The state of the economy, crime, and illegal immigration were among the topics addressed by Republican U.S. Congressman David Kustoff Friday morning at the Carroll County Civic Center as part of the Carroll County Chamber of Commerce’s Chamber Talk series.
Chamber President Brad Hurley introduced Kustoff, pointing out that the congressman was first elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 2016 and is currently in his third term, serving on the House Financial Services Committee and two subcommittees.
Kustoff started out on the issues of rising inflation and gas prices, and said these are the topics that people most frequently ask him about.
“It’s expensive to live right now,” said Kustoff. “Employers are having to raise wages, but it doesn’t keep up with inflation. It feels a lot like the late 1970’s.”
The congressman said that inflation really started cranking up following the passage of President Biden’s $1.9 trillion covid relief bill in the spring of last year, which Kustoff voted against.
Kustoff said the real estate market is “red hot” right now, but that has also meant that mortgage rates have started to rise.
“We’re seeing the cost of borrowing go up, and the Fed will have to keep raising rates to push down inflation,” he said.
The congressman predicted that Biden and the Democratic Party are going to keep pushing for big spending bills regardless of inflation.
“There is no easy, push-button answer,” said Kustoff. “I think for the next 12 to 24 months, we’re going to be feeling it. This is a self-inflicted wound.”
Kustoff pointed out that America achieved energy independence under former President Trump, but Biden’s energy policy has since reversed that to the point that Biden is now begging OPEC and adversarial countries like Iran and Venezuela to increase their oil production.
“He should be begging Texans and North Dakotans,” said Kustoff, “but he’s got so many in the Democratic Party on the far left that they’ve hamstrung him.”
On the issue of crime, Kustoff said that the upward trend in national crime statistics started under former President Obama about 10 years ago but has accelerated in a big way since the civil unrest and the defund the police movement in the summer of 2020.
“Regardless of your race or religion, if you’re a Republican or Democrat, you want safe neighborhoods,” said Kustoff. “We need to make sure our officers have what they need.”
Regarding illegal immigration, the congressman said he has visited the southern border twice, once under Trump and again in 2021, and that during last year’s visit, he saw firsthand the acres and acres of metal beams that have just been sitting out and rusting since Biden stopped construction of Trump’s border wall.
Kustoff said that border agents told him that fentanyl seizures at the border had gone up 600 percent from the previous year.
“It’s estimated that there is enough fentanyl in the U.S. right now to kill us all seven times over,” said the congressman.
Kustoff also expressed concern over the upcoming May expiration of Title 42, a public health measure through which 1.7 million illegal migrants have been turned back at the border during the pandemic.
“I asked a border agent what would happen if Title 42 went away,” said Kustoff. “He said you can forget it, it’s all over.”
On a positive note, Kustoff said the massive Blue Oval City automotive assembly complex planned for Haywood County is projected to bring 5,800 new jobs to West Tennessee. The complex is expected to start operations in 2025.
“Governor Lee said it would be transformative in its impact,” Kustoff said.
The congressman also praised local community leaders for their successful efforts to bring more industry and jobs to Carroll County.
