Mike Simpson in his Own Words

Simpson voted for the $700 billion bank bailout program known as TARP in 2008.

Simpson argues that a proposed amendment "goes too far" in cutting the budgets of the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH), and other agencies. He goes on to say, "You can't just do away with the EPA."

Simpson, who has always loved "bringing home the bacon" to Idaho, argues that the "earmarks" system is a good thing. "You don't want to ban earmarks," he says.

Simpson argues (minute 2:50) that "to suggest that just because it's an earmark (means) it's waste, is a fantasy."

Simpson invokes the  Constitution's "necessary and proper" clause to argue that the TARP federal bank bailout was constitutional.

Simpson supported CHIP (Children's Health Insurance Program, initially called SCHIP), even voting to override President Bush's veto.

Simpson says when he signed a pledge to not raise taxes, he didn't know he was signing a marriage agreement, and that raising taxes would be necessary to bring in more revenue.

Simpson argues (minute 3:30) that the practice of pork barrel spending is a good thing because he knows the needs of Idahoans better than DC-based bureaucrats do.

Simpson proposes to breach four dams along the Snake river (minute 3:52), insisting there is "no viable path that can allow us to keep the dams in place."