Discussion · Senate
Cynthia M. Lummis Republican
“I object to this request. Presidents from both parties have used public service announcements for decades, and Democrats did not complain then. Reminding people that American freedom is better than communism is patriotic. If the Senate wants rules about these announcements, we should debate that in committee, not block this one President.”
“Mr. President, reserving the right to object, the message at the heart of these PSAs is a simple one: American values are worth defending against the failed ideologies of communism and socialism. If that is what has the Senator from New Hampshire concerned, I would suggest the concern says more about her side of the aisle than it does about the PSA. Presidents of both parties have used public service announcements to speak directly to the American people for decades. Woodrow Wilson and Franklin Roosevelt did it in World War I and World War II. Bill Clinton launched a national anti-drug campaign. George W. Bush bought Super Bowl air time. Barack Obama promoted ObamaCare. Joe Biden ran PSAs on vaccinations. I don’t recall a single Democrat rushing to the floor to object to any of them. The only difference I can find is the message. When a Democratic President tells Americans what to do, it is a public service. When this President tells Americans that liberty is worth defending, it is suddenly a problem. A reminder that freedom beats communism and socialism is patriotic, and no Member of this body should be offended by it. If Senators want to debate how the government communicates with the public, let’s do it the right way: through regular order, in committee, with hearings, and with one standard applied to every administration-- not by unanimous consent aimed at a single President’s message. For these reasons, I object.”
Mr. President, reserving the right to object, the message at the heart of these PSAs is a simple one: American values are worth defending against the failed ideologies of communism and socialism. If that is what has the Senator from New Hampshire concerned, I would suggest the concern says more about her side of the aisle than it does about the PSA. Presidents of both parties have used public service announcements to speak directly to the American people for decades. Woodrow Wilson and Franklin Roosevelt did it in World War I and World War II. Bill Clinton launched a national anti-drug campaign. George W. Bush bought Super Bowl air time. Barack Obama promoted ObamaCare. Joe Biden ran PSAs on vaccinations. I don’t recall a single Democrat rushing to the floor to object to any of them. The only difference I can find is the message. When a Democratic President tells Americans what to do, it is a public service. When this President tells Americans that liberty is worth defending, it is suddenly a problem. A reminder that freedom beats communism and socialism is patriotic, and no Member of this body should be offended by it. If Senators want to debate how the government communicates with the public, let’s do it the right way: through regular order, in committee, with hearings, and with one standard applied to every administration-- not by unanimous consent aimed at a single President’s message. For these reasons, I object.