Established parties won't get reform done

The time is now to call for a change that Illinois needs. However, it will not be through the current legislators, as the Daily Herald would like to see, as stated in its May 1 editorial. The quote given to the Daily Herald by Barbara Flynn Currie saying there is no chance of implementing the reforms suggested by the Illinois Reform Commission shows the contempt the legislators have for the general public.

An example of this contempt has been the targeting of the Illinois Green Party by the incumbents. Petition signature requirements for legislative candidates to appear on the ballot had been the same for decades. Only after the Green Party became a threat did the two parties work together to nearly double the signature requirements.

Most recently, Rep. Mike Fortner, a Republican, wrote HB 723. The bill is targeted directly at the Illinois Green Party because it became an established party in 2006. This allows it to play by the same rules as the Republicans and Democrats. There was no outcry by the citizens for the increased restrictions of HB 723, which stifles third party candidates. In the last election, half of the legislative seats went unopposed! They won't be satisfied until all the elections are unopposed.

The bill passed in the house with 112 yes votes with only two no votes. Sen. Terry Link, a Democrat, presented it to the eight other senators in a recent committee hearing. Eight senators voted yes and only one voted no. The only time the two parties' members work together is to eliminate any competition.

The Daily Herald has run countless stories about the scandals and corruption caused by the Republican and Democrat parties. The Green Party not only supports, but developed many of the reforms the Daily Herald wants to see implemented long before Pat Quinn established the Illinois Reform Commission. Check out http://ilgp.org.

Dan Kairis

Kane County Greens Chair