Spokane7
50°
May 18, 2010 in Idaho
Raul Labrador stresses cost-cutting, energy in economic plan
Idaho Republican congressional candidate Raul Labrador on Tuesday unveiled a plan for economic prosperity that leans heavily on the state developing a more robust nuclear power industry and exporting this “safe, cheap” energy to other western states.
With the primary looming Tuesday, Labrador is in a heated race with Vaughn Ward for the GOP nomination for Idaho’s 1st District seat. The winner will challenge Democratic congressman Walt Minnick in the general election.
Labrador’s plan calls for capping future bailouts for entities like the mortgage giant Fannie Mae; for a department-by-department audit of the federal government; and for the elimination of President Barack Obama’s health care plan and, eventually, of the Department of Education.
But cutting government spending will only go so far, Labrador said; the country must grow its way out of debt. The best chance for helping the private sector grow, he said, is focusing on energy production, which has the added benefit of helping decrease reliance on foreign oil.
Ward’s campaign was quick to reply that most of Labrador’s economic development ideas are positions Ward had been advocating for months prior to Labrador entering the race.
“Cutting budgets and cutting spending has been a primary goal and primary issue for Vaughn since the beginning of the campaign, before Raul ever got into the campaign,” said Mike Tracy, Ward’s spokesman. “Vaughn was talking about nuclear energy before Raul even got into the campaign. It’s not a new idea by any stretch of the imagination.”
Labrador said with the Idaho National Laboratory, the state has one of the world’s leading research facilities on nuclear power and called for its mission to be revamped so that private developers would have access to the technical resources available there.
In addition, Labrador, an immigration and criminal law attorney, called for litigation reform to limit lawsuits by environmental groups, which, he said, prevent developers from financing nuclear power plants. He wants to create an ombudsman’s office in the Department of Energy to help developers work through permitting and environmental regulations.
“The culture around energy production needs to change,” Labrador said. “Government must see its role as helping the development of this tremendous resource, rather than one of obstruction and regulation.”
Lastly, Labrador said government spending must be retooled to be guided by three priorities: national defense, protecting the elderly and stimulating economic development. As such, he’d like to conduct a thorough performance audit of the Education Department with an eye to eliminating it one day, he said. It’s inappropriate, he said, for the federal government to be involved in an area of policy better managed by states, local governments and parents.
“We need to start slashing,” he said. Part of the money saved would go to deficit reduction and additional money would be available to states to fund STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) grants and scholarships for high school and college kids.
“If we are going to build a high-tech future for Idaho,” he said, “we will need to develop a work force that is second to none.”
Two Fernwood residents dead after Monday accident 
misjustice on May 18 at 7:42 p.m.
So what are Labrador’s plans for the waste produced by nuclear energy? And just where is he planning on building the reactors? Certainly not in the Boise area? NIMBY will catch him on that issue. Does Three Mile Island mean anything?
oneanddone on May 19 at 5:00 a.m.
Misjustice is just another voice in the wilderness that thinks her electrical outlet could be connected to the ether somewhere. If you’re a libdem you don’t want nuclear power, coal, oil, or any other energy source that annoys someone. It has to come from somewhere and a bizillion windmills and/or solar collectors won’t come close to getting the job done. Be realistic.
tinybobidaho on May 19 at 7:29 a.m.
The first thing Labrador would do is vote for amnesty for all the illegal aliens in this country regardless of the crimes they have committted. A good example is when he fought in Appeals court for an admitted human smuggler. After this criminal served his time here in prison, Labrador fought to keep this criminal from being deported even though he knew the guy was wanted for murder in his own country. He was willing to put Idahoans at risk by letting this criminal roam our streets. This idiot shouldn’t get anywhere near a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives. And he’s lying about his stance on illegal immigration just to get votes. He’s been asked many times what he would do with all the illegals here, and still has never answered the question.
htomfields on May 19 at 9:48 a.m.
There is a new podcast posted today from INL’s Lab Director John Grossenbacher in which he talks about the nation’s energy needs and the national mood about nuclear energy. http://www.facebook.com/idahonationallaboratory
misjustice on May 19 at 10:20 p.m.
I did not say that I opposed nuclear energy, oneoverdone, I merely posted questions that your boy Labrador will have to answer during the campaign cycle…you assumed everything beyond that…typical…