by Ray Lenzi, Democratic Candidate for Congress, Illinois 12th District

Once again Mike “No Show” Bost is dancing to the tune of his out-of-the-district special interest donors like Big Pharma and dark money Super PACs instead of representing the needs of the people.
While hospitals, small businesses, unemployed workers and state and local governments struggle from drowning in debt he, once again, stands against our interests in voting against the Heroes Act and the money to support local governments who may be forced into mass layoffs to the financial devastation of local workers and their families. “We the People” say, “Hey Mike how about some independent thinking! Let’s take care of the people you’re supposed to represent instead of those high rollers.”
Yes, small businesses need more help and so do the unemployed, Illinois state government, local governments from Alton and Belleville to Carbondale and Marion as well as our postal workers. Lost revenue during this crisis is threatening further layoffs that will only make things worse. Why not support a bipartisan bill that will provide dollars to the states and our local health departments to provide the kind of universal testing and tracking to open the economy more fully?
The only answer is that Mike Bost has no independent mind or original ideas for the good of the people. He was silent when Trump said two months ago the virus would be down to “zero” and “go away.” Having isolated himself from the people he now hides behind his wealthy donors and parrots what he is told.
Hey Mike, come out of your hiding place. How about virtual debates by Zoom right now? What are you afraid of? American democracy is about the free exchange of ideas and letting the people decide. A candidate committed to this ideal should welcome debates. You won’t even call out Trump for insisting his name be on the stimulus checks! The first and only President to ever make such a nakedly selfish demand! How shameful. Is there no limit to the corruption you will support?
The coronavirus crisis has exposed the deeply immoral alliance of Bost with the out-of-the-district Big Pharma and their backward political agenda. It’s time for a change. It’s time our people had a congressman in the tradition of Kenny Gray, Paul Simon, Glenn Poshard and Jerry Costello who represents the interests of the people of the district instead of outside special interests and the 1%.