Live blog: Kirk's campaign call on your tax dollar

Goodness, Mark Kirk just called me for a live teleconference, but I guess I got the call late. He's taking questions now. I'll try to live blog as best I can. Sorry if choppy and full of typos.

One question, what to do to get Senators and Congressmen to live up to their promises? Can we
get them to agree to resign? Now that's a good question. He never answered it.

Back to immigration though... He wants the security fence

Now earmarks. Just touted his own anti-earmark stand except of course his own earmarks.

I couldn't hear all that well, but I guess this next question was on the Midwest floods. Kirk said FEMA, dealt with before. He wants future president to federalize disaster handling, implying governors (LA governor) too incompetent or corrupt. Wowee is this a colossal misrepresentation of what went on after Katrina when incompetent became synonymous with FEMA and Brownie did a Bush-style heckofajob. Caller asks about flood insurance, wants people to have to buy or move out. Kirk agreed. Problem as I see it is that those folks who live in the flooded areas didn't know they were in anything other than a 500 year flood zone.

Bush and social security. Private accounts. This questioner is a real Bush guy. He wants the private accounts. even 100%. Kirk: President has given up on that proposal, not much in last 5 years. Many of us want to look at reforms along line of 1983. Kirk backed proposal to put together powerful commission to look at entitlements in US (doesn't mention entitlement of the defense industry or the pharma industry).

Kirk asking about questions on VA benefits. Why doesn't he ever vote in favor of them?

Next question. Chicago high gas prices. Should there be a gas cap and would you call upon Washington to support it to lower gas prices? Kirk: no. Moment have a federally controlled price, shortages will occur around the country. Far better that people have option of buying gas. (fails to mention those who don't have the option because they cannot afford it.) Said the word socialist a bunch of times, sheesh. Touting his energy act all based on tax breaks. More tax breaks for oil companies, go figure.

More on gas prices. Open up areas off Am shorelines to oil drilling? (That question is misleading--see why by looking at my recent post on why that is not the real question -- and he's making reference to the already proven false comment about China drilling offshore Cuba again--unbelievable).

Question: Lead in Chinese produced toys and Second Life. Why necy for fedl govt to regulate, can't citizens regulate this themselves? It's all too much. How can he keep up. Kirk: Freedom of speech and const rights, but content and children strong community interest. Print materials --pornography community can restrict access to children. Radio and TV community didn't want pornography available. Change channel not strong enough. Second Life because little age verification to ensure someone is an adult. Saying kids will be in virtual rape rooms in Second Life. What about the real rape rooms in Iraq? Questioner says there are too many such sites for government to keep up with. Kirk says he chose facebook and second life because so popular. Not shutting down. Warning to parents. Parents didn't have internet when growing up and it's his job to see a growing or potential danger. What about the danger of losing job and only getting $21 per week for the family to eat on? What about parents who have to work 3 jobs and leave their kids alone to surf the net?

Kirk backing with Lipinski--health insurance COBRA for life. When you are unemployed and have no money, he wants you to be able to pay the huge amounts charged for COBRA to cover yourself. He never addresses what happens to the already unemployed.

Green schools initiative. Thomas Middle School in AH, solor panels on the roof. Don't let Ronald Reagan near them. He was famous for laughing as he removed the solar panels from the roof of the white house. Seems sort of foolish now.

He's also supporting employers offering transit benefits from employers. A tax credit to employers.

Kirk lives by the tax credit to corporations.

Next question: How effective is regulating body of hedge funds? Increase margin calls? Oil Coco or core products. Kirk touts strong role of futures markets. Fedl govenmet can play role in calming down wild price swings. Low cash swinging market. With decline of dollar, gold hedge and oil. Played a role in increasing demand for oil futures and floor keeping oil artificially high. Possible legislation, but pulled for this week. Higher margins and more transparency. Harder for people with borrowed morning to make a large buy swinging price. Calmer way to make sure market reflecting real market. I'll have to research that. Caller concerned about less volume and connected to electronic trading. Doesn't matter if increase margin calls because the people have a lot of money. Kirk: people want to close down futures markets but people in the district make living on futures market. Hong Kong going to launch because US market too regulated. Caller says it's a fine line. 24 hour trading creating a lot of stress.

Kirk: number of Americans paying AMT. designed to hit super rich. AMT grown to affecting 22mil americans. Incomes less than $80K/year. Asking should congress relieve AMT by raising taxes to pay for it on hedge funds and real estate partnerships.

Next question: 1. oil issue, dangerous for Americans, future generations economy and middle east. we can do it but someone has to take control. simplistic goal. Kirk: more about his energy program. Argonne, not far away from commercially available fuel cell. Important for economy. If us can get first commerically available fuel cell will be good.

Student debts. Salaries mid $50s maybe not worth going to college. Kirk says he backed legislation to make universities justify price hikes. Double or triple rate of inflation (not to mention that they tenure way fewer profs). Now, Kirk is talking about GI bill (no thanks to many republicans). Backing legis to set up 401Kid account like 401K program in name of son or daughter. Families could contribute if I heard correctly.

Questioner says people in mercedes on public aid, fraud. When questioned about what husband does, they say he does construction. business is phenominal. (I sort of doubt that construction is doing phenominal now.) Kirk says call office if see fraud. (Can I call his office on his office for all the lying they do?)

AMT 50% yes, 18% no. Kirk voted for AMT relief bill. I can agree with him on that.

Questioner: Kirk's knowledge on military intelligence, how fooled by Bush admin? My question exactly. Kirk: intelligence wrong across board. Questioner pushing him. A lot of articles said no. Kirk says votes same way as democratic leader of house. I love this questioner. Kirk squirming.

He dropped "Winnetka rules" now they are "10th District Rules". I guess even Kirk figured out that sounded racist.

Now, he's going into all the democratic legislation he supported. He's not answering the question about the Iraq intelligence at all. Must have taken the same training as Atsaves... mentions Blagojevich but still no answer as to why he was wrong on Iraq intelligence.

Call paid for by congress and federal government. So WE are paying for this campaign call.

Next call: a supporter, drilling. point on that link with money for investment in alternate energy. Too bad Kirk failed to educate the listeners as he discussed the topic about the already existing drilling leases that are not used. Touting his new tax credit energy program again. At least he acknoweldges that oil is not in our future.

Next question, I'm not sure what this woman is getting at. infrastructure long time for elderly, disabled. Shrinking population of care givers. Spend money overseas and growing debt when cannot meet future. Drs. Hospitals leaders get together? Kirk: be optimists here. For long run, economic growth is key. With growing economy tax revenue grow with that. If restrain spending in areas over long run and wrap up mission in Iraq and long term spending commitments all problems are solvable with growing economy. (So, he admits that Iraq effects growth of our economy. So, why does he keep voting for it?)

Kirk: Economy growing since 2002 (not including the part that didn't benefit from it, most of the rest of us). 10 good reforms to double size of us economy. Things we have today that we didn't have in the last decade.... Caller wants a little more thought on some of these topics by govt (I don't think she's criticizing him per se). Kirk: Detailed analysis congressional research service.

Next Kirk asks: should we test lead in Chinese toys for kids up to age 7 or up to 12? Why don't we just fail to accept bad products from any country for anyone because you never know who can get ahold of it.

Next question: Do you feel there isn't any more middle class. Kirk says middle class is very large and gov't to expand middle class.

Next question same person. did we learn from oil embargo in 1973? Kirk: lessons of 1970s not fully applied (by Reagan, see above). US had little econ and job growth. Oil and product cartels have poor records of hanging together. OPEC, Nigeria undercuts Saudi Arabia, collapsed as force in early 1980s. New factor taken over India and China fundamental economic changes. China and India poor and changed policies dramitically so now, Kirk thinks 2Bil people buying cars in same generation. Tremendous basic driver of demand for petroluem, so long term price will not go down.

Next question, same person. Time off by employers. Kirk: HSBC innovative plan flexible desk space, number of employees coming in 2 days a week and rest work from home with high speed internet connection. Parent friendly to get kid to emergency room. Skipping commute.

Same person, he's scared about pulling out of Iraq. What does Kirk think: wrap up in way that makes sure we never go back. Long term interest we have accomplished big set of tasks and a lot of effort and make sure not squandered. Things going better per Kirk, says he quotes NYT. Most of work left is political. Not uniformed Americans. Don't flea so we have to go back (He's assuming our presence is not part of the problem)

Turn around auto industry? Hybrid plug in vehicles. Fuel cell vehicle to rock comptetition. Ford and GM legacy costs...blaming the workers for their health care... why doesn't he blame his party for stopping universal single payor health care. New companies become behemoths, yahoo, google... someone else will come up with alternative. Tax breaks.

Toy testing question anwers: 23% 7 69% 12 8% don't know. Kirk voted 12%.

Next question, welfare abuse. She was a case worker and doesn't believe it. A lot of people who need a lot of medical care. She needs help and it's not abuse. They have copays over $100 month for just one of the drugs she needs. Wondering if anything Kirk had in mind to help people who couldn't pay? Kirk: made strides. touting his medicare D. He'll have to tangle with my mom on that one. Under age 65, expand access to health care. Then why does he always vote against access legislation. Touting assn health plans. Also key is medicare, scheduled cut for drs. and kirk voted to stop that (that's one I agree with). Now, he's on tort reform. Kirk always said that health care access is tort reform, so you cannot sue if injured by an HMO that decides they don't want to allow you to go to a specialist or have a test you need.

He asks us: Renew ban on assault weapons?

Next question: Waukegan harbor. Kirk disappointed in city of Waukegan. They didn't come up with match. Now working on plan for full fedl cleanup to get it done. Take longer and be more expensive. Bashing democrats now and remember he said this was an official call and not a campaign call.

On assault weapon ban yes 81% no 14% don't know 5%. Kirk for ban.

Next question, roads in LC. Crisis and need to widen roads. Wall to wall traffic at 7pm. (I'd ask about the condition of Waukegan Road. The winter really tore it up.) Kirk: he's blaming state for having no local match and democrats (not mentioning he could help the state get an extension), but remember this is an official call and not a campaign call.

Next question, drug policy. Fighting market forces in taking drugs off street. Results in more incentive to bring them in and more crime. Hasn't worked for 20 years? Kirk disagrees. Pre-communist China, probably referring to opium and forgets to mention west encourage that in China. Kirk traveled with DEA to Netherlands. Widely seen by other European countries as total disaster. Dutch govt had to spend a lot and building old folks homes for herion addicts. I'm surprised they lived that long. Kirk also says crime and terrorism in Netherlands. Caller said not suggesting legalize it, but treat as an illness and not a crime. Kirk turns it back around to his original point which the caller wasn't making. Americans in opium dens. I think more will be at unemployment than in herion dens. Never answered callers question.

Last issue question: this is nonsense, a loaded question. All unemployment extensions for people only 2 weeks on job. yes or no. what about the vast majority on unemployment who worked a lot longer than two weeks? He doesn't want to talk about that. He's still misleading people on the unemployment extension. Lying to constituents to get support for a vote. This is disgusting.

Next question, illegal aliens. Kirk said shouldn't offer amnesty and build southern security barrier. Already here? I think he's saying no consensus in congress. He is so hard to understand sometimes talking in cliches so much... Takes a long time to hire agents and build barrier. Focusing efforts on upgrades to barrier first (but barrier only a small part of the border). Kirk said in all his meeting in the district all people wanted to talk about was immigration. When I went no one mentioned immigration. Wanted to discuss Iraq.

Last caller.

847-940-0202 is his number.

He's honored to represent me. I wonder then why he doesn't.

Last caller: flat tax and national sales tax in lieu of income tax. Kirk not supportive of it because we'll be left with both. poor record of letting go of any taxes. Wants to be most attractive place for business. Departure of jobs because of taxes. What about departure of jobs for offshoring that he supports. Caller asking about that? Now, Kirk says he's against it but he's been for it over the years. It's in my archives.

Iraq next 100years? Kirk says mission now 95% political and uniformed americans should not be ones to accomplish it. Then why does he always vote for it?

While I agreed with a few things Kirk said, all in all, he danced around the tough issues and generally misled people on his positions on Iraq (he always votes to extend and fund), unemployment insurance payments (no one is getting it working only 2 weeks--state law prevents that), immigration (that fence will accomplish nothing) and offshoring (he's always been for it).

He says he's honored to represent us. I wish he's honor us less and think about our needs and tell us the truth more.

I hope you've enjoyed this live blog of Kirk's campaign call. I just want you to get your money's worth because you paid for it.