Rep. Raul Grijalva of Arizona is the Democratic chairman of the House Natural Resources Committee, serves on the Committee on Education and the Workforce, and is the former co-chairman of the Congressional Progressive Caucus.
Grijalva, 72, started his career as a community organizer in Tucson before serving in various elected roles locally before becoming a congressman in 2003. He and his wife Ramona have three daughters, and Grijalva is a Catholic. He spoke to the Washington Examiner about the current debate over the economic future of the United States.
Washington Examiner: What do you think about the constant debate between capitalism versus socialism and economic redistribution? What is the direction that you would like to see the country take?
Raul Grijalva: Corporate America and the wealthiest in this country are not paying their fair share, period. They need to pay their share, and with that comes the opportunity to invest in some things that we need, particularly after this pandemic because you’re not just rebuilding an economy, you’re trying to rebuild our society. That involves schools, that involves healthcare, and that involves necessary job training and retraining. And that costs money, and the entity that has always done it has been the government, I think. And it will continue to do it. So, we have to invest in those areas, and that costs money in order to rebuild, and if we were all in the same boat, then corporate America needs to do more of its share, period.
Washington Examiner: What do you say to those who believe much more in the power of the private sector and free markets to provide better services and improve people’s lives than the government does?
Grijalva: I’m all for a free and competitive market. Again, the keyword there is “competitive.” I think what helps make a competitive market is that everybody’s paying their fair share of taxes. What makes it competitive is that you don’t have regulatory schemes of codes that favor one over another. I think that makes it competitive. What makes it competitive is if you’re not shipping jobs overseas. What makes it competitive is that there’s accountability and responsibility and disclosure on the part of corporate America and the financial institutions. So, I think if we’re going to have free markets, they need to be competitive, but there should be no favorites, and that’s how pure markets should work. And I don’t think there’s anything wrong with that.
Washington Examiner: If corporations and the wealthy pay a greater share into the pool of taxes, what do you think should be done with that extra money? If Democrats continue to control the House and maybe control the Senate, what would you say are the top two or three things to do with this larger pot of money?
Grijalva: You invest in the American people. You invest in public health, and that includes climate change, and you invest in education, and you invest in healthcare, so it’s a reality for all Americans, and so, yeah, you have to invest in those things, and so, I would say those are the top three.
Washington Examiner: What would you say are the top three agencies or top three areas of the federal government that you think need to be reformed or looked at to maybe cut funding?
Grijalva: I think every committee in Congress has the responsibility to do it, and so, obviously, I think you look especially at the Pentagon and its contracts with outside entities. I mean, you have to, and if you don’t, you’re not going to prioritize the budget. If, like the Republicans say, there’s nothing sacrosanct in the budget, then you look at all of it, and that includes the military, obviously, being the agency that receives the most taxpayer money.
Washington Examiner: Beyond the military, what would be one or two other big areas that you think we could make some significant cuts within the federal budget next year?
Grijalva: I mean, most agencies that I know of with probably the notable exception of the military and the Pentagon have been taking cuts now for 10-15 years or so, and certainly in the last three and a half. So, at some point, you got to stop that train and say, “OK, what do we need for these federal functions to fully serve the American people?” And then you go from there. Just talking about cutbacks is a self-defeating prophecy, and you get caught into a corner where that’s all you talk about, and I don’t think you do that.
Washington Examiner: Is there anything else that you think voters should know about Republican actions and initiatives when it comes to the economy and their approach over the past few years?
Grijalva: I really believe that people need to know that the people that Trump railed against when he ran in 2016, the elite, the big business, that those people and particularly big businesses and industry are firmly in charge of the economic policy of this administration, and it shows in their profits, and it shows in their strong survival during the pandemic. The stock market is doing well, but my neighbor is not. He’s laid off, and his wife’s been cut to half time. So, you know, who’s getting hurt right now? I think if people see that, they’ll understand what the difference is.
