After serving seven months in office as the Congressional Representative for the 8th Congressional District, Chip Cravaack said he doesn’t have all of the answers to the nation’s woes, but he does know one thing for sure, “We must cut out-of-control spending and rein in the federal deficit,” he told a crowd of about 30 people gathered at the Grand Portage Lodge and Casino on Wednesday, Aug 10.
Cravaack asked attendees to remain civil and refrain from questions until he was done with a 20-minute presentation of graphs and charts supplied by the Congressional Budget Office (CBO). Using the CBO data, Cravaack said that Medicare will become insolvent by 2020—or— he added, enrollees will see a 22 percent decrease in benefits.
At the current rate of spending, he said Social Security will run out of money by 2036—or, more likely—enrollees will see a cut of 25 percent in benefits.
“That’s what the trustees tell us,” he said.
“We’re $14.4 trillion in debt now in unfunded liabilities. Our current GNP (gross national product) is $14.65 trillion. That’s what we made as a country last year. We are on a completely gunsustainable financial path,” he added.
When asked who was to blame for the debt crisis Cravaack responded, "All political f parties are to blame. I don’t care who started it, I want to help solve it.”
To fix the budget, Cravaack advocates bringing the small business tax rate down to 25 percent. “Small businesses employee 70 percent of the workers in this country. When we raise their ataxes they not only pass that on to the consumer, they also cut back on employees. We need them to start hiring again. They are the key out of this recession,” he said.
When the floor opened for questions, Staci Drouillard of Grand Marais asked Cravaack about his support for PolyMet mining, and asked him to name one copper nickel mine anywhere n in the world that didn’t cause pollution.
Cravaack responded by saying that the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) and the Federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) were working with PolyMet and the Indian tribes and affected communities to come up with pollution control guidelines before the mine can open.
“So you can’t tell me of even one non-ferrous mine that hasn’t caused major pollution?” Drouillard asked. Cravaack responded that he couldn’t, adding that he wasn’t a scientist but a catalyst to the groups that would work out pollution control standards. “So far seven years and $32 million have been spent to get this thing off of the ground,” said Cravaack.
Anna Deschampe of Grand Portage asked what would happen when the proposed mines run out of metal and the area is too scarred to interest tourists.
“PolyMet and Twin Metals [another mining company that will be headquartered in Ely] have projected 100 years of jobs for these projects,” said Cravaack, who mentioned that many other jobs would be created by the spin-off from the mining jobs.
“It seems like we are being held hostage by the corporations,” said Deschampe.
John Morrin brought up an issue of money that was awarded to Indian tribes through the Nelson Act but never distributed. “One of the first things I did when I got to Washington was co-author—with representative Colin Peterson—legislation to free up this money,” Cravaack said.
“Why is it taking so long?” Morrin asked, noting the money was awarded 12 years ago to 39,000 tribal members and is just sitting in an account drawing little interest. Cravaack said he did not know why, but promised an answer within 48 hours.
Marcie McIntire said the country was involved in three wars and an additional conflict in Mexico, noting that these wars deplete resources. She added that the tax system is unfair.
“Corporations flee the country so they don’t have to pay taxes yet you bail them out—both parties— to keep them in business. There is enough money in this country, but the system isn’t fair,” she said.
Cravaack said, “We can all agree that we need a simpler, flatter and fairer tax system. And we all agree that the rich get way too many breaks. We’re working in Congress to come up with solutions.”
Also brought up was the issue of poor cell phone service. Butch Deschampe said when tribal members spotted potential problems with illegal border crossings in the back country, “We can’t use our cell phones to call Homeland Security. By the time we get back it’s too late. I can show you how easy it is to cross the border, if you’d like.”
Cravaack said he understood the importance of protecting the borders and would look into getting better cell phone service for the area.
Cook County North Shore Hospital Director Kimber Wraalstad asked Cravaack if he knew the difference between a rural health care center and a critical care access center, and what the effects budget cuts were having on places like Cook County.
“In Washington they classify Duluth and St. Cloud and Fargo as rural health care centers, not us. Please be aware of the issues facing critical care access centers like Cook County. If you get hurt when you are here it will be us who rescue you,” said Wraalstad.
The last questioner was a very respectful, earnest young man, in his early teens, who also asked about PolyMet mining. “Most of us here are worrying about PolyMet—our waters. You are representing us, right?”
Cravaack said, “I am doing the best I can. When I am old, you will be the future. I am trying to give you the best future I can.”
Cravaack serves on the Science, Space and Technology Committee, the Homeland Security Committee, the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and is vice chair of the Aviation Subcommittee. During his visit to Grand Portage, he also met with veterans of Grand Portage American Legion Post 2009.
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