Posted by Barton Lorimor
Gen. Wesley Clark (retired) is campaigning for Giannoulias and using his well-recognized experience in the military to knock Mark Kirk for the embellishments of his…
“[The exagerations] are a factor in this race,” Clark said, standing in front of two electric cars at a Chargepoint electric vehicle charging station at the front of the Millenium Park parking garage.
And even though he has a four-star general on his campaign trail, Giannoulias still came out with proposed spending cuts in national defense…
The Democrat says investment in education is the way to a more secure economy and country
GIANNOULIAS: We can still have the best security in the world without wasting money and breaking our budgets.
Cutting defense spending is part of the budget plan the state Treasurer outlined on his campaign Web site. Among his proposals, the young Democrat supports giving the President line-item veto powers, treating “all income equally” (which to me means a flat income tax rate), placing additional restrictions on health insurance companies and implementing recommendations made by the Payment advisory Board.
As Greg Hinz said in his blog yesterday about the proposal, the proposal seems to mix “Democratic populism and a smattering of Tea Party fiscal conservatism.”
The Giannoulias camp also used the same Web page carrying the proposal to attack Kirk for helping “George W. Bush turn a historic budget surplus and flourishing economy into record-breaking debt and a devastating recession.”
More on connecting Kirk to Bush…
While many believe the midterm elections for Congress could be a referendum on the Democratic administration of President Barack Obama, Giannoulias is trying to keep the focus on a series of Kirk tax-cut and budget votes supporting the prior administration of Republican George W. Bush.
“It is a simple truth that under the previous administration, even when times were good and we were experiencing strong business growth, the national debt more than doubled,” Giannoulias said in his appearance before the Rotary Club of Chicago. “More was added to the national debt under those eight years than in all the previous administrations in the history of this country. That’s from President George Washington to Bill Clinton combined. And my opponent voted for every one of those debt-doubling budgets.”
Camp Kirk fired back by knocking Giannoulias for the failure of Broadway Bank…
“Taking fiscal advice from the guy whose bank collapsed and cost the FDIC $394 million is akin to taking advice from Rod Blagojevich on ethics. As the state teeters on the edge of bankruptcy, the people of Illinois don’t need a lecture on fiscal restraint by the state’s treasurer.”
Just today, Kirk challenged Giannoulias to name five times he would not have voted along with Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid. I’ve put in a call to Giannoulias’ people to see if they intend to respond.
Meanwhile, Dick Durbin said yesterday the Giannoulias campaign would not be able to match the $3.4 million promised to Kirk by the National Republican Senatorial Committee…
“The amount of money being spent by the Republican side (this campaign cycle) is overwhelming,” Mr. Durbin said, with the Rs lately out-walleting the Ds “five or six to one.”
For instance, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce has promised to drop $75 million this year nationally, nearly four times what it spent in 2008, Mr. Durbin said. And all that spending “is just beginning.”
It is far from certain that the GOP will get its money’s worth, Mr. Durbin quickly added. After a certain point, “voters think it’s just too much.”
More..
Giannoulias is expected to need upwards of $4 million to maintain a statewide TV ad campaign in the final month of the race. But much of that money won’t be coming from the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, according to Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (Ill.).
Similarly, Kirk officially earned the nod from Caterpillar’s chief…
[While in Peoria,] Kirk spoke about the importance of opening new markets to expand American exports, lowering taxes and promoting policies that support Illinois.
Related…
* MY VIEW: Reasons not to seek public office
* Menendez: Obama’s former Senate seat is the ‘ultimate political trophy’ for GOP
* Gen. Clark stomps for Giannoulias, blasts Kirk
* Giannoulias says won’t blindly follow Dem. party
* Durbin And Giannoulias On Debt, Stimulus, And Timing
* Giannoulias to challenge GOP budget record
* Alexi Giannoulias Hits Mark Kirk Over Energy Policy Flip-Flop
* Kirk, Giannoulias trade endorsements
* Durbin: Republicans Likely to Raise More in Campaign Funds
* New poll: Most attuned voters tilt toward GOP
- Pot calling kettle - Wednesday, Sep 1, 10 @ 12:34 pm:
==treating “all income equally” (which to me means a flat income tax rate)==
I’m guessing he means capital gains, dividends, etc. should all be taxed as regular income.
- wordslinger - Wednesday, Sep 1, 10 @ 12:34 pm:
–Giannoulias is expected to need upwards of $4 million to maintain a statewide TV ad campaign in the final month of the race. But much of that money won’t be coming from the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, according to Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (Ill.).–
That’s a double whammy to Alexi from Durbin. First, no Senate money. But more importantly, it’s a signal to other donors that the Senate Dem braintrust doesn’t consider Alexi a good investment.–
Kind of a strange candor, given the polls have had the race a tossup for a while.
- Screwball - Wednesday, Sep 1, 10 @ 12:36 pm:
If you think treating all income equally means a flat income tax rate then you are clearly not very well informed.
- wordslinger - Wednesday, Sep 1, 10 @ 12:38 pm:
Screwball, your handle fits your personality. Rather than just insulting the hard-working young man, why don’t you lay your wisdom down for us all to admire?
- Anonymous - Wednesday, Sep 1, 10 @ 12:41 pm:
Kirk was a congressional aide when those surpluses were created.
- Cincinnatus - Wednesday, Sep 1, 10 @ 12:47 pm:
wordslinger,
Very astute observation RE Durbin’s statements. It will be interesting to see how much Alexi can self-finance, since presumable he has a few bucks in the bank. And his family also has deep pockets, so he should be able to arrange some loans (especially given his history as a “loan officer).
Durbin also makes a good point about the diminishing returns of advertising, and the money it takes to do it.
Money ain’t everything, but I’d still rather be working from Kirk’s campaign chest instead of Alexi’s.
- Screwball - Wednesday, Sep 1, 10 @ 1:08 pm:
Thanks wordslinger. Or perhaps our hardworking scribe could read the page he links to. Here is what it says:
“Treat all income equally. Americans who invest money for a living should not be allowed to pay a lower income tax rate than those who earn a wage as a teacher, police officer, or doctor. Warren Buffett once famously said that he pays taxes at half the rate as his secretary. Alexi believes that short-term capital gains and carried interest should be taxed as ordinary income.”
This has nothing to do with flat tax and was clearly explained. Bart deserves the criticism.
- Wumpus - Wednesday, Sep 1, 10 @ 1:34 pm:
screwball, ws, maybe it can mean both?
- Cincinnatus - Wednesday, Sep 1, 10 @ 1:37 pm:
Not dumping on Bart here:
Can you imagine Alexi agreeing with Steve Forbes on this or anything else? If Alexi were to back a flat tax, I’d seriously consider voting for him.
- bored now - Wednesday, Sep 1, 10 @ 1:57 pm:
you got to love st. kirk — he refuses to acknowledge the (massive) failures that he was a party to, and responds by accusing someone else of being responsible for failures that they had nothing to do with!
one more time: why does anything think kirk’s intelligent? it doesn’t even appear that he’s of average intelligence, let alone smart. he’s just a goofball. no wonder he runs away from the questions of average (downstate) voters he were inclined to support him!
this is illinois…
- Anon - Wednesday, Sep 1, 10 @ 2:23 pm:
one more time: why does anything think kirk’s intelligent? it doesn’t even appear that he’s of average intelligence, let alone smart. he’s just a goofball. no wonder he runs away from the questions of average (downstate) voters he were inclined to support him!
From that paragraph of yours….Does “anything” think you’re intelligent?
- Bill - Wednesday, Sep 1, 10 @ 2:39 pm:
bored now,
Doesn’t a war monger like Clark offend you?
- A.B. - Wednesday, Sep 1, 10 @ 3:26 pm:
@ Anon
OK, welcome back to reality, where the head of one of the largest employers in Illinois and specifically downstate Illinois endorsed Kirk. Hmmm apparently one of those guys who can make more job sin Illinois thinks Kirk is the intelligent one who can fix the problems.
- Brennan - Wednesday, Sep 1, 10 @ 3:59 pm:
The Durbin comment looks like big trouble for Alexi. It sounds stupid for Democrats as well. The party has to fund Alexi with competitive races all across the ticket.
- bored now - Wednesday, Sep 1, 10 @ 5:41 pm:
bill, i’m not a fan of wesley clark, but that has nothing to do with his military service. it has to do with his association with bill clinton and the way he allowed his staff to act in new hampshire…
- The REAL Anonymous fka Anonymous - Wednesday, Sep 1, 10 @ 8:02 pm:
I disagree to a certain extent, Brennan. Many Voters might actually think that spending alot of money right now on a race is not the right thing to do. Durbin’s message was probably intended to appeal to their base, and people will nod their heads.
OTOH, I’m having a very difficult time believing that the Ds would give this particular seat up so easily. Gotta wonder. They have limited resources, just as Rs do and maybe they have thought about priorities and where dollars should go based on an assessment of what “other resources” they may have.
Just sayin.
- G. Willickers - Thursday, Sep 2, 10 @ 12:38 am:
mark kirk is complaining that alexi is attacking veterans and their military service IN THE SAME PRESS RELEASE that he attacks a retired general.
hippocracy thy name is mark kirk.
—–
@real anonymous fka anonymous,
the gops are beneficiaries of massive corporate welfare thanks to the backwards conservative court decision re “citizens united” that says companies like koch industries, target stores and best buy can drop literally millions at a time into any race they want.
not even the unions can afford to do that for dems (not that they’d want to since their laws got stuck in the bun warmer this session).
- Louis G. Atsaves - Thursday, Sep 2, 10 @ 6:03 am:
Last I can recall, G. Willickers, the Democrats out raised and out spent Republicans the last few election cycles, both nationally and locally, with union money going overwhelmingly to Democrats.
Now that the playing field has been leveled, you complaining?