Political Quotes

“it is wrong and it was wrong for the President of the United States to put at risk $20 billion in the Mexican bailout, to put at risk $3 billion providing credit to Indonesia, and $5 billion to South Korea, without discussion, debate, or approval of the Congress. Now, there are some Members here who thought that was a good idea. That is fine. But if we are here to represent the taxpayers of this country on major foreign policy and financial issues, we cannot simply sit back and allow a slush fund which is estimated to have $30 billion to be used whenever the President of the United States, any President, wants to do that. I personally, for example, would have fought vigorously against the bailout to Indonesia, which went to General Suharto, a well-known dictator, who has the blood of hundreds of thousands of people on his hands. Should we have sat back and said, no problem, let Suharto have that money, or do we have a right to debate that issue? In terms of Mexico, we have a letter that I will submit for the Record signed by the leader of the 126-member bloc in the congress of Mexico which says that the Exchange Stabilization Fund, plus the IMF, resulted in disastrous policies for Mexico, higher unemployment, lower wages, the collapse of small business. Should that issue be discussed on the floor of the Congress? Of course it should. Some may say it was a good idea. That is fine. Some may have opposed it. That is fine.”