Larry Pressler: “I have just returned from my State of South Dakota, where I listened to the farmers, small businessmen, students, wives…”

“I have just returned from my State of South Dakota, where I listened to the farmers, small businessmen, students, wives, and citizens of South Dakota for 9 days. I found many were thanking me for voting for the balanced budget resolution, the Domenici-Dole budget that passed the U.S. Senate about 2 weeks ago. The people of our country want change. They want us to do something about the huge deficit that has been built up and they feel we have taken the first step. The message I heard loud and clear was, ``Please take the second and third steps now.'' For the first time since I have been in the Senate, this body passed a real budget that will move us toward a balanced budget in the year 2002. But even with a balanced budget in 2002, we will still have a huge deficit. In some of my high school graduation speeches, I predicted they will have to pay a tax surcharge on their income taxes for most of their lives to help pay down the Federal deficit, or at least pay interest on it.”