Rubio Campaign Press Release - Marco Rubio is the Only Candidate Who Can Cure Government's Over-Spending Problem

March 4, 2016

By Idaho Senator James E. Risch and State Controller Brandon Woolf. 

Risch currently serves the people of Idaho as our U.S. Senator. Previously, he served as Governor of Idaho, Lieutenant Governor, State Senator and county prosecuting attorney. Woolf serves the people of Idaho as their State Controller, one of seven constitutionally elected offices in Idaho.

As a United States Senator and State Controller we have unique insight into a critical problem in America.  Much of the coverage about the Republican presidential nomination seems to focus on the more salacious and base elements of campaigning.  Unfortunately, in this age of instant news and 140-character reporting, while bare-knuckle politics may be a necessary evil, the hard work of dissecting policies and reporting candidate positions is seldom undertaken by the national press.

This is why we are writing to bring your attention to the most serious issue facing America: out-of-control federal spending.  Marco Rubio is the only presidential candidate who has the vision, plan, and horsepower to fix this critical, potentially nation-destroying problem.

The key element of Marco's plan which will prevent the financial failure of our government is to fight for a federal Balanced Budget Amendment.  In Idaho, our constitution requires state government to live within its means by spending no more than it takes in.  Unfortunately, our federal government is not bound by such a constitutional constraint, so there is no barrier to stop the bureaucracy's insatiable appetite for spending your tax dollars.  With Marco as president, we believe there will be an opportunity to amend the U.S. Constitution to mandate a balanced federal budget.

Marco Rubio supports line-item veto authority to cut wasteful spending, and so do we.  Given the complex nature of the budgeting and appropriation process, there are too many opportunities and incentives for bureaucrats to fatten the budget.  We believe that with line item veto authority, budgets and spending under Marco's presidency would be much, much leaner.  Additionally, Marco's plan includes a permanent ban on pork-barrel earmarks, which again, we strongly support.

Coupled with Marco's other ideas for slashing the bloated federal workforce in Washington D.C., opposing corporate welfare, preventing massive and irresponsible spending bills, and allowing states to use otherwise-wasted federal funds to pay down federal debt, it is clear to us that only one candidate is serious about fixing the federal government's addiction to spending, Marco Rubio.

Marco is committed to stopping government waste.  He has a roadmap to grow the U.S. economy.  And most importantly, Marco has a plan and is prepared to make the hard decisions which will ensure our great nation is fiscally solvent when our children and grandchildren inherit it.  For these reasons, and many others, we are proud to support Senator Marco Rubio in his bid to be the next President of the United States of America.  We ask that you please join us in our efforts to help protect America from financial ruin by casting your vote for Marco Rubio in the Idaho Republican primary election on Tuesday, March 8.