Illinois State Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias is a progressive Democrat running for the United States Senate against Republican Congressman Mark Kirk. We are the people behind his campaign, and we need your help to keep this seat blue. Learn more about Alexi and help us elect a fighter for us to the U.S. Senate. |
Unbelievable.
For 17 days now, Republican Congressman Mark Kirk has refused to talk about his promise to "lead the effort" to repeal the health care reform bill President Obama signed into law. It's been 17 days since he was caught at a closed-press GOP fundraiser calling President Obama a "one-termer" and vowing to repeal the bill (Listen to audio of Kirk's comments here).
Voters deserve to know why Kirk wants to take away access to affordable health care for all. But instead of explaining himself to the people of Illinois, Kirk is silent on the issue.
That's why we launched our "Tick Tock: Repeal It! Clock", counting the days of Kirk's silence on this critical issue.
In the meantime, everyone is noticing that, unlike GOP Senate candidates across the country, Mark Kirk is refusing to address his pledge to repeal this bill.
Just a few days ago, MSNBC's Rachel Maddow called out Kirk on his silence. Watch our video on Rachel taking on Mark Kirk and his repeal pledge here:
Alexi is a progressive Democrat who will listen to Illinois families when he gets to Washington, not to the insurance company lobby. He supports President Obama's agenda and will do everything he can to protect access to affordable, quality health care as a right for all Americans.
As all of you here on Daily Kos know, there's a crucial March 31 fundraising deadline just days away. Unlike Mark Kirk, Alexi refuses to take a dime from corporate PACs and federal lobbyists. And unlike Mark Kirk, Alexi's been speaking out about the need for real health insurance reform since the very beginning of his campaign.
Can the Daily Kos community help us send a message to Kirk that 17 days of silence on an issue that affects the lives of millions of families is unacceptable?
Click here to contribute $17 and let's show Republican Mark Kirk that we won't let him away with 17 days of silence.
And to learn more about Alexi and his stance on the issues, visit our website, AlexiForIllinois.com.
Update [2010-3-29 15:54:29 by Alexi for Illinois]:: User Scarce brings us the full Maddow clip and transcript:
MADDOW: Do you want to see the "repeal health reform" campaign strategy in action in all of its problematic glory? This is Republican congressman Mark Kirk of Illinois. He's running for President Obama's old Senate seat. The Chicago Tribune recently obtained an audiotape of Congressman Kirk vowing to a local Republican audience to lead the effort to repeal health reform. That audio is appearing now in ads produced by Mr. Kirk's Democratic opponent.
KIRK: As your senator, I would lead the effort, if it passes, to repeal this bill.
MADDOW: The ad kind of dares Congressman Kirk to say that in public. To really and truly campaign on repealing health reform. The ad points out that Congressman Kirk, in voting against health reform in the first place, voted against major insurance industry reform. In other words, really, Mark Kirk? You want to lead the effort to restore the insurance industry's right to deny coverage to kids who have pre-existing conditions? You want to lead the fight to demand that seniors have a doughnut hole in their prescription drug coverage so they can't afford their drugs? That's what you're going to campaign on? Unfortunately for the Republican Party, this is the strategy they have locked themselves into.