In an editorial, the Idaho Press Tribune of Nampa-Caldwell takes the minority position that Congressman Raul Labrador was right in opposing a huge spending bill that had federal funding for rural schools attached to it:
Labrador didn’t oppose the measure per se. He’s OK with it as a short-term solution to a long-term problem, the solution for which he says should be reopening lands he calls underutilized to private-sector investments, which would generate the revenue so important to rural communities. He just wanted it as a separate bill. Regardless of whether you agree with him on opening up more lands to private interests, he’s absolutely right about the knack Congress has for cramming a bunch of totally nonrelated pieces of legislation into one mammoth bill with a title like “The America Loves Kids Act,” then bullying their colleagues into voting for it by threatening to label them “kid haters” if they vote against it based on reasonable opposition to one of those unrelated attachments. It’s this kind of tactic that has helped lead our nation to an $18 trillion debt. More here.
Agree/disagree?
Labrador didn’t oppose the measure per se. He’s OK with it as a short-term solution to a long-term problem, the solution for which he says should be re-opening lands he calls underutilized to private-sector investments, which would generate the revenue so important to rural communities. He just wanted it as a separate bill. Regardless of whether you agree with him on opening up more lands to private interests, he’s absolutely right about the knack Congress has for cramming a bunch of totally nonrelated pieces of legislation into one mammoth bill with a title like “The America Loves Kids Act,” then bullying their colleagues into voting for it by threatening to label them “kid haters” if they vote against it based on reasonable opposition to one of those unrelated attachments.
Labrador didn’t oppose the measure per se. He’s OK with it as a short-term solution to a long-term problem, the solution for which he says should be re-opening lands he calls underutilized to private-sector investments, which would generate the revenue so important to rural communities. He just wanted it as a separate bill. Regardless of whether you agree with him on opening up more lands to private interests, he’s absolutely right about the knack Congress has for cramming a bunch of totally nonrelated pieces of legislation into one mammoth bill with a title like “The America Loves Kids Act,” then bullying their colleagues into voting for it by threatening to label them “kid haters” if they vote against it based on reasonable opposition to one of those unrelated attachments. It’s this kind of tactic that has helped lead our nation to an $18 trillion debt.
D.F. (Dave) Oliveria joined The Spokesman-Review in 1984. He currently is a columnist and compiles the Huckleberries Online blog and writes about North Idaho in his Huckleberries column.
