Hill Check-Kiters Face Svmpathv Deficit: Constituents' Anger Looks Like Paydirt to Some Political...
MARQUETTE, Mich., March 28ÛÓRep. Robert Davis, seven-term Republican and currently No. 3 on the list of House check-kiters, came to the Farm House Restaurant Friday to talk about the trillion-dollar national debt, defense cuts, the health care crisis and the recession.</br></br>Voters in this remote, iron-ore mining part of the Upper Peninsula, a lifestyle away from WashingtonÛªs ways, had something else on their minds.</br></br>"I think youÛªve betrayed a friendship.Û said an angry middle-aged woman at the meeting in Stephenson, population 1,250. ÛÏWe can no longer sit and take whatever comes out of Congress.Û ÛÏBut why did you make the mistake?Û demanded Roy Mormon, a businessman from outside DavisÛªs district.</br></br>Davis skirted the questionÛÓhe had already explained that his "sloppy bookkeepingÛ led to some of the 878 bad checks a General Accounting Office report charged he wroteÛÓand looked for relief, vainly, from one of the 20 local high school students at the town meeting.</br></br>"I speak on behalf of all the seniors,Û Eric Houle, 18, began. ÛÏAbout Washington and politicians, well, we just have these negative feelings toward everybody. ... WeÛªre supposed to believe in our country and our government, but theyÛªre not doing anything to make us believe in them. WeÛªre the next generation and I don't want to vote for anyone. Who knows whatÛªs going to happen next?Û "Let's give that young man a hand!Û someone shouted across the crowded banquet room.