Regulatory rigmarole

Working in Washington, D.C., has helped freshman Rep. Raul Labrador see his Idaho a little more clearly.

"Here, Republicans and Democrats are not that different," he said during a recent meeting with The Press editorial board. "There, the differences are much greater."

Labrador estimated that Idaho Democrats and Republicans differ on roughly 30 percent of issues. But in our nation's capital, he guessed the differences are closer to 80 percent.

For example, Labrador has heard political and academic leaders try to convince Congress that regulations are good for the U.S. economy. The alleged logic is that additional regulations require more jobs in government. Because more regulatory jobs are created in government, the private sector must then hire more people to comply with regulations. Conclusion: Adding layers of regulation stimulates job growth, so it must be good.

This manner of thinking is so foreign to Labrador, and to us, that it's easy to feel dispirited. It's as if we're not all speaking the same language. Government produces no products; it merely manages what others have created. It spends others' money; it generates none of its own. That's a key reason the proliferation of government jobs, often at the expense of private sector jobs, is so disturbing.

We're not suggesting all regulations are evil. Some are vitally important. For instance, imagine flying without any regulatory authority over the skies from air traffic control. But it's hard to grasp that anyone could ethically or intelligently argue that increasing layers of regulation is a boon to the American economy, yet that thinking drives policy decisions.

In his freshman term, Labrador has done well in representing the interests of Idahoans. He defies the type of thinking outlined in the example above, and he's not hesitant to join with Democrats on legislation that is beneficial to his constituents, as he did by co-sponsoring a recent grazing bill. Labrador also receives high marks for outstanding constituent services - a model he says he adopted from his predecessor, Democratic Rep. Walt Minnick. In fact, Labrador and Minnick, who now works in D.C., talk often, Labrador said.

As demoralizing and illogical as some of the thinking is in our nation's capital, Labrador sheds further light on one of the things that makes Idaho great. We can get past our differences and work together for the good of the entire state, balancing our budget without overburdening taxpayers. It's a model that Washington, D.C., would do well to emulate.