Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Lincoln: Lack of knowledge problem in Washington

Coming home to Arkansas and visiting with the people is the "fun" part of being a U.S. Senator, according to Sen. Blanche Lincoln.

Lincoln was in Prescott Tuesday, Feb. 19, speaking to members of the Prescott Rotary Club during her "Lunch with the Senator" tour of the state.

She is one of the founding members of the Blue Dog Coalition, a group of national legislators who work to find conservative, non-partisan solutions to America's problems.

One of the biggest problems in Washington, she said, is how many members of Congress don't understand how much is actually costs to live in rural areas, such as Prescott and Southwest Arkansas.

Their idea, she said, is it's more expensive to live in metropolitan regions because this is where the most people are.

However, this isn't the case, as those in rural areas must often pay more for the same goods and services, she said.

In addition, Lincoln said, budget cuts hit rural areas harder because they have no means of making up the difference. This is especially true in health care.

Arkansas she said, is in the top five states with people 65 or older, and in the top three where elderly live in poverty.

"These are quality of life issues," Lincoln said. "They are wellness issues. Rural hospitals are closing down with others on the margin.

"If we provide prescription drugs (for the seniors) we'd save money in the long run."

A prescription drug program, she said, wouldn't be an acute care program, but would ensure elderly citizens of being able to get the medication they need, without having to decide on spending their money between food or medicine.

"The people in Washington," she said, "think it's less expensive to provide health care in rural America when the exact opposite is true. I don't know where they got this idea."

It's harder to get medical people and equipment to locate in rural areas, Lincoln said.

She said the farm bill, which is examined and changed every five years, will be different in Arkansas than other predominantly agricultural states, because of the different methods used and crops raised.

The bill, she said, should provide for Southern farmers, the poultry and rice industries as well.

In discussing the tax package, Lincoln said, it's being reshaped to help bring relief to people in states like Arkansas (small, rural states).

A major focus in Congress, she said, is the development of an energy bill. There hasn't been a new one proposed in 20 years, since the last energy crisis.

America needs to look at energy conservation, domestic production of oil and alternative energy sources.

This is one of the most important issues facing the nation, she said, since the Sept. 11 attacks on New York and Washington, D.C.

The very freedom of America has been challenged, she said. It's up to the people to remember we can't take freedom for granted, and we must fight for it.

America, she continued, must deal with immediate action and be ready for the next step in the war against terrorism, which will be long-term.

"We provided President (George W.) Bush money for national defense and homeland security," she said. "So if we're threatened with terrorism again we'll be ready."

Should the threat arise again, Lincoln added, the nation's law enforcement and health communities will be able to respond.

Lincoln predicted an upturn in the economy by the second or third quarter of the year.

"It's critical to enter into the debate with a balanced approach," she said, "and be financially responsible. We don't need to put debt on the backs of our children and grandchildren."

Overall, she said, it would be better to do nothing and let the economy take care of itself, than to jump in with a "quick fix" which will only increase future debt and possibly weaken the current economy anyway.

The tendency in Washington, she said, is to be overzealous, which can create dangerous situations with long-term debt.

This is the first time in 30 or 40 years there has been no extension of unemployment benefits during an economic slowdown, she said. "It's crazy. Consumers are a big part of our economy. People need help making the transition until they find a new job so they can continue to be consumers.

"There's no doubt if there's to be a stimulus package and sound fiscal policy, it must be brief and short-lived."

There are those in Washington, she said, who want long-term programs with high tax cuts included.

"If we do something, it needs to be responsible," she said, "not greedy."

Alan Greenspan, the nation's economist, has said no economic stimulus package is needed and the economy will correct itself.

On another topic, Lincoln said she favors lifting the embargo on Cuba and Cuban products, especially on travel, food and medicine.

Cuba, 40 years ago, was a big trade partner with Arkansas for timber, rice and poultry. "We could create a good trade partner now," she said.

America's current Cold War stand against Cuba is actually working in Fidel Castro's favor, as he blames his country's failures and problems on the U.S. and its policies against Cuba.

This situation, Lincoln said, could be exploited to expose Cubans to democracy if the U.S. will lift its embargos. "We need to modernize how we deal with Cuba."