While Southern Utah is fighting the federal government over prairie dogs and federal control of lands, Harry Reid says he is honored to have his name attached to the new “Center for Outdoor Engagement,” which is political speak for promoting the very things Utah citizens are fighting against.

Reid was quoted, following his fireside chat on Thursday at SUU, as saying that those in Utah who would like local control of lands need a “Mental Examination.” He also added an inherently incorrect interpretation of why we have a bicameral congress, clearly ignoring the fact that it was to offer geographical based representation in counter-measure to population based representation.  He also falsely stated that there is no problem with Social Security.

According to Social Security Board of Trustees, in 2016 the Social Security Trust Fund will begin taking out more money than is going in – and that is if the economy does not get any worse.

Reid also ignored the fact that the Social Security Trust Fund has been raided by politicians like him in order to buy votes with pork barrel projects plastered with his name.  If you haven’t seen the movie, “I.O.U.S.A.” with former Comptroller General Dave Walker, I highly recommend it.

Apparently, Utahns are psychotic because we don’t want our overlords in Washington D.C. to tell us that we cannot open up lands to resource extraction which would create thousands of jobs and bring a new era of prosperity to Utah.

Since Reid was elected President of the Senate, over $7,000,000,000,000 of new debt has been strapped to the backs of Americans, we are now told we can be forced to purchase a product from private corporations, and we have started another war in Libya.  It is no wonder his national approval rating (26 percent) is lower than that of  Nancy Pelosi, and his approval rating in his own state is a horrid 33 percent.  Perhaps he is the one who is “mental” for thinking that people outside of Washington D.C. actually support his radical vision for his empire.

Throughout his fireside chat, Reid offered many personal stories, but perhaps most intriguing was his willingness to divulge information that he has a history of revenge-seeking behavior, using his political clout to stick it to his enemies.  Apparently forcing 30 million low-income Americans to purchase health insurance from private companies is a way to stick it to “big pharma.”

The reality is that Reid has an embarrassing record of public service and has done more harm to our country than perhaps any other elected official of the U.S. Congress.  Since he was elected as Senate President in 2006, just five years time, he has added over $23,000 in new debt for every man, woman and child in the country.  All the while, he is calling those who would actually seek solutions to solve our debt crisis, “mental.”

Perhaps Reid should take the tour that newly elected Sen. Mike Lee recently took through Iron County and see how his policies have directly harmed citizens of Southern Utah.  I, for one, am grateful that we now have a truly distinguished senator who is fighting for the rights of average working class citizens. The silent majority has awoken in America and our future is bright.

Written by State Senator Casey Anderson from District 28