Nearly 150 members of the University and surrounding community filled the Lovejoy Library Abbott Auditorium on the Southern Illinois University Edwardsville campus Thursday to hear retired U.S. Congressman Jerry Costello talk about his quarter century of service.
Costello identified key factors as being critical in changing the current state of affairs in the U.S. He listed those as having true campaign finance reform, the ability for lawmakers to effectively communicate and compromise across party lines, and the need for public servants to serve those they were elected to represent.
The introduction of Super PACs, Costello said, “opened the flood gates for spending.” Only campaign finance reform can limit the power and influence Super PACs can have on an election, he said.
“We have to figure out a way to bring back accountability and reform the way congressional campaigns are financed,” he said. “Money is a big, big influence here. It’s a real problem.”
When Costello first took office in 1986, he said he felt free to express his opposition to issues through voting. “It’s one thing to oppose and it’s another to attack,” he added, noting today’s Congress has a much more adversarial flavor.
In order for progress to be made on major issues, such as achieving a balanced budget and avoiding sequestration, the retired congressman warned, legislators need to come together in the spirit of bipartisanship for the common good of the country.
“It truly has been a privilege and an honor to serve in the U.S. Congress,” Costello said. “It was a great run, and it is an honorable profession. I learned that in order to get anything done you have to reach across the aisle. Bi-partisan work is essential.”
Currently, Costello serves as the Paul Simon Public Policy Institute Leader in Residence at the SIU Carbondale campus. Thursday’s event was made possible through a collaborative effort that involves the Civic Education Project, which is a public service initiative of the SIUE Department of Political Science, and the Political Science Association.