McHenry County Blog

In an interview with Craig Dellimore with WMMB-Radio, U.S. Senator Mark Kirk indicated that he would be willing to vote to allow state government in Illinois to declare bankruptcy:

“Between a bailout, which has no possibility of passing in the House, and a default, which means suddenly, the state treasury runs out of money to pay for anything, is there something that allows a state to work out its debt situation?”

That beats a Federal bailout, which Kirk said could not pass the U.S. House, and default.

“Bankruptcy would allow the state to restructure its pension system so that it may preserve benefits for existing employees,” the WBBM story concludes.

No one at the Crystal Lake Town Hall Meeting Saturday afternoon at McHenry County College brought up the question.

Previously, McHenry County Blog has reported on the opening remarks of U.S. Senator Mark Kirk and Congressmen Don Manzullo and Joe Walsh.  Next came Part 2 in which American Enterprise Resident Scholar Andrew Biggs told how other countries had dug out from under a huge debt, plus the first audience questions and answers from the Members of Congress.  In Part 3, we continue in the question and answer section.

John Collins of Algonquin asked about the Senate Rules changes being proposed which would allow 51 votes to pass a bill. Now filibuster rules require 60 votes to allow consideration of legislation.

“I think that’s tremendously unfortunate,” Kirk said. ‘The genius of the Senate is to protect minority rights.”

Kirk went on the to point out that such a Rules change could backfire if Republicans took control of the Senate.

A Crystal Laker who started voting in 1952 said, “The Republicans have been disappointing me since then, except for 1964.”

He asked what the difference between Social Security and a Ponzi scheme.

His answer was “A Ponzi scheme is voluntary,” which brought a laugh from the audience.

A man familiar with agriculture issues argued for Congress to ban horse slaughter and a fair trade agreement with South Korea. He pointed out that Korea has a 53% tariff, while the US charges 12-14%.

Kirk argues for “free trade with Columbia in order to restate massive corn sales to Columbia,” as well as for Panama, which used the dollar as its currency.

Free trade with Korea would help beef producers.

I think it was Manzullo who pointed out that Korea has restrictions on the importation of American automobiles.

A woman from Harvard pointed out that while employers don’t ask for age on their applications, they do ask for date of high school graduation. She suggested that if Congress were going to allow children up to age 26 to be on a parents’ health insurance plan that perhaps they could allow parents to be on their children’s plans.

“Maybe you’d want to throw in that so they’d be able to cover us.”

The use she called “silver hairs.”

Jack Strickfaden from Fox River Grove wanted to know when Congress would shut down their pension and health insurance programs.

Manzullo replied that had been done as a part of the Contract with American in the mid-1990′s.

Congress has been in Social Security since 1980, he added, and have the same pension program as all Federal employees.

With regard to health insurance, he told the audience he and his family have a Blue Cross/Blue Shield policy that cost $500 a month. When his wife had cancer it cost $12,000 in out of pocket expense.

Walsh, who promised while he was campaigning a year ago not to participate in either the Congressional pension or health insurance program, explained, “We didn’t want to burden the United States taxpayers.

There was a question about what one would do to save the Federal government money and Walsh’s answer was to abolish Obamacare and privatize Freddi Mac and Fannie Mae.

Kirk mention ending the sugar subsidy, the Joint Forces Command and the “fifty CATO Institute’s corporate welfare plans.”

A retired Human Resources Vice President form Crtystal Lake said there were “tremendous abuses by health providers.”

I missed his first suggestion, but allowing people to buy policies across state lines and eliminating the lifetime limit on policies were his other ideas.

Manzullo reported that Republicans had had a plan on the table for association health plans and tort reform.

A Rockford neurosurgeon pays $550,000 a year for his medical malpractice insurance.

“We’ve been out there, but the press hasn’t been out there because it wasn’t (fancy),” Manzullo said.

He pointed out that Republicans in the House of Representative had done what they said they were going to do, regardless of the dim prospects of the Senate agreeing.

He added that 70% of doctors believe Obamacare will make health care worse and that 26 states are suing to void it.

Horticulturalist Janness Abraham, from Crystal Lake, asked about the Food Safety Act. She relayed concern from a blueberry grower.

“He is really afraid of the Federal government’s coming in and restricting him. Can you stop the funding?”

“I think we needed the Food Safety bill,” Kirk replied about the legislation that was passed in the lame duck session, shortly after Kirk replaced appointee Roland Burris.

“There has to be minimum standards.”

He pointed back to the beef export bans that were “devastating to our economy.”

Seneca Township’s Dale Berry stood to “re-enforce repeal of Obamacare (as) a good idea.”

He criticized the “command and control approach to the economy which results in a Ponzi scheme approach to government.”

“I am a capitalist and I’m for capitalism,” Kirk stated strongly.

“My goal is when I leave the Senate you will have more liberty and more income than when (I entered it).”

He asserted that capitalism requires

• a range of choices and
• knowledge of choices

not to mention anti-trust enforcement. Using that argument he supports the buying of health insurance policies across state lines.

Don Lativia pointed out that “not a word had been said abut people who are out of work, unemployed and people who don’t have a lot of money.”

“If one doesn’t have any money, what is one going to do?” he asked.

Kirk responded, “The greatest way to help people get a job is to expand the economy of the United States.”

He explained that the first to suffer when entering a recession were “young minority kids.”

Likewise, he continued, in a dynamic economy they are the first to benefit.

Walsh pointed the finger of blame broadly for turning a safety net of 30 years ago into an entitlement for the middle class.

Kirk asked if the stimulus had worked and got a general audience response of “No.”

Actually it was pretty loud.

A woman thanked the three for continuing to hold Town Meetings and, then, asked that “mental health (not) get lost in all of this.”

Manzullo noted that health insurance benefits no longer discriminated against those with “mental health maladies.”

Lakewood’s Mike Hanson wanted to know, “Why can’t I understand what I’m supposed to papy (in taxes)?

“Why can’t I understand what I’m supposed to pay (without consulting an accountant and a tax lawyer)?”

Walsh’s answer was an 11% flat tax.

Kirk said, “There are indications we are going to start a debate on tax reform. He would keep only the deductions for home mortgages and charity.

He decried the “hidden tax of tax preparation.”

“I feel American is broken. I’m worried about my grandchildren, my children and my country,” Diane Hanson said.

“Don’t lose your passion,” Walsh urged.

Kirk tried to being historical perspective into the discussion by asking people to think of how in 1932 one-fourth of the nation was unemployed and Germans and Japanese were mobilizing troops.

He asked people to compare that with 1952 when America was victorious and the economy was expanding.

“The less on of history is not that we are exempt from a test. So far, each generation has met and (conquered) that test.”

Charlie Eldredge express concern about infrastructure spending. traditionally a Republican issue going back to Abraham Lincoln.

He noted that the cross continental railroad construction was a private-public partnership.

Kirk suggested that private-public partnerships are needed now.

“Instead of that stupid stimulus we should have pumped $300 million into (infrastructure),” Manzullo said.

After Kirk pointed out this was his 6th Town Hall Meeting (the second in Crystal Lake), the meeting ended.

The three Congressmen answered one-on-one questions for about another half hour.

Yesterday, McHenry County Blog told of the opening statements of U.S. Senator Mark Kirk and Congressmen Don Manzullo and Joe Walsh.  Today we start with Dr. Andrew Biggs of the American Enterprise Institute and the first of the one-hour question and answer session.

The scholar on the panel, Dr. Andrew Biggs, talked of how governments have tried to dig out from under a mountain of debt.

He said the Congressional Budget Office has projected that an increase of 25% of all Federal taxes, including Social Security taxes, would “stabilize debt in 20 years.”

Having looked at 100 such efforts by various countries, Biggs said 80% had failed.

The ones that had succeeded had combined 85% in decreased spending with 15% in increased taxes. The unsuccessful ones had combined 45% spending cuts with 55% tax hikes.

The Obama Deficit Commission proposed cutting $2 for every $1 in tax increases.

The restructuring in the United Kingdom “relies much more on decreasing spending than increasing taxes,” Briggs said.

Next came the turn for questioners, who had lined up behind microphones at the back corners of the auditorium.

Kirk responded to a question on Obamacare by pointing out the perverse incentives for small employers to drop health insurance for their employees. The law provides a mandate to provide health insurance if one has over fifty employees or pay a $2,000 fine.

Kirk pointed out that the fine would undoubtedly be the cheapest alternative.

“You’re going to be dropped. In a tough economy millions will be dropped.”

His alternative to Obamacare was three-fold:

• a Medical Rights Act that would guarantee no interference between doctor and patient
• lawsuit reform
• allowing people to buy health insurance from any state, much as they can buy auto insurance from any state.

A doctor from Barrington wanted to use a lot more than the 90 allotted seconds to talk about governmental corruption. I never did figure out what corruption she wanted targeted.

Another said, “There should be no czars. This is not Russia.”

Objection was made to Congress’ passing legislation during a lame duck session.

Bill Parrot asked Kirk about his vote to end the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy in the military regarding homosexuality.

Kirk replied that he had talked to the Chief of Naval Operations and been told that California judges were playing havoc with recruiting by constantly changing the rules. Kirk pointed out that three service leaders were in favor of the law with the Marine leader disagreeing.

A Crystal Laker asked about which entitlements should be curbed.

Walsh pointed to Social Security, saying that everything should be on the table. He specifically mentioned means testing and increasing the retirement age, plus allowing “the next generation to invest and save for the retirement.”

Manzullo pushed ROTH IRA’s in which after-tax money is allowed to accumulate and be withdrawn tax-free.

Kirk said that “a ray of hope” existed because Dr. Tom Coburn, whom he labeled as the most conservative U.S. Senator, and Sen. Dick Durbin, “almost the most liberal,” both endorsed the the President’s Deficit Commission recommendations.

More of the questions and answers tomorrow.

Three of Illinois congressmen came to Crystal Lake Saturday afternoon to communicate with constituents.

It was in no way a one-way affair.

U.S. Senator Mark Kirk, Congressmen Don Manzullo and Joe Walsh, plus American Enterprise Institute Resident Scholar Andrew Biggs first spoke to the crowd.

“My name is Mark Kirk and I’m here to lower taxes, cut spending and create jobs,” Kirk boldly began. Kirk gave recognition to the newly-elected Walsh, “whom I am so proud to partner with.”

Kirk spoke of the Tucson shooting of Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords and how the shooting “should not stop the American tradition of Town Hall Meetings…open Town Hall Meetings.

“We need to continue that,” he said, adding, “I don’t think Congress should start a Secret Service for itself.

Commenting on the civil discourse topic, Kirk observed, “We’ll be more effective if we’re more respectful.

“Our job is to defend your right to say anything you want anyway you want to say it anywhere you want to say it.”

Kirk attacked one-party rule, pointing out that Americans generally don’t want the same party to control both Congress and the White House. A slide was projected showing that debt increased most when one party had control of both branches of government.

Kirk views the upcoming vote on increasing the debt ceiling as “a unique lever,” an opportunity to ratchet down spending. He does not favor one massive increase in the ceiling, rather advocating a series of votes in return for expenditure cuts.

He argues some increase is necessary for Social Security checks to be paid in May, but does not support following the example of Springfield Democrats by raising taxes to balance the budget.

Kirk introduced U.S. Representative Don Manzullo as “the man I used to be a staffer for” when he worked for the Foreign Affairs Committee.

Manzullo reply was to note that Kirk “had gone to the Far Side.”

The Egan Republican admonished those in the audience to point to Joe Walsh’s narrow victory to those who “say your vote doesn’t count.” He explained that if 130 or so votes had shifted, Melissa Bean would still be in office.

Manzullo took a friendly jab at Walsh, saying, “You never quite know what he’s going to do, but I’m a senior and he doesn’t know what I’m going to do.”

Manzullo urged people to stay involved. Otherwise, he said, “a handful of people can take us down the tubes, literally.”

He spoke against the “Fat Police” in the Federal government who were intent upon banning cake sales and Girl Scout cookies because they have too many calories.

“They going to dictate what kind of pizza you can eat. An apple is more healthy than pizza, but pizza’s more fun,” the self-identified Italian who grew up in the restaurant business said.

Last in the pecking order was Joe Walsh.

He revealed that this was his eight Town Hall Meeting since taking office. He held one last night in Barrington on Health Care Reform and was in Fox Lake having coffee with people Saturday morning.

When he announced one his first votes had been to kill Obamacare, there was a mixed response.

One man shouted,

“I don’t have health care. I haven’t had it in nine months.”

A policeman in the auditorium took a few steps in his direction but then stopped.

“I was sent to do some very, very big things,” Walsh replied.

“We were not sent here to be timid.

“We were sent to take government and seriously prune it down.

U.S. Representative Joe Walsh

“If our Republican majority doesn’t do those big things and forget why we were sent there, I think we’re in real trouble in two years.”

Walsh said that he thought “a growing number of people have had it with how big our government has become.

“Should we raise the debt ceiling?” Walsh asked.

“I say, ‘No.’

“I say, ‘No, but we can’t not consider raising the debt ceiling unless there is a serious effort made and agreed to make real cuts.

“We can’t be timid this year.”

More tomorrow about the remarks of the American Enterprise Institute economist Andrew Biggs and the beginning of the question and answer session.

It not even just before an election and U.S. Senator Mark Kirk gave me a phone call.

So, it was recorded, a robo-call.

It was my new United States Senator.

He told me he and Congressman Don Manzullo were coming to McHenry County College Saturday afternoon at two to answer questions.

Strangely, he neglected to mention that newly-elected Congressman Joe Walsh would be appearing as well.

Details are here.

Competing for attention is a Town Hall meeting being held by State Senator Dan Duffy in Cary at the Algonquin Township Hall Saturday afternoon at 2 PM.

Republicans congressmen are certainly doing their best to bond with local residents as Democratic Party-controlled legislative reapportionment looms.

U.S. Senator Mark Kirk, who is featured at the Lincoln Day Dinner February 19th in Crystal Lake, will join 16th District U.S. Congressman Don Manzullo, who represents most of Crystal Lake, and 8th District Congressman Joe Walsh, who represents the Dorr Township northwest corner of the Crystal Lake area, in an hour and a half Town Hall meeting at McHenry County College starting at 2 PM.

The details follow:

Senator Kirk, Reps. Manzullo and Walsh to Hold Town Hall Meeting Saturday in Crystal Lake

[CRYSTAL LAKE]  U.S. Reps. Don Manzullo and Joe Walsh will join U.S. Senator Mark Kirk in Crystal Lake this weekend for a town hall meeting focused on Congress’ need to cut spending and reduce the deficit to improve our economy and help put Americans back to work.

The meeting is open to the public and will be held from 2 to 3:30 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 22 in the Conference Center at McHenry County College, 8900 U.S. Highway 14, Crystal Lake. Doors will open at 1:30 p.m. on the east side entrance to the building.

The closest parking lot is Lot B.

Joining the Members of Congress for the economic discussion will be Dr. Andrew Biggs of the American Enterprise Institute.

Each of the Members and Dr. Biggs will give a short presentation and then the floor will be open to questions and comments from the public.

= = = = =
Earlier in the day, from 10 to 11:30 in Rockford at the Rock Valley College Stenstrom Center, Kirk and Manzullo will hold another Town Hall Meeting.

The invitations are out and the spring effort to raise money for the local Republican Party will be headlined by newly-elected U.S. Senator Mark Kirk.

The event will be held at Crystal Lake’s D’Andrea’s at the southeast intersection of Routes 14 and 31.

On February 19th, the event will begin with cocktails at six with dinner served at 7.

Seating will be determined in order of payment. Reservations are requested by February 10th.

“Senator Kirk is appearing at this event only as a featured guest,” the bottom line on the invitation reads.

In other U.S. Senate action, newly-sworn in Mark Kirk was part of victorious coalitions on pork and amnesty.

“Senator Elect Mark Kirk and Congressman Elect Joe Walsh will hold a town hall style meeting in Crystal Lake on Saturday.

“Both elected officials want to express their gratitude for the support they received from McHenry County Republicans.

“They also want to hear from residents before they take on the responsibility of representing our interests in Washington.”Other elected officials including Representative Mike Tryon will be present too.

“The event will be held at the Crystal Lake City Hall on Woodstock St. in Crystal Lake, at 3:00PM on Saturday, November 20th.”

Here’s what Patriots United just sent out:

Newly elected Senator Mark Kirk will be in Crystal Lake this Saturday and you are invited to join him in his first Town Hall Meeting in our area since being elected.

Town Hall Meeting

with U.S. Senator-Elect Mark Kirk

Saturday, November 20 at 3:00 pm
Crystal Lake City Hall,100 W. Woodstock St.

Please join your fellow Patriots in meeting with Senator Kirk so that we can understand his priorities and wish him well in his endeavors on our behalf.

Feel free to wear the Patriots United Colors and above all let us be respectful in this public gathering.

Please forward this information to other people who may find this of interest.

Jim Carlin

Director, Media and Communications

Joe Walsh, who has but one precinct in Crystal Lake (the Dorr Township part of Crystal Lake on the far northwest side going into Ridgefield and Bull Valley) will appear with Kirk Saturday afternoon.