Speech #980192851

It seems to me that the grand political strategy of one of the great political parties. the Democratic Party. this year has been governance by anesthetic. That is. the more people you can put to sleep in this Chamber and outside this Chamber. the more of your own party you are going to protect. And if we can deal with those issues that are relatively noncontroversial or those issues that are hurtful to the President of the United States and his party. we will do so. but not on those issues that may have a real body of supporters out therethe constitutional amendment on school prayer. the question about a lineitem veto. the question about a balanced budget required by a constitutional amendment. a number of very serious crime issues. capital punishment which admittedly is very controversial. habeas corpus reform which is sometimes considered controversial. doing things with the exclusionary rule which is admittedly somewhat controversial. things of that sort. or even that issue that seems to have been lost in the wilderness for the past 6 years. immigration. They say. "We dont have the time for that." We see that. having made an argument. both inside this Chamber and outside the Chamber. about the necessity for immigration legislation. it is now promised to come up. and I hope it will come up. although it has been postponed for admittedly blatant political purposes. Vice President Mondale did not wish to have to deal with that tough issue prior to meeting with constituents in my home State of California. Remember. that is the gentleman who wants to sit across the table from Mr.