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Record Group/Collection:
George H.W. Bush Presidential Records
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Speechwriting, White House Office of
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Speech File Draft Files
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Regional Media Luncheon 9/15/89
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1
THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary
For Immediate Release
September 15, 1989
REMARKS BY THE PRESIDENT
AT REGIONAL MEDIA LUNCHEON
The State Dining Room
12:57 P.M. EDT
THE PRESIDENT: Well, welcome to the White House. And
before taking your questions, which I'll be glad to receive, I just
wanted to say welcome. I hope that your briefings this morning were
interesting and I'm delighted to follow on. I brought some experts
along in case I stumble and fall; not an unlikely happening in this
highly complicated world we're living in. But I'm pleased to have
several of our very top advisors with me at this lunch.
Two areas, two items of immediate administration
interests -- and hopefully national interest -- drugs and education
have the highest priorities as issues of concern to the American
people. And we've laid out a national drug strategy. We had a
chance to talk about it a little at our table here, to deal with the
scourge of drugs over the long term. And it's a complex strategy in
which all pieces fit together in a reinforcing way. We're attacking
the use of drugs, the supply of drugs, the law enforcement problems,
and then the international aspects of this question.
In addition, we've suggested, a funding program of about
$8 billion -- making it an $8 billion effort. And we believe that
we've accommodated this kind of spending, which incidentally is a
substantial increase, without jeopardizing either the national
security interests or without having to raise taxes on the working
men and women of this country.
Under Bob Dole's leadership up in the Senate, we are
about to engage in detailed discussions with the Democratic
leadership in the Congress. And as I said earlier, we're flexible in
terms of the funding method, but I strongly believe that we must
retain the integrated elements of this drug strategy, which took more
than six months to develop. And we can't afford to sacrifice our
military preparedness. And you know what I mean by that. Whenever
there's a demand for more funds, somebody says we'll simply take it
out of the Defense budget. And we're in complicated times. We're in
interesting times vis-a-vis the Soviet Union. And we've got a good
national security budget and we've got a good national security
strategy, and I view protecting that as a prime responsibility of the
President of the United States. So our military, incidentally, is an
integral part of this drug strategy -- drug effort.
The other issue is this education summit that will be
convened on September 27th and 28th in Charlottesville. We've
invited the nation's governors to come together for a two-day period
to focus on the educational system, a system which is not, in spite
of the money being spent per capita, is not making the grade. And in
a recent comparison of 13-year-old students in the United States and
11 other countries, the United States placed last in math and near
the bottom in science. And we're spending more money on education
than most other countries, and frankly getting less in terms of our
investment.
So in summary, the results are not there, and the
educational system is basically well-fed, but it's undernourished.
And we must find innovative, accountable ways to improve performance.
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The governors -- I was asked here why the governors and what about
the role of these professionals that are quite knowledgeable -- but
in my view, the governors are the most knowledgeable political
leadership in terms of education experience. And I am looking to
share new ideas in a number of areas, including teacher recruitment
and retention; how to instill a drug-free and crime-free environment
in our schools; increasing choice -- I'm a great believer in
increased choice for parents and students -- and the role of the
federal, state and local governments in meeting the educational
needs. All these topics will, I'm sure, be discussed. And we're
going to have some roll-up-your-sleeve meetings. Hopefully, the
outcome will be new ideas that can help us develop national
educational goals and objectives. I'm not sure we've had that
before.
And let me just say that before coming over here -- and I
don't know that you -- maybe you've been briefed on these. There
were some new economic statistics released today -- good news.
Producer prices declined in August for the third month in a row. The
principal reason was a decline in energy prices. And the PPI dropped
.4 percent in July, .1 percent in June. Industrial production rose
.3 percent in August -- some rebound in the coal and auto industries.
And then the merchandise trade deficit, which continues to plague us,
but that deficit declined in July to $7.6 billion -- and that was the
smallest deficit since December of 1984. Imports fell $1 billion
while exports were off .6 percent.
So on the net basis, the situation was improved. And I
would add that the economy continues to go forward. I think in
October it will be the longest expansion, if you will, in the history
of the United States. And so I'm not totally relaxed on all corners
of the economy, on all quarters, but basically, why, it continues to
produce jobs for the American people.
Now, I'll be glad to take questions.
Q
Street agents in the DEA, FBI, ATF and so forth tell
us that they've developed good working relationships in the fight
against drugs, but that frequently their efforts, to do a combined
effort, are hampered by the conflicting investigative priorities of
the various federal law enforcement agencies. What do you see being
done to try to pull that effort together on a policy level among
various federal law enforcement agencies?
THE PRESIDENT: One of the roles of the Drug Czar, Bill
Bennett, is coordination. And we have had meetings around our
Cabinet table to try to cope with these -- bureaucratic competition
that exists. I can't tell you we've got it whipped. I can tell you
we've made progress. But I think from a management standpoint, the
Drug Czar, with the full confidence of the President, offers the best
hope to be able to have us minimize, if not eliminate, the rivalries
that sometimes have adversely affected the concerted effort.
But I do think it's a little better. I know it's not
solved, because even in my line of work you hear directly from some
of the various agents in the various departments, SO I know we've
still got some work ahead. But the answer would be the Drug Czar
office. But to get that to work -- because he is not statutorily in
the Cabinet -- he has to have the full support of the President.
Q
We have treatment programs in Colombus who are very
anxious about this money -- if and when, assuming it does come
through, for treatment programs. But some of them are worried about
the future. Will this money actually come through? If the nation,
as you say, is so concerned about drugs, why wouldn't the people be
willing to go for a tax increase to pay for this, to know that the
money is going to come year after year?
THE PRESIDENT: Well, I touched on that a little bit
because of my desire to see the economy continue, and to have more
and more jobs for people. And I think a tax increase would be
counterproductive in that objective.
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But we had this discussion here at this table, not on
that economic side, but on the involvement of others. The federal
government is not going to solve the treatment problem by itself.
Yes, I think the money will be forthcoming and it will be -- it won't
be enough of it to solve the treatment problem in every community in
the country. And so what does that leave you? It leaves you local
government, state government, and involvement of citizens in the
lives of others.
And I mentioned I don't want to bore the people that
had to -- drew the bean that had them setting here having lunch with
me -- but I told them about visiting D.C. General Hospital the other
day. And there was a ward full of what they call boarder babies --
boarder in the sense that they're boarding. Not coming from the
border -- boarder babies. And that ward was paid for, not by the
local government, not by the federal government, but by ten black
mothers that got together -- they had been blessed by having things a
little better than the mothers that had given birth to these children
-- and they were taking care of it.
So I cite -- it's going to be an all-out effort where, in
addition to the federal government doing it's thing, people are going
to have to help.
Q
You don't think people care enough, though, to pay a
higher tax?
THE PRESIDENT: Well, I don't think it's a question of
taxes. I think people want a fiscal policy that is going to keep
this recovery that I mentioned going. And I don't know of any
economists who would argue that an increase in taxes would encourage
the continuation of that.
And so I think we have to do both. We have to have
proper revenues -- and I think we're getting them -- that we can
bring to bear on this problem, and then I think we have to involve
ourselves in the lives of others.
But you could go out and ask a question -- would you be
willing to pay more taxes if you knew it would solve the problem of
drugs -- I bet you people would say yes. Would you be willing to pay
more taxes if you knew you would never have the threat of nuclear war
again? Probably say yes to that one. And so it depends how you ask
it.
But we've designed a national strategy that doesn't have
to adversely impact the lives of the American working man and woman
by raising taxes. And I don't think that there's a great cry out
there in the country for more taxes. And they've got a President
that doesn't want to raise taxes and is going to work against it,
and you've got a President who believes deeply that we've got to stop
this drug problem.
Q
Mr. President, I'm from Louisville, Kentucky, where
a madman went on a rampage yesterday and killed seven people and then
himself. He had an arsenal of weapons, including an AK-47. I know
they say guns don't kill people, people do, but why do we allow
people to get hold of these weapons and "massacre" other people?
What would you tell those families in Louisville, Kentucky, who don't
have a dad, a brother, a mom after what happened yesterday?
THE PRESIDENT: I'd tell them I feel horrible about the
loss of life. I would tell them I'm from Texas. And I remember in
that Texas tower a mad person grabbing, in this case, not an
automatic weapon, but a hunting rifle and killing a lot of people.
And I would tell them that we must do everything we can to enforce
laws that are already on the books. I don't know whether Louisville
has anti-automatio weapon legislation on its books -- a lot of
communities do. I would tell them I don't think banning weapons is
going to be the ultimate answer, or could ever safeguard against that
kind of tragedy.
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If you have somebody that is deranged -- and I don't want
to prejudge this poor soul -- but if he was deranged, I'm afraid
you're going to have incidents like this. And it is terrible, and
the loss of human life is horrible. But I have seen no evidence that
a law would -- banning a specific weapon is going to guard against
it.
So my view is, do everything you can in terms of
education, do everything you can in terms of enforcing your laws that
are on the handbooks. And let me diverge for one minute, because I
remember back in the '60s, when I was a member of Congress, and I
took my arsenal down to be registered down here at the D.C. Police
Headquarters, and the guy looked at me like I'd lost my mind. And it
was the second-to-last day of registration, and I had a .22 and .410
and I'm a hunter, and I like that. And I gave them the serial
numbers and I said, how many people have registered? He said about
-- we estimate about 11 percent. This was the day before, and I
said, well, are you getting a lot of criminals to turn their guns in?
He said, no, it's a bunch of suckers like you from Northwest
Washington. And it made a profound impression on me.
Q
Mr. President, speaking of finding funds for the
drug war, an independent group of the National Governors Association
and the National Conference of State Legislatures just reported that
primarily, that money is coming from -- as a diversion from other
grants to states and localities for public housing, immigrant
training -- programs and juvenile justice. If that's the case, then
aren't we essentially paying for the drug war by taking money away
from other important needs?
THE PRESIDENT: I don't think it is the case, and I don't
think we're paying for it by other important needs. You see, I still
am of conviction that there are ways to make the government more
efficient in terms of spending, and we spend a tremendous percentage
of our Gross National Product -- a high percentage of our GNP on
federal, and I think it is much less productive spending in terms of
enriching the lives of people, so what we tried to do is suggest
certain offsets, and some of them we said we're flexible on this.
We're very flexible on how you, the Congress, decide you want to pay
for this, but here's our suggestions, and I don't think any one of
them would have decimated the quality of life of the individuals in
this country.
Q
Mr. President, the Mayor of Philadelphia and other
local elected officials are facing a possible $80 million deficit
within a budget they've already slashed by $70 million. They took a
look at your drug war and said, "It's a great plan, but if you're
counting on us for any money, this plan cannot work." Many other
good city mayors facing similar budget problems have expressed the
same concern. How much of this is going to be passed on to the
states and the cities, and if it's a good chunk, as the local
officials are saying, how can it work when they have no money?
THE PRESIDENT: Well, you're talking to a president who's
facing a rather substantial federal deficit too, so tell the mayor
we're in this thing together; we both have enormous deficits. And I
am bound under the law to reduce the deficit, the law being
Gramm-Rudman-Hollings. And I can't give you the specific figure --
maybe somebody can help me with it -- that's to be passed on to the
states. But there are funds to go to the states and municipalities.
But it isn't going to be solved by the federal government alone. It
is the first time we have had a national strategy. It is aimed at
the four categories I told you about. We will do everything we
possibly can to help, but the message is, everybody has to be in this
together. And the federal government is facing an enormous budget
deficit.
Q
But their answer to that is, "This can't work." Do
you --
THE PRESIDENT: Well, that's the answer of the cynics.
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That is the answer of some of the cynics -- the reflex critics that
say the first time out of the box, raise taxes. That's what some say
to every problem we face in this country. And I took the case to the
American people last year on that, and I don't think the American
taxpayer is undertaxed. And we made a proposal that was received
enormously well by the American people -- some 70 percent saying they
supported this national strategy. And so we can't do everything we'd
like to do. I'm going to protect the interests of the working man
and woman in this country by not going out and raising his taxes, and
still having a strategy that I think is unique and imaginative and
will take us an enormous way down the road to solving this drug
problem.
Q
Mr. President, in the state of Illinois, they have
spent a half a billion dollars to build 11 prisons, four more under
construction. The county jail in Cook County is fined $1,000 a day
for overcrowding. Aren't you saying, sir, that we're going to have
to build more jails out in Illinois, but it will have to be paid by
raising taxes in Illinois and in Cook County?
THE PRESIDENT: Well, I've talked to Governor Thompson,
who incidentally, signed a rather comprehensive drug bill the day
after I announced our strategy. And to me, they dovetail rather
nicely. But as you know, the federal government has certain
responsibilities for federal prisons. And included in our
recommendation are substantial amounts of money for increased prison
capacity. And, yes, the states and localities are having to step up
themselves and do stuff.
Q
Raise taxes to do it?
THE PRESIDENT: Well, that's up to them. I'm not going
to criticize a governor or a municipality that has to do something on
the revenue side. I'm going to try to hold the line as President of
the United States on federal taxes.
Q
Mr. President, on drugs and taxes, we're currently
paying $150 billion to $170 trillion a year to defend Europe. And
the Congressional panel estimates that's a lot more than the other 15
NATO countries put together. Since the standard of living is higher
in other countries and in Europe than it is here now, and since
Gorbachev is offering deep cuts in the Warsaw armed forces, why not
halve our contribution to the NATO forces and put that money in on
the drug war?
THE PRESIDENT: Because we have a very realistic approach
to the Soviet Union, and I am delighted to see the changes that are
taking place there. And I've heard a lot of rhetoric and I welcome
it. And I hope we can move forward on strategic arms and chemical
weapon reductions in accord with the innovative proposal that we made
and that NATO supported for conventional forces. But I'm like the
guy from Missouri: Show me and take your time and do it right. And
Europe has had peace for some 40 years now, and if you look at your
textbooks, why, you'll see that that's a long, long time in an area
of the world that has been troubled by conflict, in an area of the
world that has involved us in this century in two -- where we've been
involved in two massive wars that in a -- overnight, expenditures
went right through the roof, if we're talking about it in terms of
money.
So what I want to do is work -- in the first place, keep
the Alliance strong. Secondly, prudently deal with the Soviet
leadership. And I'm looking forward to sitting down with Mr.
Shevardnadze next week. I'm looking forward to the substance that
will be talked by Jim Baker and Shevardnadze out in Wyoming following
the meeting with me. But not taking gambles and gambling on the come
by making universal cuts in our commitment to a strong NATO. We have
got to keep that Alliance strong.
And I know there's almost a euphoria in some quarters
that they're no risks in the world anymore. Well, I don't believe
that. And if you look at the Soviet Union modernizing its nuclear
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arsenal at a rather ferocious pace, I'm prudent enough to saym "Why?
What's happening here? Why are they doing this? Why, if it's all
euphoria and everything is rosy, nobody has anything to worry any
more about, how come?" And so, let's not let down our Alliance
guarantees because we are more optimistic about peace.
I can look at my grandkids today and say I am much more
optimistic about their growing up in a world where they don't go to
school worried about nuclear conflict -- much more, but that -- how
we handle our end of the equation, I think has a lot to do with that.
Q
But the American taxpayer, sir, is paying twice as
much as the European taxpayer to defend Europe.
THE PRESIDENT: Well, I'm not sure of your numbers. I've
never heard that statistic before. But I'm doing what I think is in
the national interest of the United States. And part of that is our
participation in an Alliance that has kept the peace for 40 years,
and so that's the way I would look at it. And look, if you're asking
me would I welcome any country in the Alliance doing more, the answer
is yes. And that wouldn't extend just to the NATO Alliance, it would
be every alliance we have.
Q Mr. President, there have been many great efforts
through the years to interdict drugs and solve our drug problem that
way. Do you envision a day when we might throw in the towel and
treat it like we did prohibition and say let's shift our money from
law enforcement back toward education, accept the legalization of
drugs and try to fight in a more academic way?
THE PRESIDENT: No, no. I don't visualize such a day.
Q A local question: You recently nominated St. Louis
County Executive Gene McNary to be the Director of Immigration and
Naturalization. There are some people, even some admirers of Mr.
McNary, who say there doesn't seem to be anything in his background
that shows a sensitivity, perhaps, to work with minorities and so
forth in that job. What did you see in Mr. McNary that led you to
make the appointment to what is a growing -- a job that has a growing
responsibility?
THE PRESIDENT: Extraordinarily capable manager. And
that job is a major management job, and Gene McNary will do a
first-class job in it.
Q Mr. President, today, at this very hour, there are
three candidates for mayor of Cleveland taking urinalysis tests to
prove that they do not have a drug problem. Has our drug problem in
America gotten to that extent where even elected officials now have
to prove that they're not a part of the problem, but part of the
solution?
THE PRESIDENT: No, I don't know that it's gotten to that
case. I am one who favors testing in certain categories. And
there's a certain lack of dignity that goes, I.guess, with that in
some ways. Having said all that, I guess you'll remember that a
couple of years ago President Reagan and I submitted ourselves to
that -- what some thought was indignity. But if you believe in a
drug-free workplace or the drug-free armed forces, certain testing is
involved in that. I don't know the context of the Cleveland race, so
how much of it is -- I just leave to others to assess how much of
it's political and how much of it sets a pattern or sets a standard
for others. But I think we've come to the point in this fight on
drugs that people should be a little less concerned about testing
than they have in the past.
And again, I don't live and die by polls if I did I
wouldn't be standing here as President; we all remember that from
about a year ago. But I would say that I think there is a shift in
public opinion and people are much more serious about this fight on
drugs. And I think there's much more support for a drug-free
workplace, and I think there is much more support for testing.
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Q
I'd like to talk about a chemical of a different
sort. You campaigned as an environmental candidate. Agricultural
chemicals are more and more being discussed now as a major pollutant
and a major concern. I'm wondering how aggressive your
administration is prepared to be in either helping or pressuring
Congress to reduce chemical use?
MR. PRESIDENT: I think we have a responsibility to --
under our Environmental Protection Agency -- to look carefully at the
realities of agricultural chemicals, because it does get into the
food chain and -- if there's abuse. But I also think that you need a
balance in it and EPA's looking at it right now. So I'd have to wait
and see what recommendations they make and try to do our best. But
we can't overlook that because of the controversy that it's caused in
the agricultural community. And that's a little broad in general but
that's the only way I know to respond to that one.
Q
Your drug strategy is often seen as an urban
inner-city initiative. How pervasive do you feel the drug problem is
-- I come from rural Minnesota -- and how much of a priority is
dealing with drug education and interdiction and helping law
enforcement in rural areas?
MR. PRESIDENT: Well, I think in terms of interdiction,
it's national and the effect of it is national. In terms of the
international affairs component, for example, support for Colombia
and what they're trying to do, it will impact favorably if we can
encourage them on rural America and on city America.
I think you have to look in terms of treatment and in
terms of impact of federal money for education on those areas that
are where the most heavy use is. And I think we have to do some
vectoring of funds to the highest impact areas. And I think you'll
see that when the program goes forward. But in terms of education
and the need to have kids understand the risk, it is totally national
and it cannot be confined just to metropolitan areas.
Q
I've been in Washington a few days. There's two
things that seem to be on people's minds. The first one is why Joe
Gibbs went for "Pass the ball" in the third in two situation.
(Laughter.)
The second thing that comes to mind is the drug issue.
We all come from across the country, but in our Nation's Capitol,
it's a pervasive problem that has intensified for the past four
years. Coming from across the country, we sometimes look to D.C. as
a symbol of what's going to happen. What do you see your drug plan
doing for the people of the Nation's Capitol and the inner city?
MR. PRESIDENT: You mean with --
Q
What the drug plan in doing for the people who live
in the inner city -- D.C.
MR. PRESIDENT: Raising hope. I see it raising hope and
if we follow through, helping solve the problem. It isn't going to
solve it alone. It's going to need those 10 black mothers in the
D.C. Ward. It's going to need the schools involved with their local
control and their local ability to go into their communities with a
sensitivity that the Federal Government will never have.
But I see it -- I see the Presidency using the -- the
President using the bully pulpit of the Presidency to stay on it --
to encourage and to exhort and to help financially through this
national strategy where we can. But I got to keep making the point,
the Federal Government isn't going to solve it. But you're asking
about inner cities? But you can get the job done and do it in a lot
of different ways, including involving ourselves in the lives of
others.
And I don't care how much grief I get -- and it's not so
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much anymore because people are beginning to understand it -- about
the thousand points of light. But it is one American helping
another. It's a teacher who cares. It's a foster parent. It's
those ten black mothers in the D.C. Hospital. And it's on and on and
on.
And that is how the problem, along with the
municipalities and the state governments and the federal government
are going to solve this problem. But the President, I think, has a
disproportionate responsibility to have a strategy which we now have
and then to -- not forget it, to follow-up on it.
And I do believe that in the final analysis we can whip
the problem. I was encouraged, and I expect others were here, too,
about the decline in casual use of cocaine. Off 30 percent. And
that's a good sign.
Now, how do we do the same thing for the crack user --
instead of having it go the wrong way? And I don't see as much on
the media, for example, and the entertainment media in terms of
condoning that which we now condemn. You don't see that much about
it any more. It used to be the joke. And I keep citing -- I hope
without prejudice -- the scene in Crocodile Dundee with the guy in
his tuxedo and it was humorous, the use of cocaine. Today you don't
see that. It's because the industry itself has moved in.
I cited in my drug speech the efforts of a man named Jim
Burke who was the former chairman of Johnson & Johnson. He's
guaranteeing, to the best of his ability, that $1 million a day will
be spent -- $1 billion over the next three years -- on reaching out
in education -- you know, changing a whole condoning culture into a
condemning culture.
And so it's -- I am excited about the potential provided
everybody pitches in together. And so what do you say to a kid in
the city? There's something better for you, and we've got to prove
it.
Q
Your last question -- you mentioned your
grandchildren a while ago, and this is kind of a personal question,
maybe putting this in perspective for us. How do you feel as a human
being and as a grandfather about the drug scourge? Are you afraid
that your family members, your grandchildren, your friends,
relatives, the people in the White House family are going to be
seduced by drugs? Do you identify with the grandparents across the
nation?
THE PRESIDENT: Yes, I worry about it -- of course I do
-- about these kids. Peer group pressure -- enormous. Declining, I
hope, but enormous. And so when I stand out there in the garden with
the DARE program that teaches these kids out of the efforts by police
officers all across this country to turn their back and how to resist
peer pressure, I can identify with that -- perhaps more than if I
didn't have these 11 grandchildren.
But I'm not pessimistic about it. I think America is
waking up, and we are beginning to condemn that which, let's face it,
we've condoned. We condoned it in my theory in a kind of a
post-Vietnam period, or even in the Vietnam War period. We have got
to understand the pressures that lead one that wants to escape. Now
we see that it was wrong. We see that in condoning it, for whatever
the reason, should have been condemned. And I think as that national
more changes -- those national mores change, then I think you're
going to find that the future of not just my 11 grandchildren, but
the others, is far brighter. And mine, you know, are blessed with
not having some of the pressures of a neighborhood where there are
high incidences of cocaine use.
But, now we've got to take this changing mores -- these
changing mores and have inner city America, highly-impacted America
understand. And of course that has to, in my view, be coupled with
opportunity -- opportunity to work, have an honest living instead of
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one where you're a lookout at $100 a crack for some drug addict. And
so we've got a big educational job to do.
But I do worry about it, and I don't think any kid is
immune from this peer pressure. But I'm absolutely convinced it's
changing. You know, you can bark on something like a war on drugs
and people say, yes, yet another war, and you have your cynics out
there. And I can understand it because there have been efforts made
and they've gone off the radar screen. But this one isn't going to
go off the radar screen.
And what I've got working for me in this time frame in
which I'm serving as President is this changing feeling in the
country that we've got to do something about it. It's not just the
administration, it's not just a handful of teachers or some parents
group. It's the country itself. And that is very different, and
that is working for us.
And so this gentleman doesn't feel I'm giving him the
brush-off. You see, I think if we then go out and legalize drugs, we
work just the opposite from what I'm saying are the changed -- the
appropriately changing mores in this country, and that's why I
strongly oppose it. And as long as I'm President, there will not be
any federal-level consideration given to -- federal government-level
consideration given to the legalization of narcotics. It simply --
it's counterproductive as we try to help in this whole field of
education.
Q In Detroit we have severe drug problems, but we also
have other problems: Blight, abandoned housing, and decay. UDAG
monies and block grant monies have been decreased significantly over
the past few years. Will those monies be returned in some capacity,
and how does the Bush administration propose rebuilding America's
inner cities, including Detroit?
THE PRESIDENT: We've got a brand new Secretary of
Housing who is aggressively going after tenant ownership and changes
in the housing programs. I don't want to mislead you. I don't think
you'll see a change soon on revenue-sharing or increased UDAGs, for
example, you asked about. But I think we've got a program that
emphasizes ownership and tenant ownership, helping to clean the
existing projects from narcotics reach, and then I come back to jobs
-- jobs. And it's got to be the economy that is going to lift people
up. A job in the private sector is the best poverty program.
And you look at the demographics -- and we again bored
you all at lunch about this -- but their changing. And in the year
2000 -- and what -- Roger, somebody help me -- 2010 there are going
to be more jobs than there are people looking for jobs. And that
says then to the federal government, the state government, the
government in Detroit -- train people, job retraining -- training
them for jobs that will exist. And that, of course, gets back into
what we were talking about at our table, about educational
excellence. So it's education, job retraining, all of which impact
in this question of housing. If a person has a job and a reasonable
salary, he hopefully can afford to have an apartment or have a --
make a down payment on a house.
All right, she was very persistent, over here, screaming
in outrage because I boycotted the table. This is the last one.
Q Thank you very much.
THE PRESIDENT: I'll say ahead of her question that I've
always learned that the last question is the one that gets you in
trouble. So let me see the seams on this one. (Laughter.)
Q
In Pittsburgh, we are arresting drug suspects and
they're being turned loose from the Allegheny County Jail because of
overcrowding. Federal court ordering has mandated a certain
population cap. Across the river -- Pittsburgh, our state prison
facility has been ruled an overcrowded fire trap by another federal
MORE
- 10 -
judge. My question is, our Allegheny County Commissioner has written
you asking you for permission to open military bases, underused or
closed military facilities, to house some of these prisoners,
especially the drug suspects that we're letting go. How will you
respond to --
THE PRESIDENT: I'll respond to this as being given
serious and active consideration. You talk about closing a military
base now, come on out and try it sometime. (Laughter.) Even though
the law prescribes it, and even though we have a sound program up
there right now in the Senate, some people are challenging the
closing of these bases. And it isn't much fun to have to go to a
community that's been dependent on a base and say we're going to
close your base.
Every congressman wants to close bases in somebody else's
district -- or every senator, but in someone else's state. And we
have a program to do this, and part of it might well be active
consideration being given to a concept of using these facilities for
jail space. There's some existing bases where we might be able to do
that. There's some trading where you take prisoners from one
jurisdiction and boarding them in somebody else's jail. They're
innovative programs in terms of jail construction of lease backs.
And so there's a lot of new thinking going on, including the
proposals that are in our strategy of -- and this doesn't get
directly to your question -- of more federal prisons.
But I think the man, whoever -- this fellow suggested
this -- is on to something, and we will try to be very cooperative in
that regard.
Q
How soon might you respond to him if he's written
about a week or two ago?
THE PRESIDENT: Well, tell him to get in line -- I get
about 100 -- let's see, how many -- I'll tell you, one of the great
-- they were asking me the joys of this job at the table. One of the
frustrations is the mail, and the volume is horrendous. But your
having raised it, I trust somebody will -- he will be hearing from
him sooner than he might of. But we've got to be responsive on these
-- (laughter) -- it's an understandable frustration when somebody
asks. And I would simply take this opportunity to ask for
forbearance and to say we will endeavor to do our very best.
When I left for summer vacation, the backlog on our mail
was something like 100, letters. It was down to 9,000 when we got
back -- somebody else doing all the heavy lifting, obviously. But we
do want to do better on it. And especially when somebody is crying
from the heart for help on a problem of this sensitivity. But we'll
look into that one and see when he -- and hope he gets a very
positive response. I expect your having brought it up, he will.
Listen, thank you all very, very much. (Applause.)
END
1:38 P.M. EDT
Document No. 072601SS
7227
WHITE HOUSE STAFFING MEMORANDUM
9/13/89
DATE:
ACTION/CONCURRENCE/COMMENT DUE BY:
9/13/89 4:00 PM
ANTICIPATED QS AND AS, MIDWESTERN RESS BRIEFING
SUBJECT:
ACTION FYI
ACTION FYI
VICE PRESIDENT
:
MCCLURE
SUNUNU
NEWMAN
SCOWCROFT
PORTER
DARMAN
STUDDERT
BATES
UNTERMEYER
BREEDEN
CARD
CICCONI
DEMAREST
FITZWATER
GRAY
HAGIN
REMARKS:
Please forward any comments directly to Chriss Winston, Rm. 122,
x2930, no later than 4:00 PM TODAY, Thursday, September 14, with
a copy to my office. Thank you.
RESPONSE:
September 14, 1989
NSC concurs with fixes and suggestions, as marked.
Brent Ratio Scowcroft
James W. Cicconi
Assistant to the President
and Deputy to the Chief of Staff
Ext. 2702
ANTICIPATED QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
MIDWESTERN PRESS BRIEFING
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 1989
89 SEP 14 P|2 : 55
DRUG STRATEGY
Many previous Administrations have launched anti-drug campaigns.
Why do you think this particular Strategy will work?
Unlike past anti-drug efforts, this strategy will work
because it is a truly coordinated national effort. This means
federal, state and local levels must work together. In fact, at
the federal level, Director Bennett's leadership has already
brought about strong interagency cooperation. We're urging the
state and local levels to follow this lead, and join us in this
coordinated strategy.
If you could name the one distinguishing strength of this
Strategy above all others, what would it be?
The Strategy's biggest strength is this: it is
comprehensive. This is the first such national strategy designed
to end drug use and drug trafficking, a fully integrated approach
that is an assault on every front. Our plan addresses all the
elements necessary to an effective strategy: school and drug
prevention programs, our treatment system, our laws and criminal
justice system, and our foreign policy. In short, it is just as
comprehensive as the problem. With this strategy, we now have a
plan that coordinates our resources, our programs and the people
who run them.
2
Exactly what will your Strategy mean for my community?
Keep in mind that this is a national, not a federal
strategy. And while Washington cannot solve this problem alone,
Washington will have a role to play. For example, in communities
across the country, we will work through HUD to kick drug dealers
out of public housing, and the Department of Education will
spearhead the Drug Free Schools and Communities program. As far
as actual dollars are concerned, we'll be increasing Federal
support of local treatment programs by $321 million, increasing
assistance to State and local law enforcement by $200 million,
and expanding education and prevention programs in local schools
and communities by $233 million.
Communities, too, have just as big a role to play. The
Administration is urging State and local governments to enact
tougher laws, and increase their funding of local anti-drug
efforts. And most importantly of all, increased community
involvement is key. We are calling on every school, college,
university, and workplace to adopt tough, fair anti-drug
policies.
How are you going to pay for everything you've proposed?
Realistically, don't you think we're going to have to raise
taxes?
No, I don't think we have to raise taxes. If we can
formulate a strategy that works without raising taxes, why not
give it a try? The American people simply do not want higher
3
taxes, and said so during the last Presidential election. I
heard Bill Bennett put it this way the other day: Low taxes did
not cause the drug problem, and high taxes are not going to solve
it.
The Director of the Office of Management and Budget has
transmitted a letter to the Appropriations Committee
recommending funding levels and areas where money can be offset.
The Congress helped formulate this Strategy, and I am looking to
the Congressional leadership for bipartisan support in its
funding and implementation.
Do you really think the money is enough?
There isn't enough money in the Treasury to pay for
everything everyone would like to do. However, this proposal --
at nearly $8 billion -- is the single largest drug budget
increase ever.
But as I said in my national address, those who judge our
strategy only by its price tag simply don't understand the
problem. We all know that money alone won't solve our problems -
- so we're looking at a coordinated national strategy that unites
the American people at the grassroots level in this difficult
fight.
People in my community believe that we could solve the drug
problem if people just stopped buying drugs. Why spend large
INSERT: Additional Q&A on Drug Strategy (attached)
4
sums on police and interdiction when we could just stop the
problem through prevention and treatment plans?
We need to deal with both the supply and demand side of the
equation. It is harder for users to stop while drugs are easily
available. We must attempt to reduce the supply because fewer
people will be able to use drugs when drugs are less available.
Good law enforcement deters demand. By making it harder to
obtain drugs, we increase the effectiveness of prevention
programs.
Second, when users seeking help can't physically get to a
treatment program because dealers are on the streets and in the
hallways intimidating them, then enforcement is the first step to
treatment. For both these reasons, we are stepping up our
enforcement and interdiction measures.
AGRICULTURE AND TRADE
How big a role do you envision for agriculture in correcting the
trade imbalance?
Agriculture is a major player in the U.S. economy because it
accounts for 16 percent of the U.S. GNP. Agriculture does its
part in reducing the trade deficit by providing a constant
positive trade balance. Ag exports over last
years up
or
5
What do you think are the most important issues in agriculture
are facing the Administration now?
1990 Farm Bill, the Uruguay Round of trade negotiations,
food safety, and environmental issues all are important. The
next four years at the Department will probably be the busiest in
its history. In the next 15 months, for example, Secretary
Yeutter and his team will negotiate with Congress on the Farm
negotrate
Bill, attend talks with the 96 GATT members on new rules of the
1
road for international agriculture trade, and then have to modify
the farm legislation to make it consistent with the ending,
results of the GATT talks.
In fact, my Trade Representative, Carla Hills, has been in
Europe this week with a simple -- and urgent -- message. We need
ambitious results in these trade talks. For too long, we have
only reacted to changes in global trade. The Uruguay Round is
this century's last, best change to act. (The final session of
the Uruguay Round has been set for the first week in December of
1990.)
What is the status of the extension of the steel VRAs and the
negotiation of the international consensus on the elimination of
unfair trade practices?
We have had several rounds of negotiations with each of our
major steel trading partners on the extension of the steel VRAs.
I expect these negotiations to intensify in the next two weeks.
6
It is our expectation that we will conclude new steel agreements
with these countries by September 30.
I am equally optimistic about the success of the
international consensus on the elimination of unfair trade
practices in the steel sector. The negotiation of such a
consensus is critical. We must get to the root cause of the
steel problem -- pervasive unfair trade and closed markets -- if
we are to have a long-term solution for steel. Based on the
results of our discussions with our trading partners to date, I
can tell you that many of them share our concerns. I believe we
can work together to address unfair trade in this sector in a
positive way.
Is the U.S. already extending the economic assistance to Poland
and Hungary that you announced in Warsaw and Budapest, and are we
doing anything more now that a Solidarity government has been
installed in Poland?
Yes, we are moving quickly ahead on all the announced
programs. ^ Secretary Mosbacher will be talking with the Polish
Yesterday we announced an additional 50 4. food assistance
private investment and next steps
and Hungarian governments about our steps when he visits Budapest
and Warsaw September 17 - 20. Secretary Mosbacher is taking a
group of distinguished American businessmen with him to each
country to intensify the pace of private sector involvement in
these countries. We have already met with other Western
measures are
countries to coordinate assistance, and additional food aid is
willshorkly be
already on its way to Poland being developed.
7
The Administration has sent a request to Congress for
legislation to establish Enterprise Funds for Poland and Hungary,
and to give us authority to extend OPIC, GSP, environmental and
labor programs. The Congress has promised quick consideration.
What is the current status of our trade relationship with Japan?
As you know, I recently had the pleasure of meeting with the
Mr. Kaifu,
earlier this month.
new Prime Minister on his first visit to Washington Trade was
an important part of our agenda. A substantial increase in
Japan's imports, especially of manufactured goods, is a key
element in clearing up our trade problems. The Japanese
government has pledged to make Japan an importing "superpower."
I told the Prime Minister I supported this pledge. I urged that
prompt and effective measures be taken to make that goal a
reality.
And in order to reduce our bilateral trade deficit, we have
launched new initiatives to increase market access in Japan for
U.S. exports of satellites, supercomputers and wood products, and
have engaged the Japanese Government in talks aimed at a mutual
elimination of structural barriers to trade and payments
adjustments.
Japan is already our major market for agricultural products
and a key consumer of many semi-processed exports. Our goal is
to greatly increase sales of U.S. manufactured goods in Japan, in
addition to these more traditional sales. We seek to increase
U.S. exports to Japan, not restrict Japanese sales here.
8
Last week, an extensive exchange with the Japanese was held
in the U.S. -Japan Trade Committee to address these and other
market access problems.
What will EC 1992 mean for U.S. business and U.S. exporters, and
what is the Administration doing to help U.S. business adjust to
EC 1992?
The EC will not be a fragmented market consisting of 12
countries anymore. Although their Governments will remain
separate, the EC will become a "single internal" market of 320
million people worth over $4 trillion.
The EC 1992 program should benefit U.S. business, as long as
the EC internal market is completed in an open manner. For
example, EC 1992 will mean harmonization of industrial standards
and the opening of markets in traditionally state-dominated
fields such as telecommunications and broadcasting. These should
benefit U.S. exporters.
Our sole concern is that when trade barriers are lowered
within Europe, new barriers are not raised between Europe and the
rest of the world. Our aspiration -- and expectation -- is that
in removing internal barriers, EC 1992 will not result in higher
external barriers to the rest of the world. My Administration is
making every effort to work with the Europeans to ensure this
outcome.
9
The Commerce Department has negotiated or helped negotiate
important agreements with the EC on both industrial standards and
financial services. The Commerce Department has also set up an
office to inform businesses of key developments on the EC 1992
program, helping businesses take advantage of the market
opportunities.
EDUCATION
What is realistically going to be the result of the Education
Summit? What do you hope to accomplish?
If we examine what has happened across the country since the
report "A Nation At Risk", was issued we know that although a
number of states adopted comprehensive reforms, many others did
not. It is also true that elements of long-lasting reform, such
as providing more parental choice in schools for their children,
are not yet pervasive in America. It is clear that we need a
mechanism for obtaining a national consensus on what must be done
across the entire country to improve education. Building that
national consensus begins with collectively determining what our
national aspirations are and how we are going to assure that we
achieve them. Sitting down with the governors begins that
process.
10
why are education leaders being excluded from the Education
Summit?
They are not. The summit process begins with a number of
small-group meetings I will be holding with education leaders
prior to the Charlottesville meeting.
In fact, one was held this
week. These meetings give them the opportunity to discuss their
concerns and advise me on what avenues we should pursue at the
summit. The conference itself is just that -- a summit meeting
of all of the chief executives in the nation with the President
of the United States.
Only Governors will attend for two reasons. First, the fact
that on two prior occasions of great national importance the
President met with the governors as a group (Teddy Roosevelt on
conservation and Franklin Roosevelt on matters related to the
Great Depression) lends an important level of symbolic
significance to the meeting by placing our education crisis on a
very visible plane. Second, while the federal government has a
significant role to play in helping solve our educational
problems, governors must lead the way -- education is, after all,
a state responsibility and maintaining that focus, along with a
bipartisan political orientation, is extremely important.
What topics are going to be discussed?
Revitalizing the teaching profession; improving learning
among students; the responsibilities and authority of various
levels of government; restructuring education and providing more
11
choice; achieving a competitive workforce and providing for
lifelong learning in our society; and issues related to
postsecondary education.
What is the role of the Secretary of Education in the Education
Summit? Is he being left out of the planning process? will he
be at your side during the Summit?
The Secretary of Education has been intimately involved in
the planning of the summit and will play a significant role in
its program.
Will you be making a major announcement at the Education Summit?
I will deliver a major address as part of the summit.
# # #
ANTICIPATED QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
MIDWESTERN PRESS BRIEFING
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 1989
DRUG STRATEGY
Many previous Administrations have launched anti-drug campaigns.
Why do you think this particular Strategy will work?
Unlike past anti-drug efforts, this strategy will work
because it is a truly coordinated national effort. This means
federal, state and local levels must work together. In fact, at
the federal level, Director Bennett's leadership has already
brought about strong interagency cooperation. We're urging the
state and local levels to follow this lead, and join us in this
coordinated strategy.
If you could name the one distinguishing strength of this
Strategy above all others, what would it be?
The Strategy's biggest strength is this: it is
comprehensive. This is the first such national strategy designed
to end drug use and drug trafficking, a fully integrated approach
that is an assault on every front. Our plan addresses all the
elements necessary to an effective strategy: school and drug
prevention programs, our treatment system, our laws and criminal
justice system, and our foreign policy. In short, it is just as
comprehensive as the problem. With this strategy, we now have a
plan that coordinates our resources, our programs and the people
who run them.
2
Exactly what will your Strategy mean for my community?
Keep in mind that this is a national, not a federal
strategy. And while Washington cannot solve this problem alone,
Washington will have a role to play. For example, in communities
across the country, we will work through HUD to kick drug dealers
out of public housing, and the Department of Education will
spearhead the Drug Free Schools and Communities program. As far
as actual dollars are concerned, we'll be increasing Federal
support of local treatment programs by $321 million, increasing
assistance to State and local law enforcement by $200 million,
and expanding education and prevention programs in local schools
and communities by $233 million.
Communities, too, have just as big a role to play. The
Administration is urging State and local governments to enact
tougher laws, and increase their funding of local anti-drug
efforts. And most importantly of all, increased community
involvement is key. We are calling on every school, college,
university, and workplace to adopt tough, fair anti-drug
policies. and every american must get mus lued if f
we are to win the wer on drugs.
How are you going to pay for everything you've proposed?
Realistically, don't you think we're going to have to raise
taxes?
No, I don't think we have to raise taxes. If we can
formulate a strategy that works without raising taxes, why not
give it a try? The American people simply do not want higher
3
taxes, and said so during the last Presidential election. I
heard Bill Bennett put it this way the other day: Low taxes did
not cause the drug problem, and high taxes are not going to solve
it.
The Director of the Office of Management and Budget has
transmitted a letter to the Appropriations Committee
recommending funding levels and areas where money spending can be offset.
The Congress helped formulate this Strategy, and I am looking to
the Congressional leadership for bipartisan support in its
funding and implementation.
Do you really think the money is enough?
There isn't enough money in the Treasury to pay for
everything everyone would like to do. However, this proposal --
at nearly $8 billion -- is the single largest drug budget in history.
increase ever.
But as I said in my national address, those who judge our
strategy only by its price tag simply don't understand the
problem. We all know that money alone won't solve our problems -
- so we're looking at a coordinated national strategy that unites
the American people at the grassroots level in this difficult
fight.
People in my community believe that we could solve the drug
problem if people just stopped buying drugs. Why spend large
4
sums on police and interdiction when we could just stop the
problem through prevention and treatment plans?
We need to deal with both the supply and demand side of the
equation. It is harder for users to stop while drugs are easily
available. We must attempt to reduce the supply because fewer
people will be able to use drugs when drugs are less available.
Good law enforcement deters demand. By making it harder to
obtain drugs, we increase the effectiveness of prevention
programs.
Second, when users seeking help can't physically get to a
treatment program because dealers are on the streets and in the
hallways intimidating them, then enforcement is the first step to
treatment. For both these reasons, we are stepping up our
enforcement and interdiction measures.
AGRICULTURE AND TRADE
How big a role do you envision for agriculture in correcting the
trade imbalance?
Agriculture is a major player in the U.S. economy because it
accounts for 16 percent of the U.S. GNP. Agriculture does its
part in reducing the trade deficit by providing a constant
positive trade balance. Ag culturals exports over last 2 years up
by 42 % %.
$
have increased
5
What do you think are the most important issues in agriculture
are facing the Administration now?
which included elimination of
subsidies on a multilateral basis
1990 Farm Bill, the Uruguay Round of trade negotiations,
Protection of groundwater
surface waters
will
be
food safety, and environmental issues all are important. The
next four years at the Department will probably be the busiest in
its history. In the next 15 months, for example, Secretary
Yeutter and his team will negotiate with Congress on the Farm
Bill, attend talks with the 96 GATT-members on new rules of the
will
road for international agriculture trade, and then have to modify
in 1991
final
the farm legislation to make it consistent with the ending
results of the GATT talks.
In fact, my Trade Representative, Carla Hills, has been in
Europe this week with a simple -- and urgent -- message. We need
ambitious results in these trade talks. For too long, we have
only reacted to changes in global trade. The Uruguay Round is
this century's last, best change to act. (The final session of
the Uruguay Round has been set for the first week in December of
1990.)
What is the status of the extension of the steel VRAs and the
negotiation of the international consensus on the elimination of
unfair trade practices?
We have had several rounds of negotiations with each of our
major steel trading partners on the extension of the steel VRAs.
I expect these negotiations to intensify in the next two weeks.
6
It is our expectation that we will conclude new steel agreements
with these countries by September 30.
I am equally optimistic about the success of the
international consensus on the elimination of unfair trade
practices in the steel sector. The negotiation of such a
consensus is critical. We must get to the root cause of the
steel problem -- pervasive unfair trade and closed markets -- if
we are to have a long-term solution for steel. Based on the
results of our discussions with our trading partners to date, I
can tell you that many of them share our concerns. I believe we
can work together to address unfair trade in this sector in a
positive way.
Is the U.S. already extending the economic assistance to Poland
and Hungary that you announced in Warsaw and Budapest, and are we
doing anything more now that a Solidarity government has been
installed in Poland?
Yes, we are moving quickly ahead on all the announced
programs. Secretary Mosbacher will be talking with the Polish
and Hungarian governments about our steps when he visits Budapest
and Warsaw September 17 - 20. Secretary Mosbacher is taking a
group of distinguished American businessmen with him to each
country to intensify the pace of private sector involvement in
these countries. We have already met with other Western
countries to coordinate assistance, and additional food aid is
already on its way to Poland.
7
The Administration has sent a request to Congress for
legislation to establish Enterprise Funds for Poland and Hungary,
and to give us authority to extend OPIC, GSP, environmental and
labor programs. The Congress has promised quick consideration.
What is the current status of our trade relationship with Japan?
As you know, I recently had the pleasure of meeting with the
new Prime Minister on his first visit to Washington. Trade was
an important part of our agenda. A substantial increase in
Japan's imports, especially of manufactured goods, is a key
element in clearing up our trade problems. The Japanese
government has pledged to make Japan an importing "superpower."
I told the Prime Minister I supported this pledge. I urged that
prompt and effective measures be taken to make that goal a
reality.
And in order to reduce our bilateral trade deficit, we have
launched new initiatives to increase market access in Japan for
U.S. exports of satellites, supercomputers and wood products, and
have engaged the Japanese Government in talks aimed at a mutual
elimination of structural barriers to trade and payments
adjustments.
Japan is already our major market for agricultural products
and a key consumer of many semi-processed exports. Our goal is
to greatly increase sales of U.S. manufactured goods in Japan, in
addition to these more traditional sales. We seek to increase
U.S. exports to Japan, not restrict Japanese sales here.
8
Last week, an extensive exchange with the Japanese was held
in the U.S. -Japan Trade Committee to address these and other
market access problems.
What will EC 1992 mean for U.S. business and U.S. exporters, and
what is the Administration doing to help U.S. business adjust to
EC 1992?
The EC will not be a fragmented market consisting of 12
countries anymore. Although their Governments will remain
separate, the EC will become a "single internal" market of 320
million people worth over $4 $4 trillion.
and
The EC 1992 program should benefit U.S. business, as long as
the EC internal market is completed in an open manner. For
example, EC 1992 will mean harmonization of industrial standards
and the opening of markets in traditionally state-dominated
fields such as telecommunications and broadcasting. These should
benefit U.S. exporters.
Our sole concern is that when trade barriers are lowered
within Europe, new barriers are not raised between Europe and the
rest of the world. Our aspiration -- and expectation -- is that
in removing internal barriers, EC 1992 will not result in higher
external barriers to the rest of the world. My Administration is
making every effort to work with the Europeans to ensure this
outcome.
9
The Commerce Department has negotiated or helped negotiate
important agreements with the EC on both industrial standards and
financial services. The Commerce Department has also set up an
office to inform businesses of key developments on the EC 1992
program, helping businesses take advantage of the market
opportunities.
EDUCATION
What is realistically going to be the result of the Education
Summit? What do you hope to accomplish?
If we examine what has happened across the country since the
report "A Nation At Risk", was issued we know that although a
number of states adopted comprehensive reforms, many others did
not. It is also true that elements of long-lasting reform, such
as providing more parental choice in schools for their children,
are not yet pervasive in America. It is clear that we need a
mechanism for obtaining a national consensus on what must be done
across the entire country to improve education. Building that
national consensus begins with collectively determining what our
national aspirations are and how we are going to assure that we
achieve them. Sitting down with the governors begins that
process.
10
Why are education leaders being excluded from the Education
Summit?
They are not. The summit process begins with a number of
small-group meetings I will be holding with education leaders
prior to the Charlottesville meeting. In fact, one was held this
week. These meetings give them the opportunity to discuss their
concerns and advise me on what avenues we should pursue at the
summit. The conference itself is just that -- a summit meeting
of all of the chief executives in the nation with the President
of the United States.
Only Governors will attend for two reasons. First, the fact
that on two prior occasions of great national importance the
President met with the governors as a group (Teddy Roosevelt on
conservation and Franklin Roosevelt on matters related to the
Great Depression) lends an important level of symbolic
significance to the meeting by placing our education crisis on a
very visible plane. Second, while the federal government has a
significant role to play in helping solve our educational
problems, governors must lead the way -- education is, after all,
a state responsibility and maintaining that focus, along with a
bipartisan political orientation, is extremely important.
What topics are going to be discussed?
Revitalizing the teaching profession; improving learning
among students; the responsibilities and authority of various
levels of government; restructuring education and providing more
11
choice; achieving a competitive workforce and providing for
lifelong learning in our society; and issues related to
postsecondary education.
What is the role of the Secretary of Education in the Education
Summit? Is he being left out of the planning process? Will he
be at your side during the Summit?
The Secretary of Education has been intimately involved in
the planning of the summit and will play a significant role in
its program.
Will you be making a major announcement at the Education Summit?
I will deliver a major address as part of the summit.
###
ADDITIONAL Q & A ON DRUG STRATEGY
Q.
Are you going to send U.S. troops to fight the drug lords?
A.
Let me explain my policy on the role of U.S. military forces in assisting
countries fighting drug cartels. First of all, none of these countries has asked
for U.S. troops, and there is no contemplation of the use of U.S. Armed Forces
personnel in any combat role in the Andean countries. What the countries did
ask for -- and what we are prepared to provide -- is training for their police
and military personnel, equipment, and operational support. No U.S. military
personnel will accompany host-government forces on actual field operations.
U.S. personnel in these countries will provide training on U.S.-provided
equipment and on the tactics related to the employment of that equipment;
they will also provide logistical support.
ANTICIPATED QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
MIDWESTERN PRESS BRIEFING
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 1989
DRUG STRATEGY
Many previous Administrations have launched anti-drug campaigns.
Why do you think this particular Strategy will work?
Unlike past anti-drug efforts, this strategy will work
because it is a truly coordinated national effort. This means
federal, state and local levels must work together. In fact, at
the federal level, Director Bennett's leadership has already
brought about strong interagency cooperation. We're urging the
state and local levels to follow this lead, and join us in this
coordinated strategy.
If you could name the one distinguishing strength of this
Strategy above all others, what would it be?
The Strategy's biggest strength is this: it is
comprehensive. This is the first such national strategy designed
to end drug use and drug trafficking, a fully integrated approach
that is an assault on every front. Our plan addresses all the
elements necessary to an effective strategy: school and drug
prevention programs, our treatment system, our laws and criminal
justice system, and our foreign policy. In short, it is just as
comprehensive as the problem. With this strategy, we now have a
plan that coordinates our resources, our programs and the people
who run them.
Document No. 072601SS
WHITE HOUSE STAFFING MEMORANDUM
9/13/89
9/13/89 4:00 PM
DATE:
ACTION/CONCURRENCE/COMMENT DUE BY:
ANTICIPATED QS AND AS, MIDWESTERN PRESS BRIEFING
SUBJECT:
ACTION FYI
ACTION FYI
VICE PRESIDENT
:
MCCLURE
SUNUNU
NEWMAN
SCOWCROFT
PORTER
DARMAN
STUDDERT
BATES
UNTERMEYER
BREEDEN
CARD
CICCONI
DEMAREST
FITZWATER
GRAY
HAGIN
REMARKS:
Please forward any comments directly to Chriss Winston, Rm. 122,
x2930, no later than 4:00 PM TODAY, Thursday, September 14, with
a copy to my office. Thank you.
RESPONSE:
James W. Cicconi
Assistant to the President
and Deputy to the Chief of Staff
Ext. 2702
ANTICIPATED QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
MIDWESTERN PRESS BRIEFING
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 109SEP 14 P12 : 55
DRUG STRATEGY
Many previous Administrations have launched anti-drug campaigns.
Why do you think this particular Strategy will work?
Unlike past anti-drug efforts, this strategy will work
because it is a truly coordinated national effort. This means
federal, state and local levels must work together. In fact, at
the federal level, Director Bennett's leadership has already
brought about strong interagency cooperation. We're urging the
state and local levels to follow this lead, and join us in this
coordinated strategy.
If you could name the one distinguishing strength of this
Strategy above all others, what would it be?
The Strategy's biggest strength is this: it is
comprehensive. This is the first such national strategy designed
to end drug use and drug trafficking, a fully integrated approach
that is an assault on every front. Our plan addresses all the
elements necessary to an effective strategy: school and drug
prevention programs, our treatment system, our laws and criminal
justice system, and our foreign policy. In short, it is just as
comprehensive as the problem. With this strategy, we now have a
plan that coordinates our resources, our programs and the people
who run them.
2
Exactly what will your Strategy mean for my community?
Keep in mind that this is a national, not a federal
strategy. And while Washington cannot solve this problem alone,
Washington will have a role to play. For example, in communities
across the country, we will work through HUD to kick drug dealers
out of public housing, and the Department of Education will
spearhead the Drug Free Schools and Communities program. As far
as actual dollars are concerned, we'll be increasing Federal
support of local treatment programs by $321 million, increasing
assistance to State and local law enforcement by $200 million,
and expanding education and prevention programs in local schools
and communities by $233 million.
Communities, too, have just as big a role to play. The
Administration is urging State and local governments to enact
tougher laws, and increase their funding of local anti-drug
efforts. And most importantly of all, increased community
involvement is key. We are calling on every school, college,
university, and workplace to adopt tough, fair anti-drug
>Not policies. only govt, children but individuals urge spouses friends,
How are you going to pay for everything you've proposed?
Realistically, don't you think we're going to have to raise
taxes?
No, I don't think we have to raise taxes. If we can
formulate a strategy that works without raising taxes, why not
give it a try? The American people simply do not want higher
3
taxes, and said so during the last Presidential election. I
heard Bill Bennett put it this way the other day: Low taxes did
not cause the drug problem, and high taxes are not going to solve
it.
The Director of the Office of Management and Budget has
transmitted a letter to the Appropriations Committee
recommending funding levels and areas where money can be offset.
The Congress helped formulate this Strategy, and I am looking to
the Congressional leadership for bipartisan support in its
funding and implementation.
Do you really think the money is enough?
There isn't enough money in the Treasury to pay for
everything everyone would like to do. However, this proposal --
at nearly $8 billion -- is the single largest drug budget
increase ever.
But as I said in my national address, those who judge our
strategy only by its price tag simply don't understand the
problem. We all know that money alone won't solve our problems -
- so we're looking at a coordinated national strategy that unites
the American people at the grassroots level in this difficult
fight.
People in my community believe that we could solve the drug
problem if people just stopped buying drugs. Why spend large
4
sums on police and interdiction when we could just stop the
problem through prevention and treatment plans?
We need to deal with both the supply and demand side of the
equation. It is harder for users to stop while drugs are easily
available. We must attempt to reduce the supply because fewer
people will be able to use drugs when drugs are less available.
Good law enforcement deters demand. By making it harder to
obtain drugs, we increase the effectiveness of prevention
programs.
Second, when users seeking help can't physically get to a
treatment program because dealers are on the streets and in the
hallways intimidating them, then enforcement is the first step to
treatment. For both these reasons, we are stepping up our
enforcement and interdiction measures.
AGRICULTURE AND TRADE
How big a role do you envision for agriculture in correcting the
trade imbalance?
Agriculture is a major player in the U.S. economy because it
accounts for 16 percent of the U.S. GNP. Agriculture does its
part in reducing the trade deficit by providing a constant
positive trade balance. Ag exports over last
years up
%.
5
What do you think are the most important issues in agriculture
are facing the Administration now?
1990 Farm Bill, the Uruguay Round of trade negotiations,
food safety, and environmental issues all are important. The
next four years at the Department will probably be the busiest in
its history. In the next 15 months, for example, Secretary
Yeutter and his team will negotiate with Congress on the Farm
Bill, attend talks with the 96 GATT-members on new rules of the
road for international agriculture trade, and then have to modify
the farm legislation to make it consistent with the ending
results of the GATT talks.
In fact, my Trade Representative, Carla Hills, has been in
Europe this week with a simple -- and urgent -- message. We need
ambitious results in these trade talks. For too long, we have
only reacted to changes in global trade. The Uruguay Round is
this century's last, best change to act. (The final session of
the Uruguay Round has been set for the first week in December of
1990.)
What is the status of the extension of the steel VRAs and the
negotiation of the international consensus on the elimination of
unfair trade practices?
We have had several rounds of negotiations with each of our
major steel trading partners on the extension of the steel VRAs.
I expect these negotiations to intensify in the next two weeks.
6
It is our expectation that we will conclude new steel agreements
with these countries by September 30.
I am equally optimistic about the success of the
international consensus on the elimination of unfair trade
practices in the steel sector. The negotiation of such a
consensus is critical. We must get to the root cause of the
steel problem -- pervasive unfair trade and closed markets -- if
we are to have a long-term solution for steel. Based on the
results of our discussions with our trading partners to date, I
can tell you that many of them share our concerns. I believe we
can work together to address unfair trade in this sector in a
positive way.
Is the U.S. already extending the economic assistance to Poland
and Hungary that you announced in Warsaw and Budapest, and are we
doing anything more now that a Solidarity government has been
installed in Poland?
Yes, we are moving quickly ahead on all the announced
programs. Secretary Mosbacher will be talking with the Polish
and Hungarian governments about our steps when he visits Budapest
and Warsaw September 17 - 20. Secretary Mosbacher is taking a
group of distinguished American businessmen with him to each
country to intensify the pace of private sector involvement in
these countries. We have already met with other Western
countries to coordinate assistance, and additional food aid is
already on its way to Poland.
7
The Administration has sent a request to Congress for
legislation to establish Enterprise Funds for Poland and Hungary,
and to give us authority to extend OPIC, GSP, environmental and
labor programs. The Congress has promised quick consideration.
What is the current status of our trade relationship with Japan?
As you know, I recently had the pleasure of meeting with the
new Prime Minister on his first visit to Washington. Trade was
an important part of our agenda. A substantial increase in
Japan's imports, especially of manufactured goods, is a key
element in clearing up our trade problems. The Japanese
government has pledged to make Japan an importing "superpower."
I told the Prime Minister I supported this pledge. I urged that
prompt and effective measures be taken to make that goal a
reality.
And in order to reduce our bilateral trade deficit, we have
launched new initiatives to increase market access in Japan for
U.S. exports of satellites, supercomputers and wood products, and
have engaged the Japanese Government in talks aimed at a mutual
elimination of structural barriers to trade and payments
adjustments.
Japan is already our major market for agricultural products
and a key consumer of many semi-processed exports. Our goal is
to greatly increase sales of U.S. manufactured goods in Japan, in
addition to these more traditional sales. We seek to increase
U.S. exports to Japan, not restrict Japanese sales here.
8
Last week, an extensive exchange with the Japanese was held
in the U.S. -Japan Trade Committee to address these and other
market access problems.
What will EC 1992 mean for U.S. business and U.S. exporters, and
what is the Administration doing to help U.S. business adjust to
EC 1992?
The EC will not be a fragmented market consisting of 12
countries anymore. Although their Governments will remain
separate, the EC will become a "single internal" market of 320
5
million people worth over $4 trillion.
The EC 1992 program should benefit U.S. business, as long as
the EC internal market is completed in an open manner. For
example, EC 1992 will mean harmonization of industrial standards
and the opening of markets in traditionally state-dominated
fields such as telecommunications and broadcasting. These should
benefit U.S. exporters.
Our sole concern is that when trade barriers are lowered
within Europe, new barriers are not raised between Europe and the
rest of the world. Our aspiration -- and expectation -- is that
in removing internal barriers, EC 1992 will not result in higher
external barriers to the rest of the world. My Administration is
making every effort to work with the Europeans to ensure this
outcome.
9
The Commerce Department has negotiated or helped negotiate
important agreements with the EC on both industrial standards and
financial services. The Commerce Department has also set up an
office to inform businesses of key developments on the EC 1992
program, helping businesses take advantage of the market
opportunities.
EDUCATION
What is realistically going to be the result of the Education
Summit? What do you hope to accomplish?
If we examine what has happened across the country since the
report "A Nation At Risk", was issued we know that although a
number of states adopted comprehensive reforms, many others did
not. It is also true that elements of long-lasting reform, such
as providing more parental choice in schools for their children,
are not yet pervasive in America. It is clear that we need a
mechanism for obtaining a national consensus on what must be done
across the entire country to improve education. Building that
national consensus begins with collectively determining what our
national aspirations are and how we are going to assure that we
achieve them. Sitting down with the governors begins that
process.
10
Why are education leaders being excluded from the Education
Summit?
They are not. The summit process begins with a number of
small-group meetings I will be holding with education leaders
two were
prior to the Charlottesville meeting. In fact, one was held this
week. These meetings give them the opportunity to discuss their
concerns and advise me on what avenues we should pursue at the
I
summit. The conference itself is just that -- a summit meeting
of all of the chief executives in the nation with the President
of the United States.
Only Governors will attend for two reasons. First, the fact
that on two prior occasions of great national importance the
President met with the governors as a group (Teddy Roosevelt on
conservation and Franklin Roosevelt on matters related to the
Great Depression) lends an important level of symbolic
significance to the meeting by placing our education crisis on a
meet
very visible plane. Second, while the federal government has a
significant role to play in helping solve our educational
problems, governors must lead the way -- education is, after all,
a state responsibility and maintaining that focus, along with a
bipartisan political orientation, is extremely important.
What topics are going to be discussed?
how do we create a good
Revitalizing the teaching profession; improving learning
environments despite drugs, crime
among students; the responsibilities and authority of various
levels of government; restructuring education and providing more
11
choice; achieving a competitive workforce and providing for
lifelong learning in our society; and issues related to
postsecondary education.
What is the role of the Secretary of Education in the Education
Summit? Is he being left out of the planning process? Will he
be at your side during the Summit?
The Secretary of Education has been intimately involved in
the planning of the summit and will play a significant role in
its program.
will you be making a major announcement at the Education Summit?
I will deliver a major address as part of the summit.
# # #
Document No.
072601SS
WHITE HOUSE STAFFING MEMORANDUM
9/13/89
9/13/89 4:00 PM
DATE:
ACTION/CONCURRENCE/COMMENT DUE BY:
ANTICIPATED QS AND AS, MIDWESTERN PRESS BRIEFING
SUBJECT:
ACTION FYI
ACTION FYI
VICE PRESIDENT
MCCLURE
SUNUNU
NEWMAN
SCOWCROFT
PORTER
DARMAN
STUDDERT
BATES
UNTERMEYER
BREEDEN
CARD
CICCONI
DEMAREST
FITZWATER
GRAY
HAGIN
REMARKS:
Please forward any comments directly to Chriss Winston, Rm. 122,
x2930, no later than 4:00 PM TODAY, Thursday, September 14, with
a copy to my office. Thank you.
RESPONSE:
Community
James W. Cicconi
see
Assistant to the President
and Deputy to the Chief of Staff
Ext. 2702
ANTICIPATED QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
MIDWESTERN PRESS BRIEFING
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 199 SEP 14 P12 : 55
DRUG STRATEGY
Many previous Administrations have launched anti-drug campaigns.
Why do you think this particular Strategy will work?
Unlike past anti-drug efforts, this strategy will work
because it is a truly coordinated national effort. This means
federal, state and local levels must work together. In fact, at
the federal level, Director Bennett's leadership has already
brought about strong interagency cooperation. We're urging the
state and local levels to follow this lead, and join us in this
coordinated strategy.
If you could name the one distinguishing strength of this
Strategy above all others, what would it be?
The Strategy's biggest strength is this: it is
comprehensive. This is the first such national strategy designed
to end drug use and drug trafficking, a fully integrated approach
that is an assault on every front. Our plan addresses all the
elements necessary to an effective strategy: school and drug
prevention programs, our treatment system, our laws and criminal
justice system, and our foreign policy. In short, it is just as
comprehensive as the problem. With this strategy, we now have a
plan that coordinates our resources, our programs and the people
who run them.
2
Exactly what will your Strategy mean for my community?
Keep in mind that this is a national, not a federal
strategy. And while Washington cannot solve this problem alone,
Washington will have a role to play. For example, in communities
across the country, we will work through HUD to kick drug dealers
out of public housing, and the Department of Education will
spearhead the Drug Free Schools and Communities program. As far
as actual dollars are concerned, we'll be increasing Federal
support of local treatment programs by $321 million, increasing
assistance to State and local law enforcement by $200 million,
and expanding education and prevention programs in local schools
and communities by $233 million.
Communities, too, have just as big a role to play. The
Administration is urging State and local governments to enact
tougher laws, and increase their funding of local anti-drug
efforts. And most importantly of all, increased community
involvement is key. We are calling on every school, college,
university, and workplace to adopt tough, fair anti-drug
policies.
How are you going to pay for everything you've proposed?
Realistically, don't you think we're going to have to raise
taxes?
No, I don't think we have to raise taxes. If we can
formulate a strategy that works without raising taxes, why not
give it a try? The American people simply do not want higher
3
taxes, and said so during the last Presidential election. I
heard Bill Bennett put it this way the other day: Low taxes did
not cause the drug problem, and high taxes are not going to solve
it.
The Director of the Office of Management and Budget has
transmitted a letter to the Appropriations Committee
recommending funding levels and areas where money can be offset.
The Congress helped formulate this Strategy, and I am looking to
the Congressional leadership for bipartisan support in its
funding and implementation.
Do you really think the money is enough?
There isn't enough money in the Treasury to pay for
everything everyone would like to do. However, this proposal --
at nearly $8 billion -- is the single largest drug budget
increase ever.
But as I said in my national address, those who judge our
strategy only by its price tag simply don't understand the
problem. We all know that money alone won't solve our problems -
- so we're looking at a coordinated national strategy that unites
the American people at the grassroots level in this difficult
fight.
People in my community believe that we could solve the drug
problem if people just stopped buying drugs. Why spend large
4
sums on police and interdiction when we could just stop the
problem through prevention and treatment plans?
We need to deal with both the supply and demand side of the
equation. It is harder for users to stop while drugs are easily
available. We must attempt to reduce the supply because fewer
people will be able to use drugs when drugs are less available.
Good law enforcement deters demand. By making it harder to
obtain drugs, we increase the effectiveness of prevention
programs.
Second, when users seeking help can't physically get to a
treatment program because dealers are on the streets and in the
hallways intimidating them, then enforcement is the first step to
treatment. For both these reasons, we are stepping up our
enforcement and interdiction measures.
AGRICULTURE AND TRADE
How big a role do you envision for agriculture in correcting the
trade imbalance?
Agriculture is a major player in the U.S. economy because it
accounts for 16 percent of the U.S. GNP. Agriculture does its
part in reducing the trade deficit by providing a constant
positive trade balance. Ag exports over last 2 years up
42 %.
5
What do you think are the most important issues in agriculture
are facing the Administration now?
1990 Farm Bill, the Uruguay Round of trade negotiations,
food safety, and environmental issues all are important. The
next four years at the Department will probably be the busiest in
its history. In the next 15 months, for example, Secretary
Yeutter and his team will negotiate with Congress on the Farm
Bill, attend talks with the 96 GATT-members on new rules of the
road for international agriculture trade, and then have to modify 1991
90 back in
the farm legislation to make it consistent with the ending
to
results of the GATT talks.
In fact, my Trade Representative, Carla Hills, has been in
Europe this week with a simple -- and urgent -- message. We need
ambitious results in these trade talks. For too long, we have
only reacted to changes in global trade. The Uruguay Round is
this century's last, best change to act. (The final session of
the Uruguay Round has been set for the first week in December of
1990.)
What is the status of the extension of the steel VRAs and the
negotiation of the international consensus on the elimination of
unfair trade practices?
We have had several rounds of negotiations with each of our
major steel trading partners on the extension of the steel VRAs.
I expect these negotiations to intensify in the next two weeks.
6
It is our expectation that we will conclude new steel agreements
with these countries by September 30.
I am equally optimistic about the success of the
international consensus on the elimination of unfair trade
practices in the steel sector. The negotiation of such a
consensus is critical. We must get to the root cause of the
steel problem -- pervasive unfair trade and closed markets -- if
we are to have a long-term solution for steel. Based on the
results of our discussions with our trading partners to date, I
can tell you that many of them share our concerns. I believe we
can work together to address unfair trade in this sector in a
positive way.
Is the U.S. already extending the economic assistance to Poland
and Hungary that you announced in Warsaw and Budapest, and are we
doing anything more now that a Solidarity government has been
installed in Poland?
Yes, we are moving quickly ahead on all the announced
New todayrise from
programs. Secretary Mosbacher will be talking with the Polish
and Hungarian governments about our steps when he visits Budapest
and Warsaw September 17 - 20. Secretary Mosbacher is taking a
White may this mocufy
group of distinguished American businessmen with him to each
country to intensify the pace of private sector involvement in
these countries. We have already met with other Western
countries to coordinate assistance, and additional food aid is
already on its way to Poland.
7
The Administration has sent a request to Congress for
legislation to establish Enterprise Funds for Poland and Hungary,
and to give us authority to extend OPIC, GSP, environmental and
labor programs. The Congress has promised quick consideration.
What is the current status of our trade relationship with Japan?
As you know, I recently had the pleasure of meeting with the
new Prime Minister on his first visit to Washington. Trade was
an important part of our agenda. A substantial increase in
Japan's imports, especially of manufactured goods, is a key
element in clearing up our trade problems. The Japanese
government has pledged to make Japan an importing "superpower."
I told the Prime Minister I supported this pledge. I urged that
prompt and effective measures be taken to make that goal a
reality.
And in order to reduce our bilateral trade deficit, we have
launched new initiatives to increase market access in Japan for
U.S. exports of satellites, supercomputers and wood products, and
have engaged the Japanese Government in talks aimed at a mutual
elimination of structural barriers to trade and payments
adjustments.
Japan is already our major market for agricultural products
and a key consumer of many semi-processed exports. Our goal is
to greatly increase sales of U.S. manufactured goods in Japan, in
addition to these more traditional sales. We seek to increase
U.S. exports to Japan, not restrict Japanese sales here.
Last week, an extensive exchange with the Japanese was held
in the U.S. -Japan Trade Committee to address these and other
market access problems.
What will EC 1992 mean for U.S. business and U.S. exporters, and
what is the Administration doing to help U.S. business adjust to
EC 1992?
The EC will not be a fragmented market consisting of 12
countries anymore. Although their Governments will remain
separate, the EC will become a "single internal" market of 320
million people worth over $4 trillion.
The EC 1992 program should benefit U.S. business, as long as
the EC internal market is completed in an open manner. For
example, EC 1992 will mean harmonization of industrial standards
and the opening of markets in traditionally state-dominated
fields such as telecommunications and broadcasting. These should
benefit U.S. exporters.
Our concern is that when trade barriers are lowered
within Europe, new barriers are not raised between Europe and the
rest of the world. Our aspiration -- and expectation -- is that
in removing internal barriers, EC 1992 will not result in higher
external barriers to the rest of the world. My Administration is
making every effort to work with the Europeans to ensure this
outcome.
The Commerce Department has negotiated or helped negotiate
important agreements with the EC on both industrial standards and
financial services. The Commerce Department has also set up an
office to inform businesses of key developments on the EC 1992
program, helping businesses take advantage of the market
opportunities.
EDUCATION
What is realistically going to be the result of the Education
Summit? What do you hope to accomplish?
If we examine what has happened across the country since the
report "A Nation At Risk", was issued we know that although a
number of states adopted comprehensive reforms, many others did
not. It is also true that elements of long-lasting reform, such
as providing more parental choice in schools for their children,
are not yet pervasive in America. It is clear that we need a
mechanism for obtaining a national consensus on what must be done
across the entire country to improve education. Building that
national consensus begins with collectively determining what our
national aspirations are and how we are going to assure that we
achieve them. Sitting down with the governors begins that
process.
1. May want to mention Press closed events.
10
Why are education leaders being excluded from the Education
Summit?
They are not. The summit process begins with a number of
small-group meetings I will be holding with education leaders
prior to the Charlottesville meeting. In fact, one was held this
week. These meetings give them the opportunity to discuss their
concerns and advise me on what avenues we should pursue at the
summit. The conference itself is just that -- a summit meeting
of all of the chief executives in the nation with the President
of the United States.
Only Governors will attend for two reasons. First, the fact
that on two prior occasions of great national importance the
President met with the governors as a group (Teddy Roosevelt on
conservation and Franklin Roosevelt on matters related to the
Great Depression) lends an important level of symbolic
significance to the meeting by placing our education crisis on a
very visible plane. Second, while the federal government has a
significant role to play in helping solve our educational
problems, governors must lead the way -- education is, after all,
a state responsibility and maintaining that focus, along with a
bipartisan political orientation, is extremely important.
What topics are going to be discussed?
Revitalizing the teaching profession; improving learning
among students; the responsibilities and authority of various
levels of government; restructuring education and providing more
11
choice; achieving a competitive workforce and providing for
lifelong learning in our society; and issues related to
postsecondary education.
What is the role of the Secretary of Education in the Education
Summit? Is he being left out of the planning process? will he
be at your side during the Summit?
The Secretary of Education has been intimately involved in
the planning of the summit and will play a significant role in
its program.
will you be making a major announcement at the Education Summit?
I will deliver a major address as part of the summit.
###
Document No. 072601SS
OUR
WHITE HOUSE STAFFING MEMORANDUM
9/13/89 P 2:01
9/13/89 4:00 PM
DATE:
ACTION/CONCURRENCE/COMMENT DUE BY:
ANTICIPATED QS AND AS, MIDWESTERN PRESS BRIEFING
SUBJECT:
ACTION FYI
ACTION FYI
VICE PRESIDENT
:
MCCLURE
SUNUNU
NEWMAN
SCOWCROFT
PORTER
DARMAN
STUDDERT
BATES
UNTERMEYER
BREEDEN
CARD
CICCONI
DEMAREST
FITZWATER
GRAY
HAGIN
REMARKS:
Please forward any comments directly to Chriss Winston, Rm. 122,
x2930, no later than 4:00 PM TODAY, Thursday, September 14, with
a copy to my office. Thank you.
RESPONSE: See comments
James W. Cicconi
Assistant to the President
and Deputy to the Chief of Staff
Ext. 2702
OFFICE WTM * PRESIDENT O STATES UNITED
EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT
OFFICE OF MANAGEMENT AND BUDGET
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20503
NOTICE:
Enclosed are comments from staff members of the Office of
Management and Budget (OMB) Such comments do not necessarily
represent the official position of the Director of OMB or of the
Office of Management and Budget. If you wish to have the
Director's personal comments, please let me know -- and contact
me if you have any questions.
David J. Haun
Executive Assistant
to the Director
ANTICIPATED QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
MIDWESTERN PRESS BRIEFING
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 1989
89 SEP 14 PI2 : 55
DRUG STRATEGY
Many previous Administrations have launched anti-drug campaigns.
Why do you think this particular Strategy will work?
Unlike past anti-drug efforts, this strategy will work
because it is a truly coordinated national effort. This means
federal, state and local levels must work together. In fact, at
the federal level, Director Bennett's leadership has already
brought about strong interagency cooperation. We're urging the
state and local levels to follow this lead, and join us in this
coordinated strategy.
If you could name the one distinguishing strength of this
Strategy above all others, what would it be?
The Strategy's biggest strength is this: it is
comprehensive. This is the first such national strategy designed
to end drug use and drug trafficking, a fully integrated approach
that is an assault on every front. Our plan addresses all the
elements necessary to an effective strategy: school and drug
prevention programs, our treatment system, our laws and criminal
justice system, and our foreign policy. In short, it is just as
comprehensive as the problem. With this strategy, we now have a
plan that coordinates our resources, our programs and the people
who run them.
2
Exactly what will your Strategy mean for my community?
Keep in mind that this is a national, not a federal
strategy. And while Washington cannot solve this problem alone,
Washington will have a role to play. For example, in communities
across the country, we will work through HUD to kick drug dealers
out of public housing, and the Department of Education will
spearhead the Drug Free Schools and Communities program. As far
as actual dollars are concerned, we'll be increasing Federal
support of local treatment programs by $321 million, increasing
assistance to State and local law enforcement by $200 million,
and expanding education and prevention programs in local schools
and communities by $233 million.
Communities, too, have just as big a role to play. The
Administration is urging State and local governments to enact
tougher laws, and increase their funding of local anti-drug
efforts. And most importantly of all, increased community
involvement is key. We are calling on every school, college,
university, and workplace to adopt tough, fair anti-drug
policies.
How are you going to pay for everything you've proposed?
Realistically, don't you think we're going to have to raise
taxes?
No, I don't think we have to raise taxes. If we can
formulate a strategy that works without raising taxes, why not
give it a try? The American people simply do not want higher
3
taxes, and said so during the last Presidential election. I
heard Bill Bennett put it this way the other day: Low taxes did
not cause the drug problem, and high taxes are not going to solve
it.
The Director of the Office of Management and Budget has
transmitted a letter to the Appropriations Committee
Hole
recommending funding levels and areas where spending money can be offset.
(3/20
The Congress helped formulate this Strategy, and I am looking to
the Congressional leadership for bipartisan support in its
funding and implementation.
Do you really think the money is enough?
There isn't enough money in the Treasury to pay for
everything everyone would like to do. However, this proposal --
not
This
at nearly $8 billion -- is the single largest drug budget
an qs billims
increase ever.
Saver +
But as I said in my national address, those who judge our
strategy only by its price tag simply don't understand the
problem. We all know that money alone won't solve our problems -
- so we're looking at a coordinated national strategy that unites
the American people at the grassroots level in this difficult
fight.
People in my community believe that we could solve the drug
problem if people just stopped buying drugs. Why spend large
4
sums on police and interdiction when we could just stop the
problem through prevention and treatment plans?
We need to deal with both the supply and demand side of the
equation. It is harder for users to stop while drugs are easily
available. We must attempt to reduce the supply because fewer
people will be able to use drugs when drugs are less available.
Good law enforcement deters demand. By making it harder to
obtain drugs, we increase the effectiveness of prevention
programs.
Second, when users seeking help can't physically get to a
treatment program because dealers are on the streets and in the
hallways intimidating them, then enforcement is the first step to
treatment. For both these reasons, we are stepping up our
enforcement and interdiction measures.
AGRICULTURE AND TRADE
How big a role do you envision for agriculture in correcting the
trade imbalance?
Agriculture is a major player in the U.S. economy because it
accounts for 16 percent of the U.S. GNP. Agriculture does its
part in reducing the trade deficit by providing a constant
icultural have inereased by about 50
positive trade balance. Ag exports over last
years up
percent since 1986
Grady
+4844
of of and randwater surface water waters
Grady
5
inclu
What do you think are the most important issues in agriculture
are facing the Administration now?
subsidies witchminal
1990 Farm Bill, the Uruguay Round of trade negotiations,
will
be
multilatera
food safety, and environmental issues all are important. The
basis
next four years at the Department will probably be the busiest in
its history. In the next 15 months, for example, Secretary
Yeutter and his team will negotiate with Congress on the Farm
Bill, attend talks with the 96 GATT-members on new rules of the
road for international agriculture trade, and then have to modify
the farm legislation to make it consistent with the ending
results of the GATT talks.
In fact, my Trade Representative, Carla Hills, has been in
Europe this week with a simple -- and urgent -- message. We need
ambitious results in these trade talks. For too long, we have
only reacted to changes in global trade. The Uruguay Round is
this century's last, best change to act. (The final session of
the Uruguay Round has been set for the first week in December of
1990.)
What is the status of the extension of the steel VRAs and the
negotiation of the international consensus on the elimination of
unfair trade practices?
We have had several rounds of negotiations with each of our
major steel trading partners on the extension of the steel VRAs.
I expect these negotiations to intensify in the next two weeks.
6
It is our expectation that we will conclude new steel agreements
with these countries by September 30.
I am equally optimistic about the success of the
international consensus on the elimination of unfair trade
practices in the steel sector. The negotiation of such a
consensus is critical. We must get to the root cause of the
steel problem -- pervasive unfair trade and closed markets -- if
we are to have a long-term solution for steel. Based on the
results of our discussions with our trading partners to date, I
can tell you that many of them share our concerns. I believe we
can work together to address unfair trade in this sector in a
positive way.
Is the U.S. already extending the economic assistance to Poland
and Hungary that you announced in Warsaw and Budapest, and are we
doing anything more now that a Solidarity government has been
installed in Poland?
Yes, we are moving quickly ahead on all the announced
programs. Secretary Mosbacher will be talking with the Polish
and Hungarian governments about our steps when he visits Budapest
and Warsaw September 17 - 20. Secretary Mosbacher is taking a
group of distinguished American businessmen with him to each
country to intensify the pace of private sector involvement in
these countries. We have already met with other Western
countries to coordinate assistance, and additional food aid is
already on its way to Poland.
7
The Administration has sent a request to Congress for
legislation to establish Enterprise Funds for Poland and Hungary,
and to give us authority to extend OPIC, GSP, environmental and
labor programs. The Congress has promised quick consideration.
What is the current status of our trade relationship with Japan?
As you know, I recently had the pleasure of meeting with the
new Prime Minister on his first visit to Washington. Trade was
an important part of our agenda. A substantial increase in
Japan's imports, especially of manufactured goods, is a key
element in clearing up our trade problems. The Japanese
government has pledged to make Japan an importing "superpower."
I told the Prime Minister I supported this pledge. I urged that
prompt and effective measures be taken to make that goal a
reality.
And in order to reduce our bilateral trade deficit, we have
launched new initiatives to increase market access in Japan for
U.S. exports of satellites, supercomputers and wood products, and
have engaged the Japanese Government in talks aimed at a mutual
elimination of structural barriers to trade and payments
adjustments.
Japan is already our major market for agricultural products
and a key consumer of many semi-processed exports. Our goal is
to greatly increase sales of U.S. manufactured goods in Japan, in
addition to these more traditional sales. We seek to increase
U.S. exports to Japan, not restrict Japanese sales here.
Last week, an extensive exchange with the Japanese was held
in the U.S.-Japan Trade Committee to address these and other
market access problems.
What will EC 1992 mean for U.S. business and U.S. exporters, and
what is the Administration doing to help U.S. business adjust to
EC 1992?
The EC will not be a fragmented market consisting of 12
countries anymore. Although their Governments will remain
separate, the EC will become a "single internal" market of 320
million people worth over $4 trillion.
The EC 1992 program should benefit U.S. business, as long as
the EC internal market is completed in an open manner. For
example, EC 1992 will mean harmonization of industrial standards
and the opening of markets in traditionally state-dominated
fields such as telecommunications and broadcasting. These should
benefit U.S. exporters.
Our sole concern is that when trade barriers are lowered
within Europe, new barriers are not raised between Europe and the
rest of the world. Our aspiration -- and expectation -- is that
in removing internal barriers, EC 1992 will not result in higher
external barriers to the rest of the world. My Administration is
making every effort to work with the Europeans to ensure this
outcome.
9
The Commerce Department has negotiated or helped negotiate
important agreements with the EC on both industrial standards and
financial services. The Commerce Department has also set up an
office to inform businesses of key developments on the EC 1992
program, helping businesses take advantage of the market
opportunities.
EDUCATION
What is realistically going to be the result of the Education
Summit? What do you hope to accomplish?
If we examine what has happened across the country since the
report "A Nation At Risk", was issued we know that although a
number of states adopted comprehensive reforms, many others did
not. It is also true that elements of long-lasting reform, such
as providing more parental choice in schools for their children,
are not yet pervasive in America. It is clear that we need a
Holen
mechanism for obtaining a national consensus on what must be done
across the entire country to improve education. Building that
national consensus begins with collectively determining what our
national aspirations are and how we are going to assure that we
achieve them. Sitting down with the governors begins that
process.
10
Why are education leaders being excluded from the Education
Summit?
They are not. The summit process begins with a number of
small-group meetings I will be holding with education leaders
prior to the Charlottesville meeting. In fact, one was held this
week. These meetings give them the opportunity to discuss their
concerns and advise me on what avenues we should pursue at the
summit. The conference itself is just that -- a summit meeting
of all of the chief executives in the nation with the President
of the United States.
Only Governors will attend for two reasons. First, the fact
that on two prior occasions of great national importance the
President met with the governors as a group (Teddy Roosevelt on
conservation and Franklin Roosevelt on matters related to the
Great Depression) lends an important level of symbolic
significance to the meeting by placing our education crisis on a
very visible plane. Second, while the federal government has a
significant role to play in helping solve our educational
problems, governors must lead the way -- education is, after all,
a state responsibility and maintaining that focus, along with a
bipartisan political orientation, is extremely important.
What topics are going to be discussed?
Revitalizing the teaching profession; improving learning
among students; the responsibilities and authority of various
levels of government; restructuring education and providing more
11
choice; achieving a competitive workforce and providing for
lifelong learning in our society; and issues related to
postsecondary education.
What is the role of the Secretary of Education in the Education
Summit? Is he being left out of the planning process? Will he
be at your side during the Summit?
The Secretary of Education has been intimately involved in
the planning of the summit and will play a significant role in
its program.
Will you be making a major announcement at the Education Summit?
I will deliver a major address as part of the summit.
# # #
89 03:09 PM *USDA PRESS SECRETARY P01
Pau / Luthringer
SUGGESTED TALKING POINTS
PRESIDENT BUSH'S MEETING
WITH MID-WESTERN JOURNALISTS
The food and agriculture sector employs 16 percent of all civilian jobs in the
production, processing and distribution of farm related products. In addition,
agriculture is a major player in the U.S. economy because it accounts for 16
percent of the U.S. GNP. Agriculture also does its part in reducing the trade
deficit by providing a constant positive trade balance.
The agenda for agriculture and Secretary Clayton Yeutter has broadened. It
wasn't too many years ago when most people only cared about the income and
support farm policies. Now, the 1990 Farm Bill, the Uruguay Round of
agricultural trade negotiations, food safety and environmental issues take quite
a bit of Clayton's time.
The next four years at the Department will probably be the busiest in its
history.
In the next 15 months, Clayton Yeutter and his team will negotiate with the
Congress on the 1990 Farm Bill and with the 96 GATT-members on new
rules of the road for international agriculture trade. We will then have to
modify the 1990 farm legislation to make it consistent with the ending results
of the GATT talks.
o
Both of these negotiations will impact U.S. agriculture for the next decade and
into the 21st century. Clayton will have to skillfully forge a piece of farm
legislation that gives us adequate negotiating leverage for the final days of the
Round, while addressing water quality, food safety and soil conservation
issues.
o
The final negotiating session of the Uruguay Round has been set for the first
week of December in 1990. U.S. agriculture has a great deal at stake in
these talks.
World agriculture is the most distortive sector in our global economy.
Worldwide agricultural subsidies plus the cost to consumers of protectionist
agricultural policies now total about $150 billion yearly. This Round of trade
talks is the "train leaving the station" that offers us the best opportunity to
correct this fiscal madness.
We in the U.S. must spend enormous sums of money to counter, directly or
indirectly, the farm policies of competitor nations. If we can convince those
nations to change their policies over time, we can afford to change ours too.
Production decisions would then be based much more on market conditions
and much less on the whims of governments. That needed change would be
09.06.89 03:10 PM *USDA PRESS SECRETARY P 0 1
particularly welcomed by taxpayers everywhere, and this includes U.S. farmers.
There are many challenges that lie ahead of us in the agricultural arena. We
have one of the most qualified in the country to lead that challenge--Clayton
Yeutter. He will be busy in the next two years, but never underestimate a
Cornhusker!
###
THE WHITE HOUSE
WASHINGTON
August 31, 1989
SCHEDULE PROPOSAL:
TO:
JOHN SUNUNU
Chief of Staff
THROUGH:
DAVID DEMAREST
Assistant to the President for Communications
CHRISS WINSTON
Deputy Assistant to the President for
Communications
BARRIE TRON
Deputy Director Media Relations
FROM:
PAUL LUTHRINGER
Assistant Director Media Relations
REQUEST:
To schedule Chief of Staff to brief reporters from
the Midwest at regional briefing.
ONDCP Director William Bennett and
Agriculture Secretary Clayton Yeutter and POTUS
are also scheduled to attend.
BACKGROUND:
Midwestern-based media are concerned with the
Administration's war on drugs, agriculture policy,
and commitment to education and trade issues.
This briefing comes after the unveiling of the
President's drug initiative, and before his
scheduled visit to Northwestern states. This
will be the second briefing with regional media
to date.
DATE AND TIME: September 15, 10:50 a.m.
DURATION:
Bennett--20 minutes, Yeutter--20 minutes, Governor
minutes Chief of Staff Sununu--15 minutes, POTUS-90
LOCATION:
East Room (Followed by luncheon with POTUS in
State Dining Room)
PARTICIPANTS:
The President
Chief of Staff Sununu
William Bennett
Clayton Yeutter
66 regional reporters
Media Relations staff
8
2023953911 USTR Washington
09/13/89 14:18
001
TELEFAX COVER SHEET
OFFICE OF THE UNITED STATES TRADE REPRESENTATIVE
Executive Office of the President
Washington, D.C. 20506
Clearance (to Geneva)
Date 9/13/89
Time Sent
C.D. Log Number
19
All Originals Will Be Returned
Number of Pages Excluding Cover
6
TO:
NAME:
AGENCY:
PHONE #:
FAX #:
Holly Williamson
White House
X 2245
456-6218
Connunication
FROM:
Bob Fisher
PHONE:
X 5114
FAX #:
(202)395-3911
CONTACT:
Computer Operations Information Service Desk: (202)395-3417
SUBJECT:
Trade Policy Q's a A's
COMMENTS:
As we discussed.
8
2023953911 USTR Washington
09/13/89 14:18
002
OFFICE OF THE UNITED STATES
TRADE REPRESENTATIVE
EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT
WASHINGTON
20506
September 13, 1989
MEMORANDUM TO: Holly Williamson
FROM:
Bob Fisher
SUBJECT:
Trade Policy Questions and Answers
Attached are five questions and answers covering U.S. trade
policy. If you have any questions or need additional
information, please call me on x5114.
8
2023953911 USTR Washington
09/13/89 14:19
003
BUSH ADMINISTRATION TRADE POLICY
Question
There has been no clear statement of the Bush Administration's
trade policy. Would you tell us what your policy is?
Answer
America stands for freedom. Whether in terms of freedom of
expression, religion or political belief, we have fought for the
right of people everywhere to make their own choices.
Indeed, choice is at the heart of our economic system. I believe
everyone should have the right to choose how, when and where to
buy or sell goods and services freely in a fair market. That is
competition. It is one of America's fundamental strengths.
This is what our trade policy is about--competition. We seek a
world where the creativity of entrepreneurs, not governments,
determines how industries and farmers compete and how nations
trade.
We have a three-pronged strategy to achieve this goal:
Our highest trade priority is to conclude successfully
the Uruguay Round of multilateral trade talks now
underway in Geneva by their December 1990 deadline;
Second--and in an effort that is consistent with our
Uruguay Round aims--we will pursue bilateral and
regional market-opening initiatives; and
Finally, we will use our domestic trade laws to further
these objectives.
8
2023953911 USTR Washington
09/13/89 14:19
004
THE URUGUAY ROUND AND U.S. TRADE POLICY
Question
Since the Uruguay Round is the Administration's highest trade
priority, could you give us some idea of our goals for the talks
and where the talks stand?
Answer
We need to revamp the global trading system, particularly the
General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade--the GATT. There are
areas, such as agriculture, where the system's rules are
inadequate. And in dynamic sectors like services, intellectual
property and investment, rules simply do not exist.
My Trade Representative, Carla Hills, has been in Europe this
week with a simple--and urgent--message. We need ambitious
results in these trade talks. For too long, we have only reacted
to changes in global trade. The Uruguay Round is this century's
last, best chance to act.
Accordingly, we have certain minimum requirements from the Round:
O
Fundamental reform of agricultural trade,
o
The extension of the trading system's rules to the so-
called "new areas" of services, intellectual property
and investment,
o
Expanded market access for trade in goods,
D
An end to trade-distorting subsidies, and
The creation of a sure, swift mechanism for settling
inevitable trade disputes.
We have made significant progress in most of these areas, but
much work still needs to be done. I am confident we will have
solid, far-reaching agreements by the end of next year.
8
2023953911 USTR Washington
09/13/89 14:20
005
THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITY
Question
The European Community (EC) is in the midst of an effort to
create a single integrated market by 1992. This effort is often
called EC 1992. What is your position on this effort?
Answer
Americans have long been avid supporters of a unified European
market. After World War II, we committed more than $17 billion~-
equal to $88 billion today--to help rebuild Europe. We actively
supported the establishment of the European Community.
Today, we hail the current efforts to increase competition within
Europe by the removal of internal market barriers. We strongly
support and are vitally interested in the EC's march toward a
single market.
Our sole concern is that when trade barriers are lowered within
Europe, new barriers are not raised between Europe and the rest
of the world. Our aspiration--and expectation-- that in
removing internal barriers, EC 1992 will not result in higher
external barriers to the rest of the world. My Administration is
making every effort to work with the Europeans to ensure this
outcome.
8
2023953911 USTR Washington
09/13/89 14:20
006
U.S. TRADE POLICY AND JAPAN
Question
How is the Administration resolving trade issues with Japan?
Answer
As you know, I recently had the pleasure of greeting the new
Prime Minister on his first visit to Washington. Trade was an
important part of our agenda. I emphasized to the Prime Minister
the importance America attaches to resolving the outstanding
issues and on reducing our bilateral trade imbalance.
A substantial increase in Japan's imports, especially of
manufactured goods, is a key element in clearing up our trade
problems. The Japanese government has pledged to make Japan an
importing "superpower". I told the Prime Minister I supported
this pledge. I urged that prompt and effective measures be taken
to make that goal a reality.
In recent years Japan has reduced or eliminated many formal trade
barriers. The deficit persists despite these actions and the
dollar's depreciation, leading us to conclude that there are
informal, structural barriers to entry in the Japanese market.
We have two major initiatives to address this problem. The first
is the Structural Impediments Initiative--the SII--a new approach
to U.S. -Japan trade problems. It seeks to identify and change
the structural features of our two economies that serve as
informal trade barriers.
We have raised a broad range of problems in Japan, including
savings and investment, land use, the distribution system and
price mechanisms, and exclusionary practices by Japan's private
sector. At the first substantive meeting earlier this month, we
took nine hours to lay out our case. We will meet again in early
November, and the two sides have agreed to an interim progress
report next spring and a final report early in the summer.
In addition, we have our ongoing effort to improve market access
in Japan for specific sectors and products. For example, we are
concerned over Japan's barriers to American exports of forest
products, satellites and supercomputers. In these sectors, U.S.
firms enjoy major advantages in terms of quality and cost. They
perform well in markets all over the world--except Japan's.
Last week, an extensive exchange with the Japanese was held in
the U.S. -Japan Trade Committee to address these and other market
access problems. In the coming months, we will continue to meet
with the Japanese in order to find solutions which will open the
Japanese market to these and other competitive U.S. exports.
09/13/89
13:02
202 377 5933
COMMERCE ITA U/S
001
A
OF
/
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
The Deputy Under Secretary for
UNITED STATES . /
International Trade
Washington, D.C. 20230
FACSIMILE COVER SHEET
(UNCLASSIFIED DOCUMENTS ONLY)
DATE: September 13, 1989
TO: Mr. Jeff Vogt
ORGANIZATION & FAX NUMBER: White House, 456-6218
TELEPHONE: 456-7845
NO. OF PAGES:
4
(Excluding Cover)
FROM:
Dr. Phyllis Genther, 377-1051
ORGANIZATION: International Trade Administration, Office of Under Secretary
COMMENTS: In response to your request to Mary Lewis yesterday, we have
prepared questions and answers on four trade issues which we
believe are of great interest to Midwestern businessmen. Please
call us if you need additional information or have questions.
U.S. Department of Commerce
Room H3840
14th and Constitution Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20230
FAX: (202) 377-5933
OFFICE: (202) 377-3917
DIRECTMENT
à
,
TRADE
09/13/89
13:03
202 377 5933
COMMERCE ITA U/S
001
STEEL
QUESTION:
What is the status of the extension of the steel VRAS and the
negotiation of the international consensus on the elimination of
unfair trade practices?
ANSWER:
o
We have had several rounds of negotiations with each of our
major steel trading partners on the extension of the steel
VRAS. I expect these negotiations to intensify in the next two
weeks. It is our expectation that we will conclude new steel
agreements with these countries by September 30.
I am equally optimistic about the success of the international
consensus on the elimination of unfair trade practices in the
steel sector. The negotiation of such a consensus is critical.
We must get at the root cause of the steel problem -- pervasive
unfair trade and closed markets -- if we are to have a long-term
solution for steel. Based on the results of our discussions
with our trading partners to date, I can tell you that many of
them share our concerns. I believe we can work together to
address unfair trade in this sector in a positive way.
09/13/89
13:04
202 377 5933
COMMERCE ITA U/S
002
TRADE WITH POLAND AND HUNGARY
QUESTION:
Is the United States already extending the economic assistance to
Poland and Hungary that the President announced in Warsaw and
Budapest and are we doing anything more now that a Solidarity
government has been installed in Poland?
ANSWER:
o
Yes, we are moving quickly ahead on all the announced programs.
Secretary of Commerce Mosbacher will be informing the Polish and
Hungarian governments about these when he visits Budapest and
Warsaw September 17-20. Secretary Mosbacher is taking a group
of distinguished American businessmen with him to each country
to intensify the pace of private sector involvement in these
countries. He also will be informing the governments of new
areas in which we propose to cooperate.
We have already met with other Western countries to coordinate
assistance, and additional food aid is already on its way to
Poland.
The Administration has sent a request to Congress for
legislation to establish Enterprise Funds for Poland and
Hungary, and to give us authority to extend OPIC, GSP,
environmental and labor programs. The Congress has promised
quick consideration.
o
The American people are responding tremendously to the
courageous acts of the Polish and Hungarian peoples, and there
are hundreds of groups mobilizing their resources to help the
food, medical, training, financial and other needs of these
countries.
09/13/89
13:05
202 377 5933
COMMERCE ITA U/S
003
TRADE WITH JAPAN
QUESTION:
What is the current status of our trade relationship with Japan?
ANSWER:
o
We are according a very high priority to our commercial
relations with Japan. In order to reduce further our
bilateral trade deficit, we have launched new initiatives to
increase market access in Japan for U.S. exports of
satellites, supercomputers and wood products and have engaged
the Japanese Government in talks aimed at a mutual elimination
of structural barriers in our economies to trade and payments
adjustments. Japan is already our major market for
agricultural products and a key consumer of many
semi-proccessed exports. Our goal is to greatly increase
sales of U.S. manufactured goods in Japan in addition to these
more traditional sales. We seek to increase U.S. exports to
Japan, not restrict Japanese sales here.
09/13/89
13:05
202 377 5933
COMMERCE ITA U/S
004
EC 1992
QUESTION:
What will EC 1992 mean for U.S. business and U.S. exporters, and
what is the Commerce Department doing to help U.S. business adjust
to EC 1992?
ANSWER:
o
The goal of the European Community's 1992 project is to complete
a single internal market resulting in the free flow of goods,
capital, people and services. The 1992 program is designed to
eliminate all non-tariff barriers which have resulted in market
inefficiencies and have hindered the EC's economy in the past.
o
The 1992 initiative should create a richer, more prosperous
Europe. European consumers should gain increased buying power.
An economically stronger and technologically more advanced
European Community is in our best interest, since the EC is our
biggest trading partner.
o
The EC will not be a fragmented market consisting of 12
countries anymore. Although their Governments will remain
separate, the EC will become a "single internal" market of 320
million people worth over $4 trillion.
o
The EC 1992 program should benefit U.S. business, as long as the
EC internal market is completed in an open manner. For example,
one of the most important aspects of EC 1992 is the
harmonization of industrial standards. Manufacturers will be
able to sell their products throughout the EC once they have met
EC standards instead of having to make expensive product
modifications to meet individual country standards. This change
should benefit U.S. exporters, particularly small exporters.
The EC is also going to open markets in other traditionally
state-dominated fields such as telecommunications and
broadcasting.
o
Certain problems remain, such as ensuring national treatment in
financial services and an open process in standards setting so
that U.S. firms are fully informed and involved from the start
on the EC's planned industrial standards. The Commerce
Department has negotiated or helped to negotiate important
agreements with the EC on both of these crucial issues.
o
The Commerce Department has also set up an office to inform
business of key developments on the EC 1992 program, helping
business take advantage of the market opportunities offered by
EC 1992.
09. 13.89 01:47 PM *SECRETARY/DEPT EDUC. PO2
OF
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
PUBLIC AFFAIRS
of AMERICA
OFFICE OF THE DIRECTOR
September 13, 1989
NOTE TO HOLLY WILLIAMSON
FROM:
MELINDA KITCHELL
need
RE:
Proposed Questions for President Bush's briefing with
Midwest regional press to take place September 15
Following are the questions and answers you requested. I have
listed the Education Summit questions first, followed on the
next 2 pages with possible answers. Following that are
questions on funding, dropouts, drugs and choice.
1. What is realistically going to be the result of the
Education Summit? Do you really think that by your sitting down
with the Governors we can expect any improvement in education to
result? What do you hope to accomplish?
2. why are all the education leaders being excluded from the
Education Summit?
3. What topics are going to be discussed?
4. What is the role of the Secretary of Education in the
Education Summit? Is he being left out of the planning
process? Will he be at the President's side during the Summit?
5. Will the President make a major announcement at the
Education Summit?
400 MARYLAND AVE., S.W., WASHINGTON, D.C. 20202
(202) 732-3026
09. 13. 89 01:47 PM *SECRETARY/DEPT EDUC. P03
1). If we examine what has happened across the country since "A
Nation At Risk," we are aware that although a number of states
adopted comprehensive reforms, many others did not. It is also
true that elements of long-lasting reform, such as providing
more choice among the schools students attend, are not yet
pervasive in America. It is clear that we need a mechanism for
obtaining a national consensus on what must be done across the
entire country to improve education. Building that national
consensus begins with collectively determining what our
national aspirations are and how we are going to assure that we
achieve them. Sitting down with the governors begins that
process.
2). They are not. The summit process begins with a number of
small-group meetings with the President prior to the
Charlottesville meeting. Education leaders will attend one of
those meetings and will have an opportunity to discuss their
concerns and to advise him on what avenues he should pursue at
the summit. The conference itself is just that - a summit
meeting of all of the chief executives in the nation with the
President of the United States. It has only the governors in
attendance for two reasons. First, the fact that on two prior
occasions of great national importance the president met with
the governors as a group (Teddy Roosevelt on conservation and
09. 13. 89 01:47 PM *SECRETARY/DEPT EDUC. P04
Franklin Roosevelt on matters related to the Great Depression)
lends an important level of symbolic significance to a meeting
with governors - it places the educational emergency on a very
high plane. Secondly, it is very clear that our attack on
educational problems to this point has depended very heavily on
governors to lead the way - education is, after all, a state
responsibility and maintaining that focus, along with a
bipartisan political orientation, is extremely important.
3). Revitalizing the Teaching Profession; Improving Learning Among
Students; the Responsibilities and Authority of various levels
of Government; Restructuring Education and Providing more
Choice; Achieving a Competitive Workforce and Providing for
Lifelong Learning in our Society, and Issues Related to
Postsecondary Education.
4). The Secretary of Education has been intimately involved in the
planning of the summit and will play a significant role in its
program.
5). The president will deliver a major address as part of the
summit.
09.
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01:47
*SECRETARY/DEPT
EDUC.
PO5
WHAT MUST WE DO TO MAKE OUR SCHOOLS DRUG FREE?
In trying to make our schools drug free, the first step is realizing
that schools cannot do it alone. Research and experience both prove
that the most effective programs are comprehensive community-based
programs that include parental support, clear no use drug policies
that are strictly enforced, coupled with K-12 drug prevention
education and supervised extra-curricular activities.
SCHOOLS SHOULD:
O Determine the extent and character of drug use and monitor
that use regularly.
o Establish clear and specific rules regarding drug use that
include strong corrective actions,
o Enforce established policies against drug use fairly and
consistently. Policies should include sanctions for
violations. Ensure adequate security measures to eliminate
drugs from school premises and school functions.
o Implement a comprehensive drug prevention curriculum for
kindergarten through grade 12, teaching that drug use is
wrong and harmful, and supporting and strengthening
resistance to drugs.
o Reach out to the community for support and assistance in
making the school's anti-drug policy and program work.
Develop collaborative arrangements in which school personnel,
parents, school boards, law enforcement officers, treatment
organizations, and private groups can work together to
provide necessary resources.
IN ADDITION -
PARENTS SHOULD:
o Teach standards of right and wrong, and demonstrate these
standards through personal example.
o Help children to resist peer pressure to use alcohol and
other drugs by supervising their activities, knowing who
their friends are, and talking with them about their
interests and problems.
o Be knowledgeable about drugs and signs of drug use. When
symptoms are observed, respond promptly.
STUDENTS SHOULD:
o Learn about the effects of drug use, the reasons why drugs
are harmful, and ways to resist pressures to try drugs.
O Use an understanding of the danger posed by drugs to help
other students avoid them. Encourage other students to
resist drugs, persuade those using drugs to seek help, and
report those selling drugs to parents and the school
principal.
COMMUNITIES SHOULD:
0 Help schools fight drugs by providing them with the expertise
and financial resources of community groups and agencies.
o Involve local law enforcement agencies in all aspects of drug
prevention: assessment, enforcement, and education. The
police and courts should have well-established relationships
with the schools.
09. 13. 89 01:47 PM *SECRETARY/DEPT EDUC. P06
SPENDING & EDUCATIONAL OUTCOMES
Q: Isn't more spending now needed in public elementary and
secondary education?
A: An across-the-board increase in federal spending on public
elementary and secondary schools is not the answer to our
education problems. The figures reported in the State Education
Performance Chart, the findings of a number of respected
education researchers, and recent trends indicate that there is
no clear relationship between higher spending and better school
performance.
The "wall chart" shows that there is only a weak
association between test scores and spending levels across
States. The correlation is only .24 between States' SAT
scores and current expenditures per pupil; for ACT States,
the correlation is .30. New Hampshire, for example, spends
less than the national average but ranks at the top on its
SAT scores.
Professor Eric Hanushek, a noted education economist,
recently summarized the results of 187 articles examining
the relationship between student achievement and education
inputs such as per pupil spending, class size and teacher
salaries. He concludes that "[I]ndeed, detailed research
spanning two decades and observing performance in many
different educational settings provides strong and
consistent evidence that expenditures are not
systematically related to student achievement."
The rise in school spending nationally during the 1980's
has not produced a concomitant rise in student outcomes.
Between school years 1981-82 and 1988-89, aggregate
spending on elementary and secondary education, adjusted
for inflation, rose 23 percent, to $199 billion. Although
ACT and SAT scores have risen somewhat since 1980, they
have not improved over the past 4 years. Likewise, the
high school graduation rate has shown little improvement
over the same period.
o
The United States spends more than most other
industrialized countries on education, yet is consistently
outperformed on international math and science assessments.
09.13.89 01:47 PM *SECRETARY/DEPT EDUC. P07
What education requires is not more spending but better targeting
and accountability for the huge amounts the nation now spends.
The Administration's education initiatives target additional
resources to where they can be used effectively to fund
educational innovations and incentives for high-performing
schools, teachers and students. President Bush's directive to
the Department of Education to assess accountability in federal
programs also will contribute to spending that is more tightly
focused on results.
OPBE/PES
9/13/89
09.
13.
89
01:47
PM
*SECRETARY/DEPT EDUC. P08
School Reform
2.
Do you think school reform can work?
A. What we mean by reform is restructuring our schools to
provide the best education possible for all of our children. Our
desire for reform is based on our belief that all students can
learn and it is our responsibility to develop an educational
environment which fosters this. To construct such an environment
requires a collaborative effort. Local school administrators,
teachers, parents, businesses, and State education departments
must all work together with us so that we can have the kind of
educational system we know is possible.
Q. Your answer sounds good, but can you be more specific? For
example, has the Federal Government provided any direction for
state and local educators to know where they might begin with?
A. Yes. We have tried to provide leadership through identifying
problem areas and suggesting ways in which educators might deal
with them. A Nation At Risk addressed the real issues facing
public education and recommended critical reforms. Its
recommendations still apply: standards need to be strengthened
in our schools and colleges, teachers need to be better prepared,
and schools, teachers, parents, and students should be held
accountable for educational progress.
While we recognize that education is primarily the responsibility
of the States and locals, we see the role of the Federal
Government as providing strong positive leadership.
Q. Do you know of any places that are making progress on school
reform?
A. There are many States that are implementing aspects of
school reform. In fact, one of the most widely implemented
reforms is the increase in high school standards. Another reform
that is being implemented with success in numerous places is the
use of strategies identified in the effective school movement.
Many schools using these strategies are literally turning their
school around. Kids are learning, teachers are feeling better
about their profession, and parents and the business community
are becoming partners in education. We are also encouraged that
many colleges and universities are revisiting their teacher
education programs.
Let me give you a specific example of a State that is making
outstanding progress toward school reform and how they
implemented it. South Carolina, like many states, mandated
certain educational reforms. But they went farther than the
mandate. They formed coalitions to make sure that the reforms
worked. These coalitions are made up of teachers,
superintendents, the business community and parents. The way
they brought teachers into the coalition was to ensure by law
09.
13.
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01:47
PM
*SECRETARY/DEPT EDUC. PO9
that State salaries would be brought up to the average in the
Southeast. Businesses were willing to participate because strong
accountability measures were built into the programs--incentive
pay and stronger staff evaluations. Parents and minority groups
participated because expenditures for compensatory education were
provided. Each group could support the program because they
could see the benefit. With this strong support the program is
working. South Carolina has shown some of the largest gains in
student test scores of any State in recent years.
Q. Well where does the reform movement go from here?
A. We feel that we need to build on these excellent past
efforts. The areas We would like to focus on are: alternative
teacher certification to bring in the best teachers; choice which
will provide parents and students an opportunity to select the
educational setting most appropriate for their needs; increased
accountability at all levels, and increased incentives for those
individuals and schools who do exceptionally well.
O. That seems like quite a lot. Do you think this can be
accomplished?
A. Yes, in fact many of these initiatives are already working.
For example, Minnesota has a Statewide choice option, and several
other States are following suit. Rochester, NY in partnership
with Kodak is doing some outstanding things training exceptional
young people in math and science. All of these efforts show that
reform not only makes sense, it can work. But, it will take what
South Carolina did, building coalitions and working together with
parents, teachers, local and State departments to develop an
education community where all children can learn.
09. 13. 89
01:47 PM *SECRETARY/DEPT EDUC. P10
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS ON EDUCATIONAL CHOICE
o What is the concept of educational choice?
Educational choice allows families to choose which public schools
their children will attend. Choice programs can have several
variations; they can enable parents to select from specialty
schools, schools inside and outside their districts that offer
curriculum or a climate not available in their neighborhood
schools, and alternative schools that serve students with special
needs.
o How does the public feel about choice?
A 1987 national Gallup poll asked "Do you think that parents in
this community should or should not have the right to choose
which local schools their children attend?" 71% answered "yes,"
20% said "no," and 9% did not know.
o What does research show about choice?
A considerable body of research has looked at schools of choice,
including alternative schools, magnet schools, and various open
enrollment programs. Generalizable findings include:
o For all types of students, from the neediest to the most
outstanding, choice produces significant growth and
achievement: cognitive, social, and affective. These benefits
are not attributable to school selectivity--in fact most
magnet schools do not select students on the basis of past
academic performance.
o Both attendance and student behavior improve in schools of
choice.
o Alternative schools are highly popular with staff, students,
and parents. In various ways, all three groups show unusual
satisfaction and approval rates.
o Permitting families to select among schools increases parent
involvement. Parents seek out information on schools and take
an active interest in the school and their student's progress.
o Alternatives manage to "personalize" the school environment
and to make it a genuine community of individuals.
Minnesota's Open Enrollment Options Program permits parents of
children ages 5-18 to transfer their children to schools outside
their district. Choice can address a variety of needs of
students and families. Parents give various reasons for the
transfers:
1
09. 13. 89 01:47 PM *SECRETARY/DEPT EDUC. P 1 1
"The resident district has no auto mechanics, welding, aviation,
slow learning English classes"
"The new district has a larger school with more learning disabled
facilities and teachers"
"We have a business in the nonresident school district where both
my husband and I work. It's much easier for transportation."
"My son has been attending the nonresident district for 4 years.
He is Black, and this option was open to us. We were very
displeased with the resident school system. An older son
graduated from the resident high school. We are very satisfied
with the nonresident schools. We see a vast difference in
quality of education."
Ten years ago, East Harlem (District # 4 in New York city)
developed a system of choice among its public junior high and
middle schools. At that time only 16% of its students read at or
above grade level, and its students ranked 32nd in math among the
32 community districts in New York city. Today, over half of the
students read at or above grade level, and the district ranks
15th or 16th (depending on the test) among the community
districts.
A veteran teacher explained, "People are here because they want
to be. And that's shown by the kind of attendance we have.
There's a camaraderie, because this place doesn't have to
exist. if it didn't meet needs, it would fold, My idea of
education at its best is that people who work in it would have
the power to do what they thought was good, and that they would
feel happy about themselves when they left at the end of the
day."
Sy Fliegel, District No. 4's Deputy Superintendent, characterizes
their system of choice as nothing more or less than a simple old
capitalistic idea. "What you own, you treat better. Everyone
thinks they own the school. If you ask the directors, 'Whose
school is it?', they say, 'It's my school.' You ask the kids,
'It's mine.' The teachers, the parents--the same answer.
Naturally you ask me, I say, 'Well, it's our school.' Right?
That's good, that's what schools need, that sense of ownership.
Because you just take better care of things you own."
o What educational programs do schools of choice offer?
Schools typically are tailored around special student interests
and needs as are better-planned magnet schools. Parents in
Cambridge, Massachusetts can choose any elementary school for
their children. Examples of individual schools' emphases
include:
2
09. 13. 89 01:47 PM *SECRETARY/DEPT EDUC. P12
--The Fitzgerald School: A writing-acress-the-curriculum project
leading to the development of a creative writing program since
shared by the staff with other elementary schools in the
district.
--The Fletcher School: A Coordinated Learning Project that has
given the school, traditionally in the lowest quartile of student
achievement, additional instructional aids in primary classes and
consultants to help primary teachers identify and use successful
learning strategies.
--The Haggerty School: Conversational Spanish for all students
and staff; a focus on computer literacy. Traditionally the
smallest school in the system (in 1984 it had fewer than 100
students), it has grown by 30 per cent since 1985,
--The Robert F. Kennedy School: An Arts and Basic Skills program
in collaboration with the Cambridge Multicultural Arts Center and
funded by the Massachusetts Cultural Alliance; Project RICH,
computer assisted instruction to increase upper elementary
reading, with Draper Laboratories, Bager Corporation, and M.I.T.
o How do you get around transportation costs?
Support of student transportation costs may be handled in a
number of ways. Minnesota's Enrollment options Program provides
free transportation to low-income students but makes the families
of other students responsible for getting their students to the
borders of the non-resident district their students plan to
attend.
o Won't schools of choice exacerbate racial imbalance and
contribute to creaming the best students from the "regular"
public schools?
Schools of choice can be an effective desegregation tool as
documented in Christine Rossell's research, The Carrot or the
stick, and in numerous sites.
o In Providence, RI two magnet elementary schools, Sackett
Street School for Basic Skills and Science and Technology, and
the Gilbert Stuart Elementary School for International
Studies, have had a stabilizing influence on non-minority
students, whose numbers had been dwindling at the schools.
According to Robert Brooks, Director of Magnet Schools,
"Without the magnet programs, erosion of the non-minority
student population in the public schools would be
experienced."
o The Magnet "School of Choice" System in Prince George's County
(HD) has not only satisfied court-ordered desegregation
standards but has attracted some 4,000 private school students
3
09.13.89 01:47 PM *SECRETARY/DEPT EDUC. P13
back to public education since 1984. By contrast, the mass
busing program of the 1970's resulted in massive white flight;
by 1981 the schools were back to 90 to 95 percent white or
black.
o In Cambridge (MA) the proportion of students choosing to
enroll in public schools over private schools rose from 74 to
82 percent after two years of its open enrollment option.
The contention that specialty schools will cream the best
students implies that neighborhood schools can't compete with
special magnet schools. In fact, the creation of specialty
schools and choice can result in higher district performance
overall. East Harlem's experience led to a general increase in
achievement test performance which school staff directly
attributed to the competition for students provided by
alternative educational programs. Schools that aren't good will
have to improve, and the quality of schooling will improve for
all students.
o Isn't this just a backdoor way to achieve education vouchers?
No, it's a way to improve education. John Murphy, Superintendent
of the Frince George's County Schools, (MD) sees schools of
choice as at way to put his district in the top academic quartile
(25 percent) in the country by 1990. "We want to prove that
black children can compete--and that's going to take more than
just a few school reforms, it's going to take a systemwide
revolution. Schools of choice are the process by which this can
happen."
0 How is the Department supporting choice?
The Department is planning to co-sponsor with the Minnesota
Department of Education an evaluation of Minnesota's Enrollment
Options Program. The Department also supports 38 magnet schools
under the $71.8 million Magnet Schools Assistance Program. The
Administration has proposed extending the benefits of choice to
districts not under court-ordered desegregation plans.
0 will choice lead to closing schools that are unable to attract
students?
Possibly, but what is the point of subjecting students to
substandard education? sy Fliegel of East Harlem frames the
issue in terms of rewarding success, "If you go into business and
fail--so long. Nobody's going to say, 'Oh you're failing?
Here's some more money.' It doesn't work that way anywhere else,
so somewhere along the line the government has to say, 'Let's
support what works and stop supporting what fails.' I think we
ought to close failing schools and let them open up as new and
4
09. 13. 89 01:47 PM *SECRETARY/DEPT EDUC. P14
different schools. Let's fund places that succeed. That makes
sense to me."
Moreover, choice may not result in actual school closings. More
likely its effects will be to remove administrators and teachers
in those schools that lose students and replace them with
effective principals and instructional staff.
OPBE/PES
5/17/89
5
09. 13. 01:47 PM *SECRETARY/DEPT EDUC. P15
Q. How bad is the dropout problem? What can the nation do?
A. Between 1972 and 1986, the nation has made substantial
progress in reducing the dropout rate, particularly for
minority youth. Dropout rates for 20- to 21-year-olds have
fallen 9.6 percentage points for blacks (from 27.7 to 18.1
percent); and 7.2 points for Hispanics (from 42.1 to 34.9
percent). The 1986 dropout rate for whites was 14.3 percent.
In spite of this progress, the dropout problem is still
serious for Hispanic youth and for children in urban areas.
o The dropout rate for Hispanic youth remains very high. In
1986, nearly 35 percent of Hispanic 20- to 21-year-olds had
dropped out. This rate is more than twice the dropout rate
for white 20- to 21-year-olds.
By the year 2020, more than one-fourth of the school-age
population will be Hispanic. If the nation does not
address this problem now, the dropout rate is sure to rise.
o Dropout rates in urban areas are much higher than the
national average. The National Education Association found
that dropout rates in major urban districts were as high 30
percent in Boston to 58 percent in East Los Angeles. A
similar survey of urban districts by the Department found
dropout rates to be 33 percent in New York City, 50 percent
in Washington, D.C., 45 percent in Philadelphia, and 48
percent in St. Louis.
Moreover we need to keep in mind that more than 600,000
students drop out of school each year. Regardless of the
overall dropout level, this number is much too high.
There are many things the nation can do to address this
problem. First, we must provide effective dropout prevention
and recovery programs in every school district. Recent
research on effective dropout prevention programs has
identified the following common components:
- early intervention
- small programs and classes
- emphasis on basic skills
- regular encouragement and feedback
- providing adult mentors
- career counseling.
Districts need to incorporate these components into their
dropout prevention programs.
In addition, we must encourage and reward excellence,
particularly in schools with high proportions of disadvantaged
09.13.89 01:47 PM *SECRETARY/DEPT EDUC. P16
students. The President has put forward a legislative
proposal, the Educational Excellence Act of 1989, that
includes a Merit Schools Program to provide incentives to
schools across the country, particularly those with high
proportions of disadvantaged students, to improve their
performance. Reducing the dropout rate should be considered
a critical outcome measure to gauge performance.
2
Document No. 072601SS
7227
WHITE HOUSE STAFFING MEMORANDUM
DATE: 9/13/89
9/13/89 4:00 PM
ACTION/CONCURRENCE/COMMENT DUE BY:
ANTICIPATED QS AND AS, MIDWESTERN PRESS BRIEFING
SUBJECT:
ACTION FYI
ACTION FYI
VICE PRESIDENT
:
MCCLURE
SUNUNU
NEWMAN
SCOWCROFT
PORTER
DARMAN
STUDDERT
BATES
UNTERMEYER
BREEDEN
CARD
CICCONI
DEMAREST
FITZWATER
GRAY
HAGIN
REMARKS:
Please forward any comments directly to Chriss Winston, Rm. 122,
x2930, no later than 4:00 PM TODAY, Thursday, September 14, with
a copy to my office. Thank you.
RESPONSE:
September 14, 1989
NSC concurs with fixes and suggestions, as marked.
Brent Ratio Scowcroft
James W. Cicconi
Assistant to the President
and Deputy to the Chief of Staff
Ext. 2702
Et : I d 68
ANTICIPATED QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
MIDWESTERN PRESS BRIEFING
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 1989
89 SEP 14 P12 : 55
DRUG STRATEGY
Many previous Administrations have launched anti-drug campaigns.
Why do you think this particular Strategy will work?
Unlike past anti-drug efforts, this strategy will work
because it is a truly coordinated national effort. This means
federal, state and local levels must work together. In fact, at
the federal level, Director Bennett's leadership has already
brought about strong interagency cooperation. We're urging the
state and local levels to follow this lead, and join us in this
coordinated strategy.
If you could name the one distinguishing strength of this
Strategy above all others, what would it be?
The Strategy's biggest strength is this: it is
comprehensive. This is the first such national strategy designed
to end drug use and drug trafficking, a fully integrated approach
that is an assault on every front. Our plan addresses all the
elements necessary to an effective strategy: school and drug
prevention programs, our treatment system, our laws and criminal
justice system, and our foreign policy. In short, it is just as
comprehensive as the problem. With this strategy, we now have a
plan that coordinates our resources, our programs and the people
who run them.
2
Exactly what will your Strategy mean for my community?
Keep in mind that this is a national, not a federal
strategy. And while Washington cannot solve this problem alone,
Washington will have a role to play. For example, in communities
across the country, we will work through HUD to kick drug dealers
out of public housing, and the Department of Education will
spearhead the Drug Free Schools and Communities program. As far
as actual dollars are concerned, we'll be increasing Federal
support of local treatment programs by $321 million, increasing
assistance to State and local law enforcement by $200 million,
and expanding education and prevention programs in local schools
and communities by $233 million.
Communities, too, have just as big a role to play. The
Administration is urging State and local governments to enact
tougher laws, and increase their funding of local anti-drug
efforts. And most importantly of all, increased community
involvement is key. We are calling on every school, college,
university, and workplace to adopt tough, fair anti-drug
policies.
How are you going to pay for everything you've proposed?
Realistically, don't you think we're going to have to raise
taxes?
No, I don't think we have to raise taxes. If we can
formulate a strategy that works without raising taxes, why not
give it a try? The American people simply do not want higher
3
taxes, and said so during the last Presidential election. I
heard Bill Bennett put it this way the other day: Low taxes did
not cause the drug problem, and high taxes are not going to solve
it.
The Director of the Office of Management and Budget has
transmitted a letter to the Appropriations Committee
recommending funding levels and areas where money can be offset.
The Congress helped formulate this Strategy, and I am looking to
the Congressional leadership for bipartisan support in its
funding and implementation.
Do you really think the money is enough?
There isn't enough money in the Treasury to pay for
everything everyone would like to do. However, this proposal --
at nearly $8 billion -- is the single largest drug budget
increase ever.
But as I said in my national address, those who judge our
strategy only by its price tag simply don't understand the
problem. We all know that money alone won't solve our problems -
- SO we're looking at a coordinated national strategy that unites
the American people at the grassroots level in this difficult
fight.
People in my community believe that we could solve the drug
problem if people just stopped buying drugs. Why spend large
INSERT: Additional Q&A on Drug Strategy (attached)
ADDITIONAL 0 & A ON DRUG STRATEGY
Q.
Are you going to send U.S. troops to fight the drug lords?
A.
Let me explain my policy on the role of U.S. military forces in assisting
countries fighting drug cartels. First of all, none of these countries has asked
for U.S. troops, and there is no contemplation of the use of U.S. Armed Forces
personnel in any combat role in the Andean countries. What the countries did
ask for -- and what we are prepared to provide -- is training for their police
and military personnel, equipment, and operational support. No U.S. military
personnel will accompany host-government forces on actual field operations.
U.S. personnel in these countries will provide training on U.S.-provided
equipment and on the tactics related to the employment of that equipment;
they will also provide logistical support.
4
sums on police and interdiction when we could just stop the
problem through prevention and treatment plans?
We need to deal with both the supply and demand side of the
equation. It is harder for users to stop while drugs are easily
available. We must attempt to reduce the supply because fewer
people will be able to use drugs when drugs are less available.
Good law enforcement deters demand. By making it harder to
obtain drugs, we increase the effectiveness of prevention
programs.
Second, when users seeking help can't physically get to a
treatment program because dealers are on the streets and in the
hallways intimidating them, then enforcement is the first step to
treatment. For both these reasons, we are stepping up our
enforcement and interdiction measures.
AGRICULTURE AND TRADE
How big a role do you envision for agriculture in correcting the
trade imbalance?
Agriculture is a major player in the U.S. economy because it
accounts for 16 percent of the U.S. GNP. Agriculture does its
part in reducing the trade deficit by providing a constant
positive trade balance. Ag exports over last
years up
op
5
What do you think are the most important issues in agriculture
are facing the Administration now?
1990 Farm Bill, the Uruguay Round of trade negotiations,
food safety, and environmental issues all are important. The
next four years at the Department will probably be the busiest in
its history. In the next 15 months, for example, Secretary
Yeutter and his team will negotiate with Congress on the Farm
negotrate
Bill, attend talks with the 96 GATT members on new rules of the
road for international agriculture trade, and then have to modify
the farm legislation to make it consistent with the (ending)
results of the GATT talks.
In fact, my Trade Representative, Carla Hills, has been in
Europe this week with a simple -- and urgent -- message. We need
ambitious results in these trade talks. For too long, we have
only reacted to changes in global trade. The Uruguay Round is
this century's last, best change to act. (The final session of
the Uruguay Round has been set for the first week in December of
1990.)
What is the status of the extension of the steel VRAs and the
negotiation of the international consensus on the elimination of
unfair trade practices?
We have had several rounds of negotiations with each of our
major steel trading partners on the extension of the steel VRAs.
I expect these negotiations to intensify in the next two weeks.
6
It is our expectation that we will conclude new steel agreements
with these countries by September 30.
I am equally optimistic about the success of the
international consensus on the elimination of unfair trade
practices in the steel sector. The negotiation of such a
consensus is critical. We must get to the root cause of the
steel problem -- pervasive unfair trade and closed markets -- if
we are to have a long-term solution for steel. Based on the
results of our discussions with our trading partners to date, I
can tell you that many of them share our concerns. I believe we
can work together to address unfair trade in this sector in a
positive way.
Is the U.S. already extending the economic assistance to Poland
and Hungary that you announced in Warsaw and Budapest, and are we
doing anything more now that a Solidarity government has been
installed in Poland?
Yes, we are moving quickly ahead on all the announced
programs. ^ Secretary Mosbacher will be talking with the Polish
Yesterday, we announced an additional $50 million in food assestance
private investment and next steps
and Hungarian governments about our steps when he visits Budapest
and Warsaw September 17 - 20. Secretary Mosbacher is taking a
group of distinguished American businessmen with him to each
country to intensify the pace of private sector involvement in
these countries. We have already met with other Western
measures are
countries to coordinate assistance, and additional food aid is
will shortly be
already. on its way to Poland, being developed.
7
The Administration has sent a request to Congress for
legislation to establish Enterprise Funds for Poland and Hungary,
and to give us authority to extend OPIC, GSP, environmental and
labor programs. The Congress has promised quick consideration.
What is the current status of our trade relationship with Japan?
As you know, I recently had the pleasure of meeting with the
Mr. Kaifu,
earlier this month.
new Prime Minister on his first visit to Washington, Trade was
an important part of our agenda. A substantial increase in
Japan's imports, especially of manufactured goods, is a key
element in clearing up our trade problems. The Japanese
government has pledged to make Japan an importing "superpower."
I told the Prime Minister I supported this pledge. I urged that
prompt and effective measures be taken to make that goal a
reality.
And in order to reduce our bilateral trade deficit, we have
launched new initiatives to increase market access in Japan for
U.S. exports of satellites, supercomputers and wood products, and
have engaged the Japanese Government in talks aimed at a mutual
elimination of structural barriers to trade and payments
adjustments.
Japan is already our major market for agricultural products
and a key consumer of many semi-processed exports. Our goal is
to greatly increase sales of U.S. manufactured goods in Japan, in
addition to these more traditional sales. We seek to increase
U.S. exports to Japan, not restrict Japanese sales here.
8
Last week, an extensive exchange with the Japanese was held
in the .S.-Japan Trade Committee to address these and other
market access problems.
What will EC 1992 mean for U.S. business and U.S. exporters, and
what is the Administration doing to help U.S. business adjust to
EC 1992?
The EC will not be a fragmented market consisting of 12
countries anymore. Although their Governments will remain
separate, the EC will become a "single internal" market of 320
million people worth over $4 trillion.
The EC 1992 program should benefit U.S. business, as long as
the EC internal market is completed in an open manner. For
example, EC 1992 will mean harmonization of industrial standards
and the opening of markets in traditionally state-dominated
fields such as telecommunications and broadcasting. These should
benefit U.S. exporters.
Our sole concern is that when trade barriers are lowered
within Europe, new barriers are not raised between Europe and the
rest of the world. Our aspiration -- and expectation -- is that
in removing internal barriers, EC 1992 will not result in higher
external barriers to the rest of the world. My Administration is
making every effort to work with the Europeans to ensure this
outcome.
9
The Commerce Department has negotiated or helped negotiate
important agreements with the EC on both industrial standards and
financial services. The Commerce Department has also set up an
office to inform businesses of key developments on the EC 1992
program, helping businesses take advantage of the market
opportunities.
EDUCATION
What is realistically going to be the result of the Education
Summit? What do you hope to accomplish?
If we examine what has happened across the country since the
report "A Nation At Risk", was issued we know that although a
number of states adopted comprehensive reforms, many others did
not. It is also true that elements of long-lasting reform, such
as providing more parental choice in schools for their children,
are not yet pervasive in America. It is clear that we need a
mechanism for obtaining a national consensus on what must be done
across the entire country to improve education. Building that
national consensus begins with collectively determining what our
national aspirations are and how we are going to assure that we
achieve them. Sitting down with the governors begins that
process.
10
Why are education leaders being excluded from the Education
Summit?
They are not. The summit process begins with a number of
small-group meetings I will be holding with education leaders
prior to the Charlottesville meeting. In fact, one was held this
week. These meetings give them the opportunity to discuss their
concerns and advise me on what avenues we should pursue at the
summit. The conference itself is just that -- a summit meeting
of all of the chief executives in the nation with the President
of the United States.
Only Governors will attend for two reasons. First, the fact
that on two prior occasions of great national importance the
President met with the governors as a group (Teddy Roosevelt on
conservation and Franklin Roosevelt on matters related to the
Great Depression) lends an important level of symbolic
significance to the meeting by placing our education crisis on a
very visible plane. Second, while the federal government has a
significant role to play in helping solve our educational
problems, governors must lead the way -- education is, after all,
a state responsibility and maintaining that focus, along with a
bipartisan political orientation, is extremely important.
What topics are going to be discussed?
Revitalizing the teaching profession; improving learning
among students; the responsibilities and authority of various
levels of government; restructuring education and providing more
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choice; achieving a competitive workforce and providing for
lifelong learning in our society; and issues related to
postsecondary education.
What is the role of the Secretary of Education in the Education
Summit? Is he being left out of the planning process? will he
be at your side during the Summit?
The Secretary of Education has been intimately involved in
the planning of the summit and will play a significant role in
its program.
will you be making a major announcement at the Education Summit?
I will deliver a major address as part of the summit.
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