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Greetings all-
I attended the Town Hall meeting with Congressman Scott Garrett R-NJ in White Township this afternoon. It was a pretty civil affair. There were two dissenters who spoke up about the Gay Marriage issue, but even they were civil. So, Anne's worries of a disruptive, disrespectful media event proved false this time. I honestly think I was the only constituent there who ever heard of his challenger, Anne Wolfe, and I kind of work for her.
I took notes.
Before he spoke, he worked the crowd a bit. When someone asked him about property taxes, he said, "We don't control what the town or the school does....They're on their own..... will offset the ones that keep going up."
He said that he is not taking August off work, but is considering it a "District Work Period", so look out for him to be around the area in the next month or so.
He spoke about three issues, in, as he says, order of priority.
1. The Economy
Since Congress passed the Jobs and Economic Growth Package, which he called "Tax Cuts for Families", the GDP went from 2.2% to 8% last year, and leveled off this year at 3.9%. Housing and manufactuing rates are up, and interest rates are at a record low. 1.5 million jobs have been produced since he took office in January 2003, 1.1 million of which were produced since January of 2004. And, of course, these are "good paying, good quality" jobs.
I guess everybody took his word for it, because he didn't use any sources or refer to where he got these statistics. I didn't want him to shun me at the gate, so I didn't ask at the time. More research can be done at a later time. I'm only reporting what was said.
2. Security ("Homeland and such...")
Not everything that is suggested in the 9/11 report is new.
According to the Washington Times (Sun Myung Moon's paper, not the Post), terrorists are probing planes to test security holes and to determine when next to strike.
We have to be 100% right all the time, the terrorists only have to be 1% right to be successful.
Then he paraphrased Ben Franklin about the price of liberty being eternal vigilance. I can think of another Ben Franklin quote about liberty and security, but that's just free association.
His number three priority was
3. The Environment
His "priority since taking office" has been to preserve open space and protect the air and the water in New Jersey.
He quickly moved on to the question and answer portion of the meeting.
The first question was about the Highlands bill. The questioner wanted to express her dismay about how McGreevey was taking away "home rule". Why is she being charged for the water on her own land and why must she give this water up to people in other areas of New Jersey.
Congressman Garrett discussed the two Highlands bills, saying the Federal one created by Congressman Frelinghuysen was much better because it bought land with Federal money and did not impose regulations on home owners on what they are to do with their land, like McGreevey's Highlands bill which he said takes away people's "property rights". The questioner said that this is a dictatorship and her flag flies for freedom. Garrett said "we have nothing to do with Trenton," and took a question about abstinence only education.
"How do we stop my tax dollars from funding AIDS education in Africa that is not abstinence education?" was the question.
The congressman said that he was doubtful that "this House will block, roll back or rein in absintence only education," and that he did not vote for any AIDS relief to Africa for fiscal reasons when it came time to.
The next question was about the Gay marriage issue. He made a reference to what sounded like a "Hostetler" bill, did not describe it in detail and said something about a state issue. I wrote a question mark in my notes. Now that I look it up on Google, the Hostetler bill and I found this on queery.com:
However, Rep. John Hostettler, R-Ind., the author of the bill, said it is more important to prevent federal courts from establishing a national precedent for marriage. ``Simply put, if federal courts don't have jurisdiction over marriage issues, they can't hear them. And if they can't hear cases regarding marriage policy, they can't redefine this sacred institution,'' Hostetler said when he introduced the legislation in May.
The bill is H.R. 3313
I assume Garrett opposed it. He kind of skirted the subject at the meeting.
The next question was from a sixth generation horse farm owner who asked for his support of a bill that would ban the slaughter of horses, or the exportation of horses, for the purpose of human consumption. Garrett asked if this bill would still allow us to kill horses, apparently it does. He said it is not something he hears about every day, but he would look into it.
The next few questions was a discussion on veterans' issues.
Contrary to Anne Wolfe's allegations, Garrett said that his 'priority' has been to make sure that veterans are funded. Most discretionary spending is frozen, he says, but spending on veterans has gone up 15%. Spouses' benefits have even gone up. A quarter million vets will get more benefits than any time since the civil war because of some kind of legislation he is partly responsible for, he said.
Then a veteran who has worked with the veteran's administration for many years said that the money is "not getting to where it is supposed to go". Garrett said that was not the intention of the 15% increase in spending and that he is concerned. He would talk to the veteran gentleman on an "individual basis" after the speech.
Then, the president of the American Legion, which meets in the room we were in, said that he was concerned that there has been no concern by congress for over 50 years about the American GI's who were left behind and sent to Siberia during WWII. Congress never even inquired about this.
The American Legion man quickly asked another question about Social Security. Garrett says that it is indeed "touchable" to balance the budget. The man said it was not right to take Social Security.
The next question was why are our tax dollars still funding the United Nations when the Oil for Food program turned into Oil for Palaces. Garrett said that "if his vote counted" the UN would not be funded. He apparently felt passionate about this because he quickly changed the word "counted" to "determined the decision" or some such more diplomatic term to cover for the fact that he didn't have faith in his own vote counting. I know what he meant. His vote didn't count because the majority voted against him.
On border security, illegal immigrants should not derive any benefits from being within our borders. INS is stepping up security, using helicopters and infrared to detect border crossers and drug traffickers. Garrett is a member of the "Immigration Caucus". One priority of his is to disallow illegal immigrants to use banks on the premise that this is a slippery slope into money laundering.
On Bush coming to New Jersey? Not likely, unless the numbers get better (or redder).
The next question came from the President of a Gay/Lesbian Alliance group in Morris County.
Why do you support the marriage ban?
To maintain the traditional family.
Traditional by whose standard?
It is not proper for governemtn to "subsidize relationships".
Marriage has historically shown beneficial to the community. We are subsidizing that because it is actually the children that are being subsidized. And from there we have to "pick the arrangement where children are possible"
On the congressional bill that passed this week that prevented states from recognizing marriages legal in other states. "New Jersey will not be dictated to by what four people in Massachusetts determined."
"The US Constitution gives Congress the right to determine the parameters of legislation."
Amid references to a 'young gal' he spoke to this morning. He went on to say that the Federal Court will not tell you what to do, either, because they are appointed. State's residents will vote to ratify an amendment. He is upset about the 'judicial activism like you've never seen' which has been going on recently.
Then a vicar from a church in Belvidere spoke about living openly with his partner, and how he loved being here in Warren county. He asked another question about gay marriage, to which Garrett again reconfirmed that the states ratify the amendments, not Congress or Garrett personally.
The next question came from the right side of the aisle, literally and figuratively. It was about NJM, NJ Medical Healthcare, which McGreevey modified to affect only families with minor children. The questioner said "Who takes care of old people as for health insurance?"
Garrett said she had answered her own question, that she should call her State Representative or try McGreevey himself.
The next question was " What recourse in the federal government do we have against the state government?" Garrett said we should vote McGreevey out, but was relieved by a member of of the Warren County Environmental Commission, who said they were looking into the issue.
Garrett then introduced the Sheriff of Warren County, who thanked him for coming to this part of the district so much. The Congressman then said, "I'm not sure if there is press here, but this is the nicer part of the district," referring to the stronger Democratic presence in Bergen county.
The next quesiton was about illegal aliens again. How come they get to vote? According to the voter registration laws, the only ID you need is one from Sam's Club. Garrett's Immigration Caucus has written legislation to counteract this flaw in the Help America Vote act which passed last year.
The next question was about the NRA. Garrett was praised for his A+ standing in the NRA, and why does the UN want to do away with out 2nd amendment rights. Garrett had all good news.
The assault weapons ban will be expiring soon.
There is legislation to limit blame shifting in cases of gun violence. (i.e. blaming the gun manufacturer for the actions of a gun user)
Regardin the NRA, the House is "not doing anything bad on the federal level" he said.
The last question was, with all these people going on welfare, how soon until we go bankrupt?
Garrett said something about the Southern States, and how the programs and services are indeed going bankrupt because so many people are consuming, but not paying their taxes.
That's the last thing I have in my notes.
After the meeting, everybody seemed to move out pretty fast. I pulled up to the Gay/Lesbian alliance leader and asked them if she and her friend wanted any Wolfe for Congress literature. They said, "Who?" I gave them a canvassing handout and the friend asked for a bumper sticker. They saw a Kerry sign in my back seat and asked if I had any Kerry stuff, I gave them a small issue paper and a business card. Upon seeing it, the friend (I'm so sorry I forgot his name already) said there was a yahoo! group with the name NJforKerry. I told him I was the moderator. We had a big laugh.
I came home to write this article. I know it's not professional. I'm no writer. But, I wanted to get the information out to you as soon as possible. I'm not even going to edit it before I send it out.
Warm regards,
Erik B. Anderson
Volunteer, Wolfe for Congress
Northwest NJ Regioanl Coordinator for Kerry
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