Bulletin for the week of September 3-9, 2010
US Senator Robert Bennet and Provo Rotary Club president Steve Tolley.
Upcoming Luncheon Programs and Club Events
September 16: Annual Rotary Golf Party at Wasatch Mountain State Park – no luncheon meeting
September 23: Chris Montague, Utah Nature Conservancy
September 30: Charlie Morgan, BYU professor, immigration specialist
October 7: Provo Mayor John Curtis and Greg Hudnall, Provo Recreation Center Bond
October 14: Hal Black, BYU Zoology Prof, Bear Bone Facts…bear/human osteo connection
October 21: Secret Lives of Rotary Guys – Exposed!
October 28: Dream Team of Estate and Tax Planning – bring it on!
Report of the Provo Rotary Club meeting held September 2, 2010
The Rotary luncheon was held at the Provo Downtown Marriott Hotel. President Steve Tolley conducted the meeting. Jill Moon lead and Ron Roberts accompanied the singing of the Anthem and Pledge.
Guests:
•Robert Redd introduced his brother, Hardy Redd
•Dean Jackson inroduced his son, AJ
•Bill Bridges introduced his guest, Barney Madsen
Greg Hudnall served as sergeant asking questions about the federal financial reform efforts.
Tom Powell auctioned a hand-made quilt donated by Tamara Tolley to raise funds for the Provo Rotary Charitable Foundation. It was purchased by Ray Beckham.
Ruth Riley introduced US Senator Robert Bennett who spoke about a variety of interesting topics.
•After his final term ends this autumn he may write another book called “The Great Issues and Great Diversions” related to the current US leadership.
•Eleven seats in the US Senate are in play this election. It will be possible but VERY difficult for Republicans to gain most of them. He analyzed the races state-by-state predicting the Senate will end up with 47-48 Republican Senators.
•There are some differences between mainstream GOP candidates and “Tea Party” candidates in the Senate. It will take some melding and organizing by the Senate leaders to gain unity.
•In his opinion we are in difficult times, but not the most difficult the US has faced. He reflected on how difficult things were in 1865 with slavery ending, states seceding, etc. His forecast is that country’s the most difficult challenges lie ahead with federal financial management. The country has excessive debt. Entitlement spending is the largest single item in the US budget followed by interest on the nation’s debts. Earmarks, which gain so much publicity, make up only around 1% of the US spending.
•America is still the strongest nation in the world and will survive.
