RAYMOND LENZI, DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATE, ILLINOIS 12TH DISTRICT

My campaign has tried and tried, over and over again, to communicate with Mike Bost and his campaign about having open discussions of the issues facing Southern Illinois and the nation as we get ready to vote in the 2020 election.
In order to facilitate these open discussions, we have challenged Mr. Bost to a series of Lincoln-Douglas style debates, one in each county of the 12th District.
But despite our best efforts…not a peep out of Mr. Bost.
We sent Mike these two certified letters (holds up envelopes) which were returned to us. It took a full month for one of ‘em to find its way back to our mailbox. We send a third letter by First Class mail, and by email. But who knows what became of it…again, not a peep out of Mr. Bost.
So here we are…in front of Mr. Bost’s office hoping that with some direct contact, he’ll hear our message. Which is this:
Congressman Bost: we openly challenge you with a debate schedule. (Refer to poster) There are sponsors already waiting including the League of Women Voters, the regional media, the NAACP, labor and business groups, each of our campaigns and parties, the Green Party and more who will help promote these discussions.
This doesn’t have to be difficult. While some groups may choose to have a question and answer format we can simply meet like Lincoln and Douglas did in an open format where each candidate simply speaks for an equal amount of time. We propose to start on Labor Day in Union County in Jonesboro, site of the third Lincoln-Douglas debate, with a closing session in Alton, site of the final Lincoln-Douglas debate. Social distancing guidelines would be observed. Or these sessions can take place on-line.
We should make it clear that we will speak in each county whether you agree to join us or not. The issues of the day and the historic times in which we live demand it. You are either for a democratic discussion of the issues or you’re afraid to face the challenges of our times. We will make it clear that if you fail to meet us on the democratic field of battle we will call you out as a coward, afraid to face the issues and the voters; call you out as “No Show Mike” the pawn of Big Pharma and Dark and Dirty Money. We start here today at your office. We will not go away. We throw down the gauntlet and call you out.
So why would “No Show Mike” NOT want to debate? Well, there might be some very good reasons Mr. Bost is in hiding.

Let’s start with corruption. In 2016 Donald Trump, Mike Bost and friends ran on the slogan “Drain the Swamp”. What is now clear is that both Donald Trump and Mike Bost represent the worst creatures of the swamp they talked about draining.
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Donald Trump’s corruption is well documented. But there is no doubt that the overwhelming failure of the Trump administration and the prevailing Republican party is the tragedy of the corona virus pandemic. There are now more than 165,000 Americans who have lost their lives from Covid-19. The failure of the Trump administration’s response has also produced the worst economic collapse in American history.
Trump was on television the other day talking about the Corona pandemic claiming everything is “under control.” Now, we all know better than that. But does Mike Bost know that? Who knows?
“No Show” Mike has not held a Town Hall in nearly four years. He has voted 33 times to repeal the Affordable Care Act, to take health insurance away from 30 million Americans – 50,000 right here in his own district, while ending protections for those with pre-existing conditions and costing 3,500 good paying healthcare jobs. Bost’s legislative failures include votes to cut Medicare and Medicaid, votes for Big Pharma and keeping drug prices high for Seniors.
I would also point out that within the first few months in office, Bost spent more on taxpayer-funded office expenses than any other member of Congress. He also used his free taxpayer-funded mailing privileges more than any other member of Congress. He has voted to keep the Confederate flag flying on the grounds of the U.S. Capitol Building. And in 2015 he voted to limit the power of the Office of Congressional Ethics and House Ethics.
America is in big trouble and it’s time for a big change. There are many issues ranging from getting dark money out of politics, electoral reform, women’s right to control their own bodies, gender equality, education funding and more. Democracy is supposed to be about the open and free discussion and resolution of issues that America faces.
But “No Show Mike” doesn’t seem to want to talk about any of this.
Just what are you afraid of Mike?
I close with the three mantras of our campaign: 1) Forward, not Backward, 2) We the People, We the Majority, and 3) The Times They are a’changin.
It’s time to retire, Donald Trump, Mitch McConnell and Mike Bost!