McCain, Obama, McSweeney & Scheurer on Cable and Streaming
"Public Affairs," is featuring David McSweeney [Barrington Hills], Republican nominee for 8th Cong. Dist. Representative, and Bill Scheurer [Lindenhurst], Moderate Party candidate for 8th Cong. Dist. Representative, tonight Monday,July 31 through-out the City of Chicago on CANTV, Cable Ch. 21 at 8:30 pm; And, anytime on the "Public Affairs," podcast page on your computer [See here]. Among other topics and issues, McSweeney and Scheurer discuss and debate the Middle East conflict between Hezbelloh, Israel, Lebanon and perhaps others, terrorism, the War in Iraq, free and fair international trade, CAFTA and NAFTA, jobs, the economy, tax cuts, federal spending and deficits, health care, abortion and much, much more with show host and legal recruiter Jeff Berkowitz.
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The "Public Affairs," podcast page gives you a choice of more than twenty-five episodes of “Public Affairs," including shows with McCain, McSweeney and Obama; McSweeney-Scheurer, Tony Peraica, Cook County Commissioner and Republican Nominee for County Board President , Deputy Governor Bradley Tusk, Ald. Ricardo Munoz, McSweeney, Giuliani and Gov. Thompson--and State Rep. John Fritchey [D-Chicago] on our video and audio podcast page[See here]. The podcast page also includes a one on one interview with 8th Cong. Dist. Republican Nominee David McSweeney [Barrington Hills], press conferences held with Governor Rod Blagojevich and his Republican Challenger, State Treasurer Judy Baar Topinka, a press conference with U.S. Senator Barack Obama and Cong. Bean and much, much more. [See here].
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This week on Public Affairs in the suburbs:
A press conference with 8th CD Republican Nominee David McSweeney and Senator John McCain [R-AZ] held two weeks ago, Senator Barack Obama [D-IL] speaking at the Austin Town Hall a week ago with west side of Chicago small business owners and other members of the west side community and Senator Obama interviewed by Jeff Berkowitz a week ago.
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Healthcare, universal care and lawsuit reform
Jeff Berkowitz: I want to get over to healthcare quickly. I know that’s important to both of you, presumably to Congresswoman Bean if she were here, as well. Dave McSweeney, what do we need to do about healthcare? People are talking about forty million people uninsured. What’s your solution?
Dave McSweeney[R-Barrington, 8th CD candidate]: The first thing we need to do is adopt lawsuit reform. We need federal malpractice reform. I’m supporting that legislation. Melissa Bean voted against it.
Jeff Berkowitz: Federal caps on non-economic damages?
Dave McSweeney: That’s correct.
Jeff Berkowitz: Lower the awards. Fewer suits. Make American industry more competitive? Is that your plan?
Dave McSweeney: Create opportunities for OB/GYNs [obstetricians] to stay in Illinois, to stay in the practice-- bring down healthcare costs. I’m a supporter of health savings accounts. I’m supportive of association health plans allowing small businesses to pool their resources together to buy insurance.
Jeff Berkowitz: How did Bean vote on the caps—federal caps on non-economic damages?
Dave McSweeney: She voted no. It’s HR-5.
Jeff Berkowitz: How would you have voted, Bill Scheurer, on caps on non-economic damage awards?
Bill Scheurer[I-Lindenhurst, 8th CD candidate]: I support tort reform generally, including in the medical area, because I don’t think tort litigation is an efficient way to protect the interests of the public. It’s very irrational and very skewed. But there’s absolutely no connection between the modest gains we would see from medical malpractice reforms and the massive cost problems and coverage problems that we face in the healthcare crisis.
Jeff Berkowitz: So you’re talking about a radical change. Universal healthcare?
Bill Scheurer: We’re deceiving ourselves if we think that passing malpractice reform is all of a sudden going to lead to forty five million people who are not insured now having insurance.
**************************************************
The Iraq War: Out or stay-- just a little bit longer? A lot longer?
Jeff Berkowitz: Let’s go back to the war quickly, because that is so important. In Iraq. Bill Scheurer, very quickly, what would you do? Would you back us out of the war last year, this year, right now? What would you do?
Bill Scheurer: Well, there’s a whole range of proposals-
Jeff Berkowitz: You’ve got to be quick.
Bill Scheurer: You can’t be quick. There’s a whole range of proposals, four or five proposals that run the gamut from Congressman Murtha’s proposal to pull out and leave troops around the border-
Jeff Berkowitz: Give me your choice.
Bill Scheurer: I would back all of them. The other two candidates would back none of them. I would vote for every one of those proposals.
Jeff Berkowitz: Any timetable to get the U.S. out of Iraq?
Bill Scheurer: I would vote for the bi-partisan Abercrombie-Jones two year proposal.
Jeff Berkowitz: Okay. Dave McSweeney, what’s your choice?
Dave McSweeney: We can’t set a timeline. We need to complete the mission. We should support the Malicki government and the transition to Iraqi troops taking control of their country and rooting out the terrorists, but I don’t support a timeline. We need to complete the mission.
Jeff Berkowitz: All right. Bean might say she’s somewhere in between. She doesn’t support a timeline either, so again, is she close to you? Or is she in between you and Scheurer?
Dave McSweeney: Well, again, this is a classic example. I think Melissa Bean has taken multiple positions on this, especially the resolution before the Congress a couple weeks ago.
Bill Scheurer: In my view-
Jeff Berkowitz: I have to cut you off, Bill, just for a minute- because we’re going to continue to speak as the credits roll, but I very much want to thank Bill Scheurer, who’s running as the Moderate Party candidate. He is an independent and he is running in the 8th congressional district. And to his left—certainly not philosophically, but literally here in terms of the situation on the set, we have Dave McSweeney who is the Republican nominee for Congress in the 8th congressional district. Melissa Bean is the Democratic incumbent. We hope to have her here some time, with the three of you all going at it. Sorry I cut you off, Bill, please go ahead.
Bill Scheurer: I think that her [Cong. Bean’s] stand is exactly like David’s stand. Her voting record shows that she supports an open-ended war without end over there and she’s behind President Bush’s effort.
What is this Race about?
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Jeff Berkowitz: Is that what this race is about? It’s about trade, about the war?
Bill Scheurer: It’s about all four issues. It’s about working families. It’s about healthcare. It’s about balanced budgets. It’s about bringing our troops home and taking care of them when they get here.
Jeff Berkowitz: Dave McSweeney, is this race about the war and keeping that commitment? What is it about?
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Dave McSweeney: This race is about-
Jeff Berkowitz: About?
Dave McSweeney: Lower taxes, less spending, and a strong national defense.
Jeff Berkowitz: The two of you, what do you think Bean thinks this race is about? Scheurer, what do you say?
Bill Scheurer: I have no idea what she thinks this race is about.
Jeff Berkowitz: McSweeney, what do you think?
Dave McSweeney: I have no idea either because she refuses to engage in debates.
*************************************
High Gas Prices
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Jeff Berkowitz: Gas prices. Dave McSweeney, what would you do? Real quick.
Dave McSweeney: The first thing I’d do is adopt a long-term energy policy. Nuclear power. Double the tax credits for hybrid cars. And make permanent the tax credits for wind and solar.
Jeff Berkowitz: Pretty similar, Bill Scheurer?
Bill Scheurer: I agree we need a long term energy policy. But, we’d probably differ significantly on what that would be.
[SHOW ENDS]
***************************************************
Public Affairs, featuring as its guests 8th Cong. Dist. candidates David McSweeney [R-Barrington Hills] and Bill Scheurer [M-Lindenhurst]. The show was recorded on July 16, 2006 and is airing tonight on the City of Chicago edition of Public Affairs, July 31 at 8:30 pm on Cable Ch. 21. . The show with 8th Candidates McSweeney and Scheurer is also available as a video podcast at the Public Affairs Cinema Complex, along with more than twenty five other shows, which are also airing there. [See here].
****************************************************
Transcript draft prepared by Amy Allen, who also does research for “Public Affairs,” and has her own political blog [See here].
***************************************************
Jeff Berkowitz, Show Host/Producer of "Public Affairs," and Executive Legal Recruiter doing legal search can be reached at JBCG@aol.com
******************
****************************************************************
The "Public Affairs," podcast page gives you a choice of more than twenty-five episodes of “Public Affairs," including shows with McCain, McSweeney and Obama; McSweeney-Scheurer, Tony Peraica, Cook County Commissioner and Republican Nominee for County Board President , Deputy Governor Bradley Tusk, Ald. Ricardo Munoz, McSweeney, Giuliani and Gov. Thompson--and State Rep. John Fritchey [D-Chicago] on our video and audio podcast page[See here]. The podcast page also includes a one on one interview with 8th Cong. Dist. Republican Nominee David McSweeney [Barrington Hills], press conferences held with Governor Rod Blagojevich and his Republican Challenger, State Treasurer Judy Baar Topinka, a press conference with U.S. Senator Barack Obama and Cong. Bean and much, much more. [See here].
*******************************************************
This week on Public Affairs in the suburbs:
A press conference with 8th CD Republican Nominee David McSweeney and Senator John McCain [R-AZ] held two weeks ago, Senator Barack Obama [D-IL] speaking at the Austin Town Hall a week ago with west side of Chicago small business owners and other members of the west side community and Senator Obama interviewed by Jeff Berkowitz a week ago.
******************
Healthcare, universal care and lawsuit reform
Jeff Berkowitz: I want to get over to healthcare quickly. I know that’s important to both of you, presumably to Congresswoman Bean if she were here, as well. Dave McSweeney, what do we need to do about healthcare? People are talking about forty million people uninsured. What’s your solution?
Dave McSweeney[R-Barrington, 8th CD candidate]: The first thing we need to do is adopt lawsuit reform. We need federal malpractice reform. I’m supporting that legislation. Melissa Bean voted against it.
Jeff Berkowitz: Federal caps on non-economic damages?
Dave McSweeney: That’s correct.
Jeff Berkowitz: Lower the awards. Fewer suits. Make American industry more competitive? Is that your plan?
Dave McSweeney: Create opportunities for OB/GYNs [obstetricians] to stay in Illinois, to stay in the practice-- bring down healthcare costs. I’m a supporter of health savings accounts. I’m supportive of association health plans allowing small businesses to pool their resources together to buy insurance.
Jeff Berkowitz: How did Bean vote on the caps—federal caps on non-economic damages?
Dave McSweeney: She voted no. It’s HR-5.
Jeff Berkowitz: How would you have voted, Bill Scheurer, on caps on non-economic damage awards?
Bill Scheurer[I-Lindenhurst, 8th CD candidate]: I support tort reform generally, including in the medical area, because I don’t think tort litigation is an efficient way to protect the interests of the public. It’s very irrational and very skewed. But there’s absolutely no connection between the modest gains we would see from medical malpractice reforms and the massive cost problems and coverage problems that we face in the healthcare crisis.
Jeff Berkowitz: So you’re talking about a radical change. Universal healthcare?
Bill Scheurer: We’re deceiving ourselves if we think that passing malpractice reform is all of a sudden going to lead to forty five million people who are not insured now having insurance.
**************************************************
The Iraq War: Out or stay-- just a little bit longer? A lot longer?
Jeff Berkowitz: Let’s go back to the war quickly, because that is so important. In Iraq. Bill Scheurer, very quickly, what would you do? Would you back us out of the war last year, this year, right now? What would you do?
Bill Scheurer: Well, there’s a whole range of proposals-
Jeff Berkowitz: You’ve got to be quick.
Bill Scheurer: You can’t be quick. There’s a whole range of proposals, four or five proposals that run the gamut from Congressman Murtha’s proposal to pull out and leave troops around the border-
Jeff Berkowitz: Give me your choice.
Bill Scheurer: I would back all of them. The other two candidates would back none of them. I would vote for every one of those proposals.
Jeff Berkowitz: Any timetable to get the U.S. out of Iraq?
Bill Scheurer: I would vote for the bi-partisan Abercrombie-Jones two year proposal.
Jeff Berkowitz: Okay. Dave McSweeney, what’s your choice?
Dave McSweeney: We can’t set a timeline. We need to complete the mission. We should support the Malicki government and the transition to Iraqi troops taking control of their country and rooting out the terrorists, but I don’t support a timeline. We need to complete the mission.
Jeff Berkowitz: All right. Bean might say she’s somewhere in between. She doesn’t support a timeline either, so again, is she close to you? Or is she in between you and Scheurer?
Dave McSweeney: Well, again, this is a classic example. I think Melissa Bean has taken multiple positions on this, especially the resolution before the Congress a couple weeks ago.
Bill Scheurer: In my view-
Jeff Berkowitz: I have to cut you off, Bill, just for a minute- because we’re going to continue to speak as the credits roll, but I very much want to thank Bill Scheurer, who’s running as the Moderate Party candidate. He is an independent and he is running in the 8th congressional district. And to his left—certainly not philosophically, but literally here in terms of the situation on the set, we have Dave McSweeney who is the Republican nominee for Congress in the 8th congressional district. Melissa Bean is the Democratic incumbent. We hope to have her here some time, with the three of you all going at it. Sorry I cut you off, Bill, please go ahead.
Bill Scheurer: I think that her [Cong. Bean’s] stand is exactly like David’s stand. Her voting record shows that she supports an open-ended war without end over there and she’s behind President Bush’s effort.
What is this Race about?
***********************
Jeff Berkowitz: Is that what this race is about? It’s about trade, about the war?
Bill Scheurer: It’s about all four issues. It’s about working families. It’s about healthcare. It’s about balanced budgets. It’s about bringing our troops home and taking care of them when they get here.
Jeff Berkowitz: Dave McSweeney, is this race about the war and keeping that commitment? What is it about?
**************************************************
Dave McSweeney: This race is about-
Jeff Berkowitz: About?
Dave McSweeney: Lower taxes, less spending, and a strong national defense.
Jeff Berkowitz: The two of you, what do you think Bean thinks this race is about? Scheurer, what do you say?
Bill Scheurer: I have no idea what she thinks this race is about.
Jeff Berkowitz: McSweeney, what do you think?
Dave McSweeney: I have no idea either because she refuses to engage in debates.
*************************************
High Gas Prices
***************
Jeff Berkowitz: Gas prices. Dave McSweeney, what would you do? Real quick.
Dave McSweeney: The first thing I’d do is adopt a long-term energy policy. Nuclear power. Double the tax credits for hybrid cars. And make permanent the tax credits for wind and solar.
Jeff Berkowitz: Pretty similar, Bill Scheurer?
Bill Scheurer: I agree we need a long term energy policy. But, we’d probably differ significantly on what that would be.
[SHOW ENDS]
***************************************************
Public Affairs, featuring as its guests 8th Cong. Dist. candidates David McSweeney [R-Barrington Hills] and Bill Scheurer [M-Lindenhurst]. The show was recorded on July 16, 2006 and is airing tonight on the City of Chicago edition of Public Affairs, July 31 at 8:30 pm on Cable Ch. 21. . The show with 8th Candidates McSweeney and Scheurer is also available as a video podcast at the Public Affairs Cinema Complex, along with more than twenty five other shows, which are also airing there. [See here].
****************************************************
Transcript draft prepared by Amy Allen, who also does research for “Public Affairs,” and has her own political blog [See here].
***************************************************
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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