Schrader tackles issues at town hall
He fields several questions, many related to money
4:16 AM, Feb. 27, 2011

Written by
Justin Much

"If I was king for a day, I would wipe out all the tax breaks."

Rep. Kurt Schrader, D-Ore., conveyed that to the Statesman Journal in a Friday afternoon editorial board meeting, and he reiterated it Saturday morning at Salem Public Library.

About 100 people attended the town hall meeting in the library's Loucks Auditorium.

Schrader fielded about 15 questions from the audience during the hourlong session, with varied queries touching on issues including tax policies, Social Security, student-loan debt, illegal immigration, job creation, Planned Parenthood and the national debt.

Schrader answered the questions — and even shushed the audience when a number of them openly complained about a woman whose stance against Planned Parenthood became a several-minute speech before a question emerged.

"Let her finish," Schrader admonished crowd members who yelled at the woman.

Several questions hinged on money issues, including fair taxation policies. Some people said that tax burdens are shouldered by lower and moderate incomes while higher-income earners are getting breaks.

Schrader emphasized his advocacy of a zero-option policy, in which tax breaks are wiped out. He said he favors lowering taxes for corporations as a means to stimulate job growth and provide incentives for companies to set up shop and stay in the United States.

He said that once a zero-option policy is implemented, certain tax breaks then could be strategically targeted and instilled later where needed, such as for people with disabilities.

"That way we are not picking winners and losers (within the tax system)," he said. "We are just making it fair."

He also said there is a good possibility of such a policy materializing because the concept has bipartisan support.

Schrader also said that the United States needs to tighten border security, but as a Canby farmer he also pointed out that many immigrants fill a labor need. He advocated issuing permits for those already in the U.S. who work.

Schrader, who is a member of the House's "Blue Dog Coalition" advocating fiscal responsibility, said that budget discrepancies between Democrats and Republicans could shut down the government next week, but he said he hopes and believes there will be an extension of time to work out differences.

He also said that impressions of a partisan impasse in Congress are exaggerated, primarily through electronic media.

"(Congress) is not as divisive as I think the American people are led to believe on TV," he said.

One questioner challenged Schrader's immediate response in early January to the shooting of Arizona Rep. Gabriella Giffords in Tucson. At the time, Schrader lashed out at right-wing media and implied that they were responsible for inciting a politically motivated crime.

"That's a fair question," Schrader said, then he added unapologetically that right- and left-wing fringe groups propagate discourse that's "far from reality."

"I don't think that (fringe discourse) is appropriate," Schrader said. "When Gabby went down, I began to feel guilty that I haven't spoken out about this before."

Schrader stressed that the Arizona shooter sought out a Democratic representative in a Republican state, and he used the word "assassinate," which imbued the crime with a political overtone.

"That's what I thought then, and that's what I still think," Schrader said.

jmuch@StatesmanJournal.com or (503) 399-6736 or follow at twitter.com/sybolies

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