Mike Thompson: “first of all I want to thank the Senator from New Mexico for his remarks and for his inspirational leadership in this…”

“first of all I want to thank the Senator from New Mexico for his remarks and for his inspirational leadership in this area. Those of us who have been following these matters know the Senator from New Mexico is not only the strongest advocate for fiscal responsibility but he has been a leader and an inspiration to all those who are concerned in this area. If we had the leadership and the knowledge and the courage of Senator Domenici more prevalent in this body we would not be here today, debating a constitutional amendment. But we are. Because we have not had that kind of leadership. I would like to address, for a moment, the discussion that was had earlier concerning an amendment, the so-called right-to-know amendment. I was not here for most of the discussion that was led by the distinguished minority leader. But basically as I understand it, his position is that they think the American people have a right to know the details of this plan which they know as a practical impossibility and would be an irrelevance anyway. One Senator could not bind another and there are all kinds of plans floating around. All that is known but the point is yet made--the people's right to know. I would like to make a couple of points about that. First of all, it occurs to me this approach assumes a great deal more ignorance on the part of the American people than is present.”