President Bush once
called me a “deal maker.” I responded, “No, Mr.
President, I’m a results maker.” Because I’d rather
have 50 percent of something than 100 percent of
nothing, I approach every issue by looking for where
we can find agreement and where we can produce
results.
The way I see it, the Senate has three areas outside
of the ongoing Katrina recovery effort that demand
results when Congress convenes in September: Iraq,
energy and immigration.
Iraq requires a new plan. I’m neither advocating a
withdrawal nor a timetable for one. That would be
counter-productive and send a signal to terrorists
that all they have to do is wait out our American
troops. I’m saying we ought to start thinking about
new and more innovative ways to empower the Iraqi
police, the Iraqi government and the Iraqi people
themselves. I’ve contended all along that at some
point Iraqis must take responsibility for their own
country and destiny. I don’t know exactly where that
point is. No one really does. But we all know we’re
steadily approaching it. It may be that we need new
thinking in the Pentagon, not necessarily with the
generals, but with Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld
and the civilian leadership. |
U.S. senator Trent Lott
Photo:Senate.gov |
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When it comes to curbing Iraq’s sectarian violence,
we should remember that Iraq is essentially three
peoples — Kurds, Sunnis and Shiites — lumped
together long ago by Colonial Britain into the
manufactured nation of Iraq. Suppressed by decades
of dictatorship, these three peoples still have
distinct historical and cultural differences,
manifesting themselves again and threatening the
stability of the region and the entire world.
Finding a results-driven plan to eliminate this
friction and preserve order must be a global and
bipartisan goal. Election year jockeying won’t
produce results for Iraqis or Americans.
Immigration is another issue where Americans are
demanding that Washington produce. Congress is
engaged in a textbook example of party activists on
both sides wanting all or nothing. Some want
virtually no restrictions on immigration while
others want to completely seal off our borders.
The President’s plan for “guest workers” is too
amnesty-like, and that’s why most Americans oppose
it. Here, too, is an area where we must step back,
take a look at where we have agreement and move
forward where possible. A compromise may not be
everything I want, or everything you’d want, but we
must take that first step. I have voiced support for
a temporary worker program where foreign nationals
wanting to work here would be allowed to do so, but
only for a short time and under close watch before
being required to return home.
During a recent visit to Mississippi, my friend Mitt
Romney, the Governor of Massachusetts, advocated an
immigration policy weighted toward allowing mostly
skilled, productive immigrants into the U.S. who can
contribute to our economy, rather than burden it. We
ought to look at that and every idea and determine
where there is a path to move forward and get
results, asking only what’s best for America.
Energy costs continue a worrisome upward spiral.
Just weeks ago I helped broker an agreement opening
a new and large portion of the Gulf of Mexico for
oil and gas exploration. It’s a good first step that
will have an immediate impact on our gas supplies.
But this alone is not the solution.
Recently at the Gulfport Rotary Club, a
Mississippian asked me whether I thought ethanol
could be the answer to America’s energy needs. I
told him no, that ethanol is only one part of what
must be a multi-faceted approach to our becoming
energy independent. Ethanol is indeed promising, but
we also need more domestic production of gas, oil,
coal, solar power, fuel cells — the whole package.
There is no single silver bullet solution to
America’s energy woes. Congress and the President
should consider every energy plan that will produce
results, regardless of what single-minded, special
interest groups, from environmental organizations to
oil companies, are pushing.
Americans want action. The Senate, the House and the
President are equally responsible for giving
Americans the results they demand and deserve. Iraq,
immigration and energy are good issues on which to
get to work.
Senator Lott welcomes any questions or comments
about this column. Write to: U.S. Senator Trent
Lott, 487 Russell Senate Office Building,
Washington, D.C. 20510 (Attn: Press Office)
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