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Feingold holds session in Beloit
By Rebekah Danaher
Daily News staff writer
There's been chatter in the media that Russ Feingold might be a 2008 presidential candidate, but Friday, he was simply Senator Feingold - giving ear to concerns and questions from Rock County residents at a listening session at the Merrill Community Center.
The Democrat United States senator lightly brushed off any allusions to his candidacy for the presidency, though he was highly critical of President Bush's leadership. Feingold was unabashed about his recent call for censuring of the president, though it was a largely unpopular move among his colleagues in Congress, even some Democrats.
“They treated me like I had the avian flu or the mumps,” he joked.
That he failed to get support for the discipline measure shows that Democrats in Washington, D.C. are afraid of Bush, he said.
Feingold isn't backing down on his call for a withdrawal from Iraq either. He has been one of the main voices demanding a public timetable for redeployment of troops and told listeners Friday that his mind has not been changed.
Things are not getting better, he said, they've gotten much worse.
“This Iraq situation is a disaster,” he said.
Threats like Iran and North Korea see the United States embroiled in Iraq and recognize an opportunity to take advantage of that weakness, Feingold explained.
Asked by resident Shirley Williams if the United States is contemplating imposing a military draft, Feingold replied that it could be a possibility if the present administration continues to make foreign policy mistakes like Iraq.
Before the conflict between the terrorist group Hezbollah and Israel gets out of hand, Feingold recommends that the United States send a special delegation of policy and military experts to offer diplomatic assistance.
Airing more local concerns, several audience members asked about health care reforms and Feingold shared a bit of his vision for a universal health care system that would guarantee coverage for all.
He deferred further comment to the health care “experts” seated with him at the table. State Sen. Judy Robson, D-Beloit, and State Rep. Chuck Benedict, D-Beloit, echoed Feingold's optimism that a single-payer health care system can work.
Robson recommended that a few states be allowed to pilot a program on a trial basis before it were instituted nation-wide. Senior Care in Wisconsin - for which Robson takes partial credit - is a good start, she said. There are other options Wisconsin Democrats are researching that might have a better chance of passing if the Republican leadership in Madison is overturned, she said.
Benedict added that by eliminating some of the interference of administration associated with insurance companies health care costs could be reduced.
Asked by a young man in the audience about the price of a national health care plan, Feingold admitted that it would be costly but said the current inefficiencies in health care are expensive and already a drain on taxpayers.
Feingold called Bush's opposition to stem cell research an extreme and wrong position and said that he expects legislation on the science to fare better in Congress next year.
“We will win this,” he replied to one inquiry.
Feingold recognized several people in the audience, including new Beloit School District Superintendent Lowell Holtz, community activist Hugo Henry and former Beloit fire chief Jim Reseburg and former Beloit deputy police chief Charles Tubbs.
Reseburg and Tubbs influenced Feingold to introduce the Volunteers for Safe Skies Act. Part of the Aviation Security Bill, the measure created a way for law enforcement officials and first responders to register with airlines when flying to provide more security in post-Sept. 11 travel.
Daily News staff writer
There's been chatter in the media that Russ Feingold might be a 2008 presidential candidate, but Friday, he was simply Senator Feingold - giving ear to concerns and questions from Rock County residents at a listening session at the Merrill Community Center.
The Democrat United States senator lightly brushed off any allusions to his candidacy for the presidency, though he was highly critical of President Bush's leadership. Feingold was unabashed about his recent call for censuring of the president, though it was a largely unpopular move among his colleagues in Congress, even some Democrats.
“They treated me like I had the avian flu or the mumps,” he joked.
That he failed to get support for the discipline measure shows that Democrats in Washington, D.C. are afraid of Bush, he said.
Feingold isn't backing down on his call for a withdrawal from Iraq either. He has been one of the main voices demanding a public timetable for redeployment of troops and told listeners Friday that his mind has not been changed.
Things are not getting better, he said, they've gotten much worse.
“This Iraq situation is a disaster,” he said.
Threats like Iran and North Korea see the United States embroiled in Iraq and recognize an opportunity to take advantage of that weakness, Feingold explained.
Asked by resident Shirley Williams if the United States is contemplating imposing a military draft, Feingold replied that it could be a possibility if the present administration continues to make foreign policy mistakes like Iraq.
Before the conflict between the terrorist group Hezbollah and Israel gets out of hand, Feingold recommends that the United States send a special delegation of policy and military experts to offer diplomatic assistance.
Airing more local concerns, several audience members asked about health care reforms and Feingold shared a bit of his vision for a universal health care system that would guarantee coverage for all.
He deferred further comment to the health care “experts” seated with him at the table. State Sen. Judy Robson, D-Beloit, and State Rep. Chuck Benedict, D-Beloit, echoed Feingold's optimism that a single-payer health care system can work.
Robson recommended that a few states be allowed to pilot a program on a trial basis before it were instituted nation-wide. Senior Care in Wisconsin - for which Robson takes partial credit - is a good start, she said. There are other options Wisconsin Democrats are researching that might have a better chance of passing if the Republican leadership in Madison is overturned, she said.
Benedict added that by eliminating some of the interference of administration associated with insurance companies health care costs could be reduced.
Asked by a young man in the audience about the price of a national health care plan, Feingold admitted that it would be costly but said the current inefficiencies in health care are expensive and already a drain on taxpayers.
Feingold called Bush's opposition to stem cell research an extreme and wrong position and said that he expects legislation on the science to fare better in Congress next year.
“We will win this,” he replied to one inquiry.
Feingold recognized several people in the audience, including new Beloit School District Superintendent Lowell Holtz, community activist Hugo Henry and former Beloit fire chief Jim Reseburg and former Beloit deputy police chief Charles Tubbs.
Reseburg and Tubbs influenced Feingold to introduce the Volunteers for Safe Skies Act. Part of the Aviation Security Bill, the measure created a way for law enforcement officials and first responders to register with airlines when flying to provide more security in post-Sept. 11 travel.
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