CHICAGO – 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.
Kirk says the many people facing unemployment don’t need a tax increase. Quinn has proposed a graduated income tax increase to help fill an $11.5 billion deficit.
Kirk appeared in Chicago on Thursday to introduce legislation increasing funds to target illegal arms smuggling. The Republican also says an increase in suburban heroin overdose deaths is linked to the underground drug and arms trade with Mexico.
Kirk says he’ll decide by early May whether to run for governor against Quinn.
As I said earlier, I’ve made the initial mistake before. Hyperbole doesn’t sound that crazy because in your mind it’s just a joke or exaggeration for effect, but when it suggests violence, it’s not okay to stand by the statement. It really wasn’t a big deal until he stood by it. Now, it’s a real problem.
Rich points out the essential 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.
There are thousands of ways of expressing very real anger at taxes in Illinios and not bring up violence. Kirk just refuses to do that.