Quincy Herald-Whig - Durbin Discusses Jobs, Minimum Wage, Ferguson and Lock System During Visit to Quincy Church

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By Alyse Thompson

U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin and a local religious leader on Sunday encouraged people to make their voices heard at the voting booths in the wake of unrest in Ferguson, Mo.

Durbin, a Springfield Democrat, spoke at a service at the Cathedral of Worship in Quincy Sunday morning after attending a fundraising event at Quincy University Saturday night.

Before the service, Bishop E.L. Warren said he was pleased to have Durbin visit and noted the church's role in inspiring political involvement.

"I think that if we're part of the solution, we're in there at the grassroots, we're making a difference at the polls," he said. "Our voice is being heard, and we're not going to feel that tension that erupted in Ferguson, Mo."

Durbin agreed.

"When people get invested in the process, represented in the process, have a voice in the process, it makes all the difference in the world," he said. "The only way in America you do that is by registering to vote and exercising your right vote."

From a red armchair in Warren's office, Durbin also touched on job creation and retention. He called for linking community colleges with employers so students have career preparation as a clear goal while completing courses. Durbin also lauded companies such as Deerfield, Ill.-based Walgreens for keeping jobs in the U.S. rather than shipping them overseas.

"I'm going to do everything I can as a senator to keep the laws on the books to reward American companies that stay and invest in America and treat their employees with respect," he said.

Durbin also addressed updating locks and dams along the Mississippi River to promote river-based commerce. Last week, the United States Department of Transportation approved making the portion of the Mississippi stretching from Minneapolis to Grafton, Ill., a Marine Highway Corridor, which could boost interest in lock and dam upgrades.

"(The locks and dams) are ancient, old and falling apart, and we've got to make the investment and put Americans to work to repair and rebuild them so we can have this avenue of commerce opened for farmers and for others who are moving goods up and down that river," Durbin said.

Durbin, the U.S. Senate's second-ranking Democrat, also said he supported phasing in minimum wage increases until it reached $10 per hour. The Illinois minimum wage is $8.25, while the federal benchmark is $7.25 per hour.

"It's the only way to give people enough money so that they can survive paycheck to paycheck," he said.

He added the wage increase could lead to more spending on goods and services.

"Generally speaking, it's a positive because the people who get the increase in minimum wage are living close to the edge," he said. "They don't bank and invest the additional money. They spend it ... it gives them a better life, but it also increases the economy."

Durbin also discussed resurging tension in Iraq and Syria, mentioning efforts to send humanitarian aid to the Iraq community of Amirli. The Associated Press reported the U.S. conducted airstrikes there Saturday and opened a pathway for aid.

"The president's doing the right thing in the Middle East," Durbin said. "He's being careful that we don't commit troops again, but that we have a positive impact in stopping terrorism, which is harming a lot of innocent people."

Republican State Sen. Jim Oberweis is challenging Durbin for the U.S. Senate seat. Oberweis, a Sugar Grove businessman, recently proposed hosting seven televised debates ahead of the Nov. 4 election. Durbin, pointing to Oberweis' reluctance for televised debates during the primary, proposed making four "joint appearances," including a radio debate, a television debate, a meeting with the Chicago Tribune's editorial board and a candidates forum held in Bloomington last week.

"I'm not ruling out others, but I think we ought to start with the basics," Durbin said.

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