Abboud announces candidacy

Bob Abboud has announced his intention to run against incumbent Donald Manzullo for the 16th Congressional seat. (courtesy photo)

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By Diane Strand Bob Abboud says the United States must regain manufacturing and not limit itself as a &#8220service economy.” He also said the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) has been &#8220very damaging” to the United States. Abboud, a Democrat and mayor of Barrington Hills, is challenging Republican Rep. Donald Manzullo for the 16th Congressional District. Abboud says he has not heard eight-term Manzullo speak out on many important issues facing Congress today, such as energy, the war in Iraq and immigration. Abboud is a wealthy nuclear engineer who owns his own company, RGA labs. &#8220I don't think (Manzullo) is tapping the experts in his district that could help with some of the problems...and I think that's an enormous mistake.” Abboud attacks the country's $9 trillion debt and quotes Thomas Jefferson who once said,: &#8220The debt is the single biggest threat to the security of the country.” Abboud continued, &#8220When a new baby is born, the child already is in debt by $30,000 to the government. Last month, we paid $33 billion in interest alone on the debt. NASA has a $15 billion budget, running the federal highways costs $50 billion and it costs $60 to run the federal education system - and we're paying $407 billion (annually) in interest alone.” Addressing the global picture, he stressed, &#8220Absolutely we must regain manufacturing and I would put American talent up against any country anywhere....China is doing to us what we did to Africa--'mining out' our materials and making money on them. If you don't do the manufacturing, you can't control your intellectual property. Everything we have in the home is from China.” Citing a very visible example of foreign-made goods , Abboud said, &#8220The president has a new helicopter (several of them) to land on the White House lawn. The cost was $8.5 billion and we contracted it out to Italy. If I were to drive around in a Lexus, my constituents would react immediately. Our president will be riding around in an Italian-made helicopter.” Talking about energy sources, he said nuclear energy is the direction we should be going, not unexpected. since he is a nuclear engineer. He also likes biodiesel fuel. &#8220If you think gas is market-based, you're fooling yourself. This is an oligopoly if there ever was one. Because he is mayor of affluent Barrington Hills, Abboud's experience is a bit atypical. When he goes to a board of trustees' meeting &#8220everyone is a CEO,” he said. Recently a resident came to the board saying &#8220we've got to stop cutting down 150 year old trees.” &#8220I asked him to head a committee on the subject and bring back a recommendation in 90 days,” Abboud said. &#8220Then the issue may go to the zoning board of appeals. We have a population of only 4,000 people, but we have 15 committees and 60 people participating in them....It's a very interactive board.” Abboud attended Lake Forest Academy and did undergraduate work at Purdue University. He studied and worked at Argonne National Laboratory and completed a master's degree at Northwestern University in nuclear engineering. He is founder and co-owner of RGA Labs in Barrington Hills, which builds specialized nuclear power reactor components and provides utility electric load forecasting and electric systems modeling. The company also provides research, development and prototype design for a variety of nuclear, industrial, aerospace and scientific fields, including transportation and computing. He also serves as executive member of the McHenry Council of Governments, as well as executive member of the Barrington Area Council of Governments.