RESPONSE - Grams
Rodgrams@aol.com
Wed, 2 Nov 1994 11:28:15 -0500
QUESTION #2 - November 2, 1994:
>People are saying Congress is broken; our government isn't working. Do you
agree? >In general terms, explain why or why not.
As a parent, homeowner and businessman I have seen government at its best and
its worst. When we are free to raise our children, invest in our families'
futures, and provide for our families, then government is doing its job.
However, excessive government intrusion destroys this balance, weakening all
three links.
Unfortunately, the Congress has lost sight of this philosophy and lost the
confidence of the American people. Congress has become a bloated institution
which is more interested in serving itself than the very people they are
elected to serve. Congressional reform is long overdue.
I am a citizen legislator. Having set my own 12 year term limit, the first
bill I coauthored in Congress would establish term limits for all
politicians. Unlike my opponent, Ann Wynia, I believe a Congress comprised of
"professional politicians" does not reflect the values and concerns of
average Americans. It is clear that after 13 years in politics, Ann Wynia
has lost touch with Minnesota taxpayers -- otherwise she would not have
raised our taxes over 300 times.
We have learned that too much power being invested in one person corrupts our
government. The House Bank and Post Office scandals are prime examples of
why we don't need any more Chairman Rostenkowski's in the U.S. Congress.
That is why I have spent the past two years working to establish rotating
congressional committee chairs and want to eliminate unnecessary
subcommittees and excessive committee staff. One of the first reform
measures I authored led to the elimination of four select committees, saving
nearly $3 million in 1993 alone.
And on the House floor, I successfully passed an amendment to prohibit
taxpayer funds from being used to relocate Members' House offices in the
middle of the legislative session. This reform measure has already saved
taxpayers over $100,000. Unless Congress can spend thousands of dollars with
care, we will never be able to spend trillions of dollars wisely.
Most recently, I supported legislation which would require Congress to live
under the same laws it passes. The federal government should not set one
standard for the rest of the nation and then exempt itself from compliance.
Unfortunately, the democratic leadership killed the bill in the Senate
because they feared it would be too costly. Unfortunately, these same Senate
democrats ignore the potential impact these laws have on American jobs and on
consumers. I believe cost-benefit analysis should be required prior to
enactment of all federal laws and regulations.
This would ensure the laws Congress passes are balanced. This is a concept
Ann Wynia opposes -- probably because she has never held a job in the private
sector, a job which could have been regulated right out of existence by a
faceless bureaucrat in Washington.
As Minnesota's next U.S. Senator, I will be that commonsense voice. I will
carry the message I have heard from Minnesotans as I traveled thru our 87
counties; "get government off my back and out of my back pocket."
Rod Grams
Candidate for U.S. Senate