[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 151 (2005), Part 2]
[Senate]
[Page 1522]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                            WORDS OF WISDOM

  Mr. REID. Our friend and colleague, Senator Ernest Hollings of South 
Carolina, left us last year to enjoy a well-earned retirement. However, 
he still has a few words of wisdom, and just a little vitriol, that he 
would like to share.
  Senator Hollings was one of the most fascinating speakers ever to 
take the Senate floor. His comments were sometimes controversial, but 
always thought-provoking and delivered in a way only Fritz Hollings 
could orate. We miss him.
  I ask unanimous consent that the statement of Senator Hollings be 
printed in the Congressional Record. I may not agree with all his 
statements, but as usual I thoroughly enjoyed reading it. I hope all 
Americans will enjoy it as well.
  There being no objection, the material was ordered to be printed in 
the Record, as follows:

                           State of the Union

       On leaving the Senate after 38 years, I am constantly asked 
     ``what is your legacy?'' Answer--a mess! While the country is 
     going broke and jobs are hemorrhaging, G.I's are getting 
     killed in an unwinnable war, and nobody cares. At least there 
     is no sacrifice. In Washington Republicans and Democrats are 
     in a Mexican standoff. Amid shouts that Social Security is 
     ``flat broke'', the nation's security is being undermined.
       Our security rests as on a three legged stool. The first 
     leg--values--has always been the strongest. The United States 
     has always been admired for its sacrifice for human rights 
     and freedom. But our invasion of Iraq has created a training 
     ground for terrorists and given Islamic television Al Jazeera 
     a daily drumbeat of U.S. ``atrocities.'' The second leg--
     economic--enjoyed its strongest era in the 1990's with low 
     inflation, record growth and a strong dollar. The budget was 
     balanced in 2001 with the recession lasting less than 9 
     months. But the tax cuts of the last four years caused 
     deficits of $141.1 billion, $428.5 billion, $562 billion, and 
     $593 billion. These fiscal deficits together with a trade 
     deficit of $600 billion have the dollar in a dive. With our 
     outsourcing of jobs policy the United States is fast losing 
     its productive capacity. Finally, the third leg--military--
     has us again, as in Vietnam, losing. For the first time 
     regulars in the Army are suing against extended duty and 
     Americans are refusing to join the Guard and Reserves.
       The need is to rebuild America. To get Congress to lead the 
     rebuilding we must excise the cancer of money on the body 
     politic and adopt a constitutional amendment: ``The Congress 
     of the United States is hereby empowered to regulate and 
     control spending in federal elections.'' This will 
     immediately limit campaigns, and cut the time raising money. 
     Next, limit each senator to two committees--no exceptions. 
     Then cut the staffs. Now the Senators will have time to work 
     on the people's business rather than the campaign.
       The first order of business is to get on top of health 
     costs and provide healthcare for all of America. Next, 
     instead of tax cuts enact a 2 percent VAT tax to pay for 
     Iraq, Afghanistan and to eliminate the deficit. This will 
     limit our disadvantage with global trade and strengthen the 
     economy. Then resume Cordell Hull's reciprocal free trade 
     policy by: Instituting a Department of Trade and Commerce 
     bringing the Special Trade Representative and other trade 
     entities under one roof; abolishing the International Trade 
     Commission transferring its duties to the International Trade 
     Administration; eliminating the tax benefit for jobs going 
     offshore and giving the break to businesses producing 
     onshore; appointing an Assistant U.S. Attorney General to 
     enforce trade laws; employing the necessary customs agents to 
     stop transshipments; enlarging rather than eliminating the 
     Advanced Technology Program; and reviewing our membership in 
     the World Trade Organization.
       Then provide the needs of air, rail and port security. 
     Adopt an energy bill, a highway bill and begin to control the 
     immigration and drug problem by adopting a Marshall plan for 
     Mexico.
       Finally confront the terror that confronts us. It's not the 
     terror of Northern Ireland or Spain. It's not because of who 
     we are or our values. It's because of our Israel-Palestine 
     policy that appears one-sided. We confirmed this appearance 
     with our invasion of Iraq. Terrorism got organized and 
     spread. Now our problem is we are neither in nor out. It's 
     too late to get in with the necessary troops so the best way 
     to support the Iraq election is to remove ourselves as 
     ``occupiers.'' As former Senator George Aiken of Vermont said 
     ``declare victory and withdraw.'' Then have the Commander in 
     Chief go to the front line of terrorism and instead of 
     proclaiming ``road maps'' on high, have him get down in the 
     traffic for peace.
       None of this will happen unless the media gets out of 
     politics. Of course they make more money taking polls and 
     exciting controversy. But now the free press has abandoned 
     its important role of maintaining a strong democracy. Thomas 
     Jefferson signaled this responsibility when he observed; 
     ``between a government without newspapers or newspapers with 
     out a government'' he would chose the latter. The press used 
     to report the truth to the American people and keep the 
     Congress honest. Instead the press is downfield starting the 
     fight instead of reporting the facts. The fact is that Social 
     Security has a surplus of $1.7 trillion and is in good shape 
     until 2042. The fact is that the states readily regulate tort 
     reform. The fact is that while the IRS can always stand some 
     reform we can't afford a tax cut at this time. Rather than 
     playing politics with these issues the press should be 
     reporting the State of the Union.

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