654 EXTENSIONS OF REMARKS February 3, 1998 EXTENSIONS OF REMARKS RONALD REAGAN NATIONAL IN HONOR OF ROBERT J. FROST democracy, we should support the democratic AIRPORT leaders-in government and civil society-who HON. CHARLES E. SCHUMER will lay the foundation for reforms in their HON. GERALD B.H. SOLOMON OF NEW YORK countries. OF NEW YORK IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES I would commend to my colleagues a Janu­ IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES Tuesday, February 3, 1998 ary 26, 1998 Wall Street Journal article on this Tuesday, February 3, 1998 subject by Marc F. Plattner and Carl Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. Speaker, I would like Gershman of the National Endowment for De­ Mr. SOLOMON. Mr. Speaker, if I had my for my colleagues to stand with me today to mocracy. The Endowment works creatively way Ronald Reagan would not only have the pay tribute to Officer Robert J. Frost of New key airport in Washington named after him, with non-governmental organizations in the York for his bravery and selflessness. U.S. and around the world to help build lasting he'd have his face on Mt. Rushmore. He is already called the "Christmas Angel" But for now, renaming the airport will do. democratic institutions that can protect funda­ by the Pareja family. He had simply made the mental freedoms. I am proud to be one of its His birthday comes in a few days, and this decision to stay late at work one night, and on would be a fitting present. A few years ago, strongest supporters. his usual walk home is when he noticed the Mr. Speaker, we sent President Reagan an­ The article follows: strong smell of smoke. Because he followed other fitting present, passage of the line item his hunch that something was terribly wrong, [From the Wall Street Journal, Jan. 26, 1998) veto, which he championed so vigorously dur­ he is credited with helping a family of 9 es­ ing his administration. Why such honors for DEMOCRACY GETS A BUM RAP cape from their burning home. You could say the former President? In all due respect to the it was fate that brought together Transit Officer (By Marc F. Plattner and Carl Gershman) current and previous occupants of the White Frost and the Pareja family. I would say, like Two recent articles- by Fareed Zakaria in House, Mr. Speaker, Ronald Reagan left a them, that it must have been a miracle. Foreign Affairs and by Robert Kaplan in The positive stamp on the political life of this coun­ Gathering here today to acknowledge the Atlantic Monthly-have given voice to a try that even present and future presidents will heroism of Robert, reminds us to continually growing pessimism about the global fortunes never erase. of democracy. This gloom is no more well­ It was my great privilege, Mr. Speaker, to pay heed to the local heroes of our commu­ founded than the euphoria about democracy serve as one of Ronald Reagan's group of nities. Recognizing Robert Frost will allow us that prevailed just a few years ago. For seri­ core congressional advisors, along with such all to take stock in our actions and reflect on ous students of democracy have always outstanding leaders as former Congressman how we too can make a difference in our known that it is a difficult form of govern­ Bob Walker, and present Senate Majority neighbor's lives. Robert did not have to run up ment to sustain: Setting up a new democracy to the burning house. He did so because he is much easier than getting it to perform Leader TRENT Lon. And it was a singular well or to endure. honor to carry President Reagan's water on cared enough and perhaps because like all of us, he would like to believe that someone Two decades ago the world had only a few foreign affairs in the House, because it was dozen democracies, predominantly in West­ his leadership that led to the collapse of the would do the same for him if he ever needed their help. Let us take this moment to thank all ern Europe or countries populated primarily Berlin Wall and the dissolution of the Soviet by the descendants of Western Europeans. Empire. the Officer Frosts out there and pray that we Citizens of these countries enjoyed not only His leadership was equally effective in eco­ can be fortunate enough to have an "angel" free and competitive multiparty elections nomic policy. Recently, a survey of leading like him around. I wish Robert Frost and his but also the rule of law and the protection of American businessmen attributed today's family all the success in future endeavors. individual liberties. Nearly all (India being strong economy precisely to Reaganomics. the most notable exception) had advanced in­ Those businessmen made it clear that al­ dustrial economies, sizable middle classes PROMOTING DEMOCRACY AROUND and high literacy rates-characteristics that though President Clinton is the beneficiary, he THE WORLD political scientists typically regarded as is by no means the cause, of that prosperity. "prerequisites" of successful democracy. And finally, Ronald Reagan set a moral tone Meanwhile, what were then called the Sec­ for this country solidly rooted in traditional HON. LEE H. HAMILTON ond and Third Worlds were dominated by American virtues. His personality, his sense of OF INDIANA other kinds of regimes (Marxist-Leninist, humor, his ability to distill complex issues into IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES military, single-party, etc.) that rejected language everyone understood, and finally, his Tuesday, February 3, 1998 multiparty elections. total lack of guile and malice disarmed his crit­ REGIMES CRUMBLED ics and made us all feel good once again Mr. HAMIL TON. Mr. Speaker, the euphoria that greeted the end of the cold war, and the By the early 1990s this situation had about being Americans. changed dramatically, as Marxist-Leninist, The political landscape was littered with the authoritarian regimes around the world that drew their strength from it, is fading as we military and single-party regimes crumbled bones of critics who underestimated him until and were mostly succeeded by regimes that the very last moment in 1989, when he face the reality of how difficult it is to instill at least aspired to be democratic. Today, climbed aboard the helicopter carrying him democratic ideals and processes in emerging well over 100 states can plausibly claim to away from Washington for the last time. It was nations. Some critics have argued that elec­ have elected governments, including most not the same Washington that greeted him in tions have not brought freedom to many of countries in Latin America, many in the 1981 . Ronald Reagan changed the very vo­ these countries. Some have even gone so far post-Communist world and a significant cabulary of this city. And when we finally bal­ as to suggest that a new kind of authoritarian number in Asia and Africa. ance the budget and dig Americans out from government might be preferable to an elected Outside Africa, surprisingly few of these the mountain of debt built by Ronald Reagan's one. regimes have suffered outright reversions to critics, it will be the greatest birthday present I am not so pessimistic. In my judgment, authoritarianism. At the same time, it has what is useful at this point in the U.S. and become clear that many of them, even of all. among those that hold unambiguously free international experience with democracy-build­ Mr. Speaker, let me close by saying, "Mr. and fair elections, fall short of Western President-and for me Ronald Reagan will al­ ing programs is to analyze which programs standards in protecting individual liberties ways be 'Mr. President'-! miss you, your have proven useful in the long-term process of and adhering to the rule of law. As Larry Di­ country misses you, and we all wish you the reforming institutions and citizens' demands amond, co-editor of the Journal of Democ­ happiest of birthdays with many returns." on their governments. Instead of giving up on racy, puts it, many of the new regimes are e This "bullet" symbol identifies statements or insertions which are not spoken by a Member of the Senate on the floor. Matter set in this typeface indicates words inserted or appended, rather than spoken, by a Member of the House on the floor. February 3, 1998 EXTENSIONS OF REMARKS 655 "electoral democracies" but not " liberal de­ countability of elected officials. The process Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me mocracies." Mr. Zakaria puts a more pessi­ makes government more subject to public in honoring the ingenuity and the memory of mistic spin on a similar diagnosis in his arti­ scrutiny. this entrepreneurial pioneer. Indeed, when cle, entitled "The Rise of Illiberal Democ­ The spread of democracy abroad is the re­ racy.'' sult not of American policy or propaganda, Russ Kelly was asked how he wanted to be The difference is more than semantic. Call­ but of demands by peoples worldwide. Wheth­ remembered, he said, "Only as a pioneer." ing the emerging democracies " illiberal" er this demand springs from human nature I extend my sincere sympathy to Russell suggests that they constitute a new threat or from global communications and the un­ Kelly's wife, Margaret, his son, Terence E. to freedom. In fact, compared with the old paralleled current prestige of democracy, Adderley, who joined the company in 1958 regimes, they represent a major gain for people almost everywhere want to have a say and became its President in 1967 and who freedom, a new opening that makes possible about who their rulers are.