Goodman, the president of the NCPA in a statement. But Goodman did note there is "a genuine crisis of the uninsured in this country."

The lead author of the Harvard study, Dr. Andrew Wilper said he's confident in his and his colleagues' estimates. "It's consistent with the vast body of literature that has found reasonably similar findings," said Wilper, instructor in internal medicine at the University of Washington. "There's broad agreement in the health literature regarding this point."

Wilper said there is often fear from those, including his own grandmother, who don't feel well but avoid the hospital because it could mean financial catastrophe.

For 10 years, Sue Riek suffered from back pain, but couldn't afford medical care.

When a mid-life divorce left her single and without health insurance, Riek started a home-business selling make-up on eBay to support herself and her two daughters.

Riek, who lived in Charlotte, North Carolina, didn't qualify for Medicaid. And she couldn't afford a $5,000 monthly insurance premium, said her eldest daughter, Kaytee Riek.

"I don't know if she felt trapped, but it was a constant in her life -- struggling outside the health care system to exist," her daughter said.

Riek took comfort in her faith and regularly attended church. Then one Sunday, she didn't show up.

The next day, September 3, 2007, her daughter received the call telling her that her 51-year-old mother died from undiagnosed heart disease -- a condition treatable with lifestyle changes, medication and certain medical procedures.

"I feel incredibly strongly that she would still be alive if she had been able to regularly see a doctor," said her daughter.

It has become lethal to be uninsured, said Woolhandler, an associate professor of medicine at Harvard.

"If you can get good primary care for your high blood pressure, your high cholesterol, diabetes -- those don't have to be lethal conditions," she said. "If you fail to get good ongoing primary care, you may end up with complications and even death."

The ranks of the uninsured have grown, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. It says the number of Americans without health insurance rose to 46.3 million last year, up from 45.7 million in 2007. The percentage of the uninsured remained at 15.4 percent.

Young adults are more likely to be uninsured. Elizabeth Machol, 25, told her mother she felt tired. She had just moved into a new apartment in Santa Rosa, California, with her boyfriend and thought the fatigue was from the move and her cat Bert, who would keep her up at night.

A few days after their phone conversation, Machol collapsed in the bathroom. She never regained consciousness.

One day after her 26th birthday, Machol was declared brain dead.

After signing papers to donate her organs, her parents kissed her face, held her hands and said goodbye to the daughter who had played the violin, organized her own fashion show and taught neighborhood kids how to swim. The coroner's office could not determine the cause of death.

Six years after her death on September 22, 2003, her family wonders if things would've been different had she not feared the cost of going to the hospital.

"Maybe they would've found out what's wrong," her mother said. "I don't know if that would've saved her, but it would've been a chance to. There are people like Elizabeth -- young people who are starting out in life and they don't have options."

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How many lives did Ted Kennedy save?

Written by: Maureen Stabile on Aug 27, 2009 10:34 AM EDT

Linked to groups: Hanover Township Democrats & Independents (HanDI)

In the obituaries for Senator Edward Kennedy, the Chappaquiddick incident is invariably mentioned, as it should be. That dark night in 1969, he left a passenger for dead after driving – probably while intoxicated – off a bridge, and then he failed to notify authorities for many hours. Kennedy plead guilty to leaving the scene of an accident and was given a suspended sentence. But was that shameful incident the sole defining moment of his moral existence, as some detractors on the right would have it? I would prefer to judge Kennedy on the entirety of his time on this earth. While Kennedy directly caused the death of Mary Jo Kopechne, he indirectly saved many other lives by way of his public service and the legislation he helped to pass. Consider the following:

- the children and seniors who have received medical treatment thanks to the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (S-CHIP) and Medicare

- the racial minorities spared intimidation and violence because of the Civil Rights Act

- the legions of homeless who have found refuge through programs funded by the McKinney-Vento Act

- the handicapped who lead safer, more independent lives thanks to the Americans with Disabilities Act

- the newborn babies and ailing relatives who received life-sustaining care from workers granted time off through the Family and Medical Leave Act

- the women who have escaped domestic abuse thanks to the provisions of the Violence Against Women Act

- the people of color who have received new health information and treatment options because of the Minority Health and Health Disparities Research and Education Act

- the sufferers of mental illness who will receive insurance coverage for the treatment they need thanks to the Mental Health Parity Act

- the future ranks of American and allied soldiers, as well as Iraqi civilians, who will be spared death because the Iraq War, to which Kennedy rallied opposition, may finally be drawing to a close.

Ted Kennedy did not save one precious life when he very well could have. But he did save the next life. And the next, and the next, and the next…

General Meeting, April 13, 2009

Written by: Herb Best on Apr 20, 2009 5:00 PM EDT

Linked to groups: Hanover Township Democrats & Independents (HanDI)

HanDI General Meeting Minutes

April 13, 2009

The meeting was called to order at 7:17 PM by Trudy Zaja.  

Present were:

Maureen Stabile                                    Debbie Caruso

Linda Best                                            Nazneen Hashmi

Herb Best                                             Trudy Zaja

R Paddy Padmanabhan

Guests

Jessica Palys

Greg Brownfield

Prior to the call to order, general discussion was about the local election of April 7, 2009.  Trudy read comments about turnout from the Daily Herald that remarked that while people may not have voted, it did not prevent them from complaining.  It was further observed that this election offered the voter a chance to influence those officials that had a local voice in their local taxes, including property taxes.

Approval of the minutes for February and March general meetings were tabled for the May 11 general meeting.

(I would like to thank Debbie Caruso and Linda Best for their notes and reports for the period of time when I was incapacitated the last several weeks.)

Linda Best gave the quarterly Treasurer Report, reporting that HanDI has  a $149.20 balance in the account, up from $28 in the last report.  The major expense has been for the room rental at Park Place.  This expense should be eliminated when meetings are moved to the newly renovated Poplar Library.  An increase of 7 members also increased the money in our treasury, but these may reflect candidates’ contributions.

The Treasurer’s report was approved by voice vote.

There was a discussion of the Candidates Forum, jointly sponsored by the Streamwood Chamber of Commerce and HanDI.  Suggestions included one that close-ups of the candidates in photographs would have been better for publicity and the need for more copies of the agenda for the general audience.  There was also mention of the need to avoid members of the audience, including candidates, standing at the side and back rather than sitting down.

Jessica Palys and Health Care Reform

Jessica Palys has been a member of Citizen Action/Illinois, which has led efforts to end our military involvement in Iraq, political reform, and other progressive movements.  Currently, she is leading the effort in Illinois to reform American health care with the group Health Care for America NOW (H-CAN).  

H-CAN is an alliance of 800 organizations and 30 million Americans.  Nearly 200 Congressman have indicated their support, including many Illinois Congressional representatives and Senators Durbin and Burris.  Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid also support this initiative.  President Obama and Raul Emanuel at the executive level have indicated support.

The push is to end the roadblock of preexisting conditions and, coverage all Americans can afford with a choice between private and government health care insurance.

Jessica led a freewheeling discussion of H-CAN’s effort to mobilize citizens to get Congress and the President to act in the next 120 days to ensure that every American has access to affordable and adequate health care.  

She pointed out that the Health Care Industry has funded a counter movement at $100 million to protect itself from massive restructuring of American health care.  Essentially, their campaign offers a plan to ensure a continuation of their profit-making.

1.  The insurance companies would eliminate such restrictions as preexisting conditions that effectively "disinsure".

2.  The federal government would insure all that couldn’t afford health care now.

3.  People at the 100-400 percent poverty level would be granted government subsidies so they would be able to buy health insurance.

4.  Americans below this income level would continue to rely on the current health care insurance.

Such “reforms” would protect insurance companies from losing the golden goose of such profits of 20% as reported for Aetna by Jessica as well as such exorbitant CEO compensations as an average of $8.75 million a year.  They would continue a lucrative business while government would provide the uninsured with the guarantee of health insurance.  Their profits would be protected while the American taxpayer would essentially protect their profits and protect them from the more likely to need insurance.  Currently, the health insurance industry does everything to reduce their costs through denying the coverage they claim to provide.  This is done through such as denying coverage through claiming preexisting conditions, time limits, failure to inform, noncompliance with following procedures, etc.

Currently, hospitals are absorbing the cost of providing health care for the uninsured at a rate of $400 BILLION a year.  (The cost is passed on to the consumer.)

Jessica said that H-CAN wanted to establish a government offered health care insurance similar to the one Herb identified as similar to that offered by John Kerry in 2004.  This would be one that extended Medicare to all citizens.  It would not replace private insurance plans; it would simply be offered as a choice to all Americans.  They could continue their private insurance, but it would be available to any American.

The beauty of such a system is that it would not be mandatory; so, those who might object claiming it is socialized medicine would simply be told that you didn’t have to give up your previous insurance.  

Jessica concluded by reminding all that our voices are needed to pressure our representatives locally and nationally.  One such “reminder” is the rally scheduled for April 18 at 11 AM to 1 PM at St. Augustine College in Chicago.

Interspersed with Jessica’s remarks were various personal stories of the problems with private health insurance.

Greg told of his daughter’s broken leg that needed extensive care and the need to satisfy insurance provisions that there would not be too many doctors involved in the necessary procedures to insure proper recovery without complications.

As the meeting disbanded, Paddy remarked that such a discussion would never have come up in Canada where he lived for 8 years.  Canada has universal health care.  Australia does have screening of incoming visitors and immigrants, but after screening

Trudy wondered why businesses have not been more vocal in support of health care reform since it would seem to be in their best interests.  Jessica responded by saying that they have been, especially small businesses.

Debbie cited two cases, one where two older people were advised to divorce to retain health under Medicare.  Another involved a couple who had a child; but, because they were unmarried the woman could not receive coverage from her domestic partner and the child could.

Herb cited a circumstance where his son’s ambulance ride was not covered by his insurance because of a technicality.  Later, he refused emergency care for himself until he could be sure that it would be covered by his insurance.

As the meeting ended, Jessica repeated the need for people to demonstrate support for health reform through attendance at a rally on Saturday from 11 AM to 1 PM at St. Augustine College in Chicago.

Last minute reminders:

*   Town Hall Meeting with Noland and Farnham April 14 from 7 to 8 PM at Carpentersville Village Hall, 1200 W. Besinger Drive, Carpentersville

*  Rally for Real Health Care Reform April 18 from 11 AM to 1 PM, St. Augustine College, 1345 W. Argyle in Chicago

*  Northwest Suburban Women Democrats sponsoring basic information about running for office April 19, April 26, and May 2 from 9:45 AM to noon at Kenneth Young Center, 1001 Rohlwing  Road, Elk Grove Village 

*  Art Appreciation Around the World April 25 from 1 PM to 5 PM at Streamwood Village Hall, 301 E. Irving Park Road, Streamwood

*  “Date Night” (Come for the Food; Stay for the Movie; Enjoy a night out with your HanDI Friends) starting at 6 PM at Linda and Herb Best’s, 203 Plymouth Drive, Streamwood  (RSVP, 630 830-3345 or lmbest@wowway.com)

Respectfully submitted,

Herb Best, Secretary

British charity brings medical care to U.S. uninsured

Written by: Maureen Stabile on Apr 11, 2009 7:01 AM EDT

Linked to groups: Hanover Township Democrats & Independents (HanDI)

A British citizen who started a charity to deliver medical and dental services to rural areas of South America now spends most of his time serving uninsured citizens of the United States. I first heard this story about a year ago on National Public Radio's BBC news segment. Although the story was not overtly critical of the American health care non-system, I felt ashamed. Here we are, the richest country on the planet, and yet we let our fellow Americans live in third-world conditions, accepting foreign relief.

The text of the story appears below. For pictures and video, visit the BBC website:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7420744.stm

By Jonathan Beale
BBC News, Tennessee

Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/americas/7420744.stm

Published: 2008/05/29 00:19:56 GMT

© BBC MMIX

Health Care Reform: A Doctor's Historical Perspective

Written by: Maureen Stabile on Apr 5, 2009 8:15 AM EDT

Linked to groups: Hanover Township Democrats & Independents (HanDI)

In concert with DFA's initiative for health care reform, I'd like to share an interesting article by Dr. Atul Gawande that was published in The New Yorker earlier this year:

http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2009/01/26/090126fa_fact_gawande

In the piece, titled "Getting there from here," Gawande (a physician, author and professor at Harvard Medical School) examines the historical origins of the three principal models of universal health coverage in the world today. The government-owned National Health System in Britain began as an means to deliver medical care during the crises of World War II; people liked the system so much that they kept it in peacetime. The single-payer system of France, which offers public payment for privately-delivered health care, was built during the post-war period by expanding pre-existing, employer-based insurance funds financed through payroll taxes. (The Canadians created their own single-payer system gradually, starting in a single province.) Meanwhile, neutral Switzerland escaped the wartime devastation of its neighbors and came to rely on government-regulated, for-profit insurance coverage that is available to all citizens (Israel also follows this model).

The article contends that radical change is doomed to fail; instead, successful reform in health care or any other area builds and improves upon pre-existing structures. The United States already has elements of the three universal health-care models: government-owned (the Veterans Administration hospitals), single-payer (Medicare) and private insurance (usually employer-provided). The problem is that none of them yet comes close to covering everyone, but the opportunity for change is before us. Writes Dr. Gawande, "American health care is an appallingly patched-together ship, with rotting timbers, water leaking in, mercenaries on board, and fifteen per cent of the passengers thrown over the rails just to keep it afloat. But hundreds of millions of people depend on it. … There is no dry-docking health care for a few months, or even for an afternoon, while we rebuild it. Grand plans admit no possibility of mistakes or failures, or the chance to learn from them. If we get things wrong, people will die. This doesn’t mean that ambitious reform is beyond us. But we have to start with what we have."

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HanDI General Meeting Minutes, January 12, 2009

Written by: Herb Best on Jan 27, 2009 3:19 PM EST

Linked to groups: Hanover Township Democrats & Independents (HanDI)

The meeting was called to order at 7:20 PM by Trudy Zaja.  Present were:

Al Benson Debbie Caruso

Herb Best                                 Maureen Stabile  

Linda Best                               Trudy Zaja

Guests:

Mike Demovsky, Streamwood High School Social Studies Divisional Chair

Veeral Vyas, Streamwood High School Civics student

U-46 Superintendent Dr. José Torres is expected to join us for the March general meeting.

Mike Demovsky reported that civics was a required semester linked with economics.  As part of the civics course, students were expected to interview one government official in the student’s governmental unit (such as a village government or park district).  Honors students would go to 4 different governmental meetings, getting the signature of one of officials at the meeting.

A mock election was held this past semester, including all students (ESL students as well).  The use of official Cook Country ballots provided a close simulation of the actual election.  (Selection of judges was not included on the ballot; however, judge selection was discussed in class.)

A student government day had civics students assume regular government official responsibilities for a day.  Positions included police officers, firemen, and behavioral science department officials as well as well as other governmental officials.

Linda Best asked if the civics course included a discussion of the Bill of Rights and civil rights.  Yes, they were included.  Active citizenship was encouraged, including writing letters and making phone calls to government officials.  Also, organizations such as the American Legion and VFW were made.  Additionally, students were encouraged to participate in Boys State and Girls State.

Current and controversial issues were discussed as part of the civics course.

Students with a 3.0 grade or better of good behavior and character were encouraged to take advantage of the opportunity to serve as actual Election Judges.  Despite the long hours and missing a day of school (compensation was equal to that of “regular” adult judges), 120 students applied of which 70 actually served.

For further information, you could go online, go to web site U-46.org, click on curriculum, click on high school, click on social studies where you can click on civics, economics, and U.S. history.  (When you go to the site, use the pull-down menu under “Student Learning”.  Also, there have been changes to the web site.)

After expressing our thanks to Mike Demovsky and Veeral Vyas, the regular general meeting was convened at 8:24 PM,

On January 18 at 2 PM, the Northwest Suburban Women Democrats were meeting at the Schaumburg Public Library.

HanDI Movie Night was scheduled for the evening of January 24.

The minutes for the November 10, 2008, general meeting were approved.   (There was no formal meeting in December.)

The Treasurer’s Report for 2008 was approved.

The “pass the hat” donation was made.

Participants were reminded of the April 2009 Consolidated Election.  The possibility of a March forum for the candidates was discussed, considering format, location, date, and time with no final decision reached.

There was further discussion of a Roskam-watch, judiciary evaluation, and any further information on Ann Brady’s future plans.

The General Meeting was adjourned at 8:54 PM.

Respectfully submitted,

Herb Best, Secretary

Progressive Blogs

Written by: Maureen Stabile on Dec 13, 2008 7:47 AM EST

Linked to groups: Hanover Township Democrats & Independents (HanDI)

Most everyone knows about Daily Kos and the Huffington Post, but there are some progressive blogs devoted to political news in our area, as well. PrairieStateBlue.com is a forum for Illinoisans (Chicago-area, mainly) that has featured the writings of DFA and Operation Turn DuPage Blue members, among others. Also, over the past two years, a few blogs dedicated to following the record of Congressman Peter Roskam (R-IL 6) have risen and fallen, but one that has endured is RubberStampRoskam.com. (Although the author hasn't posted since Election Day - maybe he's still in recovery?) And of course there is the Democracy for America "Blog for America" forum, accessible via the DFA main page or any of its member groups, like HanDI. See you all on the interwebs!