URBANNA — My readers know that I’m not crazy about politicians. But when husband, Chip, asked me to go with him to hear U.S. Rep. Rob Wittman, R-1st Dist. last month at a dinner sponsored by the Middlesex County Republican Committee, I agreed. Wittman is an honest, hardworking and dedicated conservative with a smile and personality that reminds me of the kid brother I never had. I like him — even if he is a politician. And he serves well those who hold dear traditional values.
John Hooper, chairman of Middlesex GOP Committee, introduced the congressman with the news that he had just been promoted to the position of vice chairman of the House Armed Forces Committee.
Wittman spoke on just two concerns facing Congress today — raising the debt ceiling and the state of the nation’s defense program. Both subjects triggered rapt attention from the audience.
On the budget, he told us that our continued spending levels are unsustainable and unless we get back on a path of fiscal sanity, the nation will eventually go bankrupt.
The COVID-19 spending was what caused the zigzag off our normal budget. The congressman said we spent $6 trillion on combatting the crisis but now that COVID-19 has passed we must return to 2022 spending levels.
Since Republicans are often said by the opposing party to want to cut Social Security and Medicare benefits, he assured the group the GOP will not touch these programs for seniors.
However, he reminded the audience that one day both political parties will have to come together to find ways to make these programs fiscally sound if we want them to continue.
That day will come when both parties stop blaming each other and using the issue to scare voters and start working together to save the programs. (That time will no doubt come with a blue moon!)
Wittman wants to reduce spending in government without touching senior benefits or defense budgets, by making reforms — for example, return to work requirements to those who receive government benefits which would be beneficial not only to boost tax revenues that more workers would generate for government but also fill the many vacant positions as a result of pre-COVID-19 employees that did not return to work.
“If we don’t find ways to reduce government spending soon, our interest payment each year will be higher than our entire military budget,” he warned.
Wittman reminded the audience the House and Senate each come up with a budget and then work together for compromise to present to the president for final approval. When all parties work together, we can end up with a workable plan. (If only the parties would work together!)
On the issue of national defense, we heard how grave the situation is with China today as they have achieved astounding growth since 1999, mainly because American businesses have moved to China which built up their economy.
“China is our challenge of our lifetime” he said warning us they are coming at us from many directions, especially with their threat to have the yuan replace the dollar as the international monetary unit. “If this happens you will find your dollars are worth much less,” he warned and someone in the audience shouted out, “Our dollars are already worth much less!”
Then the China alliances to Russia, Iran and other nations remind many seniors of the dangerous axis powers that attacked us in World War II. Wittman said France and now even Canada have told China they would not become involved to defend Taiwan, which Xe has announced he is taking back by 2027.
It appears the U.S. could be standing alone in defense of Taiwan and Wittman warns that every “war game” he has participated in with the U.S. defending Taiwan against China, we lose. Even more frightening, in such a conflict we are out of long-range missiles within just three days!
Wittman also warned we must become independent and mine our own minerals as well as restart manufacturing our own medicines and stop relying on China.
Wittman read a shocking statement that Xe once made, “Anyone that tries to stop China, we will take their heads and bloody the rocks.” Wittman said we had better take the warning seriously or … learn how to speak Mandarin.
“We have a long way to go and a short time to get there,” he said, as China has more weapons that travel farther and are more lethal than ours in an era when the number of our Navy ships is shrinking each year.
After such grim news, Wittman ended his talk with a reminder of why millions of people are trying to get into our country and not trying to get into China … Unalienable rights in our Constitution that protect us each from an overbearing government. We are the land where the individual still can dream, still pursue his own idea of happiness and still — write a column such as this.
I was happy to see Middlesex Supervisor Reggie Williams and his personable wife, Lorraine, Supervisor Lud Kimbrough, Middlesex Sheriff David Bushey and Del. Keith Hodges, R-Urbanna, in the crowd. My last thought as I was leaving was that Democrats, Republicans and Independents had better come together if we hope to survive the perils ahead.
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