Written by Bob Balgemann
majority of Boone County voters didn’t support U.S. Rep. Adam Kinzinger, R-Ill., in the March 2012 Republican primary election. Neither did the majority of voters who turned out in Winnebago County or DeKalb County.
Among his plans include having town hall meetings and small business roundtables in this area. “I will come out and do the right thing every day,” he said.
Cal Skinner, retired Republican Representative for the Crystal Lake area (73-81, 93-01), predicts that U.S. House District # 16 (Manzullo, R. Rockford) and #8 (Walsh, R.McHenry ) will be merged by the Democratic controlled reapportionment process. Manzullo may either retire or hammer is out in a primary with Walsh in 2012. And then Democrat Jack Franks will challenge the winner. One Congressional seat is expected lost because of the 2010 Census.
Click on the following to read Mr. Skinner’s conclusions: McHenry County Blog | Reapportionment Scenario to Pit Manzullo Against Walsh, the Winner to Face Franks
To the Editor:
If there's one issue I'm passionate about, it's animal welfare.
So for anyone living and voting in the 16th Congressional District currently represented by Republican Don Manzullo, I'd like you to know one thing: He is the only Illinois U.S. representative that voted against every single animal welfare issue in the latest session.
That record of zero votes for animal protection is common for Manzullo. He voted against protection for everything from primates to marine turtles, wild horses to sea otters, great cats and rare canids to cranes.
It looks like no animal deserves protection if you're Don Manzullo.Kathy Stelford
Sycamore
Click on the following to see the 25 plus comments to this letter. Letter: Manzullo's animal-welfare record extremely troubling | Daily Chronicle
To the Editor: No respect for constituents
Editor’s note: The following is a letter that was sent to U.S. Rep. Donald Manzullo (R-16), which the writer chose to share with us.
Dear Congressman Manzullo,
On March 22nd, 2010, a day after my 23rd birthday, I participated in three meetings with the staff of my elected representatives. I was in Washington, D.C., for Ecumenical Advocacy Days and there to learn about the undocumented illegal immigrants in this country. Little did I know, I would end up feeling like I had no voice, much like them.
I was treated with class and dignity by my first two appointments (Durbin and Gutierrez), not so much with the third. I am sorry to tell you, but my third meeting was with your staffers. Michele was very nice and seemed open to different opinions. Your other staffer, on the other hand, was not. He frequently checked his phone and texted even as others in my group were talking to him. When we mentioned that immigration reform would create jobs, he rolled his eyes at us. I felt absolutely terrible about myself.
He said you were working on immigration reform, so we asked him how. He said that when we do business with a foreign country such as Japan, you need to get a visa to travel over there or vice versa, and that takes many days. Your assistant said you are working to change that. Well, I believe that is just business as usual. I would like to see you work for the everyday man and woman.
Big business got us into this financial crisis we are suffering through, and is now responsible for the environmental crisis in the Gulf of Mexico. I had to finance part of the trip from my own pocket because I firmly believe in the cause. I felt very disrespected that your staffer could not treat your own constituents with the dignity and respect that they deserve. I felt marginalized like the people I had come to represent. Some of my friends have been here close to 20 years, and they are still not able to gain citizenship because they came here illegally. To me, they are more important than speeding up visas so business can continue as usual. Thank you for your time.
Chris Benson
Loves Park, Ill.
Click on following for the Rock River Times: To the Editor: No respect for constituents | The Rock River Times
Click on the following for Mr. Manzullo’s campaign website: Congressman Don Manzullo - Illinois' 16th Congressional District
Welcome
As the Mayor of the City of Freeport, I am called upon to solve many problems. Thankfully, many of those problems have local solutions and we’ve tackled and solved a great number of them over the five years I have been in office. Everyday more people approach me and say, “Mayor, I really need a job.” There are things we can do locally to bring jobs to northern Illinois; however, the loss of jobs in our area and throughout our country is not a local problem, but a national one. It is one issue that must be addressed by our federal government. 
That’s the number one reason why I am running for Congress. We need representation in Washington that understands how critical the loss of jobs – particularly manufacturing jobs – is to our communities. Our working families are feeling the pressure of soaring health care costs, rising grocery prices, and higher prices on just about everything else. We need representation that understands that there is a difference between fair trade and free trade. We won’t be able to bring jobs home to our country if we
are competing on an uneven playing field. As long as we have an import-export imbalance with countries that don’t compete fairly on human rights, fair wages, and the environment, we won’t be successful in bringing jobs back to the United States. I want to make our local corporations more competitive by rewarding them when they retain and keep jobs in the United States. I am committed to investing in a strong and more educated workforce.
I take pride in the open door policy that I’ve maintained during my tenure as Mayor and I pledge to continue that transparency as a US Congressman. No single person has all the answers and I know from experience that a great deal of wisdom, as well as a wealth of ideas, comes from the people I represent as Mayor. Listening to their concerns has definitely made me a better mayor. My pledge to you is that I will work with others to find a solution to our ever growing list of problems. We live in the greatest nation and we can solve any problem as long as we do it together.
George Gaulrapp
Click on the following for more of George Gaulrapp’s Campaign site: George Gaulrapp For Congress | District 16 United States Representative
Mayor Gaulrapp is also the Democratic candidate for U.S. Representative for the 16th District currently held by Donald Manzullo[R].
Freeport Mayor George Gaulrapp announced Monday, April 5, he will take a pay cut of up to 10 percent, saying it is his “fiscal duty” to share in the economic pain being felt by Freeporters.
The pay cut would go into effect May 1 and extend through Fiscal Year 2010-’11.
Click on the following for more details: Mayor to take pay cut - Freeport, IL - The Journal-Standard
Will this ever end.
Manzullo Joins Illinois Colleagues in Urging IL Attorney General Madigan to Challenge New Health Care Mandate in Court
WASHINGTON – Congressman Don Manzullo today joined several Illinois Congressional colleagues in urging Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan to join 15 other state attorneys general in challenging whether the new federal health care mandate is constitutional.
The new legislation, signed into law by the President today, requires all Americans to purchase health insurance whether they want it or not and whether they can afford it or not. Those who do not comply with the new mandate face federal tax penalties and possible imprisonment for tax evasion. Up to 16,500 new IRS agents could be hired to monitor compliance with this new mandate and enforce penalties against taxpayers.
"This is the first time the federal government has required Americans to buy a product or face fines and possible imprisonment, and it's blatantly unconstitutional. I urge Attorney General Madigan to join the other states in challenging this mandate on behalf of the people of Illinois," Manzullo said. "At a time when Illinois schools are laying off thousands of teachers to deal with the state's $12 billion budget hole, this bill would add more than $1 billion in extra Medicaid costs to the state's obligations. It's a disaster for the people of Illinois, and it needs to be struck down in the courts so we can focus on real reform that makes health care more affordable and accessible to Americans."
The letter was also signed by U.S. Reps. Aaron Schock, Peter Roskam, Judy Biggert, John Shimkus and Tim Johnson, all of Illinois.
Click on the following: Gaulrapp seeks town-hall debates in upcoming campaign - Freeport, IL - The Journal-Standard
I have seen so little comment on Mr. Manzullo’s insensitive comments in the Rockford area—this article is a breath of fresh air.
isn’t it a sad irony that Mr. Manzullo can refer to the detainees as being driven by a “savage religion,” when those very same individuals have suffered the most savage of interrogation techniques by the hands of our own government while he stood by complicit with his silence?
And maybe you need to hear this poem from one of the “brutal killers” held at Guantanamo:
Death Poem by Jumah al Dossari
Take my blood.
Take my death shroud and
The remnants of my body.
Take photographs of my corpse
at the grave, lonely.
Send them to the world,
To the judges and
To the people of conscience,
Send them to the principled men
and the fair-minded.
Read the entire piece, click on the following: Guest Column: Rep. Manzullo, we need to hear more than ‘I’m sorry’ | The Rock River Times
The most commented story at this McHenry County newspaper.
Comments (206 comments) | CHICAGO (AP) — U.S. Rep. Don Manzullo said Tuesday that his comment that suspected terrorists imprisoned at Guantanamo Bay follow a "savage religion" has been misinterpreted.
Click on the following or at comments to read more: Northwest Herald | Manzullo defends 'savage religion' comment
Gaulrapp [Democratic candidate for Congress] supports the move, noting that 340 international and domestic terrorists already are held in federal prisons in the U.S. Among them are those convicted in the first World Trade Center bombing, such as Ramzi Yousef, and Robert Reid, the shoe bomber.
Given the history of the federal prison system’s safe handling of such prisoners, Gaulrapp said, the rewards of job creation and economic growth outweigh any potential risks.
Click on the following for more details: Northwest Herald | Gitmo divides Manzullo, Gaulrapp
In a statement, Manzullo said he was not referring generally to Islam, but to terrorists who “believe and practice a violent, anti-modernity version of Wahhabism in which they seek to impose a new caliphate, similar to the extent of the Ottoman Empire during the Middle Ages, and sharia law stretching from Indonesia to Europe.”
He said Islam is a “religion of peace” and that the vast majority of its adherents are “men and women of good will.”
He added: “Nevertheless, I apologize for any misunderstanding of my comments and I will endeavor in the future to clarify my remarks to make it absolutely clear that America is not opposed to Islam, but that we are fighting terrorists who believe in a savage, perverted, and violent form of Islam.”
Click on the following for more details: Ill. lawmaker apologizes for ’savage religion’ comment | The Wire | STLtoday
Chicago Tribune 'Breaking News' website reports:
Rep. Don Manzullo, who opposes the idea of moving terrorism suspects to Thomson Correctional Center in his northern Illinois district, issued a qualified apology today after a comment that critics viewed as insulting to Islam.In an interview with television station WREX in Rockford that was aired Monday, the Illinois Republican said of terrorism suspects: "These are really, really mean people whose job it is to kill people, driven by some savage religion."
Click on the following for more details: PSB: Progressive Illinois Politics:: Rep. Don Manzullo apologizes for 'savage religion' comment.
Washington, Oct 29 -
The U.S. House today approved another $280,000 in federal funds to help McHenry County officials ensure abundant and safe drinking water for residents for generations to come.
The funding, secured by Congressman Don Manzullo, is included in the FY 2010 Interior-Environment conference report, which the House passed today. The bill also includes a Continuing Resolution to keep the federal government operating through Dec. 18. As a result, the bill must be passed by the Senate and signed into law by midnight Saturday when the prior continuing resolution expires.
Manzullo previously secured $295,000 in federal funds for the McHenry County Groundwater Protection program two years ago. That funding helped pay for the installation of observation wells and equipment to monitor groundwater supplies and quality throughout the county. The new funds will be used to develop a 3-D hydro-geologic modeling project and a groundwater flow modeling project to provide a much more exact measurement of the county’s groundwater resources.
“The preservation of abundant, safe groundwater supplies is especially vital for McHenry County because – unlike the other collar counties of Chicago -- it does not have access to Lake Michigan water and relies solely on aquifers for drinking water,” Manzullo said. “I congratulate county and community leaders for coming together three years ago and creating the McHenry County Groundwater Protection Task Force, and recognizing groundwater preservation is key to McHenry County’s superior quality of life. That’s why I requested and secured these funds that are vital to McHenry County’s future.”
What is new here?
Republican Don Manzullo says he'd both cut taxes and end burdensome regulations he says stifle entrepreneurs.
His other proposals include increasing the meals and entertainment tax deduction for small businesses to 80 percent. He also wants to make it easier for small businesses to band together to purchase health insurance at more affordable group rates
Click on the following for more details: Manzullo unveils jobs plan - - BusinessRockford.com
Rep. Donald Manzullo (R-16th) is co-sponsoring two bills, H.R. 101 and H.R. 2655.
1/6/2009–Introduced.
Economic Recovery Through Responsible Homeownership Act of 2009 – Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow an individual taxpayer a refundable tax credit for the purchase in 2009 or 2010 of a residence located in the United States if the construction of such residence began before 2009. Allows a credit of either $2,000, $5,000, or $10,000 for down payments of 5, 10, or 15% of the residence’s purchase price respectively.
6/2/2009–Introduced.
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) extend the first-time homebuyer tax credit to all individuals who purchase a principal residence (currently, only first-time homebuyers as so defined); (2) extend such credit and the waiver of recapture requirements for such credit through 2010; and (3) expand the election to treat a purchase of a principal residence as made in a prior taxable year for purposes of such credit.
Click on the following for the position of other Illinois representatives: Where Illinois representatives stand on extending the first-time homebuyer tax credit | WBEZ / Chicago Public Radio Blog
Mr. Manzullo watch out, a candidate with deep pockets is looking at your seat. (Mr. Franks had $1,000,000 in campaign funds lined up for a run for governor)
State Rep. Jack Franks will seek a seventh term in 2010 rather than run for governor.
Franks, who turns 46 this week, said he might seek higher office in the 2012 election, possibly for the 16th Congressional District seat held since 1993 by U.S. Rep. Don Manzullo, R-Egan
a massive new federal agency that would create new burdensome regulations on America’s financial institutions and hamper access to credit and efforts to restore our economy. During the questioning, Manzullo pointed out that the Fed had the authority to crack down on risky mortgages years ago but failed to act.
More than 200 people showed up to a town hall-style meeting on Saturday hosted by U.S. Rep. Don Manzullo. The congressman was questioned repeatedly by constituents on the health care bill, but there were none of the shout-downs or overt anger that other congressmen are experiencing in their districts.
Click on the following for details regarding other Congressmen:
Health care reform too hot for some politicians | Daily Chronicle
