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American Legislative Exchange Council--Recent Post "State of the Union" Speeches 2/21/92 [OA 7568] [3]
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American Legislative Exchange Council--Recent Post "State of the Union" Speeches 2/21/92 [OA 7568] [3]
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Originally Processed With FOIA(s):
FOIA Number:
S
S
FOIA
MARKER
This is not a textual record. This is used as an
administrative marker by the George Bush Presidential
Library Staff.
Record Group/Collection:
George H.W. Bush Presidential Records
Collection/Office of Origin:
Speechwriting, White House Office of
Series:
Speech File Backup Files
Subseries:
Chron File, 1989-1993
OA/ID Number:
13799
Folder ID Number:
13799-010
Folder Title:
American Legislative Exchange Council--Recent Post "State of the Union" Speeches 2/21/92
[OA 7568] [3]
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26
22
3
3
copy speechurten
NATIONAL GROCERS ASSOCIATION
*'s are
ORLANDO, FLORIDA
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 1992
applauses
11:00 A.M.
AD
THANK YOU, TOM. THANKS ALSO TO BILL CONFER, YOUR
CHAIRMAN. I'D LIKE TO RECOGNIZE TWO OUTSTANDING
CONGRESSMEN, BILL MCCOLLUM AND CLIFF STEARNS. AND OUR
GOOD FRIEND FROM THE WHOLESALE GROCERS ORGANIZATION,
JACK BLOCK. IT'S A PLEASURE TO BE HERE. ((I
ORIGINALLY HAD PLANNED TO BE AT YOUR DINNER LAST NIGHT,
BUT WHEN I FOUND OUT IT WAS CALLED THE "ASPARAGUS CLUB
*
BANQUET," \ I THOUGHT I BETTER NOT TAKE A CHANCE.
THAT COMES DANGEROUSLY CLOSE TO BEING BROCCOLI. III "
((YOU ALL KNOW OF MY LOVE FOR SPORTS, AND THIS
BEING AN ELECTION YEAR, MY COMPETITIVE JUICES ARE
FLOWING MORE THAN EVER. SO TODAY, I'M MAKING AN
*
ANNOUNCEMENT THAT MANY OF YOU HAVE BEEN EXPECTING FOR A
LONG TIME. \ I'M OFFICIALLY DECLARING MY ENTRY 11 INTO
YOUR "BEST BAGGER" CONTEST. IIII JUST ONE QUESTION:
PAPER OR PLASTIC? III ) )
- 2 -
I'LL ALWAYS REMEMBER THE WARM RECEPTION THE N.G.A.
GAVE ME WHEN I ADDRESSED YOUR 1985 CONVENTION IN NEW
ORLEANS. YOU GAVE ME A GOOD EDUCATION ABOUT YOUR
INDUSTRY THEN, AND I REMEMBER IT STILL. A TYPICAL
N.G.A. MEMBER IS A FAMILY-RUN BUSINESS. \ MANY OF YOU
CARRY ON LEGACIES BUILT THROUGH THE VISION AND
SACRIFICE OF A GRANDMOTHER OR GRANDFATHER, PERHAPS AN
IMMIGRANT TO THIS COUNTRY. YOU WORK ON THE THINNEST OF
PROFIT MARGINS. YOU CHALLENGE ONE ANOTHER WITH BRACING
COMPETITION THAT BENEFITS OUR CONSUMERS LIKE NO OTHERS
IN THE WORLD. AND TODAY AS ALWAYS, YOUR SUCCESS AS
COMMUNITY GROCERS DEPENDS NOT JUST ON THE BOTTOM LINE
BUT ON THE OLD-FASHIONED VIRTUES OF BEING A GOOD
NEIGHBOR. 11
SINCE I MET YOU LAST IN 1985, THE WORLD HAS
#
CHANGED. \ WE WON THE COLD WAR. \ WE LED A COALITION
IN THE GULF TO CRUSH SADDAM HUSSEIN'S AGGRESSION IN
A
KUWAIT. WE'VE CREATED A WORLD WITH THE PROSPECTS OF
UNPRECEDENTED PROSPERITY AND PEACE. \
- 3 -
BUT WE'VE ALSO RUN INTO SOME HARD TIMES. OUR
ECONOMY HAS SLOWED DOWN, AND WE MUST GET IT FIRED UP
AGAIN. \ THE PROFESSIONAL PESSIMISTS TELL US AMERICA
HAS BECOME WEAK AND DISABLED - -- THAT OUR ECONOMY HAS
FALLEN AND IT CAN'T GET UP. \
A
WELL, THAT'S JUST PLAIN BUNK. \ DAY BY DAY AND
STEP BY STEP, WE'LL GET OURSELVES MOVING - AND WE'LL
DO IT AS AMERICANS ALWAYS HAVE: WE'LL COMBINE OUR
COMMON SENSE, OUR WORK ETHIC, AND OUR DETERMINATION
WITH PRO-GROWTH POLICIES. WITH THESE, WE'LL CARRY THE
X
ENTIRE WORLD INTO THE NEXT AMERICAN CENTURY. 11
YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE A ROCKET SCIENTIST TO
UNDERSTAND HOW. YOU JUST STICK WITH THE BASICS. \ I
PROPOSED A COMMON-SENSE ACTION PLAN LAST WEEK IN MY
STATE OF THE UNION ADDRESS. IT GETS INVESTMENT GOING,
BECAUSE YOU CAN'T BUILD NEW BUSINESSES AND CREATE JOBS
WITHOUT NEW INVESTMENT. IT STRENGTHENS THE INDUSTRIES
THAT HISTORICALLY HAVE LED US INTO RECOVERIES - --
ESPECIALLY REAL-ESTATE.
- 4 -
IT HACKS AWAY OBSTACLES TO GROWTH. IT CUTS THE
FEDERAL DEFICIT BY HOLDING BACK SPENDING. GOVERNMENT
*
IS FAR T00 BIG AND SPENDS TOO MUCH. 11 HOW FREE ARE
WE, REALLY, WHEN THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT GOBBLES UP 25
PERCENT OF OUR GNP? \ I'M DEMANDING THAT CONGRESS GET
SERIOUS ABOUT THIS. \ I'VE LISTED 246
K
PROGRAMS THAT I WANT CUT THIS YEAR -- AND I WANT THE
LINE-ITEM VETO so I CAN ENFORCE REAL SPENDING
*
DISCIPLINE. 11
- 6 -
I DON'T LOOK AT IT THAT WAY. HERE'S WHAT FAIRNESS
MEANS TO ME: IT MEANS, IF YOU WANT TO WORK, YOU CAN
GET A JOB. IT MEANS IF YOU HAVE A GOOD IDEA, YOU'LL
GET A CHANCE TO TEST IT. OR IF YOU BUILD A BUSINESS
YOU DON'T LOSE YOUR EARNINGS TO EXCESSIVE TAXES OR
*
OVER-REGULATION. THAT'S WHAT FAIRNESS MEANS TO ME.
ABOVE ALL, THE MOST IMPORTANT TEST OF FAIRNESS FOR MY
PLAN IS THAT IT WILL WORK - FOR ALL AMERICANS.
NOW HERE'S WHAT I WANT BY MARCH 20: \ FIRST,
INCENTIVES TO MAKE PRODUCTIVE INVESTMENTS: THESE
?
INVOLVE A 15-PERCENT INVESTMENT TAX ALLOWANCE; NEEDED
*
CHANGES TO THE ALTERNATIVE MINIMUM TAX; AND A PERMANENT
RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT TAX CREDIT.
THESE WILL
ENCOURAGE BUSINESS TO INVEST IN EQUIPMENT AND BECOME
MORE PRODUCTIVE.
- 7 -
SECOND, INCENTIVES TO BUILD AND BUY REAL-ESTATE:
A CHANGE IN PASSIVE-LOSS RULES FOR ACTIVE REAL-ESTATE
DEVELOPERS; PENALTY-FREE WITHDRAWALS FROM I.R.A.'S FOR
FIRST-TIME HOMEBUYERS, AND A $5,000 TAX CREDIT FOR THE
PURCHASE OF THAT FIRST HOME. HOUSING ECONOMISTS
PREDICT MY PLAN WILL MEAN AN EXTRA 200,000 HOMES BUILT,
AND 415,000 NEW CONSTRUCTION JOBS TO BUILD THEM.
THIRD, INCENTIVES TO SUCCEED: CUT THE CAPITAL GAINS
*
TAX. THIS TAX HURTS ANYONE WHO HAS MADE A SENSIBLE
INVESTMENT - -- IN A HOME, A BUSINESS, OR A FARM. NONE
OF OUR KEY COMPETITORS TAXES GAINS AT HIGH RATES.
LET'S STOP PENALIZING SAVINGS AND INVESTMENT. LET'S
STOP PUNISHING EXCELLENCE. YES, LET'S TALK ABOUT
FAIRNESS: LOWER CAPITAL GAINS TAXES MEAN MORE
INVESTMENT - AND MORE INVESTMENT MEANS MORE JOBS. so
&
LET'S CUT THE CAPITAL GAINS TAX -- NOW. 11
THREE MEASURES, THREE PIECES OF COMMON SENSE; THREE
THINGS CONGRESS SHOULD DO BY MARCH 20. \ I'M COUNTING
ON YOUR HELP. 11
- 8 -
IN THE MEANTIME, I'VE INITIATED SOME REFORMS THAT
WILL GET THE ECONOMY MOVING - -- WITHOUT HAVING TO WAIT
FOR CONGRESS TO ACT. I'VE IMPOSED A 90-DAY FREEZE ON
FEDERAL REGULATIONS THAT COULD HINDER ECONOMIC GROWTH.
DURING THAT PERIOD, ALL DEPARTMENTS AND AGENCIES WILL
WHEN POSSIBLE
REVIEW REGULATIONS, OLD AND NEW -- TO STOP THE ONES
A
THAT WILL HURT GROWTH AND SPEED UP THOSE THAT WILL HELP
GROWTH.
I SEE FROM YOUR CONVENTION SCHEDULE THAT YOU HAVE A
WORKSHOP ENTITLED: "THE REGULATORS ARE BACK." \ NO
WONDER: YOU CAN'T GET THROUGH A DAY WITHOUT HAVING TO
WORRY ABOUT WHAT SOME REGULATOR IS GOING TO DO TO YOU
THROUGH SOME THOUGHTLESS REGULATION. REGULATIONS MAY
HAVE STATED AIMS AS WHOLESOME AS MOM AND APPLE PIE.
\
BUT YOU KNOW BETTER THAN ANYONE THAT WHEN REGULATORS
CARRY REGULATION TOO FAR, THERE WON'T BE ANY APPLE PIE
*
FOR MOM TO BUY. 11
- 10 -
ONE OF THE GREAT LESSONS OF OUR TIMES IS THIS:
FREEDOM AND COOPERATION WORK -- BIG GOVERNMENT DOESN'T.
\
AFTER SEVENTY YEARS, THE NEW LEADERS IN MOSCOW
RECOGNIZE THAT TOTAL GOVERNMENT REGULATION PRODUCES
ONLY ONE THING: TOTAL FAILURE. NOW, RUSSIANS WANT TO
TRY SOMETHING DIFFERENT -- LIKE GROCERY STORES WITH
A
GROCERIES ON THE SHELVES. 11
help Holtsin
ISN'T IT IRONIC -- AT THE EXACT MOMENT THE WORLD IS
TURNING TO OUR VALUES OF MORE ECONOMIC FREEDOM AND
COMPETITION -- SOME IN CONGRESS WANT TO GO THE OPPOSITE
WAY. HERE'S AN EXAMPLE OF THE TROUBLE BREWING IN
CONGRESS: THE SO-CALLED F.D.A. ENFORCEMENT BILL. I'M
SURE THOSE OF YOU WHO SELL YOUR OWN PRIVATE-LABEL
GROCERIES AREN'T EXACTLY THRILLED BY THE PROSPECT OF
MORE LEGAL AND ACCOUNTING AND PAPERWORK BURDENS. BUT
THAT'S JUST WHAT SOME IN CONGRESS WANT TO DO. WELL,
LET ME TELL YOU IN NO UNCERTAIN TERMS: THE TIME FOR
#
OVER-REGULATION IS OVER. III
d'll vetoit sendit t ta de
- 11 -
AGAIN, CONGRESS CAN HELP GET THE ECONOMY MOVING IF
IT WILL JUST DO THE RIGHT THING. LAST WEEK ONE MEMBER
OF CONGRESS -- A DEMOCRAT -- SAID IT MIGHT BE SMART
POLITICS FOR THE DEMOCRATS TO MEET THE DEADLINE AND
PASS MY PLAN INTACT. I CAN'T SAY WHAT THEIR MOTIVES
MAY BE -- BUT I KNOW ONE THING: MY PLAN WILL HELP THE
AMERICAN PEOPLE. SO LET ME TAKE THE HEAT. I KNOW MY
$
PROGRAM WILL GET THE ECONOMY MOVING AGAIN. 11
MARCH 20 IS NOT A MOMENT TOO SOON TO ENACT MY
SHORT-TERM PROGRAM. BUT WE ALSO NEED TO LOOK TO LONGER
HORIZONS. I PROPOSED A LONG-TERM PLAN IN MY STATE OF
THE UNION ADDRESS. LET ME GIVE YOU SOME HIGHLIGHTS:
- 12 -
FIRST, LET'S CREATE MORE AMERICAN JOBS BY OPENING
UP AND EXPANDING MARKETS ALL OVER THE WORLD. A NEW
GATT AGREEMENT WILL MAKE THE WORLD TRADING SYSTEM COME
TO GRIPS WITH THE DAMAGING TARIFFS AND EXPORT SUBSIDIES
IN AGRICULTURE. AND BY TEARING DOWN ECONOMIC BARRIERS
WITH MEXICO AND CANADA, A NEW NORTH AMERICAN FREE TRADE
AGREEMENT CAN LIFT US TO NEW HEIGHTS OF PROSPERITY.
AND MAKE NO MISTAKE ABOUT IT -- -- A SOUND FREE TRADE
*
AGREEMENT WILL MEAN MORE AMERICAN JOBS. 11
- 13 -
SECOND, LET FREE CHOICE AND FREE MARKETS REFORM
OUR HEALTH CARE SYSTEM. THIS WEEK I'LL ASK FOR A NEW
CREDIT TO HELP THOSE WITHOUT HEALTH INSURANCE TO BUY
SUCH COVERAGE. MY PLAN WILL ASSURE THAT BOTH AMERICAN
WORKERS AND THE UNEMPLOYED WILL HAVE ACCESS TO BASIC
HEALTH INSURANCE EVEN IF THEY CHANGE JOBS OR DEVELOP
SERIOUS HEALTH PROBLEMS. WE CAN'T IMPROVE HEALTH CARE
BY THREATENING THE HEALTH OF JOB-INTENSIVE BUSINESSES.
THE LAST THING WE WANT IS FOR COMPANIES TO CUT COSTS BY
CUTTING WORKERS. I'M WHOLEHEARTEDLY OPPOSED -- AS I
KNOW YOU ARE TO SCHEMES THAT COSTS JOBS BY MANDATING
*
BENEFITS AN EMPLOYER MUST PAY.
THIRD, LET'S STRENGTHEN THE FAMILY -- THE
CORNERSTONE OF THE AMERICAN DREAM. LET'S EASE THE
BURDEN OF CHILD-REARING. THE PERSONAL TAX EXEMPTION
HAS NOT KEPT UP WITH INFLATION. I'M ASKING CONGRESS
IMMEDIATELY TO INCREASE THE EXEMPTION FOR EACH CHILD BY
$500. IT'S A SIGNIFICANT MOVE IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION
-- AND FOR OUR KIDS' SAKE, WE MUSTN'T DO LESS. 11
- 14 -
LOOK AT MY ECONOMIC PROPOSALS AND YOU WILL FIND
STRAIGTFO RWARD
STREE, PLAIN SOLUTIONS TO OUR PROBLEMS. SOME MAY
COMPLAIN THAT THEY LACK THE FLASH OF AN EXPENSIVE NEW
PROGRAM. BUT I'M NOT SEEKING SPENDING FOR SPENDING'S
SAKE. \ I WANT RESULTS. \ MY PLAN IS SOUND AND IT
+
WILL WORK. 11
IF YOU HEAR PEOPLE IN CONGRESS GRIPE THAT THEY
CAN'T GET THE JOB DONE BY MARCH 20, REMIND THEM: WE
WON THE GULF WAR IN 44 DAYS. \ SURELY CONGRESS CAN
*
PASS MY URGENT DOMESTIC PROGRAM IN 52 DAYS. REMEMBER,
CONGRESS CAN ACT WITH LIGHTNING SPEED WHEN IT WANTS TO.
SO: ACCEPT NO EXCUSES. ACCEPT NO DELAYS. AND ACCEPT
NO SUBSTITUTES. 11
- 15 -
PLEASE DON'T LEAVE THIS MESSAGE BEHIND WHEN YOU
LEAVE THIS CONVENTION. HALL. TAKE IT HOME TO YOUR
FAMILIES. 11 TAKE IT HOME TO YOUR CUSTOMERS -- TO YOUR
NEIGHBORS. 11 FROM FEBRUARY 8 TILL FEBRUARY 17, YOUR
CONGRESSMEN WILL BE HOME FOR THE PRESIDENT'S DAY
RECESS. THAT'S A GREAT TIME FOR YOU TO GO TO THEIR
HOMETOWN OFFICES AND TELL THEM TO MEET THE DEADLINE AND
PASS MY PLAN. 11
WITH EFFORT LIKE THIS, I KNOW WE'LL GET THEIR
A
ATTENTION -- \ AND WE'LL GET AMERICA MOVING AGAIN. 1111
THANK YOU. MAY GOD BLESS YOU AND THE UNITED STATES OF
AMERICA.
#
#
#
copy
Speedwriters
THE SMALL BUSINESS LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
J.W. MARRIOTT HOTEL
AD
WASHINGTON, D.C.
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 1992
10:30 A.M.
PHIL [CHISHOLM], THANKS FOR THAT KIND INTRODUCTION.
BOB [BANNISTER] CONGRATULATIONS ON BEING NAMED
CHAIRMAN-ELECT OF THE S.B.L.C. JOHN SATAGAJ
[SAT-A-JAY], THANKS FOR YOUR HARD WORK IN PUTTING THIS
TOGETHER. GREETINGS ALSO TO TED OLSON, -- AND JOHN
KEMP, WHO HAS DONE WONDERFUL WORK IN HELPING SMALL
BUSINESSES IMPLEMENT THE AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES
ACT. IT'S GREAT TO SEE JOSH SMITH, CHAIRMAN OF THE
PRESIDENT'S COUNCIL ON MINORITY BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT.
TODAY, I'M GOING TO FOLLOW UP ON SOME OF THE THINGS
I DISCUSSED IN THE STATE OF THE UNION ADDRESS. YOU
KNOW, I ENJOY GOING UP TO THE HILL TO DELIVER THE STATE
OF THE UNION. IT'S THE ONLY TIME ALL YEAR I CAN KEEP
so MANY POLITICIANS SO POLITE FOR SO LONG.
I'M JUST GLAD I DON'T HAVE TO CARRY THE BUDGET UP
THERE THE FOLLOWING DAY. WITH ALL THAT S HAPPENED THIS
YEAR, THE LAST THING I NEED IS A HERNIA.
- 2 -
:
AS YOU KNOW, I'VE HAD A HECTIC WEEK -- FROM THE
STATE OF THE UNION ADDRESS TO RELEASING THE BUDGET TO
MEETING WITH BORIS YELTSIN. DURING THIS PRESIDENCY,
THE COLD WAR HAS DRAWN TO AN END; I LED A COALITION
THAT SHOVED SADDAM OUT OF KUWAIT; PEACE TALKS BETWEEN
ANCIENT ENEMIES HAVE BEGUN IN THE MIDDLE EAST, THE
SOVIET UNION COLLAPSED, AND WE HAVE BEGUN WORKING WITH
ITS SUCCESSOR STATES. THE WHOLE WORLD HAS CHANGED AND
*
STILL SOME PEOPLE SAY: IS THAT ALL?
A
WELL, NO. BUT IT'S A PRETTY DARNED GOOD START.
NOW THAT WE CAN LOOK PAST THE BURDENS OF THE COLD
WAR, WE CAN DO WHAT WE DO BEST: CREATE, INNOVATE,
BUILD, PRODUCE -- LEAD.
- 3 -
THIS AFTERNOON, I WILL SIGN THE ECONOMIC REPORT OF
THE PRESIDENT. IT WILL NOT ONLY DESCRIBE AND EXPLAIN
THE CAUSES OF OUR CURRENT ECONOMIC DIFFICULTIES. IT
WILL ALSO EXPLAIN WHY VIRTUALLY ALL ECONOMIC ANALYSTS
EXPECT THE ECONOMY TO IMPROVE. MORE IMPORTANTLY, IT
WILL EXPLAIN WHY IF CONGRESS ENACTS MY PRO-GROWTH
POLICIES, THE IMPROVEMENT IN THE ECONOMY WILL BE
QUICKER, STRONGER, AND MORE CERTAIN.
IN THE STATE OF THE UNION, I PRESENTED A
COMPREHENSIVE ACTION PLAN FOR OUR ECONOMY. TODAY, I'LL
DISCUSS WHAT MY PLAN MEANS FOR YOU. THINK OF THIS AS
MY SMALL BUSINESS STATE OF THE UNION.
MY PLAN STARTS WITH WHAT I CAN DO AS PRESIDENT.
I'VE TAKEN A WHOLE SERIES OF ACTIONS TO STIMULATE
INVESTMENT AND GET THE ECONOMY MOVING. THESE ACTIONS
DON'T NEED CONGRESSIONAL APPROVAL.
- 4 -
A COUPLE OF INITIATIVES HAVE EARNED KUDOS FROM THIS
CROWD. FIRST, I HAVE ORDERED MAJOR DEPARTMENTS AND
&
AGENCIES TO PUT A 90-DAY HOLD ON IMPLEMENTING NEW
REGULATIONS. REGULATIONS OUGHT TO FOSTER ECONOMIC
GROWTH -- NOT CRUSH II. WE'RE GOING TO MAKE SURE THAT
THE DAYS OF OVER-REGULATION ARE OVER -- ONCE AND FOR
ALL. so WE'LL TAKE A FRESH LOOK AT THE RULES AND
REGULATIONS WASHINGTON HURLS YOUR WAY. WE'LL GET RID
OF THOSE THAT DO NOTHING MORE THAN DESTROY JOBS AND
A
WEIGH DOWN BUSINESSES. AND WE'LL SPEED UP REGULATIONS
THAT FOSTER GROWTH AND SUPPORT JOBS.
BUT THAT'S NOT ALL. WE'VE ALSO DECLARED WAR ON
A
NUISANCE LAWSUITS. YESTERDAY I ANNOUNCED THE ACCESS TO
JUSTICE ACT OF 1992. THE BILL WILL GIVE AMERICANS
LESS EXPENSIVE AND EASIER ALTERNATIVES TO TRIAL -- LET
THEM SOLVE PROBLEMS OUT OF COURT. WE'VE GOT TO STOP
*
AMERICA'S LONG LIAISON WITH THE LAWSUIT.
- 5 -
A
IF WE WERE AS GOOD AT REWARDING SUCCESS AS WE ARE
AT SUING EACH OTHER, THIS COUNTRY WOULD BE A LOT BETTER
OFF. [[ THAT GOES FOR HEALTH CARE, TOO -- WITH THESE
OUTRAGEOUS, SKY-HIGH MALPRACTICE AWARDS. 11
NOW, THE AMERICAN PEOPLE KNOW BETTER THAN TO THINK
THAT ANYONE - -- INCLUDING A, PRESIDENT - -- CAN WAVE A
MAGIC WAND AND REVIVE AN ECONOMY. CONGRESS NEEDS TO DO
ITS JOB. AND THAT MEANS IT SHOULD PASS MY SHORT-TERM
*
congract
ECONOMIC GROWTH PACKAGE BY MARCH 20.
realities policive for work st
THAT PLAN STARTS WITH THE BASICS. IT STIMULATES
INVESTMENT BY IMPROVING THE ALTERNATIVE MINIMUM TAX AND
CREATING A NEW 15 PERCENT INVESTMENT TAX ALLOWANCE.
"L.W." LOCKE OF NORTH CAROLINA -- HE'S IN THE AUDIENCE
TODAY -- APPRECIATES THESE CHANGES. HE HAS DELAYED
..
BUILDING A CONVENIENCE STORE/GASOLINE STATION BECAUSE
HE JUST CAN'T DO IT UNDER OUR PRESENT SYSTEM. THE
INVESTMENT TAX ALLOWANCE WOULD LET HIM BUY FIXTURES,
GAS PUMPS, AND FUEL STORAGE TANKS -- A ONE MILLION
DOLLAR COMMITMENT. so DON'T TELL ME THAT THIS PLAN'S A
GIMMICK. AND DON'T TRY TO TELL THAT TO "L.W.".
weak
- 7 -
I ALSO WANT TO FIRE UP THE ENGINE THAT
TRADITIONALLY PULLS US OUT OF TOUGH TIMES, THE REAL
ESTATE INDUSTRY. MY PLAN HELPS BUILDERS. ASK "JAY"
BUCHERT [BYOO-KERT] A CINCINNATI HOME BUILDER, ALSO
WITH US TODAY. HE'S THROWN HIS SUPPORT BEHIND THE
PLAN. THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF HOME BUILDERS
PREDICTS THAT MY BILL WILL CREATE AT LEAST 415,000
CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY JOBS, AND SET OFF $20 BILLION IN
*
ECONOMIC ACTIVITY ASSOCIATED WITH HOME BUILDING.
THAT'S NO GIMMICK; THAT MEANS JOBS -- GOOD, SOLID
AMERICAN JOBS.
I ALSO WANT TO REWARD EVERYONE WHO BELIEVES IN THE
AMERICAN DREAM. I WANT CONGRESS TO CUT THE LONG-TERM
#
TAX ON CAPITAL GAINS. I WANT IT CUT TO A MAXIMUM RATE
OF 15.4 PERCENT. THE WORLD'S FASTEST-GROWING ECONOMIES
AND OUR MAJOR COMPETITORS INCLUDING GERMANY AND JAPAN
HAVE ONE THING IN COMMON: THEY TAX CAPITAL GAINS AT
MUCH LOWER RATES THAN WE DO -- AND IN MANY CASES, NOT
AT ALL.
*
- 8 -
YOU KNOW, IT'S IRONIC: MANY POLITICIANS WHO OPPOSE
THE CAPITAL GAINS TAX CUT ALSO COMPLAIN THAT WE AREN'T
COMPETITIVE. WELL, THEY CAN'T HAVE IT BOTH WAYS. IF
THEY REALLY WANT US COMPETITIVE, THEN THEY'LL SLASH THE
+
CAPITAL GAINS RATE -- AND DO IT NOW.
A CAPITAL GAINS RATE CUT WILL HELP FAMILIES WHO OWN
HOMES AND FARMS. IT WILL HELP BUSINESS OWNERS. IT
WILL HELP EVERYONE WHO INVESTS IN OUR FUTURE BY
PURCHASING STOCK.
- 9 -
NOW, YOU'VE HEARD SOME PEOPLE CLAIM THAT A CAPITAL
GAINS CUT SERVES ONLY THE RICH. WELL, MAYBE THOSE
PEOPLE SHOULD GET OUT OF WASHINGTON AND TALK TO PEOPLE
$
AROUND OUR COUNTRY. RETIREES TELL ME THEY CAN'T SELL
THEIR HOMES -- BECAUSE CAPITAL GAINS RATES PUNISH THEM
TOO MUCH. BUSINESS OWNERS SAY THEY CAN'T EXPAND THEIR
BUSINESSES -- CAPITAL GAINS RATES PUNISH THEIR SUCCESS.
A MAN FROM FLORIDA -- A RETIREE WHO BUILT HIS OWN
BUSINESS, INVESTED, SAVED -- PUT IT PERFECTLY. HE
WORKED HARD FOR YEARS, AND NOW HE CAN'T AFFORD TO CASH
IN ON HIS SUCCESS. HE SAID: "WE ARE BEING PENALIZED
FOR HAVING FORESIGHT." WELL, I'M TIRED OF PEOPLE
&
GETTING SLAMMED BECAUSE THEY RISKED THEIR MONEY AND
EFFORT -- AND SUCCEEDED. IT'S ABOUT TIME CONGRESS.
REALIZES WE SHOULD REWARD THESE PEOPLE, NOT TURN THEM
INTO TARGETS OF ENVY.
- 10 -
LET'S GET TO THE HEART OF THINGS. THE PEOPLE IN
THIS ROOM -- SMALL BUSINESSMEN, INVESTORS FROM THE
NATIONAL VENTURE CAPITAL ASSOCIATION -- YOU UNDERSTAND
THE GRITTY FUNDAMENTALS OF BUSINESS. YOU'RE THE REAL
EXPERTS. WELL, AMERICA NEEDS YOUR HELP. 11
you're these
I'll tab
DON'T ACCEPT NO FOR AN ANSWER ANYMORE. DEMAND THAT
the k
about
*
CONGRESS CUT THE CAPITAL GAINS RATE. NOW.
remember
AND DEMAND ACTION ON MY SHORT-TERM PLAN WITHOUT
were
DELAY. YOU KNOW, WHEN I HEAR SOMEONE COMPLAIN THAT MY
SHORT-TERM PLAN WON'T DO MUCH, I WONDER TO MYSELF: HAVE
ANY OF THESE CRITICS EVER RUN A BUSINESS? DO THEY
APPRECIATE THE DIFFICULTIES OF GETTING A LOAN, FINDING
AN INVESTOR, PURCHASING WHAT YOU NEED, FILLING OUT ALL
THAT GOVERNMENT PAPERWORK. IT'S ABOUT TIME SOMEBODY
UNDERSTANDS THAT YOU NEED JUST A FEW MINUTES TO
$
CONCENTRATE ON THE CUSTOMER.
I'M TIRED OF THE TERM "FAIRNESS" BEING CORRUPTED
BY POLITICAL DEMAGOGUES. YOU WANT FAIRNESS? HERE'S
FAIR: MY PLAN WILL WORK -- FOR ALL AMERICANS. IT WILL
CREATE JOBS.
A
How's-Unt for faminess
- 11 -
CONGRESS HAS THE LEGISLATION. IT HAS A MARCH 20
DEADLINE. CIRCLE THE DATE ON YOUR CALENDAR.
WHILE YOU'RE IN WASHINGTON, VISIT YOUR
CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATIONS. LET THEM KNOW THAT YOU WANT
THIS PACKAGE PASSED.
YOU ARE AT THE CENTER OF THIS PLAN. YOU CREATE THE
VAST MAJORITY OF JOBS IN THIS COUNTRY AND I'M
*
DETERMINED TO SUPPORT YOU -- TO CREATE MORE JOBS. I
BELIEVE IT IS IN YOUR POWER TO HELP LIFT THIS COUNTRY
UP -- HELP IT GET MOVING AGAIN -- AND I BELIEVE YOU
WILL.
SINCE MEMBERS OF CONGRESS WILL BE HOME ON BREAK
NEXT WEEK, DROP BY THEIR OFFICES AND LET THEM KNOW HOW
YOU FEEL. SEND THIS MESSAGE: NO MORE DELAYS, NO
EXCUSES. NO SUBSTITUTES. AND DON'T DELAY. DECISION
*
DAY IS SIX WEEKS FROM FRIDAY.
- 12 -
had's
I'VE ALSO PROPOSED AN AMBITIOUS LONG-TERM AGENDA,
TO ENSURE THAT OUR ECONOMY WILL CONTINUE LEADING THE
WORLD FOR DECADES TO COME. LET ME DISCUSS A CRITICAL
ISSUE IN THAT PLAN, HEALTH CARE.
I KNOW HEALTH CARE HAS BECOME A PROBLEM FOR MANY OF
YOU AND YOUR EMPLOYEES. TOMORROW, I WILL ANNOUNCE IN
DETAIL MY COMPREHENSIVE HEALTH-CARE PACKAGE, AND I KNOW
YOU WILL LIKE IT -- A LOT. PEOPLE TODAY WORRY ABOUT
HEALTH CARE: THAT IT COSTS TOO MUCH; IT'S TOUGH TO FIND
GOOD. COMPREHENSIVE COVERAGE; YOU CAN'T MAKE CHOICES
LIKE YOU USED TO; AND YOU CAN'T COUNT ON COVERAGE IF
YOU MOVE, CHANGE JOBS OR FALL VICTIM TO A DEBILITATING
I incleeve our
CONDITION OR DISEASE. MY PLAN SOLVES THESE PROBLEMS.
MY PLAN ENSURES THAT PEOPLE CAN FIND HEALTH CARE,
CHOOSE HEALTH CARE, AFFORD HEALTH CARE, AND KEEP HEALTH
*
CARE.
- 13 -
NOW, I KNOW EVERYONE WITH A PLAN PROMISES THE SAME
THING. THAT'S WHY YOU HAVE TO USE YOUR COMMON SENSE IN
EVALUATING THE VARIOUS PROPOSALS. WHEN YOU GET RIGHT
DOWN TO IT, WE HAVE TWO HEALTH-CARE CHOICES. WE CAN
ADOPT A SYSTEM THAT HAS BEEN A PROVEN FAILURE ALL OVER
THE WORLD: NATIONALIZED HEALTH CARE. OR WE CAN REFORM
OUR PRESENT SYSTEM, WHICH HAS ITS FAULTS, BUT WHICH
ALSO PROVIDES THE HIGHEST QUALITY CARE ON EARTH.
IF YOU WANT THE FREEDOM TO CHOOSE YOUR OWN DOCTOR;
TO HOLD THE LINE ON COSTS; AND TO IMPROVE ACCESS TO
HEALTH INSURANCE COVERAGE -- PUSH FOR MY PLAN. MY PLAN
GIVES EVERYONE -- AND I EMPHASIZE "EVERYONE" -- ACCESS
TO THE WORLD'S BEST HEALTH CARE -- AND IT DOESN'T -
EXCLUDE ANYBODY.
FINALLY, I'D LIKE YOUR HELP ON ONE OTHER ITEM. THE
DD
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS TOO BIG AND IT SPENDS TOO MUCH.
IT'S THAT SIMPLE.
. 14 -
MY BUDGET HOLDS THE LINE ON NEW SPENDING. IT DOES
NOT VIOLATE THE SPENDING CAPS NOW IN THE LAW -- THESE
CAPS ARE THE ONLY PROTECTION THE TAXPAYER HAS AGAINST
MORE SPENDING BY CONGRESS. AND IT PULLS THE TRAP DOOR
ON A HOST OF FEDERALLY-FUNDED PROGRAMS -- 246, TO BE
A
EXACT. WE DON'T NEED THESE PROGRAMS. YOU SHOULDN'T
HAVE TO PAY FOR THEM. IT'S THAT SIMPLE.
ALSO: GET CONGRESS TO GIVE ME AN IMPORTANT WEAPON
$
TO CONTROL SPENDING. GIVE ME A LINE-ITEM VETO.
43 you have A your POTUS a shot
WE MUST STOP IMPOSING MANDATES ON OTHERS WITHOUT
PAYING FOR THOSE MANDATES. TOO OFTEN MANDATES AND
MANDATED BENEFITS MEAN MANDATED DEFICITS. THAT JUST
*
ISN'T RIGHT -- AND IT'S GOING TO STOP.
- 15 -
MY FRIENDS, WE'VE GOT WORK TO DO -- AND WE CAN'T
LET ANYONE STALL US. AMERICANS CAN'T WAIT TO GET THIS
ECONOMY MOVING. WE WANT TO THROW OFF CYNICISM AND
FEAR; WE WANT TO SHAKE AWAY GLOOM AND DOUBT. I'M TIRED
OF PROFESSIONAL PESSIMISTS WHO DON'T HAVE ANY FRESH
too
IDEAS FOR THE FUTURE, WHO FEAST ON BAD TIMES AND HARD
long
AX
FEELINGS, WHO TALK AS IF AMERICA'S BEST DAYS HAVE
PASSED BY. THEY JUST DON'T UNDERSTAND - -- AND THEY JUST
OUGHT TO GET OUT OF THE WAY. WE CAN START A NEW
ECONOMIC REVOLUTION IN AMERICA - -- ONE THAT BUILDS ON
OUR NATURAL OPTIMISM, AMBITION, DETERMINATION AND willing to
PRIDE. AND WE WILL.
THAT REVOLUTION WILL START A LOT SOONER IF 535.
PEOPLE IN WASHINGTON MEET MY MARCH 20 DEADLINE. so LET
THEM KNOW IN NO UNCERTAIN TERMS: BUSINESS AS USUAL
WON'T DO. ELECTION YEAR POLITICS AS USUAL WON'T DO.
TELL THEM: WE NEED ACTION BY MARCH 20, WITH YOUR HELP,
*
WE'LL GET IT.
- 16 -
THANKS FOR YOUR HELP. MAY GOD BLESS YOU AND THE
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.
# # # #
ffe/Nix)
January 29, 1991 10 a.m.
GOVERNORS Draft One
PRESIDENTIAL REMARKS: GOVERNORS' MEETING
Monday, February 3, 1992
Roosevelt Room
[ACKNOWLEDGMENTS] I'm glad to talk with you about the
growth agenda I launched last Tuesday just down the road. You
know, the only State of the Union I look forward to more than
this one is the one I'll deliver this time next year.
The plan I gave to Congress to guide this country's economic
recovery cuts through the obstacles to growth and gets rid of the
clutter that obscures our vision -- the high taxes, the tight
regulations, the government deficits, and the red tape. And it
is driven by one principle: It's got to work.
I've done what I can. Specifically: I've set a moratorium
on federal regulations that could hinder growth; I've changed
federal tax withholding tables, to pump $25 billion back into our
economy this next year; and I've pledged to continue monetary
policy that keeps interest rates and inflation down.
When I went to Congress, I laid out my cards. Mine is the
only economic recovery plan on the table, and here's what's at
the heart of it: in this $6 trillion economy, the way to add jobs
is to encourage long-term investment. I told Congress three ways
we can do it. First, change the alternative minimum tax and add
a 25% investment tax allowance; second, implement a first home
tax credit of $5,000 and other ideas to encourage the real estate
market; third, create a maximum capital gains tax of 15.4%. You
know who this will help -- the bricklayers and the carpenters who
2
now on unemployment. They'll be back on payrolls because the
capital gains cut favors growth and jobs for working America.
In my speech, I did more than just introduce this clear plan
of action for the short-term -- I called on Congress to pass
these basic proposals by March 20. We know Congress can do it:
after all, when confronted with its own bouncing checks, it
managed to close the House bank in one day. In 50 days, it should
be able to adopt these basic solutions that encourage businesses
to invest and therefore bring people back to work. If it doesn't
act by then I'll step in, and the battle will be on, because I'll
be fighting for Americans and I want you to fight with me.
We're impatient for Congress to act because what's at stake
is our way of life. Americans will not "settle." That's not who
we are. That's not who we have been. That's not who we will be.
Americans want Congress to act and then step out of the way.
Americans understand that our system works from Portland, Oregon
to Portland, Maine because when it comes to problem-solving,
Washington does not know best -- the people do. They will do
great things if only we set them free.
Once our short-term ideas are in place, we can move ahead to
ensure our growth endures. The long-term plan I proposed last
week is rooted in fairness, equality, opportunity, and choice.
We will focus on marketplace competition for our workers of
the future, through trade and R&D. We'll focus on health care
reform, preserving quality and choice while controlling costs.
We'll focus on empowering the poor in concrete ways, through HOPE
3
housing and Enterprise Zone legislation. And we will, of course,
focus on crime and drugs -- Congress must pass my comprehensive
crime bill to bring freedom back to the streets of America.
But there are three specific parts of my long-range plan
that I want to discuss with you today, because they're essential
parts of your own states' futures. I want to begin with something
close to all of us here: education, specifically America 2000.
You were there at the creation of this extraordinary reform.
The Governors' Conference was a historic example of bipartisan,
forward-looking cooperation. We must take the work we began
together there and take it further: we must revolutionize Ameri-
ca's schools. 30 states across this nation have already embraced
America 2000. You can ensure that your state joins the march;
that your communities become America 2000 communities; that your
kids are trained for the competitive world of the 21st century.
Second, we must get rid of the unfinanced federal government
mandates that cripple you. It's absurd that Congress can tell
your states and communities what to do -- and then disappear from
the scene without giving you a cent, leaving in its wake higher
taxes for you. Well, under my plan this will stop -- but I need
your help in telling Congress that it must take action.
There's much more that I could stop if only Congress would
give me the same thing 43 of you have -- the line item veto.
Third, we must refocus ourselves on family. John Ashcroft
will lead a new task force -- the Commission on America's Urban
Families. We must become warriors to keep families strong. It's
4
the only way we can keep strong our cities, states, and country.
As part of this, many states are beginning to operate with
new assumptions regarding welfare. They believe that when healthy
adults receive government assistance, they have responsibilities
to the American taxpayers who fund them -- responsibilities to
seek work, education, or job training. We have responsibilities
too -- to ensure that welfare is a temporary safety net, not a
guaranteed lifestyle. I know that state reform requires that
certain federal regulations be waived, and I will make that
process easier and quicker for every state that asks our help.
I saw a bumper sticker the other day that expresses the
message we must send to those 535 men and women up on the Hill:
"Lead, follow, or get out of the way." Well, I've unrolled the
blueprints that will lead this country forward. We will begin on
March 20 when, in every one of your states, the American public
will be expecting and demanding action. I've done what I can.
So have many states and individuals -- they've joined up in ways
ranging from becoming America 2000 communities to reaching out as
Points of Light. The only one not yet onboard is Congress. Where
will they be on March 20? You have to tell them.
Walt Whitman, the great poet of the American spirit, once
wrote: "I hear America singing
Each singing what belongs to
him or her and to none else." When we take these steps to
liberate America's genius, we will once again hear the stirring
music of each individual in this country adding his or her voice
to our chorus of greatness. May God bless this nation we share.
7
Sure this is a political year -- in NH headline in Union Leader
afraid was about me -- the sap is running again.
(Hinchliffe/Nix)
February 3, 1992 9 a.m.
GOV6 Draft Six
PRESIDENTIAL REMARKS: GOVERNORS' MEETING
Monday, February 3, 1992
East Room
11 a.m.
Thank you, Governor Ashcroft. And thanks, also, to the
Vice-Chairman, Governor Romer. Bob Martinez, thank you for
giving the update on our war against drugs. I'm glad to see all
of you in the East Room this morning, beginning with members of
our Cabinet.
[[ In particular, I welcome our Nation's distinguished
governors to the White House. It's a pleasure to have you here,
although I hope this is as close to the Oval Office as any
governor gets for at least four years. ]] III
[[ You know, I spent some time with Boris Yeltsin this
weekend. I really feel for the guy. His popularity has tumbled
in just a couple of months. His economy's struggling. He's
catching flak from critics on the right and left about everything
from taxes to defense spending. Boy, I'd hate to be in his
shoes. ]] III
Today, I'd like to talk with you about the growth agenda I
launched last Tuesday, in my State of the Union Address. From my
point of view, you couldn't have come at a better time.
It seems that everyone in America agrees on two things:
First, we need to get our economy moving; second, our people are
up to the challenge of remaining Number One in the world. III
Last Tuesday, I challenged Congress to do the right thing:
pass a common-sense growth package by March 20, and pass a long-
2
term series of growth initiatives without delay.
This package relies on some common sense-objectives: It
encourages investment. It protects the value of basic
investments, like a home. It does not raise taxes. It does not
increase the federal deficit. And it does not employ short-term
gimmicks that create long-term trouble.
You know the political process, and you know that bipartisan
goodwill in an election year is in short supply. But we can't
afford to play politics as usual. We've got a chance to make
real progress -- right now. Today, inflation and long-term
interest rates have fallen to their lowest levels in two decades.
Many people believe this sluggish economy is beginning to turn.
And the American people are ready for action. 11
John F. Kennedy once wrote, "Any system of government will
work when everything is going well. It's the system that
functions in the pinches that survives."
Well, it's pinch time, and I've proposed a way in which all
of us can rise to the occasion. In my State of the Union
Address, I outlined a short-term growth package that takes care
of the essentials: It encourages investment -- which allows us
to expand businesses and create new ones. It strengthens the
real-estate industry, which historically pulls us out of
recessions. And it encourages risk-taking and investment by
cutting the tax on long-term capital gains and by other
stimulative procedures.
It also reforms government. It slashes away at pork-
3
barrel projects. It holds the line on spending -- while moving
money out of unnecessary programs and into vital ones.
Here's what that means for you: A 13-percent increase in
money available for surface herpways transportation; 11 a 300 percent
158
State
increase in land and water Conservation Fund grants; 11 record
amounts for education -- a 15-percent increase from last year; 11
a 27-percent increase in Head Start.
My budget puts the money where it does the most good -- not
where it best serves special interests.
Some people complain that it doesn't do much. Frankly, I'm
proud of what it does -- it lays out a blueprint for growth --
and for some of the things it doesn't do. It doesn't violate the
budget agreement. It doesn't raise taxes. 11
My program will work. So while you're here in Washington,
visit your congressional delegation. Please tell them: Pass the
package by March 20. We must meet this deadline. 111
Just a word about the long-term proposals announced in my
State of the Union Address. If you think of this moment in
history -- after the Cold War, right in the middle of the
information revolution -- something becomes crystal clear. We
must retool America to meet the challenges of a new age, an age
of international competition. Cold War policies just don't cut
it.
Businesses have begun retooling for competition in the world
economy. State governments have adopted innovations that let
them provide better services for less money. I think it's time
4
the federal government became part of the solution, too.
Let's start with one long-term goal that will make a huge
difference in your lives. For years and years we in Washington
have talked about cutting the deficit. We must get the deficit
under control.
The federal government is too big and it spends too much.
We need real budget discipline. My long-term plan and my short-
term plan provide that discipline.
I want Congress to stop showering states with unfunded
mandates. For businesses, or for states, mandated programs and
benefits too often mean mandated deficits. I've told Congress:
If you pass mandates onto states, pay for them -- and don't raise
taxes.
I want Congress to give me something you have, I don't, and
I want: the line-item veto. I understand the legislator's urge
to please a constituent by putting some item in the budget. I
also know that this practice enrages taxpayers -- as it should.
A line-item veto lets a President (or a Governor) say something
that legislators find hard to say: No. 111
I want Congress to let States apply their own resources and
imaginations to important social problems. Too often you have to
use a one-size-fits-all blueprint that just doesn't fit outside
the Beltway. Thomas Jefferson called states laboratories for
Democracy. Well, it's time we let you do R and D.
I want to give state and local governments greater
flexibility in administering services. My budget proposes a
5
revised $14.6 billion Block Grant. The Block Grant will provide
states with needed flexibility to administer education, health
and social services, and drug control programs.
I want to focus federal policy on the crucial issue of
welfare reform. The key to welfare reform lies in one simple,
powerful word: Responsibility.
Many states have begun to reform welfare with responsibility
in mind. They believe that when healthy adults receive
government assistance, they have responsibilities to the American
taxpayers who fund them: responsibilities to seek work,
education, or job training.
We also have responsibilities to those in the social safety
net. We have a responsibility to ensure that welfare is a
temporary safety net, not a guaranteed lifestyle. 11
So my administration will do whatever it can to help you
reform your systems. If you need a waiver of federal regulations
to reform your system, we'll get you a waiver as quickly as we
can. 111
I want the federal government to redouble its efforts to
help the most fundamental building block of a home, a school, a
neighborhood, a city, our nation: the family.
Several weeks ago, a group of mayors from the National
League of Cities came to the White House. Every one of them told
me that they can't solve any of their big problems until they
restore the integrity of the family.
So my plan looks at the fundamentals. It gives much-needed
6
support to those raising families by increasing the personal
exemption on the federal income tax by $500 per child. That's
not as high as I would like, but it's what we can afford now.
My plan also gives families a greater stake in the important
things: health care and education. It proposes IRA reforms and
tax changes that help people pay for these basics.
And in response to those big-city mayors, I have formed the
Commission on America's Urban Families. I've asked Missouri
Governor John Ashcroft and former Dallas Mayor Annette Strauss to
lead that commission, and to propose honest, workable reforms.
A final issue: Education. The governors of this country
have helped unleash a long-overdue and much needed revolution in
education.
I'd like to take this chance to commend the work of
Governors Campbell and Romer on the Report of the National
Council on Education Standards and Testing. The Senate has
indicated unanimous support for the recommendations, and my new
budget injects new funds for research, statistics, and assessment
funding that would be used to help implement those
recommendations.
We must now take the work we began together and take it
further -- we must revolutionize America's schools. Help me send
a message to Congress: Join the crusade to revolutionize American
education. Pass the America 2000 education strategy.
We must give every child in America a full and fair
opportunity to learn. There's only one way to do that:
THE WHITE HOUSE
WASHINGTON
educational choice. Choice serves as a cornerstone of America
2000. Thirty states across this nation have already embraced
America 2000. You can ensure that every state joins the march -
- that every community becomes an America 2000 community -- that
every kid is prepared for the competitive world of the 21st
century.
Our education revolution -- the revolution you started in
Charlottesville more than two years ago -- shows what politicians
can do when they lay down their partisan swords in service to a
higher cause. I hope you will serve as an example and inspiration
for all of us in Washington during the next six weeks.
I don't want a partisan fight over my growth package. I
just want us to do what's right.
I'm counting on your help, because you see the problems up
close: You serve as chief executives, and you know the problems
that concern the people in your states.
Urge Congress to pass the initiatives by March 20. Then,
inch-by-inch, day-by-day, issue-by-issue, we will move our
economy, reform our schools, revive our neighborhoods, and build
the America of our dreams.
Thank you. May God bless you and the great nation we share.
#####
THE WHITE HOUSE
office of the Press secretary
(Orlando, Florida)
For Immediate Release
February 4, 1992
REMARKS BY THE PRESIDENT
TO NATIONAL GROCERS ASSOCIATION
Orange County Convention/Civic Center
Orlando, Florida
11:35 A.M. EST
THE PRESIDENT: Thank you for that warm welcome, and
please be seated. And, Tom, thank you for that wonderful
introduction. Thanks also to Bill Confer, your Chairman. And before
we get started, I don't know where they are but I'd like to recognize
two outstanding congressmen from this area, Bill McCollum and Cliff
Stearns. (Applause.) And also a former congressman who is actively
involved with me, Bill Grant, of Florida. You have three of the best
right here with you today. (Applause.)
And it's a great pleasure, and I really mean that, to be
here with this enthusiastic group. I originally had planned to be at
your dinner last night. But then I found out it was called the
Asparagus Club Banquet. (Laughter.) Thought I'd better not take a
chance. (Laughter.) And you know why -- dangerously close.
(Laughter.)
Okay, Barbara won the broccoli war. I said what I
thought and she got out and received all these broccoli growers, and
sales shot up about 500 percent. (Laughter.)
But you all know, I think, of my love for sports. And
this being an election year, my competitive juices are flowing more
than ever. And 50 today I'm making an announcement that many of you
have been expecting for a long time. I'm officially declaring my
entry into your best bagger contest. (Laughter and applause.) Just
one question: Paper or plastic? (Laughter.)
I'll always remember -- and Tom referred to it, but from
a personal standpoint, I'll always remember that warm reception that
you all, the NGA, gave me when I addressed that 1985 convention. It
was in New Orleans. You gave me a good education about your industry
then, and I remember it still. A typical NGA member is a family-run
business. Many of you carry on legacies built through the vision and
sacrifice of a grandmother or a grandfather. Just met one of your
directors. She was a third generation in the grocery business.
Perhaps an immigrant to this country, some were. You work on the
thinnest of profit margins. You challenge one another with bracing
competition that clearly benefits our consumers like no others in the
world. And today as always, your success as community grocers
depends not just on the bottom line but on the old-fashioned virtues
of being a good neighbor.
since I last met you all in 1985, the world has changed.
We've got a lot to be grateful for. We won the Cold War.
(Applause.) We led a coalition in the Gulf to crush Saddam Hussein's
MORE
- 2 -
aggression in Kuwait. (Applause.) We've created a world with the
prospects of unprecedented prosperity and peace.
But we've also run into some hard times here. Our
economy has slowed down. We must get it fired up again. The
professional pessimists tell us America has become weak and disabled
-- that our economy has fallen and it can't get up.
well, that's just plain bunk. It's not true. And I'm
going to tell you what we can do about it. (Applause.) Day by day
and step by step, we're going to get ourselves moving and we'll do it
as Americans always have: We'll combine our common sense, our work
ethic, and our determination with progrowth policies. with these,
we'll carry the entire world into the next American century. You can
bet on it. (Applause.)
You don't have to be some rocket scientist to understand
how. You stick with the basics. And I proposed a common-sense,
comprehensive action plan last week in my State of the Union address.
It gets investment going, because you can't build new businesses and
create new jobs without new investment. It strengthens the
industries that historically have led us into recoveries --
especially real estate and housing.
It hacks away obstacles to growth. It cuts the federal
deficit by holding back spending. Government is far too big and it
spends too much. And I am going to keep it within its limits of this
budget agreement that is in place right now. (Applause.)
Ask yourselves the question: HOW free are we, really,
when the government gobbles up 25 percent of our GNP? I'm demanding
-- I need your support -- that Congress get serious about this. One
thing, I've listed 246 programs that I want cut out this year -- 246.
Each one has a protector, each one has a noble title. None of them
is essential to the well-being of the United states of America.
(Applause.) And I want something else. I want that line-item veto
so I can enforce real spending disciplines. (Applause.) Forty-
three governors have it.
We've got to get Washington back to common sense. To do
that -- I really mean this -- I need your help. I know you can
deliver. You know your neighbors; they know you. The grocery
business grows when your neighborhood grows -- when the nation's
economy grows. I've asked Congress to enact some laws that will
create jobs by getting our economy growing again. And I've set a
deadline: March 20th. I ask you to circle that Friday on your
calendar.
Remember this deadline. Congress needs to take a few
simple steps to create good American jobs now. The Capitol Hill
hearings on my program begin today -- but I must say, too often when
I send progrowth proposals to Congress, all the public hears is
sloganeering about fairness. This twists a good concept into a
weapon of envy and divisiveness. Desire to divide America along
class lines.
I don't look at it that way. Here's what fairness means
to me: It means, if you want to work, you can get a job. It means
if you have a good idea, you'll get a chance to test it. or if you
build a business you don't lose your earnings to excessive taxes or
over-regulation. That's what fairness means to me. (Applause.)
Above all, the most important test of fairness for my plan is that it
will work for all Americans. And now, here's what I want by March
20th.
And I set that date because I do believe we have a
window in which we get something done, even though this is going to
be a very controversial and difficult national election year. Here's
what I want. First, incentives to make productive investments:
MORE
- 3 -
These involve a 15-percent investment tax allowance and needed
changes to the alternative minimum tax. (Applause.) NOW, these will
encourage business to invest in equipment and become more productive.
I just took a tour through the exhibits here -- amazed
by some of the technology. These proposals will stimulate that kind
of investment and will help individuals invest in high technology or
whatever machinery is needed.
Second, we need incentives to build and to buy real
estate: A change in the passive-loss rules for active real estate
developers. We need penalty-free withdrawals from IRAS for
first-time homebuyers, and a $5,000 tax credit for the first purchase
of a home. Housing economists predict that my plan will mean an
extra 200,000 homes built, and 415,000 new construction jobs to build
them.
Real estate and housing. with this stimulus, we'll lead
our way into active recovery.
And third, incentives to succeed: Cut the capital gains
tax. (Applause.) This tax hurts anyone who has made a sensible
investment -- in a home, a business, or a farm. None of our key
competitors taxes gains at high rates -- world global competitors.
Let's stop penalizing savings and investment. Let's stop punishing
excellence. And, yes, let's talk about fairness: Lower capital
gains mean more investment and more investment means more jobs. So
let's get that capital gains tax cut now. (Applause.)
Three measures, three pieces of common sense, three
things Congress should do by March 20th. I know that Congress will
listen to you, you come right from the grass roots. And I'm counting
on your help.
In the meantime, I've initiated some reforms that will
get the economy moving without having to wait for Congress to act.
I've imposed a 90-day freeze on federal regulations that could hinder
economic growth. And during that period, all departments and
agencies will review regulations, old and new, and when possible,
stops the ones that will hurt growth and speeds up those that will
help growth.
I see from your convention schedule that you have a
workshop entitled "The Regulators Are Back." No wonder. You can't
get through a day without having to worry about what some regulator
is going to do to you through some thoughtless regulation.
Regulations may have stated aims as wholesome as Mom and the apple
pie. But you know better than anyone that when regulators carry that
regulation too far, there won't be any apple pie for Mom to buy.
(Applause.)
I ran a council on deregulation for eight years as Vice
President. And I'm here to assure you, we've not lost the spirit of
deregulation. I want you to be able to spend your time working on
what you can do for your customers rather than fretting about what
some regulator might do to you. (Applause.) And I'm also fighting
hard against this epidemic of lawsuits. (Applause.) The costs and
the delays in our legal system are a hidden tax on every single
American consumer, on every business transaction in America.
And that's why I'm sending to Congress today a reform
bill -- the Access to Justice Act of 1992. And my reform proposal
will give Americans cheaper and easier alternatives to trial. And my
plan will halt needless lawsuits by making changes in the way some
attorney's fees are awarded. And let's stop America's love affair
with the lawsuit. (Applause.) If we're as good at rewarding success
as we are at suing each other, we'd be way ahead of the rest of the
world. (Applause.) I might say parenthetically, health care costs
MORE
- 4 -
would be an awful lot lower if we didn't have a lot of frivolous
lawsuits going after these doctors for malpractice. (Applause.)
One of the great lessons of our times is this: Freedom
and cooperation work, big government doesn't. And after 70 years,
the new leaders in Moscow recognize that total government regulation
produces only one thing: total failure. And now, the Russians -- I
had a fascinating visit with Boris Yeltsin up at Camp David on
Saturday -- the Russians want to try something different -- like
grocery stores with groceries on the shelves. (Laughter.) This
man's put into some tough reforms there. Got to stay with him. Got
to help him make them work. (Applause.)
Isn't it ironic at the exact moment the world is turning
to our values of more economic freedom and competition, some in the
United States Congress want to go just the opposite way. And here's
an example of the trouble brewing in Congress: That's the so-called
FDA enforcement bill. I'm sure those of you who sell your own
private-label groceries aren't exactly thrilled by the prospect of
more legal and accounting and paperwork burdens. But that's just
what some in the Congress want to do. Well, let me tell you in no
uncertain terms, the time for over-regulation is over. And if they
send me any more legislation with excessive regulation in it, I'm
going to veto it and send it back. It's going right back up there.
(Applause.)
Again, the Congress can help get the economy moving if
it will just do the right thing. Last week one member of Congress, a
Democrat, said it might be smart politics for the Democrats to meet
the deadline and pass my plan intact. I can't say what their motives
may be, but I know one thing: my plan will help the American people.
so let me take the heat. I know that my program will get the economy
moving again. And, again, urge the Congress to pass it intact by
March 20th. (Applause.)
March 20 isn't a moment too soon to enact this
short-term program. But we also must take a longer look, look to
longer horizons. And I proposed a long-term plan in my State of the
Union address. Let me just give you a couple of the highlights here,
some of the highlights.
First, let's create more American jobs by opening up and
expanding markets all over the world. A new GATT agreement -- we're
working hard to get one -- will make the world trading system come to
grips with the damaging tariffs and export subsidies in agriculture.
And by tearing down economic barriers with Mexico and Canada, a new
North American free trade agreement can lift us to new heights of
prosperity. And make no mistake about this: A sound free trade
agreement will mean more American jobs. Not less, more American
jobs. (Applause.)
Second, let free choice and free markets reform this
health care system of ours. This week I'm going to ask for a new
credit to help those without health insurance, employed or not, to
buy such coverage. My plan will assure that both American workers
and the unemployed will have access to basic health insurance even if
they change jobs or develop serious health problems. We can't
improve health care by threatening the health of job-intensive
businesses. The last thing we want is for companies to cut costs by
cutting workers. And I am wholeheartedly opposed, as I believe you
are, to schemes that costs jobs by mandating benefits that an
employer must pay. (Applause.)
And thirdly, let's strengthen the family, the
cornerstone of the American Dream. Let's ease the burden of
child-rearing. The personal tax exemption has not kept up with
inflation. I'm asking Congress immediately to increase the exemption
for each child by $500. It's a significant move in the right
direction and for our kids' sake, we must do no less.
- 5 -
Look at my economic proposals and you will find
straightforward, plain solutions to our problems. some may complain
that they lack the flash of an expensive new program, or that they
don't have quite the right political ring for this political year.
But I'm not seeking spending for spending's sake. I don't want a
fancy title on a bill that will shoot interest rates right up through
the roof. I want results. My plan is sound and it will work.
(Applause.)
If you hear people in Congress gripe that they can't get
the job done by March 20th, remind them: We won the Gulf War in 44
days. Surely Congress can pass my urgent domestic program in 52
days. (Applause.) Remember, Congress can act with lightning speed
when it wants to. So accept no excuses, accept no delays, and accept
no substitutes.
Please don't leave this message behind when you leave
this convention hall. Take it home to your families, to your
customers, to your neighbors. From February 8th till February 17th,
your congressmen will be home for the President's Day recess. That's
a great time for you to go to their hometown offices and tell them to
meet the deadline and to pass this plan. With an effort like this, I
know we'll get their attention and we'll get America moving again.
Thank you very, very much for this reception. And may
God bless the United States of America. Thank you. (Applause.)
END
11:55 A.M. EST