Big crowd, sobering talk at Rep. Allen West’s first town hall meeting
by George Bennett | January 28th, 2011
West
West presented an array of graphics illustrating the nation’s fiscal problems and said “We cannot continue to let big three entitlement programs – Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid – run on autopilot.”
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January 28th, 2011 at 7:53 am
How refreshing to hear a politician tell it like it is!
Unfortunately, the majority of West’s peers are gutless wonders. They can’t bring themselves to admit that the coutry is broke, much less do anything to reduce spending!
January 28th, 2011 at 8:07 am
these politicians are something– they talk of cutting all the programs of the people who really need the help.Do we ever hear talk of them leading by example and cutting their benefits.NO–their benfits increase every year.
January 28th, 2011 at 8:36 am
Exactly right! Lead by example.
Congress should have the same healthcare as the rest of us. No more federal healthcare for them.
Congress needs to stop their automatic pay raises and their COLAS. If Congress gets COLAS, then so should Social Security recipients. Those two should be linked.
Congress should take a pay cut and not increase their budget. Obama gave Congress an increased budget, he also gave them a raise.
Lead by example. And no exemption from going thru the same screenings as the rest of us at the airports.
The patdowns are an invasion of privacy as is the body scanners. Again, let congress model the behavior.
And let’s see Obama and his family go through screenings like we do. No more exemptions!
Stop treating us like serfs, peons.
January 28th, 2011 at 9:12 am
Allen West lecturing us about overspending is like Lindsay Lohan lecturing us about partying too hard.
West had a front row seat to our trillion dollar drunk Republicans on a credit card bender in the Iraqi desert. For 4 years the cost of the Iraq War was so ghastly, Repubs didnt even put it in the regular budget.
Who needs Jonestown when we’ve got willing little Flavor-Aid drinking Tea Party robots here buying into Bush’s ‘New World Order’? Complete redistribution of public money to the rich. Blow a trillion on a useless war? You’re a patriot. Spend half that on keeping Americans healthy? You’re a bas-tard.
Tools.
January 28th, 2011 at 9:15 am
I PAY into Social Security and Medicare with every paycheck, and have done so since 1970. Those programs ARE NOT ENTITLEMENTS for me.
However, they are entitlements for the people who have NOT PAID ANYTHING into them — like all those ILLEGAL immigrants. Ship ‘em out!
January 28th, 2011 at 9:16 am
I believe I’ll give Mr West more than 28 days before I’ll rate his performance.
January 28th, 2011 at 9:26 am
It’s about time we DID AWAY with anti-capitalistic job-killing hand-out programs like Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid. They are bankrupting America and killing jobs with the TAXES. Less government is MORE government. Vote Tea Party!!
January 28th, 2011 at 9:51 am
“cutting programs for people who need the help . . .”
This is the nub: the purpose of government is not to help people.
January 28th, 2011 at 10:36 am
Allen West’s last job before being elected? Defense contractor–one of the biggest fiscal wastes out there on the budget. I hear lots from him about cutting Social Security and Medicare, but nothing about the billions that go to defense contracting firms with little to no oversight (many of whom actually make the situation on the ground more dangerous for our troops, not less dangerous.)
Hypocrisy, thy name is Allen West. But what do we expect from a man who is afraid of Co-Exist bumper stickers? What a thug.
January 28th, 2011 at 10:58 am
How refreshing and pleasant it would be if people would actually KNOW their facts before spouting off about urban legends. The facts about healthcare for our representatives are as follows -”Members of Congress receive retirement and health benefits under the same plans available to other federal employees. They become vested after five years of full participation.
Members elected since 1984 are covered by the Federal Employees’ Retirement System (FERS). Those elected prior to 1984 were covered by the Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS). In 1984 all members were given the option of remaining with CSRS or switching to FERS.
As it is for all other federal employees, congressional retirement is funded through taxes and the participants’ contributions. Members of Congress under FERS contribute 1.3 percent of their salary into the FERS retirement plan and pay 6.2 percent of their salary in Social Security taxes.”
As for being a defense contractor, a man is accused of hypocrisy by someone for being a defense contractor without even KNOWING what the man did in that capacity?
In office for a month and already the man is being vilified as evil incarnate. THIS is what our society has devolved into. How truly unfortunate for all of us.
January 28th, 2011 at 11:35 am
Jeff–
It is Mr. West who has essentially argued that others–read people of the Islamic faith–are evil incarnate. Recently, in an interview, he claimed Representative Keith Ellison–who happens to be Muslim–to “represent the antithesis of the principles upon which this country was established.” This comment was made without having a single conversation with Representative Ellison (who gave a very classy response in return of this unprovoked attack.) So why is Rep. Ellison suddenly the “antithesis” of American democracy? Simply because of the man’s religion.
Mr. West once claimed people who had Co-Exist bumper stickers (as innocent and innocous a thing as you can find) want to “give away our country” to our enemies.” Mr. West once called liberals a “despicable, vile machine.” Mr. West should know that probably 20-30% of his district identify themselves as strong liberals. How can a man serve a district while proclaiming to destest a sizable portion of it?
Mr. West is not a victim of the incivility in politics. He–and his tea party ilk–are at the root cause of it. They don’t care about solutions. They only care about working up their own base into a frenzy, then cowardly slinking away and feigning outrage when someone suggests politics be more civil.
January 28th, 2011 at 12:03 pm
Jeff–
As to the issue of West’s employment as a defense contractor, West worked for MPRI. While in Afghanistan, MPRI trained Afghan police as to “investigative techniques.”
http://blogs.browardpalmbeach.com/juice/2010/03/allen_west_mpri_muslim_training_soldiers_afghanistan.php#
Now, just think about that for a moment. After being forced to resign from the U.S. Army (under threat of court martial) for an incident where Mr. West shot a gun next to the head of an unarmed detainee for “intelligence” that West himself later admitted he wasn’t sure ever existed (and no evidence existed that any actual threat against US troops was imminent), Mr. West then turns around and goes to work for a defense contractor–on our federal taxpayer dime–to train Afghan police as to “investigative techinques.”
So the inmate was charged to run the asylum, so to speak. A man whose actions were alleged to violate the UCMJ then went to work in a private (but federally funded) postition to potentially train others in the unsavory and dubious techniques he used.
Allen West is no man of honor. He is no hero. He is a disgrace to the men and women who wear the uniform and act in accordance with military law.
January 28th, 2011 at 1:16 pm
I pay into social security. I pay into medicare. I pay my taxes. I pay tax on almost everything i buy. We all do. In return, we get a few measely scraps of service from the Fed govt and from this thing called county govt. It is not an entitlement Mr. West, I don’t consider myself entitled to it. It is a service that I contracted for with the govt.
How bout you and your Repub Tea Baggin buddies get your hands out of my pocket book and go get some cash from the corporations you work so hard to protect? Give the little guy and gal a break and leave my social security and medicare ALONE !!!!!!!
January 28th, 2011 at 4:19 pm
Pete doesn’t get it.
Jeff does.
Allen West 2012.
January 28th, 2011 at 5:11 pm
I an a 69 year old conservative tea party supporter. I am sick and tired of all you “RETIREE WHINERS”. Social Security was not created so people could ignore the personal responsibilty and save to provide for themselves. It’s original purpose was to provide for those who,thru no fault of their own found themselves in a position,thru age or health, that they could not provide the basics of life. I do not take Social Security or Medicare and never will unless I find myself in the unfortunate position of inability to provide for myself. That position would not be a lack of luxurys but only necessitys.
January 28th, 2011 at 5:35 pm
Get your facts staight! West did a very honarable thing when he intimidated that prisoner by firing his gun (in the air not at the prisoner). West was in charge of, and responsible for over 600 of our kids who volenteered to risk their lives to protect us. Knowing that the consequences of that action could risk his career as an officer. West put his men in less risk by substituting his own career at risk. If he shows the same devotion to honor and duty in his new position we will have that most unusual animal in washington “A TRUE PUBLIC SERVANT”.
January 29th, 2011 at 9:09 am
Larry,
Mr. West did not act honorably. If he acted honorably, he would have been awarded for his courage in the incident, not charged with violations of the UCMJ and force to resign in disgrace under threat of court martial.
Fact–in finding Mr. West had engaged in criminal conduct and fining him and forcing his resignation, the Army stated that Mr. West “disobeyed laws, ignored orders . . . and mortgaged future discipline in his unit. Without discipline, there is no trust, no cohesion, and no higher purpose for which we fight.”
Fact–The “interrogation” at issue uncovered absolutely no evidence of weapons or any attack plot against Mr. West’s unit. Mr. West was forced to admit as much. The only positive thing that came out of the incident is that it casts severe doubt on the effectiveness of so-called “enhanced interrogation methods” (read: torture). When someone being tortured believes his life is at risk, he will say anything to stop. But anything more times than not is nothing of substance and voila–you’ve just tortured an innocent man. Real big of you, Mr. West, real big of you.
Mr. West ought to be counting his lucky stars he’s not sitting in Fort Leavenworth for his cowardly, disgraceful actions.
As I said before, the man’s no hero. He’s just a common thug.
January 29th, 2011 at 9:25 am
Eileen,
Come on, Eileen! (Sorry, I couldn’t resist…)
Mr. West will be lucky if he’s even re-elected for his house seat in 2012, and certainly won’t be on any GOP presidential ballot that year (he’d have to announce this summer or fall to have chance, meaning he’d have a total of about 6 months political experience on his resume.) Even if he did run, I don’t see him getting more than 10% on any state primary ballot when facing the GOP “big dogs”.
No, I think re-election for Mr. West is dubious at best. Forget all the controversial things of the past (his Army career, Co-Exist, bogus security clearance, etc.). Let’s just look at what he’s done since being elected–the Joyce Kaufman saga, his self-professed inability to learn from the Joyce Kaufman saga, “criticizing” the President for landing in Afghanistan at night, calling to “censor” the news over the Wikileaks story, his gutless sucker-punch attack of Representative Keith Ellison. If that’s what’s popped up in just 3 months, just imagine all the ammunition against Mr. West 2 years down the road.
District 22 deserves someone who can act respectfully to others and to all his constitutents, even if he disagrees with some of them on philosophical grounds. Calling liberals “a disgusting, vile machine” shows Mr. West is immature and unable to act as a statesman or a true public servant. I think District 22–a traditional swing district–is better suited with someone with a mature temperment. I might suggest former State Senator Dave Aronberg, who has a long history of working respectfully and with both sides of the party. (Presuming that Aronberg finds someone to run his campaign other than whoever ran it for the AG’s race, which was a botched opportunity to say the least.)
Enjoy Mr. West as a congressman as it lasts. I don’t think it will last all that long.
January 29th, 2011 at 9:02 pm
Douche stop having your staff Ron staff Wexler staff blog for you ronnie…eveyone know you all suck.
January 30th, 2011 at 10:23 am
Some people forget that the only real duty of the federal government is our national defense. And yes there is massive wasteful spending that is contained in that duty, but to ignore what is happening with our borders, illegal immigrants and radical islam is a huge mistake. One that Col. West understands. You are attacking the wrong enemy if you think Col. West and defense spending is the problem. How about discussing all of the programs and spending that are not constitutionally mandated to the federal government that we spend billions on? Can we talk about eliminating those before we try to look for the “waste” in our defense budget and attack a soldier?
January 30th, 2011 at 3:26 pm
Final Word–
The notion that the federal government exists only to support national defense is argued by some libertarians and conservatives, but not really accurate. The constitution itself says the government shall “promote the general welfare”, meaning that the government is allowed to take measures to help improve the lives of its citizens. And let’s not forget that prior to the Constitution, the founders tried the limited federal government model where little but the military was under federal control, and that effort–the Articles of Confederation–failed miserably.
But as to your point on defense spending, I think you and I can both agree that we want our individual troops to properly funded. However, beyond that point, there is an epidemic of waste in the military-industrial complex (famously distrusted by none other than Dwight Eisenhower himself.)The amount of billions wasted on slush funds and woefully outdated defense contracts is truly stagerring. Think the B-1 Bomber. Think the F-35. Billions upon billions spent on items that when they are finally ready to be produced, they are obsolete and inefficient.
And then you have the defense security contractors themselves, such as MPRI (where Mr. West worked). Such as Blackwater. Such as Triple Canopy. Billions are spent on these companies who employ people often of questionable character who engage in questionable practices. And unlike the US military, these defense contractors have far less oversight, yet their mistakes have proved costly for our image in Iraq and Afghanistan.
I’d say before we look at having to cut Social Security and Medicare, we first look at the billions being flushed down $500 toilet seats in the defense budget.
January 30th, 2011 at 6:12 pm
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January 31st, 2011 at 11:41 am
Assalamaleku,
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This money was meant for supplies of equipments and materials, reconstruction of north & south Ruwaila Pipe lines laying, oil refinery that was destroyed during war.
Iraq is very bad turning into civil war, Shiates against Sunnis, our position not good we are not safe/ my purpose to contact you , I need to use your company & invest the 10 Million USD, as partner with you as my investment manager.
I with my children want to go out of Iraq & live in peace, I am in need of a businessman or woman to help me in investment business & buy home villa in to live with my four children in your country.
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E-mail me at mrsmona@live.com.
Best Regards,
Mrs. Mona Mu’awwiz.
January 31st, 2011 at 1:03 pm
west you better not cut my check. i never got entitlement because i paid in the system. You r a white devil painted Black. You will be sued if my check stops coming. I worked hard for that check you demon
January 31st, 2011 at 1:34 pm
Somebody ask Rep. West if his crusade on big goverment programs includes the defense budget, Where he spent the majority of his working career.
January 31st, 2011 at 1:53 pm
I too am insulted by West’ use of the word ENTITLEMENT when he refers to Social Security and Medicare. On wages this year of $66,298 I paid out $4,110.53 to Social Security and $961.33 to Medicare. I am now 66 and have been paying these taxes progressively since the age of 17. And I would like to know how many of you Tea Baggers and Republicans that are of retirement and turned down both your Social Security and Medicare benefits?
February 1st, 2011 at 2:45 am
Pete: If you never served in combat then you have very little to stand on. Allen West did serve so I will always give him the benefit of the doubt even if I too don’t necessarily agree with his actions. If I were in his situation, I might have done the same thing being under the pressure of the moment! I believe Allen West is a patriot and I love having him as my Rep. You should too! Did Ron Klein ever have a town hall meeting? Did he display the depth of understanding of the issues like Allen West does? Not even close!
February 1st, 2011 at 10:49 am
Lindsay,
Allen West may have served, but he didn’t serve honorably. The circumstances of his discharge support that assertion. But don’t take my word for it, take the U.S. Army’s word for it.
If the U.S. Army states that Mr. West Mr. West “disobeyed laws, ignored orders . . . and mortgaged future discipline in his unit”, then I’m inclined to believe the U.S. Army in the matter. If the U.S. Army says Mr. West violated the Uniform Code of Military Justice and forced him to resign in disgrace or face a court martial, I’m inclined to believe the U.S Army.
Those are cold, hard facts about your guy there, but you can’t just play ostrich and ignore them. I’m all about supporting the millions of men and women who serve this nation’s military with honor, but the facts show that Mr. West was not one of those persons.
Representative Klein may not have been an ideal representative (and a pretty mediocre campaigner at that), but at least you get the sense he respected everyone within his district. With Mr. West, he flat out and vocally disrespects liberals, American Muslims and whoever else he feels unworthy of being a “true American.” That may be fine if you are a right wing talk show host, but as an elected representative of the people, you have a duty to show a certain respect to everyone in your district, a district that is sure to include countless liberals and I’m sure a good number of Muslims. You don’t have to agree or capitulate to an opposing mindset, but there’s a duty to act with decorum and as a statesman. And yes, that duty goes both ways.