Mr. Chairman. For what purpose does the gentleman from Texas rise? The gentleman is recognized for 5 minutes.
1997 Ron Paul 27:1
Mr. PAUL.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. There has been a lot of talk here that there has been an attack on the poor. Quite frankly, I do not believe that either side of the aisle is
really attacking the poor. Even in this bill, which is supposed to be a radical change in direction on public housing, I find that in the budget we are appropriating $5 billion more, so that is hardly an attack, in an effort to help the poor.
1997 Ron Paul 27:2
But I do think the poor are suffering. I think there are a lot of people in this country who are suffering. I think the recipients of public housing are suffering. I think those who are paying for it are suffering.
1997 Ron Paul 27:3
And there is a problem much more perceived in the hinterlands of America than we seem to
Mr. Chairman. The gentleman will suspend. The House will be in order. The gentleman may proceed.
1997 Ron Paul 27:4
Mr. PAUL.
The poor in this country are suffering, but this is a result of the type of policy that we have here in the Congress, the policy of spending too much, the policy of inflating, the policy of destroying the currency. When a Nation destroys its currency, it transfers wealth from the poor and the middle class to the wealthy.
1997 Ron Paul 27:5
Even in this very bill where we are appropriating more money, …
Mr. JACKSON. Would the gentleman yield?
1997 Ron Paul 27:7
Not at this moment. In a minute. Even in this bill, where we are appropriating more money, it is to the benefit of many wealthy people: the people who build the houses, the people who receive the rents. So there is a transfer. There is a transfer of wealth, but the achievement on a public housing policy has never been successful. And this is what we are facing today.
1997 Ron Paul 27:8
But we are also facing the fact that the consequence of a 30to 50-year welfare state is coming to an end.
1997 Ron Paul 27:9
This is why the great debate is on. We have this every 30 years. We were much wealthier in 1965 and we have subsequently spent $5 trillion on a welfare state. And now we are facing a bankruptcy.
1997 Ron Paul 27:10
But the concern for the poor is justified. The poor are suffering. The poor are suffering because they pay the bills. I would like to see the challenge of the welfare for corporate welfare in this very bill itself. There are wealthy beneficiaries from this.
1997 Ron Paul 27:11
Mr. JACKSON of Illinois. Mr. Chairman, will the gentleman yield?
1997 Ron Paul 27:13
Mr. JACKSON of Illinois. I thank the gentleman for yielding. My amendment specifically calls for the exemption of a mother who has a single child to keep her from being evicted for failure to do 8 hours a month of community service work. If the gentleman would speak to that particular part, we may reach some agreement on this.
1997 Ron Paul 27:14
Mr. PAUL.
And I think that is a minor point and something we should be concerned about. But I am also concerned about those individuals who have been evicted from their homes because they have been taxed. The system that we have today works on a regressive tax system.
1997 Ron Paul 27:15
We talk about the Social Security tax that goes into the general revenues. Those are on individuals that have a greater tax burden than the wealthy. And this is the reason this country is getting poorer. But you are
taking money from poor people and giving it to another group of poor people and in the transition, the wealthy get more money. So we do not have a very good system here.
1997 Ron Paul 27:16
Mr. WATT of North Carolina. Mr. Chairman, will the gentleman yield?
1997 Ron Paul 27:18
Mr. WATT of North Carolina. I hope the gentleman was here when we debated the mandate, the unfunded mandate amendment, and understands that to implement the plan that is in the bill, it is going to cost $65 million a year. The gentleman is aware of that.
1997 Ron Paul 27:19
Mr. PAUL.
I think so. This is the reason I have great concern about most of the details of this bill and also the reason I will be voting against the bill. So, I think you make many good points.
1997 Ron Paul 27:20
Mr. JACKSON of Illinois. Mr. Chairman, if the gentleman will continue to yield, I thank the gentleman for supporting our efforts.
