I had the opportunity to attend the IVI-IPO congressional endorsement session on Saturday because Carl is a member. He wanted to go because his district, IL-2 was up for endorsement by the group.
IVI-IPO is the Independent Voters of Illinois-Independent Precinct Organization. It's basically a good government group, started in 1944, that works for government reform, supports endorsed candidates, educates and registers voters. The organization is made up of several area branches that recommend candidates to a state board. The session I attended was a Chicago branch determining the endorsements it would recommend to the state board.
I went to see Rep. Jesse Jackson, Jr. and any other candidate who might have applied for the IVI-IPO endorsement from the 2d district. Only Jackson attended. He discussed the Peotone airport plan. He wants to see a long runway so we can fly fresh organic produce into the south suburbs as he feels that is a start to boosting the economy of the area.
The struggle between Jackson and his opponent Debbie Halvorson appears to be, from Rep. Jackson's point of view, the control of contracts for the building, operation and maintenance of the airport. Jackson says he wants the business for the more populated Cook County areas of the 2d district and Halvorson will bring the business to collar counties instead. Halvorson was not there to give her side of the story, but here is a Tribune story with their impression of the conflict. Here is a CBS story about Halvorson's position on the airport. It leaves me wondering why Halvorson wants to represent the new IL-2 because it's main population center is in Cook County and Chicago's South Side and she seems to identify more with Will County.
Here is some interesting reading showing the bitter feelings coming out of Will County.
Skepticism on Jackson's plan includes concerns that transportation to the airport from Chicago will not be as easy and quick as Jackson claims. He said an extension of the University Park line would make it a 35 minute train ride. A quick look at the current schedule makes one wonder how that would be possible without a bullet train. The other area of concern is why we'd want to create international competition for our local farmers in Illinois, Indiana and Michigan.
However, one has to hand it to Jackson. He's been working for the airport for years and is very passionate about jobs for his district.
I've met Jackson before, at the 2004 DNC in Boston. He's an impressive figure, very passionate and very serious. I found him unfriendly at the 2004 DNC, but he was more gracious at IVI-IPO. His district has some very economically depressed areas and he takes the needs of his constituents seriously. I imagine Jackson will easily beat Halvorson just based on the population centers of the district. I think a new airport is probably a good idea simply because it's never a bad idea to modernize our infrastructure.. I think the airport board should be controlled by all the surrounding communities and I think it should focus less on imports of organic produce from South America in free trade deals, and more exports of American goods. I also think that many in Will County need to be less divisive and I detect hints of racism in their opposition to plans that give Cook County some say in the airport construction and operation.
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