Crowd rails against federal stimulus law
Some 300 people turned out to hear what Rep. Denny Rehberg, R-Mont., had to say about the newly enacted economic stimulus law Wednesday night.
Then, after a panel of business representatives summarized their own situations and hoped-for results in a forum at Flathead Valley Community College, those people started queuing up to give Rehberg a piece of their mind.
"No one has addressed the root cause [of the financial meltdown], and that's the failed federal money system," the first speaker said. Speakers were not asked to provide their names.
"We need to get back to the gold and silver system," the man continued.
He cited one prediction that the U.S. monetary system will collapse this year, then asked Rehberg whether he were among the Washington, D.C., legislators who sat in on "the secret session last spring when they talked about martial law" if a bailout had not been approved.
"We were trying to get answers from the Democrats, and that was the only way they would do it," Rehberg answered, explaining that it was not a secret session but a closed-door meeting where the media and public were not allowed.
They tried again in August because, he said, Republicans "were left out of the process I am fearful of the fact that nobody is talking about the Fed buying up credit-card debt. They are putting that debt on you, and it's not even real money," as electronic transfers are being made in the name of bailouts.
"I'm nervous about the combination of bank bailouts," he said. He lauded Montana banks for refusing TARP - Troubled Assets Relief Program - money, "but you've still got to pay for it," Rehberg told the crowd. "The same with the economic stimulus. And a lot of that is going to California because they couldn't control themselves."
Another speaker identifying herself as a "pissed off Montanian" begged for some provision for low-income housing, for a way to ease the plight of the grocery clerk that must work two jobs to feed the family and the waitress whose tips have dried up because customers are feeling the pinch.
She also argued for health-insurance coverage for those such as herself who cannot afford it.
"This should be the number one item on your list," she told Rehberg.
She argued for relocating the U.S. 93 bypass to the east side of Kalispell, against funding sports programs in struggling schools, against a push by Sen. Bruce Tutvedt, R-Kalispell, to "put gravel pits everywhere," and against what she called greedy people in local government.
"And now our Kalispell city mayor wants $5.6 million to expand and renovate the Hockaday," she said. "That's not going to feed anyone."
Citing a book written more than 70 years ago by Herbert Hoover, another speaker alerted Rehberg to the parallels between today's situation and Hoover's, warning of a communist/socialist takeover of the United States. After Hoover, Roosevelt's New Deal only gave rise to more government employees, the speaker said, sapping resources so private businesses could not grow.
"And Obama wants another New Deal," he said.
"Government employees are retiring at 93 percent of their full salaries," when they are only 45 or 50 years old, he said. "We can't afford that."
He cited economist Milton Friedman's assessment that a healthy U.S. gross national product should be composed of no more than 10 percent government inputs. Today, that figure stands at 53 percent, he said.
One more speaker illustrated in human terms just what it will mean to lay the national debt from government spending onto the next generation.
The man had brought his 13-year-old grandson with him, "just a normal kid like any other kid, except for one thing. He's starting his own business," a Web-based enterprise.
"He's paying Social Security taxes so I can benefit," the proud grandfather said, "and he never will He will have more debt than he can ever pay."
He claimed the interest alone on the national debt that his grandson's generation will have to pay will amount to $45 billion dollars a year.
"I want to put a face on that debt. I brought him here today because our representative said no," the grandfather said. Then, looking his grandson in the eyes, he added, "I want to apologize to him."
Reporter Nancy Kimball can be reached at 758-4483 or by e-mail at nkimball@dailyinterlake.com