A singer from the group Sha Na Na has turned into an advocate for issues of concern to Seniors. Jon Bauman, known as "Bowzer" in the group that sang music of the 50s and early 60s stumped for the Democratic Candidate for Congress in the 13th District during a stop in Bloomington.
"Bum buhbuh, bum, buh bum buhbuh bum, buh bum buhbuh bum, buh dang a dang dang, ding a dong ding, vote for Ann Callis."
Bowzer criticized support by Callis's opponent Rodney Davis for turning Medicare into a voucher program.
"They give you a voucher. The voucher eventually runs out. Every estimate by every responsible policy organization has concluded that this will end up costing seniors significantly more money, like thousands of dollars a year."
"If someone could deliver the Medicare trust funds back to private insurance after the voucher runs out, the insurance lobby is going to love whoever does that."
Bowzer referred to Republican Rodney Davis's record on senior issues in the words of his song from the movie "Grease," "Born to Hand Jive"
"How low can you go? How low can you go? How low can you go?"
Bowzer says one prominent report card gives Davis a 10% voting record on bills involving issues of concern to older Americans. But, Bowzer says he's not sure that one vote out of ten should count in Davis' favor.
"Yeah you could give Rodney Davis credit for voting to end the government shutdown, but for the fact that he voted to start the government shutdown, multiple times he voted to start."
Bowzer says just because he made his name singing music of the 50s and early 60s does not mean he wants the country to return to those pre Medicare days when Seniors had a significantly lower quality of life. Davis has defended his vote on the Ryan budget which includes Medicare vouchers as an effort to be fiscally responsible.
Callis, meanwhile, lashed out at Davis on a different front, for questioning her lifelong residency in southern Illinois.
"It's, I think, despicable, that Mr. Davis has raised this absolute, it's an absolute lie."
The residency question came up when property documents in Missouri show Callis claimed residency there. She says Missouri is a dual residency state and she was legally required to sign those when her husband bought property.
Callis says she raised her children in Madison County, went to their football games and other activities and worked to better the quality of life there.