Lawmakers 12/15/1983 - Deficit
Lawmakers 12/15/1983 - Deficit
Lawmakers 12/15/1983 - Deficit
Lawmakers 12/15/1983 - Deficit
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Lawmakers 12/15/1983 - Deficit
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Lawmakers 12/15/1983 - Deficit
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Lawmakers 12/15/1983 - Deficit
Paul Duke, Linda Wertheimer, and Cokie Roberts. Topics on program: foreign policy concerns, the deficit, and widows of former Congressmen now serving in Congress. Senator Bob Dole had the Senate Finance Committee meet over the recess to discuss the deficit, an unusual move.
Lawmakers 12/15/1983 - Deficit
Paul Duke introduces report on the deficit.
Lawmakers 12/15/1983 - Deficit
Senate Finance Committee hearing. Senator Max Baucus (D - Montana) We are incurring a deficit, Mr. President, at the rate of $22 million an hour. That means by the time these hearings conclude on Wednesday, we will have incurred an additional $1 billion of national debt.
Lawmakers 12/15/1983 - Deficit
Senate Finance Committee hearing. Senator John Danforth (R Missouri) Ignoring the problem of the deficit in 1984 is somewhat like ignoring an elephant which happens to be in your living room. I don t think that it can be done.
Lawmakers 12/15/1983 - Deficit
Senate Finance Committee hearing. Reporters and cameramen, witnesses in committee room. Senator Bob Dole (R Kansas) Is there any disagreement that the sooner it s done the better or should we wait until after the election. Witness I would say, do it definitely. Do it fast. Senator Bob Dole (R Kansas) we are don t on the one hand by the President that we can t or shouldn t touch defense, so I think the 22% increase is going nowhere obviously. And we re sort of told by the President and the Speaker that we shouldn t touch Social Security. And of course we can t touch interest on the debt. That doesn t leave very much. And we re trying to put together $150 billion package over a four year period. So we re trying to keep within that frame work, and I don t expect you to comment on that, but it would be fair to say that does reduce our options. That s about 78% of the budget I think. So we re criticized for not cutting spending in the Congress, but we re told that most of its off limits. Murray Weidenbaum, economist, we do not promote the national security by showing the Russians how fast we can spend money. On that point, I cite the frantic end of fiscal year spending by the Pentagon this fall: 57,000 softballs, a 14 month supply of paper, and piles of ice cube makers, video cassette players, and similar weapons systems Senator Bob Dole (R Kansas) Even if we took back all those softballs, 57,000 softballs that the Defense Department bought, we d still be short of $150 billion. Murray Weidenbaum, economist, You have to play hard ball. Senator Bob Dole (R Kansas) Softballs are good for the Defense Department because that s all they ve had up here is soft ball treatment.
Lawmakers 12/15/1983 - Deficit
National Association of Manufacturers conference. Senator Bob Dole (R Kansas) there s a myth around that somehow we don t agree with the White House. I don t know how anybody could have conjured that up. I mean as far as I know those truss around the White House and not to keep me out. Those new security measures are for other purposes. But there s always speculation that suddenly we ve taken an interest in deficit because I want to replace Howard Baker. I can t stop the speculation. IN fact, I d be willing to replace Howard Baker. I ve indicated that to 47 of my colleagues. The others are still travelling. In any event
Lawmakers 12/15/1983 - Deficit
Senator Bob Dole (R Kansas) Whenever you do anything, you re always suspect, but no we ve had hundreds of hours of hearing in this committee room over the past three years and I haven t been campaigning for anything. I m campaigning for deficit reduction.
Lawmakers 12/15/1983 - Deficit
Paul Duke comments that Bob Dole is going to try to get Reagan to compromise on a tax increase, but in an election year, it will be a tough sell.