Scott SummersIllinois Green Party Candidate for U.S. Congress, 16th District |
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Follow Scott's political blog:It's time for a fresh start! SCOTT SUMMERS Illinois Green Party candidate for U.S. Congress -- 16th District (Greater Rockford area and far northwestern Illinois) Smart – Principled – Outspoken A courageous citizen with a mind of his own. Scott Summers has just what we want – and need -- from our representative in Washington: intelligence, integrity, ideas, and good old fashioned common sense. By standing apart from the power parties, Scott is completely free to point the way to the things we yearn for: prosperity, progress, and peace. His hearts-and-hands solutions will make a difference! PROSPERITY:
PROGRESS:
PEACE:
A thirty year resident of the district, Scott Summers has shown his mettle in recent years as an elected community college trustee who stands up fearlessly for community interests. His experience as an attorney, his background in the public sector, his training as an MBA, and his willingness to strike out on his own politically give residents of the 16th Congressional district a rare opportunity to send to Washington a representative beholden to no absolutely one – except we the people! We can count on Scott Summers to stand up to special interests and do the right thing. He'll make us proud! NEWSThursday, July 10 The Green Party's national convention will be held in Chicago between July 10th and 13th. On Saturday, July 12th, candidates for president and vice president will be nominated. At about 10:45 AM on that day, Scott Summers will have the honor of delivering a two minute introduction of one of the keynote speakers, peace activist Kathy Kelly. The proceedings are scheduled to be broadcast on C-SPAN. For more information on the convention, visit www.gp.org or www.ilgp.org. Monday, June 30 Scott will be marching in two parades on July 4th: Kirkland (DeKalb County) at 11 AM, and Rockford at 7 PM. On July 6th, he will be in Mount Morris (Ogle County) for the "Let Freedom Ring" parade at 2 PM. This comes on the heels of appearances in recent weeks in Boone, JoDaviess, McHenry, Ogle, and Stephenson Counties, culminating today at Belvidere's "Heritage Days" parade. Do you want to bring Scott to an upcoming event? How about having Scott speak to your civic or community group? Just phone or send an email! Thursday, June 12 A BUSY PARADE WEEKEND COMING UP! Scott goes for two on Saturday, June 14: he will be marching in the Davis Days parade (Stephenson County) at 10:30 AM, and in the Genoa Days parade (DeKalb County) at 1 PM. Scott also will be in Ogle County on Sunday, June 15, for the noon start of the Polo Town and Country Days parade. C'mon out and meet your candidate! Saturday, June 7th is Harvard Milk Day! Come to Scott's home town and cheer him on as he begins the campaign parade season in style! Harvard Milk Day is the longest running community festival in Illinois. The parade steps off from the high school (north side of town) at 1 PM and winds through residential areas before taking to the festive "Milky Way" in the central business district. Linger after the parade for carnival, exhibits, milk drinking contests, music, food, and all kinds of small town fun. For general information, visit www.milkdays.com. If you care to join Scott's walking team, or want more information, email Scott@SummersForCongress.com. Scott will be marching in parades throughout the district this summer and fall. Keep watching for details -- and plan to c'mon out and have some fun! Saturday, April 19th Scott is officially on the November ballot! In a recent filing with the Illinois State Board of Elections, Green party officials designated Scott Summers as their Congressional candidate for the 16th district (metropolitan Rockford and northwestern Illinois). "I'm honored to have been chosen, and I'm eager to begin," Summers stated. "Count on me to run a principled and spirited campaign." "We're all so proud that Scott is standing up for democracy", said campaign advisor Carol Krohm. "It will be an exciting three-way race." "My opponents and I will offer voters a variety of choices -- some strikingly different -- on issues running from the economy and environment to health care and peace," Summers asserted. "It will be a grassroots campaign in the truest sense," Krohm noted. "Because Scott and the Greens refuse to accept corporate contributions, we will be counting on volunteers and word-of-mouth to get the message out." "The internet will be a vital part of our efforts," she continued. "Scott has a new political blog, www.SummersTimes.com, that will chronicle his campaign. But more importantly, the blog will serve as a forum for his well-informed views." "Carol's right about what the internet can do. But good old-fashioned ways are just as important," Summers said. "I hope to wear out a couple of pairs of shoes walking the district in the coming months and meeting and talking with as many people as I can." Summers is available to speak before civic and community groups and to meet and mingle at coffees and similar functions. Contact the campaign to schedule an event. Saturday, September 22ndScott formally announced his candidacy today at the Keeling-Puri Peace Plaza in Rockford. WTVO-Channel 17 in Rockford covered the event. See the videos and the text of Scott's remarks below: Scott delivers his speech at the Peace Plaza
Scott is interviewed by WTVO-Channel 17 News Rockford and discusses Iraq and his program for microcapitalism "Peace. Peace among the nations. Peace in our communities. Peace in our homes. Peace in our hearts. Peace among us all. It's my fervent quest for peace that leads me to this place and to this moment. I announce today my candidacy for the United States Congress as a member of the Green Party. America – your America, my America – is not at peace. It is instead mired in a contemptible war that is causing unspeakable agony for millions. We spill the blood of our sons and daughters. We squander our treasure. It's time to end our occupation of Iraq and bring our troops home. It's time for contrition. And it's time for healing. But it's not just Iraq. Earnestly, bravely, my heart brimming with hope, I say unto you: we must end all wars. Peace begins with us. You and me. Each of us. All of us. Here at this very place. I'm not a man of faith in any traditional religious sense. But I know wisdom when I see it. Over one hundred generations ago, the Old Testament foretold a glorious time: 'And they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; neither shall they learn war any more. Nation shall not lift sword against nation.' I'm fifty-eight years old now. Sadly I say that for me, the hope of seeing that time has almost completely slipped away. But I have two sons. And I desperately want this world to be a better place for them. So I begin, with with the fervent hope that my sons -- they and all the children of the world -- will take up our task, and finish it. 'Neither shall they learn war anymore.' The toil before us is enormous. But my spirit is calm. My resolve is unwavering. The children will yet be at peace. It is our duty – our duty -- to start them on their way. Peace begets justice. Peace begets dignity. Peace will set us free. And from peace will flow prosperity – good jobs, good schools, good health care. Without a predicate of peace, none of these are possible. I close with the words of Lincoln: 'With malice toward none, with charity for all, with firmness in the right as God gives us to see the right, let us strive on to finish the work we are in, to bind up the nation's wounds, to care for him who shall have borne the battle and for his widow and his orphan, to do all which may achieve and cherish a just and lasting peace among ourselves and with all nations.' " Thursday, September 17th Join Scott on Saturday, Sept. 22 for his formal announcement! Here's the press release: GREENS FIELD A “FRESH START” CANDIDATE FOR CONGRESS McHenry County, IL – Green Party candidate Scott Summers will announce his candidacy for the U.S. House of Representatives at a 1:30 p.m. press conference on Saturday, September 22, 2007. The event will take place at the Keeling-Puri Peace Plaza in northeastern Rockford. (The Plaza is just southeast of the intersection of Perryville Road and Riverside Boulevard.) Summers, an attorney and community college trustee from rural Harvard, will face Republican incumbent Donald Manzullo and the eventual winner of the Democratic primary for the 16th Congressional seat. The district covers greater Rockford and far northwestern Illinois. “The nation demands bold thinking and smart solutions,” Summers says. “It's time for a fresh start.” Summers' platform includes an expedited military withdrawal from Iraq, coupled with a massive aid program for displaced civilians and refugees and redoubled efforts to provide health care and employment opportunities for war veterans and their families. Scott promotes common-sense fiscal and trade policies and reconfigured health care and education systems. “We need to put people first,” he says. “The key to economic prosperity is a skilled and healthy workforce.” His “microcapitalism” project will help start and grow local businesses. “Home-grown jobs won't be outsourced,” Summers asserts. Scott advocates for personal responsibility. “The turn-around work I do in Washington will merely set the tone,” he says. “Sustained societal change means that every American gets involved in little ways every day.”
Paid for by the Committee to Elect Scott Summers. (c) 2007 Scott Summers and the Committee to Elect Scott Summers |