First of all, Scientists deal in facts and after seven years of fiction from the Bush administration, this country needs a big dose of facts.
Bill has a very significant career as a fact-based scientist. He played a prominent role in the discovery of the Top Quark and he was the co-inventor of Fermilab’s Recycler Ring, the newest of Fermilab’s giant machines. Each time Femilab’s machines operate, the particle beams go through over 500 magnets that Bill designed and led the teams that built them.
He also served as the project manager for the construction of those projects and, as a result, gained experience handling multi-million dollar budgets. He has a great relationship with labor because working with him were IBEW Machinists and Painters.
His business career is equally impressive. He and his brother started a lighting business when they were 19 and 17 and today it makes 70% of all the theatrical lighting equipment in the country. Even better, they have resisted offshoring their manufacturing to China where they could produce the same products cheaper. ETC provides hundreds of good paying manufacturing jobs in the Midwest.
Bill has picked up some local support of prominent leaders in Illinois. Alexi Giannoulias, the Illinois State Treasurer, has done an outstanding job modernizing government and providing loan incentives to buy hybrid vehicles. Dan Hynes, the State Comptroller, just launched a state website where you can link state contracts to campaign contributions. Congressman Phil Hare is a strong labor voice and has been a consistent vote to end the war. Finally, Ronald Reagan’s hometown mayor, Jim Burke of Dixon, IL endorsed Bill. All of them are backing him because they believe he’s the best candidate for the job.
Bill is bringing new people into the political process. 680 contributors, 71% scientists and 85% first time givers, donated $209K in the third quarter this year. His $38,000 in donations under $200 was more than his other two opponents COMBINED, FOR THE YEAR. He’s building a small dollar donor base of scientists who are so frustrated with the Bush administration that they’re getting involved.
AND, Bill wants to end the war in Iraq right away.
I first met Bill when he attended Yearly Kos this year in Chicago. I was immediately impressed by his intellect and his practical approach to problem solving. You’ll be hearing more about this campaign and I know you’ll be hearing more about Bill.
Disclaimer: I am the co-founder of The Albany Project and am the VP of Politics and Advocacy for vShift and vShift is working with Bill’s campaign.
Bill is a unique candidate….
nuclear power: what’s his stance? His web site ain’t talking.
Bill has a recessive gene for political activism. His websites: http://www.foster08….
Good post, thanks. Did my post on scientists in congress draw you to Blue Mass Group, or have you been lurking here for a while (or, a little of both) ?
I’ve heard that Bill Foster supports REAL ID, and I wonder if you know if that’s true and to what extent? I’d still support him for Congress if he did, because it’s more important to me to end the Iraq war, and to get more scientists in Congress, but it would be a troubling position.
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(If it came down to a contest between an accomplished scientist who supported the war and an opponent of the war, I’d pick the war opponent without second thought, but fortunately here we get both in one)
…but except for the Nobel Prizes (of course) I’m not familiar with most of the others. But the fact that he earned an IEEE prize is mighty impressive.
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I’ll be surprised if he isn’t at least co-awarded a Nobel Prize for the discovery of the top quark.
someone should get it, but IIRC the Nobel Cmte limits sharing to 3 scientists, and there were hundreds who played crucial roles.
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Oh well, it won’t be the first time people criticize the Cmte’s choice.