Congressman Jim Matheson came to address students at Bingham on Friday, February 22nd from ten a.m. to eleven a.m. Students in Political Science, U.S. Government, and Constitutional Law classes were invited to attend in the auditorium.

The congressman said his intention of coming to Bingham was to interact with the community and get to know the people he represents. He began by sharing a few insights on what he does, then opened the floor for questions.

Throughout the hour, several questions were asked regarding his opinions on issues affecting the state and nation. A student asked what he thought should be done about taxes. “I believe that people focus too much on whether we should raise or lower taxes. The problem isn’t with raising and lowering them, it’s with the tax code. We need a new tax code. The one we are using now was made in 1986, and it can’t be used with a 21st century economy,” he replied.

Another student asked why he claims to be a Democrat when he votes with a Conservative view most of the time in Congress. “Growing up, politics were a large part of my household. I grew up in a Democrat home. The first Democrat in my family was my great-great-grandmother. I also believe that out of the two platform parties it has a broader view,” he said in response.

Senior Briana Philbrick said she enjoyed watching the congressman speak. “My favorite part was when he compared Congress to Swiss cheese. He said there were more holes than cheese at this point. It was funny,” she said.

Toward the end of his visit, Principal Tom Hicks presented Congressman Matheson with a Bingham pin as a thank you for coming. After a closing applause, students waited in line to talk to take pictures with, talk to, and get the autograph of Matheson. It was the second year in a row he has made a visit to the school.