Rep. Lois Capps has represented California’s 24th congressional district for sixteen years and is campaigning again for the primaries on June 3.  However, with Capps’ multiple demonstrations of poor leadership, many say it’s time for the incumbent to finally leave Congress.

On December 6, Capps’ field representative, Raymond Morua, struck and killed Mallory Dies as he was driving while intoxicated. Accusations have spread that Morua had prior DUI’s, yet Capps hired him anyways.

According to the San Luis Obispo Tribune, “Mr. Morua has said under oath, under penalty of perjury, that he was on the job,” the plaintiff’s attorney Robert Stoll, Jr. said when discussing the horrific incident.

As a result of Rep. Capps’ choices — which reflect poorly on the district in general — it is time to elect a representative that fights for our generation. Currently, no member of Congress is under the age of thirty.

Congressional candidate Justin Fareed is not only young — 25 years old — but also has legislative experience, knows the district better than any candidate (since he was raised in Santa Barbara) and understands the significance of communication across party lines.

“Everyone is losing because of the petty bickering in Washington, D.C., and it actually impacts our generation the most,” Fareed said. “I think we should create a sunset clause as a default. The clause will give an expiration date on programs so members of Congress have more opportunities to debate and force constant collaboration.”

Fareed also said, “Capps takes extreme positions on the far left. Unfortunately, we are approaching a future where our federal programs are becoming insolvent, and the only way to fix it is [by] collaborating amongst all members.”

As a third-generation rancher, Fareed prioritizes environmental issues more than many conservatives, which is crucial for our district.

“I’m extremely conscious about the environment and support renewable energy, solar power and hydropower. My first piece of legislation for this district will have to do with water, since our district has potential with two desalination plants that we can explore immediately,” Fareed said.

Many United States citizens are concerned with the national debt. Unfortunately, Congress members on the far left think the answer to our problems is spending more money, and this must stop. Fareed is a candidate who understands what it means for our generation to have the nation in debt.

When speaking on the national debt, Fareed states, “Our government is spending, on average, $2.7 billion a day. Our national debt is approaching $18 trillion, and every dollar spent in debt today is another tax on the next generation.”

Of all of the congressional candidates, Fareed is the only promising one for our district. His integrity, vision and ideas make every candidate look weak in comparison, because his clean record and legislative experience can benefit our district drastically.

Our district needs to elect a representative that will bring forth new ideas and not continue to repeat radical views that have been preached for sixteen years too long.

Austin Yack thinks it’s time for a little spring cleaning.

This is a Daily Nexus online exclusive.
The views expressed on the Opinion page do not necessarily reflect those of the Daily Nexus or UCSB. Opinions are submitted primarily by students.
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