9-7-11 —   It may have been a history making visit when U.S. Senator Rand Paul stopped by and spent some time talking with a crowd of local residents last week at the ASPIRE Center. It was likely the first time in several decades that a U.S. Senator came to the county in a non-election year.

    Most of the time visits are made during re-election campaigns, but Paul, the freshman senator from Kentucky who was elected to replace retiring Senator Jim Bunning last November, has been stopping by communities around the state for the past several weeks. Wayne County was part of his schedule last Tuesday, August 30 and Paul was welcomed by quite a large crowd for a unique meeting.

    Business leaders and citizens representing many different interests in this community were selected to take part in a Business-Community Round Table discussion with Paul. What followed was a fairly lively discussion of many of the issues that Paul has been talking about for quite some time, including the nation's debt, its economic issues, health care, and energy costs.

    Paul was accompanied last week by Kentucky Senate President David Williams, who is the republican candidate for governor. Williams noted that Paul has had a positive impact already in Washington, D.C.  

and told the crowd he had no qualms about Paul representing Kentucky.

    "I know that he is the smartest person in most of the rooms that he is in," Williams stated.

    Paul gave a brief introductory statement to the crowd, talking specifically about the dissatisfaction many people in this country have with national leadership.

    "Eighty percent of the public is upset with our leaders yet 96 percent of incumbents win elections," Paul told the crowd.

    Paul said part of the problem is that, "We're not listening very well. I want to come out and listen to the people in your community."

    Paul talked about the national debt. He said this country overspends by about 40 percent. "We spend about $100,000 a second and about $40,000 of that is borrowed money."

    During the question and answer portion of the meeting, Paul discussed one solution to the nation's debt problems—something called the "penny plan." The proposal would cut one penny out of every dollar the federal government spends.

    Paul also pointed out that many people have heard talk about cutting spending at the federal level, but he said that these discussions are not about cutting actual spending. Instead it is about cuts to proposed spending increases.

    A couple of questions posed to Paul last Tuesday regarded health care and the changes that have been made with President Obama's plan.  

It's effect on rural communities and the physicians there was a question posed by Dr. David Mayer, a local surgeon.

    "In regard to health care, I think we will get a do-over," Paul replied. "There is a 50 percent chance that the Supreme Court will strike down Obama care."

    With the opportunity to fix health care, Paul said leaders must look at the solution with more of a market approach. Obama's plan gave everyone access to health care, but it did nothing to address the cost of health care, Paul noted.

    State Representative Sara Beth Gregory's question came from an issue that concerns Kentucky businesses. The state of Kentucky has borrowed  funds from the federal government for unemployment benefits and an interest payment of $28 million is coming due. The governor has indicated to state senators and representatives that Kentucky does not have the money to pay this interest payment. Gregory is concerned what this will cost businesses around the state.

    Paul said he didn't believe that the state would receive a waiver for the payment, given the condition of the economy.

    "Debt has a face...It is the face of unemployment and the face of rising prices," stated Paul.

    Paul also answered a question regarding rising energy and fuel costs in this country, and how that could be addressed.

    "We need to drill more," replied Paul. "We need to mine for coal and we need nuclear power."

    Before the session concluded, Dr. David Gover, a retired superintendent, asked Paul about what actions he would take today if he was President.

    "First, I would call everybody back in session right now and cut the corporate tax in half," replied Paul. He noted that this would likely help bring jobs back to the United States.

    Paul said he would implement the "penny plan" and he would close down several federal departments in an effort to cut spending.