And maybe this weeks big surprise for me was that Senator Mark Kirk (R. IL) has shown some fire I didn’t know he had. First co-sponsoring with New Jersey Democratic Senator Robert Menendez the Defense Authorization Act amendment to sanction Iran’s central bank, and now blocking Obama’s ambassador to Russia to ensure US ABM tech does not get handed over to Russia. I was happy to vote for Senator Kirk last year, but this has made me even more pleased. He’s not acting like a wingnut, but he’s still pushing smart polices and holding Obama’s feet to the fire. Well done, Senator!