POST FALLS - Rep. Raul Labrador, R-Idaho, and other conservatives will propose a new part to "Cut, Cap and Balance" as Congress wrestles with the national debt crisis this fall.

Add growth to the mix of cutting spending, capping future spending and balancing the budget.

"There's no way we'll be able to get out of this mess if we don't grow the economy," said Labrador, speaking to the Post Falls Chamber of Commerce at Red Lion Templin's Hotel on Tuesday. "You can't get out of it by taxing people and cutting alone."

Labrador said the only way enough revenue will be reached is if growing the economy is part of the plan.

Tax and regulatory reform, along with energy independence, will be three ways to spark economic growth, Labrador said.

"We want to do the same thing (President Ronald) Reagan did - lower taxes and get rid of loopholes in the tax system that are unfair to most corporations," Labrador said.

Labrador said the nation had unprecedented growth in the '80s under Reagan with tax reform.

"That's the same thing House conservatives are working on," he said. "We were able to receive more revenue even though taxes were cut."

Labrador said every month, the nation's regulatory agencies such as the Environmental Protection Agency are developing 400 new regulations.

"This administration is not willing to ratchet back on the amount of regulations," Labrador said. "I hear about it every day - the agencies are destroying businesses and the way of life."

Labrador praised Rep. Mike Simpson, R-Idaho, for his work to cut back on the agencies' budgets to limit the blow to the economy.

The country is spending $3.5 trillion per year. Forty-two cents of every dollar is borrowed and half of that comes from foreign countries. By comparison, Idaho is spending $2.3 billion per year.

"The U.S. is spending $9 billion every single day to run the federal government and $4 billion is borrowed," Labrador said. "Every 12 hours there's as much borrowed as there is to run the entire state of Idaho.

"We're in a big mess."

Labrador said the Budget Control Act of 2011, which passed the House but didn't fly in the Senate, had the potential to reduce the budget and government spending, but the debt ceiling package didn't go far enough to rid the nation of its fiscal crisis.

"The only way I'm willing to raise the ceiling is if we fundamentally change the way we do business in Washington," he said.

But a key to getting that change will be Republicans presenting a "conservative message in a moderate voice" rather than personal attacks and Senate action, Labrador said.

Labrador said he often hears that people are concerned China will take over the U.S. in the next few years.

"That will be true if we don't change the way we do business," he said. "But if we have unprecedented growth, we'll look at China in the rear-view mirror."

Labrador at fair tonight

n Rep. Raul Labrador, R-Idaho, will hold a meet-and-greet session tonight at the Republican Central Committee's booth at the North Idaho Fair from 6-7 p.m.