Monday, April 03, 2006

Better than UCLA-Florida: Judith-Rae Ross on TV and streaming

Jeff Berkowitz: On the national level, [an issue that] comes up. Should we have guest workers? I know it’s a national issue, but what’s your take on that?

Judith-Rae Ross: I think it’s an issue that I’d like to look at a little further. “Guest worker” would not be a bad thing.
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Jeff Berkowitz: And, [you think that] “illegals” should be preferred.

Judith-Rae Ross: Yeah. And, they should also be given the same rigorous education. And, if they make it, great. If they don’t, they don’t.

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Jeff Berkowitz: Capital punishment is favored by the population in the State of Illinois three to one. And, you think that the Governor can just circumvent that and say, even though the Constitution doesn’t permit him to do it, he can just abolish capital punishment?

Judith-Rae Ross: I think he did.


Jeff Berkowitz: And you think that’s the way to run a railroad? Let the Governor run amok? Whether it is George Ryan, whether it is Rod Blagojevich
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From "Public Affairs," taped Live to Tape on March 19, 2006.
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Tonight, the City of Chicago edition of "Public Affairs," features Judith-Rae Ross [D-Skokie], the Democratic State Rep. candidate in the 17th District. Ross is taking on ten year moderate, North Shore Republican incumbent Beth Coulson [R-Glenview]. The program airs at 8:30 pm on Cable Ch. 21; through-out the City of Chicago; And, the program can be watched on your computer, any time. [See here].

For more about tonight's show's topics and partial transcripts of the show with candidate Ross see here and here.
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Jeff Berkowitz: On the national level, [an issue that] comes up. Should we have guest workers? I know it’s a national issue, but what’s your take on that?

Judith-Rae Ross: I think it’s an issue that I’d like to look at a little further. “Guest worker” would not be a bad thing.

Jeff Berkowitz: More of a path to citizenship for-

Judith-Rae Ross: More of a path to citizenship.

Jeff Berkowitz: For people who are here.

Judith-Rae Ross: Yes.

Jeff Berkowitz: Would you favor that?

Judith-Rae Ross: Yes. Yes.


Jeff Berkowitz: Something that has come up at the state level, that you would be voting on possibly—it’s already been voted on, it’s law—is in-state tuition for illegal immigrants. That’s the law of Illinois. Do you agree with that law?

Judith-Rae Ross: If they became guest workers, I’d agree with it.

Jeff Berkowitz: No, but currently. Right now. Anybody who’s an illegal immigrant can get in-state tuition, in the state of Illinois, can get a better rate than a citizen who happens to live in Iowa, or some surrounding state, or Wisconsin. [An] illegal immigrant living in the state of Illinois gets a cut. Gets a discount. Gets a preferred rate [for college tuition]. Do you agree with that?

Judith-Rae Ross: It’s a good question.

Jeff Berkowitz: What’s the answer?

Judith-Rae Ross: However-whoa, whoa, before you go on, you have in every state—because my parents paid an out-of-state rate when I went to Michigan State, when I was an undergraduate-

Jeff Berkowitz: They paid an out-of-state rate.

Judith-Rae Ross: They paid on an out-of-state rate. Every state, every state in the union—or most of them—do have those so-called out-of-state rates.

Jeff Berkowitz: So, should illegal immigrants pay that out-of-state rate?

Judith-Rae Ross: I would say pending—yeah. No, no, I think they should-

Jeff Berkowitz: They should pay the in-state rate?

Judith-Rae Ross: They should pay the in-state rate. I would agree-


Jeff Berkowitz: They should be benefited-they should be preferred--

Judith-Rae Ross: They should be preferred-

Jeff Berkowitz: to people who are outside of Illinois-

Judith-Rae Ross: Yeah, because they-

Jeff Berkowitz: Who are legal.

Judith-Rae Ross: Who are legal. Yeah.

Jeff Berkowitz: And, [you think that] “illegals” should be preferred.

Judith-Rae Ross: Yeah. And, they should also be given the same rigorous education. And, if they make it, great. If they don’t, they don’t.


Jeff Berkowitz: Rod Blagojevich had an executive--has an executive order that says illegal immigrants should get a preferred rate for buying a home. Three percent down. Three percent interest rate, subsidized by the state of Illinois. A better rate than we give vets. You agree with that?

Judith-Rae Ross: That, I don’t agree with. Vets come first.

Jeff Berkowitz: You would tell Rod Blagojevich that.

Judith-Rae Ross: Yeah. Look, Jeff, I’m on this show. Heaven only knows, he may hear about this anyway. So, you know-

Jeff Berkowitz: He may.

Judith Rae-Ross: He may.
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Jeff Berkowitz: Would you like to see a casino in Chicago?

Judith-Rae Ross: You know something, I think it would be interesting.

Jeff Berkowitz: And even run, owned and managed by the City of Chicago, even though it is not generally done that way- it’s private. Let Mayor Daley have his casino. Let him run it. You agree?

Judith-Rae Ross: Only with very, very careful safeguards.

Jeff Berkowitz: Would you be a Daley girl on that?

Judith-Rae Ross: Would I be a Daley girl?

Jeff Berkowitz: A Daley lady. A Daley woman?

Judith-Rae Ross: A Daley woman, please. I have not been a girl in a while
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I think I might take a good look at that one. Yeah.

Jeff Berkowitz: The moratorium on capital punishment. Some say that is completely unconstitutional. Put there by Governor George Ryan. Not voted for by the legislature. Is it time to lift it? Have there been sufficient reforms?

Judith-Rae Ross: Not that I have seen.


Jeff Berkowitz: Do you oppose capital punishment?

Judith-Rae Ross: Yes, I do.

Jeff Berkowitz: So you wouldn’t like to see capital punishment in Illinois…Life without parole, but don’t execute them. Am I getting that right?

Judith-Rae Ross: Yes.

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Jeff Berkowitz: Capital punishment is favored by the population in the State of Illinois three to one. And, you think that the Governor can just circumvent that and say, even though the Constitution doesn’t permit him to do it, he can just abolish capital punishment?

Judith-Rae Ross: I think he did.


Jeff Berkowitz: And you think that’s the way to run a railroad? Let the Governor run amok? Whether it is George Ryan, whether it is Rod Blagojevich—just give him enormous power- you agree with that?

Judith-Rae Ross: No, but I agree—

Jeff Berkowitz: That’s what happens. Why doesn’t the state legislature do it. The state legislature won’t do it. You said you believe in democracy. [show ends].
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Public Affairs, with Judith-Rae Ross, 17th Dist. Democratic State Rep. candidate, was recorded on March 19, 2006 and is airing on the City of Chicago edition of Public Affairs tonight, April 3 at 8:30 pm on Cable Ch. 21. . The show with candidate Ross is also available as a video podcast currently at the Public Affairs Cinema Complex, along with eighteen other shows, which are also airing there. [See here].
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Transcript draft prepared by Amy Allen, who also does research for “Public Affairs,” and has her own political blog [See here].
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Jeff Berkowitz, Show Host/Producer of "Public Affairs," and Executive Legal Recruiter doing legal search can be reached at JBCG@aol.com
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