Rehberg's 'New Leaf' Will Hurt Montana

After reversing his stance on earmarks, Denny Rehberg will cross the state in a plush, gas-guzzling motor coach this week, explaining to voters why he deserves to be returned to Washington.

Rehberg, who once led Congress in the number of sponsored earmarks, has since vowed to forgo earmarks completely -- a move that leaves Montana communities in the lurch and won’t cut federal spending by a dime.

That has left voters wondering if vital Montana projects will fall by the wayside as Rehberg -- the state’s only representative -- attempts to make a statement two years removed from President Bush.

“It was fine for Rehberg to lead the way in record federal spending when he and his party controlled Congress,” said Martin Kidston, spokesman for the Montana Democratic Party. “Now he’s had a change of heart? Fine. But if he’s not going to fight for Montana’s communities in the House over the next two years, then who will?”

Rehberg has blamed the ballooning of the federal debt that occurred under Republican leadership on the 9/11 attacks and Hurricane Katrina.

According to the Fiscal year 2011 budget released by the White House, the largest increase in gross national debt relative to the GDP occurred in the eight years Bush and Rehberg were in office.

During that time, the national debt exploded more than 27 percent.

“Even the Vietnam War didn’t result in such a dramatic increase in national debt,” Kidston said.