Yorkville Alderman Gets Insider View of Washington DC
What are President Barack Obama’s most recent thoughts on Health Care reform and the economy? How does Illinois U.S, Sen. Richard Durbin work to get bills approved in the Senate?
Yorkville Third Ward Alderman Robyn Sutcliff, who is a candidate for a District 1 seat on the Kendall County Board, was allowed an insider’s view of what is really going on in Washington DC during an Illinois Women’s Institute for Leadership (IWIL) alumni trip Nov. 19-21, 2009.
About 50 alumni women, including Sutcliff and organization founder Loretta Durbin, attended the two days of training and networking. As a 2008 IWIL graduate, Sutcliff was invited to a tour of the White House that included a briefing with David Axelrod, Chief White House Strategist; Patrick Gaspard, White House Political Director; and Nate Tamarin, Asst. White House Political Director. Among items discussed were President Obama’s agenda and the way the President is working to accomplish his goals.
“I was awed and excited to be able to sit in the room with these people who are formulating and implementing our national policies and laws,” Sutcliff stated. “The women in the IWIL program are smart women and they asked hard questions of these staff members, who gave us detailed answers.”
Sutcliff says that one of the questions asked was why do elected officials not deliver on the promises they make the electorate?
“We wanted to know why it takes so long to get some of these promises into law,” Sutcliff says. “They told us that we need to do more than just vote. ‘Go out and make us do it.’ they told us. People need to keep putting the pressure on, to keep staying in touch with their representatives to make things happen, because Washington can change someone’s perspective. We the people have to keep reminding our representatives what it is we want them to do.”
Sutcliff says she believes that is a good message for her to carry back to the voters in Yorkville.
In addition to the White House briefing, Sutcliff also attended a presentation by Sen. Durbin at the AFL-CIO offices. The main topic of the talk to the IWIL alumni was about the then-pending health-care reform vote scheduled for the following day.
On Saturday morning, Lake Research Partners opened their doors to the IWIL women to give them reports on strategy polling that has been performed for all levels of government in all states.
Sutcliff, who returned home late Saturday, says, “This trip has given me a renewed motivation to work as hard as I can to affect change for the better at the local level. It was very inspirational to see and talk to the people who have dedicated their lives to service and the betterment of the country.”
The Illinois Women’s Institute for Leadership is an educational not-for-profit (501[C][4]) organization that exists to encourage and train women to become effective leaders in Illinois government and politics. For more information on IWIL, visit www.iwilinfo.org.
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Ald. Robyn Sutcliff, left front, pictured with Sen. Richard Durbin and his wife Loretta, top center, and other 2008 IWIL alumni during a Washington networking trip.
IL Dem State Central Commiteewoman 14th Congressional District Beth Penesis, Sen. Richard Durbin, Mrs. Loretta Durbin, Alderman and candidate for Kendall County Board District 1 Robyn Sutcliff
AFL-CIO President Mike Carrigan & 14th Congressional State Central Committeewoman Beth Penesis --Labor Reception for IWIL, Washington DC
IWIL Grads - Yorkville Alderwoman Robyn Sutcliff, Governor Quinn's Intergovernmental Affairs Liaison Beth Penesis, and White House Staffer Katie Pennell