Our country has never cried out for new leadership the way it does right now. After our first-ever credit downgrade, we are now on the brink of the fiscal cliff, which will plunge us into recession, sequestration and compromised national security. We are mired in economic crisis, and we can’t expect new and different results from the same people who pulled us to the edge in the first place.
There are a lot of reasons why Raul Labrador should be a good congressman. Resumes, however, do not always determine results. He’s an immigration lawyer who says he’s given up on comprehensive immigration reform. He’s a deficit hawk who refuses to fix the deficit. He’s regularly invited on national media to share his influence, yet he cannot even influence other Republicans to agree with him.
As the Idaho Statesman said, “Fiscal health is the most urgent issue facing Congress.” In its endorsement of Congressman Labrador, the Statesman admitted that his refusal to consider a balanced approach to debt reduction is “troubling.” Troubling is right, but that should be more than just a minor reservation or an afterthought; it effectively removes him from the discussion, taking away the entire First District’s seat at the table.
I was born and raised in the First District. I’ve covered over 27,000 miles over the past year listening to what Idahoans need me to do for them in Washington. I know Idaho inside and out, and I know the issues inside and out. I’ve used the same dedication and tenacity that I used to make it into the NFL to prepare to represent the state that made me who I am.
The Statesman said that this is no time to bring in a rookie, but I couldn’t disagree more. This is no time to trust someone who has continually proven that he is unable to work with others — even those in his own party — to solve our fiscal crisis. This is no time to turn our backs on Idaho jobs and Idaho industries. This is no time to squander our voice in Congress by giving it to a representative who will not show up and use it. This is the time to say in no uncertain terms that we are tired of ineffective representation – and we are ready for a change.
Jimmy Farris, Meridian, is the Democratic Party candidate in the 1st Congressional District
