Monday, March 02, 2009

Better than Schieffer w/Rahm Emanuel: Berkowitz w/5th CD Republican Greg Bedell on the Economy, Immigration, Vouchers and Obama; Cable and Streaming

Jeff Berkowitz: …Are you in favor of increased border control?

Greg Bedell, 5th Cong. Dist. Republican Primary Candidate: Absolutely, not a fence, though.

Jeff Berkowitz: Why…isn’t a fence one… tool by which you would keep people out who are not legally entitled to enter this country?
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Jeff Berkowitz: Barack Obama exercises choice.

Greg Bedell: Yes, he does
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Jeff Berkowitz: With his wife Michelle Obama, they send their kids to Sidwell Friends School in Washington, DC.

Greg Bedell, 5th Cong. Dist. Republican Primary Candidate: As did President Clinton.

Jeff Berkowitz: So, the tuition there for the two [Obama kids] is about $57,000…in DC public schools, it …might be about $13,000 or $14,000 per kid per year that is spent. So, take that $14,000 and give it to each parent; they could have a similar choice to Barack and Michelle Obama.
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Tonight’s City of Chicago edition of Public Affairs features Greg Bedell, Illinois 5th CD Republican Primary Candidate, airing throughout the City of Chicago at 8:30 pm on Cable Ch. 21 . For more about the airing schedule for the show in Rockford and Aurora, more about Illinois’ 5th Cong. Dist. race [to replace Cong. Rahm Emanuel, who is now White House Chief of Staff] and more about 5th CD candidate Greg Bedell, please go here. The special primary election in the 5th CD is tomorrow, March 3, 2009.

You can also watch the show with candidate Bedell on your computer. The show was taped on February 22, 2009.
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Illegal Immigration and fences

Jeff Berkowitz: …Are you in favor of increased border control?

Greg Bedell, 5th Cong. Dist. Republican Primary Candidate: Absolutely, not a fence, though.

Jeff Berkowitz: Why…isn’t a fence one… tool by which you would keep people out who are not legally entitled to enter this country?

Greg Bedell: …I think there is a moral problem with it quite honestly. We are not a country of fences. Throughout our history, we have welcomed here—we are a nation of immigrants.

Jeff Berkowitz: …legal immigrants, historically have we welcomed illegal immigrants?

Greg Bedell: Up until the mid-1920s, that wasn’t an issue. You came here, you crossed the border—
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A fence: the wrong symbol?

Jeff Berkowitz: Jeff Berkowitz: Symbolically, you think it is the wrong symbol.

Greg Bedell: Exactly, I do.

Jeff Berkowitz: But you do want to keep people out of the United States who are not legally entitled to come here?

Greg Bedell: I do. I do. Let me give you the practical effect of that fence, though. If we look at what’s happened in the Gaza strip and the effort of securing the border between the Gaza strip and Egypt. They have a fence, it didn’t work. People just tunnel under it… it’s better to take money and use it for increased border patrols through human effort, satellite, sensors, use technology…that will do a better job than a fence will.
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Schools and Choices

Jeff Berkowitz: So, pretty much, you’ve got the [public school] in your neighborhood, if you don’t like it, tough. Is that the attitude of the public schools?

Greg Bedell, 5th Cong. Dist. Republican Primary Candidate: Unless you can afford a private tuition, exactly. And, in my mind, that’s not fair. It allows people with means to get a better school community, which is really the most important thing…

Jeff Berkowitz: So, what would you do to improve the choice [given to parents].

Greg Bedell: Vouchers, we have to give people a choice for the money that they pay. I am a firm believer in that.

The Obamas’ School Choice

Jeff Berkowitz: Barack Obama exercises choice.

Greg Bedell: Yes, he does.

Jeff Berkowitz: With his wife Michelle Obama, they send their kids to Sidwell Friends School in Washington, DC.

Greg Bedell, 5th Cong. Dist. Republican Primary Candidate: As did President Clinton.

Jeff Berkowitz: So, the tuition there for the two [Obama kids] is about $57,000…in DC public schools, it …might be about $13,000 or $14,000 per kid per year that is spent. So, take that $14,000 and give it to each parent; they could have a similar choice to Barack and Michelle Obama.

Greg Bedell: Correct.

Dems, Republicans and School Choice

Jeff Berkowitz: It is only fair. How many Democrats do you know of who are running in the 5th Cong. Dist. that support school vouchers-school choice?

Greg Bedell, 5th Cong. Dist. Republican Primary Candidate: I don’t know of any.

Jeff Berkowitz: And, you do, as a Republican [support school choice; To be fair and accurate, 5th CD Democrat Primary Candidate Charles Wheelan does support school choice]. People need to think about that. I mean, you take either a Republican ballot, or a Democratic ballot [or a Green ballot]. We, of course, don’t endorse candidates, but we do endorse…
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"Public Affairs," is a weekly political interview show airing in Chicago on CANTV, in the Chicago metro area, Aurora and Rockford on Comcast and also often on the Illinois Channel. You can watch the shows, including archived shows going back to 2005, here.
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Recently posted shows on the Public Affairs YouTube page include shows with 5th Cong. Dist. Republican Primary Candidate Greg Bedell, 5th Cong. Dist. Democratic Primary candidate Tom Geoghegan, 5th Cong. Dist. Democratic Primary Candidate Charles Wheelan, State Senator Kwame Raoul on impeachment(D-Chicago), Democratic political campaign consultant Pete Giangreco on Blago's impeachment and the way in which the Obama Administration will operate, a recent Bill O'Reilly segment w/Berkowitz on Obama, shows with State Rep. Julie Hamos, (D-Evanston) newly minted State Rep. Mark Walker (D-Arlington Heights), essentially the first Dem to represent his district since the Civil War, on the connection between the mess in Springfield and in Cook County government, Chicago Alderman Manuel (Manny) Flores (D-1st Ward, Wicker Park) on impeachment of Rod, Chicago issues and a possible run to replace 5th CD Cong. Emanuel and much more.
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