AARP debate TODAY, Oct. 6th to leave out Green Party Candidate Schafer
Posted by Debbie Adlof on October 6th, 2008
One significant contradiction of the AARP debate between US Congressional Candidates on Monday, October 6, from 4:00 – 6:00 p.m. at the downtown Peoria Public Library will be the exclusion of AARP member and official candidate, Sheldon Schafer of the Green Party.
According to Schafer, this is the only major debate from which I have been refused a place at the debate table, while being the only 60 year old in the race. I have been a member of AARP for a decade. Further, I use many of their materials and analyses in formulating my policy on social security reform. I am disappointed that AARP refused to allow me to participate.”
Schafer was excluded because the Washington, D.C. based AARP requires all candidates to show more proof of their credibility than being officially on the Illinois ballot. Even though over 361,000 voters chose the Green party candidate for Governor in Illinois in 2006, which was nearly 11% of the total vote, AARP refused Schafer access to the debate because the Green Party did not previously run a candidate in the 18th Congressional District, or alternatively, provide a pre-election poll of potential voters showing Schafer has a significant percentage of Illinois voters. The Schafer campaign has spent no money on pre-election polls.
According to Schafer, “Many times when creating policy, ‘one size fits all’ rules handed down from
Washington do not work on the local level. In my campaign I have pointed out this failure of common sense is true form many US Government policies. Instead of following rigid policies America needs creative and independent thinking that is not tied down to the policies of the past.”
Schafer and campaign volunteers will leaflet the arriving audience from 3:15 – 4:00 p.m. in front of the library. For more information, contact the candidate at 309-868-4028 or review the website at www.schaferforcongress.info.