Merkley responds to worries |
| Sen. Jeff Merkley’s 583rd town hall was a timely one Saturday given the chaos and confusion caused during the first 12 days of the second Trump administration. More than 300 people turned out for Merkley’s hourlong town hall at Linn-Benton Community College's Russell Tripp Performance Center in Albany. Most of the questions focused on the uncertainties coming out of Washington. Merkley had this to say on a number of issues: • Protecting civil servants. Russell Vought, last director of the Office of Management and Budget in first Trump administration, is the nominee for the same position again. The architect of Project 2025, Vought came before the Senate Budget Committee, for which Merkley is the top Democrat, last Monday. “He said a bunch of things that were deeply disturbing.” Merkley said. “He believes, and I’m quoting him now, he wants to ‘traumatize’ our government workers until they view themselves as villains and quit. He wants to take tens of thousands of workers who are nonpartisan experts — professionals — and replace them with unqualified loyalists. I don’t want to loyalist in a control tower for an airport. I want a professional. I don’t want a loyalist doing the programming to run our Medicaid program, or issue of how we get the grants out for our Title I schools. I want people who know what they’re doing.” “A lot of the attitude that Mr. Vought brought was: ‘We don’t care about the law and we don’t care what the courts have said. We’re going to do want we want, and after we’re done it you can take us to court.’ We’re going to push back in every way we can.” • Elon Musk. “(He) has this unofficial role, very much stepping in as if he’s been confirmed for some important role. And he proceeds to push out a ‘fork-in the road’ letter that says if you quit now and write your name and and reply to this email, we will pay you (through September). We will put you on leave. That doesn’t exist in the law. Paying people to not do their jobs? How is that government efficiency? We’ll be pushing back.” • Defense secretary: “We want people who know what they’re doing. Mr. (Pete) Hegseth is absolutely not qualified to be our defense secretary.” • Veterans benefits: A veteran who served in the Army from 1999-2006 told Merkley she’s worried about losing her VA and disability benefits. “We’re not going back … We’re standing with you,” Merkley assured her, as the audience gave her a standing ovation. • Republican tax plan. Merkley noted that Project 2025 includes massive cuts to family programs, such education, housing and health care, and trillions of dollars in tax cuts for billionaires. “This to me is a great betrayal,” he said. "President Trump said he’s going to fight for families. You cut the programs for families and give the treasury to the rich? It will |  Merkley honored the Linn Benton NAACP Branch for its work and presented Barry Jenkins, the organization's president, with a flag that flew over the U.S. Capitol. also take more borrowing and add to the deficit to deliver on those tax cuts, he added. “It’s a terrible plan. I hope we can put a spotlight on it and stop it. That’s our goal." • Gaza: “It’s my hope we will get a permanent ceasefire,” Merkley said. adding that a regional security arrangement and a Palestinian state are “the only way I see of breaking the cycle.” *** Before fielding questions, Merkley honored the NAACP Linn Benton Branch for its ongoing work, and presented Barry Jenkins, the organization’s president, with a flag that flew over the U.S. Capitol. Also in attendance Saturday were Albany Mayor Alex Johnson, who drew the random numbers for people to ask questions; LBCC President Lisa Avery; Linn County Commissioner Will Tucker; Albany City Councilor Marilyn Smith; State Sen. Sara Gelser Blouin; and State Rep. Darin Harbick. — Graham Kislingbury, Linn County Democrats *** For more from the town hall, click the video buttons below. |
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