Mark Kirk: Today’s Theodore Roosevelt?

From my Facebook notes 3/25/2009; note that he is currently running for the junior Senate seat in Illinois in 2010.

Okay, I’ve been researching this guy, and even though he probably has no intention of running, he should be the next President. Even Romney wouldn’t stand a chance against him. There have also been rumors that, should reason be found to force Roland Burris out of his Senate seat, Mark Kirk will replace him.

Here’s his credentials.

Mark Kirk is a Republican representative from Illinois’ 10th district, and has been since 2001. He was commissioned as an intelligence officer in the United States Navy in 1989, was named “Intelligence Officer of the Year” in 1999 for his combat service in Kosovo, and continues to remain on drill status in the Navy Reserve. He holds a BA in History from Cornell, a Masters Degree from the London School of Economics and a Juris Doctor from Georgetown University.

Kirk served in the World Bank in 1990, until President George H. W. Bush named him as the Special Assistant to the Assistant Secretary of State for Inter-American Affairs at the U.S. Department of State. At the State Department, Kirk worked on ending civil wars in Nicaragua, El Salvador and Guatemala. President Bill Clinton reappointed Kirk to work on the restoration of democracy in Haiti. Kirk then practiced law with Baker & McKenzie from 1993–94 before being named as a Counsel to the House International Relations Committee.

Kirk is a fiscal conservative, and considers himself a moderate Republican. He is a member of Republican Majority for Choice, Republicans for Choice, Republican Main Street Partnership and Republicans for Environmental Protection.

He has a record of voting 88% with the GOP, but maintains a libertarian/secular stance on social issues such as abortion, stem cell research (which he congratulated President Obama on for overturning the order Bush vetoed) and gay rights.

He has worked toward improving health care for veterans and children, ensuring military voting, and boosting aviation security. He is also in favor or an Illegal Alien Gang Removal Act.

He is pro-science and pro-personal responsibility all the way. He maintains a staunch pro-environment and pro-energy voting record even in the face of opposition from his own party.
Like Roosevelt, he is a military man with economic knowledge and respect for small businesses. He is not heavily controlled by lobbyists like many Chicago politicians. He’s great on the issues, and economically, militarily and educationally would dominate any GOP opposition in 2012, especially Palin and Jindal and give Obama a run for his money. He’s exactly the kind of Republican America needs. Should Obama’s policies affect us negatively, he will fix the mistakes.

Again, he has no intentions of running at the moment, but maybe if he knew there was a large body of Americans who wanted him to run, he would. He is almost what the textbook definition of Progressive Republican would be if there was one.

His voting record can be found here – http://projects.washingtonpost.com/congress/members/k000360/