Colleague: Kirk Could Cast Senate Votes
Rep. Shimkus reports in detail on his visit with Kirk.
Sen. Mark Kirk (R-Highland Park) is mentally sharp enough to cast critical votes in the Senate today, according to one of his colleagues, Rep. John Shimkus (R-Collinsville), who wrote at length about his Sunday visit with Kirk on a blog published in The Hill.
Kirk is recovering from a stroke suffered Jan. 21.
“Mentally he is sharp,” Shimkus writes. “I believe he could cast knowledgeable votes today. But he is in a critical time to continue to focus on improvement and strengthening his body and soul for the important work he looks forward to resuming.”
According to Shimkus, Kirk said his current rehabilitation program walking on a treadmill and in the hallways of the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago is the hardest thing the senator has ever done in his life.
Up to now, very little has been written about Kirk’s condition and spirit. The Shimkus blog is the most detailed account to date.
Richard Schulte
3:01 pm on Wednesday, March 14, 2012
Another vote in the Senate in support of the Keystone XL pipeline. The Republicans are getting close to the 60 votes needed to "shove the KXL pipeline" down the American public's throats. The only problem is that 70 percent of Americans think the KXL pipeline should be built. It looks like President Obama will be forced to veto the KXL pipeline in an election year with the price of gasoline headed to $5/gallon.
If that happens, the November election will be all over-no need to even vote. President J. C. [Jimmy Carter] Obama is history. Thank you President Obama for cancelling the KXL pipeline-the straw that finally broke the American public back.
Defeat President Obama, build the KXL pipeline and repeal Obamacare-a 3 step program for fixing the economy and bringing gasoline back down to $2.50/gallon. Heaven on earth.
Gary
9:32 am on Thursday, March 15, 2012
I second that motion.
Claude Lerner
9:42 am on Thursday, March 15, 2012
Robert, Nice comment! A breath of fresh air for a prosperous future for ALL - 100%!
Richard Schulte
9:59 am on Thursday, March 15, 2012
If the dead can vote in Chicago and Crook County, then it would seem that Senator Kirk should be able to vote in the Senate even if he has no clue what's going on.
They don't read what they are voting on any way, so why would anyone be concerned about Senator Kirk's mental capabilities after his stroke. ("We have to pass this bill to find out what's in it." Speaker Nancy Pelosi (Democrat, San Francisco)
We're praying for you Senator Kirk.
If Senator Kirk steps down, our Governor, Pat Quinn, gets to appoint Senator Kirk's replacement. That would be "f'ing golden" to quote the governor who is on his way to prison.
Stuart Senescu
10:19 am on Thursday, March 15, 2012
I wish Senator Kirk a full and speedy recovery and am happy to hear that he seems to be making good progress. The question is, who is/was/will be representing the various interests of all the citizens of Illinois in the Senate? Senator Durbin has his own responsibilities on committees etc. and we have not elected any of Senator Kirk's staff. I am quite willing to allow three or four months grace for the Senator to come back to work, but there is a point where his absence does a disservice to all the residents of Illinois.
Richard Schulte
11:51 am on Thursday, March 15, 2012
If I recall correctly, the Congresswoman from Arizona who was shot didn't resign her office for 12 months. Why shouldn't Senator Kirk get 12 months to recover like Congresswoman Giffords?
When Senator Obama ran for the presidency, I don't recall that Senator Obama resigned his office even though he was out galavanting across the nation instead of doing the job for Illinois he was elected to do. How long was Senator Obama absent from the Senate? I don't have an answer to that question, but I think that Senator Obama startd running for the presidency within months of his being elected to serve the State of Illinois.
It is obvious that the call for Senator Kirk to resign his office is political. Sorry, but if dead people can hold vote in Chicago, then Senator Kirk should be permitted to hold office and vote in the Senate for his entire term-regardless of his health (or his death). When dead people stop voting in Chicago, then, and only then, should Senator Kirk consider resigning.
William d Brown
5:27 pm on Thursday, March 15, 2012
Nice to know that Kirk is recovering
Thanks to his superior Government Healthcare
When he returns he will have the same voting instructions from the Texans he took orders from prior to his stroke
So Sen. Kirk can remain as non representative of Illinois as he was prior to his stroke. BTW to the wing nuts
I know of no one calling for his resignation.
Unlike after Gabby Giffords post assassination by the gun totin nuts from the far right.
Richard Schulte
7:31 pm on Thursday, March 15, 2012
William d Brown: "I know of no one calling for his resignation."
See the post by Stuart Senescu above.
William d Brown
5:57 pm on Thursday, March 15, 2012
Oh and a little FYI re the pipeline
1 it will lose mid west jobs as THE OTHER KEYSTONE SITES will close
2 All the refined tar sands will be EXPORTED
THAT IS WHY they want a deep water port
3 we lose the gas, we lose the jobs BUT WE GET TO KEEP THE CANCER CAUSING WASTE.
YIPPIE!
Richard Schulte
7:44 pm on Thursday, March 15, 2012
Yes, you're absolutely right!!! More economic activity in the United States results in fewer jobs for Americans.
The reason that the pipeline is going to the Texas Gulf Coast is that that is where the refineries are. After the oil is refined, then the refined products will be exported from Texas to such far away places as the US East Coast via pipeline or ship.
I guess we have a choice between getting cancer 30 years from now or being unemployed and impoverished for 30 years and then dying of something else.
Lighten up and light up a cigarette-we're all going to die. While you're waiting to die, you might as well work so that you can afford to buy food and shelter.
Drill, baby, drill.