At forum, Rep. Pittenger decries legislative gridlock

davidsonnews.net ^ | August 29, 2014 | JONATHAN COX

[Tailgunner Joe]

U.S. Robert Pittenger (R-9th District) says he knows exactly where the logjam is in Congress: Hundreds of bills are stalled on the desk of Senate majority leader Harry Reid. In a forum at Cornelius Town hall Thursday night, Pittenger blamed the Democratic Senate leader for delaying reform in banking regulations and health care policy.

The forum was one of six “town hall” style meetings Pittenger is holding in the 9th district this summer, which includes most of Iredell and Mecklenburg counties. The congressman, who is concluding his first term, will run unopposed this fall.

The meeting opened with a prayer by town commissioner Woody Washam, and an introductory speech by Mayor Chuck Travis. Travis thanked Pittenger for using his first term to help speed the opening of a landing strip at Charlotte Douglas International Airport that reduced the number of low-flying planes over Lake Norman.

Pittenger then took the floor to explain his positions on hot-button issues such as gas prices, the Affordable Care Act, and American foreign policy. He was especially critical of the government’s handling of international crises including Russia’s annexation of Crimea and the conflict in Syria.

“Our message to Islamic terrorists or even Putin is one of deference, even apology,” he said.

During a question-and-answer session that followed the congressman’s speech, two US Airways pilots took the floor to ask the Congressman to help override negative changes to their pension plan. “We’re getting a pittance compared to what we would have been paid in a normal retirement,” said Ed Solek, of Denver, NC, an active US Airways pilot and member of the pilots’ union Government Affairs Committee.

Pittenger said he is not in favor of government interference in US Airways’ policy. “I try not to interfere any more than what the government is currently doing,” he said, prompting Solek to storm out of the meeting.

Commissioner Washam, who is the Lake Norman Market President for Alliance Bank and Trust, said the Dodd Frank Act banking reforms have hurt small community banks. “Banking regulations have gotten worse and worse,” Washam said. “Community banks are caught in one-size-fits-all policies that are being applied to big banks.”

Pittenger agreed, but said efforts to reduce the Dodd Frank Act’s negative impact on local banks have met opposition in the Senate. He concluded by expressing his frustration with Senate obstruction.

“We’ve passed several bills to help community banks, but there’s just no cooperation in the Senate,” he said.

[mongo141]

Hairy Screed, Obozo and the former speaker of the house and all of their boot licker and a$$ kissers are what is wrong with this country now, Along with most of the RAT party.