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Senator Crapo conducts Town Hall meeting |
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October 11, 2014 |
 U.S.
Senator Mike Crapo attended a Town Hall meeting
in Bonners Ferry Thursday morning, October 9. He
had previously held a similar meeting the day
before at the Idaho Forest Products lumber mill
in Moyie Springs.
The audience at the Bonners Ferry meeting, held
at Memorial Hall at the Fairgrounds, numbered
around 35 people. That number included seven
candidates for local political office, one of
whom was a Democrat--Andrew Sorg, running for
the Idaho House of Representatives, who braved
the Republican ambience to sit in on the
meeting.
Senator Crapo began his one hour meeting with
remarks on the national debt, calling it one of
our biggest pending problems. His belief is that
spending is too high, and although he believes
we need more revenue, he pointed out that does
not mean he thinks taxes are too low. He
believes additional needed revenue can be
obtained by reforming the tax code and
controlling spending.
The national debt "is a huge stifling effect on
our economy," he said.
He also discussed his thinking that problems in
a geographic area are often best addressed by
people who live where the problem is, saying
that people local to the problem generally have
a better capacity for understanding the problem
and possible solutions.
He feels that it is often possible to come up
with solutions that are good for both the
economy and the environment.
At the end of his opening remarks, he opened the
meeting to questions. Questions from those in
attendance included veterans' issues, such as
veterans' benefits and problems in benefits and
medical care. Questions were also asked
regarding congressional funding bills and
whether future bills might include provisions
for another sequestration, and questions on
immigration, the minimum wage, and on
appointments to the Supreme Court.
Senator Crapo ended the meeting by encouraging
those present not to give up on the political
system, and pointed out that grass roots
politics at the local level are very much alive.
"I encourage you," he said, "to engage, not
disengage."
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