UPDATE x1: Kirk's GOP primary opponent James Marter responded to Kirk's vote Friday morning, saying that Kirk has promised since 2010 to repeal the Affordable Care Act after Democrats passed it into law, but when he finally got the opportunity to make good on his promise, Senator Kirk voted "no."
"He is wrong for free markets and wrong for ILLINOIS!" Marter writes in his statement provided below.
WASHINGTON DC – Thursday night, Illinois' U.S. Senator Mark Kirk was one of only two Republicans that voted "no" on a measure to defund Planned Parenthood and repeal Obamacare. Maine's U.S. Senator Susan Collins was the other Republican to oppose the measure.
The bill, H.R. 3792, will return to the U.S. House, where it is likely to pass. But once it gets to President Obama's desk, it will be dead on arrival.
Kirk has consistently defended tax dollars going to Planned Parenthood, despite undercover videos revealing that various Planned Parenthood clinics were selling baby body parts for medical research. Planned Parenthood at first denied the practice, then promised to end it.
Kirk's campaign is confident they will win the Republican nomination next March, and have totally disconnected from GOP grassroots' appeals to reverse his pro-Planned Parenthood position. At least two Republican township organizations have censored Kirk for his support for taxpayer funding of Planned Parenthood, but Kirk nor his campaign have indicated they are sensitive to or aware of the local organization developments.
Those who voted "no" on H.R. 3762 included:
James Marter – Kirk's GOP primary opponent – issued the following statement Friday morning:
Senator Kirk voting again with Senator Durbin (D-IL) along Democratic Party lines, in spite of promises dating back to 2010 to repeal the ACA after it was passed. When a Vote finally occurs, Senator Kirk, votes NO. He is wrong for free markets and wrong for ILLINOIS!
Senator Kirk does not get that it is NOT OK for the Federal Government to demand of its citizen's that they must purchase a “product” in a government manipulated and controlled market-place. A “product” which you cannot see, hear, touch, smell, nor taste, which cannot guarantee you any services, which comes with exorbitant ever increasing manipulated prices and deductibles, which no working American can afford. If one fails to comply, the formerly free American citizen, is now a criminal, subject to fines and imprisonment for failure to pay said fines, with the full force of the IRS bearing down.
What has our Senator in ILLINOIS done to stop it? He’s been in Washington 15 years now. We have an un-constitutional Un-affordable Care Act, violating religious freedom, killing Jobs and bankrupting working-taxpaying Americans, or forcing them to forgo healthcare they need, due to the high costs.
There are numerous common sense ways to solve the problem of health care costs and accessibility: tort reform, portability across states lines and portability from employer plans, individual access to group plans, health savings accounts, and opening prescription drug markets to competition. It’s a complex problem, mostly created and worsened by government intervention, it is time for a change and time for a candidate who can fix the problems to represent Republican values, who is RIGHT for ILLINOIS! If you are interested in learning more about James Marter’s campaign for US Senate, visit www.marter4senate.us
