July 25, 2008
Newt Gingrich, Lee Hamilton Discuss Nation's Vexing Problems at Lawmaker's Forum
Michael Bloomberg, Ed Rendell join in with discussion of infrastructure initiative
NEW ORLEANS - A quartet of political heavyweights weighed in on issues ranging from state budget deficits, education, terrorism and the nation's deteriorating infrastructure on the second day of the National Conference of State Legislature's annual Legislative Summit.
The Thursday afternoon panel started with former U.S. House Speaker Newt Gingrich and Lee Hamilton, a former congressman from Indiana and was vice-chairman of the 9/11 Commission. The pair was later joined by New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell, who were on a two-day road show to discuss the Building America's Future initiative, an effort to raise awareness and political will to push the federal government to address the nation's infrastructure woes.
The event started on a lighter note, when the speaker of the Pennsylvania House, Dennis O'Brien, did his best Rocky Balboa impersonation accompanied by the appropriate music and mascot the Philly Phanatic to promote NCSL's 2009 Legislative Summit in Philadelphia. The Pennsylvania delegation also brought along a few other Philly touches, including a cheesesteak lunch for all the attendees earlier in the day.
Attention soon turned to more serious business when moderator Robert Hoopes of Vox Global Mandate asked Hamilton and Gingrich their reaction to a story that dominated that morning's cover of the Wall Street Journal about a $40 billion shortfall in state budgets based on an NCSL report released this week.
Gingrich used the question to launch into a broader discussion of what the U.S. is doing-- or not doing-- to match the competitive challenge of some of the world's rapidly growing countries.
"You better be designing for your state fundamental reforms that allow your children to compete with India and China," he told the packed room. "If you're nor prepared to do that, we're going to watch the country decay for the next 25 years."
Hamilton took on the budget issue more directly, saying in the short term the nation will have to continue to stimulate the economy. "We'll get out of this slump. The short term is pretty clear. We're going to spend a lot of money.
"The longer-term problem is more difficult. You're going to have to make a lot of painful adjustments."
But he came back to Gingrich's theme, saying the nation has "got to put more investment in human capital. If we don’t bring up the skill level of the American work force we are in very deep trouble."
IMMIGRATION AND TERRORISM
Moving onto immigration, they agreed on two key points: the country will continue to need skilled and unskilled immigrants to make it work and that Congress has dropped the ball in dealing with the issue.
"You’ve got to get the right immigrants into this country," Hamilton said, and that includes the high-skilled people and the low-skilled people. "We've got to expand the work force through immigration and older people working longer."
Gingrich said he thinks many people are surprised by surveys that show Americans actually agree on many aspects of immigration, including the need for guest-worker program and for new arrivals to learn English.
"This is a stunningly diverse country," he said, adding that "historically we've absorbed an amazing range of people."
Hamilton turned the conversation to concerns about terrorism, a subject with which he has been closely linked because of his role in the commission that looked at the causes of the 9/11 attacks. He supports the efforts of the Department of Homeland Security and said he believes "Al-Qaeda is the biggest single threat to the safety and security of the American people."
A NATIONAL INITIATIVE
The paid were joined on stage by Bloomberg and Rendell, who along with California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger are promoting a nonpartisan effort to urge the federal government to address the nation's infrastructure needs, estimated at $1.6 trillion.
"We have a coalition that thinks investing in our infrastructure is a top national priority," said Bloomberg, who noted that 75 percent of the money spent in this country on infrastructure comes from the states.
"Our message here is to task you to join us," he said. "There is nothing partisan about investing in infrastructure. But now we're wandering into the 21st century without a roadmap."
Rendell conceded the subject is "not very sexy but it's critically important."
Doing some quick calculating, with a little help from business tycoon Bloomberg, Rendell said that if the money now being spent on the Iraq war was used instead to fix up the nation's roads, bridges, rail lines, airports and other critical infrastructure the problem would be largely solved.
NCSL is the bipartisan organization that serves the legislators and staff of the states, commonwealths and territories. It provides research, technical assistance and opportunities for policymakers to exchange ideas on the most pressing state issues and is an effective and respected advocate for the interests of the states in the American federal system.
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