Des Moines Register - Soapbox: David Young Vows to be "Watchdog" in Congress
News Article
By William Petroski
NAME: David Young
OFFICE SOUGHT: U.S. House, Iowa's 3rd Congressional District, covering 16 counties in southwest Iowa, including the Des Moines area and Council Bluffs.
OPPONENTS: Staci Appel, Ackworth Democrat; and Edward Wright, Libertarian Party from Guthrie Center.
NOTABLE: Young, a Republican from Van Meter and a former chief of staff for U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley, told an Iowa State Fair audience on Wednesday that the federal budget deficit needs to be reduced and accountability in government increased. He promised strong oversight of federal programs and bureaucrats of the type offered by Grassley, who has called federal officials on the carpet at congressional hearings, asked tough questions, and sought more scrutiny to eliminate government fraud and abuse.
"I will be a taxpayer watchdog for Iowa," he promised, adding he will work to help restore the public's trust in government.
CROWD: About 80 people, including friends and family from the Adel-Van Meter area in Dallas County. They wore green T-shirts in support of his campaign for Congress
OTHER ISSUES: Young criticized President Barack Obama's Affordable Care Act, saying it's hurting the economy. He said he favors more transparency and market competition in health insurance programs. He called for construction of the Keystone XL pipeline to "get us off the trough of Middle Eastern oil." He also said the national unemployment rate is too high, which he believes requires Congress to embrace policies that generate more economic opportunities.
QUOTE: "We have almost an $18 trillion dollar budget debt. Isn't that astounding? I can hardly quantify that. We have to change the way we budget in Washington. They have to balance their budgets."
REACTION: Young showed up about five minutes late after getting stuck behind a traffic crash en route to the fair. The friendly audience listened closely throughout his remarks and offered enthusiastic applause and cheers when he was finished. He then worked the crowd for about 15 minutes, shaking hands and chatting with people.
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