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Document No. 6224355
WHITE HOUSE STAFFING MEMORANDUM
8/1/90 NOON
DATE: 7/30/90
ACTION/CONCURRENCE/COMMENT DUE BY:
SUBJECT: PRESIDENTIAL REMARKS: ALL-AMERICAN CITIES
ACTION FYI
ACTION FYI
VICE PRESIDENT
MCCLURE N/C
SUNUNU
NEWMAN
SCOWCROFT
PORTER
N/C
DARMAN N/C
ROGICH
CARD
UNTERMEYER
CICCONI
ROGERS
DEMAREST
WINSTON
FITZWATER
ANDERSON
GRAY
PINKERTON
HAGIN
HOLIDAY N/C
REMARKS:
Please forward any comments directly to Chriss Winston, Rm. 122,
x2930, no later than NOON, Wednesday, August 1, 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
(Lange/Cawley)
July 30, 1990
5:30 P.M.
1990 JUL 30 PM 6: 03
[CITIES.DOC]
PRESIDENTIAL REMARKS: ALL-AMERICAN CITIES AWARDS
THE ROSE GARDEN
MONDAY, AUGUST 6, 1990
10:00 A.M.
Welcome! It's an honor and a pleasure to have you here at
the White House. [[
11.
You know, too often it seems that the function of the
Federal government is to make laws and set limits. That's one
reason this event is so special. Because the cities and citizens
we honor today are reminders that America's potential is truly
unlimited.
The All-American Cities are great American success stories.
In a time when so many mourn what's wrong with American cities,
you have quietly gone to work to make them right.
You have refused to surrender to crime, to drug dealers, to
despair, to natural disaster. You've refused to see the problems
of the homeless and the jobless as somehow impossible to solve.
Instead, you've set out to unleash the infinite range of
what's possible, when Americans put their minds to it. And along
the way, you've reaffirmed the American ideal of empowerment.
Empowerment sounds like a new idea -- but it's something
President Teddy Roosevelt well understood, and wanted to promote,
when he founded the National Civic League in 1894.
"There are many different ways," he once wrote, "in which a
man or a woman can work for the higher life of American cities."
2
Well, the men and women with us today are proving Teddy Roosevelt
right.
So we've gathered to celebrate the spirit of empowerment,
and the potential of partnerships -- perhaps unique to America
-- that in an earlier time could have built a meeting house, or
raised a barn on a windswept field.
Today, these All-American cities are forming partnerships
for challenges of every kind -- in small industrial towns and
urban canyons -- as citizens, businesses, government and
volunteers are joining forces for the future of their
communities.
In some cases they've mobilized after an accident, like
Flight 232 in Sioux City, Iowa -- whose citizens had planned and
acted on an outstanding emergency response system.
Or they've responded to a natural disaster, the way the
people of Charlotte, North Carolina did after Hurricane Hugo.
All Americans were uplifted by stories of courage and compassion
that emerged during those difficult times. It seemed no hand was
idle -- and certainly no heart was untouched.
But these cities and others have been most notable, I think,
for their courage and creativity in meeting longer-term
challenges.
When the community of South Gate in Los Angeles faced an
explosion of young kids -- many of them immigrant and at-risk in
overcrowded classrooms -- civic volunteers and local businesses
3
volunteered money, time and talent to turn the tide against drugs
and gangs.
The kids -- 15,000 of them -- got involved in marches,
poster and essay contests, assemblies, and anti-gang, anti-drug
pledges. Test scores improved. Attendance went from among the
lowest to the highest in the L.A. school district. And the drop-
out rate is now the lowest in the city.
The same vision for a better future has driven the city of
South St. Paul, as they deal with change and new challenges.
Rather than mourning the loss of a key industry, citizens began
to plan a public walkway and trail system on old industrial land
along the river.
Volunteers worked tirelessly at town meetings to convince
their neighbors that urban renewal means an improved city,
economic growth and new jobs. Stock certificates for
"Mississippi Miles" were sold for a dollar each, enlisting even
the kids.
And now, the center of South St. Paul is coming back to
life. One high school senior even told a local historian,
"I just have to thank you for giving me back my home town."
For forty years, the National Civic League has recognized
community excellence through these awards. Success stories like
these are a hopeful reminder, that the success of democracy
depends on the resilience and capacity of citizens for self-
governance, education, civic responsibility, and economic
development.
4
We single out all ten of these cities, not because they
claim to be the "best" cities in America -- I think they're too
smart or modest for that -- but because they represent what's
best about American cities.
Rather than looking for an outside solution or quick fix,
they're looking within for the answers -- and they're finding
them.
By recognizing and unleashing the power and potential of the
people themselves, they're proving that big cities can meet
enormous challenges -- and small towns can do big things.
So congratulations to you all. You've earned the admiration
of a nation. Because when people say, "It's never been done" --
you're doing it.
When they ask, "Why bother?" -- you're asking "Why not?"
And when they say, "You can't get there from here" -- you've
proved that you can.
[And now I'd like to present
]
# # #
(Lange/Cawley)
August 1, 1990
8:15 P.M.
[CITIES.DOC]
PRESIDENTIAL REMARKS: ALL-AMERICAN CITIES AWARDS
THE ROSE GARDEN
MONDAY, AUGUST 6, 1990
10:00 A.M.
Welcome! Henry Cisneros, Chair of the National Civic
League; Wayne Hedien [heh-DEEN] of Allstate; Members of Congress,
State Representatives, Mayors -- and above all, friends of some
of the finest cities in America. ///
It's an honor and a
pleasure to have you here at the White House.
[[
Before we get started, I want to bring up an issue of
some interest to this group -- and of great interest to the
nation as a whole. Because after this ceremony, I'll be heading
over to the Briefing Room, to explain what didn't happen in the
budget summit -- and why it didn't happen.
I took the initiative last Spring, and invited the leaders
of Congress to the White House for a bipartisan budget summit.
For two reasons: to preserve economic growth; and to avoid the
meat-ax of indiscriminate cuts across the board -- the kind
a sequestration brings.
I took the heat this Summer, for agreeing to put everything
on the table in those negotiations -- including tax revenue
increases -- and we all watched as some took the opportunity to
make political hay, instead of progress.
In spite of that summit, the House Budget committee passed a
budget more than 17 billion dollars over the Gramm-Rudman-
Hollings targets.
2
And in spite of our calls for budget reform, the Senate
Budget Committee voted on a bill that weakened the budget
process.
Now Congress has gone on recess. And 86 days after I called
on the Democrat leaders in the Congress to work with me toward a
bipartisan budget solution -- after nearly three months -- the
Democrats have yet to offer one single proposal.
When the Congress comes back, let them understand this:
I will veto any and every spending bill that exceeds the Gramm-
Rudman-Hollings baseline. /// Now that we've cleared that up,
on to the business at hand. ]]
Too often it seems that the function of the Federal
government is to make laws and set limits. That's one reason
this event is so special. Because the cities and citizens we
honor today are reminders that America's potential is truly
unlimited.
The All-American Cities are great American success stories.
In a time when so many mourn what's wrong with American cities,
you have quietly gone to work to make them right.
You have refused to surrender to crime, to drug dealers, to
despair, to natural disaster. You've refused to see the problems
of the homeless and the jobless as somehow impossible to solve.
Instead, you've set out to unleash the infinite range of
what's possible, when Americans put their minds to it. And along
the way, you've reaffirmed the American ideal of empowerment.
Empowerment sounds like a new idea -- but it's something
3
President Teddy Roosevelt well understood, and wanted to promote,
when he founded the National Civic League in 1894.
"There are many different ways," he once wrote, "in which a
man or a woman can work for the higher life of American cities."
Well, the men and women with us today are proving Teddy Roosevelt
right.
So we've gathered to celebrate the spirit of empowerment,
and the potential of partnerships -- perhaps unique to America
-- that in an earlier time could have built a meeting house, or
raised a barn on a windswept field.
Today, these All-American cities are forming partnerships
for challenges of every kind -- in small industrial towns and
urban canyons -- as citizens, businesses, government and
volunteers are joining forces for the future of their
communities.
In some cases they've mobilized after an accident, like
Flight 232 in Sioux City, Iowa -- whose citizens had planned and
acted on an outstanding emergency response system.
Or they've responded to a natural disaster, the way the
people of Charlotte-Mecklenburg, North Carolina did, after
Hurricane Hugo. All Americans were uplifted by stories of
courage and compassion that emerged during those difficult times.
It seemed no hand was idle -- and certainly no heart was
untouched.
But these cities and others have been most notable, I think,
for their courage and creativity in meeting longer-term
4
challenges.
When the community of South Gate in Los Angeles faced an
explosion of young kids -- many of them immigrant and at-risk in
overcrowded classrooms -- civic volunteers and local businesses
volunteered money, time and talent to turn the tide against drugs
and gangs.
The kids -- 15,000 of them -- got involved in marches,
poster and essay contests, assemblies, and anti-gang, anti-drug
pledges. Test scores improved. Attendance went from among the
lowest to among the highest in the L.A. school district. And the
drop-out rate is now the lowest in the L.A. Unified School
District. An outstanding case study in how to save our schools.
The same vision for a better future has driven the city of
South St. Paul, as they deal with change and new challenges.
Rather than mourning the loss of a key industry, citizens began
to plan a public walkway and trail system on old industrial land
along the river.
Volunteers worked tirelessly at town meetings to convince
their neighbors that urban renewal means an improved city,
economic growth and new jobs. Stock certificates for
"Mississippi Miles" were sold for a dollar each, enlisting even
the kids.
And now, the center of South St. Paul is coming back to
life. One high school senior even told a local historian,
"I just have to thank you for giving me back my home town."
For forty-one years, the National Civic League has
5
recognized community excellence through these awards. Success
stories like these -- as in Bakersfield, California; Tampa,
Florida; Coeur d'Alene [CURR-de-lane], Idaho; Hamlet, North
Carolina; Harrisburg, Pennsylvania; and Abilene, Texas -- all are
a hopeful reminder, that the success of democracy depends on the
resilience and capacity of citizens for self-governance,
education, civic responsibility, and economic development.
We single out all ten of these cities, not because they
claim to be the "best" cities in America -- I think they're too
smart or modest for that -- but because they represent what's
best about American cities.
Rather than looking for an outside solution or quick fix,
they're looking within for the answers -- and they're finding
them.
By recognizing and unleashing the power and potential of the
people themselves, they're proving that big cities can meet
enormous challenges -- and small towns can do big things.
So congratulations to you all. You've earned the admiration
of a nation. Because when people say, "It's never been done" --
you're doing it. And when they say, "You can't get there from
here" -- you've proved that you can. //
[[
And now we'd like to present this year's awards ]]
# # #
Brachet langage Potus can fee
of Con don't
recess, all
Ciccone- staff -hold
(Lange/Cawley)
to DAMAN to:
this is off
August 1, 1990
5:30 P.M.
SENCINU
[CITIES.DOC]
PRESIDENTIAL REMARKS: ALL-AMERICAN CITIES AWARDS
THE ROSE GARDEN
MONDAY, AUGUST 6, 1990
10:00 A.M.
Welcome! Henry Cisneros, Chair of the National Civic
League; Wayne Hedien [heh-DEEN] of Allstate; Members of Congress,
State Representatives, Mayors -- and above all, friends of some
of the finest cities in America. ///
It's an honor and a
pleasure to have you here at the White House. while some into this group
You know, too often it seems that the function of the
country
Federal government is to make laws and set limits. That's one
reason this event is so special. Because the cities and citizens
we honor today are reminders that America's potential is truly
unlimited.
The All-American Cities are great American success stories.
In a time when so many mourn what's wrong with American cities,
you have quietly gone to work to make them right.
You have refused to surrender to crime, to drug dealers, to
despair, to natural disaster. You've refused to see the problems
of the homeless and the jobless as somehow impossible to solve.
Instead, you've set out to unleash the infinite range of
what's possible, when Americans put their minds to it. And along
the way, you've reaffirmed the American ideal of empowerment.
2
Empowerment sounds like a new idea -- but it's something
President Teddy Roosevelt well understood, and wanted to promote,
when he founded the National Civic League in 1894.
"There are many different ways," he once wrote, "in which a
man or a woman can work for the higher life of American cities."
Well, the men and women with us today are proving Teddy Roosevelt
right.
So we've gathered to celebrate the spirit of empowerment,
and the potential of partnerships -- perhaps unique to America
-- that in an earlier time could have built a meeting house, or
raised a barn on a windswept field.
Today, these All-American cities are forming partnerships
for challenges of every kind -- in small industrial towns and
urban canyons -- as citizens, businesses, government and
volunteers are joining forces for the future of their
communities.
In some cases they've mobilized after an accident, like
Flight 232 in Sioux City, Iowa --- whose citizens had planned and
acted on an outstanding emergency response system.
Or they've responded to a natural disaster, the way the
people of Charlotte-Mecklenburg, North Carolina did, after
Hurricane Hugo. All Americans were uplifted by stories of
courage and compassion that emerged during those difficult times.
It seemed no hand was idle -- and certainly no heart was
untouched.
3
But these cities and others have been most notable, I think,
for their courage and creativity in meeting longer-term
challenges.
When the community of South Gate in Los Angeles faced an
explosion of young kids -- many of them immigrant and at-risk in
overcrowded classrooms -- civic volunteers and local businesses
volunteered money, time and talent to turn the tide against drugs
and gangs.
The kids -- 15,000 of them --- got involved in marches,
poster and essay contests, assemblies, and anti-gang, anti-drug
pledges. Test scores improved. Attendance went from among the
lowest to among the highest in the L.A. school district. And the
drop-out rate is now the lowest in the L.A. Unified School
District. An outstanding case study in how to save our schools.
The same vision for a better future has driven the city of
South St. Paul, as they deal with change and new challenges.
Rather than mourning the loss of a key industry, citizens began
to plan a public walkway and trail system on old industrial land
along the river.
Volunteers worked tirelessly at town meetings to convince
their neighbors that urban renewal means an improved city,
economic growth and new jobs. Stock certificates for
"Mississippi Miles" were sold for a dollar each, enlisting even
the kids.
And now, the center of South St. Paul is coming back to
life. One high school senior even told a local historian,
4
"I just have to thank you for giving me back my home town. "
For forty-one years, the National Civic League has
recognized community excellence through these awards. Success
stories like these -- as in Bakersfield, California; Tampa,
Florida; Coeur d'Alene [CURR-de-lane], Idaho; Hamlet, North
Carolina; Harrisburg, Pennsylvania; and Abilene, Texas -- all are
a hopeful reminder, that the success of democracy depends on the
resilience and capacity of citizens for self-governance,
education, civic responsibility, and economic development.
We single out all ten of these cities, not because they
claim to be the "best" cities in America --- I think they're too
smart or modest for that -- but because they represent what's
best about American cities.
Rather than looking for an outside solution or quick fix,
they're looking within for the answers -- and they're finding
them.
By recognizing and unleashing the power and potential of the
people themselves, they're proving that big cities can meet
enormous challenges -- and small towns can do big things.
So congratulations to you all. You've earned the admiration
of a nation. Because when people say, "It's never been done" --
you're doing it. And when they say, "You can't get there from
here" -- you've proved that you can. //
But before we present the awards, there's something I want
to mention. Something important to this group -- and crucial to
the country at large.
9
5
After I leave here, I'm going over to the Briefing Room, to
explain what didn't happened in the budget summit we hold here
last week and why it didn't happen.
I took the initiative last Spring, and invited the leaders
of Congress to the White House for a bipartisan budget summit.
For two reasons: to preserve economic growth -- and to avoid the
meat-ax of indiscriminate cuts across the board the kind a sequestration
brings.
I took the heat this Summer, for agreeing to put everything
on the table in those negotiations including tax revenue
as some took the opportunity to
increases -- and we all watched the Democratic Party machinery
make political hay, instead of progress.
In spite of that summit -- despite promises of good faith
even though I'd offered new reductions in Defense and
entitlements that would save over $50 billion in 1991 the
House Budget committee passed a budget more than 17 billion
dollars over the Gramm-Rudman-Hollings targets.
And in spite of calls for budget reform, the Senate
Budget Committee voted on a bill that weakened the budget
process.
Now Congress has gone on recess. And 86 days after I called
on the Democrat leaders in the Congress to work with me toward a
bipartisan budget solution -- after nearly three months -- the
Democrats have yet to offer one single proposal.
This fall, the American people are going to understand that
failure to govern. And When the Congress comes back, let them
6
understand this: I will veto any and every spending bill that
exceeds the Gramm-Rudman-Hollings baseline.
[[ Remember that little old lady who used to run around
yelling, Where's the beef?" Well, we need a Congress willing to
ask, "Where's the Pork!" TI And the courage to Just Say No. ]]
But we gathered here to pay our respects to Americans
with the courage and creativity to find their own solutions, and
not wait for the Federal Government.
So before I head for the Briefing Room, let's present this
year's awards
# # #
4
"I just have to thank you for giving me back my home town."
For forty-one years, the National Civic League has
recognized community excellence through these awards. Success
stories like these -- as in Bakersfield, California; Tampa,
Florida; Coeur d'Alene [CURR-de-lane], Idaho; Hamlet, North
Carolina; Harrisburg, Pennsylvania; and Abilene, Texas -- all are
a hopeful reminder, that the success of democracy depends on the
resilience and capacity of citizens for self-governance,
education, civic responsibility, and economic development.
We single out all ten of these cities, not because they
claim to be the "best" cities in America -- I think they're too
smart or modest for that -- but because they represent what's
best about American cities.
Rather than looking for an outside solution or quick fix,
they're looking within for the answers -- and they're finding
them.
By recognizing and unleashing the power and potential of the
people themselves, they're proving that big cities can meet
enormous challenges -- and small towns can do big things.
So congratulations to you all. You've earned the admiration
of a nation. Because when people say, "It's never been done" --
you're doing it.
And when they say, "You can't get there from here" -- you've
proved that you can.
[[And now we'd like to present this year's awards ]]
# # #
Toward close
mention to this group -country (a large
intall in budget
a
clidegory to briefing cen
totporen
econfolth
why called 2-tall
defore on against
the not fre
segarts. an offer
a single proposal
As left Jown w/o officy
Mala Sure all Am's how how
gotint uss
OFFICE OF THE VICE PRESIDENT
WASHINGTON
August 2, 1990
NOTE TO CHRISS WINSTON
DEPUTY ASSISTANT TO THE PRESIDENT FOR COMMUNICATIONS
FROM: BILL KRISTOL WK
CHIEF OF STAFF
Here's suggested substitute material regarding the budget for the
President's remarks Monday.
CC: Governor Sununu
Dick Darmen
Jim Cicconi
Andy Card
Ed Rogers
Well, after the Congress has had its rest, here's what I expect:
First, I expect the Congress to endorse our proposal to cut the
capital gains tax. This is key to continued economic growth.
Last year's failure -- caused by the Democratic leadership in
Congress -- to pass this tax cut has already cost America jobs,
and has increased the federal deficit. If the Congress really
wants economic growth and increased government revenues, the
place to start is not with tax increases -- it's with a capital
gains tax cut.
Second, I expect the Congress to get serious about spending. In
I sent the Congress a budget which held spending at
responsible levels. In the X months since then, the House has
passed X appropriations bills which spend X billion more than my
request -- and some of the pork they've added has to be seen to
be beleived. (examples) And X months later, we haven't seen one
word of any responsible spending proposal from the Democrats.
Ladies and gentlemen, I promise you this. I will veto any
spending bill that exceeds the Gramm-Rudman-Hollings baseline.
And I can also say that if the Democrats do not produce a budget
proposal with real cuts in their pet programs by Labor Day --
then they're still not serious about cutting the deficit.
Finally, I expect the Congress to reform this zany budget process
once and for all. Instead of voting against the Balanced Budget
Amendment, and then complaining about deficits, they ought to
pass the Amendment and then give me a line item veto so we can
get the job done.
Well, that's what I expect from the Democrats in Congress when
they return. I don't think it's too much to ask for -- but I do
think it's about time for them to join us in trying to govern
responsibly. And if it doesn't happen soon, then the Democrats
will have to take responsibilty for the pain that will result
when the Gramm-Rudman-Hollings axe falls in October.
(Lange/Cawley)
August 1, 1990
3:30 P.M.
[CITIES.DOC]
PRESIDENTIAL REMARKS:
ALL-AMERICAN CITIES AWARDS
THE ROSE GARDEN
MONDAY, AUGUST 6, 1990
10:00 A.M.
Welcome! Henry Cisneros, Chair of the National Civic
League; Wayne Hedien [heh-DEEN] of Allstate; Members of Congress,
State Representatives, Mayors -- and above all, friends of some
of the finest cities in America. ///
It's an honor and a
pleasure to have you here at the White House.
You know, too often it seems that the function of the
Federal government is to make laws and set limits. That's one
reason this event is so special. Because the cities and citizens
we honor today are reminders that America's potential is truly
unlimited.
The All-American Cities are great American success stories.
In a time when so many mourn what's wrong with American cities,
you have quietly gone to work to make them right.
You have refused to surrender to crime, to drug dealers, to
despair, to natural disaster. You've refused to see the problems
of the homeless and the jobless as somehow impossible to solve.
Instead, you've set out to unleash the infinite range of
what's possible, when Americans put their minds to it. And along
the way, you've reaffirmed the American ideal of empowerment.
2
Empowerment sounds like a new idea -- but it's something
President Teddy Roosevelt well understood, and wanted to promote,
when he founded the National Civic League in 1894.
"There are many different ways," he once wrote, "in which a
man or a woman can work for the higher life of American cities."
Well, the men and women with us today are proving Teddy Roosevelt
right.
So we've gathered to celebrate the spirit of empowerment,
and the potential of partnerships -- perhaps unique to America
-- that in an earlier time could have built a meeting house, or
raised a barn on a windswept field.
Today, these All-American cities are forming partnerships
for challenges of every kind -- in small industrial towns and
urban canyons -- as citizens, businesses, government and
volunteers are joining forces for the future of their
communities.
In some cases they've mobilized after an accident, like
Flight 232 in Sioux City, Iowa -- whose citizens had planned and
acted on an outstanding emergency response system.
Or they've responded to a natural disaster, the way the
people of Charlotte-Mecklenburg, North Carolina did, after
Hurricane Hugo. All Americans were uplifted by stories of
courage and compassion that emerged during those difficult times.
It seemed no hand was idle -- and certainly no heart was
untouched.
3
But these cities and others have been most notable, I think,
for their courage and creativity in meeting longer-term
challenges.
When the community of South Gate in Los Angeles faced an
explosion of young kids -- many of them immigrant and at-risk - in
overcrowded classrooms -- civic volunteers and local businesses
volunteered money, time and talent to turn the tide against drugs
and gangs.
The kids -- 15,000 of them -- got involved in marches,
poster and essay contests, assemblies, and anti-gang, anti-drug
pledges. Test scores improved. Attendance went from among the
lowest to among the highest in the L.A. school district. And the
drop-out rate is now the lowest in the L.A. Unified School
District. An outstanding case study in how to save our schools.
The same vision for a better future has driven the city of
South St. Paul, as they deal with change and new challenges.
Rather than mourning the loss of a key industry, citizens began
to plan a public walkway and trail system on old industrial land
along the river.
Volunteers worked tirelessly at town meetings to convince
their neighbors that urban renewal means an improved city,
economic growth and new jobs. Stock certificates for
"Mississippi Miles" were sold for a dollar each, enlisting even
the kids.
And now, the center of South St. Paul is coming back to
life. One high school senior even told a local historian,
4
"I just have to thank you for giving me back my home town."
For forty-one years, the National Civic League has
recognized community excellence through these awards. Success
stories like these -- as in Bakersfield, California; Tampa,
Florida; Coeur d'Alene [CURR-de-lane], Idaho; Hamlet, North
Carolina; Harrisburg, Pennsylvania; and Abilene, Texas -- all are
a hopeful reminder, that the success of democracy depends on the
resilience and capacity of citizens for self-governance,
education, civic responsibility, and economic development.
We single out all ten of these cities, not because they
claim to be the "best" cities in America -- I think they're too
smart or modest for that -- but because they represent what's
best about American cities.
Rather than looking for an outside solution or quick fix,
they're looking within for the answers -- and they're finding
them.
By recognizing and unleashing the power and potential of the
people themselves, they're proving that big cities can meet
enormous challenges -- and small towns can do big things.
So congratulations to you all. You've earned the admiration
of a nation. Because when people say, "It's never been done" --
you're doing it.
And when they say, "You can't get there from here" -- you've
proved that you can.
[[And now we'd like to present this year's awards
]]
# # #
Withdrawal/Redaction Sheet
(George Bush Library)
Document No.
Subject/Title of Document
Date
Restriction
Class.
and Type
01. List
All-American Award Winners Participants; personal
08/06/90
P-6, (b)(6)
information. (4 pp.)
Collection:
Record Group:
Bush Presidential Records
Office:
Speechwriting, White House Office of
Series:
Speech File, Drafts
Subseries:
WHORM Cat.:
File Location:
All-American Cities Awards 08/06/90 [2]
Date Closed:
9/20/2004
OA/ID Number:
05376
FOIA/SYS Case #:
Re-review Case #:
2004-2249-S
P-2/P-5 Review Case #:
MR Case #:
Appeal Case #:
MR Disposition:
Appeal Disposition:
Disposition Date:
Disposition Date:
RESTRICTION CODES
Presidential Records Act - [44 U.S.C. 2204(a)]
Freedom of Information Act - [5 U.S.C. 552(b)]
P-1 National Security Classified Information [(a)(1) of the PRA]
(b)(1) National security classified information [(b)(1) of the FOIA]
P-2 Relating to the appointment to Federal office [(a)(2) of the PRA]
(b)(2) Release would disclose internal personnel rules and practices of an
P-3 Release would violate a Federal statute [(a)(3) of the PRA]
agency [(b)(2) of the FOIA]
P-4 Release would disclose trade secrets or confidential commercial or
(b)(3) Release would violate a Federal statute [(b)(3) of the FOIA]
financial information [(a)(4) of the PRA]
(b)(4) Release would disclose trade secrets or confidential or financial
P-5 Release would disclose confidential advise between the President
information [(b)(4) of the FOIA]
and his advisors, or between such advisors [a)(5) of the PRA]
(b)(6) Release would constitute a clearly unwarranted invasion of
P-6 Release would constitute a clearly unwarranted invasion of
personal privacy [(b)(6) of the FOIA]
personal privacy [(a)(6) of the PRA]
(b)(7) Release would disclose information compiled for law enforcement
purposes [(b)(7) of the FOIA]
C. Closed in accordance with restrictions contained in donor's deed of
(b)(8) Release would disclose information concerning the regulation of
gift.
financial institutions [(b)(8) of the FOIA]
(b)(9) Release would disclose geological or geophysical information
Withdrawal/Redaction Sheet
(George Bush Library)
Document No.
Subject/Title of Document
Date
Restriction
Class.
and Type
02. List
Participants in Rose Garden Ceremony for All-American
07/31/90
P-6, (b)(6)
Cities; personal information. (1 pp.)
Collection:
Record Group:
Bush Presidential Records
Office:
Speechwriting, White House Office of
Series:
Speech File, Drafts
Subseries:
WHORM Cat.:
File Location:
All-American Cities Awards 08/06/90 [2]
Date Closed:
9/20/2004
OA/ID Number:
05376
FOIA/SYS Case #:
Re-review Case #:
2004-2249-S
P-2/P-5 Review Case #:
MR Case #:
Appeal Case #:
MR Disposition:
Appeal Disposition:
Disposition Date:
Disposition Date:
RESTRICTION CODES
Presidential Records Act - [44 U.S.C. 2204(a)]
Freedom of Information Act - [5 U.S.C. 552(b)]
P-1 National Security Classified Information [(a)(1) of the PRA]
(b)(1) National security classified information [(b)(1) of the FOIA]
P-2 Relating to the appointment to Federal office [(a)(2) of the PRA]
(b)(2) Release would disclose internal personnel rules and practices of an
P-3 Release would violate a Federal statute [(a)(3) of the PRA]
agency [(b)(2) of the FOIA]
P-4 Release would disclose trade secrets or confidential commercial or
(b)(3) Release would violate a Federal statute [(b)(3) of the FOIA]
financial information [(a)(4) of the PRA]
(b)(4) Release would disclose trade secrets or confidential or financial
P-5 Release would disclose confidential advise between the President
information [(b)(4) of the FOIA]
and his advisors, or between such advisors [a)(5) of the PRA]
(b)(6) Release would constitute a clearly unwarranted invasion of
P-6 Release would constitute a clearly unwarranted invasion of
-
personal privacy [(b)(6) of the FOIA]
personal privacy [(a)(6) of the PRA]
(b)(7) Release would disclose information compiled for law enforcement
purposes [(b)(7) of the FOIA]
C. Closed in accordance with restrictions contained in donor's deed of
(b)(8) Release would disclose information concerning the regulation of
gift.
financial institutions [(b)(8) of the FOIA]
(b)(9) Release would disclose geological or geophysical information
Document No. 16224355
WHITE HOUSE STAFFING MEMORANDUM
90 AUG I P4: 37
7/30/90
8/1/90 NOON
DATE:
ACTION/CONCURRENCE/COMMENT DUE BY:
SUBJECT: PRESIDENTIAL REMARKS: ALL-AMERICAN CITIES
ACTION FYI
ACTION FYI
VICE PRESIDENT
MCCLURE
SUNUNU
NEWMAN
SCOWCROFT
PORTER
DARMAN
ROGICH
CARD
UNTERMEYER
CICCONI
ROGERS
DEMAREST
WINSTON
FITZWATER
ANDERSON
GRAY
PINKERTON
HAGIN
HOLIDAY
REMARKS:
Please forward any comments directly to Chriss Winston, Rm. 122,
x2930, no later than NOON, Wednesday, August 1, with a copy to
my office. Thank you.
RESPONSE:
for SR
James W. Cicconi
Assistant to the President
and Deputy to the Chief of Staff
Ext. 2702
(Lange/Cawley)
July 30, 1990
5:30 P.M.
1990 JUL 30 PM 6: 03
[CITIES.DOC]
PRESIDENTIAL REMARKS: ALL-AMERICAN CITIES AWARDS
THE ROSE GARDEN
MONDAY, AUGUST 6, 1990
10:00 A.M.
Welcome! It's an honor and a pleasure to have you here at
the White House. [[
11.
You know, too often it seems that the function of the
Federal government is to make laws and set limits. That's one
reason this event is so special. Because the cities and citizens
we honor today are reminders that America's potential is truly
unlimited.
The All-American Cities are great American success stories.
In a time when so many mourn what's wrong with American cities,
you have quietly gone to work to make them right.
You have refused to surrender to crime, to drug dealers, to
despair, to natural disaster. You've refused to see the problems
of the homeless and the jobless as somehow impossible to solve.
Instead, you've set out to unleash the infinite range of
what's possible, when Americans put their minds to it. And along
the way, you've reaffirmed the American ideal of empowerment.
Empowerment sounds like a new idea -- but it's something
President Teddy Roosevelt well understood, and wanted to promote,
when he founded the National Civic League in 1894.
"There are many different ways," he once wrote, "in which a
man or a woman can work for the higher life of American cities."
2
Well, the men and women with us today are proving Teddy Roosevelt
right.
So we've gathered to celebrate the spirit of empowerment,
and the potential of partnerships -- perhaps unique to America
-- that in an earlier time could have built a meeting house, or
raised a barn on a windswept field.
Today, these All-American cities are forming partnerships
for challenges of every kind -- in small industrial towns and
urban canyons -- as citizens, businesses, government and
volunteers are joining forces for the future of their
communities.
In some cases they've mobilized after an accident, like
Flight 232 in Sioux City, Iowa -- whose citizens had planned and
acted on an outstanding emergency response system.
Or they've responded to a natural disaster, the way the
people of Charlotte, North Carolina did after Hurricane Hugo.
All Americans were uplifted by stories of courage and compassion
that emerged during those difficult times. It seemed no hand was
idle -- and certainly no heart was untouched.
But these cities and others have been most notable, I think,
for their courage and creativity in meeting longer-term
challenges.
When the community of South Gate in Los Angeles faced an
explosion of young kids -- many of them immigrant and at-risk in
overcrowded classrooms -- civic volunteers and local businesses
3
volunteered money, time and talent to turn the tide against drugs
and gangs.
The kids -- 15,000 of them -- got involved in marches,
poster and essay contests, assemblies, and anti-gang, anti-drug
pledges. Test scores improved. Attendance went from among the
lowest to the highest in the L.A. school district. And the drop-
out rate is now the lowest in the city.
The same vision for a better future has driven the city of
South St. Paul, as they deal with change and new challenges.
Rather than mourning the loss of a key industry, citizens began
to plan a public walkway and trail system on old industrial land
along the river.
Volunteers worked tirelessly at town meetings to convince
their neighbors that urban renewal means an improved city,
economic growth and new jobs. Stock certificates for
"Mississippi Miles" were sold for a dollar each, enlisting even
the kids.
And now, the center of South St. Paul is coming back to
life. One high school senior even told a local historian,
"I just have to thank you for giving me back my home town."
For forty years, the National Civic League has recognized
community excellence through these awards. Success stories like
these are a hopeful reminder, that the success of democracy
depends on the resilience and capacity of citizens for self-
governance, education, civic responsibility, and economic
development.
4
We single out all ten of these cities, not because they
claim to be the "best" cities in America -- I think they're too
smart or modest for that -- but because they represent what's
best about American cities.
Rather than looking for an outside solution or quick fix,
they're looking within for the answers -- and they're finding
them.
By recognizing and unleashing the power and potential of the
people themselves, they're proving that big cities can meet
enormous challenges -- and small towns can do big things.
So congratulations to you all. You've earned the admiration
of a nation. Because when people say, "It's never been done" --
you're doing it.
When they ask, "Why bother?" -- you're asking "Why not?"
And when they say, "You can't get there from here" -- you've
proved that you can.
[And now I'd like to present
]
# # #
THE WHITE HOUSE
wASHINGTON
mt
DO_AUG_I 00 P12:52
August 1, 1990
MEMORANDUM FOR CHRISS WINSTON
THROUGH:
DEBRA R. ANDERSON Enter
Deputy Assistant to the President and Director of
the Office of Intergovernmental Affairs
FROM:
WILLIAM J. CANARY, JR.
Special Assistant to the President for
Intergovernmental Affairs
SUBJECT:
PRESIDENTIAL REMARKS
ALL AMERICAN CITIES EVENT / AUGUST 6
After reviewing the Presidential remarks for the All American
Cities event, it is my belief that it would be inappropriate not
to reference the ten cities that are receiving the awards. The
remarks currently make reference to four of the ten cities -
Sioux City, Iowa; Charlotte, North Carolina; South Gate,
California; and South Saint Paul, Minnesota. The remaining six
cities should be similarly referenced. If this cannot be
accomplished, I would appreciate the opportunity for discussion.
THE WHITE HOUSE
WASHINGTON
August 1, 1990
All-America City Award Winners
Bakersfield, California
South Gate, California
Tampa, Florida
Coeur d'Alene, Idaho
Sioux City, Iowa
South Saint Paul, Minnesota
Hamlet, North Carolina
Charlotte, North Carolina
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
Abilene, Texas
Document No. 16224355
WHITE HOUSE STAFFING MEMORANDUM
90 AUG I P12: 12
7/30/90
8/1/90 NOON
DATE:
ACTION/CONCURRENCE/COMMENT DUE BY:
SUBJECT: PRESIDENTIAL REMARKS: ALL-AMERICAN CITIES
ACTION FYI
ACTION FYI
VICE PRESIDENT
MCCLURE
SUNUNU
NEWMAN
SCOWCROFT
PORTER
DARMAN
ROGICH
CARD
UNTERMEYER
CICCONI
ROGERS
DEMAREST
WINSTON
FITZWATER
ANDERSON
GRAY
PINKERTON
HAGIN
HOLIDAY
REMARKS:
Please forward any comments directly to Chriss Winston, Rm. 122,
x2930, no later than NOON, Wednesday, August 1, with a copy to
my office. Thank you.
RESPONSE:
NO COMMENTS. THANKS.
HOLLY WILLIAMSON Holley
8-1-90
James W. Cicconi
Assistant to the President
and Deputy to the Chief of Staff
Ext. 2702
Document No. 16224355
WHITE HOUSE STAFFING MEMORANDUM
90 AUG I All : 51
7/30/90
8/1/90 NOON
DATE:
ACTION/CONCURRENCE/COMMENT DUE BY:
SUBJECT: PRESIDENTIAL REMARKS: ALL-AMERICAN CITIES
ACTION FYI
ACTION FYI
VICE PRESIDENT
MCCLURE
SUNUNU
NEWMAN
SCOWCROFT
PORTER
DARMAN
ROGICH
CARD
UNTERMEYER
CICCONI
ROGERS
DEMAREST
WINSTON
FITZWATER
ANDERSON
PINKERTON
W
GRAY
HAGIN
HOLIDAY
REMARKS:
Please forward any comments directly to Chriss Winston, Rm. 122,
x2930, no later than NOON, Wednesday, August 1, with a copy to
my office. Thank you.
RESPONSE: no comment
James W. Cicconi
Assistant to the President
and Deputy to the Chief of Staff
Ext. 2702
(Lange/Cawley)
July 30, 1990
5:30 P.M.
1990 JUL 30 PM 6: 03
[CITIES.DOC]
PRESIDENTIAL REMARKS: ALL-AMERICAN CITIES AWARDS
THE ROSE GARDEN
MONDAY, AUGUST 6, 1990
10:00 A.M.
Welcome! It's an honor and a pleasure to have you here at
the White House. [[
11.
You know, too often it seems that the function of the
Federal government is to make laws and set limits. That's one
reason this event is so special. Because the cities and citizens
we honor today are reminders that America's potential is truly
unlimited.
The All-American Cities are great American success stories.
In a time when so many mourn what's wrong with American cities,
you have quietly gone to work to make them right.
You have refused to surrender to crime, to drug dealers, to
despair, to natural disaster. You've refused to see the problems
of the homeless and the jobless as somehow impossible to solve.
Instead, you've set out to unleash the infinite range of
what's possible, when Americans put their minds to it. And along
the way, you've reaffirmed the American ideal of empowerment.
Empowerment sounds like a new idea -- but it's something
President Teddy Roosevelt well understood, and wanted to promote,
when he founded the National Civic League in 1894.
"There are many different ways," he once wrote, "in which a
man or a woman can work for the higher life of American cities."
2
Well, the men and women with us today are proving Teddy Roosevelt
right.
So we've gathered to celebrate the spirit of empowerment,
and the potential of partnerships -- perhaps unique to America
-- that in an earlier time could have built a meeting house, or
raised a barn on a windswept field.
Today, these All-American cities are forming partnerships
for challenges of every kind -- in small industrial towns and
urban canyons -- as citizens, businesses, government and
volunteers are joining forces for the future of their
communities.
In some cases they've mobilized after an accident, like
Flight 232 in Sioux City, Iowa -- whose citizens had planned and
acted on an outstanding emergency response system.
Or they've responded to a natural disaster, the way the
people of Charlotte, North Carolina did after Hurricane Hugo.
All Americans were uplifted by stories of courage and compassion
that emerged during those difficult times. It seemed no hand was
idle -- and certainly no heart was untouched.
But these cities and others have been most notable, I think,
for their courage and creativity in meeting longer-term
challenges.
When the community of South Gate in Los Angeles faced an
explosion of young kids -- many of them immigrant and at-risk in
overcrowded classrooms -- civic volunteers and local businesses
3
volunteered money, time and talent to turn the tide against drugs
and gangs.
The kids -- 15,000 of them -- got involved in marches,
poster and essay contests, assemblies, and anti-gang, anti-drug
pledges. Test scores improved. Attendance went from among the
lowest to the highest in the L.A. school district. And the drop-
out rate is now the lowest in the city.
The same vision for a better future has driven the city of
South St. Paul, as they deal with change and new challenges.
Rather than mourning the loss of a key industry, citizens began
to plan a public walkway and trail system on old industrial land
along the river.
Volunteers worked tirelessly at town meetings to convince
their neighbors that urban renewal means an improved city,
economic growth and new jobs. Stock certificates for
"Mississippi Miles" were sold for a dollar each, enlisting even
the kids.
And now, the center of South St. Paul is coming back to
life. One high school senior even told a local historian,
"I just have to thank you for giving me back my home town."
For forty years, the National Civic League has recognized
community excellence through these awards. Success stories like
these are a hopeful reminder, that the success of democracy
depends on the resilience and capacity of citizens for self-
governance, education, civic responsibility, and economic
development.
4
We single out all ten of these cities, not because they
claim to be the "best" cities in America -- I think they're too
smart or modest for that -- but because they represent what's
best about American cities.
Rather than looking for an outside solution or quick fix,
they're looking within for the answers -- and they're finding
them.
By recognizing and unleashing the power and potential of the
people themselves, they're proving that big cities can meet
enormous challenges -- and small towns can do big things.
So congratulations to you all. You've earned the admiration
of a nation. Because when people say, "It's never been done" --
you're doing it.
When they ask, "Why bother?" -- you're asking "Why not?"
And when they say, "You can't get there from here" -- you've
proved that you can.
[And now I'd like to present
]
# # #
CAROLYNS COMMENTS
p.2, # 4
-- The programs in North Carolina were administered by both the city & county,
so it should read: " people of charlotte- - Mecklenburg, North Carolina
,
p.3,#1
- Attendance went from among the lowest to among the highest in the LA
School District." (It is not the highest.)
- "And the drop.out rate is now the lowest in the school district. =
(The LA Unified School District does not cover the entire city.)
p.3,45 # 5
"
-- "For forty-one years, the National Civic League has fecognized
THE WHITE HOUSE
WASHINGTON
00 JUL 31 A12: or
July 31, 1990
MEMORANDUM FOR CHRISS WINSTON
FROM:
JIM PINKERTON &
SUBJECT:
All-American Cities
We particularly like the reference to Teddy Roosevelt in
the context of talking about empowerment (at pg. 1, para.
6, line 1). A nice conjunction of powerful themes: the
reform Republican tradition and the kinder, gentler, yet
tough-minded idea of empowerment. Well done.
###
P.S. This is research it its
best lots of details re
that build overall point.
Jmt
Document No. 16224355
WHITE HOUSE STAFFING MEMORANDUM
7/30/90
8/1/90 NOON
DATE:
ACTION/CONCURRENCE/COMMENT DUE BY:
SUBJECT: PRESIDENTIAL REMARKS: ALL-AMERICAN CITIES
ACTION FYI
ACTION FYI
VICE PRESIDENT
MCCLURE
SUNUNU
NEWMAN
SCOWCROFT
PORTER
DARMAN
ROGICH
CARD
UNTERMEYER
CICCONI
ROGERS
DEMAREST
WINSTON
FITZWATER
ANDERSON
GRAY
PINKERTON
HAGIN
HOLIDAY
REMARKS:
Please forward any comments directly to Chriss Winston, Rm. 122,
x2930, no later than NOON, Wednesday, August 1, with a copy to
my office. Thank you.
RESPONSE:
pervionment
James W. Cicconi
Assistant to the President
and Deputy to the Chief of Staff
Ext. 2702
(Lange/Cawley)
July 30, 1990
5:30 P.M.
1990 JUL 30 PM 6: 03
-- [CITIES.DOC]
PRESIDENTIAL REMARKS: ALL-AMERICAN CITIES AWARDS
THE ROSE GARDEN
MONDAY, AUGUST 6, 1990
10:00 A.M.
Welcome! It's an honor and a pleasure to have you here at
the White House. [[
11.
You know, too often it seems that the function of the
Federal government is to make laws and set limits. That's one
reason this event is so special. Because the cities and citizens
we honor today are reminders that America's potential is truly
unlimited.
The All-American Cities are great American success stories.
In a time when so many mourn what's wrong with American cities,
you have quietly gone to work to make them right.
You have refused to surrender to crime, to drug dealers, to
despair, to natural disaster. You've refused to see the problems
of the homeless and the jobless as somehow impossible to solve.
Instead, you've set out to unleash the infinite range of
what's possible, when Americans put their minds to it. And along
the way, you've reaffirmed the American ideal of empowerment.
Empowerment sounds like a new idea -- but it's something
President Teddy Roosevelt well understood, and wanted to promote,
when he founded the National Civic League in 1894.
"There are many different ways," he once wrote, "in which a
man or a woman can work for the higher life of American cities."
2
Well, the men and women with us today are proving Teddy Roosevelt
right.
So we've gathered to celebrate the spirit of empowerment,
and the potential of partnerships -- perhaps unique to America
-- that in an earlier time could have built a meeting house, or
raised a barn on a windswept field.
Today, these All-American cities are forming partnerships
for challenges of every kind -- in small industrial towns and
urban canyons -- as citizens, businesses, government and
volunteers are joining forces for the future of their
communities.
In some cases they've mobilized after an accident, like
Flight 232 in Sioux City, Iowa -- whose citizens had planned and
acted on an outstanding emergency response system.
Or they've responded to a natural disaster, the way the
people of Charlotte, North Carolina did after Hurricane Hugo.
All Americans were uplifted by stories of courage and compassion
that emerged during those difficult times. It seemed no hand was
idle -- and certainly no heart was untouched.
But these cities and others have been most notable, I think,
for their courage and creativity in meeting longer-term
challenges.
When the community of South Gate in Los Angeles faced an
explosion of young kids -- many of them immigrant and at-risk in
overcrowded classrooms -- civic volunteers and local businesses
3
volunteered money, time and talent to turn the tide against drugs
and gangs.
The kids -- 15,000 of them -- got involved in marches,
poster and essay contests, assemblies, and anti-gang, anti-drug
pledges. Test scores improved. Attendance went from among the
lowest to the highest in the L.A. school district. And the drop-
out rate is now the lowest in the city.
The same vision for a better future has driven the city of
South St. Paul, as they deal with change and new challenges.
Rather than mourning the loss of a key industry, citizens began
to plan a public walkway and trail system on old industrial land
along the river.
Volunteers worked tirelessly at town meetings to convince
their neighbors that urban renewal means an improved city,
economic growth and new jobs. Stock certificates for
"Mississippi Miles" were sold for a dollar each, enlisting even
the kids.
And now, the center of South St. Paul is coming back to
life. One high school senior even told a local historian,
"I just have to thank you for giving me back my home town."
For forty years, the National Civic League has recognized
community excellence through these awards. Success stories like
these are a hopeful reminder, that the success of democracy
depends on the resilience and capacity of citizens for self-
governance, education, civic responsibility, and economic
development.
4
We single out all ten of these cities, not because they
claim to be the "best" cities in America -- I think they're too
smart or modest for that -- but because they represent what's
best about American cities.
Rather than looking for an outside solution or quick fix,
they're looking within for the answers -- and they're finding
them.
By recognizing and unleashing the power and potential of the
people themselves, they're proving that big cities can meet
enormous challenges -- and small towns can do big things.
So congratulations to you all. You've earned the admiration
of a nation. Because when people say, "It's never been done" --
you're doing it.
When they ask, Why bother? -- you're asking "Why not?
And when they say, "You can't get there from here" -- you've
proved that you can.
[And now I'd like to present
]
# # #
1980
1990
-1894
1949
96
4'.
THE WHITE HOUSE
WASHINGTON
Please staff All-American
Cities
speech for 10 Am
A.M
P.M.
weds 8/1
Thank You,
Sr for cw
Chriss Winston
(Lange/Cawley)
July 30, 1990
5:30 P.M.
[CITIES.DOC]
PRESIDENTIAL REMARKS: ALL-AMERICAN CITIES AWARDS
THE ROSE GARDEN
MONDAY, AUGUST 6, 1990
10:00 A.M.
Welcome! It's an honor and a pleasure to have you here at
the White House. [[
11.
You know, too often it seems that the function of the
Federal government is to make laws and set limits. That's one
reason this event is so special. Because the cities and citizens
we honor today are reminders that America's potential is truly
unlimited.
The All-American Cities are great American success stories.
In a time when so many mourn what's wrong with American cities,
you have quietly gone to work to make them right.
You have refused to surrender to crime, to drug dealers, to
despair, to natural disaster. You've refused to see the problems
of the homeless and the jobless as somehow impossible to solve.
Instead, you've set out to unleash the infinite range of
what's possible, when Americans put their minds to it. And along
the way, you've reaffirmed the American ideal of empowerment.
Empowerment sounds like a new idea -- but it's something
President Teddy Roosevelt well understood, and wanted to promote,
when he founded the National Civic League in 1894.
"There are many different ways," he once wrote, "in which a
man or a woman can work for the higher life of American cities."
2
Well, the men and women with us today are proving Teddy Roosevelt
right.
So we've gathered to celebrate the spirit of empowerment,
and the potential of partnerships -- perhaps unique to America
-- that in an earlier time could have built a meeting house, or
raised a barn on a windswept field.
Today, these All-American cities are forming partnerships
for challenges of every kind -- in small industrial towns and
urban canyons -- as citizens, businesses, government and
volunteers are joining forces for the future of their
communities.
In some cases they've mobilized after an accident, like
Flight 232 in Sioux City, Iowa -- whose citizens had planned and
acted on an outstanding emergency response system.
Or they've responded to a natural disaster, the way the
people of Charlotte, North Carolina did after Hurricane Hugo.
All Americans were uplifted by stories of courage and compassion
that emerged during those difficult times. It seemed no hand was
idle -- and certainly no heart was untouched.
But these cities and others have been most notable, I think,
for their courage and creativity in meeting longer-term
challenges.
When the community of South Gate in Los Angeles faced an
explosion of young kids -- many of them immigrant and at-risk in
overcrowded classrooms -- civic volunteers and local businesses
3
volunteered money, time and talent to turn the tide against drugs
and gangs.
The kids -- 15,000 of them -- got involved in marches,
poster and essay contests, assemblies, and anti-gang, anti-drug
pledges. Test scores improved. Attendance went from among the
lowest to the highest in the L.A. school district. And the drop-
out rate is now the lowest in the city.
The same vision for a better future has driven the city of
South St. Paul, as they deal with change and new challenges.
Rather than mourning the loss of a key industry, citizens began
to plan a public walkway and trail system on old industrial land
along the river.
Volunteers worked tirelessly at town meetings to convince
their neighbors that urban renewal means an improved city,
economic growth and new jobs. Stock certificates for
"Mississippi Miles" were sold for a dollar each, enlisting even
the kids.
And now, the center of South St. Paul is coming back to
life. One high school senior even told a local historian,
"I just have to thank you for giving me back my home town."
For forty years, the National Civic League has recognized
community excellence through these awards. Success stories like
these are a hopeful reminder, that the success of democracy
depends on the resilience and capacity of citizens for self-
governance, education, civic responsibility, and economic
development.
4
We single out all ten of these cities, not because they
claim to be the "best" cities in America -- I think they're too
smart or modest for that -- but because they represent what's
best about American cities.
Rather than looking for an outside solution or quick fix,
they're looking within for the answers -- and they're finding
them.
By recognizing and unleashing the power and potential of the
people themselves, they're proving that big cities can meet
enormous challenges -- and small towns can do big things.
So congratulations to you all. You've earned the admiration
of a nation. Because when people say, "It's never been done" --
you're doing it.
When they ask, "Why bother?" -- you're asking "Why not?"
And when they say, "You can't get there from here" -- you've
proved that you can.
[And now I'd like to present.. ]
# # #
(Lange/Cawley)
July 30, 1990
3:20 P.M.
[CITIES.DOC]
PRESIDENTIAL REMARKS: ALL-AMERICAN CITIES AWARDS
THE ROSE GARDEN
MONDAY, AUGUST 6, 1990
10:00 A.M.
Welcome! It's an honor and a pleasure to have you here at
the White House. [[ 11.
You know, too often it seems that the function of the
Federal government is to make laws and set limits. That's one
reason this event is so special. Because the cities and citizens
we honor today are reminders that America's potential is truly
unlimited.
The All-American Cities are great American success stories.
In a time when so many mourn what's wrong with American cities,
you have quietly gone to work to make them right.
You have refused to surrender to crime, to drug dealers, to
despair, to natural disaster. You've refused to see the problems
and
of the homeless, the jobless, the hopeless as somehow impossible
to solve.
Instead, you've set out to unleash the infinite range of
what's possible, when Americans put their minds to it. And along
the way, you've reaffirmed the American ideal of empowerment.
Empowerment sounds like a new idea -- but it's something
President Teddy Roosevelt well understood, and wanted to promote,
when he founded the National Civic League in 1894.
2
"There are many different ways," he once wrote, "in which a
man or a woman can work for the higher life of American cities."
Well, the men and women with us today are proving Teddy Roosevelt
right.
So we've gathered to celebrate the spirit of empowerment,
and potential of partnerships -- perhaps unique to America --
that in an earlier time could have built a meeting house, or
raised a barn on a windswept field.
Today, these All-American cities are putting partnerships to
work on challenges of every kind -- in small industrial towns and
urban canyons -- as citizens, businesses, government and
volunteers are joining forces for the future of their
communities.
In some cases they've mobilized after an accident, like
Flight 232 in Sioux City, Iowa -- or they've responded to a
natural disaster, the way the people of Charlotte, North Carolina
we all how the Stores of coreng
did after Hurricane Hugo.
But these cities and others have been most notable, I think,
for their courage and creativity in meeting longer-term
challenges.
When the community of South Gate in Los Angeles faced an
explosion of young kids -- many of them immigrant and at-risk in
overcrowded classrooms -- civic volunteers and local businesses
volunteered money, time and talent to turn the tide against drugs
and gangs.
3
The kids -- 15,000 of them -- got involved in marches,
poster and essay contests, assemblies, and anti-gang, anti-drug
pledges. Test scores improved. Attendance went from among the
lowest to the highest in the L.A. school district. And the drop-
out rate is now the lowest in the city.
The same vision for a better future has driven the city of
South St. Paul, as they deal with change and new challenges.
Rather than mourning the loss of a key industry, citizens began
to plan a public walkway and trail system on old industrial land
along the river.
Volunteers worked tirelessly at Town Meetings to convince
that
their neighbors how urban renewal means an improved city,
economic growth and new jobs. Stock certificates for
"Mississippi Miles" were sold for a dollar each, enlisting even
the kids.
And now, the center of South St. Paul is coming back to
life. One high school senior even told a local historian, "I've
too
a ways been embarrassed to be from South St Paul. But now I
180g.
just have to thank you for giving me back my home town."
For forty years, the National Civic League has recognized
community excellence through these awards. These success stories
are a hopeful reminder, that the success of democracy depends on
the resilience and capacity of citizens for self-governance,
education, civic responsibility, and economic development.
We single out all ten of these cities, not because they
claim to be the "best" cities in America -- I think they're too
4
smart or modest for that -- but because they represent what's
best about American cities.
Rather than looking for an outside solution or quick fix,
they're looking within for the answers -- and they're finding
them.
By recognizing and unleashing the power and potential of the
people themselves, they're proving that big cities can meet
enormous challenges -- and small towns can do big things.
So congratulations to you all. You've earned the admiration
of a nation. Because when people say, "It's never been done" --
you're doing it. When they ask, "Why bother?" -- you're asking
"Why not?"
've
And when they say, "You can't get there from here" -- you're
already arrived.
getting there.
Getting to the White House may seem like an achievement, or
an honor. But you unders tand that the real achievements are
happening back at home
And the real honor is to have you here today
[And now I'd like to present
]
# # #