Post a Comment On: Bakersfield Observed

 Our weekly update from Rep. Kevin McCarthy, the House Majority Whip from Bakersfield:

[Image]  "Last week I had the honor of presenting Army Private First Class Herman Lippert, Jr., with six medals he earned in World War II.  Born in Fellows, California in 1923 and raised in Taft, Herman attended Midway Grammar school, Taft High School, and Taft College.  He was drafted and served in the U.S. Army from March 2, 1943 to December 3, 1945 where he served as a Combat Engineer with the 97th Infantry Division stationed in France, Germany, and Austria.  He showed me photos and maps of where he supported the infantry through the front lines in intense battle, yet made it through the war without a scratch.  And to meet his wife Peggy and his children and grandchildren, I saw a man of character and humility.

 "This war hero fought on the front lines of the Battle of the Bulge and is a reflection of the great Americans that did so much on our behalf.  I was honored to present him with the Army Good Conduct Medal, the American Campaign Medal, the European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with Triple Bronze Star Attachment, the Honorable Service Lapel Pin, the Expert Badge and Rifle Bar, and the World War II Victory Medal.  As I presented Herman with each medal, I could not help but be inspired by the life that Herman has lived and the love that surrounds him.  In fact, I was going to present these medals to Herman last Christmas Eve, but he unexpectedly went into the hospital, and Herman insisted that he wanted to get stronger before we presented these medals to him.
 "Herman answered the call so that we would be able to have a future of freedom and opportunity.  Today, our nation faces tremendous challenges and the most pressing challenge is the growing debt burdens that weigh on our future generations.

 "In the coming months, our country will have to make the necessary decisions to confront the looming debt crisis and address the issue of government spending.  Our current spending levels are unsustainable, will weaken Social Security and Medicare, and lead our country on a path towards insolvency.  The longer we ignore the problem, the more the debt burden crushes the next generation of Americans. The next generation is not mere words; they are our high school and college seniors that will be graduating this summer. These are my children and your children. We have a responsibility to leave them a better future than we inherited, and I want them to have every opportunity to achieve their hopes and dreams with hard work and perseverance.  But the longer we ignore the fiscal reality that is before us, the more we deny opportunities to the next generation because the level of debt will stifle our long-term economic prosperity.  Every generation has risen to the occasion to tackle the challenges of their time with resolve, courage, and conviction, and I will continue to fight to ensure that we leave our children with a future of endless possibilities.