Improving Transportation – The public transportation system throughout much of Illinois still requires a drastic overhaul to improve carbon emissions and promote cleaner travel, to reduce traffic congestion, to create jobs and to serve citizens in the most convenient ways to commute. The Texas Transportation Institute ranked Chicago the second worst city in the country for road congestion. Mass transit is on the verge of collapse in many areas and pollution and travel time will only worsen if something isn’t done quickly!
Protecting Our Homeland – Illinois has just recently seen the largest deployment of National Guard troops since World War II. More than 2,700 unit members from throughout the state have headed overseas. I will fight to bring National Guard troops home immediately. Their efforts are needed here during tragic disasters and events like Hurricane Katrina’s aftermath and the I-35W bridge collapse in Minnesota. If the Mississippi River flooded Rock Island, or God forbid, a plane crashed into a building in the Loop, who would Illinoisans turn to for assistance? It is imperative that the Illinois National Guard be redeployed back to the states without delay.
Ethics and Electoral Reform Matter – Democracy relies heavily on citizens participating in the governing process. In turn, the respective governing body is supposed to be responsive to the participatory citizenry. With a General Assembly which has ignored and neglected many of the voices coming from the public, there must be measures taken to assure citizens their right to govern. I am personally pledging to maintain transparency in government and urge other elected officials to do so by posting a full schedule, showing who was met with and the subjects discussed. Additionally, I will propose and support legislation to:
1) Create an Open Ballot Initiative giving citizens the power to put statewide measures on the ballot and establish Recall Elections to allow voters to remove
an elected official from office if need be.
2) Institute Instant Run-off Voting which allows voters to rank candidates in order of preference. IRV broadens voter participation by accommodating multiple candidates in single seat races and assuring that a "spoiler effect" will not result in undemocratic outcomes (check out http://www.fairvote.org/irv for a full description of how IRV works).
3) Repeal "The DuPage Rule" of HB662… equal ballot access for all candidates seeking office!
4) Hold a Constitutional Convention to add the "Show Us" Amendment and restore democracy in Illinois (www.showus.org).
Entering the Renewable Energy Era – The people of Illinois are under attack from two serious crises: the soaring cost of energy and global warming. These two crises are related in the sense that we rely on fossil fuels and use our energy wastefully, which leaves us very vulnerable to price-gouging by oil companies. We need clean, affordable, sustainable energy, for homes, businesses, and transportation now! There is great potential to unite supporters of clean environment, labor, and the business community. To guide us in the right direction, we need to set goals and initiatives which include:
1)An immediate roll-back/freeze of electricity rates, followed by an introduction of a system of regulatory controls aimed at protecting the public interest.
2)Establishment of publicly owned, publicly accountable energy utilities, and new regional electrical or energy cooperatives.
3)Development of green building codes and programs, at all levels of government, to provide assistance for the retrofitting of homes and businesses.
4)Increased state and local support for public mass transit, smart urban planning, a cleaner government cars program, and other measures to promote sustainable transportation.
5)Raising energy-efficiency requirements for electrical appliances.
6)A strong renewable energy standard requiring utilities to obtain 25% or more of their power from renewable energy sources by the year 2020.
Movies
An Unreasonable Man, Iraq For Sale, Who Killed The Electric Car?, American Blackout, Mr. Smith Goes to Washington
Books
The End of America by Naomi Wolf, Fight Club by Chuck Palahniuk, A People's History of the United States: 1492-Present by Howard Zinn
Heroes
Mahatma Gandhi, César Chávez,
Dr. Wangari Maathai
Kevin M. O'Connor for 41st District State Rep's Details
Kevin M. O'Connor for 41st District State Rep's Schools
Western Illinois University
Macomb, IL
Graduated: N/A
Major: Political Science/Law Enforcement
Clubs: Associated Students of Political Science, Environmental Concerns Organization (ECO) Chair, UNITY, WIU Campus Greens Chair
2003 to 2007
Riverside Brookfield Twp Hs
Riverside, IL
Graduated: 2003
Student status: Alumni
Clubs: Departmental Honors, Varsity Soccer, Photography Club Vice President
1999 to 2003
Kevin M. O'Connor for 41st District State Rep's Companies
Village of La Grange - Dept. of Public Works La Grange, IL US
2004, 2005, 2007
United States Postal Service La Grange, IL US
2006
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Kevin M. O'Connor for 41st District State Rep's Blurbs
About me:
My name is Kevin M. O'Connor and I am in the process of obtaining degrees in both Law Enforcement and Political Science from Western Illinois University. I have been involved with movements for peace, labor, justice, the environment, and independent progressive politics for years. Currently, I am an active member of Near West Citizens for Peace & Justice, the Natural Resources Defense Council, the Emerald Society of Illinois, and the Young Irish Fellowship Club of Chicago. I am also the Proviso Township Green Party Committeeperson and the endorsed Green Party candidate for Illinois General Assembly's 41st State Representative District (which covers areas of Riverside, North Riverside, Brookfield, LaGrange Park, Westchester, Berkeley, Oak Brook, Oak Brook Terrace, Broadview, Western Springs, Elmhurst, Northlake, Villa Park, Lombard, Downers Grove, Westmont, and Hinsdale).
I am seeking public office in order to challenge the complacent and stagnant political environment of Illinois. The General Assembly is nearly void of leadership and requires an adjustment in composition. This state is in drastic need for change and I hope to provide the solutions to major problems we are currently facing. I also feel that corporate influence has put a stranglehold on democracy throughout the state, which is why I will REFUSE ALL CORPORATE CONTRIBUTIONS!
If you would like to donate to the campaign, please make checks payable to "Committee to Elect Kevin M. O'Connor" and send them addressed to:
Committee to Elect Kevin M. O'Connor
P.O. Box 157
Brookfield, IL 60513
Thank you for befriending Freedom and Democracy. To help us spread the word, you can post a bulletin with our myspace address requesting that people befriend us:
Did you know that 65,000 U.S. citizens die every year from air pollution, that 178 of our fellow citizens every day. And our state legislators just give some of our state's largest polluters a corporate welfare package of 35 million dollars.
Did you know that the war in Iraq cost 14 million dollars an hour, 24 hours a day, and this is not counting the cost for continued medical care and other services our people will need when they come back.
And in news from here in the Twin Cities, the St. Paul Police Department is coming under criticism for arresting an antiwar organizer outside the Barack Obama campaign rally on Tuesday. Fifty-year-old Mick Kelly was detained as he was handing out leaflets promoting a September 1 march on the Republican National Convention. The American Civil Liberties Union of Minnesota said Kelly’s arrest does not bode well for the way St. Paul authorities will treat protesters during this summer’s convention. St. Paul police say they plan to apologize to Kelly and dismiss the charges.
What's up Kevin? I hope everything is going well with your campaign. It looks as though I'll be starting my masters at WIU in August. If you need any help feel free to ask.
HUMBOLDT EXHIBITION TRIPLICATE (art show #3) Saturday, May 17, 2008 1251 N Rockwell Chicago, IL 60622 The doors open at 12pm Refreshments will start be served around 7pm
Artisits: Sam Balfour Brian Burke Rory Coyne Jourdon Gullett Courtney Howell Jason Judd Dennis Kardys Alec Kinsey Erin Larocque Aaron Mitchell Jessica Mueller Phillip Shoemaker Kristina Smith Dave Snedden David Soukup Joe Sowinski
hey kevin. i don't think we'll be able to play a show on the weekend we talked about. we can't book any more shows until after may 18th. sorry dude. if you still need help hit me up and i'll do my best. rock. rob
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Help us confront corporate power in 2008. Get your friends and family to contribute and sign up. Fill in the information to the left, along with the e-mail addresses of your friends and family Tell your friends and family about Ralph Nader's 2008 Presidential campaign
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use this as a comment it also has an embeded tag that sends them to the youth4nade page thanks for all of your help, forward this to all of your friends & get them to start leaving this as a comment all around my space!!!!!my goal is 500 friends by next friday!!!! lets do it i need all of your resorces to make it happen!!!!!
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