Things that many Americans would most like to cut, such as foreign aid and farm subsidies, make up relatively tiny slices of the federal budget, while things most don’t want to touch, such as Medicare and Social Security, take far larger portions, U.S. Rep. Jack Kingston showed constituents.

Kingston, the Republican who represents Georgia’s 1st District, held his first town hall meeting of 2011 on Saturday at Bryan County High School in Pembroke. With five local law enforcement officers stationed around the cafeteria, about 80 citizens asked the congressman questions and shared their opinions.

The congressman started off with a slide show that touched on the budget deficit, health care and more. But the slides were only the kickoff, as Kingston took questions and stayed for an hour and a half.

Robert Railey, a retired chemical plant worker from Savannah, said it hurts to look at a piece of furniture in a store, turn it around and see “Vietnam” when he has relatives who have lost jobs in North Carolina.

“I don’t agree that American companies have a right to take our jobs overseas like they do because they’re taking technology that you and I paid for with our tax money. ...,” Railey said. “We’re being spit in the face also by the companies that are taking it overseas. They’re getting a tax break.”

He asked if Kingston would introduce legislation stopping tax breaks for companies that send jobs overseas.

For more, pick up a copy of the Feb. 16 edition of the News.