Think Global, Act Local: How We’re Fighting for the Progressive Agenda

"I may be Raja's constituent but he DOES NOT represent me. He does not support Medicare for All. And he puts the donations he receives from the insurance industry and from the military industrial complex above the lives and well being of all of us, " declared Carolyn Leigh, at the protest of over 60 activists with 10 progressive organizations co-sponsoring, telling Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi that Our Democracy is NOT FOR SALE. Leigh is an activist at Schaumburg Area Progressives who has been terminally diagnosed with cancer due to her insurance companies' refusal to pay for tests earlier on that her doctors determined were necessary.

Schaumburg Area Progressives is an activist group in the northwest suburbs of Chicago that empowers volunteers to become organizers and take initiative on helping progressive causes, both electoral and non-electoral.

Congressman, Raja Kirshnamoorthi is one of the top recipients of the healthcare industry and refuses to support Medicare for All, so we mobilized a Patients Over Profits rally in January of 2021, as outlined here in our last article. One of our volunteers Alec Thorsen created an excellent video depicting the event. After 3 rallies, we have become much stronger by uniting with other progressive groups in and around the district for the cause. The key was having them co-sponsor the event so that every activist and organization can take equal ownership. This not only increased attendance but encouraged other groups to hold rallies and hold the Congressman accountable as well.

Throughout this journey this past year, we were thrilled to have hosted successful protests and find a progressive challenger, Junaid Ahmed, who has taken an oath not to accept any special interest money, and who unequivocally supports Medicare for All and the progressive agenda.

Schaumburg Area Progressives have since helped many progressive races and causes across the country as well as locally, including Nina Turner, Junaid Ahmed, Marie Newman, and advocating for a 708 Mental Health Board for Schaumburg Township. The group has done door knocking, phonebanking, text banking, post card writing, and petitioning. The group also offers a platform for progressive candidates to come and speak about their race and what they are fighting for. Members democratically endorse candidates.

We have found that dedicating a "Day of Action'' about once a month has brought us success. We do a face to face action for a progressive candidate or cause and socialize afterwards. This has helped us accomplish a great deal for the movement as well as build community.

We held a fourth well-attended rally this past weekend, Saturday, May 21, likely the last one before the primaries, specifically targeting Raja’s corruption with the healthcare industry, military industrial complex and with supporters of fascism overseas. He has a $13 million dollar war chest, so these are just 3 examples of the many special interests he takes money from.
And we are grateful to all the organizations that have co-sponsored this event: Our Revolution, Our Revolution Illinois, West Suburban Illinois Democratic Socialists of America, DuPage Progressive Alliance, Progressives of Kane County, Occupy Elgin, Chicago Area Peace Action, Code Pink, Illinois Single Payer Coalition, Fox Valley Citizens for Peace and Justice.

The event had 5 excellent speakers, depicting Raja’s corruption with special interest groups, heavily influencing him to put corporate profits over the needs of his constituents.

• Following Leigh, Dr. Shannon Rotolo, president of the Illinois Single Payer Coalition and pharmacist, spoke about how countless people in this country, in this state and in this district have lost their healthcare, and after 18 months of asking him, it is unacceptable that the Congressman still refuses to support Medicare for All.
• Mike Oles, Field Director of Our Revolution National, made it clear that Raja votes in favor of the military industrial complex every time. Oles pointed out that this race is between someone progressive and inclusive who fights for working class people and stands up to challenges of our time and someone who caves into demands of rich people and to Republicans at every chance.
• Sumra Khan, an immigration lawyer, shared a horror story of her best friend who had gone to visit India in Gujarat, being pregnant, had her stomach cut open and the baby taken out and stabbed. This happened in 2002 during the Gujarat riots triggered by the reign of Chief Minister Narendra Modi.
• Pieter Friedrich a freelance journalist who specializes in analysis of current and historical affairs in South Asia, spoke to Modi’s affiliation with the RSS, a nazi ideologically inspired organization, that is devoted to eradicating minorities from India and has a long track record of extreme anti-minority violence. Friedrich spoke to Raja’s close engagement with Modi and the RSS by lining his campaign coffers with the same donors.

The ask of the DEMOCRACY IS NOT FOR SALE protest was for Congressman Raja to return the money he accepted from corporate PACs and all special interests, stop supporting fascist regimes, and vote with the people of Illinois’ 8th district.

Schaumburg Area Progressives hopes to continue to help elect as many progressives as possible, give courage to other groups to stand up to their elected officials, continue to build our allies, and get the progressive message out there to normalize policies that work for everyone. We also would love to help empower progressive groups in other areas to do the same.