Chris Berghorst has spent most of his life making a statement.

During his high school days in Canby he drove a souped-up 1949 Ford pickup he renovated himself. It was so popular, that it was used in the senior class picture.

Today his statement car is not quite so flashy. But it is an eye-grabber.

I first saw his “statement on wheels” in the Fastenal parking lot on Erie Road. He was there for Fastenal’s open house and to get a good look at the NASCAR Ford Fusion that was on display.

While the Stenhouse Jr car was the intended showcased vehicle, Berghorst’s 1980 Toyota Corolla drew a few looks too.

Its red exterior wasn’t so shiny. A trail of rust led from one end to the other along the bottom of it. Pockets of rust also dotted in the other parts of the body. The back seat was full of stuff.

So it wasn’t the car itself that drew the attention. It was the statement painted in white across it on both sides of the car: “MY GOVT. BAILOUT.”

I walked up to Berghorst while he was admiring the Stenhouse Jr car.

“So what’s up with your car?” I asked.

“Remember the George W days?” Berghorst asked.

“I was so mad with what they were doing,” he said. “They were saying on the radio that our money — our hard at work money was bailing out the auto industry and bailing out the housing industry. And all that stuff about people borrowing money they shouldn’t have borrowed. So I had to quit work and I painted my car.”

He claims his statement even reached across the big pond to Europe.

“It shouldn’t be on the road anymore. I had some kids come up to me (while) putting gas in (my car). They know some people over in Europe I guess they took pictures of my car and it’s been all the across Europe.”

Berghorst calls his rusty Toyota a “statement on wheels.”

“So all these years you are still driving it?” I asked.

“That’s my driver. That’s what I drive. I’m a mechanic so I can keep it on the road,” he said. “The message is still relevant to this day.”

“Really?” I asked.

“Oh yea, they are still wasting our money. Don’t you listen to MPR (Minnesota Public Radio). It’s amazing how they waste our money. Absolutely amazing. Thomas Jefferson, our forefather said every 100 years the government should be overthrown by the common folk to get it back to grassroots. We are 200 years past due.”

I then asked him about his thoughts on President Donald Trump.

“I think he could do something if he was allowed to do it,” Berghorst said. “He’s not a politician. So when you are not a politician then you are fighting all the people who are politicians. But that’s just me. What do I know? I’m not there. I’m not trying to fix anything, but I would like to think he’s trying to fix something. But if he is or not, I don’t know.”

“What would you like to see happen in Washington, D.C.? I asked.

“Get down more to grassroots,” he said.

And Minnesota?

“I was listening to (U.S. Sen.) Amy Klobuchar and I actually thinking she’s got her foot in the boot,” he said. “But they can say (anything). They are politicians. They can say one thing and do another thing. It all depends where the money is, and money makes everything work unfortunately. That’s the way it is nowadays.”

“But to take paint brush to your car?” I asked.

“I don’t know. It’s just one of those things I had to do. I couldn’t work anymore and I decided I’m going to paint my car. I had to put that on my car. It’s one of those spur of the moment things to do, I guess,” he said.

So now if you see the strange red car with “MY GOVT. BAILOUT” painted on it, don’t be surprised. It’s just Chris Berghorst making his statement.