Rehberg calls for solidity in backing GOP ideals
Tim Leeds
Montana’s lone member of the U. S. House of Representatives — and a challenger in the next race for the U. S. Senate — called on Republicans in the state and the nation to come together in backing the parties ideals in the next election. 
“We cannot govern as Republicans in Montana and nationally moving from event to event, ” Rehberg said during the Hill and Blaine county Lincoln-Reagan Day Dinner in Havre Sunday. “There has to be a process of remembering who we are, what we are, what we stand for: faith, because we own faith; family, because we own family, and freedom. ” 
Rehberg, who won his sixth term to the House in November, has declared he will run against U. S. Sen. Jon Tester, D-Mont., in 2012. 
He said the dominance of Democrats in Montana — with two Democratic U. S. senators and all five top offices in the state held by Democrats — is the Republicans’ own fault. Sometimes the party doesn’t seem to have the perseverance it needs to follow things through, he said. 
“You know what, it’s us, ” he said. “We have nobody to blame but ourselves as a party. We’re not electing the great candidates we have because we kind of poop out. ” 
He said the contrasting philosophies are clear — if the voters want senators who vote with President Barack Obama 97 percent of the time, who supported the stimulus bill, and who say they support local management of wolves but also keeping the Secretary of Interior with the final say — “Then that’s your guy. You’ve got two senators” who have supported those policies, Rehberg said. 
“If you want a difference of philosophies, a contrast of positions, then I’m your guy, ” he said. “I’m going to hold their feet to the fire. ” 
He said he wants to get responsibility back into government spending. 
He said, “Spending doesn’t create an economy, getting the government out of the way does, and that's what Republicans stand for. ” 
But wanting to be reasonable, while trying to give people a hand up, can lead to a bad image, Rehberg said. 
“It may seem like we’re heartless, but we’re not …, ” he said. “Any time you say no, somehow you’re cast in the light that somehow, perhaps, you’re not as caring to someone else, and that’s just not true. I think we care more about our families, we care more about our country and our future. ” 
He thanked the members of the military for giving the opportunities the people in America now have. 
“But I want to be able to pass that same thing on to our children and grandchildren, ” he said, adding that he will not tell his children and grandchildren that he was the one who left the nation with a debt they can’t pay off. 
He said that Obama is focused on public relations — he is a community organizer and is a motivational speaker. 
“I want Ronald Reagan back, ” he said. “I want a motivational leader. I want somebody who’s going to motivate me to do more for myself than I’ve ever wanted to do before. ”

Montana’s lone member of the U. S. House of Representatives — and a challenger in the next race for the U. S. Senate — called on Republicans in the state and the nation to come together in backing the parties ideals in the next election. 

“We cannot govern as Republicans in Montana and nationally moving from event to event, ” Rehberg said during the Hill and Blaine county Lincoln-Reagan Day Dinner in Havre Sunday. “There has to be a process of remembering who we are, what we are, what we stand for: faith, because we own faith; family, because we own family, and freedom. ” 

Rehberg, who won his sixth term to the House in November, has declared he will run against U. S. Sen. Jon Tester, D-Mont., in 2012. 

He said the dominance of Democrats in Montana — with two Democratic U. S. senators and all five top offices in the state held by Democrats — is the Republicans’ own fault. Sometimes the party doesn’t seem to have the perseverance it needs to follow things through, he said. 

“You know what, it’s us, ” he said. “We have nobody to blame but ourselves as a party. We’re not electing the great candidates we have because we kind of poop out. ” 

He said the contrasting philosophies are clear — if the voters want senators who vote with President Barack Obama 97 percent of the time, who supported the stimulus bill, and who say they support local management of wolves but also keeping the Secretary of Interior with the final say — “Then that’s your guy. You’ve got two senators” who have supported those policies, Rehberg said. 

“If you want a difference of philosophies, a contrast of positions, then I’m your guy, ” he said. “I’m going to hold their feet to the fire. ” 

He said he wants to get responsibility back into government spending. 

He said, “Spending doesn’t create an economy, getting the government out of the way does, and that's what Republicans stand for. ” 

But wanting to be reasonable, while trying to give people a hand up, can lead to a bad image, Rehberg said. 

“It may seem like we’re heartless, but we’re not …, ” he said. “Any time you say no, somehow you’re cast in the light that somehow, perhaps, you’re not as caring to someone else, and that’s just not true. I think we care more about our families, we care more about our country and our future. ” 

He thanked the members of the military for giving the opportunities the people in America now have. 

“But I want to be able to pass that same thing on to our children and grandchildren, ” he said, adding that he will not tell his children and grandchildren that he was the one who left the nation with a debt they can’t pay off. 

He said that Obama is focused on public relations — he is a community organizer and is a motivational speaker. 

“I want Ronald Reagan back, ” he said. “I want a motivational leader. I want somebody who’s going to motivate me to do more for myself than I’ve ever wanted to do before. ”