Lake County News Sun - Schneider, Dold Talk Minimum Wage, Immigration Reform in First Forum

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By Steve Sadin

Speaking 40 minutes apart on the same stage Tuesday night, U.S. Rep. Brad Schneider and former Rep. Bob Dold both addressed the ongoing national debate over raising the minimum wage.

Schneider, the incumbent Democrat from Deerfield, and Dold, a Republican from Kenilworth, answered the question posed by Stevenson High School students in the context of ensuring young Americans are able to realize the same dreams as their parents.

"The American people should have a better future than their parents had," Schneider said. "I fear we will not be able to keep that promise and that our children will not have as good a life."

Schneider told the crowd he agrees with President Barack Obama's proposal to raise the minimum wage to $10.10 an hour in the next two years. The first term congressman talked about jobs he held for the minimum wage of $3.25 when he was in high school.

"It's not teenagers today; it's moms and dads working two or three jobs to provide for their kids," Schneider said. "No one who works a full time job 40 hours a week should live in poverty."

Dold also said he supports raising the minimum wage, but did not give a specific amount. He said the move must not negatively impact the economy.

"We have to make sure it's bipartisan," Dold said. "We have to do it in a way so as job loss is kept at a minimum."

Running to reclaim the seat he lost to Schneider two years ago, Dold said he has been polling groups of constituents to get a pulse on the state of the country.

"When I ask if you all expect to have a better life than your parents, all the hands go up," Dold said. "When I ask how many of them think their children will have better lives than you do and not every hand goes up that's not a good thing."

The question-and-answer session moderated by Stevenson students also had the political rivals weigh in on topics that ranged from immigration reform to fantasy dinner companions.

Dold was asked about the country's most pressing civil rights issue, and his answer was immigration reform.

"All 12.5 million [illegal immigrants] should be able to come in from the shadows, contribute and pay taxes without fear they will be separated from their families," Dold said.

Though he also supports immigration reform, Schneider has not been put to a vote on the issue. He wants that chance.

"Our current immigration system is broken and holding back our economic potential," Schneider said when asked by phone after the forum. "It is essential that Congress urgently enact comprehensive immigration reform and the DREAM Act because it's good for our economy, good for our communities and simply, the right thing to do."

Both Schneider and Dold expressed pride in votes they cast for bipartisan budgets and both criticized the gridlock that exists today.

Dold was part of a minority of Republicans and Democrats to vote for the Cooper-Latourette budget two years ago. He was a sponsor, but the bill was defeated.

"We took a lot of heat from fellow Republicans and the Democrats took a lot of heat from other Democrats," Dold said. "There were some tough issues. We have to make sacrifices."

Schneider spoke with pride about voting for the first bipartisan budget passed in many years, which ended the government lockout a year ago.

On the lighter topic, both candidates were asked which U.S. Supreme Court justice they would like to share dinner.

"Living or dead?" Schneider asked before being told he could answer with one of each.

He chose the late Justice Louis Brandeis and current Justice Antonin Scalia.

"Brandies was the first Jew appointed to the court in a time when we faced many of the issues facing us in the 20th century," Schneider said. "I disagree with a lot of [Scalia's] ideas but I respect his intellect. I would be able to understand some of his ideas and hopefully he would understand some of mine."

Dold chose two chief justices, John Marshall and John Roberts.

"To be able to talk to Chief Justice Marshall in the times he lived and the issues he faced would have been exciting," Dold said. "Dinner with Chief Justice Roberts [would let me] see what the future of the court will be."

Schneider, who voted for the president's plan to strike ISIS, said he is happy with the coalition the United States formed.

"We were fighting side by side with Jordan, Saudi Arabia and the gulf states," Schneider said after the forum. "What was significant was you had Sunni countries fighting against a Sunni organization."

Dold did not comment on the issue.

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