U.S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky of Evanston now has a challenger in the Democratic primary as she seeks an 8th term in Congress.
Simon Ribeiro, who drew about 2.5 percent of the general election vote as a Green party candidate for the seat in 2010, filed petition signatures in Springfield shortly before the Tuesday afternoon filing deadline to take on Schakowsky
Ribeiro, of 510 Sheridan Road, says on his campaign website that he grew up in Evanston, has college degrees in pollitical science, history and secondary education, and is a teacher at a Catholic high school.
Ribeiro says the income tax is the most fair and equitable tax and all other forms of taxation should be abolished. He says investment income should be taxed at the same rate as wages. And he wants lower tax rates for low and middle-income earners and higher rates for top-income earners.
He also favors a single-payer healthcare system, major changes in the banking system and a system of national licensing for everything from drivers licenses to professional certifications.
Schakowsky faced her toughest election challenge to date in 2010 when she rolled up nearly two-thirds of the vote, with the rest split between Ribeiro and Republican Joel Pollak, who isn’t running this time.
She won 75 percent of the vote in 2008, and her lowest previous result had been 70 percent in 2002.
Two candidates, Susanne Atanus and Timothy Wolfe, have filed to run in the Republican primary for the 9th District.
The district, redrawn following the 2010 census, now includes more northwest suburban neighborhoods which traditionally have leaned Republican, in contrast to Schakowsky’s base in Evanston and wards on the north side of Chicago, which have heavy Democratic majorities.
The new boundaries of the 9th Congressional District.
The non-partisan Cook Political Report has predicted that despite losing one congressional seat as a result of population shifts from the 2010 Census, Illinois is likely to swing from having 11 Republican and 8 Democratic representatives in Congress now, to having 7 Republicans and 11 Democrats, based on the new maps drawn up by the Democratic controled state legislature.
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No snarky toungue-in-cheek
No snarky toungue-in-cheek about his campaign website?
All taxes abolished, including property taxes, etc. except for income tax, and no one pays any income tax up to 150,000 of income? What planet does this guy live on? It's nice to dream but it's also nice to know what, realistically, a candidate is going to do in office. It's not abolishing taxes and 0% taxes for incomes up to 150,000, I'm sure of that.
Ribeiro to challenge Schakowsky
Ribeiro sounds like he might be as bad as Schakowsky, if that is possible. On the other hand, Ribeiro sounds like he may show that he is going to be an active congressman while Schakowsky has a long standing reputation as being lazy and uninspiring.
This could be a good race to watch if the democrats pay attention.
This could not be a good race to watch…
Ribeiro will fail miserably.
Candidate from Planet Earth!
Dear friends,
Anything is possible… I can win this…
Our tax system is regressive (unfair).
Our monetary system is fragile (inflationary).
Our Federal Reservs System is private, predatory, and secretive (never been audited)…
There is no reason why, in the richest country in the world, we should have to pay so much in taxes, and receive so little from government.
Slaves were dreaming about freedom, and eventually they got their freedom in the USA…
Why not dream for a more fair and just society in the USA?
The super rich don't pay there fair share (and get richer and richer), which leaves the middle and poor classes to pay too much (and getting poorer and poorer).
When will you wake up?
I'm from planet Earth, which one are you from?
– Simon Ribeiro
The only man brave enough to run for Congress here…