[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 126 (Friday, September 13, 1996)] [Senate] [Pages S10536-S10537] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] AMERICANS HAVE TO MAKE CHOICES Mr. THOMAS. Mr. President, as you know, for some time now, we have attempted to have the freshmen of the Senate come on to the floor, from time to time, to talk about issues we think are important. We call this ``Freshman Focus.'' We appreciate this time to do that. I will be joined by at least one of my associates, very soon. Many of the others have departed for home. Mr. President, we wanted to talk a little today about choices-- choices that we have in a Government like ours, the one that President Lincoln said was a Government ``of the people, by the people, and for the people,'' which we all, of course, want to maintain. In order to do that, then each of us, as citizens, as the people who will run this Government, need to make choices, need to make decisions, and need, of course, to be as informed as we can be with respect to those choices. In order to be informed voters, and in order to participate in those decisions that will guide the country, not only in the short term but in the long term, I think we have to decide what those fundamental choices are and then, of course, decide for ourselves how we approach them. And there are fundamental choices, choices that have impact over time, choices that affect this country and the way it is organized, in its purpose, and its goals--not just the short-term issues that sort of are instant gratification for each of us. Of course there are those, and we always like that. But the fact is that there are basic issues that really will affect the way we operate over the years, not only for those of us who are now voting, but for our kids and our grandchildren. Those are the ones that, it is my belief, we should really focus on and seek to bring out in our own minds, at least how important they are. [[Page S10537]] I am concerned, because it seems to me that we are increasingly moving away from basing our views on those fundamental decisions and we get engrossed in all the short-term kinds of things that we talk about. This administration, frankly, has done more to seek to blur issues than any administration that I have ever seen. It is fairly easy to do that. It is fairly easy to say, ``Yes, I am for that, too.'' I think the best example that I have seen over the last number of years--and particularly in this session--is where we have spent a great deal of time talking about balancing the budget and a balanced budget amendment to ensure that that in fact happens. I don't think there has been a soul that has risen and said: ``I am not for balancing the budget.'' They have said, ``I am for balancing the budget, but. . .'' So we establish that initially, at least in rhetoric, and don't do that. We haven't balanced the budget in 25 years. So it is very easy to blur the issues, very easy to make it difficult to ascertain where people are on these issues. And issues is what elections are about. Those are the choices that you and I have to make as November comes. I think it is more and more difficult to really identify where people are, where parties are, where candidates are, for a number of reasons. It is almost an irony that--just imagine, 50 years ago, 100 years ago, how little information we all had about what went on in our Nation's Capital or around the world. Now, because of technology, we know instantly. If we fire a rocket at Iraq, we know about it right away, and we actually see it. Despite that technological opportunity to know more, it seems as if it is more difficult for us to clarify the choices that we have. One of the reasons, of course, is the media. We get much of our information--most of our information and, indeed, almost all of your information--through public media. I don't think it is any secret that the media most often tries to pick out those things that are controversial and emotional, and those things that create debate rather than the ones that clarify the issues. I understand that. That's the way it is. But it makes it difficult. More and more of our decisions and our choices and our information come from advertising, political advertising, which is generally designed to skew issues in one way or another. It is not the exclusive province of either party, but it is something that is done, almost entirely, in almost all the ads we see. So that does not help to clarify issues. We see right here in this Chamber all kinds of amendments. Yesterday was a great example of amendments designed simply for some kind of political statement, which really had nothing to do with the bill we talked about. Frankly, it had very little to do with the prospect of it passing. But it was something thrown out there to create an image. It makes it difficult to decide on choices. We even find, Mr. President-- like yesterday--a delay tactic going on here. Instead of moving forward, because we have a couple more weeks to finish a lot of work, we spent 25 hours on one bill, with 100 amendments. Why? I think simply to delay. I think simply to increase the potential--frankly, the possibility of a shutdown of the Government and Congress would be blamed for that. So, when you're dealing with things like that, it is very difficult to really come down on the bona fide choices and directions that will guide this country into the future. There are differences. There are choices. There are legitimate choices and, frankly, they are fairly clear. It is a legitimate choice, but there are those who want more Government, who think there ought to be more taxes, who think that money collected in taxes and spent by the Government is better spent. I don't happen to agree with that, but I agree that it is a legitimate choice. Indeed, if we can make it a little more clear between those kinds of things, then people could choose. The other choice, of course, is less Government, moving Government closer to people through the State and local governments, and actually having tax relief so people spend more of their own money rather than collecting it and spending it out through the Federal Government. Those are choices. Those are quite different, and that is what elections are about--to decide which of those directions we want to take. Imagine, for a minute, that you have a ballot. You go into the polling booth and the ballot has on it a number of issues. You check those issues that you agree with. What is your choice on the issue of a balanced budget amendment? Do you want that? You go down a series of questions of that kind, and then, rather than selecting a candidate, because of what you have selected with the issues, the candidate is automatic. The ones who represent what you most nearly represent is your choice. That would be an interesting exercise, wouldn't it? I suppose you could talk about the size of Government--smaller, larger? Federal Government--smaller, larger? Cost? Do you think the cost is too much? Do you think the Federal Government costs too much as it increases, or should it be less? It is possible to be less. Tax relief? If we pay nearly 40 percent of our income on average in taxes, should we have tax relief, or have the system continue like it is? Yes or no? Welfare reform? We have talked about that for the last 2 years. The President had it in his campaign in 1992. Finally, after the third time, it was passed and signed. Now, of course, the same people who said they were for welfare reform are now saying, ``Well, as soon as we get back in Congress, we will change it. We will take out some of that stuff. We really do not want this welfare reform.'' So welfare reform ought to be one of the questions for voters. Do you want welfare reform? Regulatory relief? We talked a lot about that. We tried to do that this year. Lots of people are not for regulatory relief. Many of us on this side of the aisle are. They are legitimate issues, and legitimate choices. So, Mr. President, I simply want to say that I hope as we move on in this election that each of us has a responsibility to vote, each of us who has the responsibility in this kind of Government to participate in the decision as to where we go in the future, take a look at the issues and choose, because there will be fairly clear choices, but it may be hard to determine that. I guess that is the essence of what I am talking about this morning-- that we need to have choices. I believe that we have two pretty different philosophies--one for more Government, more taxes, more regulations; one to reduce the size of Government, have tax relief, reduce the regulations so that we have more jobs and more economic growth. Those are the clear choices. Mr. President, I am pleased to be joined by the Senator from Minnesota, who also wants to comment on some of the choices that are available to us as part of today's Freshman Focus. I yield to my friend. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Minnesota. Mr. GRAMS. Thank you, Mr. President. I thank, very much, my colleague from Wyoming. ____________________