A small but inquisitive crowd came out for an opportunity for a one-on-one with Rep. Bobby Bright on Friday.

The meeting was held inside W.O. Parmer’s cafeteria.

After a short introduction by Superintendent Darren Douthitt, Bright addressed the crowd before opening up the floor for questions.

“There is more to being in Congress than just voting yea or nay,” Bright said. “The key is being out in the district, hearing people’s concerns and seeing the look in their eyes.”

Bright came down on what he saw as rampant partisanship on Capitol Hill.

“We are too divided, and what we are doing right now is only making it deeper and wider,” Bright said. “It’s about being an American, not a Republican or a Democrat.”

When Bright opened up the floor for questions, circuit clerk Allen Stevenson asked if the stimulus was doing what it was supposed to.

“Personally, I opposed the stimulus because it was too large and didn’t focus enough or infrastructure,” Bright said. “There were too many soft projects—when you are using taxpayer’s money, you want them to see what they are paying for.”

The stimulus, he said, most likely prevented us from descending into a great depression scenario, though no one can be sure if this would have ever happened. What the stimulus did do, Bright said, was put the country farther in debt.

“I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but our government is broke,” Bright said. “Our economy is like a ship slowly sinking underwater. We don’t need any more cargo or financial responsibilities that would continue pulling the ship down.”

Healthcare, Bright said, was one of these pieces of cargo.

“I am not suggesting we repeal the whole thing and lose 2 years of legislative progress,” Bright said. “We need to keep the good stuff and change how we plan on funding it. The way it is designed right now would weaken our economy to fund it.”

Bright will face Republican opponent Martha Roby in the Nov. 2 general election to compete for the Alabama’s second district seat.