TRAFICANT On the issues

U.S. Rep. James Traficant Jr. held a press conference today to discuss Youngstown school district children creating signs to be placed around the outer fence of the city's new federal courthouse construction site. But it was also an opportunity to ask the outspoken congressman about a variety of other issues. Here's what he had to say:
On President Bush's decision on China:
"I believe this is a litmus test on America's resolve. Bush is being tested. China has more soldiers than America has total citizens. They have missiles pointed at us bought with our money. We've got a real mess on our hands. If America's resolve is passive and turns the other cheek and lets China invade Taiwan then China has taken an act against a democratic nation. When they do, they take action against America."
On what the China crisis could mean to the Youngstown convocation center's keeping its $26.8 million federal funding:
"God forbid there develops an entanglement between China and Taiwan. The Congress in need of money could take the money back" from the convocation center project. "The advice I've given to Youngstown City Council, to the mayor and the convocation center board is they better get the backhoe in the ground."
On the chances of CSC Ltd. having a future:
"I've been in contact with the European firm I lined up. They're running the numbers. Once that European group got involved and showed interest, it got others involved. I'm hoping we can avoid a liquidation piece by piece and this can be a sale that would maintain the continuity of employment and tax revenues. But let every worker at CSC now that I wasn't invited at first by their union (to help). I don't pull rabbits out of the hat. I'm very disappointed that union didn't call me earlier. But I'm not giving up."
On Youngstown school district getting out of fiscal emergency:
"I'm so pleased with the direction of the city schools. I want to compliment the leadership of the Youngstown City Schools, the board, their president, their administrators and the superintendent for bringing the city schools out from under the financial problems they had."