Kerry rips into GOP on budget (original source for Drudge story)

Mass., commenting on the federal government shutdown, called the House Republicans "legislative terrorists. "

Visiting Worcester to speak with students and administrators at Worcester State College about changes in federal student loan programs, Kerry said yesterday that even Senate Majority Leader Bob Dole, R-Kan., had "come to his senses," but the House Republicans were holding "the government hostage. " "The House Republicans are playing games," Kerry said. "They've acted stupidly. There is a way to balance the budget, but they're doing it dumb. "

Kerry said Gingrich is trying to "shove one man's point of view down the whole country's throat. " He said a democracy is based on negotiation and compromise, and the House Republicans "appear to be interested in neither. "

Asked about his terrorist comment, Kerry said, "Terrorists hold hostages, and the Republicans are holding the government hostage. "

Kerry said budget battles in Washington affect college life. He said he wanted to listen to students and take that information with him to Washington.

Earlier yesterday, Kerry said jobs will undoubtedly emerge as the focus of his campaign against Gov. William F. Weld. He also suggested that the campaign - and others around the country - would prove to be a referendum on how the country wants Congress to balance the budget.

"So maybe the nation needs a debate about its priorities," said Kerry, speaking at a breakfast meeting of the North Central Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce.

Kerry reiterated the Democrats' quest to take the route, in his words, that doesn't cut too deeply into Medicare, Medicaid and other programs. The GOP favors bigger decreases and bigger tax breaks than the Democrats.

He said economists "will tell you that when the inflation rate is as low as it is, when the unemployment rate is as low as it is you don't need to rush and give this enormous tax break that comes at the expense of other terribly important investments we need to make in this country. Now if we have to have an election to decide that, let's do it.

"I have voted for a seven-year balanced budget; I have proposed, together with the Democratic leadership in the Senate, a seven-year (Congressional Budget Office-based) balanced budget, but we don't do it at the expense of some of these other critical things that I think impact the quality of life in this country. " "ENTREPRENEURIAL SPIRIT'

Kerry addressed the budget battle and his imminent campaign against Weld before about 150 chamber members at the Sheraton Four Points Hotel in Leominster. He was interviewed by chamber president David L. McKeehan.

"I have noticed a certain person, who has been rumored to be running against me, has suggested that the issues of this campaign are going to be crime, taxes and welfare," Kerry said. "I would respectfully suggest that the issue of this campaign is the workplace in America. It's about jobs.

"We've got to put people to work. That means unleashing the entrepreneurial spirit of this country in ways that are new and exciting. I'm for that, which is why I'm for changing our whole approach to programs in Washington. I think we can reduce the size of Washington. Get rid of the Energy Department. Get rid of the Agriculture Department, or at least render it three-quarters the size it is today; there are more agriculture bureaucrats than there are farmers in this country. We can probably meld the Labor and Education departments because the job of both is so symbiotic today. "

This is the single source for the Drudge story. The article is not on the Internet, at least not on the MA newspaper's website and not findable via Google, but I got it from a little birdy :)

Here's the newspapers site, by he way:

http://www.telegram.com/apps/pbcs.dll/frontpage

Clickable link:

http://www.telegram.com/apps/pbcs.dll/frontpage

But the article is not there anyway, unless perhaps the paper has a paid archives section.

"legislative terrorists. "
"the government hostage. "

"Terrorists hold hostages, and the Republicans are holding the government hostage. "

I would do time for the chance to beat the ever lovin' crap out of this POS.

FMCDH

3 posted on 01/16/2004 5:51:41 PM PST by nothingnew (The pendulum is swinging and the Rats are in the pit!)

5 posted on 02/25/2004 10:02:42 AM PST by SeeRushToldU_So (Error 404. No taglines available.)

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