Political Quotes

“Mr. Chairman, I find it a bit inconsistent. This is the same body that voted for NAFTA, that sent tens of thousands of American jobs to Mexico, the same body that voted for permanent normal trade relations with the Communist Chinese. In the case of NAFTA, we have gone from a trade surplus to a trade deficit. We have sent jobs that used to be in Mississippi to Mexico. In the case of normal trade relations with China, we have taken it a step worse. We have taken jobs that used to be done in Waynesboro, Mississippi, that are now done by political prisoners in China. To make matters worse, you can trace Chinese defense spending, and their weapons modernization has increased on a dollar-for-dollar basis with their trade surplus with the United States. So we have not only sent them our jobs; we are sending them the money they will eventually use to shoot at Americans. My colleagues, in the response to the loss of these jobs, say it is the prisoners' fault. No, guys, it is NAFTA's fault. It is permanent trade relations with China's fault. I can tell you one thing that my constituents want, is they want prisoners to work. They do not want them sitting on their duffs watching television. They want them to work. They want them to do something for society, to pay their debt to society.”