U.S. Rep. Jim Oberstar's voting record will tell you how good a steward he is with your hard-earned tax dollars. His votes affect you, your pocketbook and our economy.
In 2009, the National Taxpayers Union gave Oberstar a grade of F, putting him in the big-spender category and ranking him a low 390th out of 435 congressional representatives on spending, tax and debt issues. Grades are given impartially based on these important issues.
In 2008, based on 48 votes, the Council for Citizens Against Waste (cagw.org) gave Oberstar a flat
0 percent score out of a possible 100 percent, making him the
lowest-ranking congressman on fiscal responsibility.
ADVERTISEMENT
According to the Center for Responsive Politics, in 2010, Oberstar either sponsored or co-sponsored $40 million of earmark spending, ranking him a high 70th out of 435 representatives in wasteful "pork barrel" spending, according to opensecrets.org.
The result of Oberstar's big appetite for misguided government spending is a rapidly rising debt that now exceeds $13 trillion, high unemployment rates and a stagnant economy.
However, we taxpayers can do something about it. We can vote for Chip Cravaack.
Ken Lundgren
Deer River
