Monday, October 18, 2004

Updated Oct. 18, 2004 at 12:30 am
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Political Buzz: When is hardball too hard? Speaker Mike, Barack Obama and Backlash.
The first Team Obama mistake?

Monday Night Politics, better than Monday Night Football. Tonight, at 8:30 pm on Cable Ch. 21, State Rep. Candidate Michele Bromberg joins host Jeff Berkowitz on "Public Affairs." Bromberg v. Coulson, the closest State Rep. race in the State of Illinois- Minority Leader Cross takes on Speaker Madigan.

Did the Speaker's team go over the line in the Bromberg mailers? Democrats in the area worry about a backlash vote for State Rep. Beth Coulson, due to misleading mailers from Bromberg. Has Speaker Mike snatched defeat from the jaws of victory? Is Bromberg responsible? Where is the Ethics Committee of the State Legislature? Did Team Obama make a mistake? Does Barack Obama really think Beth Coulson is not 100% Pro-Choice? Is Barack Obama? Well, at least they don't have to worry about Alan Keyes raising that with them.
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Jeff Berkowitz: But, as you know, when you vote in the state legislature, ultimately you have to vote yes or no. If you had been in the state legislature this year, when it was passed, would you have voted yes to support the Affordable Housing, Planning and Appeal Act?

Michele Bromberg: Jeff, I wasn’t there, so I really can’t give you that answer but I do know in the future when votes like that do come up, I want to sit down with the entire group of people and really get an understanding of what their concerns are. [See, below, for more of the transcript of the "Public Affairs," show with Michele Bromberg]
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Michele Bromberg (D- Skokie), candidate for State Rep in the 17th Dist., declines, on the “Public Affairs,” TV show, to take a position on the Affordable Housing Act, Tax Swaps- Lowering property taxes and raising income taxes, Capping Individual Home Owner Real Estate Assessments and Increasing state income taxes (See transcript, below).

Bromberg does take a position on abortion; Bromberg also discusses Special Interests, Trial Lawyers and what Bromberg thinks differentiates her from eight year incumbent State Rep. Elizabeth Coulson (R- Glenview, 17th District) (See transcript, below).

All of the above is part of the debate and dialogue that Michele Bromberg has with “Public Affairs,” show host and legal recruiter Jeff Berkowitz.
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If you live in Chicago, you can watch the City edition of Public Affairs every Monday night at 8:30 pm on Cable Ch. 21- The show with Bromberg is on in the City, tonight, Monday, October 18th at 8:30 pm on Cable Ch. 21 [CANTV].

After watching some Monday Night Football, take a break from football and watch a more interesting spectator sport, politics and public policy on “Public Affairs,” at 8:30 pm on Cable Ch. 21. A partial transcript of the show is included, below. *****************************************
Jeff Berkowitz: Affordable Housing has become somewhat of an issue, and your district includes West Wilmette, right?

Michele Bromberg: Um, um.

Berkowitz: And Wilmette is an area that was designated by the State as not having sufficient affordable housing and [state] legislation was passed called the Affordable Housing, Planning and …Appeals Act. Is that legislation you are familiar with and do you support it?

Bromberg: I feel that no group of people should be discriminated against whatsoever but also in communities that are well established, I would like to sit down with the local village boards, the constituencies of business owners and again, I’m a nurse- I look at things holistically—get this group together and see what’s best for their community.

Berkowitz: But, as you know, when you vote in the state legislature, ultimately you have to vote yes or no. If you had been in the state legislature this year, when it was passed, would you have voted yes to support the Affordable Housing, Planning and Appeal Act?

Bromberg: Jeff, I wasn’t there, so I really can’t give you that answer but I do know in the future when votes like that do come up, I want to sit down with the entire group of people and really get an understanding of what their concerns are.

Berkowitz: Well, I understand you weren’t there, but you will be there if you are successful in this campaign and I guess the voters would like to know if you had been there, how would you have voted at that time- they understand that you are not there, you weren’t there- but you would like to be there-

Bromberg: Right.

Berkowitz: and if you were, you know what the legislation is, would you have supported it? Would you have voted yes or no?

Bromberg: I would have to look at the local government and I feel that there has to be some local control over what happens in the different villages because the local village government really knows what’s best?

Berkowitz: Does that mean that you would have voted no on that?

Bromberg: [Pause]. I would have had to have looked it over.

Berkowitz: So, you are not sure?

Bromberg: Right, cause I wasn’t there.
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Bromberg: …but one thing that we have to work on how schools are funded and we have to do something about the inequality of funding throughout the state and we have to work with the local school boards and the local governments.

Berkowitz: Do you want to change that [school] funding- you know, some people have proposed a tax swap, that we lower property taxes and raise the income tax.

Bromberg: Right.

Berkowitz: Would you support that?

Bromberg: I want to see if that is really going to work. I want to see hard facts and evidence that that is really going to work before I would decide that would be a way that we would fund it, but I know one thing- we have to stop taxing people out of their homes…

Berkowitz: So, you are concerned about high property taxes?

Bromberg: High property taxes—

Berkowitz: But does that mean that if you are concerned about that- then I suppose you would have supported the legislation that capped real estate assessments at 7% per year, is that right?

Bromberg: I would have to look into that further.

Berkowitz: You are not sure if you would support that?

Bromberg: I would have to look into that further and really sit down with the people and talk to the school districts and see how it affects them…the concern is for the school districts and we have to make sure that the schools are heavily funded.
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Berkowitz: …in general, would you oppose or support an increase in the state income tax?

Bromberg: Again, that is something that I really have to study. Again, I look at things holistically. I would have to study that over and see how that is really going to help or not help the State of Illinois.

Berkowitz: But, you are not going to take a pledge not to do it [raise state income taxes]. You are just saying you are undecided at this point.

Bromberg: I would have to look it over and see what the benefit would be.
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BROMBERG ON ABORTION
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Jeff Berkowitz: You would be, would you say, 100% pro-choice?

Michele Bromberg: 100% Pro-choice.

Berkowitz: You would have opposed the ban on partial birth abortion in the state legislature that would ban that [procedure] except for the life of the mother [being at issue]. Would you oppose that ban?

Bromberg: Like I said, I am 100% pro-choice. I have been in situations where women have had difficult, difficult choices—all these things are very difficult choices and I support pro-choice 100%.

Berkowitz: Does that mean that you would oppose the ban on partial birth abortion that I just described?

Bromberg: Like I said, 100% pro-choice.

Berkowitz: There was proposed legislation [in the state legislature] to deal with what was called live birth abortions. The Live Birth Infant Protection Act. Would you have similarly opposed that legislation? It didn’t pass in Illinois.

Bromberg: Like I said Jeff, women must be able to make decisions for themselves on their health care.

Berkowitz: Okay, well, you know the live birth abortion issue deals with the point that allegedly was made that some abortions go wrong [so to speak], the fetus is born alive and the allegation was made that in some hospitals that fetus is taken away to another area [of the hospital] and allowed to die…

Bromberg: Jeff, I worked in a hospital. I have seen women in bad, bad situations. Like I said, 100 % pro-choice. I am not going to cut hairs with you on that issue. [Ed. Note- Cut hairs? Must be a nursing term]

Berkowitz: So that fetus, though—if that is going on, that is something you would allow to happen? That is, a fetus is allowed to die?

Bromberg: Like I said, umm, maybe we need to move on. [Ed. Note- A Public Affairs first-- 7 years of doing my show and nobody-- not even Barack, not even Keyes-- not even the Senior Senator, Dick Durbin-- ever told me to “move on.”]

Berkowitz: Parental notice, you would oppose parental notice.

Bromberg: I think we need to move on. Like I said, women need—

Berkowitz: No, I just want an answer. What’s your view? Do you oppose parental notice?

Bromberg: I think women need to make a decision. They are to be 100% able to make that decision.
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BROMBERG ON SPECIAL INTERESTS, TRIAL LAWYERS AND WHAT BROMBERG THINKS DIFFERENTIATES BROMBERG FROM COULSON
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Jeff Berkowitz: We are going to continue to speak as the credits roll, but I very much want to thank [for coming here to “Public Affairs”] Michele Bromberg, who of course is the Democratic candidate, running in the 17th District for State Representative. She is running against Beth Coulson, who is a Republican and sometimes says she is an Independent, is that right?

Michele Bromberg: Yes.

Berkowitz: Now, what do you think about that? Is Beth Coulson an independent?

Bromberg: Beth Coulson is not an independent. She takes money from the Republican Party. She gives money to the Republican Party. She also is ummm- she does not stand up for OUR values.

Berkowitz: Who is OUR values? What do you mean OUR values? Who is OUR values? Who is OUR?

Bromberg: The Democratic values. [She is] very tied into the Republican—

Berkowitz: She is a Republican.

Bromberg: She is a Republican. She is part of the Republican Party—

Berkowitz: You are a Democrat.

Bromberg: I am a Democrat and proud of it.

Berkowitz: People have a choice between a Democrat and a Republican? She says she is—

Bromberg: She takes money from—

Berkowitz: She says she is an independent, but you are not so sure.

Bromberg: No, she definitely says she is an independent. She takes money from drug companies. She takes money from—

Berkowitz: Would you take money from drug companies?

Bromberg: Absolutely not.

Berkowitz: Would you take money from teachers’ unions?

Bromberg: I believe in the teachers’ values.

Berkowitz: Are they a special interest? Because you talk about not taking money from “special interests.”

Bromberg: They are not a special interest. They are- They are educating the future of [the] State of Illinois.

Berkowitz: Trial Lawyers. Are Trial Lawyers a special interest?

Bromberg: They are trying to work through different things with the doctors—

Berkowitz: Do you take money from Trial Lawyers?

Bromberg: Ummmm, a few who are very close friends of mine.

Berkowitz: A few? If they are very close friends, you take it. But, if there was a Trial Lawyers Association that wanted to donate to your campaign, would you take money from them?

Bromberg: I, uh, I- it hasn’t come up yet. I don’t know. Again, I, uh, have to- think about that further.

Berkowitz: What is the biggest difference, as you talk to the voters, as you see it, between you and Beth Coulson?

Bromberg: Beth Coulson is a Republican and I’m a Democrat.
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Michele Bromberg, Democratic Candidate [from Skokie] for State Rep. in the 17th District, running against eight year incumbent, Elizabeth [Beth] Coulson [R- Glenview, 17th Dist.]. Bromberg was interviewed on “Public Affairs,” in a show that was recorded on October 3, 2004 and is airing throughout the City of Chicago tonight, Monday, Oct. 18, 2004 at 8:30 pm on Cable Ch. 21 [CANTV].
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This week's suburban edition of Public Affairs features State Senator Susan Garrett (D- Lake Forest; 29th District)
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The suburban edition of "Public Affairs," is regularly broadcast every Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 8:30 pm on Comcast Cable Channel 19 in Bannockburn, Deerfield, Ft. Sheridan, Glencoe, Highland Park, Highwood, Kenilworth, Lincolnshire, Riverwoods and Winnetka.

The suburban edition also is broadcast every Tuesday night at 8:30 p.m. on Comcast Cable Channel 19 in Buffalo Grove, Elk Grove Village, Hoffman Estates, Lincolnwood, Morton Grove, Niles, Northfield, Palatine, Rolling Meadows and Wilmette and every Tuesday night at 8:30 p.m. on Comcast Cable Channel 35 in Arlington Heights, Bartlett, Glenview, Golf, Des Plaines, Hanover Park, Mt. Prospect, Northbrook, Park Ridge, Prospect Heights, Schaumburg, Skokie, Streamwood and Wheeling.
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The City edition of Public Affairs airs throughout the City of Chicago every Monday night at 8:30 on Cable Ch. 21 [CANTV].
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Jeff Berkowitz, host and producer of “Public Affairs,” can be reached at JBCG@aol.com
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