Congressional Record
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May 14, 1996 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD Ð Extensions of Remarks E793 American looks better rocking on the porch media covered the presidential race aggres- The reason to make certain we have a than he (or she) does trudging through the sively for just 21 days, from the Iowa caucus properly functioning presidential nominat- mud buck-naked with spotlights turned on on February 10 until the South Carolina pri- ing process is that the presidency itself is (another way to describe participation in the mary on March 2. Most of what went before our most important institution as we go into current presidential nominating process)? consisted of asking people like me, ``Why are the new century, and the debate about who Raise the limits on individual giving to you behind Bob Dole 72±3 in the polls?'' at a should be that president is our most useful campaigns from $1,000 to $5,000. The well-in- time when everyone knew Dole and no one national discussion. tentioned $1,000 limit, placed into the federal had ever heard of me. After South Carolina, f law after Watergate, was meant to reduce the most frequently asked question was, the influence of money in politics. As with ``When are you going to get out?'' So, most HONORING THE DRY HOLLOW many federal laws, it has done just the oppo- of us did. Let us hope the national political VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT site. For example, to raise $10 million in 1995 writers never decide to become umpires. The for my campaign, I attended 250 fund-raising World Series wouldn't last more than one in- events. This took about 70 percent of my ning. HON. BART GORDON Now, in defense of the media, it is hard to time. I became unusually well acquainted OF TENNESSEE with a great many good Americans capable cover a 21-day wild rollercoaster ride, which of giving $1,000 (who probably represent a is what the nominating process has become: IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES cross section of one percent of all the people 38 primaries in 25 days. Let's change this: Tuesday, May 14, 1996 in the country). Wouldn't I have been a bet- Let Iowa and New Hampshire go it alone in ter candidateÐand the country better off February. Then, require all the other states Mr. GORDON. Mr. Speaker, I am taking this had I been electedÐif I had spent more time to hold their primaries on the second Tues- opportunity to applaud the invaluable services traveling around America and visiting our day of March, April, or May. This would give provided by the Dry Hollow Volunteer Fire De- allies abroad? (I actually did this during 1994, winners a chance to capitalize on successes, partment. These brave, civic-minded people when I was not meeting nice people who voters a chance to digest new faces, and can- give freely of their time so that we may all feel didates a chance to actually meet voters. could give $1,000.) safer at night. Remove the state spending limits. This is What do you think would have happened this step two in the crusade to deal with the phe- year if after the surprising New Hampshire Few realize the depth of training and hard nomenon of the zillionaire in politics. Think primary (Buchanan winning, Dole stumbling, work that goes into being a volunteer fire- of it this way: Say the fifth-grade teacher or- me surging, Forbes falling) there had been fighter. To quote one of my local volunteers, ganizes a contest for class president with three weeks to campaign before a March 12 ``These fireman must have an overwhelming water pistols as the weapon of choice; then primary in a bunch of states? Then another desire to do for others while expecting nothing some kid arrives with a machine gun. Either month until another set of primaries? Lots in return.'' take away the new kid's machine gun (Bill more interestingÐand lots more conductive to sound judgment by the voters, too. Preparation includes twice-monthly training Bradley suggests a constitutional amend- programs in which they have live drills, study ment to limit what individuals can spend on Create a new C±SPAN channel to cover the their own campaigns) or give the rest of the country outside Washington. Chief execu- the latest videos featuring the latest in fire- fifth graders the freedom to raise and spend tives from outside Washington sometimes fighting tactics, as well as attend seminars enough money to buy their own machine make the best chief executives in the coun- where they can obtain the knowledge they guns. In one week just before the New Hamp- try. Why not a cable channel devoted en- need to save lives. Within a year of becoming shire primary, Steve Forbes bought 700 ads tirely to Michigan governor John Engler's a volunteer firefighter, most attend the Ten- on one Boston television station in one charter schools, San Antonio county execu- tive Cyndi Krier's crime program, Milwau- nessee Fire Training School in Murfreesboro week, most of them negative adverting kee's school-choice program? Give these where they undergo further, intensified train- against Dole (plus a few gentler ads against leaders as much C±SPAN face-time as mem- ing. me). Forbes, let us remember, spent almost bers of Congress. This will give the public no time raising his money and had no limits When the residents of my district go to bed more exposure to state and local politicians on what he spent per state. The rest of us at night, they know that should disaster strike who might then have a better chance of win- did. If New Hampshire is most of the and their home catch fire, well-trained and ning national office. ballgame in the presidential primaries, why Let the candidates speak more often for qualified volunteer fire departments are ready shouldn't we be permitted to defend our- themselves. Praise the media here. C-SPAN's and willing to give so graciously and gener- selves even if we use up all the money the Road to the White House on Sunday nights ously of themselves. This peace of mind government allows us to spend during the set the pace. I was astonished how many told should not be taken for granted. entire campaign? me they saw C-SPAN's 50-minute coverage in By selflessly giving of themselves, they en- Deregulate the election process. The Fed- July of my walk across New Hampshire. The sure a safer future for us all. We owe these eral Election Commission is full of com- New York Times printed excerpts from can- petent people trying to do their jobs (several volunteer fire departments a debt of gratitude didates' speeches, even some very long ex- for their service and sacrifice. of whom are about to audit my campaign, cerpts. The networks all showed unedited which, if everything works out perfectly, stump speeches of the major candidates. f will only take only about three years. I am Find the good and praise it. These were al- not kidding). The campaigns are grossly ways the words of my friend the late Alex MEDICAL SAVINGS ACCOUNTS overregulated. of the $10 million our cam- Haley. I can find the good easily about this paign raised during 1995, about $1 million process, even with its flaws. During the last HON. MAC COLLINS went for accountants and lawyers for compli- year I walked across New Hampshire meet- ance with the federal rules. Is it really nec- ing several hundred people a day, spent 80 OF GEORGIA essary, for example, for the federal govern- days in Iowa in maybe 200 meetings that IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES ment to decide that a candidate's campaign ranged from 20 to 300 people, and had at least Tuesday, May 14, 1996 T-shirts need not bear the ``Paid for by .. .'' 50 meetings in Florida with the delegates to disclaimer? Fewer rules and full disclosure the Presidency III straw poll. During most of Mr. COLLINS of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, the should be the bywords here. these meetings I was little known and Georgia State Senate recently adopted a reso- Start the coverage earlier. From the mo- unencumbered by news media. At least the lution that encourages the Congress of the ment the networks began to cover the cam- news media presence was so small it did not United States to enact health care reform paign (this year it was not until late Janu- disrupt the flow of the session. ary), you could feel the lift. As a candidate, I remember wishing time after time that measures that include Medical Savings Ac- you can also feel the collapse. I cannot help anybody who had any sense of cynicism counts [MSA's]. State legislators realize that but think that there are waysÐeven many about our presidential selection process MSA's will eliminate barriers to health insur- months outÐto relate the day's news about, could be with me, as a fly on the wallÐbe- ance and increase access for millions of say, the failure of the Hartford school sys- cause they could not be cynical after hearing Americans. For the record I submit a copy of tem's private-management contract to what and seeing and feeling what I saw. The audi- the resolution adopted by the Georgia State the presidential candidates say about how ence always listened carefully. Their ques- Senate on March 5, 1996. schools should be run. tions went straight to the heart of what kind Spread it out.