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 Minnesota. 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 BERT BLYLEVEN 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 pitcher 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 Baseball 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 Minnesota Twins already in the Hall of and I challenge any businessperson: pocket the little portable Constitu- Fame, including Harmon Killebrew, 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, Rod Carew, and Kirby Puckett, 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: Paul Molitor 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 run 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 strikeout list, with more career strike- people who say: Hey, just vote for the focus on the work people sent them outs than pitching greats Tom Seaver, Boehner thing, I will tell them why I here—especially the group of 2010—but Walter Johnson, Bob Gibson, Greg will not. I want people to understand who sent me here and sent the Pre- Maddux, Cy Young, or even his boy- clearly my position. It is not about, he siding Officer here—we were sent here hood idol, Sandy Koufax. He pitched 60 is a Republican, I am a Democrat. That to do a job. shutouts 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 earned run 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.