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(Mr. LIVINGSTON asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
Mr. LIVINGSTON. Mr. Speaker, if Republicans were in charge of the House today, the American people would not have their tax dollars wasted on ridiculous investigations. The American people can see that the proposed investigation into October surprise is politically motivated.
The recent articles from the New Republic and Newsweek clearly indicate that the Democrat leadership is throwing American tax dollars into the wind. These articles point out there is absolutely no evidence to support the Democrats' attempt to smear President Bush's and President Reagan's names.
Mr. Speaker, in fact, the American public should be
outraged at the Democrat leadership's actions. This is an excellent example of taxpayer-financed campaigns at its worst. The Democrat leadership has stonewalled every attempt the Republicans have made to ensure this investigation is fair, and the fact that the Democrat leadership has refused to include President Carter in this investigation is a clear sign that it is just a politically motivated campaign issue.
Mr. Speaker, the only surprise in October 1980 was that the Democrats were not going to win control of the White House again for a long time.
This investigation has reached such a ridiculous stage that I believe the Democrat leadership owes President Reagan and President Bush an apology. That is the only decent thing left to do.
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WHETHER PERCEIVED AS CLOWNS OR NOT, OUR GOVERNMENT NEEDS TO ACT WISELY
(Mr. BENNETT asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
Mr. BENNETT. Mr. Speaker, my constituent, John W. Hancock, published in Saturday's Florida Times Union a piece titled `Clowns in Washington Can Be Stopped.' It reads as follows:
Call in the clowns! The clowns in Washington are still at it, taking from wage earners and blowing it away.
Now what? The clowns are now sending the Russians a billion dollars of our money. Forget that tens of thousands were killed in Korea, Afghanistan and Vietnam with Russian money? Forget that the Russians have salted away billions in foreign banks? Forget the Russians spent billions of their people's money on shot and shell to kill people around the world? Forget the shooting down of KAL 007 in September 1983?
Then, while our economy is floundering and we are in debt over our heads because of our fun-loving clowns, forget?
We can stop it if we care for our country and our children. We own the circus so exercise your option as an owner and call or write your hired clown.
Charity begins at home. Remember the government earns no money. It takes from the wage earner and gives it away. Enough is enough!--John W. Hancock, Jacksonville.
Mr. Speaker, last Friday in a speech on the floor I referred to an article, `Soviets Need Our Advice, Not Money.' I then expressed the opinion that the United States should have been and should be now at the forefront of the nations of the world in bartering for Russian products the things we have available that Russia needs. France and Germany already have such procedures in place. We have been first in the world in free enterprise practices. Why hasn't leadership for free enterprise come from us today in the collapse of communism? It seems that instead we think that all that people want from America is our taxes and our checkbook in charity. Russia can help us in our need for imported oil and a host of important minerals for which we have no adequate supply but a great need.
The above quoted words of Mr. Hancock are apparently directed at Congress, but it is my opinion that Congress is not likely to do what he wisely decries, certainly not unless the President requests it. I introduced legislation earlier in August to sidetrack the charity proposal and put in place a free enterprise business proposal. The question remains as to why the President does not grasp the foreign affairs initiative that our western allies in Europe have already pursued. Legislation is not needed to do that. For instance, why not buy oil from the vast Russian reserves in return for money to them for medical and food supplies from us? The administration should not allow further delay in securing such agreements, which would be of benefit both to our country and to Russia and Eastern Europe.
END