Bean not worried about tea parties
U.S. Rep. Melissa Bean, who unseated a veteran Republican as a political newcomer to take her suburban seat in 2004, says she doesn't see the pendulum swinging back this year.
"There is no question that when there is an economic downturn, that definitely the anxiety levels go up - absolutely - and the passion levels go up," said the Barrington Democrat during an interview Thursday with the Daily Herald editorial board. "But I get a lot of people saying, 'I like what you are doing.'"
Bean came to Congress before the tidal wave of Democratic wins in 2006 that led to the party taking control of the House.
But her victory in a strictly suburban district that traditionally voted Republican - it sent conservative icon Phil Crane to Capitol Hill for 36 years - was one of the first Democratic encroachments in the suburbs, a significant avenue of the party's rise to power.
Following Bean, U.S. Rep. Bill Foster of Batavia and U.S. Rep. Debbie Halvorson of Crete took formerly Republican suburban districts in Illinois.
Bean faces Republican Joe Walsh of Winnetka in the general election for the 8th District this year. Walsh garnered support in his GOP primary bid from some tea party groups.
On Thursday, Bean said there is not a current "conservative resurgence" as it is being touted by Republicans championing recent gains in New Jersey, North Carolina and Massachusetts. She pointed out that Sen. Scott Brown, who took Ted Kennedy's old seat, actually supports abortion rights and some government intervention in the health care industry.
Bean argues voters are looking for moderates like her, not ideologues.
"Most people are independents or closer to the middle," she said. "They want us to respect their use of the tax dollars ... and they are more socially moderate and inclusive."
As for the tea party rallies and organizations, Bean bristled at calling it a "movement," pointing to the attendance of about 1,000 at the National Tea Party Convention in Tennessee that hired Sarah Palin as a keynote speaker.
"I remember being on the (National Mall), there being 1 million people for the inauguration. That is a movement," Bean said. "I don't see a comparison."
Meanwhile, Bean said she is now unsure if a major health care reform package will ever reach President Barack Obama's desk in one piece. She supported the House version that included a public insurance option, and she spoke highly of the later Senate version on Thursday.
Bean played a key role in negotiating financial industry reform regulation, which has passed the House. She said she expects it to make it to Obama's desk in the next few months.
"It has to" pass, she said emphatically.
Bean also touted her support of the Obama's $787 billion stimulus plan, saying the hundreds of billions of dollars in tax cuts and spending have created jobs in her district.