Published: June 16, 2009 11:48 am      

Bunning stops in Monticello

Monticello — Wayne County has been good to Senator Jim Bunning over the years,

helping him earn and retain his seat in the U.S. Senate. As Bunning faces

what could be a heated re-election bid next year, the 78-year-old senator

made a local stop recently to talk with constituents who have supported him

during his 13 year tenure in the U.S. Senate.

About a dozen local residents attended a meeting with Bunning on Friday,

May 29 at the ASPIRE Center in Wayne County, where he addressed a number of

important issues that lawmakers are facing in Washington, D.C., as well as

some of the rumblings about who he may be facing on the ballot next year.

He said people are talking about it being a ³disputed race² for the

Senate seat.

³I have always had disputed runs for Senate,² said Bunning, as he talked

with local residents. But Bunning stressed that next year¹s election is very

important for conservatives, who need to keep the Senate seat.

³I will do everything I can in my power to secure this seat for the

republican party...That is the most important thing,² said Bunning.

Bunning is accustomed to democratic opposition. He ran a close race

against Dan Mongiardo in 2004. Mongiardo, who is now Kentucky¹s Lt.

Governor, will likely run against Bunning in 2010. Another democratic

candidate who may join the race is Kentucky Attorney General Jack Conway.

But the difference in 2010 is the possibility of Bunning facing

opposition in his own party. There has been talk that State Senate President

David Williams could be interested. Secretary of State Trey Grayson has

formed an exploratory committee.

³Some conservatives have formed committees in case I don¹t run,² said

Bunning. ³I guess they are exploring something that is presently not

available.²

Bunning talked about his voting record both in the U.S. Senate and the

House of Representatives. ³Anyone can look at it and see where I stand,² he

said.

Bunning said that he voted against the bailout and talked about the

money that the government has given U.S. automakers. Bunning noted that in

2007, 18 million cars were sold in the U.S. In 2008, that dropped to only 9

million.

³This is the first time in the history of the U.S. that the federal

government has come in and said, ŒWe¹ll take care of you,¹² said Bunning.

³So far, since last September, we have spent almost $5 trillion, almost

as much debt as we have had from George Washington through George Bush,²

said Bunning.

He talked about the Senate¹s recent passage of a supplemental $73

billion for the two wars.

³We will be out of Iraq by the end of 2010,² said Bunning. ³We will have

a contingency force there.²

Bunning said that important issues Kentuck-ians should watch are the

energy tax and the carbon tax. Bunning said the states that generate power

by coal could see as much as a 65 percent increase in their energy bills, if

the energy tax or carbon tax is approved.

Kentucky is second on the list, said Bunning. Utah is the first state,

as far as producing energy with coal.

Bunning noted that the question that needs to be answered first is if we

have global warming. He said that if global warming is happening, then not

only the U.S. should look at these types of energy-producing changes, but

other countries, like China, should have to make the same changes.

³We¹re going to hurt our economy and help theirs,² stated Bunning. ³If

we do have global warming, then let¹s attack it globally.²

Bunning is on the Senate Energy Committee, so he said he would have an

opportunity to talk about renewable energy, like wind and solar power.

³We have a lot of things that we generate electricity with, but we can¹t

leave out coal,² said Bunning.

One local resident asked about nuclear power, which Bunning supports as

an energy source. He noted that 80 percent of France¹s electricity is

generated through nuclear.

Bunning also talked about health care, which has gotten a lot of press

recently.

³It¹s coming your way whether you like it or not,² said Bunning. ³Where

we are headed is to the single payer government program, like they have in

Cananda...In countries where they have this program, individual income tax

rates are at 60 percent.²

Another local resident asked about the recession, and when it would end.

Bunning noted that things should turn around by the end of 2010.