At just-past 11 a.m. on Thursday, Aug 28, Vice President JD Vance made a stop on his tour of battleground districts at Mid-City Steel LLC in La Crosse to discuss the One Big Beautiful Bill Act and garner support for representative Derrick Van Orden.
In attendance was Matthew Rust, a delegate from St. Croix County and a supporter of both President Trump and the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. He believes the biggest benefits of the Act are preventing tax hikes and increasing enforcement of immigration policies.
Rust said, “I think it’s just amazing what President Trump is doing. I think after Ronald Reagan, you know, there’s a very similar type of patriotism that’s coming out in our nation. Very similar to what Ronald Reagan did in the ’80s … With what President Trump is doing, we’re going to have long-lasting economic prosperity.”
With Mid-City staff behind him, Vance focused on how he believes the Act, which passed on July 4 of this year, will benefit working Americans. He told the crowd that under the Trump-Vance administration, American manufacturing and factories will be “brought back” instead of jobs being outsourced to other countries, giving families greater financial security.
Vance discussed issues that are being prioritized in the administration, such as fentanyl entering the country, illegal immigration and safety.
He said the Act “gives our incredible law enforcement over a hundred billion dollars to get those drug cartels the hell out of our country once and for all … Why is it that we allowed these Mexican drug cartels to bring this poisonous fentanyl into our communities?”
He mentioned that not one democratic representative voted to implement the One Big Beautiful Bill Act.
“They’re gonna tell you that this bill, which gives you more of your hard-earned money, that they oppose it not because they want to raise your taxes, and they do, but because they’re worried about your healthcare. They are so worried about your healthcare, in fact, that they want to give more and more of your healthcare to illegal immigrants. And that’s exactly why they voted against this bill,” said Vance.
On Wednesday, a school shooting occurred at a Minnesota Catholic school that resulted in 17 injured victims and the death of two children; Vance addressed this incident to the crowd and stated his belief that the root of the problem could be the mental health crisis. A prayer was said for the victims of the tragic shooting.
Vance then took questions from the media, the first of which asked if the National Guard that has been deployed to Washington, D.C. would be assisting with police operations and if a state’s governor could refuse martial law should the National Guard be deployed country-wide.
He answered that Americans should feel safe from crime and posed the question, “How many people have felt scared to walk down the street of an American neighborhood … because those streets are considered ‘no-go’ zones?”
He continued that the President does not intend to force the action onto any area, though the government has the right to when and if they “want to.” He said instead, governors and mayors, such as Mayor Cavalier Johnson of Milwaukee, should invite the National Guard in.
Just down the street from the event, a group of protestors gathered who expressed concern with the contents of the Act, specifically surrounding changes to social security, Medicare and Medicaid, as well as other dissatisfactions with the administration.
Another group of over 150 demonstrators protested at 12 p.m. at Copeland Park along the route Vance was to take when he left the event; However, his route was changed at the last minute and avoided the protesters.
The Racquet Press spoke with Cynthia and Stephanie Sarac, who said they decided to protest because they believe the Trump administration is for the rich rather than the people, especially regarding cuts to social programs.
“This administration is just so frustrating and it’s hurting people I care about,” said Stephanie Sarak.
As for Vance’s change in route, Cynthia Sarak said, “He’s a coward. He spends more time on vacation than he does in DC. I thought it was very cowardly.”
Another protest attendee, who requested to be known only as Patsy, spoke of her disapproval of the National Guard deployment in Washington, D.C. and changes to social programs that are present in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act.
She said, “It’s going to be devastating. People don’t realize it because much of it is not going to take effect until after the election and that was done on purpose. But for people who depend on Medicaid and survive on Medicaid and Medicare, they’re going to be surprised, and it’s going to be devastating.”
To view Vance’s full remarks, click here.
