1999, One Minute Speech Archive
1999, One Minute Speech Archive
A good man, James A. Traficant Jr. (1941-2014)
INTENSIFY WAR ON DRUGS
August 3, 1999
Madam Speaker, the Drug Czar said only 38 percent of teenagers in America have tried drugs, and he is all excited.
Now, look, I like the Czar. I think he is doing a good job. But 38 percent is not exactly a number we should be celebrating, folks.
Let us tell it like it is: Drugs account for 80 percent of all crime, 70 percent of all murder, 50 percent of all healthcare costs, and heroin and cocaine is as easy to get as aspirin in every city in America, and it all comes across the border. Our borders are wide open and our eyes are wide shut.
Beam me up. We do not have a war on drugs going on; we have a propaganda game going on in America.
HINCKLEY SHOULD GO TO JAIL AND WE SHOULD THROW AWAY THE KEYS
July 29, 1999
Mr. Speaker, John Hinckley shot President Reagan, James Brady, and two security guards with intent to kill. Hinckley also planned to kill President Carter.
Deemed insane, Hinckley was put in the hospital. And now that hospital says Hinckley has regained his health, he is no longer insane, and he should be entitled to and they are granting him `supervised leave.' And the Government will not appeal it.
Unbelievable.
What is next, Mr. Speaker? White House tours? Disney World?
Beam me up. Hinckley should go to jail. We should throw away the keys. An America that tolerates assassins like Hinckley is an America that will have more assassins like John Hinckley.
AMERICA MUST NOT TOLERATE MURDERERS
July 27, 1999
Mr. Speaker, the Yosemite murderer confessed to four brutal killings. Cary Stayner said he beheaded one victim. Cary Stayner then said he had killed the mother and her 15-year-old daughter. Cary Stayner then said he killed their 16-year-old friend as well. Then Cary Stayner apologized. My colleagues, Cary Stayner said, `I'm sorry.'
Beam me up, Mr. Speaker. I say it is time for a jury to tell Cary Stayner, Goodnight, sweet Prince. It is time to meet the devil.
An America that tolerates murderers like Cary Stayner is an America that will have more murderers like Cary Stayner.
I yield back the record number of victims laid to rest in cemeteries all over America.
MASSIVE TRADE DEFICITS FOR U.S.
July 20, 1999
Mr. Speaker, another record one-month trade deficit approaching $20 billion. That means there were another 400,000 American manufacturing high-paying jobs lost last month.
American workers keep going from factories to McDonald's, from steel mills to service centers, from banks to bankrupt, and no one in Washington is even paying attention.
Check it out. Free trade for Mexico, free trade for Africa, free trade for China, free trade for Europe, and massive trade deficits for the United States of America.
Beam me up. This is not a trade policy. This is a giveaway.
I yield back what high-paying jobs with benefits we have left.
HOW MANY AMERICANS MUST BE VICTIMIZED BEFORE BORDERS ARE SECURE?
July 15, 1999
Mr. Speaker, two Texas women were beaten to death in their own home. They were two of nine victims supposedly killed by the infamous railroad killer from Mexico. The border is wide open. From narcotics to terrorists, the border is wide open.
Tell me, Mr. Speaker, how many more Americans must be murdered in their own home? How many more Americans must die of drug overdoses? How many more Americans must be victimized and live in fear of terrorists? Tell me, Mr. Speaker, how many more Americans must be abused before Congress secures our border? Beam me up.
I yield back a massive problem that can and will not be solved.
AMERICAN BORDERS WIDE OPEN WHILE GUARDING BOSNIA AND KOSOVO
July 14, 1999
Mr. Speaker, all heroin and cocaine comes across our borders, and everyone agrees that heroin and cocaine cause most of the crime, murder, and medical bills in America. And Congress does nothing.
While American soldiers are guarding the borders of Bosnia and Kosovo, American borders are wide open. And Congress does nothing. Beam me up, Mr. Speaker.
A Nation without secure borders is a Nation without security. A Congress that turns its back on our borders is a Congress that invites disaster.
I yield back the stupid un-American policies.
OUR COUNTRY'S UNBELIEVABLE POLICY ON STEEL
July 13, 1999
Mr. Speaker, after World War II we gave tours of our steel mills to Japan and Germany. We let them take pictures. We gave them blueprints. We even gave them foreign aid so they could build their own steel mills.
Today Japan and Germany have steel mills. America has photographs. If that is not enough to tarnish our stainless, Japan and Europe at this very moment keep dumping illegal steel into America while in Pittsburgh, the once steel capital of the world, they just demolished another steel mill.
Beam me up. This policy on steel is not only unbelievable, it is stupid. I believe, Mr. Speaker, we could do with less think tanks and Styrofoam and a few more factories and steel.
AMERICAN WORKERS ARE GETTING PINK SLIPS
June 30, 1999
Mr. Speaker, yesterday General Motors closed its plant in Flint, Michigan. Another 3,600 American manufacturing jobs gone. Meanwhile, General Motors plants all over the world remain open. Think about it. While foreign workers are building American cars, American workers are getting pink slips. Beam me up.
I do not blame General Motors. I blame our trade policy. Our trade policies are killing jobs and killing investment.
The question I have today: If our trade policy is so good, why does Japan not do it? Why does China not do it? My colleagues, think about that.
I yield back what manufacturing jobs we have left in America.
AMERICA HAS ANOTHER RECORD TRADE DEFICIT
June 29, 1999
Mr. Speaker, for the third straight month America has another record trade deficit. China and Japan are now taking $130 billion a year out of our economy. China and Japan are taking $130 billion a year out of our economy, and no one in Washington is even paying any attention.
Beam me up, Mr. Speaker. While Congress worries about the Balkans, Asia, Africa, and the Mideast, Congress is ignoring the good old U.S.A. I believe that is a recipe for disaster. I yield back what jobs we have left.
COMPANIES MOVING OVERSEAS AND AMERICA IS LOSING JOBS
June 22, 1999
Mr. Speaker, the Hanover Shoe Company of Franklin, West Virginia is moving overseas. Another 350 jobs going overseas. But the workers have been told, and I quote, `Do not worry. You will find a job.'
Beam me up, Mr. Speaker. Every day, good paying manufacturing jobs going overseas, being replaced by minimum wage service-sector jobs. Enough is enough. A superpower does not act like a colony.The sad truth is `made in America' is now street talk for teen pregnancy.
I yield back all the minimum wage part-time jobs without benefits in these United States of America.
GUNS PREVENT MORE CRIME THAN ANYTHING ELSE
June 16, 1999
Mr. Speaker, I voted for the Brady bill. I voted to ban certain semiautomatic weapons. I honestly tried to help. But enough is enough. Guns are a two-edge sword, dangerous for sure, but guns prevent more crime than anything else in America, and no one is saying it.
Mr. Speaker, armed robbers just do not fear the welcome wagon, and all the policemen in the world, and I used to be one, may never get there in time.
I say be careful, Congress. Certainly guns are a symptom of great problems in America. But guns are not the root causation of all these problems in America. (This is recent change in Mr. Traficant's position. - David)
NO FIVE-DAY WAITING PERIOD ON CHINESE NUKES
June 14, 1999
Mr. Speaker, China spies and buys our secrets. Then China points their missiles at American cities. Now if that is not enough to put trigger locks on Chinese missiles, a White House spokesman said, and I quote, `We will grant China swift admission to the World Trade Organization.' Swift admission no less. Beam me up here. I am firmly convinced those experts at the White House are smoking dope.
I yield back the fact that there is no 5-day waiting period on Chinese nukes. Think about that.
FLAG DAY
June 9, 1999
Madam Speaker, in America it is illegal to burn trash, but we can burn the flag. It is illegal to remove a label from a mattress, but we can literally rip the stars and stripes off our flag. It is illegal to damage a mailbox, but we can destroy our flag.
Beam me up. A people that does not honor and respect their flag is a people that does not honor and respect their country nor their neighbors.
Monday, June 14th is Flag Day. I say if we want to make a political statement, we can burn our bras, burn our BVDs, but we should leave Old Glory alone. Every day should be Flag Day.
AMERICA SHOULD GUARD AMERICAN BORDERS
June 8, 1999
Mr. Speaker, 90 percent of all crime in America is drug related. Eighty percent of all heroin, 80 percent of all cocaine comes across the Mexican border. To boot, only three out of every 100 trucks coming from Mexico are even inspected.
It is so bad, experts now admit it is even possible for terrorists to smuggle nuclear weapons across our border. And after all this, the White House wants to send 7,000 American soldiers to guard the borders of Yugoslavia.
Beam me up here. Europe should be guarding the borders of Europe and Yugoslavia. America should be guarding the borders of America for the American people. Think about that.
I yield back this weak and foolish national security policy we have in place.
SLEEPWALKING MURDERER NEEDS TO CATCH A FEW Z'S IN ELECTRIC CHAIR
June 7, 1999
Mr. Speaker, Scott Falater does not deny it. He admits that he stabbed his wife 44 times. He then held her underwater while she bled to death, and then he hid the evidence. But, after all that, Falater says he is not guilty because he was sleepwalking.
Unbelievable, Mr. Speaker. Are we to believe that Falater was just dreaming through his wife's screams? Are we to believe he was just walking in the park when he stabbed her 44 times?
Beam me up. I say it is time for Scott Falater to sleepwalk down murderer's row and catch a few Z's right in the electric chair. Sleep on that, Falater.
RESIDENTS IN NEW YORK BANNED FROM FLYING FLAG
May 4, 1999
Mr. Speaker, residents of Brookshire Condominiums in Washingtonville, New York, have been banned from flying the American flag. Banned, ladies and gentlemen. In fact, they will be charged $25 for every day that they fly the flag beyond the five holidays allowed. Unbelievable!
The sad fact is in America today we can burn the flag, but we may not be allowed to fly the flag. Beam me up. Is it any wonder America is so screwed up?
I yield back the lives of thousands of heroic Americans who gave their lives in battle while carrying Old Glory into battle.
COUNTRIES ALL OVER THE WORLD ARE DUMPING IN AMERICA'S MARKETS
March 24, 1999
Mr. Speaker, the U.S. trade deficit is projected to exceed $200 billion this year. Japan will once again exceed $60 billion in surplus. If that is not enough to tax your exports, China is expected to take a $70 billion chunk of money in trade surplus from Uncle Sam. Unbelievable.
Countries all over the world are dumping in our markets. Beam me up, Mr. Speaker. If our trade policy is so good, why does not Japan do it? Why does not China do it? Why does not Europe do it?
The truth is, our trade policy is about as effective as tits on a boar hog.
Mr. Speaker, I yield back our stupidity and I yield back our other cheeks.
USE SOCIAL SECURITY MONEY FOR SOCIAL SECURITY
March 17, 1999
Mr. Speaker, both parties have a plan to save Social Security. Quite frankly, neither plan is adequate. There is no budget surplus. There is a deficit. The only surplus that exists is in the Social Security account.
I say it is time to pass an amendment to the Constitution that says Social Security money can only be used for Social Security and Medicare, and no politician or no administration could reach in and use that money.
It is not Republicans' money, it is not Democrats' money. It is the people's money. If we could, in fact, do it for term limits on presidents, and if we could do it for every other reason that exists, we can protect the most important account of the American people and save Social Security.
Mr. Speaker, I yield back all the IOUs in the wastebaskets of the Social Security center.
DO NOT LOAN MONEY TO COUNTRIES WHO VIOLATE OUR TRADE LAWS
March 10, 1999
Check this out, Mr. Speaker. Foreign banks make bad loans to bad companies; then these foreign banks go belly up. They dial 911 for Uncle Sam, and Uncle Sam sends them checks for billions of dollars.
Billions to Russia, South Korea, Thailand, and now Brazil. And guess what? They all have something in common. Each and every one of those countries violate our trade laws.
Beam me up, Congress. Even Barney Fife can figure this out. If Congress does not stop this madness, the 1990s will end up looking just like the Roaring Twenties.
Before we tax our IRAs, I yield back a $200 billion trade deficit in the international masochist fund.
CHINA CONTINUES TO THREATEN NATIONAL SECURITY
March 9, 1999
Mr. Speaker, even though China threatened to nuke Taiwan, reports say the White House had planned to sell sophisticated satellites to a group of `Chinese businessmen.'
Unbelievable. Thank God the Pentagon intervened. According to the New York Times, this group of Chinese businessmen turned out to be the Red Army. The Red Army, I say to my colleagues.
I have said it before, and I will say it again. With policies like this, I believe we should hire a proctologist and assign him to the White House to do some training with their bureaucrats.
I yield back what national security we have left.
THE ONLY SURPLUS IN WASHINGTON
March 3, 1999
Mr. Speaker, who is kidding whom? The only surplus in Washington, D.C., is in the Social Security trust fund.
The truth is, Social Security money coming in one door today is going out the other door tomorrow, because the facts are very clear. The Social Security trust fund is a big basket full of IOUs. The reason is very simple: Politicians from both parties have reached in and borrowed money from the Social Security trust fund and have not repaid it. Billions and billions of dollars.
Beam me up. Now we are saying Social Security is going to run out of money. I say not one dime of Social Security should be used for anything but Social Security.
I yield back any economic common sense that may be left down here.
John 8:32 and 36, “And ye shall know the
truth, and the truth shall make you free
...
If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free
indeed.”
