The Moral Center

An interesting development for the Illinois' governor's race. Rev. and State Sen. James Meeks, who first won elective office as an Independent, and successfully ran unopposed for his seat in the Democrat primary last Tuesday, is considering a run for governor. Sun Times:

Meeks, who is pastor of the South Side's Salem Baptist Church and a close ally of the Rev. Jesse Jackson, has been hinting at a possible third-party candidacy and now says he is prepared to gather the signatures required to launch an official campaign.

"On March 28, I can start putting petitions on the street," Meeks told the Chicago Sun-Times, "And, so far, I've had nothing to deter me from putting petitions on the street on March 28."

June 26th is the drop dead date for his decision to run. Meeks would have to file an entire slate.
The legislator cast his possible bid as focusing the governor's mind and the Democrat legislative majority in both houses on the importance of school funding for the black community in Chicago. In an interview published today in the Sun Times, Meeks reinforced his demand for the governor to call together the black community and ask what they need. He referred to the black vote, often taken for granted by Democrats, as a "swing constituency":

"Power concedes nothing without a demand," he says, quoting Frederick Douglass. "And the African-American constituency, we have not placed a demand on the Democratic Party."

And recognizing that pro-life voters for governor have no place to go, the good reverend makes a blunt appeal to social conservatives, assuming he decides to file in late June:

From then on, he says, he would launch a statewide campaign with a "moral center" theme.

"You'll have Judy Baar Topinka, who believes in abortion and gay rights . . . and Rod Blagojevich, who believes in abortion and gay rights," says Meeks, who opposes both. "Theologically, politically, for the white conservative voter, I'm their guy. I have their philosophy."

I look forward to hearing more from Rev. Meeks about his philosophy. Polls have shown that a majority of black and Hispanic parents favor school choice, and organizations have sprung up to advocate for it. More on the need for public school accountability from John Stossel, via RCP. Money is not always the answer, but often an excuse for poor performance. But if Meeks comes out in favor of school choice, he'll have my vote. It's a matter of religious and civil rights. It's all-American individual liberty. It's the Moral Center.