Thanks to redistricting and a retiring incumbent, an Illinois senate district that’s usually a comfortable home for the democrat machine in Chicago’s north suburbs is now in play for Republican candidate Dr. Arie Friedman.
This seat will no doubt be hard fought for, and yesterday in the Deerfield Patch, Friedman’s opponent, West Deerfield Township Supervisor Julie Morrison stepped up her attack on Dr. Friedman. The Patch reports that Morrison claimed, “He has never been responsible to citizens and taxpayers.”
“I am the only candidate in the race who has held elective office,” Morrison said to more than 50 people at the formal office opening. “I know what it’s like to be accountable to taxpayers and my opponent does not. I know how to balance a budget.” -Morrison
Dr. Friedman may not have the credentials of being a full time politician in the past, but his record is nothing of what Morrison would make it out to be. Aside from being a successful doctor, accountable to patients well being, Friedman also served honorably as a Desert Storm Naval Aviator, proving it’s more than inappropriate to claim, “he has never been accountable to citizens and taxpayers.
Friedman responded in a press release today:
“By questioning the relevance of my experience Mrs. Morrison displays an unfortunate naiveté about the nature of military service,” said Friedman. “Only a full-time career politician would believe that a retired Desert Storm Naval Aviator has never held a position of public trust and accountability.”
But Morrison’s tactics also prove to be a defense tactic to shade herself in the cover of questions over her own accountability to taxpayers.
Earlier this year, when Morrison was questioned on camera, whether or not she would promise not to raise taxes, she responded, “oh that is like one of those trick questions.” Sadly after many more accounts, being asked the same or similar questions, Morrison still would not declare a position. Friedman correctly calls into question her non-position by asking, “How can you be accountable to taxpayers if you refuse to tell them where you stand on the issues?”
Furthermore, as Freidman’s press release also states, “According to her own 2011 – 2012 budget, Mrs. Morrison’s West Deerfield Township spent $1.6 million dollars despite only receiving $1 million in revenue. As a result of this, the township’s reserves were drastically depleted.” Friedman commented, “If I ran my medical practice that way, my doors would be closed within a month. Illinois can’t afford any more of this Rod Blagojevich style math.”
Morrison, like most democrats we know is resorting to the same tactics we have grown so used to expecting from elected officials and full time politicians. But if the voters pay attention to the real clear choice that is available to them in Illinois’ 29th district, they could find themselves with a fresh new state senator, ready to stand up to the machine and attempt to turn their disastrous state around.
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