[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 150 (2004), Part 11]
[House]
[Page 14711]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




             NEW DEMOCRATIC ADMINISTRATION TO UNITE AMERICA

  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Pence). Under a previous order of the 
House, the gentleman from Washington (Mr. McDermott) is recognized for 
5 minutes.
  Mr. McDERMOTT. Mr. Speaker, last night a Republican from Florida 
shamed the People's House when he stood at the podium and insulted 
every Native American in this country. Using cheap partisan rhetoric 
against the new Democratic vice presidential nominee, the Republican 
flung bigotry and racism against America's first citizens. And the 
Republican leadership stood by and said nothing and the administration 
stood by and said nothing.
  The words spoken here were so insulting to Native Americans that I 
will not repeat them. I will say on behalf of every Native American, 
and there are many in my home State of Washington, that we 
categorically detest such rhetoric. I will say on behalf of every 
Democrat that we wholeheartedly support Native Americans, we support 
treaty rights, and we recognize that this generation can and must honor 
the culture and contribution of Native Americans.
  Last night, the Republican rhetoric should remind us all that 100 
years later, there still is much left to be done in this country. I 
will say that that Republican from Florida made the case for why 
America needs people to defend its citizens on the battlefield and in 
the courtroom.
  Civil rights, civil liberties, the First Amendment, the Second 
Amendment, all the amendments, the right to be safe in your home, the 
right to be safe from unsafe products and unsafe practices, Americans 
have rights we have paid for in world wars and in cold wars.
  Somehow the Republicans think defending those rights in a court of 
law is un-American. Somehow the Republicans think that defending 
Americans in an American courtroom is un-American.
  Truth is stranger than fiction these days in Washington, DC. It has 
gotten so bad that the other body had to reaffirm that the United 
States actually supports the Geneva Convention. And there is a question 
about whether the Republicans in this House will even support it here. 
They may not even bring it to a vote. What kind of message is that? The 
Geneva Convention is not for us?
  We have to take a vote to say moral leadership is something he still 
think is a good idea. The issue is before Congress because of what 
administration civilian leaders have done to America's moral leadership 
in the world.
  Senator John Edwards, the vice presidential nominee, speaks of two 
Americas; one for the rich friends of the administration and the other 
America for the rest of us. How right he is.
  America has been divided by this administration into the have-less 
and the have much, much, much more. The Republicans would like to 
continue that trend. They shift the money through massive tax cuts to 
the rich.
  Forget the rhetoric. Here are the numbers. Over $112,000 a year to 
the average millionaire; under 700 bucks for the rest of us.
  Now Republicans want to shift power to their corporate patriarchs to 
ensure that companies can escape responsibility and accountability when 
they do something wrong. Fairness is not a word in the Republican 
dictionary, nor is accountability.
  They will tell you the fiction that America suffers because lawyers 
can go to court and defend Americans. I thought protection under the 
law was something the Founding Fathers thought was a pretty good idea. 
It seems Republicans think accountability belongs in the same closet 
with the Geneva Convention, civil liberties and the basic respect for 
our first citizens.
  Republicans like us to believe that every American has a right to 
keep and bear arms in order to defend themselves. These same 
Republicans would like us to believe that Americans do not have the 
right to defend themselves in court.
  Republicans advocate unilaterally disarming Americans. Why? Why would 
the Republican Party want to prevent average Americans from defending 
themselves in court? Who benefits? Average Americans or corporate 
lobbyists? You decide for yourself. I think the words defy gravity.
  Republicans would have us believe they know best. They are willing to 
let big corporations operate without the checks and balances our legal 
system provides for the safety and protection of every American. That 
is not representative government, it is Republican doctrine. Reward the 
rich, over and over and over and over again.
  There are two Americas today, but that is going to change. America 
needs one America, the Nation where ordinary people count and where the 
common good is what we practice, not preach. The world needs one 
America, the Nation that recognizes its moral leadership is not 
secondary to military might or arrogance.
  The current Republican administration divided America. The new 
Democratic administration will unite us.
  There are only 118 days left. It is a long time to wait. But America 
is strong enough to hold on and compassionate enough to hold out until 
John Kerry is President. If you have lost hope, hang on. Help is on the 
way.
  Mr. Speaker, let the President know he only has 117 more days down at 
the White House, and he ought to start packing.

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