The Subterfuge of Bailout Bob Bennett: Part 2 The Nitty Gritty

Part 2 is going to be a detailed and lengthy response to an anonymous poster who requested more info on the sources. Read at your own peril; we are not responsible if you fall asleep...

We are dividing up the source documentation into two parts:

Part 1: Bennett talking specifically about limiting himself
Part 2: Bennett talking about his support of term limits

We will not quote the article in full for copyright reasons, but will in our citation include extraneous subject material proceeding (if any) of the issue of term limits as well as following (if any) to show we have covered the full article subtopic of term limits. Furthermore, we will do no editing or emphasizing to convey a true flavor of the article as it was intended.

PART 1 QUOTES:

• CAMPAIGN '92: SENATORIAL CANDIDATES ON THE ISSUES
  Salt Lake Tribune, The (UT) - Thursday, October 29, 1992
  SENATORIAL CANDIDATES ON THE ISSUES
  "Senator
  If elected to the Senate, will you place a limit on the number of terms you will seek? If so, how many?
  Yes. Twelve years, two terms in the Senate and six in the House.
  What is the single biggest problem facing the nation today?
  The single biggest problem facing our nation is a Congress that doesn't work. This has led to the biggest economic problem, the federal deficit. I have made Congressional reform a centerpiece of my campaign. The first bill I will introduce is a bill to reduce the size of congressional staff by at least 25%. I also support term limits, the line-item veto, and the balanced-budget amendment with a tax limitation provision, which will help with both the debt and Congressional reform. All of these measures will help change the way Congress operates and help reduce the federal deficit.
  If elected, you will have no seniority in the U.S. Senate. Even if congressional reform takes place in the near future, Utah will be left in the next few years with a Senator without clout. How do you propose to overcome that?
  The rules of the Senate give a new senator power to influence legislation in a way that many new members of the House cannot. I have worked in the Senate, I know the rules, and I can make them work for Utah. Recent history reminds us that new senators, who are willing to work hard, often have a significant impact even in their first terms. For example, Sen. Hatch led the fight against significant new labor laws during his first term. I am tenacious and work hard. I will have an impact, even as a junior senator...."

• UTAH SENATE CANDIDATES TRY TO STAND APART
  Deseret News, The (Salt Lake City, UT) - Monday, July 20, 1992
  Author: Bob Bernick Jr., Political Editor
  "...Here's how the four see their primary races: Bob BennettPointing to Cannon's current TV advertisements, Bennett said his campaign will concentrate ``on solutions, not slogans,'' and on Bennett's emphasis on cleaning up Congress. ``Congress is the problem, the place to start. You can't fix Washington until you fix Congress. And you can't do that with slogans like `We should replace all the people back there,' '' said Bennett. Specifics? Bennett said he's ``seen the light'' on term limitation. He'll only stay two terms , 12 years, and supports term limitation by law. To help control Congress' spending, Bennett supports a line-item veto for the president. ``Joe doesn't,'' he said. ``I'd cut the congressional staff by at least 25 percent...."

• ROLLY & WELLS ...
  Salt Lake Tribune, The (UT) - Monday, April 27, 1992
  ....Robert G. Pruett III represented WE, which received $5,000 from Waste Management Inc., which has lobbied for higher fees in Utah so firms will dispose of their waste at Waste Management's California facility instead.
  Pruett says he is a Waste Management representative to resolve any legal questions about WE's acceptance of the $5,000.
  BRENT WARD, in a recent joint appearance by Republican U.S. Senate candidates, promised: ``I am not going to stay in the Congress for more than 12 years. Period.''
  ``If you're going to only serve two terms ,'' said candidate Bob Bennett , ``why don't you let me serve two terms first. You're a young guy.''
  

PART 2 QUOTES:

• U.S. SENATE
  Deseret News, The (Salt Lake City, UT) - Tuesday, October 20, 1992
  "...How would you balance the federal budget?
  Bob Bennett (R)
  Adopt a balanced budget amendment with a tax limitation provision. Give the president the line-item veto to control pork-barrel spending. Adopt many of the remaining provisions of the Grace Commission. Limit growth of entitlement spending to a rate lower than the growth rate of the economy. Significantly cut federal operating budgets. Adopt a pro-growth tax and regulation policy.
  Wayne Owens (D)
  I support a presidential line-item veto; balanced budget amendment; 10-year sunset review of all federal agencies except entitlement programs; eight-year term limitation for committee chairmen; cut the number of committees and committee staffs by 25 percent; split federal budgets into capital (investment) and operating budgets, balance operating budgets; cut unnecessary programs whether they provide jobs in your state or not. I don't support an arbitrary cap on entitlements or unfair entitlement reductions, like Bennett calls for.
  Do you favor or oppose term limitations? If so, at what length?
  Bob Bennett (R)
  Yes. 12 years for the House and Senate.
  Wayne Owens (D)
  No. Term limits will undermine the power of small states in Congress, increase the power of the bureaucrats and special-interest lobbyists. A better solution is eight-year limits on committee chairmanships and reform campaign financing laws to make elections more competitive...."

• ELECTION '92: U.S. SENATE
  Deseret News, The (Salt Lake City, UT) - Sunday, November 1, 1992
  "...Bennett has built a campaign around one word - change. And he's pushed it in innovative TV commercials for more than nine months.
  Bennett , 58, says Congress must be reformed radically before other major federal problems, like the deficit, can be solved. He's for a balanced-budget amendment, with the provision to hold down tax increases.
  He favors a line-item veto for the president. He wants to cut congressional staffs and limit the terms of House and Senate members to 12 years each.
  Bennett says anyone who is serious about reducing the federal deficit must talk about entitlement programs, like Social Security and Medicare and Medicaid. While saying he won't reduce those benefits, he is willing to look at controlling their growth by linking them to the cost of living...."

• WHERE DO OWENS, BENNETT STAND?
  Deseret News, The (Salt Lake City, UT) - Tuesday, October 20, 1992
  Author: Bob Bernick Jr., Political Editor
  "...But it's clear Owens is going down, if indeed he ends up losing, fighting.
  To get a better handle on the issues that divide the two men, the Deseret News asked them to fill out a questionnaire.
  The men differ on health care reform; how to cut the military and how much; on term limitations for incumbent congressmen and campaign finance reform.
  Owens' campaign has revolved around one main theme: He's been an effective fighter for Utah's interests.
  Bennett has grabbed a hold of the word ``change'' - saying he is a man who can join with others and reform Congress and its fiscal mess...."
  
• CANNON, BENNETT FOCUS ON 2 DIFFERENT ISSUES
  Deseret News, The (Salt Lake City, UT) - Thursday, September 3, 1992
  Author: Gina Howard, Staff Writer
  While not disagreeing that the deficit is an important issue, Bennett said nothing can be done until problems with Congress are solved. ``For me, the number one issue is how are we going to restructure the Congress? That's why I favor term limitation and the (presidential) line-item veto,'' he said, adding that the first bill he plans to introduce would be to cut congressional staffs by 25 percent. Bennett said 43 of the 50 states' governors have the line-item veto, and that it's time the president has that power also.
  Cannon said he has some ``reservations'' about the line-item veto and opposes term limitation. Each would require a constitutional amendment, Cannon believes.
  Both candidates agreed the growth of entitlements like Medicaid, Medicare and welfare must be slowed; that changes in the welfare program must be made on a state level; and that the nation's health-care system needs to be reformed but not by a federally mandated, national health-care plan. Both oppose a congressional pay raise.
  Cannon said Congress deserves a pay raise - when they balance the budget. Congressmen's pensions should be gradually reduced so they don't have an incentive to stay in Congress. This would also make ``them live more like normal people . . . so they feel like normal people,'' Cannon said.
  Saying he will not accept the pension if he is elected, Bennett said that being a congressmen has become a full-time profession and called for a return to part-time citizen service. ``Citizen service is something you do for your country, not for your retirement,'' he said. Cannon said he opposes a national health-care plan because it ``would only be more costly and less efficient.'' He supports tax credits for small businesses. Bennett also supports tax credits and believes that it is silly that employers own health-care policies. ``You should own the policy yourself,'' he said.