Thornberry sounds alarm on expanding federal government

US Representative Mac Thornberry visited with folks from his hometown and sounded the alarm on a wide range of issues during a Republican gathering at the Bairfield Activity Center last Thursday.

Thornberry was introduced by his former speech teacher from Clarendon High School, Jean Stavenhagen, before he introduced other local Republicans who will appear on the November ballot. He encouraged his fellow candidates to listen to the citizens because it makes you “a better candidate and better office holder.”

He said he and his wife, Sally, had been visiting businesses in the 13th Congressional District learning about their concerns and then launched into a list of “spending and manipulation” the federal government has taken since February 2009, including: an $860 billion stimulus bill, new regulations on banks and credit cards, Cash For Clunkers, new hate crime legislation about sexual orientation, the health care bill, and the abolition of private student loans among others.

“The national debt is now $13.3 trillion and has gone up 25 percent since February 2009,” Thornberry said. “Your share is $119,914.”

Thornberry said Congress will not even try to pass a budget this year for the first since 1974.

“It’s no wonder people are frustrated, disgusted, and angry,” he said. “I’ve never seen so many people concerned with what’s going on, and that is the most hopeful thing that can happen because the strength of our country and our economy is in the people.”

The congressman also said he did not think the country could survive another two years of Nancy Pelosi and Democratic control without being “changed permanently for the worse.”

In response to a question from the Enterprise, Thornberry said House Republicans will be putting forth a positive agenda similar to the 1994 Contract with America that will likely focus on controlling spending, government reform, health care, and job creation.
Resident Newt Scott asked the congressman why he voted against the 2008 TARP bill and then voted for it. To which Thornberry said the bill was changed in the Senate to increase the amount bank deposits are guaranteed for and included a promise of buying mortgaged based assets with the first half of the money, but then the treasury secretary under President Bush did not do what he said he would.

Scott said he had looked at websites, such as govtrack.us and opensecrets.org, to prepare for Thursday’s meeting. “You are one of the cleanest legislators on there,” he said.

In response to other citizen’s questions on various issues, Thornberry said the First Amendment guarantees the right to lobby the government (petition for the redress of grievances); said the federal government will have to raise taxes or cut spending to fund Social Security in the future; said he favored some alternative to the “monstrosity” of the current tax code; and said he hoped it would not take a “terrible event” before the federal government takes border security issues seriously.
In closing, the congressman also encouraged his constituents to personally write, call, or e-mail his office and let him know their concerns to help him serve the district better.