Malcolm Wallop: “I thank the Senator from New Hampshire. Let me say that he has put his finger precisely on what was wrong and what was…”

“I thank the Senator from New Hampshire. Let me say that he has put his finger precisely on what was wrong and what was not commented upon by the press on the President's speech last night, and that is the internal inconsistency. It was a formula speech, beautifully delivered, with well phrased portions which were designed to appeal to the American public which had been thoroughly polled. But, Madam President, one of the things that was very interesting to this Senator when he was musing on the fact that the symbol of America used to be Uncle Sam was a benign figure that sort of laid off in the country with the striped hat and the sense of patriotism but not a sense of involvement unless it was something like war. Now the symbol has become not Uncle Sam but great Aunt Nanny. The Federal Government will do everything for everyone. We will all be dependents of that Government, make no mistake about it, and the one veto threat the President promised last night was 'give me socialism or I will give you a veto. Nationalize health care or I will veto it.' He did say that he would not tolerate a further reduction in defense, but he did not promise to veto that. On the issue of welfare reform, which he campaigned on, he was going to change welfare as we know it. Last year in his State of the Union speech, he was going to change welfare as we know it. He has yet to produce a recommended welfare reform.”