Running against Democrat Melissa Bean and Republican David McSweeney for a U.S. Congressional seat may seem like a daunting prospect, but Moderate Party candidate Bill Scheurer feels that he is more than up to the task. He talked with Windy City Times about his opponents, gay rights and the 'consistent ethic of life.'
Windy City Times: Tell me about your own occupational background and qualifications.
Bill Scheurer: It's long. I'm 55 years old. [ Laughs ] I've worked as a lay minister, a lawyer, a technology entrepreneur, an editor and an activist.
WCT: Do you have a political background?
BS: No. I didn't have a background in political involvement before 2003. I was on the 2004 Democratic primary ballot as a single-issue candidate. At that time, it was about bringing the troops home from Iraq.
WCT: What are your biggest advantage and disadvantage in this race?
BS: [ Bean and McSweeney ] are after the same conservative voters and really have similar stances on a lot of issues. They disenfranchise progressives and labor—huge blocks of people who don't have any representation. That's our biggest advantage.
Our biggest disadvantage is that they have all the money and party apparatus behind them. Enormous amounts of funds [ have ] come from outside the district.
WCT: What is your feeling about same-sex marriage and civil unions?
BS: I support equal protection for all citizens—which means same equal rights regarding marriage, hospital visitation, social security, funeral arrangements, etc. For me, it's a civil-rights issue. I realize that churches can teach whatever they choose, but I believe in equal protection under the law.
WCT: What are your feelings regarding 'don't ask, don't tell?'
BS: I see that as a violation of equal protection as well. It's ... discrimination.
WCT: I read on your Web site that you feel the war on drugs is a bad idea. Why is that?
BS: We're making the same mistakes that we made in the 1920s with Prohibition. Whenever you militarize and criminalize private behavior ( that is harmful ) , you raise the cost and attractiveness of that behavior. The same things in the '20s—gangs, violence and corruption—you see now with the so-called war on drugs.
Substance abuse is a public-health problem that should be handled by the Surgeon General, not a public-safety problem that you turn over to the attorney general. It doesn't mean that we shouldn't restrict public behavior, like driving. But it's a terrible mistake when you put people in prison for this; it has an impact that's heavily racist.
WCT: Are you pro-choice?
BS: No. I recognize that a woman has that right [ to choose ] ] , but I believe that the right is in conflict with that of an unborn child. I follow a 'consistent ethic of life' position. The same feelings that lead me to oppose the violence of poverty, capital punishment and war also lead me to oppose abortion. I try not to be an idiot about it.
WCT: So what makes you the best person for this seat?
BS: I'm the only one who's willing to address the biggest challenge we face as a country; that challenge has to deal with war and peace. The other big issues are the runaway deficit ( which the others don't have plans for ) , the broken health-care system and the attack on working families.
See www.winwithbill.com for more info.