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Home , Bert Blyleven, Harmon Killebrew, Kirby Puckett, Minnesota Twins, Rod Carew, Tony Oliva

S4990 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE July 28, 2011 2-, 3-, 4-month deals, that is disastrous who have some ideas here in the Senate plicated with a lot of gamesmanship is to this economy. who want to modify it. Great. But it is the only way it works. I want to prove I have heard and talked to business long term, it has more significant re- that wrong. leader after business leader, from asso- ductions, and it moves us down a path I thank the Chair for allowing me the ciations, to individuals, to people back in the right direction. It is not perfect, time to say a few words. Hopefully, the in my home State, and they say over but I can tell my colleagues that the people who are watching us and listen- and over: Don’t do short term. What- idea they have over there will not work ing will hear the real debate and cut ever you decide, give us certainty—cer- for this economy. through all the moment-in-time politi- tainty. I have probably spoken too long, but cizing. Maybe, hopefully, they will hear The unique thing about the U.S. Sen- those kids from Juneau and Healy and those five kids whom I heard and will ate and the U.S. House: Only we would Anchorage and Kodiak had a great hear their concerns and what their po- describe long term as 16, 18 months be- question. When kids are asking that sition is. cause that is all we can do around here. question and they say to me—and I So, again, I thank the Chair for the But short term, as one can imagine, is give them the same exact presentation. time, and I yield the floor. 3, 4 months. That would be more dis- I say: Here are the differences. I give The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- ruptive to this economy than anything them the papers and say: Here, you ator from . we can imagine because all we do as we look at it. And they say to me: Why Mr. FRANKEN. Mr. President, are we shift it—and I can describe this because aren’t we doing a long term, because in morning business? I understand this business. I have been these kids are now at an age where The PRESIDING OFFICER. We are in in it. My wife is in it. Here is what hap- they are thinking about their future. morning business. pens. We will have this same debate in They are not thinking about the next f November, probably. Here is what hap- weekend; they are thinking about their TRIBUTE TO pens in November. This is the biggest future. They have a position we could time for people who are buying. For re- learn a lot from around this place, I Mr. FRANKEN. Mr. President, I rise tailers, this is the most important will tell my colleagues they made it today to pay tribute to former Min- time—actually, back to school a little very clear to me: Whatever you do, nesota Twins Bert Blyleven, bit, but November through December is make it long term, because they are who this week received his sport’s when people make their expenditures thinking about their future and where highest honor when he was inducted and are buying things, consuming, and they want to be. It is an incredible into the Major League Hall of spending money in our economy. But commentary when we have kids who Fame. people always like to blame Demo- have more wherewithal in the sense of To Bert, I offer hearty and well-de- crats: It is all about government. I their knowledge of what should be done served congratulations. come from the private sector. As I said in the body we sit in today. It should To the rest of the baseball world, I earlier, that is where I made my living. wake us up. ask the question: What took so long? It is an important part of our economy. In the 14 years since he first became el- So here we are going to debate, cre- The last thing I will note is this. I think about what my colleague from igible for the Hall of Fame, we in Min- ate more uncertainty at the most im- nesota all assumed that, with his rare portant time, when consumers are Colorado said about the value of our position in this world when it comes to talent and Hall of Fame numbers, Bert going to try to judge what to do. What was a shoo-in, and for many of those 14 do they do? Do they spend a little bit ensuring that people understand Amer- ica will stand behind everything we years he was considered the best player extra for a gift for their friend? Do never to have been inducted. I am they go on that trip they were plan- do—the debt we do, the positions we take. As a matter of fact, it was so im- proud to say as a Minnesotan and a ning? Do they make that extra expend- lifelong Twins fan that this year Bert iture? Yet we will have the same de- portant, it was written into the Con- stitution that we should never question Blyleven was officially voted into the bate. So long term is important— Hall of Fame. again, 16, 18 months, but that is better the ability to pay our bills. For those on the other side who like People in Minnesota all know Bert than the short-term plan. belongs on the distinguished list of No businessperson has come to me— to spout off, and they pull out of their already in the Hall of and I challenge any businessperson: pocket the little portable Constitu- Fame, including , Pick up the phone. Call me. Let me tion—all of us get those; we all have know. Tell me you want a short term, those—and they cite the Constitution, , and , as well and I will be happy to come down here sometimes they forget sections of it. I as two other baseball greats who grew to the floor and say that. I will men- hope we don’t forget this section. We up in St. Paul, MN, and later played for tion your company name. I will tell should never be questioned in regard to the Twins and were inducted into the people: This company is interested in our debt. We pay our bills. We stand be- Hall of Fame: and Dave short term. I would be happy to do hind what we do. That is what makes Winfield. Each of them had Hall of that. I am not going to get those calls our country different from any country Fame careers, and now Bert has finally because they know that is not the way in this world. joined them. to a business, that is not the way So I challenge them to get their job Bert pitched 22 seasons in the Major to run a household, and that sure as done, maybe on the FAA bill, maybe on Leagues, 11 of them for the Twins, but heck should not be the way we run our this issue involving the debt, but the he also took his talents to Texas, government. House needs to get their act together— Pittsburgh, Cleveland, and California. So there is a clear difference. For all the majority. Let me make that clear. During his career, he won 287 games, he of those people who—I get a lot of pro The majority over there needs to get struck out an amazing 3,701 batters, and con on this issue, calling my office, their job done, quit killing things over and is fifth on the alltime career sending me e-mails—for all of those there, from jobs to legislation, and list, with more career strike- people who say: Hey, just vote for the focus on the work people sent them outs than pitching greats , Boehner thing, I will tell them why I here—especially the group of 2010—but , , Greg will not. I want people to understand who sent me here and sent the Pre- , , or even his boy- clearly my position. It is not about, he siding Officer here—we were sent here hood idol, . He pitched 60 is a Republican, I am a Democrat. That to do a job. and led the league in shutouts is irrelevant. It is short term. It is It is outrageous to me that we cannot three times. He had a career fewer spending reductions. It keeps us move forward when it is so simple in average of just 3.31. He pitched 242 in turmoil. It doesn’t move us forward. the sense of a plan that gets us on a complete games, something that would It is all about shenanigans and game- path that is long term and has better be unheard of today. He played on two playing and politics. That is what he is spending reductions. Maybe it is too world championship teams: in Min- presenting. logical. Maybe that is the problem nesota, with the 1987 Twins and in Now, maybe the Reid proposal isn’t around here: If it is too simple, too log- Pittsburgh. For Twins fans, we all perfect. I know there are Republicans ical, it doesn’t work. It has to be com- know Bert was a major part of that

VerDate Mar 15 2010 23:53 Jul 28, 2011 Jkt 099060 PO 00000 Frm 00018 Fmt 0624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G28JY6.026 S28JYPT1 jbell on DSKDVH8Z91PROD with SENATE July 28, 2011 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S4991 1987 Twins world championship team Mr. LAUTENBERG. Mr. President, I two-thirds of those occasions under Re- which we all revere for finally bringing ask unanimous consent to speak for 15 publican Presidents. In fact, the debt a world championship to our State. minutes. ceiling was increased 18 times under And we won again in 1991. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without President Reagan, and 7 times under Bert mentioned in his acceptance objection, it is so ordered. The Senator President George W. Bush. speech on Sunday that he is the first may speak for up to 15 minutes. Our country has never defaulted. So Hall of Famer born in Holland. He f the question that must be raised is: moved to California as a child and be- What is different about today? Why, at NATIONAL DEBT came interested in baseball by watch- a time when we already face a real jobs ing Sandy Koufax for the Dodg- Mr. LAUTENBERG. Mr. President, I crisis in this country, would Repub- ers. His father Joe, also a baseball fan, think it is obvious to the world around licans plan for another economic cri- built him a pitcher’s mound in the us that the atmosphere here is hardly sis? Why would they do that? Will de- backyard, where he developed one of one of comfort or satisfaction. The stroying the economy help Republicans the best in baseball history. public does not see the agony of the de- win seats next year when people across I would like to think if my dad had bate that is taking place, as we watch our country are already expressing built me—no, I don’t think so. how dysfunctional the discussion about their dissatisfaction with the deadlock Bert finished his playing career in the national debt has been. they see being displayed? 1992. In 1996, he rejoined the Twins in We feel the threat to America’s world We heard the minority leader say his the broadcast booth, where for many financial leadership that is lurking No. 1 priority is stopping the President years he and have become around here, and it is not very satis- from winning another term. What a familiar voices to Twins fans all over fying to those people whose homes are goal that is. He is our President, elect- the upper Midwest. I personally love close to foreclosure or the people who ed by the people of the country. He has nothing more than watching a Twins need to be assured that health care is a term of 4 years and will be up for re- game on TV and listening to Dick and going to be there for them or that their election. We hope and we pray that he Bert, who, in my humble opinion, are child who can learn can get an edu- continues to be the President of our an authoritative and amazingly enter- cation without mortgaging their future country. What good does it do to target taining broadcast team. or cannot even get a mortgage on that. the system? During broadcasts, Bert has created a So we look around and we watch and Make known what it is they stand phenomenon using his telestrator to we listen and we see that the Repub- for. So far we have seen that they circle Twins fans who, whether they licans in the House and the Repub- stand for nothing that is helpful to the are in the or on the road, licans in the Senate are in a search for average American. So what we need is are holding up signs that catch Bert’s political gain regardless of the cost to a chance to have an honest discussion. interest, and then he will circle them. our society and our Nation. Insecurity reigns as people grow more There is no higher honor for a Twins I do not make this statement cas- and more conscious about their inabil- fan than to be circled by Bert, and ually. But after months of watching ity to afford the basics of life, jobs, every game is packed with fans holding and listening to the targeted goal of health care, education. They see prices signs that simply say ‘‘Circle Me, politics over the pain that could follow being raised around them as their pur- Bert.’’ a default, no other conclusion may be chasing power shrinks. Look at the It was great to see that Bert was drawn. We want to consider the evi- price of gasoline. You see a perfect ex- joined at Sunday’s induction ceremony dence. By way of example, Vice Presi- ample of what is happening. We had by his wife Gayle, their children, Bert’s dent BIDEN convened a bipartisan one Republican Presidential candidate siblings, and his mother Jenny. During working group to find solutions to get who was asked: ‘‘Does it strike you his speech, Bert spoke about his father the national debt problem over with, that as the unemployment rate goes up Joe, who died in 2004 of Parkinson’s get it resolved, and let us go on to our your chances of winning office also go disease, saying, ‘‘I know he is up there normal and needed debate and busi- up?’’ right now looking down.’’ ness. After that, Republicans walked Do you know what her answer was? In memory of his father, Bert and his out. Walked out. She said, ‘‘I hope so.’’ Hope so. What an wife Gayle started the ‘‘Circle Me, Next, President Obama offered Re- outrageous thing to say from the halls Bert’’ Web site to raise research money publicans what he called a ‘‘grand of government, the high halls of gov- for the National Parkinson Foundation deal’’ that would reduce the deficit by ernment. I hope so. I hope that unem- Minnesota. That says volumes about $4 trillion. Republicans ran away. Now ployment goes up, says she, so she Bert Blyleven. Bert is known in Min- our majority leader, HARRY REID, has might have a chance to win office. How nesota for his dedication to other char- proposed a plan that includes more cruel that statement is. ities and to the community there. than $2 trillion in spending cuts, $1 in Make no mistake, if the United So, once again, Bert, as a lifelong cuts for every dollar the debt limit is States Treasury runs out of cash next Twins fan, thank you and congratula- increased—and not even insisting on a week, the principal burden will fall on tions. After 14 years of waiting, you are dollar of revenues, which has been sug- middle-class families. But the effects hereby ‘‘circled’’ by the Major League gested several times. on our total economy will be dev- Baseball Hall of Fame, where genera- But there is no way of getting astating as well. We may not be able to tions of fans from Minnesota and through the obstinacy on the other send out Social Security checks to sen- around the country and around the side. Republicans turn their back time iors, benefit checks to veterans, the world will know of your career and of after time. Democrats in this Senate people who serve the country. Let’s your amazing contributions to the and in the White House have offered stop paying them? Or paychecks to the game of baseball and to the community the Republicans compromise after men and women who now bear our of Minnesota. compromise. But they do not see their country’s uniform in Afghanistan and Thank you very much. I yield the target. Their target is to do damage to Iraq. Sorry, we cannot pay you. Is that floor and maybe also put in a word for the Obama administration so that it what we are going to say? and also suggest the ab- hurts sufficiently to discount the Interest rates could rise almost im- sence of a quorum. progress that has been made for our so- mediately, greatly increasing the cost The PRESIDING OFFICER. The ciety under President Obama. of mortgages, car loans, student loans, clerk will call the roll. Time and time again the Republicans credit cards, you name it. If middle- The assistant legislative clerk pro- have changed their demands to find class Americans think their 401(k) plan ceeded to call the roll. reasons to say no. Are we asking the suffered during the Wall Street crisis a Mr. LAUTENBERG. Mr. President, I Republicans to do something radical, few years ago, imagine what will hap- ask unanimous consent that the order something that has never been done be- pen to the markets if the U.S. Govern- for the quorum call be rescinded. fore? That is certainly not the case. ment cannot pay its bills, or redeem The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without Over the past half century, the debt bonds that are ordinarily turned in for objection, it is so ordered. ceiling has been raised 75 times, almost cash.

VerDate Mar 15 2010 23:53 Jul 28, 2011 Jkt 099060 PO 00000 Frm 00019 Fmt 0624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G28JY6.027 S28JYPT1 jbell on DSKDVH8Z91PROD with SENATE