On Wednesday, April 15th The Lou Frey Institute of Politics and Government at the University of Central Florida sponsored its 13th semi-annual Symposium, entitled The First 100 Days: Policies and Approaches for the New Administration. Over 500 students attended the daytime session, and close to 600 attended the evening session, which featured Larry Wilmore from “The Daily Show.” The symposium was also seen over the Internet by several thousand students. The symposium is available on DVD; please contact www.loufrey.org.
 
Let me try to give you some highlights from the various morning speakers to hopefully whet your appetite. Former Congressman Bill Zeliff (R-NH) started out by saying that he thought President Obama had done some great things for the Country. Congressman Zeliff feels that President Obama’s ability to communicate, together with the fact that the voters had given him total control of the House and Senate, has given him momentum. However, as usual, the devil is in the details. This bailout of over $2.4 trillion is immense compared to the bailout some years ago of the savings and loan industry, which was approximately $120 billion. The Congressman noted that one of the key issues for the Congress is trying to get Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security under control. If nothing changes, these three items will eat up 70% of the budget in about 30 years.

Former Congressman Jim Slattery (D-KS) pointed out that President Obama has captured the spirit of the moment, like President Ronald Reagan. Congressman Slattery feels that the situation we face today is much more dangerous than the Great Depression years ago. We are involved in two wars plus Pakistan. America’s standing in the world, he believes, is at a low point. There is a general feeling that the government has failed us, that there is a collapse of the formal financial institutions. Despite this, he feels that President Obama has responded decisively on a broad front; that President Obama has reached out diplomatically to Islam and Russia, and feels that talking to Iran is important. Congressman Slattery cautions that we shouldn’t get stuck in Afghanistan or Pakistan. He gives an “A” to President Obama in the international area. However, he is not as sure about the economy, as we have to see what will happen. Congressman Slattery believes that the huge debt that is being created is literally inter-generational robbery. He hopes that the decisive action by President Obama on the economy will make a difference and we will come out of our financial problems relatively soon.

Congressman Allen Boyd (D-FL), one of the leaders of the Democratic Blue Dog Coalition, also serves on the House Budget and Appropriations Committees. His primary issue is the budget. He said that under previous administrations we did not have an honest budget. We did not put all the expenses and revenues on paper. However, this new budget for the first time in years puts everything down, such as the cost of the wars, Medicare, and the Alternative Minimum Tax, plus including $75 billion dollars for cleaning up disasters. Congressman Boyd argues that budgets in the past did not mean anything. This budget isn’t pretty, but it lets us know what we are dealing with. He believes that the economy is in a free-fall, it can’t be fixed overnight, and may take years to fix. Congressman Boyd also pointed out that healthcare cannot be ignored. Forty-eight million Americans today do not have access to healthcare. This is approximately 15% of our population. Fifteen to sixteen percent of our gross domestic product is going to healthcare. President Obama wants to create access to healthcare, which Congressman Boyd feels is different than universal healthcare. Congressman Boyd pointed out that with 5% of the world’s population we consume 25% of the world’s energy. We have to find a new way to produce energy. Finally, he reiterated that the Blue Dog Democrats’ focus is on the fiscal issues. We need to know the costs, we need to be able to pay the costs and not borrow, and we need to work towards a balanced budget.

Congresswoman Suzanne Kosmas (D-FL) said she agrees with Congressman Boyd’s assessment on the budget and pointed out that Florida unemployment is at an all time high. She hopes that the stimulus package will create jobs, create long term investment and alternate energy, and also help the Florida educational system, which is hurting. She serves on the Financial Services Committee where they are trying to impose more oversight and reforms. She is concerned that credit is not flowing, but is pleased that there are programs such as an $8,000.00 credit to a first time home buyer. She is also on the Science& Technology Committee and is worried about the gap between the end of the shuttle flights and the Constellation, which means our re-supply of the Space Station will be in the hands of the Chinese and/or Russians. She pointed out that there is $2.7 billion set aside for public education in Florida from the stimulus package, but a waiver is needed, as Florida is one of the three states in the nation that did not meet the 2006 spending for education criteria. She told the students that the Federal Government only provides 5% of funding for public schools and the rest is up to the state legislature.

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Lou Frey represented Central Florida in the U. S. Congress from 1969 to 1979. In his last election, he received nearly 80% of the vote. He was elected one of five Republican leaders in the House of Representatives during the 93rd and 94th Congress. He served on...