Before the actual business portion of the meeting began President Thomas auctioned off 4 $108 field box seats for tomorrow’s Cubs’ game.  On this short notice the tickets went to Robert Mardirossian for $200.  This money went to the WYO, which is holding their annual benefit this evening.
 
Thirty-two members were in attendance this week.  Our week’s greeter, Marie Kuipers, introduced two visiting Rotarians:  John Dyrud from the Wilmette Noon Club and former member Bill Leske, from the Skokie Valley Rotary Club.  Bill plans to rejoin our club as his new position of manager of the Winnetka branch of First Bank and Trust has brought him back to our area.
 
Barb Tubekis, dressed in orange announced that it was to highlight National Gun Violence Awareness Day.  Our speaker Rep. Bob Dold was duked out in an orange tie and orange-tinted American flag lapel pin.   Patti Van Cleave reminded the club members that the Winnetka Historical Society’s would be held on June 25th.  Tickets are $175 per person for the Cuban themed event.
 
David Birkenstein introduced our speaker U.S. Congressional Representative from the 10th District, Bob Dold.  Bob grew up in Kenilworth and graduated from New Trier High School.  He was first elected to Congress in 2010 when the 10th District included all of Winnetka and Northfield.   He lost his seat in 2012 following redistricting to Democrat Brad Schneider by 3000 votes.  Then in 2014 he retook the seat against Schneider in 2014.  They will be competing for it for the third time this November.
 
Bob is one of the most moderate Republicans in Congress.  He has frequently championed bipartisan efforts to move the country forward. Unlike most of his fellow Republicans he felt the Citizens United decision by the Supreme Court was the wrong verdict.  He was one of three Republicans who voted against the repeal of the Affordable Care Act as he felt there as some good things about the law such as not allowing pre-existing to prevent insuring people as well as keeping children on their parents family plan until they are 26.  However, he feels the Affordable Care Act needs some major improvements.  Bob, differs from most of his Republican colleagues, in that he supports abortion rights, gay rights, stem cell research and funding for Planned Parenthood.  He also supports gradually raising the minimum wage; the only question is how high and at what rate.   Bob stated that the Senate should hold hearings on President Obama’s choice for the Supreme Court as Judge Scalia was a strict constitutionalist and the constitution calls for the President to make a replacement recommendation and it is up to the Senate to advise and consent (or not consent).
 
Bob is now on the Ways and Means Committee and has expressed concern about the meager fiscal growth rate of the U.S., currently at 1.5% for the past decade, when 3.5% was typical of previous decades.  He was proud to report his role in the passage, with overwhelming bipartisan support, of a transportation bill that funnels money from the federal government to the states, especially of the fact that Illinois received the 4th largest amount of money. 
 
Rep. Dold expressed concern for overregulation, which he says is causing the loss of one bank per week.  While he agrees we need some regulation we absolutely need smart regulation.  Bob also expressed concern for the major drug problem on the North Shore, especially prevalent in Lake County.  He has introduced a bill to create a grant to expand the availability of naloxone, a heroin overdose antidote.  The meeting feature lively give and take between Representative Dold and the Rotary Club.