Elect Schneider for 'a Real Voice of Moderation'

It is ironic that the often cited bipartisan bill that is used to argue about Bob Dold's moderation really shows he supports driving jobs overseas and severely altering Medicare. It is pointed out that Dold co/sponsored with a mere handful of Republicans and Democrats the Cooper Latourette debt reduction plan which  Schneider has made clear he would not have supported.

If those citing this purported sign of moderation would have shared the details of the Cooper plan it would have shown Dold's true colors, since as noted by the Center on Budget Policy and Priorities it would be clear that this bill which Dold co-sponsored would 1) provide exemptions for foreign profits which would Encourage tax avoidance and shift jobs overseas 2) the proposal would cause "draconian cuts in Medicare and Medicaid in Future years and 3) contains "severe" cuts in discretionary spending - ver one hundred billion more than Simpson-Bowles commission. The discretionary cuts under the Dold sponsored bill over next  9 years would have been "greater than if full sequestration were allowed to take place". In other words it would have been worse than the often referenced "over the cliff" scenario.

Another difference is that Schneider supports the affordable care act and supports refinements to improve and strengthen health careto improve it. Dold however would start over and in effect throw the baby out with the bath water since he claims he supports some provisions which would be gone if the law is repealed as Dold as repeatedly voted for over 20 times. Dold claims he supports certain provisions but made no effort to protect them. Dold even if less extreme than some of his Republican collegues on his talking points has voted with the xteme right time and again and most notably twice for the Ryan budget which would eliminate Medicare as we know it and turn it into a voucher system.

Brad Schneider has made it clear that he would fight to protect Medicare for our seniors and for those under 55 for whom Dold would radically change the the system. On tax policy Schneider supports President Obama's approach which would keep tax cuts in place for the middle class but let them expire for the millionaires and the wealthy while Dold appears to support the Romney approach which most experts agree could not be sustained without tax increases to the middle class. Most importantly, Brad Schneider is committed finding moderate common ground with people on both sides of the aisle to end the deadlock in Washington while Mr Dold tries to makes himself out to to be a purported independent yet votes with and refuses to stand up to the right wing of his party.

It should therefore be no surprise Brad Schneider, not Bob Dold has the support of many Environmental and Pro-choice groups that had in previous elections supported Mark Kirk. This election is pivotal and it is critical that we elect Brad Schneider who will not vote with the radical right on major issues facing our Nation and who will be a real voice of moderation who will work with all for reasonable common sense solutions while fighting to protect our needed safety nets, and to create jobs at home rather than driving them abroad.

Elliott Hartstein

Buffalo Grove