County Commissioners Vote to Ask Congress to Rescind the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act | Eastern North Carolina Now

   On Wednesday, September 16, 2009, the Beaufort County Commissioners met in their monthly general meeting to discuss and act on the business of the county; one item in particular was a resolution, submitted by myself, to ask the United States Congress to rescind the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. The board of county commissioners voted 4 to 3 (along party lines: 4 Republicans, 3 Democrats) to ask that the aforementioned Stimulus Package be rescinded.

    Why take away the punch bowl, you might ask? Isn’t the stimulus funding helping to ignite the economy and isn‘t the stimulus creating jobs?

    The easy answer is yes. The more correct answer, which may difficult for some to understand, but is nevertheless very true, is that the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act will create more government jobs (public sector), but will not do much to help the private sector with sustained job creation. The public sector will help the private sector initially, but the economic stimulus of new government employees spending stimulus income will trail off, once the higher taxes are levied to pay for the nearly one trillion spending package, which was mostly spent to increase the size of government at all levels.

    Commissioner Deatherage making his point on how the Federal Government's "Economic Stimulus Package" is aiding to the devaluation of the United States' dollar.

    Factor in the inflation that will result from the subsequent weakening of the dollar, which we are seeing now, and we are setting up for what happened in the summer of 2008, when oil went to nearly 150.00 a barrel, and we are setting ourselves up for a double dip recession. The next recession will more severe than the last and I shudder the thought of that inflation, and the high unemployment that is now the highest of my lifetime. This will probably cripple our nation’s future economy if we do not get a handle on our future inflation. It is essential that we get our nation’s financial house in order. Moreover, it is paramount that we do it sooner rather than later.

    Here below is a copy of the Resolution that must be considered by those governing at the next level:

Resolution to Request that the Federal Government Rescind all Remaining Funds for the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (a.k.a. Stimulus Package / Great Spending Omnibus Bill)

    Whereas, the United States of America narrowly avoided a Massive Depression by the United States Congress enacting wise policy to save the United States banking industry, after a number of years of bad policy and oversight, which extended beyond congress to the executive branch of government as well, of the banking industry and the exchange of securities for the American people, and,

    Whereas, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 did not sufficiently address the antiquated, and insufficient infrastructure upgrade needed in the United States, which will have to be addressed at some point in the future, and would have created new jobs, while creating an environment where additional new jobs would be created by greater efficiencies, and,

    Whereas, the United States Congress is in the process of subjecting the taxpayers of the United States to even greater deficits, now approaching one trillion dollars annually, by the continuing of spending monies that it does not possess and will have to borrow from other nations, such as the Peoples Republic of Communist China, and,

    Whereas, at this time of the writing of this resolution, the United States Dollar is at its weakest position in many decades, and Gold is just under 1,000.00 per ounce, and oil is selling for over 71.00 per barrel, irrespective that there is currently a surplus of crude available, and,

    Whereas, the rising prices of gold and oil, and other industrial metals such as copper, portends that inflation, in the near future, will be a greater impediment to sustained economic growth, than the false stimulus of the expenditures of public monies, and furthermore with unemployment approaching 11% in North Carolina, and over 11% in Beaufort County, sustained job growth in the private sector is a greater need than job growth in the public sector, which is the intent of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, therefore,

    Let it be resolved, that the Beaufort County Board of Commissioners do hereby resolve that the U.S. Congress and the Executive Branch must rescind the balance of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 to enact wise national economic policy to bolster a stronger dollar, and build for an economy that will support the growth of jobs.

Written by Beaufort County Commissioner Stan Deatherage and submitted to the Beaufort County Board of County Commissioners, North Carolina, for passage on September 14, 2009. Once passed, this resolution will be sent to North Carolina U.S. Senator Kaye Hagan, North Carolina U.S. Senator Richard Burr, North Carolina U.S. Congressman Walter Jones, 3rd District, North Carolina U.S. Congressman G.K. Butterfield, 1st District, U.S. Senate Majority Leader Sen. Harry Reed, U.S. Senate Minority Leader Sen. Mitch McConnell, U.S. Speaker of the House of Representatives Rep. Nancy Pelosi, U.S. House of Representatives Majority Leader Rep. Steny Hoyer, U.S. House of Representatives Minority Leader Rep. John Boehner, the North Carolina Association of County Commissioners for distribution and the National Association of Counties for distribution.