[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 176 (Wednesday, November 8, 1995)]
[Senate]
[Pages S16806-S16807]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    THE DEMOCRATS ARE ALIVE AND WELL

  Mr. DORGAN. Mr. President, on November 6, 1995, one of the leading 
periodicals in our country hit the newsstands--U.S. News & World 
Report. It says ``The Democrats: Is the Party Over?'' It is one of 
those stories about ``the Democrats are dead.''
  Well, I encourage the U.S. News & World Report to get some airline 
tickets for some of those reporters and move them around the country 
today and ask what happened in the country yesterday. I suggest that 
they go to Kentucky, go to Maine, travel to New Jersey, visit with some 
folks who have pitched their tents on principles, once again, and see 
the campfires all around this country of Democrats, who stand for 
things that are important to the future of this country.
  I think it was Mark Twain who said, in response to a report in the 
newspaper that he had died, ``The reports of my death are greatly 
exaggerated.'' Well, those who, for months, have been dancing around 
the bonfire chanting about ``the death of the Democratic Party,'' the 
resurrection of the Republican Party, and the lasting control of the 
Republicans in the American political system, might want to take a deep 
breath and look around at the results of yesterday's elections in our 
country.
  Yes, it is true that yesterday, as is almost always the case, the 
Democrats were badly outspent. In many cases in these races, it was 4-
to-1, 6-to-1, 8-to-1. The Republicans had more money. But the Democrats 
were never outworked, and never will be in our political system. 
Yesterday, county to county, town to town, all across this country, 
Democrats sent a message that we are alive, well, fighting, and 
winning, for things that are important to our country's future.
  I think part of it yesterday was the American people responding again 
to our agenda about creating a growing economy, building good jobs with 
good incomes, educating our children in the world's finest schools, 
cleaning up our environment, and standing for the values and virtues 
that made this a great country and will make it a great country in the 
future. And, yes, even more than that, people from Kentucky, to Maine, 
to New Jersey, to the west coast, yesterday, also stood up and not only 
spoke for Democratic candidates--candidates who ran on a platform of 
hope and opportunity, a platform of building for the future, 
understanding we have always had the burden of being the builders.
  If you look at almost anything that has been built in this country 
that represents hope and progress, it has been the Democrats who 
decided that is what ought to be done for America's future. We have had 
folks that always had seat belts on saying, no, we do not want to move 
ahead, do not want to do this or do that.
  I am proud of our legacy and heritage, and I am proud to note that 
although we may be outspent, we are not outworked, and there are lots 
of Democrats across this country who are willing to stand for and fight 
for the kind of policies that will build a better future in America.
  Yesterday, voters also spoke, in my judgment, about another agenda, 
the agenda of the new Speaker, Mr. Gingrich, the Contract With 
America, and leadership in that direction.

  I think the American people rejected yesterday an agenda that has as 
its centerfold tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans and budget cuts 
for the rest of Americans; an agenda that says we do not have enough 
money to provide an entitlement for a poor kid to have a hot lunch at 
school, that says we do not have enough money for health care for the 
elderly and the poor, but an agenda that says we have plenty of money 
for star wars, we have plenty of money for B-2 bombers nobody ordered, 
F-16's and F-15's that nobody asked for, for planes, ships, and 
submarines that nobody wanted. We have lots of money for those things, 
but we do not have enough money for the 55,000 kids now on Head Start 
who get kicked off.
  That is what the voters were saying. Those priorities are out of 
whack. Those are not mainstream values. Those are extreme kinds of 
positions that the voters have told Speaker Gingrich and others we 
reject.
  I am proud, today, proud that so many around our country, men and 
women, State after State, were willing to stand up and speak out as 
part of our political process and stand for the values and the things 
that we believe in as Democrats--fought and won, in many cases, against 
the odds. When you are outspent, when the other side has more 
resources, you have to work harder.
  I say in the context of this, I am proud of everybody that 
participates in this political process, Republicans and Democrats. The 
easiest thing for people to do is do nothing and complain about it. The 
toughest thing is to stand in the ring and stand up and speak out for 
things you believe in.
  I believe everyone who participates is owed a debt of thanks in our 
system, but I am especially proud in light of the kind of things we see 
in our country, written about a party that I am proud of, things that 
say the Democrats maybe are dead; the Democratic Party, the party is 
over for you folks.
  I am particularly proud yesterday that all across this country we had 
people, American people--yes, Democrats--sending a message back to 
those who pronounced our death, and say, as Mark Twain did, ``Reports 
of our death are greatly exaggerated.''
  We believe in something special for the future of this country. We 
preach hope and opportunity. We preach values and virtue. We preach a 
return to the days in this country where everybody can understand that 
we are doing things for America as a whole.
  We believed, in North Dakota years ago when the wagon trains forged 
West, we believed in that lesson that was learned the hard way, that no 
wagon train ever moves ahead by leaving some wagons behind.
  We have a policy in this country these days by those who have the 
votes to enforce it that says some folks are out of fashion. If you are 
poor, tough luck. If you are old, that is even tougher luck. Somehow if 
you did not make your way, you are left behind.
  That is not the best of our country. Our country will be strongest 
and our country will meet the future with the kind of opportunity we 
should have forever, when we decide that public policies that invest in 
jobs, expanded opportunities and education are the kind of policies 
that will come out of the U.S. House and the U.S. Senate.
  In the coming weeks and months, my hope is the American people, 
having sent a message yesterday through the ballot box, my hope is the 
American people will see the best of this political system. The best of 
this system will provide that those on the Republican side of the aisle 
and those on the Democratic side of the aisle will offer their best 
ideas and will choose from those good ideas, that menu of good news 
that comes from all sides, and then use those ideas to move America 
ahead. That will be the best our political system can offer to the 
American people. It is my hope for the coming months.
  I wanted to take the floor today to say that yesterday, at least for 
me, was wonderful news. I think for our country it was good news. Our 
country needs a healthy two-party system. Those who believe somehow 
that on this side of the aisle we do not have the strength, vitality or 
ideas to compete in America's political system any more are dead wrong. 
That was proved yesterday in the elections across America, and it will 
be proved again and again leading up to the Presidential elections and 

[[Page S 16807]]
elections for Congress and State and local offices all across this 
country in November 1996.
  Then, I think U.S. News and other periodicals will write another 
headline, another cover page. I have a hunch I know what that cover 
page will be. I hope to come on the floor with a broad smile and say 
that happy days are here again and the vision and the hope and the 
dreams of Democrats for a better America will be realized again and 
again and again in the future.
  I yield the floor. I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Bennett). The clerk will call the roll.
  The legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. GRAHAM. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for 
the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  Mr. GRAHAM. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent I be allowed to 
proceed for up for 25 minutes.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.

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