The perils of being a moderate
Wednesday, Oct 21, 2015 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Illinois Review…
Why, oh why, does Sen. Mark Kirk even bother calling himself a Republican anymore?
Tuesday he somehow managed to be the only so-called member of the GOP to vote FOR sanctuary cities and allow the Senatae to keep federal funding while sanctuary cities nullify federal immigration law. […]
This after being given an award Monday by an Illinois anti-gun group and tweeting out a line about needing the close the gun show loophole and blaming Wisconsin, Indiana, and Mississippi???… for the guns being used in all of the gang and drug violence in Chicago, Rockford, and elsewhere in Illinois. […]
Before that, Kirk was voting to keep Planned Parenthood and its baby butchery fully funded.
Before that, he was working with Mitch McConnell and the Democrats to revive the corporate welfare of the Export-Import bank, which we now find out could be used to give out loans to Iran thanks to the nuclear deal.
Before that, he was voting for many of President Obama’s radical nominees.
* EMILY’s List…
EMILY’s List, the nation’s largest resource for women in politics, put Illinois Senator Mark Kirk “On Notice” for 2016. “On Notice” is a list of incumbent Republicans at all levels of government who will be held accountable for their anti-woman, anti-family records in the 2016 elections.
“Senator Mark Kirk can try to run from his record, but his extreme Republican colleagues depend on his support when it’s time to advance their anti-woman and anti-family agenda,” said Stephanie Schriock, president of EMILY’s List. “Sen. Kirk voted against ensuring that survivors of trafficking – the most vulnerable women and girls – would have access to comprehensive health care, voted against a provision to ensure women of color receive adequate services under the Violence Against Women Act, and has consistently opposed legislation aimed at protecting women and families from gender discrimination in pay. It’s clear that Illinois working families can’t count on Sen. Kirk to fight for them to have a fair shot, and that’s why EMILY’s List is putting him ‘On Notice.’”
The group is backing Duckworth for Kirk’s Senate seat.
- Norseman - Wednesday, Oct 21, 15 @ 10:00 am:
I’m sorry, the Kirk-Rauner connection has totally soured me on Kirk.
- Tone - Wednesday, Oct 21, 15 @ 10:07 am:
I like Kirk more now.
- Wordslinger - Wednesday, Oct 21, 15 @ 10:09 am:
Kirk was going to get whacked from tne left no matter what, as he’s the best Dem pickup target.
Those running tne auto-de-fe at the Illinois Review don’t care about re-electing a GOP senator from Illinois further to tne right than any current Dem senator.
They’re whacking Mitch McConnell, for crying out loud.
It ain’t about governing in a democracy, it’s all about remaining pure.
- Former Hoosier - Wednesday, Oct 21, 15 @ 10:11 am:
I have never been a Kirk supporter but he is my rep. and I have to live with that. He recognizes that his supporters on the north shore are fiscal conservatives but are social moderates (or even social liberals).
- Southern Illinois Hoopdee - Wednesday, Oct 21, 15 @ 10:11 am:
Wordslinger, that’s true of both sides of this. Kirk isn’t left enough for the left and he sure isn’t right enough for the right.
- The Dude Abides - Wednesday, Oct 21, 15 @ 10:13 am:
Kirk has the look of a weak candidate and the Democrats have a good chance to pick up his seat. From some of the stupid comments he’s made to his positions which have angered gun owners and women’s rights groups he’s got a tough road ahead to reelection. As Norseman mentioned his relationship with a unpopular Governor doesn’t help either.
- Quiet Sage - Wednesday, Oct 21, 15 @ 10:13 am:
There is now a yawning gap in American politics between the mainstream positions of the (national) Republicans and the Democrats. It’s why, for example, Jim Webb seemed so out of place in the Democratic presidential debate but couldn’t possibly be part of the Republican field. Mark Kirk resides in that gap.
- Century Club - Wednesday, Oct 21, 15 @ 10:22 am:
I know it’s been said by others on Cap Fax, but this primary challenge is real gold for Kirk.
- SourKraut - Wednesday, Oct 21, 15 @ 10:29 am:
It’s painfully obvious that both IL senators vote for the portion of the state east of 39/51 and north of I-80.
- Anonymous - Wednesday, Oct 21, 15 @ 10:29 am:
Schriock sounds like a zealot.
- Team Sleep - Wednesday, Oct 21, 15 @ 10:31 am:
Politics is a zero sum game. Unlike governing, one thing matters: winning. If you don’t win, you can’t govern. Period. IR and its ilk just don’t understand that.
Some areas of the country are hyper-conservative. Parts of Illinois are, too. Parts, though. Not all of it. That’s something to remember.
- Judgment Day (on the road) - Wednesday, Oct 21, 15 @ 10:32 am:
Kirk isn’t “enough” for the extreme ideologues in either party.
That’s a good place to be.
- hisgirlfriday - Wednesday, Oct 21, 15 @ 10:37 am:
Moderates are not of any use in the current political environment except for those who wish to preserve the status quo, which appears to be an ever-shrinking part of the electorate. Those who wish to see a rightward or leftward shift in policy trajectory are right to push for Kirk’s defeat.
- Tequila Mockingbird - Wednesday, Oct 21, 15 @ 10:42 am:
I’m surprised he hasn’t announced a personal epiphany and subsequent conversion to the D team.
- Bruce (No not him) - Wednesday, Oct 21, 15 @ 10:47 am:
I always thought the majority of the people are moderate. Too bad the extremes have taken over.
- 47th Ward - Wednesday, Oct 21, 15 @ 11:01 am:
I’d feel sorry for Kirk if I could only stop laughing.
- Product of the '60's - Wednesday, Oct 21, 15 @ 11:04 am:
Love it, only here would one find auto-de-fe used in a post. Very nice, Wordslinger.
- crazybleedingheart - Wednesday, Oct 21, 15 @ 11:14 am:
==He recognizes that his supporters on the north shore are fiscal conservatives but are social moderates (or even social liberals).==
Well, too bad for him he wasn’t content with repping that district, but instead chose to run for statewide office.
He needs to be canned for failing to govern according to actual constituents, who include not the businesses of Chicago, but its residents.
- Annon3 - Wednesday, Oct 21, 15 @ 11:42 am:
SourKraut- and what portion of the 12.5+ million Illinoisans live in that area?
- Hank - Wednesday, Oct 21, 15 @ 11:46 am:
When Illinois Review and their ilk complain, as one commenter has, that Kirk is somehow ignoring his “actual constituents,” they’re really demanding he only serve hardline right-wing interests.
This is because Illinois Review and the far right world it serves has fooled itself into believing everyone’s really a conservative, and therefore you can ignore everyone else.
To serve only the people who supported your election or your party is not governing.
- Demoralized - Wednesday, Oct 21, 15 @ 12:00 pm:
Brought to you by the litmus test wing of the Republican Party
- Anonymous - Wednesday, Oct 21, 15 @ 12:40 pm:
Couldnt even read past the second paragraph where senate was misspelled. If you want to call people out thats one thing but learn to spell at least in the top of the page
- Gooner - Wednesday, Oct 21, 15 @ 1:02 pm:
At some point, IR simply is a publication dedicated to printing crazy stuff to get attention.
They certainly are not going to sway any voters. Do they really think that anybody will read that stuff and say “Hmmn, that’s an interesting perspective. Now that they’ve brought out that point, I will change my own views.”
They do, however, get people talking about IR.
Basically, they are trolls.
- Ben Franklin - Wednesday, Oct 21, 15 @ 2:59 pm:
We need moderates and progressives to register as Republicans to make the conservative segment of that party the minority report. That way, moderates will select who is the GOP candidate in their primaries, not the extreme wing.
- Timmeh - Wednesday, Oct 21, 15 @ 3:08 pm:
This is why I’d like to have third parties. The far-left and far-right would benefit from having to try to stand on their own.
- downstater - Wednesday, Oct 21, 15 @ 3:17 pm:
Mark Kirk stands for nothing other than getting Mark Kirk re-elected. I’m a conservative, but I’ll take a principled democrat over someone like Mark Kirk any day. He’s toast.
- downstater - Wednesday, Oct 21, 15 @ 3:17 pm:
— Timmeh - Wednesday, Oct 21, 15 @ 3:08 pm:
This is why I’d like to have third parties. The far-left and far-right would benefit from having to try to stand on their own.—
We do have third parties.
- Rich Miller - Wednesday, Oct 21, 15 @ 3:24 pm:
=== Jim Webb seemed so out of place in the Democratic presidential debate===
lol
Probably wasn’t that southern racist stuff.
Nope.
- Cannon649 - Wednesday, Oct 21, 15 @ 3:37 pm:
Kirk needs to pick a side - outside of him doing what it takes it takes to remain in office.
Sorry we do not need politicians like that - no matter side they call themselves today.
- Federalist - Wednesday, Oct 21, 15 @ 3:51 pm:
This site is dominated by those with a predominately liberal view. Ir is the opposite.
Both Capitolfax and IR are good sources to keep abreast of Illinois political news although they have a different style and approach.
Read BOTH and you will be more fully informed on all sides of the issues.
- Nathan - Wednesday, Oct 21, 15 @ 4:53 pm:
If Mark Kirk’s conservative Republican challenger (James Marter from Oswego, Il.) can get the necessary number of signatures on his petition in time, Senator Kirk may just find that he has a serious challenger in Jim Marter come the Republican Primary.