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January 25, 2012 in City
Inland Northwest lawmakers respond to State of the Union
President Barack Obama was right in calling for more jobs, more energy and fairer taxes during his State of the Union address, members of the Washington and Idaho congressional delegations agreed Tuesday night.
Republicans among them, however, were skeptical that actions would match the words.
“He had a good delivery, as he always does,” Sen. Jim Risch, R-Idaho, said. “But this was clearly a political speech.”
Obama is correct the federal government has too many regulations that strangle business, Risch said. But the president has promised to rein in the bureaucracy and cut regulations before. A previous result highlighted by Obama in the address was the elimination of a rule that required dairy farmers to prove they could contain milk spills. But in the same year federal agencies added tens of thousands of pages of rules, Risch said.
“A lot of lofty rhetoric, but no action,” said Rep. Raul Labrador, R-Idaho.
He disagreed with Obama’s call for tax breaks to help small business and increase jobs: “I personally want to get rid of all tax breaks in favor of a flat tax.”
But he agreed with Obama on banning insider trading for members of Congress and has co-sponsored a bipartisan bill that would do that. In most cases, the rules of the House don’t allow insider trading, he said, but if there are loopholes to close, that would be important for public confidence.
Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers, R-Wash., said Obama “covered a lot of ground” but the speech wasn’t as focused as in years past.
“What I heard from the president tonight was mostly a defense of his failed policies, and after three years of economic turmoil, that is no longer acceptable to the people of Eastern Washington or the American people,” McMorris Rodgers said. “I would say the president needs to work with us on all the legislation.”
Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., said in a prepared statement that she shares Obama’s vision of policies that get people back to work, help families and create a solid foundation for long-term growth. “Too often the conversations here in Congress are dominated by Republicans who are focused above all else on cutting programs families depend on, eliminating supports for the middle class and ending investments in the future of our great nation.”
But Sen. Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, wondered how some of Obama’s initiatives were going to be paid for without adding to the deficit. Disagreements aren’t always between Democrats and Republicans, he added.
“There are several projects that have bipartisan support but lack support from the White House,” Crapo said, including the Keystone XL pipeline extension that could have been part of Obama’s “all of the above” strategy for more energy.
Phoebe Zhang, a student in the University of Missouri Journalism School’s Washington, D.C., Reporting Program, contributed to this report.
Judge rules against two-thirds tax law 
WHS on January 25 at 6:32 a.m.
Interesting… This is one of the least “political” articles I have read in a long time. And it actually gives me a little hope that the two major parties can perhaps come to some agreements, instead of just fighting for the sake of fighting.
WHS
slamdunk on January 25 at 8:23 a.m.
Risch and Labrador are to blame for “no action.” They have played the part of obstructionist to anything Obama tries to do. They have outlined clearly that their goal is to make him a one-term president. It’s high time for Risch, Labrador, and Crapo to be gone! At this time, the only other alternative to Obama is the flying circus for the wealthy called the republican primary. Who wants Mitt? Who wants Newtwit? Who wants Santorum? These guys are a serious joke. Romney’s saying that we need to “beat” the Taliban tells exactly how far out of touch with reality this circus has become.
terrymr on January 25 at 9:13 a.m.
That “tens of thousands of pages of rules” thing has been debunked so many times its ridiculous.
Shadedmuse on January 25 at 9:34 a.m.
Cathy mcmo-Mo and your boy are a big part of the problem what is wrong with this nation, so dont be throwing rocks at your glass houses.
MrNatural on January 25 at 11:00 a.m.
Personally I thought it was a very good and inspirational SOTU. I would find it very cynical for anyone not to aspire toward President Obama’s vision for this nation.
I do hope he is successful and gets reelected
Nugget on January 25 at 11:18 a.m.
How surprising it is!!! It is ALWAYS the aspirations of the other party to make the opposition a one term president. So what’s different this time? Nothing.
All last nights speech was was a springboard for his campaign speeches & he had a captive audience of congress & people wanting to believe things might actually change.
Nope, let’s move along. Nothing new here.
peacemonger on January 25 at 12:06 p.m.
Regarding Cathy McMorris:
“What I heard from the president tonight was mostly a defense of his failed policies, and after three years of economic turmoil, that is no longer acceptable to the people of Eastern Washington or the American people,” McMorris Rodgers said. “I would say the president needs to work with us on all the legislation.”
This is exactly what is wrong with our congress! This constant barrage of negativity and hate from the right wing. I really don’t think Cathy is a very good listener. Two years of steady private sector growth is not what I would call failed policies. Getting Osama Bin Ladin, is not what I would call failed policies. Thirty years of trickle down economics is what I would call failed policies. “the president needs to work with us”? Really, what do you think he has been trying to do for the last 3 years?
Even if the President rolled over and gave the Republicant’s everything they wanted, they would still hate him. If he says the sky is blue, they would say no, it’s red. How can any leader work with that childish, irrational mentality? Enough is enough, Obama needs to move on without trying to get any help from the GOP obstructionists. That way his Administration can take full credit for bringing our economy and America back from the brink of a depression. People like Cathy Mc Morris need to go and quit wasting my tax dollars which is probably a higher percentage than what she pays.
greenlibertarian on January 25 at 3:38 p.m.
Nugget on January 25 at 11:18 a.m.
How surprising it is!!! It is ALWAYS the aspirations of the other party to make the opposition a one term president. So what’s different this time? Nothing.
The GOP congressional leadership has said, and acted, very clearly, upon their stated objective, that their #1 priority, exclusive of everything else, is to defeat the president’s re-election, by any and all means necessary. When asked to clarify this objective, they have simply restated it.
meadman on January 25 at 6:31 p.m.
A CBSnews poll today shows that an amazing 91% of those polled support the vision and ideas presented by Obama in the speech!
WillyPeter on January 26 at 6:48 a.m.
meadman - what is more amazing is the fact that President Obama Tuesday night actually was having dinner with high $$$ campaign contributors on Long Island, while this speech was just a taped presentation of last year’s SOTU….chuckle
(or maybe it was the year before….:-)