The first time I had face to face contact with Representative Wally Herger (R-CA2) was in 2004 when he arrived at a local group of radio stations in Northern California for an interview with the group’s conservative AM talk radio station. I worked at the group of radio stations and was rather stunned when leaving the building as Wally Herger looked me square in the face and said "Hey, nice to see you again." I would have thought that was some pretty special memory recall, except I had never met the man. I scoffed it off as the usual Republican glad-handing schmooze and continued on my way.
Now, let’s fast forward to September 16, 2010 and a Congressional Ways and Means Committee hearing with Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner as a witness.
Concerns over our national economy as well as trade with China have been many of late, and this hearing was to discuss the devaluing of Chinese currency and the effects it will have on the United States Economy.
When Congressman Herger was called upon to question the Treasury Secretary about Chinese currency, Herger made quick mention of the reason they were there and then did an about face and grilled Mr. Geithner about the latest tax plans of President Obama.
To quote Mr. Herger from the C-SPAN audio of that day:
"Mr. Chairman, thank you for calling this hearing. I agree that China’s currency policy and the impact on American manufacturings (sic), are an important issue for this committee to consider. Yet, I suspect that if you actually talked to many of the American companies that create American manufacturing jobs, these legitimate concerns about China would take a back seat to an issue that has been neglected by this committee: The threat of major tax increases in the very near future. As members of this committee are well aware, the tax relief passed in 2001 and 2003 (Ed: Under the Bush Administration), is set to expire the end of this year (2010). Unfortunately, the Ways and Means Committee has yet to hold a single hearing on the impact of this looming tax increase."
This questioning went on for a full seven minutes before Democratic Congressman Becerra of California came to the rescue of the embarrassment:
"Mr. Secretary (Geithner), thanks for being here. And as much as I’d like to engage in this conversation about, uh, whether we should hold tax cuts for the middle class hostage, to give tax cuts to the wealthiest 2% (ED: including Herger?) above and beyond what the middle class would get through this proposal, let me focus on China".
Unfortunately, this about face in the Way and Means Committee hearing is not the first of Mr. Herger’s confusing behavior.
While speaking with Redding Insurance agent Barbara McClaskey about brand name drugs vs. generic drugs, Mr. Herger was totally unaware of what a generic drug is? Is he really that out of touch with the world? Or is the problem even worse?
I would be the last person on Earth to question someone’s mental stability, especially someone of Mr. Herger’s importance. But I can’t help but wonder if Congressman Herger is showing signs of the early onset of Alzheimer’s Disease.
Alzheimer’s Disease is the most common form of dementia, which hits about 14.5 million Americans over the age of 60 (Herger is 65). Changes in behavior whether slight or bizarre, are usually noticed by those around the stricken person. The stricken person will be the last to admit they have a problem, while those around him/her will agree that something is wrong.
Mr. Herger’s continued odd behavior is also noted at one of his "town hall meetings" (read that as Herger rally), when one of Wally’s constituents, Bert Stead, famously claimed that he was "proud to be a right-wing terrorist" (video HERE). Stead later said he meant "extremist". Either way, Herger should have denounced that comment immediately, instead of rallying around it by saying "Amen. Now there’s a great American."
Couple these examples with Congressman Herger’s failure to get a FEMA Flood Plain redistricting out of committee, then vote "No", when the same bill was introduced by someone else.
Herger’s voting record has been slightly more than abysmal. For those who may be unaware of California’s second Congressional District, it stretches from just north of the California Capitol of Sacramento all the way to the Oregon border, an enormous 21,758 square miles with a population of 639,000 people (2000 census) who are largely Republican with one of the largest agricultural areas in the country. Yet with all this agricultural space, Herger voted NO on investing in homegrown bio-fuel. (Aug 2007)
Amtrak runs right through the middle of Herger’s entire district, yet the Republican Congressman voted NO on $9.7B for Amtrak improvements and operation thru 2013.
Looking deeper into Mr. Herger’s voting record seems to make for a good case of scratching one’s head as he continually voted against legislation that would help conserve energy and find new ways to power America. In a perverse way, it is understandable as Herger is listed as an oil executive.
More important, though, these recent bouts of odd behavior has to make one wonder if Mr. Herger is, indeed fit to continue to be a member of Congress.
As for this election, he has repeatedly refused to debate his Democratic challenger, attorney Jim Reed. As this date (September 27), a debate co-sponsored by a local newspaper and The League of Women Voters less than two weeks from now is up in the air as no one knows for sure if Herger is going to show up himself, send an aid to debate Mr. Reed or just a be a "no-show".
At the very least, these questions about Mr. Herger’s mental state should be addressed. Mr. Herger himself needs to answer to these questions. If you recall, one of Mr. Herger’s idols, the late President Ronald Reagan filled the last two years of his second term with identifiable symptoms of the early onset of Alzheimer’s disease.
It is that serious. Mr. Herger needs to answer these questions today.