Below in bold, Crapo sounds like he is against amnesty, yet everytime something comes up on the Senate floor, we have to practically twist his arm to get him to vote with us, instead of for the illegal aliens.


Health on Crapo's, community's mind
Posted: Tuesday, Aug 25, 2009 - 08:24:21 am PDT
Email this story Printer friendly version By BRIAN WALKER
Staff writer
JEROME A. POLLOS/Press

Senator Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, discusses how proposed bills are handled between the House and the Senate during a Rathdrum Chamber of Commerce lunch Monday.
Stop in Rathdrum yields reform questions

RATHDRUM -- It wasn't another rowdy meeting on health care reform.

But the topic Monday was still foremost in the minds of many attendees of a stop for U.S. Sen. Mike Crapo.

The Idaho Republican, who spoke to about 55 people during the Rathdrum Chamber lunch at Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church, said he opposes a health care system run by the federal government that would be mandatory for everyone. He argued, however, that reform is needed.

"When most Americans think of reform, they think of the cost (for care) going up, it's harder to keep quality insurance and access to health care," Crapo said. "It's those things we ought to focus on.

"If we can ever get past the question of socializing our health care, we are very capable of reducing the cost up to 20 percent and some say as high as 30 percent without reducing quality or access."

One man who identified himself as Tom told Crapo that his wife's and daughter's Medicare premiums increased 50 percent in one year.

Crapo said he hasn't heard of such a large increase, but is aware of double-digit hikes in recent years.

Crapo said he's pushing for fiscally responsible policies that offer private market choices and protect people's rights to keep their own doctor and to make their own health care decisions.

Switching gears, Ron Johnson wondered when construction of nuclear plants would be revived.

While Crapo said the country is too dependent on foreign petroleum and more energy diversification is needed, he offered a glimmer of hope for the Rathdrum man.

"We have legislation in place to help the permitting process run more smoothly," said Crapo, referring to government-backed loans for infrastructure.

Crapo blasted the administration for engaging in industry bailouts and pushing the country to the brink of a $2 trillion debt, which doesn't include the stimulus package.

"Frankly, I think people need to speak up on spending," he said, adding that much of the country's debt is handled by other nations. "If China loses confidence in the American dollar, that's going to cause large problems with the U.S. economy."

Crapo won support from the crowd for his effort to have an audit of the Federal Reserve and opposing immigration reform that would allow illegal aliens who enter the country to gain amnesty.

Crapo later honored Paul and Lorna Finman, owners of LCF Enterprises in Post Falls, with a Spirit of Idaho Award for their support of science education.

The Finmans founded the nonprofit North Idaho Discovery Association, which creates opportunities for area youth in science and technology, and hope to build a youth science center in the Rathdrum area.


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