Discussion: GOP Senator: Time To Give Up This Immigration Fight And Fund DHS

system1 · February 11, 2015, 9:42pm

Discussion for article #233165

chammy · February 11, 2015, 9:53pm

I guess there are a few reasonable folks left in congress.

wiscojoe · February 11, 2015, 9:54pm

So if DHS loses its funding, does Kirk suggest we place coffins in front of Republican congressional offices? Or still just the Democratic ones?

bdtex · February 11, 2015, 9:57pm

A GOP Rep. from PA agrees:

bdtex · February 11, 2015, 9:59pm

Bet Senators Rubio,Johnson,Ayotte,Toomey and Portman agree.

beattycat · February 11, 2015, 9:59pm

OK, this is a good starting point. Maybe this will create an opening for others who don’t wish to go down that path to now speak up. Thank you, Sen. Kirk.

ewparris · February 11, 2015, 10:01pm

No point remembering his name. He’ll be swept from office during the next GOP pogrom.

bdtex · February 11, 2015, 10:03pm

Bet he and Senators Rubio,Johnson,Ayotte,Toomey and Portman would prefer not to vote on the House GOP Repeal Obamacare Bill too.

sweetdee · February 11, 2015, 10:04pm

What a difference a day makes. Although I do wonder what the real reason behind his shift was. You can’t tell me he came to all of his true and reasonable points overnight, because he suddenly realized it made sense.

trumpdog · February 11, 2015, 10:09pm

Kirk’s comments reflect a marked change in tune from one day earlier, when he excoriated Democrats over their handling of the issue. “The Republicans — if there is a successful attack during a DHS shutdown — we should build a number of coffins outside each Democratic office and say, ‘You are responsible for these dead Americans,’” he said Tuesday, as quoted by Politico.

Kirk said. “Had I been consulted, which I wasn’t, I don’t think we should have ever attached these issues to DHS funding. I always thought the burden of being in the majority is the burden of governing.”

So one day he’s blasting Democrats and blaming them should we get attacked.
Yet the next day, he suddenly realizes it was wrong to put DHS in the crosshairs in their zeal to halt immigration. And that he always thought the majority has the burden of governing.
See, this is why I can’t take these GOP clowns seriously.

srfromgr · February 11, 2015, 10:10pm

“The Republicans — if there is a successful attack during a DHS shutdown — we should build a number of coffins outside each Democratic office and say, ‘You are responsible for these dead Americans,’” he said Tuesday, as quoted by Politico.

Guess he didn’t really believe that load of hooey he was trying to sell yesterday after all. He knows where the blame will be laid to rest…squarely at the GOoPer’s feet. Fortunately or unfortunately, no one listens to Kirk. And the House of Representatives isn’t listening to anyone…including most of these Republican Senators. Just ask McTurtle. Dysfunction at its finest.

chammy · February 11, 2015, 10:15pm

Believably unbelievable - if there is such a thing. Someone said the other day (

blue_bear · February 11, 2015, 10:16pm

Overnight polling?

suicide_arsonist · February 11, 2015, 10:16pm

OK, he joined us all in consensus reality, and that is an unforgivable sin. He will be primaried next time around.

lestatdelc · February 11, 2015, 10:17pm

Kirk to be branded a muslim Marxist RINO in 3… 2… 1…

brooklyndweller · February 11, 2015, 10:18pm

Those cretins wouldn’t happen to be up for re-election in '16, you think? I mean, it’s all but certain that Rubio will be gone and Toomey and Kirk are seen as vulnerable.

srfromgr · February 11, 2015, 10:21pm

Because these legislators are on a tight schedule. I believe they only have scheduled themselves about a week of actual work to pass legislation, even though the deadline for DHS funding is Feb. 26 or 27th. Once that funding expires, mandatory cuts must take place and furloughs will be forced on non-essential personnel. With DHS, that’s kind a hard thing to whittle down considering how big it is as an umbrella agency I would guess.

The Republicans will be creating absolute havoc on national security if they don’t act, and they know this. The party of “keeping us safe” can be seen for what it truly is…They talk the talk but as usual are incapable of walking the walk.

pluckyinky · February 11, 2015, 10:21pm

Yep, that’s just what I was thinking. Over the next year and a half or so I expect to see a whole lot of reasonableness from the above listed senators and Kirk. I think they’re all going to be dead men and women walking. Portman may hang onto his seat if he doesn’t get primaried, but Ayotte, Rubio, Johnson, Toomey, and Kirk are goners in a presidential election year. I especially can’t wait to see Ayotte and Rubio’s concession speeches.

Ding! Ding! Ding! Taking control of both chambers of Congress is going to be a disaster for GOPers sitting in swing/blue/purple seats and districts. They’re going to be forced to take positions that will hurt them in the general election or take positions that will provoke a primary challenger. It’s an impossible situation that they created all on their own.

bdtex · February 11, 2015, 10:25pm

Former Gov. Strickland running against Portman in a POTUS election year puts OH in play anyway.

tobimaro · February 11, 2015, 10:27pm

I’m hoping that the Democratic Party can run a credible candidate against Kirk in the next election.