[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 104 (Tuesday, July 22, 1997)]
[House]
[Page H5500]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               TOO MUCH POWER IN THE HANDS OF GOVERNMENT

  (Mr. RYUN asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute.)
  Mr. RYUN. Mr. Speaker, when our Founding Fathers were debating the 
Constitution in Philadelphia in 1787, one of the most important 
subjects they discussed was concerning our freedoms. Some thought too 
much governmental power was the threat to freedom. Others thought too 
much power in the hands of the majority would be a threat to the 
freedom of minorities. Yet others thought that too much power in the 
hands of factions or what we call today special interest groups was the 
greatest threat to the general public. Men such as Thomas Jefferson and 
James Madison wrote extensively about these threats to freedom. Thomas 
Jefferson and James Madison were right about all three of these threats 
to freedom.
  Today I would like to call special interests or special attention to 
the threat to freedom that Thomas Jefferson feared the most: Too much 
power in the hands of Government. When the Government takes between 
one-fourth and one-half of everyone's income, that is too much power in 
the hands of Government. Let us heed the words of Thomas Jefferson and 
reduce the power of Government by passing the first tax package in 16 
years, one that guarantees a $500-per-child tax credit, allowing 
families to keep more of what they earn.

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