Marc Bell for Sheriff

Honor, Integrity and Service are not just words on a sign, it’s how I live my life. I volunteered today at the Salvation Army serving lunch at the Greater All Nations Senior Luncheon.

To the People of Sangamon County,

First and foremost, I want to thank all of the voters who showed up and continued to support me.

It was not just humbling, it was a clear signal. A signal that the people of Sangamon County are crying out for change.

When you look at the results further, the message becomes even clearer: more than two-thirds of voters chose a candidate who represented a new direction for this office. That’s not a
coincidence. That’s a mandate.

For more than 40 years, I have served in law enforcement with integrity and honor. I stepped up because I believe Sangamon County deserves leadership that reflects values like accountability,
transparency, and professionalism.

So after careful reflection and consideration, I am announcing that I am re-entering the race for Sangamon County Sheriff. This race will not be decided by party labels. It will be decided by neighbors, families, and communities coming together around a shared belief that we can and must do better.

If we are going to bring real change to Sangamon County, it is going to take all of us. And I am ready to lead. Are you with me?

To the People of Sangamon County,

After much conversation and consideration, I have decided to withdraw my candidacy for Sangamon County Sheriff.

When I entered this race, I wanted to bring experienced leadership, restore trust in public safety, and provide a new direction for law enforcement and public safety, which I believe our community so desperately deserves. And I believed that this election cycle presented a unique opportunity for that change to happen.

My candidacy was contingent on the full support of the Sangamon County Democratic Party to secure an experienced and knowledgeable campaign management team to put us in the best possible position to win this challenging race. The Party is unwilling to provide those crucial resources.

Although I am ending this campaign, my commitment to this community remains unchanged. I dedicated over 40 years of my life to serving and protecting the communities of Illinois. I will continue to serve, contribute, and work toward a safer and stronger Sangamon County.

Thank you to the community of supporters and partners who believed in this effort and stood beside me from the beginning. I will never forget you.

Forever at your service,
Marc Bell

Democracy doesn't live on Election Day alone, and early voting is a great way to ensure your voice is heard! Join us this Saturday as we talk to our neighbors about how to vote early.

Grab a friend, and we'll see you there!

Sign up here: https://platform.winnable.app/events/early-vote-canvass-launch-with-rep-nikki-yvi71

My statement on today's sentencing of former Sangamon County deputy:

As someone who has spent more than 40 years in law enforcement protecting the citizens of Illinois, I know what happened to Sonya Massey should have never happened.

Being a law enforcement officer carries a responsibility to protect life and treat everyone with dignity and respect. When that responsibility is violated, accountability is not optional.

While no verdict and sentence can undo the harm caused, today's decision I hope brings some much-needed closure to the Massey family. As Sheriff, I will always insist our systems do better.

Real public safety means care comes before punishment. That’s why I support and am advocating for the construction of a new, state-of-the-art regional mental health facility in the greater Springfield area. Mental health must be treated as a priority, not an afterthought.

When cold weather turns dangerous, warming centers can mean the difference between life and death. Public safety isn’t only about law enforcement, it’s about protecting human life in every season at all times, and as sheriff I believe making sure no one freezes in our county is a responsibility we all share.

Warming Centers in Springfield

Municipal Center East
📍 800 E. Monroe St.
🕒 Mon-Fri: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Municipal Center West
📍 300 S. Seventh St.
🕒 Mon-Fri: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Lincoln Library
📍 326 S. Seventh St.
🕒 Mon-Wed: 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
🕒 Thu-Sat: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
🕒 Sun: 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. (Oct-April)

Helping Hands
📍 2200 Shale St.
🕒 Overnight Shelter: 5 p.m. to 7 a.m.
🕒 Day Services: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
📞 Contact: 217-522-0048 ext. 111

The Salvation Army
📍 1600 Clearlake Ave.
🕒 Mon-Fri: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
📞 Contact: 217-525-2196

The Office of Community Relations
📍 1450 Groth St.
🕒 Mon-Fri: 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Washington Street Mission
📍 408 N. Fourth St.
🕒 Coffee & Pastries: 7:30 to 10:30 a.m., Mon-Fri
🕒 Day Services: 12:30 to 4:30 p.m., Mon-Fri (Tues until 3 p.m.)
🕒 Breakfast: 8 to 10 a.m., Saturday
📞 Contact: 217-544-9011

St. John’s Breadline
📍 430 N. Fifth St.
🕒 Breakfast: 8 to 9 a.m., Mon-Fri
🕒 Lunch: 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., Daily
📞 Contact: 217-528-6098

Stay warm, stay safe, and please help share the information with your networks. Let's make sure everyone has a place to go.

Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. Condemns
President Donald J. Trump's Efforts To Dismantle The U.S. Department of Education

Click the link to read the full statement: https://tinyurl.com/28sdzuz8

Please share.

The Biggest Government Handout in U.S. History: How White America Cashed In on Federal Aid and Pretended It Never Happened

WASHINGTON, D.C. — For decades, a loud and persistent narrative has echoed through American politics: "Hardworking Americans don’t need free money!" It’s a phrase often used to dismiss social programs, frame federal assistance as a crutch, and shame those who rely on government aid. But let’s be honest—America was built on federal handouts. And no group has benefitted more from them than white Americans.

The idea that the U.S. economy was purely forged through "grit and hard work" is a myth. From federally subsidized homeownership to state-backed education and business loans, white families have had generations of government assistance that helped them build wealth while others were systematically excluded. The question isn’t "Why do some people need government aid?" It’s "Why is government aid only controversial when Black and Brown Americans ask for it?"

The New Deal: Federal Money That Built White Wealth

During the Great Depression, Franklin D. Roosevelt’s New Deal programs were rolled out to rescue the struggling American economy. These programs created the foundation for modern middle-class prosperity—but they were deliberately designed to exclude Black Americans while prioritizing white economic advancement.

✅ Federal Housing Administration (FHA) Loans (1934-1968)
The FHA provided low-interest home loans to millions of white families, fueling the suburban boom. But redlining policies prevented Black families from getting those same loans. Between 1934 and 1962, 98% of FHA loans went to white families, creating massive racial wealth disparities that persist today.

✅ Social Security Act (1935)
This act established unemployment benefits and retirement security, but excluded agricultural and domestic workers—jobs predominantly held by Black Americans. The result? White workers built long-term financial stability while Black workers were left out.

✅ The Wagner Act (1935)
This labor law granted workers the right to unionize, but allowed unions to exclude Black workers, keeping high-paying union jobs white-only.

These weren’t accidents; they were deliberate policies that ensured federal assistance created white prosperity while maintaining Black economic exclusion.

📖 Source: Race - The Power of an Illusion: A Long History of Racial Preferences for Whites
🔗 https://www.racepowerofanillusion.org/articles/long-history-racial-preferences-whites

The G.I. Bill: The Greatest Handout in U.S. History

After World War II, the G.I. Bill (1944) provided veterans with low-cost home loans, tuition-free college, and business loans. But in practice, Black veterans were shut out of most benefits.

🏠 Homeownership: White veterans used G.I. Bill benefits to buy homes in newly developed suburbs, while Black veterans were often denied loans or steered into segregated neighborhoods with declining property values.

🎓 Higher Education: The bill opened doors for white Americans to attend college at unprecedented rates, while Black veterans were largely forced into segregated, underfunded institutions or trade programs.

📈 Generational Wealth: The G.I. Bill created one of the biggest wealth transfers in U.S. history—almost entirely benefiting white families. Today, those same families pass down wealth through homeownership and higher education access, while Black families are still playing economic catch-up.

📖 Source: Not all WWII veterans benefited equally from the GI Bill
🔗 https://heller.brandeis.edu/news/items/releases/2023/impact-report-gi-bill.html

Modern-Day Federal Aid: White America Still Benefits Most

Government assistance isn’t a thing of the past—it’s still propping up white economic privilege today:

📌 Corporate Subsidies: The U.S. spends over $92 billion per year on corporate subsidies, benefiting white-led industries far more than communities of color.

📌 Farm Subsidies: White farmers receive 97% of federal farm aid, even as Black farmers struggle against discriminatory lending.

📌 Medicare & Social Security: The programs once denied to Black workers now make up the largest slice of federal spending—used primarily by white retirees.

📖 Source: When Affirmative Action Was White: The Untold History of Racial Preference in America
🔗 https://www.historyandpolicy.org/policy-papers/papers/when-affirmative-action-was-white

The Hypocrisy: Who Really Got the Free Ride?

So let’s be clear: White America didn’t pull itself up by its bootstraps. The U.S. government pumped trillions of dollars into white economic advancement while ensuring Black Americans remained locked out.

The next time someone says "I work hard, I don’t need government money," remind them:

💰 Your grandfather’s house? FHA loan.
🎓 Your dad’s college degree? G.I. Bill.
🏢 Your family’s business? Federally backed loans.

The wealth gap isn’t about who worked harder—it’s about who had access to government-funded opportunity and who was denied it.

America has always given free money. It just depends on who’s asking.