[Vision2020] May primary looms; Labrador, Ringo step up stumping efforts

[Moscow Cares]

Restore confidence in congress, V-Peeps, and vote your conscience.

http://www.TomandRodna.com/Soundbites/Better_Alternative.mp3

Courtesy of today's (April 23, 2014) Lewiston Tribune.

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May primary looms; Labrador, Ringo step up stumping efforts
Democrat hopes time's ripe for change of party in Idaho congressional seat
With a month to go before the May 20 primary election, the presumed front-runners in Idaho's 1st Congressional District race are actively working the campaign trail.
Congressman Raul Labrador, the likely Republican nominee, was in Boise Tuesday to officially launch his campaign for a third term.
His probable Democratic opponent and former legislative colleague, state Rep. Shirley Ringo of Moscow, was in Lewiston Monday for a series of meetings and interviews.
Ringo, 73, acknowledged that unseating Labrador is an uphill battle, but she thinks her message of "opportunity, commitment and trust" will resonate with voters - particularly in light of Congress' dysfunctional behavior.
"Congressman Labrador is one of the leading forces in that ineffectiveness," she said. "When you look at his willingness to shut down the government (last October) in order to stop the Affordable Care Act, that doesn't speak well to his idea of how government should work."
A number of moderate Republicans are "completely fed up" with the behavior of the far right, Ringo said, and she expects to capture some of their votes. Hispanics are another potential source of support, as are women voters and young people who want to stay in Idaho.
"Young people want better opportunities for living-wage jobs," she said. "That's been one of the biggest problems in Idaho. I've supported an increase in the minimum wage. I'd start with $10 or $11 an hour; that's still not a living wage, but it would make things better for the people of Idaho."
Although some analysts suggest raising the minimum wage will result in fewer jobs, Ringo said her research doesn't support that conclusion. Overall, she believes the move would benefit the entire economy by increasing consumer income.
Labrador's resistance to raising the minimum wage - including his comment last year that his mother improved her income by acquiring skills and moving into a management position at McDonald's, rather than simply demanding an increase in the minimum wage - isn't helping to resolve a huge national problem, she said.
"If you look at the actions he's taken, they're not the kind of things that help families and individuals succeed," Ringo said. "That's one of my biggest objections to him. I'm running because I want to help individuals do better, and I've demonstrated my commitment to that."
In a telephone interview Tuesday, Labrador declined to address Ringo's comments directly.
"She has to win the Democratic primary before I worry about what she has to say," he said.
Ringo has one primary opponent, while Labrador has four. He said he deserves another term in Congress because he's kept his commitment to voters and done what he said he'd do.
"I told people I would fight for less government, less spending and more accountable government, and I've done that," he said. "The mission's not complete, but over the last three years, more people are employed because people like me are in Washington, D.C. We've also cut spending, and there's more accountability."
Whereas Ringo said her focus in Congress would be "the appropriate use of government to increase opportunities" for individuals - including education, infrastructure and safety net programs - Labrador said his focus is on reducing the federal footprint.
"The way Idaho can prosper and thrive is by reducing the federal footprint," he said. "Democrats complain about Idaho's low per-capita income, but one of the reasons for that is we aren't able to take advantage of our natural resources, with timber and mining. That's where most of the wealth in Idaho came from."
Labrador has tried to address this issue legislatively, introducing a measure that would transfer 200,000 acres of federal forest land to Idaho to be managed under state forestry laws. He also introduced a bill that would require congressional approval of any new regulations that have an economic effect greater than $100 million.
"Democrats don't want me in Congress because they want more spending and taxes," he said. "To them, every problem has a government solution. When you have an administration that's doing everything it can to make government bigger, there are going to be fights - and I think Idahoans are pretty happy with the fight I've taken to Washington."
Only registered Republicans will be allowed to vote in the Republican primary, although unaffiliated voters can register as Republicans on Election Day. The Idaho Democratic Party allows anyone to vote in the Democratic primary.
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Seeya at the polls, Moscow, because . . .

"Moscow Cares" 
http://www.MoscowCares.com
  
Tom Hansen
Moscow, Idaho
 
  
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