By By Carrie Howard
Republican Gramm opens McConnell Center lecture series
By Carrie Howard
Managing Editor
Senator Phil Gramm of Texas visited U of L this morning as the kick-off speaker to the McConnell Center for Political Leadership’s Distinguished Speaker Series. Mitch McConnell, Kentucky Senator and founder of U of L’s McConnell center, was present to introduce the speaker in the Allen Courtroom in the Brandeis School of Law.
The Republican Senator spoke to a full courtroom about Homeland Security, Iraq, Saddam Hussein, and the source of terrorism. Gramm said the United States was susceptible to terrorism because of the country’s openness and freedom, which makes us vulnerable. Gramm said we were “more powerful than the Romans,” and yet we are still open to terrorist attacks.
Gramm supports President Bush in his efforts to stop terrorism. The Senator believes we should “seek out terrorism where it exists and destroy it.”
With the threat of terrorism, Gramm believes and supports the President’s decision to abolish Saddam Hussein. Gramm expressed that acting now is the right thing to do, and said that circumstances have changed since America’s last conflict with Hussein in 1991. Gramm said that Hussein is “unstable” and willing to support terrorist groups wanting to attack the United States. Gramm also said that the United States has proof that Hussein has tried for a decade to obtain nuclear weapons, and that he has access to chemical and biological warfare.
“The threat is too great to tolerate,” voiced Gramm. “We know the terrorist network will act again if they can.”
Gramm also shared his opinion on the source of terrorism. Gramm voiced that the seeds of terrorism come from a battle of “ideas” between ancient and modern civilizations. Gramm said that the terrorists reject our individual freedoms and our way of life. Even though the terrorists despise our lifestyle, Gramm declared, “we’re not going away.”
“We’re right, and they (the terrorists) are wrong,” Gramm expressed.
Even though many countries are hesitant about supporting the United States in its quest against Hussein, Gramm showed his support of war intentions. “There is no substitute for victory,” the Senator declared.
After his speech, Gramm opened the floor to questions. Students asked about the Constitutionality of attacking Hussein, free trade in the Americas, immigration laws, campaigning, and America’s world image. The question and answer session was cut short by Gramm’s having to catch a plane.
In his political career, Gramm ran for President in 1996. He also introduced several legislative initiates such as the Gramm-Latta Budget in 1981 and the Gramm-Rudman-Hollings Balanced Budget Act of 1984. Gramm is also a former professor of economics at Texas A&M. Gramm will retire from the Senate at the end of this year.
“The Senate will not be the same or as good without him,” said McConnell of his colleague.
Other McConnell distinguished speakers are slated to appear this fall, including U.S. Senate candidate Lois Combs Weinberg and Condoleeza Rice, Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs. For more information, one can visit the McConnell Center’s website at www.mcconnellcenter.com.
