Guest Column by Collin CorbettFellow Illinois Republicans, it is time to be aggressive. When you’re last in the standings, there is no excuse for playing it safe. Let’s throw off the chains of political correctness and grab a pitchfork, because in this climate the old rulebook simply does not apply.
The political landscape in our great state is not calling for clean-cut politicians who stick to cautious talking points; rather, the public wants leaders as angry as they are. They are looking to “throw the bums out,” regardless of party affiliation. This was evidenced on Tax Day when suburban parents showed they were angry enough to take the day off work, pull their kids out of school, and sit in traffic for three hours to hoist a sign and scream in anger, not just against high taxes and out-of-control spending, but against a government that that has systematically robbed them of their liberties (see Ralf Seiffe’s fantastic column in Illinois Review on 4/16).
To this end, Congressman Mark Kirk was an evil genius this week, whether accidentally or on purpose, when he stated that taxpayers in Illinois “are ready to shoot anyone who is going to raise taxes” (see story here). With quotes like this, he is attempting to capitalize on the public’s anger and show them that he feels their pain.
The tax raise that Congressman Kirk is referring to is Governor Pat Quinn’s proposed 50% tax hike on struggling Illinois taxpayers. Even as families are forced to tighten their belt simply to put food on the table, Democrats in Springfield are spitting in their face by increasing spending and charging their excesses to overburdened taxpayers.
State Senator Matt Murphy, my Senator and a rising star in the ILGOP, hit the nail on the head (see here) when he called for spending cuts instead of higher taxes. Illinois unemployment rose for the 6th month in a row to 9.1% in March, the highest level in 24 years. After losing 27,400 more jobs, 596,000 Illinois residents are unable to find work, and yet the Democrats want to raise taxes in an already hostile environment for business?
While Governor Quinn may be political Teflon (see latest poll numbers here), a vote for this proposal by any member of the legislature in Springfield is political suicide, and Illinois voters are watching. When the Democrats regurgitate President Obama’s line touting “tax cuts for 95% of the people”, Illinois Republicans must do what the not-so-eloquent Senator McCain could not, and point out that many of those Americans would ultimately end up paying no income taxes at all after joining the ever-growing ranks of the unemployed due to the Democrats’ tax hike on businesses and job creators.
So stand up, Republicans, and demand that your voice be heard. If Democrats want to pay more taxes, let them—State Rep Tim Schmitz from Batavia recently proposed a bill that would allow them to do just that. We fight for those who are struggling to survive in this difficult recession, and we don’t do them justice by meekly reciting talking points. The taxpayers just reenacted a 236 year old event to show us their frustration, and the Democrats are supplying us with ad-ready quotes showing how out-of-touch they are with the struggles of everyday Illinoisans—the ball is on the tee and we’ve been handed a bat.
I wonder, how long before the Department of Homeland Security labels me a right-wing extremist?
Collin Corbett is President of the Lake County Young Republicans, and a friend of TA. Please remember to visit both of us in the re-education camps, perhaps some day sooner than any of us think...
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10 comments:
Colin-
Thanks for stopping by. Being somewhat young myself, it's great to see fresh blood in this game. I'm planning a somewhat lengthy, comprehensive response in this space, so if you don't have the time to respond, I completely understand. If you can fit it in, though, I wouldn't mind hearing from you again in this space.
You mentioned the Wednesday protests against taxes and spending (among other things) as evidence that the electorate has an indiscriminate, non-partisan attitude towards public officials. I take two issues with that.
First, while there will be token representatives of all ideologies, given a big enough group, there's no denying that most of those engaged in Tax Day protests were partisan Republicans. That's not a bad thing: anti-tax tends to be the GOP wheel house. However, don't be seduced by the size of the crowd. Appealing to those protesting only will not win back independents that Republicans have lost over the last two cycles.
Second, the source of the general public's discontent, according to almost all polling done on the subject, is the general economic crisis, not taxes and spending. This was a fatal flaw to the McCain campaign: they equated earmarks with economics. For better or for worse, in times of recession, people are less likely to reject offered help, even if it is from the government. In order to be successful, Republicans must appear less like they're trying to stop the government from taking action against the recession.
I can't agree with your praise of the Congressman's words this Wednesday. As emotionally satisfying as they might be, more should be expected out of our national leaders. When Congressman speak, people listen; suggesting violence towards other officials, even in hyperbole, is not acceptable. I do agree that he was trying to capitalize on the public's anger, but it was to no productive end. He did not use his moment in the spotlight to propose alternative solutions. He simply fed off of the gravy train that is cheap populism. As for feeling their pain, I would suggest you look into the Congressman's arrangement of his property taxes on his house in Highland Park. For no observable reason, his home is classified as historical, and as such he is paying 1/4 the property taxes he should be paying.
I understand your finding the Governor's tax raise unpalatable, and to some extent I share that concern. However, he is trying to close a particularly large budget shortfall, and raising revenues is an ugly but necessary step. i would ask also that you provide examples of any increased spending, which you claimed in your post without specifics.
I am amazed at your ability to call for massive spending cuts while in the same breath bemoaning unemployment numbers. Would you like to add legions of public school teachers, health-care workers, and other state employees to those unemployment figures? I would hope not.
Quite often, from both sides, we hear the call for our leaders to make hard choices, to not be so enslaved to polls. You are correct: tax hikes are unpopular. But a budget deficit as large as Illinois' calls for tough choices, just as a slow economy calls for tough choices in households. I would imagine, when fully delineated, the Republican service cuts would be just as unpopular. But the budget must be balanced, and Governor Quinn is trying to meet the obligations of his office.
As for your closing comment, I would hope it was meant more in jest than anger. The DHS report was a description of a completely legitimate concern, and in no way targeted those engaged in legal political activities. There is no denying the existence of extreme conservative groups who have done considerable harm in the past, whether it be the KKK, Timothy McVeigh, some members of the Alaska Independence Party, or others of their ilk. The report in no way targeted the Republican Party, just as the February report on left-wing extremism in no way targeted the Democratic Party. It's unfair to use a justified report on a national security issue to pour crocodile tears on the President, for craven political gain.
I know I gave nothing but disagreements here, but I would like to end how I began, on a civil note. Thank you for your thoughts, and you courage for stepping into what Teddy Roosevelt would call the Arena. Welcome
tikkunolan, you are WRONG when you talk about the real estate taxes paid by Mr. Kirk of his property in Highland Park. He, like ALL of those residing in the reconstructed buildings in the Town of Fort Sheridan ALL have the exact same tax benefit for a specified time period which ends this year. He is paying exactly what others pay who purchased units in the historic buildings and not the new construction. There were some viciously untrue attacks, just like yours, during this past election. Get your facts right before spewing this kind of crap and nasty nonsense. Your 'name' of tikkunolam says that you should know better. Mr. Kirk has done nothing wrong regarding his property taxes, but people like you, whether intentional or not, foment this disgraceful and innaccurate charge against him. Tell your buddies who also enjoy making outrageous and wrong attacks that they can check on this by calling the county assessor's office. And they apologize for your error.
Democrats lecturing on taxes is like Michael Jackson lecturing on family values. After all that Bush bashing you really don't hear any of the liberal quacks in the neck of these woods out ready to primary their own leaders. You're hypocrites and guess what-it's all Downhill from here for the fans of Congressman Lee Goodman (D-Nied thank god).
Half of Obama's cabinet didn't pay theirs despite million dollar salaries andthe whole administration is going to raise all of our taxes through the roof to pay for their latest spending orgy.
Say your prayers at shul tikun because your democrat happy days aren't here to stay.
FOKLAES
You know, FOKLAES, I only understand about half of what you are saying sometimes, but you, Lou and me ought to meet for a beer after a Central Committee meeting or something.
TA, I'm with you. Not on the beer, that'd get you boys arrested, on having trouble translating FOKLAES. I think he was trying to be mean to me. :-P
Well, I know Lou and I are over 21, so maybe it'll just be the two of us.
Tikkun, yes I was.
1.Mark pays taxes on 2 homes, many of Obama's nominees had trouble paying taxes on salaries far in excess of his wages.
2.If you've been in Mark's home in fort sheridan you'd know it was historic. It's also kind of creepy that you know what it looks like. It's much prettier than that dump (no longer with an Israeli flag-maybe she's gone pro-Iran like her party) Lauren Beth Gash lives in near an ace ex-Kirk for Congress staffer.
3.Democrats had almost as much fun mocking the protests as we did attending them. The use of the term teabagging is much more fun than fat old women in big pink tee shirts, showing their blubber screaming on capitol hill. And every unemployed Clinton White Houser spent the last 8 years creating protests so spare me the "this is fake" shtick.
3a. Democrat legislature and democrat governor passed those budgets. This is your tax increase we have to pay through the nose for, bud.
4. Tikkun, I am rooting for a Democrat win next year at all levels except for Mark's seat as I really want our state leadership to leave permanently, they are politically impotent and incompetent.
5. Having worked in Bush 41, I can tell you that reports like the DHS one on rightwing extremism don't just come out. They are timed, reviewed, and published at the discretion of the white house after the political shop has passed judgment. This was a political hatchet job aimed at discrediting the tea party by raising the rise of right wing extremism. We will hear a lot more of this. This DHS report scares old ladies and soccer moms that eat at Walker brothers in winnetka on sunday and keeps them from voting for us.
FOKLAES
I understand where FOKLAES stands on the issues, the party and candidates.
But I'm always ready for a beer and good conversation!
Louis G. Atsaves
Hey tikkunolan, where is the apology about Mr. Kirk not paying taxes on his Ft. Sheridan property? Repairing the world, doing the right thing needs to start with you. And while you're at it, let your other buddies who like to engage in smear tactics and lies about Mr. Kirk know that they're wrong. Like the dark lady from that other used to be blog, who claims that Mr. Kirk enjoys free healthcare. He pays for it like every other member of Congress. If you really want to be a person who repairs the world, who does believe in tikkun olam, then get out the correct information and learn to be honest. You can disagree when actual votes but it's beneath you to lie.
Tikkunolam, I am always happy to respond to thoughtful commenters who genuinely want to discuss the issues. Sadly, they are few and far between, as I’m sure you’ve seen.
I agree that most of the attendees to the Tea Parties were Republicans. However, there were also a good number of Republican-leaning Independents (rarely is an “Independent” truly Independent) and these are voters who have become disenfranchised with the Republican Party. Wednesday was an important step in rebuilding the Republican coalition.
And you’re 100% correct in your assessment on McCain’s campaign…they focused on all the wrong issues, and they deserved to lose. Their messaging and marketing were absolutely awful.
As to your point on Kirk's comment, if you don’t like “cheap populism”, get out of politics right away. ;-)
Now, on to your main point. “Raising revenues” is not a “necessary step”, and I would provide examples of increased spending if it wasn’t such an obvious fact backed up by official IL numbers accessible by a simple Google search. If you’re only argument against cutting government spending is that it would raise unemployment, your position is tenuous.
So far, government employees have mostly been insulated from the job losses the private sector faces. For a government that screams for fairness, this reeks of hypocrisy. Sure, government employees will lose their jobs, and it will be difficult for them, but the private sector has been facing these hardships for many months now. What’s not fair is that private sector employees, who are not immune to heavy unemployment, have to pay more taxes so that government employees can continue to collect their checks.
You are right: there are no easy solutions. However, a problem created over years may take years to solve. Don’t be fooled into thinking that the only solution is to raise taxes. Democrats say “raising revenue” because it sounds more palatable, but remember that revenue has to come from somewhere, and you’re advocating taking it out of the pockets of people who are already struggling to make it through the week.
Everyday citizens don't have the option of "raising revenue"...we have to find a way to live within our means. Government should be forced to do the same.
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