Competition has been shown to be useful up to a certain point and no further, but cooperation, which is the thing we must strive for today, begins where competition leaves off.

—Franklin Delano Roosevelt

Brad Schneider (middle, with the tie) with supporters at the Tenth Dems Debate.

The primary competition is over. It was useful, but cooperation is the thing we must strive for today. We must unite behind Brad Schneider and work for Democrats throughout the 10th District, because we have a shared vision for the community, for the state, and for the country.

Economically, America is moving in the right direction, but Americans face many challenges. We need to elect a leader to Congress like Brad, who will work to improve the economy and to increase the number of jobs.

America needs to invest in its infrastructure—and one of Brad’s key issues includes creating public and private partnerships to reinvest and  rebuild our national infrastructure—by repairing roads and bridges, modernizing mass transit, adequately funding clean energy research and development, and improving the electric grid system.

Illinois is in a prime position to be a leader when it comes to creating high-quality, 21st century jobs. This issue is not about the last 25 months, it is about the next 25 years. The state and our communities are home to innovative, dynamic businesses both large and small; great research universities, community colleges, and high schools; and plenty of additional institutions and leaders that can help propagate investment in job training and education. To move forward, we must stop unfairly castigating teachers and instead provide the resources needed so that these passionate professionals can do their jobs.

And to keep the country moving forward, Brad agrees that we need to continue to ensure healthcare coverage for all Americans. We need to protect funding for Medicare, because the system as it is now works quite well while saving the country money. Any effort to herd the sick and needy seniors into a separate but unequal government program while the well-off are able to get vouchers for private care is a recipe for failure.

In 2010, Congress passed the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. It ensures insurance coverage to 30 million more Americans, including those with pre-existing conditions. As the result of many, many compromises, it is not a piece that of legislation that pleases everyone, for the understatement of the year. Called by the right “Obamacare,” the ACA has been unfairly, almost comically derided. But the Heritage Foundation and Milton Friedman, among others, were for individual mandates before they were against it. And a similar statewide program is by and large working in Massachusetts. We need to save the ACA from those that would repeal it with no alternative in sight.

And, incredibly, it being 2012 and all, there are those who would repeal a women’s right to complete access to healthcare, and they need to be stopped. A woman and her doctor should make important medical decisions together … not a woman and her employer. Brad will oppose any legislation that limits women’s access to full and comprehensive healthcare.

As a nation with a burgeoning deficit, how can we pay for all of this? One side thinks that if we just continue more tax cuts on the wealthy, the subsequent boom will cure everything, although that theory was debunked from 2000 to 2008. Brad is someone who can responsibly address spending and revenues. He is for tax fairness, but he is keen on sustaining the job growth and economic gains that America has made recently.

Brad Schneider has been a strategic management consultant for more than 25 years, after receiving his received his B.S. in Industrial Engineering in 1983 and his MBA in 1988 from Northwestern University. A small businessman, he also owned and managed a life insurance agency from 1997 to  2003. He has the experience and vision to help the 10th Congressional District and America move forward.