UPDATED BELOW--Kirk Stands by his statement
Mark Kirk shows us what moderation is in today's Republican Party:
"I think that the decision to raise taxes by 50 percent in Illinois is political suicide," Kirk said of Quinn's proposal to raise the tax rate to 4.5 percent from 3 percent, coupled with an increase in the personal deduction. "I think the people of Illinois are ready to shoot anyone who is going to raise taxes by that degree."
I'm sure we will hear how Mark Kirk is what we all need--a mushy mouthed moderate who is at the center of American politics. The problem with that is Mark Kirk is suggesting violence is at hand over a potential tax increase in Illinois.
Rich Miller at the Capitol Fax responded:
Seriously. What the heck? I mean, I’ve heard of dogwhistling the base, but that was like a foghorn in a library. I thought Kirk was supposed to be a moderate? He sounds a bit like Alan Keyes on meth. Or maybe Rod Blagojevich before he was hampered by federal bail restrictions.
The level of violent imagery in the GOP is now reaching the supposed moderate wing. Illinois Republicans are salivating over a potential Kirk candidacy for US Senate in 2010 because he's seen as a moderate by many and has been winning in a Democratic leaning seat in a blue state.
Yet for all those claims of moderation, Mark Kirk is suggesting that violence is a likely response to taxation with representation.
UPDATE
Stands by statement
Congressman Mark Kirk is standing by his earlier comments that Illinois residents "are ready to shoot anyone who is going to raise taxes" as much as Gov. Pat Quinn is proposing.
Rich Miller spells out the problem:
As I’ve been telling people in comments, if Kirk believes this sort of language is perfectly acceptable and not irresponsible, then he ought to go ahead and make it a part of his campaign routine and see how that works for him.
Hint: It won’t.
...Adding... A commenter notes...
Can he imagine how quickly a student at school would be hauled down to the office if a student announced at school "Students are ready to shoot anyone increasing the homework load by that extent"?
Now do you get it?
And if you still don’t, substitute "student at school" with "employee at work" or some such thing.