Hope in Illinois?

If you haven't heard yet, Alan Keyes is running for the u.s. senate seat in Illinois. He faces an uphill battle against democrat candidate Barack Obama. Odds are Keyes will lose, but I have confidence that he will aquit himself well nontheless.

Here's an excerpt from a recent interview with Keyes:

"Q: Where do you stand on gun control?

A: I'm a strong supporter of the Second Amendment and I think it would require some serious justification in my mind before we would curtail the rights of gun owners. I was appalled when I heard that my opponent was one of these people that believe if a burglar breaks in your house you don't have the right to use some means of self defense against an individual that might threaten your life."

Please note that not one word was spoken about hunting or about reasonable restrictions.

Another excerpt:

"Q: In the past you have said you would like to eliminate income taxes in favor of a national sales tax. Is that still your stand?

A: I think the oppressive burden of taxation is a discouragement to productivity and job creation and so I've never seen a tax increase that I liked. I'm an opponent of federal income tax.
I think it's a system that heavily damages our economic prospects by taking control and the resources out of the hands of people. I want to see it abolished and replaced with a national sales tax, a system that leaves the control of all our earnings in our own hands until we decide how to save it, how to invest it and how to spend it. Instead of taxing our productivity it will only tax us when we are in the public market place."

I first saw Alan Keyes speaking in a Republican primary debate in 2000. He impressed me then & I can't say he's dissapointed me since. He lost the primary to Bush, which is most regretable on a number of levels, but he did get a chance to prove that there are some republicans who don't see themselves merely as the Conservative Wing of the Democrat Party.

Now contrast Keyes with Sen. Durbin (D-Ill):

"Senator Richard Durbin (D-Ill.) will hold a press conference on August 11, 2004 during which he will call for an extension of the 1994 ban on semiautomatic rifles, pistols, and shotguns. Durbin is expected to be joined on stage by several chiefs of police who will put on display examples of the banned firearms. The expected location of the press conference is Chicago.
Earlier this week, Sen. Durbin was seen campaigning around the state with Senate hopeful Barack Obama and Democratic Vice Presidential candidate John Edwards."

It seems as if Keyes will contrast sharply not only with his opponent, but the current Senator from Illinois.

In the end I doubt Keyes will win, but if you're in Illionois I'd urge you to support him anyway. Yes, winning is important, but not nearly so much as doing what's right. Unless you're a supporter of gun control & socialism-lite then Keyes is definitely the right thing.

Besides, on the outside chance that Keyes does make it into the senate, wouldn't the effort be worth it just for the joint efforts of Alan Keyes in the senate & Ron Paul in the house? I can almost imagine their discussions over their weekly luncheon:

Keyes: So did you vote yes on anything this week Rep. Paul?
Paul: Nope. Not a thing. Although I did sponsor a bill to make infringement of a constitutionally guaranteed Right a capital offense. How about you? Vote yes on anything?
Keyes: Nope, not a thing. But please send me a copy of your bill so I can start on the companion bill in the senate.

Keyes & Paul in congress. Sigh. That alone wouldn't solve all our problems, but it'd be a damned good start.

Posted by Publicola at August 11, 2004 03:02 PM