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Costa: Bailout plan had pork, but was needed

By JAMES BURGER, Californian staff writer
jburger@bakersfield.com | Tuesday, Oct 7 2008 5:58 PM

Last Updated: Wednesday, Oct 8 2008 7:23 AM

U.S. Rep. Jim Costa, D-Fresno, spoke to the editorial board of The Californian Tuesday about the financial market bailout, his work in office and what financial struggles may be coming.

Costa voted for the financial bailout bill twice last week — both before and after, as he put it, the Senate put sizable chunks of pork in the deal.

The bailout was needed, he said. The bleeding had to be stopped.

Costa said it will be up to the new president and congressional leaders to come together, put politics aside and discipline themselves to dig the country out of its financial hole.

“We have been living on a credit card. We can’t continue to do that,” he said.

Costa said he hopes this crisis might be motivation for both political parties to look beyond the gaping barriers of partisanship.

“Just maybe this may be the catalyst to try and change that divide,” he said.

But, in order to be a part of the upcoming solutions in Washington, Costa must win re-election in November.

Local Republican neophyte Jim Lopez is running a low-budget, grassroots campaign against a well-funded and experienced Costa.