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* Congressman Aaron Schock talks about social issues, and shows a serious lack of study on a particular state vs. federal issue, gay marriage…
Summing up, he said, “I think those debates are healthy, and I think America, certainly on immigration, on other issues, is changing its positions. On the issue of the marriage, though, that will be hammered out primarily in the states.”
Asked, then, if he opposed a federal marriage amendment, support for which was included in the draft party platform hammered out this past week, Schock replied, “No, I support that.”
When it was explained to him that a federal marriage amendment that would prohibit states from allowing same-sex couples to marry under their state’s law, he then hedged, saying, “I haven’t really thought too much about it.”
He then asked if the amendment had been voted on in Congress in the past four years. When told that it hadn’t and that he had not taken a position on it yet, he replied, laughing, “I’ll have to read it.”
* And for someone who has allowed his name to be floated for governor, he’s also apparently not keeping up on Illinois news about the topic…
Asked about ongoing lawsuits brought in Illinois by the American Civil Liberties Union and Lambda Legal seeking marriage equality in his state, Schock replied he was unaware of their existence, saying, “That’s all news to me.”
* Other congressional stuff…
* The Thomson prison standoff - A Virginia congressman’s grudge puts his Illinois colleagues on the spot: We’ve asked several Republican incumbents to explain to voters why Illinois ought to lower the price on its state-of-the art prison when the feds have agreed to buy it for $165 million. The question has elicited a lot of stammering. How does lowering the price overcome the need for Wolf’s signature? They don’t seem to know. Why don’t they lobby their stubborn Republican colleague instead of asking Quinn — and Illinois taxpayers — to give up another $100 million or so? They’re pretty sure Schilling already tried that. Have they seen the state budget lately? Did they notice that the General Assembly cut education spending by $210 million this year?
* DCCC desperately tries to tie Dold to Akin in robo-calls
* Joe Walsh Endorsed by Fastener Business, Small Biz Group
* Press Release: National Federation of Independent Business endorses Joe Walsh
* Duckworth, Walsh to debate on the radio
posted by Rich Miller
Tuesday, Aug 28, 12 @ 11:56 am
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Schock is my Congressman and is an embarrassment. He is a professional politician. All his posistions are calculated.
Comment by Sir Reel Tuesday, Aug 28, 12 @ 12:04 pm
Proof that Schock has no intention of running for governor.
The dude is having way too much fun in Washington to be bothered with the issues thingies.
Do you know how many free steak dinners, ball games, shows, golf outings, etc. you can get being in the majority on Ways and Means? And no one even knows who you are.
Why trade that for the slings-and-arrows of governing?
Comment by wordslinger Tuesday, Aug 28, 12 @ 12:07 pm
As the lede indicates, I don’t think a lot of calculating went into this particular screw up.
Comment by Will Caskey Tuesday, Aug 28, 12 @ 12:07 pm
By any chance does Schock’s father own a lumber company?
Comment by The Captain Tuesday, Aug 28, 12 @ 12:14 pm
Sir Reel,
Can someone only 30 years old be a professional anything?
Comment by Cincinnatus Tuesday, Aug 28, 12 @ 12:18 pm
I’ve said it here before: Aaron Schock embodies all that is wrong in D.C. today. He takes uncompromising, ideological positions on just about every issue. He looks good on TV and has the talking points memorized perfectly. He is not much
of a legislator and apparently doesn’t do well when thinking for himself. And he will be in office at some level for a very long time.
Comment by Calhoun Native Tuesday, Aug 28, 12 @ 12:33 pm
Where is Boehnor in a time like this he has less of a spine than Quinn. Tamms hold up is a joke and how shallow the Republicans have gotten.
These guys were elected to help the United States
not to say NO to everything.
Comment by mokenavince Tuesday, Aug 28, 12 @ 12:44 pm
That Shock kid isn’t very bright, is he?
Comment by Cheryl44 Tuesday, Aug 28, 12 @ 12:55 pm
Schock: “As a Republican Congressman, I support and believe in whatever they tell me to support and believe, just like my fellow Republicans. I just don’t know who “they” really are…”
Comment by Wensicia Tuesday, Aug 28, 12 @ 12:56 pm
I think its shows none of the Fed guys pay attention to the state issues. Recall how Gill was shaken by the Proteters. I bet he had no idea what has been going on
Comment by western illinois Tuesday, Aug 28, 12 @ 1:12 pm
- Recall how Gill was shaken by the Proteters. I bet he had no idea what has been going on -
Right, because Gill has spent a lot of time in Washington…
Comment by Small Town Liberal Tuesday, Aug 28, 12 @ 1:33 pm
Schock was asked in May and said he opposes gay marriage
I can only imagine that the Log Cabin Republicans have told him he needs to pipe down if he wants to run statewide
Comment by Yellow Dog Democrat Tuesday, Aug 28, 12 @ 1:49 pm
The Captain - Tuesday, Aug 28, 12 @ 12:14 pm:
==By any chance does Schock’s father own a lumber company?==
If I recall Schock’s father was an “investment adviser” and Schock was his Notary Public. However I can’t remember the resulting court docket number.
Don’t be so hard on the flamboyant, but ethically challenged kid. He stated in an 18th district town hall meeting that “we need to make it more profitable for the oil companies” as an energy policy goal - and he delivered!
Comment by Crime Fighter Tuesday, Aug 28, 12 @ 1:50 pm
@YDD: Yes, dear…because the Log Cabin Republicans are such a mighty force in Illinois politics.
Comment by Debbie Reynolds Tuesday, Aug 28, 12 @ 2:09 pm
Why can’t republicans support equal rights under the law (tax, healthcare, legal, etc.) for gay and straight people? It’s not that hard to support equality under the law. Some call it marriage, some call it a civil union, I’ll just call it equality.
The answers there were a little odd and clearly Schock was being honest when he said that he hasn’t really thought about it.
Comment by Ahoy! Tuesday, Aug 28, 12 @ 2:12 pm
The thought that Schock would be considered as a gov. candidate is as absurd as thinking of Pat Quinn as governor!
Comment by D.P. Gumby Tuesday, Aug 28, 12 @ 2:24 pm
@Debbie Reynolds:
Two-thirds of Illinoisans favor civil unions or gay marriage (Simon Institute, 2010). Only someone with the superpower to bend the laws of mathematics can believe they are all Democrats.
Dear.
The vast majority of Fortune 500 businesses provide equal benefits for gay partners.
Dear.
Try raising money in Chicago — its where the money is — as a Republican who takes a hard line against equal rights for gay Americans.
Dear.
Comment by Yellow Dog Democrat Tuesday, Aug 28, 12 @ 2:26 pm
Wordslinger that stuff was all banned in 2007. There are still ways to get that stuff as members of congress but it’s not what it was early in the administration where you basically took a breath and you could live like Prince Harry in Vegas last weekend. The real benefit is not being in a competitive district AND being in the majority. There have been items in politico of him at swank kuwaiti embassy dinners hosted by arab jet set types which usually don’t resonate in Peoria.
Rich you left out the Mark Brown Sun-Times column today on Senator Kirk’s efforts to remake the party. He’s a senator and on the 60 day disabled list right now, but still part of this thread.
Comment by Shore Tuesday, Aug 28, 12 @ 2:43 pm
BTW, the last Republican to win statewide in Illinois without support from the gay community was Peter Fitzgerald, in 1998.
ER was the number one t.v. show. Gasoline was $1.25 a gallon. And Aaron Schock was 17.
Comment by Yellow Dog Democrat Tuesday, Aug 28, 12 @ 2:46 pm
@YDD: You know dear, you should really consider sticking to the subject of your original argument, instead of going off on tangents.
You specifically said Log Cabin Republicans, intending, no doubt, to allude to rumours about Rep. Schock’s sexuality.
If you can’t say what mean, you should at least mean what you say.
Comment by Debbie Reynolds Tuesday, Aug 28, 12 @ 2:49 pm
@Debbie Reynolds -
I meant EXACTLY what I said, dear.
George Ryan supported amending the Human Rights Act to prohibit discrimination against gay Americans, which Rutherford voted for in 2003.
Topinka got kudos and a huge front page story in the Windy City Times after helping launch the center on Halsted Street.
Mark Kirk is co-sponsoring federal anti-bullying legislation that includes bullying based on sexual orientation.
The empirical evidence is pretty clear that if you want to win statewide in Illinois as a Republican, you’d best not be hostile to the gay community, and best to be their friends. I credit the Log Cabin Republicans with spreading that message very effectively, if not discreetly, and delivering on promises of votes and fundraising from the gay community and their allies.
I’m not sure what you’re alluding I’m alluding to, but you might want to have your illusions checked out.
I’ve earned a fairly good reputation for being pretty blunt around here. Dear.
Comment by Yellow Dog Democrat Tuesday, Aug 28, 12 @ 3:46 pm
As I have said before, some years back a gentelman wrote a book whose basic premise was that people are often promoted one step above their level of competence. At this point in his life I think Mr. Schock is at least one step if not two above his level of competence.
Comment by Bemused Tuesday, Aug 28, 12 @ 3:55 pm
all face and no brain.
Comment by amalia Tuesday, Aug 28, 12 @ 5:04 pm
@YDD
- Dan Rutherford was elected statewide in 2010, yes?
Comment by WhatRecession? Tuesday, Aug 28, 12 @ 11:03 pm
With all the massive problems at the federal and state levels of goverment, why would anyone expect most elected politicians to know the details of or even care about the gay marriage issue? Check the polls of voters’ top issues and you’ll see gay marriage is WAY, WAY down the list.
Comment by WhatRecession? Tuesday, Aug 28, 12 @ 11:10 pm
* The Thomson prison standoff -
I know Im a day late and off the topic for most of this vote, but anyway—
Dont sell Thomson, Open it and use it to accomplish the best compromise available. Close Stateville and move the Max inmates to Thomson, leaving the Northern R&C and the Farm open there. Refurbish one unit as a Special Housing Unit, in the model of Pelican Bay, close Tamms C-Max and move the inmates who truly do need to be removed from General Population in there. Leave the MSU only open at Tamms. Reallocate the funding from Stateville and Tamms to Thomson. This gives everyone involved something, and all give up something. It addresses the problem of what to do with Thomson and shows that DOC is actually attempting to address Budgetary problems while ensuring the safety and security of Staff and Inmates. Quinn can save face and still say he closed Tamms, while at the same time can not be hannered for be soft on criminal justice issue. At the same time he can point to how he is improving living conditions not only for those at Tamms but also at Stateville. Forby and Phelps can say that they saved some jobs in their area by keeping a work camp that provides vital assistance to local towns and counties and let them concentrate on providing more services to State Parks that are in bad need of help mowing and maintaining. Use this compromise to pull the party back together and show unity and the ability to work together to get things done going into the election(being a republican, this part doesnt really thrill me, but it could help them heal the party in southern illinois).
But dont stop there. Combine Vienna and Shawnee, and combine Lincoln and Logan. Eliminate the extra Department heads and use the savings to address the maintenance and upkeep issues that have suffered in recent years and have led to the news storys and lawsuit over these conditions. This shows that they are again trying to manage as best they can while adressing what needs to be addressed, and at the same time shows AFSCME that they are also willing to cut management not just fron line staff to achieve savings.
The only loseres here would be the statewide republicans who have an issue taken away from the. But, in the long run in could benefit them too. Would make them actually come up with issues to run on besides “We aint them”.
Comment by SO IL M Wednesday, Aug 29, 12 @ 8:12 am
@WhatRecession -
Yes. He wasn’t just elected statewide in 2010, he received more votes that Quinn or Brady.
But he did lose a statewide bid in 2006, and the attack from Schock — who has never lost an election — is that Rutherford’s 2006 loss disqualifies him.
Frankly, I don’t get the argument. Obama lost his first race for Congress. And anyone running against Jesse White is taking one for the team.
Schock is apparently too young to remember Reagan’s 11th Commandment. He hasn’t even officially declared himself a candidate, and he’s attacking members of his own party for being timid when it comes to Madigan, for their past losses, and ironically for dividing the party.
Hubris, by the way, was considered one of the greatest crimes of ancient Greece.
Comment by Yellow Dog Democrat Wednesday, Aug 29, 12 @ 8:13 am
Boy is that full of typos, I need more coffee.
Comment by SO IL M Wednesday, Aug 29, 12 @ 8:13 am
SO IL M -
Interesting idea (except that Logan is male and Lincoln is female)(I think). I don’t recall hearing anything about consolidating or otherwise messing with the system beyond the closures (and transfers).
Can anyone flesh this out who might know what has been discussed by not published?
Comment by Colossus Wednesday, Aug 29, 12 @ 9:02 am