Congressman Jo Bonner did not bring good news to Escambia County on his visit to Atmore on Wednesday, May 18. He brought, instead, what seems like dire news about the state of the National Debt.

“I have some bad news for you,” he said. “Our country is broke. Right now we are $13 trillion in debt and that is a lot of money to anybody. In order to solve the problem, everyone is going to have to have an honest conversation about it and make some sacrifices. Right now the majority of of the expenditures are for Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security and interest on the debt. The rest is spent on discretionary funds and the military. Some of these things can’t be touched.”

Bonner went on to say that during President John F. Kennedy’s office, 40 cents of every dollar was spent on defense and currently 20 cents of each dollar is going toward defense; all of this during a time when Americans are fighting in several different places.

“We are spending for more than we ever have,” the Congressman said. “Forty-seven percent of the national debt is owed to other countries with one third of the borrowed dollars coming from China.

“We didn’t get into this overnight,” he added. “We won’t get out of it overnight. We need to address the problem now. If we don’t, In a few years it will be even harder to come up with a solution.

I didn’t come here with doom and gloom, but it is time to be honest about the problem. Right now 49 percent of Americans don’t pay any taxes. It’s offensive and obscene that the federal government can dictate how you spend your money. Everyone should feel some ownership in our government.

I still believe that America is a good investment, but at the same time more and more people buy things that are made outside the country. People who buy products look at the price, not where it was made. Our whole country has got to get involved, not just a few.

Atmore mayor, Howard Shell introduced the congressman to the small group that were assembled at Atmore City Hall.

Bonner opened his statements by commenting on the fact that the mayor has decided not to run for reelection.

“When I heard that Donald Trump had decided not to run for president, I was not distressed,” he said. “When I heard that Mayor Shell was not going to run for reelection, I felt like the rug had been pulled out from under me.”

He then thanked everyone for the help that was sent to north Alabama from the Atmore community after the recent tornados.

“I want to thank you for all the help and the response that everyone poured into the stricken areas,” he said. “That is the kind of people that live in Atmore. All the recent floods, tornados and other natural disasters that have occurred have put a heavier burden on the state and country’s financial problems, but many like the Atmore citizens have stepped up to help.