by Lori Cruz
Features Editor
Focusing on the triumphs of the 104th Congress, Rep. Jay Kim (R-Diamond Bar) spoke to a divided crowd of University of La Verne faculty, students and staff yesterday in La Fetra Hall.
Over 100 people attended Kim’s speech which was sponsored by the History/Political Science Department in conjunction with the International Studies Institute.
Kim focused his speech on the welfare reform bill, the current tax code and the economy.
Sophomore Valancy Rasmussen said, “Somethings (he said) I agreed with and somethings I didn’t, but I did think he was too harsh.”
Kim, who was born in South Korea and is the first Korean in Congress, voted for a balanced budget amendment, term limits, the line-item veto, the welfare reform bill and advocates a national sales tax in place of the current tax system.
“The tax code now is insane. There are 1.2 million words in it. It is so bad, it is beyond repair,” he said.
He added that some Congressional colleagues propose a flat tax but he supports a national sales tax.
“I am one of the few who supports this type of taxation. It would eliminate the IRS so there would be no worries about April 15 anymore. When you spend, you pay taxes, when you don’t spend, you don’t pay taxes. Isn’t that fair?” he asked.
He added that there would be exceptions to the tax code for those under the poverty level. When questioned about the flat tax and his proposed tax plan he said there would be one or the other, not a combination of both.
Kim also wants to eliminate capital gains taxes, which he adds only the United States imposes.
“We pay taxes on income, pay taxes on investment and pay luxury taxes. This is why we have the lowest savings rate in the world,” he said.
The welfare bill was passed by Congress and signed into law by President Bill Clinton this year.
When questioned about Medicare, he said his side of Congress is not imposing “Draconian cuts” like the press reports.
“We are not cutting Medicare,” he said. “What we are doing is just slowing down the rate of growth. How is that seen as a cut?”
He said welfare is the “most corrupt system” today.
“There are 83 programs under the welfare system. For years, Congress has been talking about reforming it but they never did anything until now,” Kim said.
He illustrated this point with a story of how a Columbia University student did his own study of the welfare system. He applied to every program that was available and received $58,000 in one year.
Aid to Families with Dependent Children was established after World War II to aid the widows with families.
“It was a good program but as time goes on, it gets expanded and people have been abusing it,” he said.
The welfare bill has a provision that after two years of receiving benefits, the recipient must work, with the certain exceptions.
“What is wrong with that?” Kim questioned.
“We will help you find a job and if you can’t get a job, you must go to school. What is so mean spirited about that,” he said.
Kim said that balancing the budget is crucial to the country.
“The national debt is $5.2 trillion. The interest payment alone last year was $237 billion. Who is going to pay the debt? You are,” he said. “The country cannot sustain this kind of crises.”
Republicans in the House passed a bill that would balance the budget in seven years (the bill was defeated in the Senate).
“This is our first task. What it means is that at the end of seven years, we are not going to spend more than we take in,” he said.
Kim briefly explained supply-side economics.
“When you have more money, you spend it or save it. If you spend it by going out to a restaurant, that restaurant will prosper. The owner will buy more supplies, which lead to trucking companies prospering,” he said.
He added that when the money is saved in the bank a small business can borrow the funds and capital grows.
Kim is also an avid supporter of victim rights and he vigorously supports the Truth in Sentencing Act.
“Criminals [in violent offenses] must pay restitution to their victims,” he said.
The Truth in Sentencing Act, which will take affect Jan. 1, 1997, states that violent criminals must serve 85 percent of their original sentences.
“Violent criminals now serve less that 25% of their original sentences. Why? Because they get time off for good behavior and for volunteering to work. That is not right. This bill is going to change that,” he said.
“I really agreed with everything he said. I consider myself somewhat liberal but everything he said fits. I believe in making people work,” said sophomore Nate Petkewich.
Kim, who had a son attend ULV, went to USC and received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in civil engineering. Prior to Congress, he owned an engineering business and was a councilman and mayor of Diamond Bar.
