Kirk's "Yes" on Cap and Trade

Mark Kirk was the only Republican member of the Illinois congressional delegation that voted Friday night for HR 2454,  commonly referred to as "Cap and Trade" or a "Global Warming" bill. The federal legislation taxing the use of energy, passed by a mere seven votes, eight of which were Republican votes. Biggert, another Republican congresswoman who often votes with Democrats on social issues, was a question until she spoke on the House floor Friday against the Waxman-Narkey bill.

Politico and other DC sources have been reporting for weeks that Congressman Kirk has been looking at a bid for U.S. Senate or possibly Illinois governor.  

Has Kirk's vote signalled that he's not interested in running statewide and will likely run for re-election?  Is there any chance the IL GOP's conservative base would forgive this vote and work for a Kirk candidacy?

Or has Kirk sealed his political future in Illinois politics with a yes vote on the Democrats' "Cap and Trade"?

NOTE:  We've just learned that an impromptu protest against the Cap and Trade vote will be held Saturday at 1:00 PM at the Federal Plaza, 230 S. Dearborn, in Chicago.  Spread the word.

Comments

[Right on]

Stick a fork in Mark Kirk. He's done in the GOP.

[Pittsburgh Steelers Fan]

With everybody and their brother jumping into the Governor's race 1. Andrzejewkski 2. Brady 3. Dillard 4. Schillerstrom 5. Murphy 6. Proft 7. Frank Edwards

The race for Senator looks like it's being cleared for Kirk to run, it's just wait and see if Lisa Madigan jumps to Gov or Senate.

[BillyBoy]

44 card-carrying DEMOCRATS couldn't even stomach this monstrosity no matter how much their party "leaders" pushed for it. That even includes two Illinois Democrats, neither of whom claims to be a "conservative" Dem.

Yet, 8 "Republicans" on our side favored it.

More proof, IMO, that "Republican" Mark Kirk is MORE liberal than a lot of moderate Democrats. This piece of legislation is just the latest example of a handful of RINOs veering to the left of the blue-dog Dem crowd. I live in the southwest suburbs and I have two Democrats representing me in the General Assembly. They're centrist-type Dems who are NOT as liberal as Kirk. Indeed, they've opposed muchof the outrageous legislation on the state level that Kirk apologists claim he "has to" vote on the federal for in order to get elected "in the suburbs".

What a joke. Can someone explain to me why Kirk calls himself a Republican when he votes to the LEFT of many Democrats?

[Y.]

Remember he, along with Rep. John Conyers (D-MI) re-introduced the so-called hate crimes bill--H.R. 1913, the Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act of 2009 which sh/b named "the federal thought crimes bill". The man is definitely not Republican nor Conservative.

[stargirl]

all we needed was 4 republicans out of the 8, to vote no. the final vote would have been 215-216.

[Sam Pierce]

Mark Kirk has inspired me! This is one RINO that has gone too far to potentially harm so many citizens. (Gee, I wonder if increased energy costs might get passed on in every purchase of any item or service , all of which require energy to make, transport, etc.)

Mark Kirk in a statewide race will be treated like any other liberal from my perspective.

[PeteSpeer]

I have supported Rep. Mark Kirk for a long time, based primarily on his background as a Naval Intelligence Officer. I give up.

He should run as a Democrat in his District in 2010, He would be tough to beat, but that is a price we must pay. Find somebody now -- perhaps even Jack Ryan.

I have no idea why he broke faith with both the Party and the taxpayers who will suffer -- not his, so much in his affluent District, but the rest of the State of Illinois and around the country.

You see, the Democrats pulled the old Mike Madigan trick, which we see in the legislature. Pull Republicans in to share the blame.

Boehner should immediately strip him of his senior positions.

[Mike]

Enslavement in the form of greenmongering

[sickened]

He sold out the taxpayer for his own political gain.

[Conservative Veteran]

For at least three years, I've thought that Rep. Kirk should run as a Democrat. I emailed him, four times, and I asked why he's a Republican, although he's pro-choice, pro-gun control, pro-gay marriage, pro-spending increases, pro-illegal alien, and anti-Iraq surge. He didn't answer my question, so I emailed four of his aides and asked them why he's a Republican. None of them responded.

[Frank Goudy]

Conservative Veteran has hit the nail on the head.

I have been leary of Kirk, but was willing to give him a chance. Well he has had his chance(s) and this one voter will never support him in any primary.

[Jim Leahy]

I have reluctantly supported Congressman Kirk since he won the 2000 primary. I live in the 10th district and hate to think of having Lauren Beth Gash or Now most likely Senator Garret as my congressman but I can no longer hold my nose and vote for Kirk. I will just skip the congressman race for as long as he appears on my ballot. I will not put up signs, I will no longer attend meeting with veterans to support him when he is attacked by the Democrats. Thanks for the knife in the back Congressman!

[Death and Taxes]

I can't believe Kirk voted for this garbage. He has betrayed the average citizen with this vote.

Our government sure does love taking money from hard working Americans. Boo our representatives and their lousy schemes!

[Elizabeth]

Kirk= one of the Capntr8tors. I like that. Saw it on twitter.

[Liberty Watchman]

Two comments:

Don Wade (WLS-AM) has been giving lots of complimentary air time to Mark Kirk for a long time now. Will Don explode on Monday? He should.

Blogger alert! Find the deal. There's a quid pro here somewhere.

[Liberty Watchman]

Captain Kirk doesn't believe in the no-win scenario. Congress Kirk just voted for it.

[Tax and SPEND]

Last time I checked Kirk would not cosponsor
HR 1207, audit the fed.

[No More Rinos]

Mark Kirk needs to be kicked out of congress. I am so sick of these idiots voting for things they don't read. The socialist party dropped another 300 pages into the bill at 3 AM so there is no way that any of them read it. How soon before we find out what really is in the bill.

[david]

This energy tax bill that Mr. Kirk voted yea, is designed to help pay off the $9 trillion deficit the democratic congress and president Obama's neo-socialist agenda will cost the American taxpayer. This has little to do with CO2 emissions. We have the technology to reduce CO2 from the atmosphere.

[Jon Zahm]

Kirk is, was, and always will be a RINO.

I was onto him in 1999/2000 when I opposed him, unsuccessfully, in the primary. We would have been much better with a Congressman Gladman or Phelps. Or even a Congressman Cox or Damisch or Goulka.

The Porters put him in with their endorsement.

[plane jane]

cap'n trade kirk has betrayed the people of the state of illinois. we already have the highest gasoline prices in the country, and it is estimated that the waxman markey bill will increase gas by 77 cents per gallon.
warren buffet even called this bill a HUGE tax increase. how could he support this bill?

[Hillary Fan]

The deal most likely has to do with some dirt Obama has on him related to his divorce. There is no chance that he read this bill (as shown in the video he had posted on his web site) and then made an independent decision to vote for it.

As a disenfranchised Democrat who was looking for an alternative choice for senator or governor, he just lost my vote. Join the Blair Hull, Jack Ryan and now Mark Kirk club.

Perhaps he was offered some bipartisan position in the administration. I wouldn't be surprised. Color me disgusted.

Let's start a draft Jenny Sanford for senate movement. She hails from the North Shore.

[Kevin Killion]

Let's not forget the double-cross Kirk pulled on military families: The government school districts around Great Lakes started bellyaching about needing more money. So what did Kirk do? He pressed hard for more money to go to fund the education of kids of military families. But, get this: even though it was federal money on behalf of people in service, the money was NOT to go to families to pay for their choice of the best schools for their own kids, oh no. Instead, Kirk pressed for money to be poured directly into the greedy hands of the educrats, whether families wanted their schools or not!

Kirk -- siding with educrats, siding with unions, siding with abortionists and siding with Obama. Just not siding with us!

[Get really real]

Jenny's busy with her family right now, HF, but if you're looking for dissed women, Hillary should know -- isn't that how she gained NY's sympathy to become their Senator?

If Mark Kirk announced now, it would be an insult to Illinoisans. The only reason Schakowsky et al remain in for so long is that their districts allow it. Illinois statewide would never accept anyone as leftist as Kirk.

The problem is, without opposition, we're sending back Roland Burris or Alexi Giannoulias -- both much more left than Kirk. Bad news. Where's the hero?

[Dave]

See, I take a different take

I feel Kirk feels he has to solidify himself as true moderate to win the US Senate Race.

He voted against stimulus but he voted for cap and spend now.

He can use this to win Senate Race.

[Dennis C. Ryan]

Talk is cheap, folks. Find a strong GOP candidate to run against Kirk in the upcoming primary. Get someone we can strongly back, and Kirk will be a mere footnote to history.

[Sam Pierce]

Dave,

Then Kirk is truly a piece of political crap and if he is the Republican nominee for senator, we will send a liberal to the Senate... regardless of who wins.

[Jerome]

"Has Kirk's vote signalled that he's not interested in running statewide and will likely run for re-election? Is there any chance the IL GOP's conservative base would forgive this vote and work for a Kirk candidacy?"

Yes and No. This analysis makes much more sense to me than any notion that Kirk thinks he can win DemoRat votes as admiration for his liberalism (which is just stupid - why not just vote for a DemoRat?).

Good call. I won't support this liberal twit for any national office.

[rbt]

Guess what his phone message system is overloaded and he is not responding. He has learned from his Illinois politics from his icons Obama and Daley and doesn't answer a questions to the people who supported him.

Sorry Mark, I have lost all respect for you. You might as well head off to Argentina.

You have as much ethics as Mark Sanford

[Cheryl Miller]

I have read and listened to both sides of the "cap and trade" issue. This includes Mr. Kirk's reasoning for voting "yes" for this bill. He has lost all of my support. I am so frustrated and saddened to his dismissal of his Republican parties stance...and to those who have supported him both financially and with time.This is big government control and will hurt so many. Americans...we are losing all of our freedoms. I wish Mr. Kirk would reverse his vote before July 2nd.

[Jan]

Spector-clone.

[Ken Cooley]

I am writing my Congressman right now and will phone tomorrow.
I was angered by the vote in the House on the Cap and Trade with these Illinois Reps voting for it. What a mess.
Illinois is not the land of Lincoln or the Republican party any more.
This man should become a Democrat as he is already a traitor.
I will invest money to see him lose the Senate campaign.
Hey Republican Party, why don't you grow a pair and get your ass out of your head.
We need Conservative leaders in Illinois not these stupid RHINOS.