Posted: May 17, 2011 at 7:33 am
Talk About Out of Touch
Incumbent Congressman Dennis Rehberg sent out this survey recently. Are gas prices too high? Should DC impose a mileage tax?
The only reason to poll these questions is simply if you have no clue about the real issues facing everyday Montanans–but Rehberg is so out-of-touch with Montanans that I guess he has to ask.
The problem stems from Congressman Rehberg’s inability to understand how his lifestyle differs from the reality most Montanans face reveals a deeper problem – he doesn’t represent working Montanans.
This misunderstanding has come to life in Congressman Rehberg’s recent comments (or lack thereof) about what it means to be “cash poor,” the Montana minimum wage, and Pell Grants.
If Congressman Rehberg can’t understand how most Montanans get by, then his ability to create responsible economic policies that work for the middle class is questionable.
Two weeks ago, Congressman Dennis Rehberg–the 23rd richest member of Congress–told constituents at the Missoula City Club that he’s ‘cash poor’ and ‘struggling like everyone else.’ Congressman Rehberg is estimated to be worth between $6.5 million and $56 million, according to the Center for Responsive Politics.
Earlier this year, Congressman Rehberg couldn’t respond to questions about whether he knew Montana’s minimum wage–the story made national headlines. The Montana minimum wage is $7.35/hr, while the national minimum wage remains $7.25/hr.
Pell Grants are a responsible way to help thousands of low and middle income Americans access an affordable education. Without Pell Grants, many of these students wouldn’t get the education they need to find good jobs.
However, in March, Congressman Rehberg launched an irresponsible attack Pell Grants in a radio interview with a blogger:
“So you can go to college on Pell Grants — maybe I should not be telling anybody this because it’s turning out to be the welfare of the 21st century. You can go to school, collect your Pell Grants, get food stamps, low-income energy assistance, section 8 housing, and all of a sudden we find ourselves subsidizing people that don’t have to graduate from college.” [Huffington Post, 4/1/11]
Congressman Rehberg is now saying that he wants to save Pell Grants. Not only has Congressman Rehberg failed to provide a responsible plan to ‘save’ Pell Grants, he voted just this year to gut them.
Jumpin’ Jeebus! We had an article in the GF Spitoon this a.m. regarding this mileage tax proposal. That’s the first I’ve ever even heard about it, and I read MANY different sites. All I can say is it’s horsesh*t! Do we REALLY want the gubmint that far into our lives? I think not. Ferchrissakes, what IS this, communist Russia?
When are people gonna finally figure out that they’ve been/are being ROBBED by the corporate fascists and their military/industrial/corporate fascist complex?! Eisenhower and Truman both warned us about it, and Kennedy fought them and paid for it with his life. But the fascists STILL won! And for awhile, things were still OK. Life through the fifties and sixties in SPITE of senseless wars was still OK because the greed hadn’t kicked in completely yet.
But those days are gone. Raygun began it. The Big Kochks and their fellow fascists are out to destroy democracy by any means necessary. Any means necessary. ANY means necessary! It’s very, very important for folks to put the rise of fascism in this country into historical perspective. They NEVER went away after WW II. They just went beneath the surface to re-group and bide their time, insidiously. And now, we’ve got the Heritage Foundation, the Cato Institute, etc. etc., making public policy, and the friggin’ nazi KOCK bros. calling Obama a “hardcore socialist”!
It’s war, folks. All out class war like we haven’t seen in our generation. And the sooner folks figure it out, the better. There’s PLENTY of money to solve our problems, but it just ain’t bein’ used for that!
Look, they killed a U.S. president and got away with it. Do you REALLY think that these guys are playing?
Attitudes are interesting things. You’re right – Rehberg view the world through his own privileged lens.
There is an inverse correlation between belief in free market principles and status – the more exposed to free markets people are, the more they hate it.
Sweat shop workers, for instance, really live and work in the free market, and probably hate it. But trust babies like Rehberg, the Koch Brothers, Steve Forbes, Trump and the Bush’s, are not exposed to the free market, are safe and insulated, and so love it.
Remember Daddy Bush’s first trip to the supermarket? He was amazed at the scanners the checkout people used. He had never SEEN a scanner before. Now, just imagine, we actually ELECTED Son of Scan to be president! How in touch do you think THAT dude was? ‘Course, considering junior’s history, he’d probably bought his own booze at one time or another one would hope, so at least he probably knew what a scanner was! Dopey Reeburp’s right in there in this category of spoiled rich dudes so outta touch that they have no clue.
Yesterday I was listening to the radio and I heard this “Drivers are feeling ALOT of relief at the pumps as gas has fallen half a cent per gallon in the last week” then they had an expert come on and explain the fall in gas prices, I was laughing so hard I could not hear him, but I got to thinking on a 40 gallon fill up I will save 20cents which means I now have enough money to walk in the gas station after I fill up and make a down payment on that slim jim I’ve been looking at, so Im going to put one of those babies on layaway next time I fill up, since Im feeling ALOT of relief at the pumps.
These are the same people that tell the hired help that they don’t need a pay raise, they just need to know how to budget their money correctly ……
Yup, as a driver, I’m feeling “a lot of relief,” as in, “You’ve still got hemheroids, but you’ve got a tube of Preparation H.”
Denny just released the results of his survey and he has found 90% of the respondents thaught gas was too high, he’s on the trail now, if he doesn’t fall off the horse.
Cute http://thepoliticalcarnival.net/2011/05/17/how-hypocritical-are-republicans-let-me-count-the-ways/
This story did not get a lot of play on the Wall Street Owned Media, EXXON CEO admits Wall Streets roll in high gas prices
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/05/12/exxon-ceo-wall-street-oil-prices_n_861326.html
Denny’s got his orders, SAVE the Rich
http://thinkprogress.org/2011/05/18/eric-cantor-oil-speculators/
‘Corporate favors rich, braincells and common sense POOR’ it seems, flip-flopping like the Newster at every step? With state regent suggesting 9% tuition increases at UM and MSU over next two years, thanks to stingy tea/Koch Partiers who think education is a liability, who can wonder at Denny’s Pell Grant gaffes?