Rob Bishop: “from the beginning of this country, there has always been some confusion or at least debate over what is the role of the…”

“from the beginning of this country, there has always been some confusion or at least debate over what is the role of the Federal Government vis-a-vis the State government. It was President Andrew Jackson who actually derailed the Mayes Bill Road, claiming that it was wrong for the Federal Government to actually spend Federal dollars on road projects. In the post-Civil War time is when the Federal Government started giving more and more grants to States, especially for land grant colleges, which is why so many schools have Aggies, especially in the West. But it was in the 1960s when the Federal Government significantly increased the kinds of programs and the amount of money that was given to cash-starved States, and we ramped up ever since that time with more and more funds and more and more money that have been given to States. Now, I was a State legislator and I understand the problems with the process if you are trying to establish a budget by the State with a four- or five- or six-to-one match, so the States can put a dollar in, and they will get $4 or $5 or $6, even in some cases $10, of Federal money back. States could easily provide services without having to raise State tax money at the same time. It is an easy thing to do. However, once that situation took place and the States accepted the Federal money, then the requirements came in.…”