By Gary Ogle
gogel@wbcowqel.com
The Bratwurst Festival attracts visitors from all over the country and one from Washington, D.C. stopped by Friday. Ohio Congressman Jim Jordan was in Bucyrus on Friday and enjoyed the sights and tastes of the festival while visiting with officials and constituents from his 4th District.
“Crawford County is one of those important periods in our district,” Jordan said. “Today we’ve been in Bucyrus and Galion. (We) started the day off in Marysville and we’ll end up in Marion.”
Jordan had been scheduled to hold a town hall meeting in Bucyrus two weeks earlier targeting Armed Services veterans. Congress was unexpectedly called back into session to try and pass legislation on immigration reform and Jordan had one of his staff fill in for him.
“It’s a chaotic situation, I think largely caused by the President by what he did with what he did what he did with a dock of legislative orders,” Jordan said about the steady flow of unaccompanied Central American children flocking to the Mexican-Texas border. “We passed two bills in the House I think actually address the problem. Protecting the border is something every sovereign nation should do and has a right to do. We think it is good legislation. Unfortunately the Senate is not going to take it up.”
Strolling down the Bratwurst Festival midway, Jordan conceded the year thus far has been an endless string of crisis situations, both domestic and international.
“It is one thing after the other. We tried to hold them accountable,” Jordan said, turning to the embarrassing manner in which the country’s veterans were dolled out medical care through the Veterans Administration. “We were able to do some good things with the VA bill.”
The congressman cited that bill’s provision allowing veterans unable to get timely and adequate treatment through the VA system the opportunity to seek treatment with private providers.
“But the other scandals, we’re trying to get to the bottom of those,” Jordan continued, specifically naming the IRS targeting conservative groups. “We’re learning all sorts of crazy things the IRS was involved with. We’ll keep digging to try to get to the truth there as well.”
Jordan predicted for all the criticism President Obama’s landmark legislation governing health care reform has received, the worst is yet to come.
“Rates are going to go up. This thing is a mess because what it does – it violates a fundamental American principle. You want patients, and families and their doctor making health care decisions. You don’t bureaucrats in Washington,” Jordan said. “What works is choice, what works is freedom. Those are the kind of things we should focus on, not the Affordable Health Care Act that empowers bureaucrats in Washington, D.C.”
Jordan was accompanied by a host of local officials on his walk down Sandusky Avenue lined with vendors with the sounds of polka music provided by the New Washington Town Band.
Mayor Jeff Reser was very proud to show off his community and its well-known festival.
“Jim Jordan is one of the finest gentlemen. He cares not only about this country, but this state and every community in this state,” Reser said. “It’s very special to have him here today.”
It was a very special day for the congressman who was actually celebrating his wedding anniversary.
Stopping and chatting with constituents, many of whom recognized him, Jordan, Reser and those with him stopped by the local Knights of Columbus stand for what else, a bratwurst.
Asked to go on the record as to whether he preferred his bratwurst with or without sauerkraut, the Congressman smiled and answered as only a savvy politician would.
“Both. I actually do. I’ve had them both ways. I love eating a good brat. Sometimes I like it with sauerkraut and mustard. I can have them either way, with or without.”