Labrador: U.S. has 'spending problem'

SANDPOINT — Government spending was the hot topic at the Panhandle State Bank building Friday afternoon when Rep. Raul Labrador, R-Idaho, came to visit.

The freshman congressman returned from Washington, D.C., to check in on his district and answer the questions of those curious about activity at the Capitol.

“It’s always great to be up here in God’s country,” he said.

Labrador said that his efforts in Washington centered around cutting government spending. As it turned out, that was the primary subject on the attendees’ minds.

“We have a $4.5 trillion government budget, and 40 percent of that is funded through borrowing,” Labrador said. “Our problem is a spending problem.”

One attendee wondered why Republican representatives were only attempting to cut $60 billion from the budget. Labrador said that smaller cuts now would pave the way for larger spending reductions in the future.

“We’re curbing spending now so we can change policies in the future,” he said.

Another resident suggested that a higher tax on the wealthy could help alleviate the country’s revenue problems. Labrador said he didn’t believe such an approach would contribute toward job creation.

“The lack of job creation is the problem, and I don’t think taxing the people that make money is going to encourage them to hire more people,” he said. “I want to bring in revenue by creating an environment that promotes economic growth.”

He also mentioned that he liked the idea of simplifying the system with a flat tax and no exemptions.

In response to a question about his biggest frustrations in Washington, Labrador cited both personal and political examples. While the separation from his family was his greatest personal hardship, he also was aggravated by the combative debates over budget cuts.

To questions like the future of public transportation or programs like Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security, Labrador said that block grants allowing states more control were an attractive option to him.

Labrador said that the highly contentious environment of national politics took some adjustments. However, the basics of mutual respect lessened that difficulty.

“In many cases, my job as a representative means saying ‘I disagree’ in an agreeable way,” he said.