Kirk, Kinzinger answer questions at ISU event

NORMAL — Questions about energy, the economy and jobs dominated a town hall meeting with U.S. Sen. Mark Kirk and U.S. Rep. Adam Kinzinger at Illinois State University’s Alumni Center on Saturday.

In a packed hall at the event sponsored by Illinois State University’s American Democracy Project and School of Communication, the Republican senator and congressman told about 300 people that the country’s financial woes are very serious, but they also offered hope and spoke of pride in the country.

In light of the nuclear disaster in Fukushima in Japan, the BP oil spill last year, and rising gas prices, energy was a hot topic. Kinzinger said he didn’t want to see the baby thrown out with the bath water as far as nuclear energy is concerned. While safety is an issue, nuclear power remains a viable energy source, he said.

Both agreed that natural gas, offshore drilling, hydro, wind and solar energy should all have a role in the country becoming energy independent.
Kirk used a visual electronic chart to show how the U.S. deficit had grown to $14 trillion, and said it must be reduced.

“We kicked the can down the road and there’s no more road,” said Kinzinger, a Republican from Manteno, of government spending.

Both said they supported much of what President Barack Obama’s bipartisan National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform came up with, but would like to hear what Obama has to say about his own commission, and would like action taken on deficit reduction soon.

Both said the Environment Protection Agency has overstepped its authority of being a regulator. Kirk quipped that the EPA wants farmers to bring in their harvest without creating dust. “That’s overreaching,” Kirk said.

Susan Burt of Normal disagreed with their position on the EPA. “Clean air and water is very important,” she said.

Rachel Hile-Broad, a Normal Community High School student, was the youngest to speak at the event. She said she had planned to sleep in on her last weekend of spring break, but the chance to address Kinzinger and Kirk about her concerns was enough to get her out of bed.

Both Republicans called out Democratic Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn for raising the corporate tax rate. They cited the letter the chairman and CEO of Peoria-based Caterpillar Inc. wrote to the governor. In his letter, Doug Oberhelman said his company was being courted by other states to leave Illinois. “I have to do what’s right for Caterpillar when making decisions of where to invest,” the letter said.

Kirk called the letter an “embarrassment” for the governor when a major employer is considering leaving the state. He quoted Abraham Lincoln, saying, “You can’t be for employment if you are against employers.”