"Dems have set a repeal trap. (GOP Rep Mark) Kirk's leg is already caught in it."

[ProSense]

Club For Growth Rips Mark Kirk For Wavering On Repeal

Here’s a glimpse of what GOP candidates can expect from the right if they backtrack or waver on their pledge to repeal the health reform law.

GOP Rep Mark Kirk, who’s running for Obama’s Illinois Senate seat, was one of the earliest to vow to roll back reform. Today, however, he repeatedly refused to say whether he’s still on board with repeal, claiming only that he opposes certain aspects of the bill.

Now the Club for Growth, the powerful, well-funded conservative group, is ripping into Kirk for his sudden indecision, and making it clear that they expect him to live up to his promise.

“He said that he’s going to do this,” Club for Growth spokesman Mike Connolly just said by phone. “We expect him to live up to his pledge.”

Kirk has signed on to the Club’s repeal pledge, which states: “I hereby pledge to the people of my state to sponsor and support legislation to repeal any federal health care takeover passed in 2010, and replace it with real reforms that lower health care costs without growing government.”

“He’s made a promise to the people of Illinois,” Connolly continued. Asked if failing to follow through could cost Kirk the Club’s support in a general election, Connolly said: “We’ll have to see.”

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Steve Benen

Kirk no doubt realizes he's in a bind. This year, in Illinois and every other state in the Union, the Affordable Care Act will extend tax credits to about 4 million small businesses, protections for Americans with pre-existing conditions, restrictions on rescissions, eliminations on lifetime limits or restrictive annual limits, free preventive care, and a new benefit that allows young adults to able to stay on their parents' policies until they're 26 years old.

These benefits are likely to be especially popular in Illinois -- President Obama's home state.

The right is demanding that every Republican candidate promise voters that he/she will vote to get rid of all of these new benefits -- no exceptions. In Kirk's case, he actually signed a pledge to that effect, thinking it would boost his fundraising and his primary prospects.

And now he doesn't want to talk about it anymore.

<...>

Dems have set a repeal trap. Kirk's leg is already caught in it.

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

1. The bill was "repealed" at the beginning.

:think:

[Hekate]

2. I look forward to the carnage as various Repub candidates gnaw their own legs off, trying to get out

... of that trap. :evilgrin:

Hekate

[musiclawyer]

3. It's almost like the CFG is a dem "special operation"

I mean..... set up a well funded political operation forcing the elephants into the most ill conceived, untenable, and politically claustrophic positions and see how much of a head start you can give the donkeys. If truth wasn't stranger than fiction, I'd really be wondering.....

[mucifer]

4. It's gonna be an ugly campaign here in IL mark kirk will probably win becuase

his dem opponent's has controversy surrounding him. So kirk can be an ass like he always is and most likely will win.

[Cha]

6. That's too bad..

I'm sure he'll get extra help from the media bc it's Obama's seat.

[Cha]

5. Big Mouth repeal talk from knee jerkers

who when stopping to think about it and what the potential voters would lose by their "repeal"..have to suddenly shut their trap.

[JBoy]

7. When I hear "Club for Growth", why do I think of

[louis-t]

8. Club for Growth, the group responsible for making

repug party smaller by throwing out 'moderates'. Why do they still call themselves that?

[spiritual_gunfighter]

9. For Kirk to back repealing HCR in Illinois is political suicide

I hope he continues to do so. But Alexis Giannoulias isn't doing himself any favors.

[Hippo_Tron]

10. Yep, Obama must hav this guy on staff

[LiberalFighter]

11. Site should be good to use against them.

If they signed to repeal use it against them.
If they didn't sign it use it against them.