McClintock Townhall

Covered by Janice Maddox
posted 042711

“This is not some moonless night in the Atlantic. We can all see the iceberg of the sovereign debt crisis.”

Congressman Tom McClintock

Loyalton, California  April 26, 2011

 

Congreeman McClintock and Supervisor Schlefstein

Republican Congressman Tom McClintock appeared to have his finger on the pulse of a majority of the members of a standing-room only crowd at the Loyalton Social Hall on Tuesday night.  Sierra County Board of Supervisors, Loyalton City Council, Sierra-Plumas School District, democrats, republicans, mothers, fathers, sons, daughters, small business owners and middle school students were all represented.  

During the pre-audience participation period the congressman conveyed the following messages:

1. Historically, decreases in government spending have led to increases in national prosperity, while increases in government spending have been associated with recession.

2. On the current trajectory, Medicare will be bankrupt in seven to ten years, as currently a family with an annual income of $80,000 puts a total lifetime amount of $115,000 into Medicare, while spending a lifetime total of $350,000.

The issue of Medicare has been put to an Independent Purchase Advisory Board (IPAB) that will determine what services Medicare will pay for in the future.  He does not believe “Obama-care” will be implemented.

3. The nation is headed towards an “iceberg of sovereign debt.” We will have two to five years to change course before we hit this iceberg.

It is the congressman’s opinion that Paul Ryan’s Bill is our only hope to turn the ship enough to avoid hitting the iceberg.

Multiple topics were discussed during the audience participation portion of the meeting and the flavor of the discussion was decidedly conservative.

The congressman spoke passionately on the subject of public access to forest lands and the room erupted in applause when somebody commended a speech he recently gave on the house floor. I pulled what I believe must be the referenced speech from the congressman’s website. Here is an excerpt:  

…During the despotic eras of Norman and Plantagenet England, the Crown declared one third of the land area of Southern England to be the royal forest, the exclusive preserve of the monarch, his forestry officials and his favored aristocrats.  The people of Britain were forbidden access to and enjoyment of these forests under harsh penalties.  This exclusionary system became so despised by the people that in 1215, five clauses of the Magna Carta were devoted to redress of grievances that are hauntingly similar to those that are now flooding my office.

 Mr. Speaker, the attitude that now permeates the U.S. Forest Service from top to bottom is becoming far more reminiscent of the management of the royal forests during the autocracy of King John than of an agency that is supposed to encourage, welcome, facilitate and maximize the public’s use of the public’s land in a nation of free men and women.

 After all, that was the vision for the Forest Service set forth by its legendary founder, Gifford Pinchot in 1905: "to provide the greatest amount of good for the greatest amount of people in the long run."    

Our local Forest Service District Ranger (not present) received applause when an audience member stated he is not part of the problem and, “He does his job and does it well.” 

A community member introduced himself as a “29-year veteran” and discussed multiple tours of duty his son has done in Afghanistan: “The next time my son goes over there, he might not come back.” Discussion ensued over the Rules of Engagement with the congressman and vocal audience members siding on the favor of warfare that involves “going in, getting it done, and getting out,” through whatever means are necessary.

Congressman McClintock spoke of his beliefs regarding under what conditions it is acceptable for our Nation to enter into war and expressed dismay that we recently invaded Libya, as Congress did not approve this action.  An excerpt from a letter to President Obama posted on his website is as follows: 

…With all due respect, I can only conclude that your order to United States Armed Forces to attack the nation of Libya on March 19, 2011 is in direct violation of the War Powers Resolution and constitutes a usurpation of Constitutional powers clearly and solely vested in the United States Congress and is accordingly unlawful and unconstitutional.

The Federal Reserve was discussed as a government sponsored private entity. Congressman McClintock stated, “They have more than doubled the monetary base of the country over the last two years (printed more cash).” He educated the audience on how the method for calculating the rate of inflation has changed since the Carter years and stated under the formula used under the Carter years, we are already at 10% inflation.

Notable during the discussion: An audience member stated “water is the new timber industry.” Donald Trump was quoted twice.

There was discussion of illegal immigration, voter fraud, and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), with reference to the EPA’s “global warming lunacy.” One audience member stated, “Tell the EPA to jump off a bridge and to start drilling the wells they’ve capped.”

Sierra-Plumas School District Superintendent Stan Hardeman spoke on behalf of our local schools and the embattled Secure Rural Schools Act funding.

A Calpine resident expressed concern that the Calpine Post Office was being considered for closure and spoke eloquently of the devastating impact the closure of Calpine’s only remaining business and only community center would have.

Two members of the audience expressed willingness to show up with guns loaded for two different causes. No federal agents arrived to carry them away.


McClintock conversing with constituents and Republican Tom Dotta