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03. 27. 92 01:08 PM
P01
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
OFFICE OF LEGISLATION AND CONGRESSIONAL AFFAIRS
400 MARYLAND AVENUE, SW, ROOM 3153
WASHINGTON, DC 20202-3100
Date: 3/27
Fax #: 395-7289
Sent to:
OMB
THE OF
Attention :
Tom Scully
*
*
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
Number of Pages (including cover sheet) : 8
From: Bruce Wardle
COMMENTS:
Info on AmericA
2000
New AMERICA SCHOOLS
If any problems with this transmission, please call: (202) 401-1028
03. 27. 92 01:08 PM
P O 2
AMERICA 2000 FIELD REPORT
March 5, 1992
I. STATE 2000 ANNOUNCED
State
Governor
Kickoff Date
COLORADO
Roy Romer (D)
June 17, 1991
WYOMING
Mike Sullivan (D)
June 21, 1991
OREGON
Barbara Roberts (D)
August 22, 1991
AMERICAN SAMOA
Peter Coleman (R)
August 30, 1991
MAINE
John McKernan (R)
September 3, 1991
MARYLAND
William Schaefer (D)
September 5,1991
NEBRASKA
Ben Nelson (D)
September 5, 1991
LOUISIANA
Edwin Edwards (D)
September 9, 1991
MINNESOTA
Arne Carison (R)
September 12, 1991
DELAWARE
Michael Castle (R)
September 19, 1991
VERMONT
Howard Dean (D)
September 20, 1991
NORTH CAROLINA
James Martin (R)
September 27, 1991
INDIANA
Evan Bayh (D)
October 1, 1991
ALASKA
Walter Hickel (I)
October 17, 1991
GEORGIA
Zell Miller (D)
October 18, 1991
PENNSYLVANIA
Robert Casey (D)
October 18, 1991
MASSACHUSETTS
William Weld (R)
October 24, 1991
TENNESSEE
Ned McWherter (D)
October 25, 1991
IOWA
Terry Branstad (R)
October 27, 1991
MISSOURI
John Ashcroft (R)
October 29, 1991
KANSAS
Joan Finney (D)
October 29, 1991
ALABAMA
Guy Hunt (R)
October 31, 1991
MICHIGAN
John Engler (R)
November 13, 1991
SOUTH CAROLINA
Carroll Campbell (R)
November 20, 1991
WISCONSIN
Tommy Thompson (R)
November 21, 1991
OHIO
George Voinovich (R)
November 25, 1991
UTAH
Norm Bangerter (R)
December 10, 1991
MONTANA
Stan Stephens (R)
December 11, 1991
ARIZONA
Fife Symington (R)
December 12, 1991
NEW HAMPSHIRE
Judd Gregg (R)
December 17, 1991
DIST. of COLUMBIA
Sharon Pratt Kelly (D)
December 19, 1991
SOUTH DAKOTA
George Mickelson (R)
December 19, 1991
OKLAHOMA
Dave Walters (D)
December 19, 1991
MISSISSIPPI
Kirk Fordice (R)
February 10, 1992
ILLINOIS
Jim Edgar (R)
February 11, 1992
WASHINGTON
Booth Gardner (D)
February 28, 1992
TEXAS
Ann Richards (D)
March 5, 1992
II. UPCOMING STATE 2000 KICKOFFS
State
Governor
Kickoff Date
NEVADA
Bob Miller (D)
March 9, 1992
NEW JERSEY
Jim Florio (D)
TBD
PUERTO RICO
Rafael Hernandez-Colon
TBD
CALIFORNIA
Pete Wilson (R)
TBD
NORTH DAKOTA
George Sinner (D)
TBD
HAWAII
John Waihee (D)
TBD
VIRGINIA
Doug Wilder (D)
TBD
03. 27. 92 01:08 PM
P03
As of 3/5 approx- 1350 communties on list
CLOSE
AMERICA 2000
HOLD
Community Report
Summary
February 5, 1992
National Summary
National Total:
1151
*
Green
Blue
Red
Purple
Gold
597
354
183
16
0
Regional Summary
Code
:
Code
Region
Total
Region
Total
GBRPG
GBRPG
Region I
40
53
16
0
0
109
Region VI
58
44
48
0
0
150
Region II
49
19
7
0
0
75
Region
38
92
4
0
0
134
VII
Region
34
6
6
0
0
46
Region
73
77
74
3
0
227
III
VIII
Region
180
23
23
0
0
226
Region IX
29
10
0
0
0
39
IV
Region V
68
19
5
0
0
92
Region X
28
11
0
13
0
52
COLOR CODE DEFINITIONS
GREEN
All contacts who pledge a sincere interest in organizing an AMERICA 2000 community
will be categorized "Code Green" for continued follow up and cultivation.
BLUE
Once a community formally embraces the goals, begins to put together a steering
committee and a game plan to involve the entire community, it is categorized "Code Blue".
RED
After a community has held a public kick off event or any kind of public announcement
to communicate its acceptance of the President's four part challenge and its desire
to achieve AMERICA 2000 community designation, it will be categorized "Code Red".
PURPLE
A community will be categorized as a "Code Purple" community once it has devised a
strategy to reach the goals and a report card to assess its progress.
GOLD
When a community has completed all four steps of the President's challenge and it is
designated an AMERICA 2000 community by its Governor, it will receive "GOLD" status.
03. 27. 92 01:08 PM
P04
Talking Points:
NEW AMERICAN SCHOOLS
The engine that drives the AMERICA 2000 strategy is the Community Challenge.
The President has challenged every neighborhood, town, city, and State in our
Nation to become an AMERICA 2000 Community by:
First - Adopting and demonstrating their commitment to achieving all six
National Education Goals. Second - Developing a community-wide strategy
for achieving these goals. Third - Designing a report card to measure
progress and results. Fourth - Planning for and supporting, break-the-
mold New American Schools.
New American Schools would "break the mold" by reflecting the best of what is
known about teaching, learning, and educational technologies and would enable
all students to meet world class standards of achievement. They will be a new
generation of American Schools that are light years beyond those of today.
Schools that help every child reach world class standards in at least the five
core subjects. Schools that help all children prepare for responsible
citizenship, life-long learning and productive employment. Schools that set
the pace for our Nation.
The AMERICA 2000 Community Challenge is a tough, long-term challenge, but
it's the most important thing a community can do to improve its schools. Once a
community accomplishes these four things, it will be designated as an
America 2000 Community.
As of March 9, 1992, thirty-five Governors-16 Democrats and 19
Republicans-have launched a State 2000 effort as part of AMERICA 2000.
Hundreds of communities have declared their support for the
AMERICA 2000 goals and are progressing toward designation as an
AMERICA 2000 Community.
Attached is a list f'key contacts" for some of the community groups making
progress in your State. These contacts represent groups of committed
individuals who are attempting to meet the four part "Community
Challenge."
Also included is a listing of projects that provide an idea of what a New
American School might look like and eight promising efforts that help point
the way.
03. 27. 92 01:08 PM
P05
How does this effort to create a new generation of American Schools differ from
previous reform efforts?
It relies on clear, World Class Standards of performance. The central
mission of each NAS will be to help all students reach World Class
Standards in five core subjects, as measured by American Achievement
Tests.
It depends on community-wide efforts. It brings a wide range of
intellectual and social resources to bear on the challenge of helping
students reach those World Class Standards.
It aims to integrate all dimensions of a school's life to promote the
achievement of World Class Standards. This means using time, space,
staff, and community resources in more powerful ways.
It brings visionary designers together with communities dedicated to
creating schools that are best in the world Schools that draw on state-of-
the-art technology, the latest education research, the best education
practices, and the community resources to put them in place.
It calls for leadership from all levels.
The President introduced AMERICA 2000 and sought to put
education first and keep it there.
Governors 30 are now leading STATE 2000 efforts.
Local leaders Thousands of civic, business, education and
religious leaders are organizing COMMUNITY 2000 efforts to
transform learning in their schools and communities.
Congress The President has asked Congress to provide seed money
for a new generation of American schools.
The attached provides an idea of what a New American School might look
like eight promising projects that help point the way...
03.
27.
92
01:08
PM
P06
A New Generation of American Schools
1.
RJR Nahisco's Next Century Schools
The RJR Nabisco Foundation is supporting fundamental school reform projects
across the country. Over five years, 1990 through 1994, 45 schools will share in $30
million in grants. To date, 30 schools have received three-year grants of up to
$250,000 per school per year to help them increase the time students spend
learning, alter the structure of the school day and year, group students according
to mastery level, and measure success based on student performance. This year's
15 winning schools were chosen from 1,600 applicants.
2.
Ted Sizer's Coalition of Essential Schools
Less is more, student as worker, personalized learning - these are among the
nine essential principles that schools must commit to in order to become an
Essential School. Ninety-eight schools in 23 States have made a commitment, in
an effort to transform the roles of their students and teachers, to recast students
as active learners and teachers as coaches. Such transformations, the Coalition
recognizes, can come about only through comprehensive, concentrated efforts at
the individual school site. As Ted Sizer puts it, "Schools cannot be redesigned
piecemeal: everything important within a school affects everything else
important there. Substantial redesign by and of an existing school while it is
operating is often every bit as difficult as rebuilding an entire car while it speeds
along an Interstate."
3.
Washington State's Schools for the 21st Century
Created by the legislature in 1987, Washington's Schools for the 21st Century
competition has resulted in awards for 33 innovative educational projects.
Schools are connected by an electronic network, which enables teachers to
"discuss" ideas and share lesson plans. The program supports a 10-day
supplemental contract which, in effect, sets aside two weeks for school-level
planning, staff development, and instructional improvement. Common themes
among projects include outcomes-based education, integrated curricula, cross-
age grouping of students, parents' involvement, and technology.
4.
Saturn School of Tomorrow
In 1986, in his weekly New York Times column, Al Shanker wrote that "Perhaps
the most important step in revitalizing the [automobile] industry is the Saturn
Project. It is designed to make believe that no one has ever made a car before and
to start the whole process from scratch, to reopen not just what the car should look
like and how it should run but every question of production, supplies, labor,
relations, the role of management." That, Shanker argued, is what's needed in
education, an educational Saturn Project. Taken by this idea, Tom King and
David Bennett set out to make it happen. The result is the Saturn School of
Tomorrow which opened in St. Paul, Minnesota in the fall of 1989. The Saturn
School of Tomorrow uses innovative approaches in staffing, use of computers, and
63. 27. 92 01:08 PM
P07
creation of individual lesson plans for students. It groups students by interest
and ability rather than by grade level. And students go to museums, libraries,
and elsewhere in the community for lessons. Saturn enjoys enthusiastic support
from parents.
5.
Lighthouse Project
In 1989 in Casper, Wyoming, Lamar Alexander called for the creation of "Brand
new American Schools." The Casper business community responded to that
challenge by sponsoring a competition, open to anyone, to create innovative
schools. The competition triggered a flurry of creative thinking, drawing 37
proposals, from which five winning "Lighthouse School" proposals were selected.
Four of those proposed schools are scheduled to open in the fall of 1991, with seed
money from the business community.
6.
James Comer's School Improvement Program
Yale child psychologist James Comer's innovative school improvement process
has been adopted by a total of 165 elementary, middle and high schools, including
schools in Prince Georges County, Maryland, and by all elementary schools in
New Haven, Connecticut. The "Comer process," which was first implemented in
1968, emphasizes team building with parents, comprehensive planning, staff
development, and continuous assessment of student progress. All Comer schools
use a governance structure that includes three components: a school planning
and management team, a mental health, and a parent group.
7.
Henry Levin's Accelerated Schools Program
Unlike most approaches to compensatory education, where instruction is slowed
down, Henry Levin's idea is to accelerate instruction. The purpose of his
Accelerated Schools Program is simple: to bring every low-performing child up to
grade level by the end of elementary school. Approximately 50 schools, including
Statewide networks in Missouri and Illinois, are testing the three principles of
Levin's program, First, parents and educators have set goals for their schools
and their children and identified ways to achieve those goals. Second, parents
and educators at the school site are empowered to make the decisions necessary to
make learning happen. Third, teachers, parents, and students build on students'
strengths.
8.
Project Genesis
A unique proposal in North Carolina would allow teams of educators to bid on and
the winning teams run the new schools before their doors are opened. Proposed
requirements would be minimal; they would include a statement of principles,
information on funding, and an accountability plan. Also, up to half the slots in
each school would be reserved for students living outside the attendance area. A
key provision in Project Genesis is training. Winning teams would receive
training and assistance in reconceptualizing schooling. They would then hire
and train their own staff, who may not need to meet teacher certification
requirements. The idea, ultimately, is to extend Project Genesis beyond new
schools to include existing schools as well.
FOR CONGRESS, IT'S "BUSINESS AS USUAL" FOR EDUCATION!
FOR THE PRESIDENT, IT'S REAL EDUCATION REFORM OR BUST!
In April of last year, President Bush announced America 2000, to move this
Nation toward the National Education Goals.
So far, 36 States and 1350 communities have committed to revolutionize
education by adopting an America 2000 plan.
This is a bipartisan revolution -- 16 Democratic governors have signed their
states on as America 2000 states -- to work together to help our kids --
beyond politics.
But inside Washington it's partisan politics as usual; the Democratic
Congress won't look at real change. They are captives of the education
establishment -- and they're afraid the President might actually get credit for
changing things -- so our kids suffer.
As a part of the America 2000 strategy he submitted the Excellence in
Education Act to the Congress. The President called for bold reforms such
as:
1) Choice in education for low and middle income students who now
can't afford to choose;
2) Development funding for a new generation of American Schools --
using the best teaching methods and latest technologies;
3) Rewards for States with alternative methods of certifying teachers
and school administrators;
4) Waivers of burdensome regulations in exchange for education
accountability;
5) Rewards for schools that make notable progress toward
achievement of the National Education Goals.
o
Congress turned a deaf ear to this innovation and has countered with a
"business as usual" approach. Neither the House nor Senate bills would
provide any real change or encouragement to States for real education
reform.
Neither bill encourages choice programs to be implemented anywhere or
allows private school choice -- even for our poorest students.
This year we will spend $6.6 billion to send low income kids to college --
often private colleges. No one complains about a kid from Watts having the
choice of Notre Dame or SMU. But when that same choice might shake up
the Democrats' beloved education establishment, they won't even look at it.
0
In fact, the President agreed to a choice proposal with the House Democrats
-- and they later welshed on the agreement!
o
Both bills leave the full power and control of the system in the hands of the
existing education bureaucracy -- as opposed to shaking up the status quo
to grant more local control and parental involvement.
Both bill simply pump more money into the same old ineffective programs.
0
Because of Congress' failure to enact the America 2000 proposal, we may
lose funding reserved for this purpose in the FY 1992 Labor, HHS, and
Education Appropriations bill. The bill set aside $100 million for America
2000 initiatives -- real reform -- if authorized by April 1, 1992. Once again it
seems our Congress is incapable of acting to accomplish any real change for
the country.
INDEX
1.
What There Is To Decide.
2.
The Message.
3.
"When I Think of America In the Year 2000...."
4. What the President Can Be Doing and Saying About
Education.
5.
Arkansas 2000.
6.
AMERICA 2000 Newsletter -- Anniversary Addition.
What there is to Decide
1.
Congressional Strategy
A.
Agree on Message
B.
Meet with GOP Leaders
C.
Announce Message in a Speech (and repeat it often)
D.
By April 18, an America 2000 anniversary event: visit an
AMERICA 2000 Community (Omaha, San Antonio, Memphis, Las
Cruces, Richmond, a town in Maine, Houston)
2.
Longer Term
A.
30 minutes on education every 10 days
B.
Coordinate message with speechwriting
C.
3 New Big Ideas
(1) State GI Bill for Children--Milwaukee
(2) The Armed Forces helping to create schools for
kids not making it in regular schools--Los Angeles
(3) $25,000 Lifetime learning line of credit for
education and job training--Midwestern State community college
D.
New American Schools: Sam Walton, Jack Phelan
The Message
I will not sign business as usual legislation for our schools.
We must have revolutionary changes if our children are going to
meet the six national education goals by the year 2000.
Almost a year ago, I outlined the America 2000 strategy to help our
country, community by community, reach the six ambitious national
education goals that all the nation's Governors and I--Democrats and
Republicans--had agreed upon.
The Governor have responded. At least 40 of them have already
launched America 2000 efforts in their states.
Communities have responded, more than 1000 of them--like San
Antonio 2000, Fresno 2000, Detroit 2000, Memphis 2000.
Educators and Governors are working harder on new academic
standards, on changing curriculum frameworks, on building a
voluntary national examination system, on new report cards that let
us know each year, state by state, community by; community what
progress we're making toward these goals.
American business has responded by agreeing to raise $200 million
to fund creative design teams that will help communities create a
new generation of truly break-the-mold New American schools, the
best schools in the world, schools that meet the needs of kids the
way kids are growing up today.
700 teams of the most creative Americans have applied to become
the design teams that help communities create New American
Schools --including 120 universities, educators in more than 1000
schools, several hundred corporations of all sizes, 140 think tanks--
they all want to do one thing: help create the best schools in the
world.
America is determined to create the best schools in the world for
our children and grandchildren and I am determined to help do just
that.
"WHEN I THINK OF AMERICA IN THE YEAR 2000
happen what the President talked about in his excellent
[NOTE: This is about how to follow up and to actually make
February 12 campaign kick-off statement. It is a medium term
strategy focused upon the President's speech at the
convention as the defining moment.
While a speech on March 20 might define the President's
current agenda and program versus the "business as usual"
view of what kind of America we want, and how we should get
Congress, what follows is different. It defines a longer
there. It might be mentioned in passing in response to the
March 20 deadline but should not be rushed.]
1.
The central thrust of the 1992 electorate.
a. Partly because of American success in beating
Communism abroad, and partly because of the speed
of change at home too (Technology, medicine, job
market, etc.) the 1992 election will be about the
future of America at home.
b. The recession accelerates the focus of our
attention to matters at home and it should be taken
seriously but it is only a traffic jam. It will
end. The question is where the road leads then.
C. The public will want the candidates (the President
included) to understand America and to point to
where the road goes -- what kind of America we
want, and how we should get there.
d., In that sense the election is less a referendum on
the successful past than the first day of an
uncertain future. That might be dangerous for
leaders who have been around for awhile -- and a
chance for new faces who seem to be generational
change (Probably an explanation for early Clinton
success).
e. The people sense that our institutions need
renewal:
--our cities aren't what they should be.
--Something is wrong with our education system.
--Something is wrong with our health system.
--Big business seems to be indifferent to little
workers.
--Congress and Washington don't seem to work very
well.
--The people aren't sure about their jobs because
they're not sure their employers will survive
5 years.
--They're not sure their kids will get good jobs.
--They have no sense of what America will be like
in the year 2000.
f. The people don't need a complete and detailed road
map but they want to know what their leadership has
in mind.
2.
Leadership for the future is best shown not talked
about -- shown through involvement, commitment. Words,
speeches, bills alone may not do it.
a. It may be very important for the President to seem
as engaged in and by domestic issues as foreign.
When the words seem words only while his heart/mind
are overseas, it may hurt. The people want to know
he cares.
b./ The key may be consecutive time -- few highly
visible interruptions for foreign things -- and
truly engaging the President's attention over a
long enough period to get his mind fully into it.
His schedule needs to assure him private quality
time to talk with people about the future of the
country,
--The Cabinet can be asked to fill in the
following: "When I think of America in the year
2000 Attachment A is an example of what
the President might say about education as he
thinks of America in the year 2000.
--A series of great American thinkers might spend
individual quality time with the President --
asked to the White House to share with him
their thoughts about "When I think of America in
the year 2000
2
--He might ask himself and all around him, in every
meeting, on every subject: "What does this mean
for America in the year 2000?"
--He might instruct every speechwriter to include
the concept in every speech: "When I think of
America in the year 2000 The process is to
impose the discipline upon everyone to think in
those terms.
C. Leadership about the future need not be
comprehensive. The people don't expect an answer
for everything. But they do want to see that their
President understands the questions, has some
answers, and is looking for more.
3. One vehicle, the America 2000 Communities, already
exists as one example of how to think about many of
these subjects.
4. A relevant campaign year calendar might look like this:
a. From now until the late Spring/early Summer might
be a good time to engage in the quiet consecutive
time meetings with Cabinet and outsiders on what
America in the year 2000 will be like.
--The Democrats will be pre-occupied with their own
primary mess.
--The immediate public focus is appropriately on
the short-term economic plan to end the recession
(the "Traffic jam")
b. If some things leak out about great thinkers asked
to the White House to talk about America in the
year 2000, that's OK, probably good. After all.
the most important thing the President should be
doing is getting his thoughts together for exactly
how to make the most of a second term. Although it
really should not be done for PR but to help focus
on the job ahead.
C. Come early Summer he should start to use the line
repeatedly on all domestic subjects -- in most
speeches, regardless of the subject: "When I think
of America in the year 2000
3
d. The objective of the exercise should be to select
no more than 5 areas which address and symbolize
American concerns for today as well as for
tomorrow. The product itself (goals, strategy and
assessment) must be designed to provide assurance
that the American ship of state is not rudderless
and that future unknown problems will also be
solved with effective leadership.
e. The Convention acceptance speech is the right
moment to launch it in a campaign speech. It
should be a knock-em-dead speech about the America
we can be -- optimistic -- uplifting -- with
confidence in the future and excitement in getting
there: Here is the America I see in the year 2000
-- and here's how we can get there.
f. This is less a definition of Democratic weakness
than it is a reason to re-elect a Republican
President. It leaves plenty of room to criticize
the Democrats, but from a position of maximum
strength.
g. Everything in the campaign -- and in the
President's schedule -- would re-emphasize his
upbeat commitment to the future: All scheduling,
all advertising, all campaign materials, all
speeches, all releases (campaign or White House).
h. It would be less a referendum on the past than
seeking a mandate for the future. (The specifics
of the mandate are less important than the public's
awareness that the President not only thinks about
the future but has an exciting concept of it and
how to get there. He will thus get support from
many who might disagree on the specifics but are
thrilled by the leadership:)
1. The beginning point might be a schedule like this:
--Consult with Skinner and Teeter by 3/10
--Small group (2-5) put draft plan together by 3/17
--Plan ready for the President by 3/18 (meet that
week).
4
Attachment A
When I think of America in the Year 2000-Education
When I think of America in the year 2000--I think of schools,
colleges and universities that are the best in the world.
Instead of a nation at risk I think of America as a nation of
students.
To accomplish that we must make revolutionary changes in our
schools and in our attitudes about our educational responsibilities
at home.
Business-as-usual has no chance whatever of getting us where
we must go.
That is why we have worked with Governors to create six such
ambitious national education goals. This is the first time in our
nation's history America has had such goals.
That is why we are working so hard on the America 2000
strategy to implement these goals, community-by-community,
This is an agenda for radical change:
--working with educators to create world class standards in
math, science, English, history and geography:
--helping states build new curriculum frameworks;
--moving ahead on a voluntary national examination system so
parents and communities can know how their children and schools
are doing;
--beginning a period of massive teacher retraining and of
parents and communities re-examining their own responsibilities
toward children.
I have challenged America to create an entirely new
generation of "break-the-mold" New American schools, to literally
start from scratch and create the best schools in the world.
America has responded. Hundreds of communities are
rethinking their schools and their responsibilities from top to
bottom. Business has responded by agreeing to raise $200 million to
create design teams to help those communities create New American
schools. And 700 of the most creative teams in America are
competing to be among those design teams.
I have challenged every American city, town and village to
become an America 2000 community: to adopt the six national
goals, to find their own way to reach them, to create a report card
to measure their progress, and to create at least one new American
school.
America has responded. In less than a year 40 states and
more than 1000 communities are hard at work on their American
2000 activities.
I have challenged Congress to give teachers more flexibility in
spending federal money and to help communities create New
American Schools.
I have challenged Congress to give families more choices of
schools, to give teachers more flexibility, to help states create
world class standards, new curriculum frameworks and a national
examination system.
Congress has been thinking about my challenges now for
nearly a year and is about to send (has sent) me a billion dollars
worth of business-as-usual legislation.
But I am not going to let Congress authorize spending one
billion new dollars on business as usual and pretend that it is real
education reform.
Business as usual and more of the same will not help us reach
our dream of creating the best education system in the world by the
turn of the century.
We must have revolutionary change.
That means ambitious goals, America 2000 communities,
world-class standards and a national examination system--it means
break-the mold New Americans Schools, more flexibility for
classroom teachers, and opportunity scholarships that give middle
and low income families more choices of schools.
And it means spending the money we are now spending more
wisely--as well as making new investments at all levels--to make
these revolutionary changes real.
I am glad to put new money into education. I think of education
as an investment in our future.
My new budget puts more new dollars into education than into
any other department. Federal spending for education has been going
up faster than state and local spending while I have been President.
The budget has record increases for head start and for helping
families pay for college. It has a half billion new federal dollars to
create opportunity scholarships and another half billion over three
years for New American schools. It allocates $2.1 billion to math
and science education with a new focus on teacher retraining.
This year I have also challenged Congress to create one million
$1000 "opportunity scholarships" that will give middle and low.
income families more of the same choices of all schools that
wealthy people have always had. "Opportunity scholarships" will
mean new federal dollars to help states do for elementary and high
school students what the federal government did for veterans with
the GI Bill and what the federal government does today with Pell
Grants to help students pay for college costs. These "opportunity"
scholarships would mean fairness to middle and low-income
families, would put new federal money into schools that serve our
children who need the most help, and would unleash powerful
competitive forces to help make all schools better.
When I think of education in America in the year 2000 I think
of all of our children arriving at school ready to learn, of at least 90
per cent of our children graduating from high schools, of all children
learning at least math, science, history, English and geography to a
standard so that they can live work and compete with children in
every part of the world. I think of our children working hard to
become first in the world in math and science. i think of working
Americans literate and skilled so that they can have and keep good
jobs. I think of schools that are drug and violence free.
I can think of no crusade that will bring out the best in this
wonderful country better than this America 2000 crusade, a crusade
community-by community to make certain that when the next
century comes, America is a nation of students and that those
students have the best education system in the world.
And every indication is that the only kind of legislation
Congress will
send to me is warmed over business as usual legislation, more
money for more of the same.
I want Congress to know this: I will not sign business
as usual legislation for our schools.
The American education system needs revolutionary
change, not more of the same.
Just because it is an election year, I will not sign
business as usual legislation that pretends to be education
reform. That will not help us create the best schools in
the world. That will not help our children move fast
enough toward our six ambitious education goals. That
will not create the kind of America we want by the year
2000.
Congress must give teachers more flexibility, help
communities create truly break-the-mold New American
Schools, help states create world class standards and new
curriculum frameworks and a voluntary national
examination system. And, as a matter of simple fairness,
Congress should give middle and low income families more
of the same choices of schools that families with money
already have.
And while Congress is at it there is a good deal more that it
can do-
--increase head-start funding so that it will be available to
every four year old;
--give families help paying for college by increasing college
scholarships by more than $1 billion, making student loans
deductible from income taxes, make it possible to use retirement
accounts for education costs without penalty;
--help working people by giving every American a $25,000
lifetime learning line of credit for education and job training and by
making those who can only take one course at a time eligible for
federal grants and loans;
--create Governor's Academies for Teachers of math, science,
English, history and geography in every state and increase support
for retraining math and science teachers;
--make it easier for Americans in mid career to enter
teaching;
This costs money. I am ready to spend more money:
--my new budget has more new discretionary dollars for
education than for any other department; federal spending for
education has been rising faster than state spending while I have
been President.
--while I have President head-start spending will have gone
gone up 127 per cent while the federal budget has increased only 25
per cent;
P
--I have asked for half billion new federal dollars to help
states create
a state or local GI Bill for Kids. That is a half million new 1000
scholarships for middle and low income families to spend at the
school of their choice. It would affect every family making less
than $40,000 per year in a participating school district.
--I have asked for a half billion new federal dollars over three
years for the first 500 new American Schools.
But money alone is not the answer. America already spends
nearly as much per student on elementary and secondary education
as any country in the world.
Rethinking from top to bottom our schools and our attitudes
about education and our children is the answer.
When I think of America in the year 2000 I think of America as
a nation of students--students of all ages--lucky enough to live in a
country that has provided for them the best schools, colleges and
universities in the world.
Most of what must be done can't be done in Washington. It must
happen community, community, school by school, family by family.
But Congress can help. And one year ago, I asked to
Congress to do just that--to join America's effort to
change our education system from top to bottom, and to
help America create. the best schools in the world for our
children.
Specifically, I asked Congress:
--to give teachers more flexibility in their
classrooms spending federal money;
--to give communities help in creating break-the-
mold, New American schools;
--to give middle and low income families more of the
same choices of schools that families with money already
have
--and to help state leaders and educators create
world-class standards so we can agree on what our
children know and can do, to build new curriculum
frameworks that will move those standards to the
classrooms, and to construct a national voluntary
examination system--a system of American Achievement
Tests-- so that we can tell whether our schools and our
children are meeting these standards.
This is urgent business.
There is no more important enterprise in this country than a
community by community movement to create the best schools in the
world for our children by the year 2000.
It has been a year now. Congress has not responded.
Congress has missed my March 20 deadline.
Congress has even missed its own April 1st deadline, one it
set for coming up with legislation to spend $100 million that it
appropriated for America 2000.
1. Getting the talk right -- Let speechwriters turn the attached
policy into a few paragraphs of rhetoric and use it over and over
and over again: "When I think of America in the year 2000 I think
of a nation of students educating ourselves throughout our
lifetimes at the best system of schools, colleges and universities
in the world. This will take revolutionary changes. Business as
usual will not help us reach our six ambitious national education
goals."
2.
Prepare for Second Term -- The President hosts small one hour
private sessions every 10 days to talk about and get comfortable
with his second term plans for education and how he should go about
talking about this to the American people.
WHERE THE PRESIDENT GOES AND WHAT HE SAYS -- The President should
seize the initiative on education, make it his by a sustained
series of public appearances that make clear his agenda, where he
thinks the nation ought to go, what it ought to do in order to
become a nation of students educating ourselves at the best system
of schools, colleges and universities in the world. All of the
following ideas are either approved and part of the budget, or are
now being worked out with OMB.
1. Draw the line with Congress -- The President should
invite bipartisan congressional leaders to the White
House immediately (before April 1). Tell them: "I won't
sign business as usual legislation for our schools. We
need revolutionary changes if our children are going to
meet the six national education goals by the year 2000.
That means support for world class standards, new
curriculum frameworks and a voluntary national
examination system. It means giving teachers more
opportunity for training and more flexibility spending
federal funds in their classrooms, giving communities
help in creating truly break-the-mold New American
Schools, and giving middle- and low-income families more
of the same choices of schools for their children that
wealthy families already have.
1
2. A bold Republican initiative for working Americans
-- Invite Republican congressional leaders to the White
House. Let them tell the President about their amendment
to the higher education bill. They will say: "Let's
create a $25,000 lifetime line of credit for education
and job training for every American which can be paid
back out of earnings collected by the IRS. This will
give working men and women and their children a better
chance for a better job and a better life." The
President can offer his support and use this for the rest
of the year.
3. Drawing the line with Congress again -- When
Congress does not act by March 20 and the April 1
deadline for authorizing the use of $100 million
appropriated for AMERICA 2000 passes, criticize the
Congress: "Congress has missed not only my deadline but
its own deadline. Worse than that, all Congress is
thinking about passing is more of the same, business as
usual. We need revolutionary changes: world-class
standards and a voluntary national examination system;
training and flexibility for teachers; break-the-mold New
American Schools; more choices of schools for families."
4. Celebrate the first birthday of AMERICA 2000 (April
18) -- Celebrate the first anniversary of AMERICA 2000 by
making one or two visits the week before to cities
working hard to become an AMERICA 2000 community (e.g.:
Omaha, Memphis, Las Cruces, etc.). "Forty states, led by
Governors of both parties -- more than 1000 communities
-- have accepted my challenge to become AMERICA 2000
communities. This is how America will create the best
system of schools in the world by the turn of the
century, community-by-community. This is how we can help
our children reach the six ambitious national education
goals we established in Charlottesville in 1989."
Another visit in May to Charlotte-Mecklenburg
Chamber of Commerce Community Education Summit -- (May
22) Major POTUS address on education. Organizers expect
"thousands" of citizens attending. Community has made a
strong commitment to AMERICA 2000 and made rapid strides
on standards and testing. Trip should include visit to
Johnson C. Smith University's Kiddie Kollege.
5. World Class Standards and Testing -- Go to Nashville
on April 3-4 (or videoconference) to address 15,000 math
teachers: "You are one more reason for America to value
its teachers. You led the way. You got out in front,
established clear and high standards for what our
children should know and be able to do about math. We
are working together to create voluntary American
2
Achievement Tests so parents and communities can know how
their kids and schools are doing. We want them to be
able to live, work and compete with kids growing up in
Seoul, Tokyo and Berlin."
6. "Opportunity Scholarships" -- Go to Milwaukee, check
on the progress of Polly Williams and Gov. Thompson's
program to help poor families attend private schools: "I
have included in my new budget a half billion dollars to
create one million new thousand dollar scholarships for
children of middle- and low-income families. The only
restriction would be that families be able to use this
scholarship at any lawfully operating school. This is
fair to families, will put money into the schools that
help children who need the most help, and will unleash
competitive forces that will make all schools better. It
is federal support for a kind of state or local GI Bill
for Kids. It is, in effect, a Pell grant for elementary
and high school students. It will help to create the
best system of elementary and high schools in the world
just as the GI Bill and Pell grants have helped to create
the best system of colleges and universities in the
world. For Houston, for example, this would be $100
million new federal dollars into the hands of middle- and
low-income families to be spent in the schools that serve
their children.
"
7. New American Schools -- Go to almost any city, visit
a break-the-mold school with Ted Sizer, or Jim Comer, or
Hank Levin. "We must rethink our schools from top to
bottom. We must break the mold, make revolutionary
changes, invent schools that meet the needs of children
the way children are growing up today. More than 700 of
the most creative teams in America are competing for the
$200 million that the New American Schools Development
Corporation will be giving to design teams that will in
turn help communities everywhere create a new generation
of new American schools, the best schools in the world."
8. Head Start and Parental Responsibility -- Go to
National Meeting of Elementary School Principals in New
Orleans, April 31: "We know Head Start helps. That is
why I have pushed for a 127 percent increase in funding
for Head Start during my four years while the federal
budget as a whole was going up only 25 percent.
Beginning next year Head Start will be available for
every four-year-old. But, in the end, it is the parent
who must make certain the child is born healthy, loved,
read to, listened to, cared for. The family makes a
difference. Every teacher knows this."
3
9. Flexibility -- Meet with teachers anywhere about
this: "I can't think of a better example of the
difference between what Washington thinks and what
America thinks about this. I have yet to meet a teacher
who does not think that she and her colleagues could not
help children more if they had more flexibility in the
way they spend the $12 billion in more than 70 federal
elementary and secondary programs. Yet Congress won't
move. I think everybody against the idea of giving
teachers more flexibility in the classroom must live in
Washington, D.C."
10. Retraining Teachers -- Go to a Teachers or
Principals Academy, lots of places: "One thing is
certain -- if we are going to have new world-class
standards, and different curriculum frameworks, and New
American Schools, if we are going to expect so much more
of our children we must be prepared for a period of
massive retraining of teachers. That is why I have
recommended that Congress provide funds to begin
Governors Academies for teachers of math, science,
English, history and geography in every state. That is
why we have refocused $2.1 billion of federal math and
science education programs on teacher retraining."
11. Education and Job Training for working Americans and
their Children -- Go to any community college, or to the
national convention of community colleges in Phoenix on
April 12 (or videoconference): "When I think of America
in the year 2000, I think of a nation of students,
Americans of all ages, throughout their lifetimes
educating themselves in the best system of schools,
colleges and universities in the world. This means we
must give working men and women and their children a
$25,000 lifetime line of credit for education and job
training which may be paid back from earnings collected
by the IRS. It means we should let the working mother,
who can only take one class at a time while she is
working and managing her family, be eligible for our
federal grants and loans to continue her education."
12. The Armed Forces helping to create the best schools
in the world -- The President should take Cheney and
Alexander to a conference in Los Angeles, direct them to
implement a plan for how the armed forces can work with
Los Angeles and other school districts to create schools
for kids that aren't making it in regular schools: "If
we can put missiles down smokestacks, we can create the
best schools in the world for our children. As we cut
back on military spending, we should take some of this
brain power, equipment and dollars to help our cities
with some of their toughest educational problems."
4
13. Colleges and Universities -- Commencement address:
"We have the best system of colleges and universities in
the world. We are the world grand champions of science
and technology. That is why I have recommended record
levels of R&D spending. That is why I have recommended
record increases in federal funds to help families pay
for college costs. That is why I have recommended
letting students deduct from their federal taxes the
interest on student loans and to withdraw money without
penalty from their IRAs for education. Today one of
every two four-year-college students has a federal grant
or loan to help pay college costs. We must use the
principles that have helped to create the best system of
colleges and universities in the world to help to create
the best elementary and high schools in the world by the
turn of the century. II
14 Design Teams -- In mid to late June the New American
Schools Development Corporation will announce the 20-30
award winners from the nearly 700 design teams who
submitted bids. The President should meet with a few of
these teams, perhaps at the proposed geographical
location of the school and speak with them about their
winning "break-the-mold" ideas.
cc: Richard Darman
Ede Holiday
Clayton Yuetter
5
STATE OF ARKANSAS
STATE ERE ARKANSAS 3
OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR
Bill Clinton
State Capitol
Governor
Little Rock 72201
March 18, 1992
Dr. Sam Wilson
Secretary's Regional Representative
United States Department of Education
1200 Main Tower Building, Room 2125
Dallas, TX 75202
Dear Sam:
This letter is to announce Arkansas 2000. In joining
with the America 2000 initiative, Arkansas will
continue its education revolution that we began a
decade ago with the adoption of state school
standards--a crusade that encourages the involvement
of our communities in the education of all its
citizens.
In joining this national effort, I challenge and
encourage every community in Arkansas to move toward
reaching the six National Education Goals by the
year 2000.
Thank you for your attention to this matter.
Sincerely,
Rris Chican
Bill Clinton
BC:rdd
Post-it™ brand fax transmittal memo 7671
of pages /
TO
John CRise
From I AM P. Wilson
Co.
Co. Rag. VI
Dept.
Phone
729-3626
Fax #
Fax #
WH/-1971
727.3634
DRAFT
AMERICA
2000
NUMBER 23. WEEK OF MARCH 30. 1992
OF
AMERICA 2000: One Year Later
by Lamar Alexander, U.S. Secretary of Education
AMERICA 2000 will have its first birthday April 18.
AMERICA 2000 helps give shape to an emerging
Just one year ago President Bush launched a strategy to help
education movement that will be for America in the 1990s
America, community by community, reach six ambitious
what the civil rights movement was in the 1960s.
National Education Goals by the turn of the century. The
3. World-class standards and new curriculum frame-
President and the nation's Governors had agreed on the goals
works-The National Council on Education Standards
after the education summit in Charlottesville.
and Testing and the National Education Goals Panel have
AMERICA 2000 has helped to establish a radical new
moved rapidly to help create a consensus about what
agenda for rethinking our educational system from top to
children should know and be able to do in order to live,
work and compete in today's world. The National
"AMERICA 2000 has helped to
Academy of Sciences is coordinating the development of
establish a radical new agenda
standards for the sciences; UCLA is coordinating history.
The work in English, geography, the arts and civics is
for rethinking our educational
about to begin. I see math teachers learning the new
system from top to bottom
standards in virtually every school I visit. States-with
our help-are accelerating efforts to change curriculum
bottom, and the U.S. Department of Education has become
frameworks to incorporate these new world-class stan-
the sparkplug for that change.
dards.
AMERICA 2000 is not a seven-second soundbite and
4. American Achievement Tests-There is a new consen-
won't have instant results. Most of it is about helping
sus about the need for and the shape of a voluntary
Americans do things for themselves, in their own families,
national examination system so that parents and commu-
schools and hometowns.
nities can know how their schools and kids are doing. In
But there is new energy and a new agenda and an inevi-
just one year the question has become not whether to do
table sort of momentum developing. Here are some of the
it, but how best to do it.
most important things that have happened during this first
5. September Goals Report -In 1991, Governors and the
year:
Administration published the first annual September
1. More people saying "the Nation's at risk, so I may be,
too"-While not often on the front pages or at the top of
"AMERICA 2000 is about help-
the evening news, education is more often seen as the
ing Americans do things for
solution to what is at the top of the news. George Gallup
says Americans think nothing is more important for the
themselves, in their own families,
next 25 years than having the best education system in the
schools and hometowns."
world. Education has become the national worry.
2. AMERICA 2000 Communities-Led by both Demo-
Goals Report measuring the nation's and each state's
crat and Republican Governors, 42 States and more than
progress toward the six National Education Goals. Each
1,100 communities are mobilizing under the AMERICA
year these reports will be increasingly powerful engines
2000 banner to reach the six National Education Goals.
for change.
Over 86 of Maine's 184 communities are MAINE 2000.
6. New American Schools-The New American Schools
communities. MEMPHIS 2000 has 800 persons working
Development Corporation formed, raised over $45
on task forces to find ways to reach the goals, develop
million, and received nearly 700 proposals from design
progress reports, and create a New American School.
See One Year Later, next page
DRAFT
teams that want to help communities create their own
One Year Later. continued
"break-the-mold" schools. Minnesota has authorized the
creation of deregulated charter schools, a sort of indepen-
dent public school. Other states, including California,
AK
Colorado, Connecticut, and Michigan, are considering
similar proposals.
More school options for parents-This year 10 more
states gave parents more choices of the schools their
children attend as a way to unleash competitive forces to
MT
Mat
improve all schools. The President proposed a half billion
NO
dollar program to help states create their own GI Bill for
Children, $1000 scholarships that would follow the
children of middle- and low-income families to any
s
lawfully operating school.
C4
6
so
NV
8. Flexibility for teachers-Ohio, Texas, and 12 other states
NE
WY
"All the Governors of both parties
set the national education goals,
or
CO
and almost all are involved in the
AZ
KS
NM
AMERICA 2000 partnership."
have given state commissioners of education broad
authority to free from regulation schools that set high
goals and produce results. The President wants Congress
to do the same with federal funds.
9. Money-Education is the President's No. 1 federal
budget priority, including record increases for Head Start,
AMERICAN
States on Board
SAMOA
for grants and loans that help families pay for college, and
for university research and development. Much of the
new funding proposals support the agenda for radical
change: New American Schools, standards and testing,
choices for families, flexibility.
10. A bi-partisan spirit-All the Governors of both parties
choices of schools. Yet the Congress cannot bring itself to
set the National Education Goals, and almost all are
support this much change.
involved in the AMERICA 2000 partnership. In turn,
STATE and COMMUNITY 2000 efforts include educa-
"And I am disappointed in the fail-
tors at every level because nothing will change in educa-
ure, so far, to achieve the same bi-
tion unless it changes inside the classroom.
Disappointments? I wish AMERICA 2000 had an hour on
partisan consensus with Congress
television every day, and two hours on radio to carry the
that we have with Governors."
message. After all, in the end what we are trying to do is to
help people rethink their attitudes and ways of doing things.
During the past year I have spent about half my days in
schools and communities helping to begin AMERICA 2000
"Disappointments? I wish
efforts. What I see is usually inspiring-families, students,
AMERICA 2000 had an hour on
and teachers straining to fit out-dated school structures and
community attitudes with a world that has changed dramati-
television every day, and two hours
cally:
on radio to carry the message."
Math teachers retraining to teach to vastly different
standards;
And I am disappointed in the failure, so far, to achieve the
Decatur, Georgia, raising $1 million a year to help
same bi-partisan consensus with Congress that we have with
children outside the schools so they can learn while they
Governors. There have been a few important areas of
are inside;
cooperation. The National Council for Education Standards
Murfreesboro, Tennessee, opening all its elementary
"nd Testing included members of Congress. Congress
schools 12 hours a day and in the summer to fit needs of
propriated $100 million for AMERICA 2000, but Con-
working families;
gress can't seem to agree on how to spend it. The President
In Minnesota, a kindergarten in a bank, a school in a
wants to give teachers more flexibility, to help communities
shopping mall, and a school for teenage mothers in a
create New American Schools, and to give families more
corporate headquarters;
DRAFT
Louisville, Kentucky, saving money by giving school
principals the right to acquire electrical services and air
conditioning somewhere other than the central mainte-
nance system:
ERICA 2000: One Year Later
Balderas School in Fresno, California, with evening
classes for Hmong, Cambodian, Laotian and Spanish-
speaking parents so those parents can understand what
their children are learning;
Hispanic first graders in the Bronx learning English on
MN
computers so they can improve their math scores.
Standards are higher. Children are growing up differently.
NV
School systems and ways of thinking are atrociously out of
NM
date. And most adults are finding we need to go back to
school ourselves.
WI
It is harder today to be a teacher, to be a student, to be a
IA
PA
OH
wv
DC
"The best way I can think of to
IN
"
show the world the best in us is
VA
KY
MO
AMERICA 2000-a national
AR
NC
TN
SC
movement, community by commu-
nity, to create the best schools in
AL
GA
MS
the world for our children."
LA
parent. More of us are gradually realizing that radical change
in our schools, rather than business as usual, will be neces-
FL
PUERTO
RICO
sary if we are to reach the ambitious education goals by the
end of the century. And it is also dawning on more of us that
there will also have to be radical change in our attitudes
outside our schools, within our families and in our own
communities. Schools must become better, but that means
changing communities, too. It's hard for a school to be a
In Derry, New Hampshire, plans for a year-round school
better place than the community it serves.
that includes the Alan B. Shepard School of Math and
Our goals for this next year are to double the number of
Science;
AMERICA 2000 communities, to help those communities
succeed, to move ahead with world class standards and the
"Our goals for this next year are
national examination system, to launch the first wave of
to double the number of
design teams creating New Americans Schools, to push more
decision making into the hands of teachers and school
AMERICA 2000 communities, to
leaders, and to place more school choices into the hands of
help those communities succeed,
parents.
More than anything, we want to give more energy and
to move ahead with world class
visibility to the need for really radical change in our schools
standards and the national exami-
and in our attitudes toward education-all of which begins
with helping even more individuals come to their own
nation system, to launch the first
conclusion that "The Nation's at risk, so I might be, too."
wave of design teams creating
A few weeks ago Russia's new education minister came by
the U.S. Department of Education to learn about our schools.
New Americans Schools, to push
I said, "But we should learn from you as well. American
more decision making into the
eighth graders were 14th in math and 13th in science
scores-nearly last-in international comparisons last month.
hands of teachers and school
Russian children were ahead of ours."
leaders, and to place more school
He replied, "But you were not 13th in democracy."
Most of the world is now ready to try the American way of
choices into the hands of parents."
life, to follow our example. They know we have more
advantages than any other country. The best way I can think
Milwaukee, giving poor families more of the same
of to show the world the best in us is AMERICA 2000-a
choices of schools wealthier families already have, includ-
national movement, community by community, to create the
ing private schools;
best schools in the world for our children.
DRAFT
The National Education Goals
Forty-two states, the District of Columbia, American Samoa, Puerto Rico and
more than 1,100 communities are mobilizing AMERICA 2000 initiatives.
State
Gov ernor
Kickoff Date
ALABAMA
1. All children in America will start
Guy Hunt (R)
October 31, 1991
ALASKA
Walter Hickel (I)
October 17. 1991
school ready to learn.
AMERICAN SAMOA
Peter Coleman (R)
August 30, 1991
ARIZONA
Fife Symington (R)
December 12, 1991
2. The high school graduation rate
ARKANSAS,
Bill Clinton (D)
March. 18, 1992
will increase to at least 90
CALIFORNIA
Pete Wilson (R)
April 10, 1992
percent.
COLORADO
Roy Romer (D)
June 17, 1991
DELAWARE
Michael Castle (R)
September 19, 1991
DIST. of COLUMBIA
3. American students will leave
Sharon Pratt Kelly (D)
December 19, 1991
GEORGIA
Zell Miller (D)
October 18, 1991
grades four, eight, and twelve
HAWAII
John Waihee (D)
January 28, 1992
having demonstrated compe-
ILLINOIS
Jim Edgar (R)
February 11, 1992
tency in challenging subject
INDIANA
Evan Bayh (D)
October 1, 1991
matter including English, math-
IOWA
Terry Branstad (R)
October 27, 1991
ematics, science, history, and
KANSAS
Joan Finney (D)
October 29, 1991
LOUISIANA
geography; and every school in
Edwin Edwards (D)
September 9, 1991
MAINE
America will ensure that all
John McKernan (R)
September 3, 1991
MARYLAND
William Schaefer (D)
September 5, 1991
students learn to use their minds
MASSACHUSETTS
William Weld (R)
October 24, 1991
well, so they may be prepared
MICHIGAN
John Engler (R)
November 13, 1991
for responsible citizenship,
MINNESOTA
Arne Carlson (R)
September 12, 1991
further learning, and productive
MISSISSIPPI
Kirk Fordice (R)
February 10. 1992
employment in our modern
MISSOURI
John Ashcroft (R)
October 29, 1991
MONTANA
Stan Stephens (R)
December 11, 1991
economy.
NEBRASKA
Ben Nelson (D)
September 5, 1991
NEVADA
Bob Miller (D)
March 9. 1992
4. U.S. students will be first in the
NEW HAMPSHIRE
Judd Gregg (R)
December 17, 1991
world in science and mathemat-
NEW JERSEY
James Florio (D)
April 13, 1992
ics achievement.
NORTH CAROLINA
James Martin (R)
September 27, 1991
NORTH DAKOTA
George Sinner (D)
To Be Scheduled
5. Every adult American will be
OHIO
George Voinovich (R)
November 25, 1991
OKLAHOMA
literate and will possess the
Dave Walters (D)
December 19, 1991
OREGON
Barbara Roberts (D)
August 22, 1991
knowledge and skills necessary
PENNSYLVANIA
Robert Casey (D)
October 18, 1991
to compete in a global economy
PUERTO RICO
R. Hernandez-Colon (PDP)
To Be Scheduled
and exercise the rights and
SOUTH DAKOTA
George Mickelson (R)
December 19, 1991
responsibilities of citizenship.
SOUTH CAROLINA
Carroll Campbell (R)
November 20, 1991
TENNESSEE
Ned McWherter (D)
October 25, 1991
6. Every school in America will be
TEXAS
Ann Richards (D)
March 5, 1992
UTAH
free of drugs and violence and
Norm Bangerter (R)
December 10, 1991
VERMONT
Howard Dean (D)
September 20, 1991
will offer a disciplined environ-
VIRGINIA
Douglas Wilder (D)
To Be Scheduled
ment conducive to learning.
WASHINGTON
Booth Gardner (D)
February 28, 1992
WISCONSIN
Tommy Thompson (R)
November 21, 1991
WYOMING
Mike Sullivan (D)
June 21, 1991
The Writings of
Abraham Lincoln
Edited by
Arthur Brooks Lapsley
With an Introduction by
Theodore Roosevelt
06-24
Together with
The Essay on Lincoln, by Carl Schurz
The Address on Lincoln, by Joseph H. Choate
and The Life of Lincoln, by Noah Brooks
Volume Two
1843-1858
G.P. Putnam's Sons
New York and London
The knickerbocker Dress
1905
&
THE THE SS $5
E457
91
1906
N
o
RESS
THE
LIBRARY of CONGRESS
Two Copies Received
N
G
DEC 26 1905
Copyright Entry
Dec. 20. 1905
To
CLASS a XXc. No.
133947
COPY B.
THE
To
SS
THE
$5
B
COPYRIGHT, 1905
To
BY
G.P. PUTNAM'S SONS
To
To
2N
0
GRESS
THE
To
THE
To
7.
G
To
To
To
Ve
THE
SS
Ve
THE
$5
B
To
To
The Enickerbocher Dress, Rew Fork
To
RESS
THE
RESS
THE
HILL THE SS3 S.S.
Abraham Lincoln
247
memb
in favor of degrading classes of white people? Our
progress in degeneracy appears to me to be pretty
soon
rapid. As a nation we began by declaring that "all
pparem
men are created equal." We now practically read
dom an
it "all men are created equal, except negroes."
When the Know-Nothings get control, it will read "all
men are created equal, except negroes and foreigners
it.
Att
and Catholics." When it comes to this, I shall
do
not
prefer emigrating to some country where they make
hat
way
no pretence of loving liberty,-to Russia, for in-
you
stance, where despotism can be taken pure, and with-
shall
out the base alloy of hypocrisy.
who
Mary will probably pass a day or two in Louisville
man
in October. My kindest regards to Mrs. Speed.
State,
On the leading subject of this letter I have more of
to
be
her sympathy than I have of yours; and yet let me
you
say I am
of
Your friend forever,
-traders
A. LINCOLN.
you;
of all of
COVER
SPEECH DELIVERED BEFORE THE FIRST REPUBLICAN
you
are
where
STATE CONVENTION OF ILLINOIS, HELD AT
think I
BLOOMINGTON, ON MAY 29, 1856.
and
From the Report by William C. Whitney.
Wash-
good
as
(Mr. Whitney's notes were made at the time, but
mpting
not written out until 1896. He does not claim that
THIS
do
the speech, as here reported, is literally correct-
Know
only that he has followed the argument, and that in
How
many cases the sentences are as Mr. Lincoln spoke
be
them.)
248
The Writings of
MR. CHAIRMAN AND GENTLEMEN: I was over
[Cries of "Platform!" "Take the platform
experience.] cold chill
say, that while I was at Danville Court, some of our
I have list
friends of Anti-Nebraska got together in Springfield
appeal made
and elected me as one delegate to represent old
Lawrence [Ja
Sangamon with them in this convention, and I am
us SO eloque
here certainly as a sympathizer in this movement and
by his state
by virtue of that meeting and selection. But-we
men out the
can hardly be called delegates strictly, inasmuch-as
men North S
properly speaking, we represent nobody but our-
to be willin
selves. I think it altogether fair to say that we
to right the
have no Anti-Nebraska party in Sangamon, although
what we ou
there is a good deal of Anti-Nebraska feeling there:
what we can
but I say for myself, and I think I may speak also for
consider the
my colleagues, that we who are here fully approve of
possible and
the platform and of all that has been done [A voice
ment and P
"Yes!"], and even if we are not regularly dele-
ments wou
gates, it will be right for me to answer your call to
We have h
speak. I suppose we truly stand for the public
business th
sentiment of Sangamon on the great question of
We are 1
the repeal, although we do not yet represent many
stand firm
numbers who have taken a distinct position on the
political ai
question.
committed
We are in a trying time-it ranges above mere
rages, alth
party-and this movement to call a halt and turn
more. Bu
our steps backward needs all the help and good
personal 01
counsels it can get; for unless popular opinion makes
to all, and
itself very strongly felt, and a change is made in our
We hav
present course, blood will flow on account of Nebraska,
opinion is
and brother's hands will be raised against brother! [The
Free Soil,
last sentence was uttered in such an earnest, im-
some sort
pressive, if not, indeed, tragic, manner, as to make
the extens
Abraham Lincoln
249
as over
a
cold chill creep over me. Others gave a similar
orm
experience.]
ome of
I have listened with great interest to the earnest
Springfie
appeal made to Illinois men by the gentleman from
resent ok
Lawrence [James S. Emery] who has just addressed
and I
us SO eloquently and forcibly. I was deeply moved
ementan
by his statement of the wrongs done to free-State
But
men out there. I think it just to say that all true
asmuch as
men North should sympathize with them, and ought
but Our
to be willing to do any possible and needful thing
that
to right their wrongs. But we must not promise
althoug
what we ought not, lest we be called on to perform
ing there
what we cannot; we must be calm and moderate, and
ak alsofor
consider the whole difficulty, and determine what is
approve of
possible and just. We must not be led by excite-
[A voice
ment and passion to do that which our sober judg-
arly dete
ments would not approve in our cooler moments.
our call to
We have higher aims; we will have more serious
the public
business than to dally with temporary measures.
uestion of
We are here to stand firmly for a principle-to
sent many
stand firmly for a right. We know that great
on the
political and moral wrongs are done, and outrages
committed, and we denounce those wrongs and out-
ove
mere
rages, although we cannot, at present, do much
and turn
more. But we desire to reach out beyond those
and good
personal outrages and establish a rule that will apply
makes
to all, and so prevent any future outrages.
in our
We have seen to-day that every shade of popular
Nebraska.
opinion is represented here, with Freedom, or rather
ther! [The
Free Soil, as the basis. We have come together as in
im
some sort representatives of popular opinion against
SONO?
to
make
the extension of slavery into territory now free in fact
250
The Writings of
as well as by law, and the pledged word of the states-
now is the ti
men of the nation who are now no more. We come
resolute action
we are here assembled together-to protest as well as
The Nebras
we can against a great wrong, and to take measures,
one of wholes
as well as we now can, to make that wrong right; to
of legislative
place the nation, as far as it may be possible now.
intention, is 1
as it was before the repeal of the Missouri Com-
headed off in $
promise; and the plain way to do this is to restore
to see this la
the Compromise, and to demand and determine that
a land of sla
Kansas shall be free! [Immense applause.] While
your two eyes
we affirm, and reaffirm, if necessary, our devotion to
more than si
the principles of the Declaration of Independence,
that almost t
let our practical work here be limited to the above.
lowing in the
We know that there is not a perfect agreement of
the planting
sentiment here on the public questions which might
in a popular
be rightfully considered in this convention, and that
of the voters
the indignation which we all must feel cannot be
in the border
helped; but all of us must give up something for the
ments freely,
good. of the cause. There is one desire which is
it is safe to
uppermost in the mind, one wish common to us all.
entire nation
to which no dissent will be made; and I counsel you
spite of this
earnestly to bury all resentment, to sink all personal
country, we
feeling, make all things work to a common purpose
itself for adn
in which we are united and agreed about, and which
felony, by t
all present will agree is absolutely necessary-which
slavery exist
must be done by any rightful mode if there be such
of law, a ne
Slavery must be kept out of Kansas! [Applause:]
Legislature 1
The test-the pinch-is right there. If we lose Kan-
that he is fre
sas to freedom, an example will be set which will
prove fatal to freedom in the end. We, therefore, in
1 Statutes of
son, by speaking
the language of the Bible, must "lay the axe to the
not the right to
root of the tree." Temporizing will not do longer
this Territory, p
magazine, pamp
Abraham Lincoln
25I
now is the time for decision-for firm, persistent,
resolute action. [Applause.]
The Nebraska Bill, or rather Nebraska law, is not
one of wholesome legislation, but was and is an act
of legislative usurpation, whose result, if not indeed
intention, is to make slavery national; and unless
headed off in some effective way, we are in a fair way
to see this land of boasted freedom converted into
a land of slavery in fact. [Sensation.] Just open
your two eyes, and see if this be not SO. I need do no
more than state, to command universal approval,
that almost the entire North, as well as a large fol-
lowing in the border States, is radically opposed to
the planting of slavery in free territory. Probably
in a popular vote throughout the nation nine tenths
of the voters in the free States, and at least one half
in the border States, if they could express their senti-
ments freely, would vote NO on such an issue; and
it is safe to say that two thirds of the votes of the
entire nation would be opposed to it. And yet, in
spite of this overbalancing of sentiment in this free
country, we are in a fair way to see Kansas present
itself for admission as a slave State. Indeed, it is a
felony, by the local law of Kansas, to deny that
slavery exists there even now. By every principle
of law, a negro in Kansas is free; yet the bogus
Legislature makes it an infamous crime to tell him
that he is free! 1
1 Statutes of Kansas, 1855, Chapter 151, Sec. I2: If any free per-
son, by speaking or by writing, assert or maintain that persons have
not the rìght to hold slaves in this Territory, or shall introduce into
this Territory, print, publish, write, circulate
any book, paper,
magazine, pamphlet, or circular containing any denial of the right of
252
The Writings of
Abraham
The party lash and the fear of ridicule will over-
of this awful and crushing
awe justice and liberty; for it is a singular fact, but
Juggernaut-I think that
none the less a fact, and well known by the most
idol, it crushes everything tl
common experience, that men will do things under
makes a-or, as I read or
the terror of the party lash that they would not on
book, "a slave is a human 1
any account or for any consideration do otherwise:
person but a thing." And il
while men who will march up to the mouth of
are broken down, as is no
a loaded cannon without shrinking will run from
have made things of all th
the terrible name of "Abolitionist," even when
think you, before they will
pronounced by a worthless creature whom they
poor white men? [Appla
with good reason, despise. For instance-to press
Revolutions do not go bai
this point a little-Judge Douglas introduced his
the Democratic party ded
Nebraska Bill in January; and we had an extra
created equal. His succes
session of our Legislature in the succeeding February,
written the word "white
in which were seventy-five Democrats; and at a
read "all white men are C1
party caucus, fully attended, there were just three
or may not the Know-Not]
votes, out of the whole seventy-five, for the measure
power, add the word "Pr
But in a few days orders came on from Washington,
"all Protestant white men?
commanding them to approve the measure; the
Meanwhile the hapless I
party lash was applied, and it was brought up again
of reprisals in other qua
in caucus, and passed by a large majority. The
Tom Benton paid his resp
masses were against it, but party necessity carried it
calls the immortal Declar
and it was passed through the lower house of Con-
while at the birthplace o
gress against the will of the people, for the same
of Bunker Hill and of the
reason. Here is where the greatest danger lies-
home of the Adamses and
that, while we profess to be a government of law
from our side of the ho
and reason, law will give way to violence on demand
the birthday promise of
Declaration to be a strin
persons to hold slaves in this Territory, such person shall be deemed
guilty of felony, and punished by imprisonment at hard labor for a
and the Southern Whig
term of not less than two years.
with proslavery Democr
Sec. 13. No person who is conscientiously opposed to holding
slaves, or who does not admit the right to hold slaves in this Territory,
theories practical. Thom
shall sit as a juror on the trial of any prosecution for any violation of
mindful of the moral el
any Sections of this Act.
Abraham Lincoln
253
over-
of this awful and crushing power. Like the great
but
Juggernaut-I think that is the name-the great
he
most
idol, it crushes everything that comes in its way, and
under
makes a-or, as I read once, in a blackletter law
not
on
book, "a slave is a human being who is legally not a
herwise;
person but a thing." And if the safeguards to liberty
outh
of
are broken down, as is now attempted, when they
from
have made things of all the free negroes, how long,
when
think you, before they will begin to make things of
they,
poor white men? [Applause.] Be not deceived.
press
Revolutions do not go backward. The founder of
his
the Democratic party declared that all men were
extra
created equal. His successor in the leadership has
bruary,
written the word "white" before men, making it
at
a
read "all white men are created equal." Pray, will
three
or may not the Know-Nothings, if they should get in
easure.
power, add the word "Protestant," making it read
ington,
"all Protestant white men?"
the
Meanwhile the hapless negro is the fruitful subject
again
of reprisals in other quarters. John Pettit, whom
The
Tom Benton paid his respects to, you will recollect,
it;
calls the immortal Declaration "a self-evident lie";
Con-
while at the birthplace of freedom-in the shadow
same
of Bunker Hill and of the "cradle of liberty," at the
lies—
home of the Adamses and Warren and Otis-Choate,
of
law
from our side of the house, dares to fritter away
emand
the birthday promise of liberty by proclaiming the
deemed
Declaration to be "a string of glittering generalities";
for
a
and the Southern Whigs, working hand in hand
holding
with proslavery Democrats, are making Choate's
erritory,
theories practical. Thomas Jefferson, a slaveholder,
of
mindful of the moral element in slavery, solemnly
254
The Writings of
declared that he trembled for his country when hel
remembered that God is just; while Judge Douglas,
with an insignificant wave of the hand, "don't care
whether slavery is voted up or voted down. Now
if slavery is right, or even negative, he has a right to
treat it in this trifling manner. But if it is a moral
and political wrong, as all Christendom considers it to
be, how can he answer to God for this attempt to
spread and fortify it? [Applause.]
But no man, and Judge Douglas no more than any
other, can maintain a negative, or merely neutral
position on this question; and, accordingly he
avows that the Union was made by white men and
for white men and their descendants. As matter of
fact, the first branch of the proposition is historically
notwod 1
true; the government was made by white men, and
they were and are the superior race. This I' admit
But the corner-stone of the government, so to speak,
was the declaration that "all men are created equal
and all entitled to "life, liberty, and the pursuit of
happiness." [Applause.]
And not only so, but the framers of the Constitu
tion were particular to keep out of that instrument
the word "slave," the reason being that slavery
would ultimately come to an end, and they did not
wish to have any reminder that in this free country
human beings were ever prostituted to slavery.
[Applause.] Nor is it any argument that we are
superior and the negro inferior-that he has but one
talent while we have ten. Let the negro possess the
little he has in independence; if he has but one
talent, he should be permitted to keep the little he
Abraham Lincoln
255
has. [Applause.] But slavery will endure no test of
reason or logic; and yet its advocates, like Douglas,
use a sort of bastard logic, or noisy assumption it
might better be termed, like the above, in order to
prepare the mind for the gradual, but none the less
certain, encroachments of the Moloch of slavery
upon the fair domain of freedom. But however
much you may argue upon it, or smother it in soft
phrase, slavery can only be maintained by force-by
violence. The repeal of the Missouri Compromise
was by violence. It was a violation of both law and
the sacred obligations of honor, to overthrow and
trample under foot a solemn compromise, obtained
by the fearful loss to freedom of one of the fairest of
our Western domains. Congress violated the will
and confidence of its constituents in voting for the
bill; and while public sentiment, as shown by the
elections of 1854, demanded the restoration of this
compromise, Congress violated its trust by refusing
simply because it had the force of numbers to hold
on to it. And murderous violence is being used now,
in order to force slavery on to Kansas; for it cannot
be done in any other way. [Sensation.]
The necessary result was to establish the rule of
violence-force, instead of the rule of law and reason;
to perpetuate and spread slavery, and in time to
make it general. We see it at both ends of the line.
In Washington, on the very spot where the outrage
was started, the fearless Sumner is beaten to insen-
sibility, and is now slowly dying; while senators
who claim to be gentlemen and Christians stood
by, countenancing the act, and even applauding
The Writings of
in their places in the Senate. Even
years after that
our man, saw it all and was within helping
Virginia, was I
yet let the murderous blows fall unopposed
just now, comp
the other end of the line, at the very time
show how the
was being murdered, Lawrence was being
1817 was far le
for the crime of freedom. It was the
I774 the Conti
rominent stronghold of liberty in Kansas
a dissenting \
give way to the all-dominating power
trade, and to 1
Only two days ago, Judge Trumbull
and less than
necessary to proposé a bill in the Senate to
Declaration o
a general civil war and to restore peace in
which adopte
solved "that
in the midst of alarms; anxiety beclouds
thirteen Unite
we expect some new disaster with each
On the sec
we read. Are we in a healthful political
Declaration (
Are not the tendencies plain? Do not the
gress by the
the times point plainly the way in which we
was characte
[Sensation.]
"a piratical -
early days of the Constitution slavery was
powers," and
by South and North alike, as an evil, and
[Applause.]
of sentiment about it was not controlled"
lina and Geo
graphical lines or considerations of climate.
and from the
moral and philanthropic views. Petitions
were omitted
abolition of slavery were presented to the
far south as
Congress by Virginia and Massachusetts
that Washir
To show the harmony which prevailed, I will
Mason, and
a fugitive slave law was passed in 1793,
and much n
dissenting voice in the Senate, and but seven
the Whig an
votes in the House. It was, however, a
On March
moderate, and, under the Constitution, a
eration all
Twenty-five years later, a more stringent
River. Jeff
proposed and defeated; and thirty-five
Rhode Islar
VOL. II.--
Abraham Lincoln
257
years after that, the present law, drafted by Mason of
Virginia, was passed by Northern votes. I am not,
just now, complaining of this law, but I am trying to
show how the current sets; for the proposed law of
1817 was far less offensive than the present one. In
I774 the Continental Congress pledged itself, without
a dissenting vote, to wholly discontinue the slave
trade, and to neither purchase nor import any slave;
and less than three months before the passage of the
Declaration of Independence, the same Congress
which adopted that declaration unanimously re-
solved "that no slave be imported into any of the
thirteen United Colonies." [Great applause.]
On the second day of July, 1776, the draft of a
Declaration of Independence was reported to Con-
gress by the committee, and in it the slave trade
was characterized as "an execrable commerce," as
"a piratical warfare," as the "opprobrium of infidel
powers," and as "a' cruel war against human nature.
[Applause.] All agreed on this except South Caro-
lina and Georgia, and in order to preserve harmony,
and from the necessity of the case, these expressions
were omitted. Indeed, abolition societies existed as
far south as Virginia; and it is a well-known fact
that Washington, Jefferson, Madison, Lee, Henry,
Mason, and Pendleton were qualified abolitionists,
and much more radical on that subject than we of
the Whig and Democratic parties claim to be to-day.
On March I, 1784, Virginia ceded to the confed-
eration all its lands lying northwest of the Ohio
River. Jefferson, Chase of Maryland, and Howell of
Rhode Island, as a committee on that and territory
VOL. 11.-17.
258
The Writings of
Abraham
thereafter to be ceded, reported that no slavery should
In the Constitutional Cc
exist after the year 1800. Had this report been
of Virginia made a more
adopted, not only the Northwest, but Kentucky
than my friends Lovejoy 01
Tennessee, Alabama, and Mississippi also would
make here to-day-a spec
have been free; but it required the assent of nine
safely repeated anywhere
States to ratify it. North Carolina was divided. and
enlightened year. But, W.
thus its vote was lost; and Delaware, Georgia, and
ferences of opinion on thi
New Jersey refused to vote. In point of fact, as it
cussion was allowed; but
was; it was assented to by six States. Three years
slave code, which, as you 1
later, on a square vote to exclude slavery from the
code, merely ferried across
Northwest, only one vote, and that from New York
even express an opinion
was against it. And yet, thirty-seven years later
in the land of Washingto
five thousand citizens of Illinois, out of a voting mass
Independence. [Sensation
of less than twelve thousand, deliberately, after a
In Kentucky-my Stat
long and heated contest, voted to introduce slavery
the mighty influence of H
in Illinois; and, to-day, a large party in the free
good men there could not
State of Illinois are willing to vote to fasten the
sion in favor of gradual en
shackles of slavery on the fair domain of Kansas
of marching toward the
notwithstanding it received the dowry of freedom
Ohio and Illinois; but the
long before its birth as a political community
I
and Henry Clay, with a n
repeat, therefore, the question: Is it not plain in
the black trail toward t]
what direction we are tending? [Sensation.] In
barism. Is there-can t
the colonial time, Mason, Pendleton, and Jeffersón
this thing? And is there
were as hostile to slavery in Virginia as Otis, Ames
lay aside our prejudice
and the Adamses were in Massachusetts; and Vir-
shoulder, in the great arm
ginia made as earnest an effort to get rid of it as
Every Fourth of July
old Massachusetts did. But circumstances were
claim this to be the lai
against them and they failed; but not that the good
of the brave!" Well, 1
will of its leading men was lacking. Yet within less
that off next year, and,
than fifty years Virginia changed its tune, and made
would you like some old
negro-breeding for the cotton and sugar States one
the grove and deny it
of its leading/industries. [Laughter and applause.]
you like that? But su]
Abraham Lincoln
259
In the Constitutional Convention, George Mason
of Virginia made a more violent abolition speech
than my friends Lovejoy or Codding would desire to
a
make here to-day-a speech which could not be
safely repeated anywhere on Southern soil in this
d
enlightened year. But, while there were some dif-
ferences of opinion on this subject even then, dis-
cussion was allowed; but as you see by the Kansas
slave code, which, as you know, is the Missouri slave
code, merely ferried across the river, it is a felony to
even express an opinion hostile to that foul blot
in the land of Washington and the Declaration of
Independence. [Sensation.]
In Kentucky-my State-in 1849, on a test vote,
the mighty influence of Henry Cláy and many other
good men there could not get a symptom of expres-
sion in favor of gradual emancipation on a plain issue
of marching toward the light of civilization with
Ohio and Illinois; but the State of Boone and Hardin
and Henry Clay, with a nigger under each arm, took
the black trail toward the deadly swamps of bar-
barism. Is there-can there be-any doubt about
this thing? And is there any doubt that we must all
lay aside our prejudices and march, shoulder to
shoulder, in the great army of Freedom? [Applause.]
Every Fourth of July our young orators all pro-
claim this to be "the land of the free and the home
of the brave!" Well, now, when you orators get
that off next year, and, may be, this very year, how
would you like some old grizzled farmer to get up in
the grove and deny it? [Laughter.] How would
you like that? But suppose Kansas comes in as a
260
The Writings of
slave State, and all the "border ruffians have
soon be brought
barbecues about it, and free-State men come trailing
fact of showin
back to the dishonored North, like whipped dogs
we prefer slave
with their tails between their legs, it is-ain't it
[Sensation.]
evident that this is no more the "land of the free
It is, I believ
and if we let it go so, we won't dare to say home
party to a cont
of the brave" out loud. [Sensation and confusion.
destroy the ob
Can any man doubt that, even in spite of the peo-
party may reso
ple's will, slavery will triumph through violence.
ain't good law.
unless that will be made manifest and enforced
be right, I go
Even Governor Reeder claimed at the outset that
souri Comprom
the contest in Kansas was to be fair, but he got his
free State; and
eyes open at last; and I believe that, as a result of
should like for
this moral and physical violence, Kansas will soon
between our I
apply for admission as a slave State. And yet we
their making a
can't mistake that the people don't want it SO, and
plause.] Ther
that it is a land which is free both by natural and
that our way
political law. No law, is free law! Such is the
But I have ne
understanding of all Christendom. In the Somerset
said, and those
case, decided nearly a century ago, the great Lord
as a body say,
Mansfield held that slavery was of such a nature that
fering with sl
it must take its rise in positive (as distinguished from
form says jus
natural) law; and that in no country or age could it
exist in the
be traced back to any other source. Will some one
right or good,
please tell me where is the positive law that estab-
We grant a fu
lishes slavery in Kansas? [A voice: "The bogus
inated in the
laws."] Aye, the bogus laws! And, on the same
lated-had to
principle, a gang of Missouri horse-thieves could
agreement.
come into Illinois and declare horse-stealing to be
slavery in reg
legal [Laughter], and it would be just as legal
On the conti
as slavery is in Kansas. But by express statute,
teachings tha
in the land of Washington and Jefferson, we may
not consider
Abraham Lincoln
261
have
soon be brought face to face with the discreditable
iling
fact of showing to the world by our acts that
dogs
we prefer slavery to freedom-darkness to light!
t?
[Sensation.]
It is, I believe, a principle in law that when one
ome
party to a contract violates it SO grossly as to chiefly
destroy the object for which it is made, the other
peo
party may rescind it. I will ask Browning if that
nce
ain't good law. [Voices: "Yes!"] Well, now if that
ced?
be right, I go for rescinding the whole, entire Mis-
that
souri Compromise and thus turning Missouri into a
his
free State; and I should like to know the difference—
of
should like for any one to point out the difference—
oon
between our making a free State of Missouri and
we
their making a slave State of Kansas. [Great ap-
and
plause.] There ain't one bit of difference, except
and
that our way would be a great mercy to humanity.
the
But I have never said, and the Whig party has never
set
said, and those who oppose the Nebraska Bill do not
ord
as a body say, that they have any intention of inter-
hat
fering with slavery in the slave States. Our plat-
form says just the contrary. We allow slavery to
exist in the slave States, not because slavery is
one
right or good, but from the necessities of our Union.
We grant a fugitive slave law because it is SO "nom-
gus
inated in the bond"; because our fathers SO stipu-
lated-had to-and we are bound to carry out this
uld
agreement. But they did not agree to introduce
be
slavery in regions where it did not previously exist.
On the contrary, they said by their example and
teachings that they did not deem it expedient-did
ay
not consider it right-to do so; and it is wise and
Abraha
262
The Writings of
sions of representative 11
right to do just as they did about it. [Voices:
Carolina was never kn
"Good!"] And that it what we propose-not to in-
mistake; his was the gr
terfere with slavery where it exists (we have never
and he declared that t
tried to do it), and to give them a reasonable and
tranquillity to the cou
efficient fugitive slave law. [A voice: "No!"] I
every consideration of
say YES! [Applause.] It was part of the bargain,
wisdom, and of virtue.
and I'm for living up to it; but I go no further; I m
before President Monro
not bound to do more, and I won't agree any further
each member of his (
[Great applause.]
Congress the constituti
We, here in Illinois, should feel especially proud of
in a Territory?" And
the provision of the Missouri Compromise excluding
H. Crawford from th
slavery from what is now Kansas; for an Illinois
Quincy Adams, Benjai
man, Jesse B. Thomas, was its father. Henry Clay,
son from the North, al
who is credited with the authorship of the Com-
qualification or equivo
promise in general terms, did not even vote for that
SO great consequence t
provision, but only advocated the ultimate admission
Missouri was, by mean
by a second compromise; and Thomas was, beyond
at the door of the Rep
all controversy, the real author of the "slavery
brood of slaves. An
restriction" branch of the Compromise. To show
share is about to be ta
the generosity of the Northern members toward the
of misrepresentative
Southern side: on a test vote to exclude slavery from
popular will. What n
Missouri, ninety voted not to exclude, and eighty
give to this wicked tr
seven to exclude, every vote from the slave States
But even then the
being ranged with the former and fourteen votes
the Missouri constitut
from the free States, of whom seven were from New
approval, it forbade
England alone; while on a vote to exclude slavery
entering the State.
from what is now Kansas, the vote was one hun-
laws" were hidden
dred and thirty-four for, to forty-two against. The
[Laughter], and the
scheme, as a whole, was, of course, a Southern tri-
Then it was that M1
umph. It is idle to contend otherwise, as is now
spicuously, and the
being done by the Nebraskites; it was SO shown by
Union to its founda
the votes and quite as emphatically by the expres-
Abraham Lincoln
263
sions of representative men. Mr. Lowndes of South
Carolina was never known to commit a political
mistake; his was the great judgment of that section;
and he declared that this measure "would restore
tranquillity to the country-a result demanded by
every consideration of discretion, of moderation, of
wisdom, and of virtue." When the measure came
before President Monroe for his approval, he put to
each member of his cabinet this question: "Has
Congress the constitutional power to prohibit slavery
in a Territory?" And John C. Calhoun and William
H. Crawford from the South, equally with John
Quincy Adams, Benjamin Rush, and Smith Thomp-
son from the North, alike answered, "Yes!" without
qualification or equivocation; and this measure, of
so great consequence to the South, was passed; and
Missouri was, by means of it, finally enabled to knock
at the door of the Republic for an open passage to its
brood of slaves. And, in spite of this, Freedom's
share is about to be taken by violence-by the force
of misrepresentative votes, not called for by the
popular will. What name can I, in common decency,
give to this wicked transaction? [Sensation.]
But even then the contest was not over; for when
the Missouri constitution came before Congress for its
approval, it forbade any free negro or mulatto from
entering the State. In short, our Illinois "black
laws" were hidden away in their constitution
[Laughter], and the controversy was thus revived.
Then it was that Mr. Clay's talents shone out con-
spicuously, and the controversy that shook the
Union to its foundation was finally settled to the
264
The Writings of
Abrah
satisfaction of the conservative parties on both
all it can besides. It
sides of the line, though not to the extremists on
securing Illinois in I82
either, and Missouri was admitted by the small
The first proposition
majority of six in the lower House. How great
Arkansas and Missour
majority, do you think, would have been given had
territory was divided a
Kansas also been secured for slavery? [A voice
serious question, as a
"A majority the other way."] "A majority the
Missouri, not, as a sort
other way," is answered. Do you think it would
slave State. Then We
have been safe for a Northern man to have con
now Kansas is about
fronted his constituents after having voted to con-
procession. [Sensatic
sign both Missouri and Kansas to hopeless slavery
you look. We have
And yet this man Douglas, who misrepresents his
years since-how dar
constituents and who has exerted his highest talen
ts
to being a slave State
in that direction, will be carried in triumph through
four other slave State
the State and hailed with honor while applauding.
domain. And yet, i
that act. [Three groans for "Dug!"] And this
abolished throughout
shows whither we are tending. This thing
of
decree of the then Si
slavery is more powerful than its supporters even
please tell me by wh
than the high priests that minister at its altar.
to-day? By the sar
debauches even our greatest men. It gathers
greater than, slavery
strength, like a rolling snowball, by its own infamy
by political force-p
Monstrous crimes are committed in its name by
the torch (as in Kans
persons collectively which they would not dare to
Senate chamber),
commit as individuals. Its aggressions and en
repeats itself; and e
croachments almost surpass belief. In a despot
by craft, intimidat
ism, one might not wonder to see slavery advance
SO it will persist, i
steadily and remorselessly into new dominions; but
dominated by the
is it not wonderful, is it not even alarming, to
restriction.
see its steady advance in a land dedicated to the
We have, this V
proposition that "all men are created equal"?
nunciations of Bro
[Sensation.]
Stringfellow, Atchi
It yields nothing itself; it keeps all it has, and gets
Kansas-the battle
Abraham Lincoln
265
all it can besides. It really came dangerously near
securing Illinois in 1824; it did get Missouri in 1821.
The first proposition was to admit what is now
Arkansas and Missouri as one slave State. But the
territory was divided and Arkansas came in, without
serious question, as a slavè State; and afterwards
Missouri, not, as a sort of equality, free, but also as a
slave State. Then we had Florida and Texas; and
now Kansas is about to be forced into the dismal
procession. [Sensation.] And SO it is wherever
you look. We have not forgotten-it is but six
years since-how dangerously near California came
to being a slave State. Texas is a slave State, and
four other slave States may be carved from its vast
domain. And yet, in the year 1829, slavery was
abolished throughout that vast region by a royal
decree of the then sovereign of Mexico. Will you
please tell me by what right slavery exists in Texas
to-day? By the same right as, and no higher or
greater than, slavery is seeking dominion in Kansas:
by political force-peaceful, if that will suffice; by
the torch (as in Kansas) and the bludgeon (as in the
Senate chamber), if required. And so history
repeats itself; and even as slavery has kept its course
by craft, intimidation, and violence in the past,
SO it will persist, in my judgment, until met and
dominated by the will of a people bent on its
restriction.
We have, this very afternoon, heard bitter de-
nunciations of Brooks in Washington, and Titus,
Stringfellow, Atchison, Jones, and Shannon in
Kansas-the battle-ground of slavery. I certainly
266
The Writings of
am not going to advocate or shield them; but they
affirmatively
and their acts are but the necessary outcome of the
rather than
Nebraska law. We should reserve our highest cen-
olutionary n
sure for the authors of the mischief, and not for the
peal to the S
catspaws which they use. I believe it was Shake
We will mal
speare who said, "Where the offence lies, there
a
strong by c
the axe fall"; and, in my opinion, this man Douglas
strong by th
and the Northern men in Congress who advocate
And, unless
"Nebraska" are more guilty than a thousand Joneses
lie, we will
and Stringfellows, with all their murderous practices
then the rev
can be. [Applause.]
none the les
We have made a good beginning here to-day
As
measures.
our Methodist friends would say, "I feel it is good to
on principle
be here." While extremists may find some fault
right. We
with the moderation of our platform, they should
cessities of
-
recollect that "the battle is not always to the strong,
and school de
nor the race to the swift." In grave emergencies,
NEVER BE
moderation is generally safer than radicalism and
TRUTH! [I
as this struggle is likely to be long and earnest, we
One of ou
must not, by our action, repel any who are in sym-
know that $
pathy with us in the main, but rather win all that
to the nati
we can to our standard. We must not belittle nor
tion and d
overlook the facts of our condition-that we are new
cretely, the
and comparatively weak, while our enemies are
was a brill
entrenched and relatively strong. They have the
our purest
administration and the political power; and, right
thus slaver
or wrong, at present they have the numbers. Our
detest it a
friends who urge an appeal to arms with SO much
forced thr
force and eloquence should recollect that the govern-
slavery a 8
ment is arrayed against us, and that the numbers
Not that h
are now arrayed against us as well; or, to state it :
whole Uni
nearer to the truth, they are not yet expressly and
his great c
Abraham Lincoln
267
affirmatively for us; and we should repel friends
rather than gain them by anything savoring of rev-
olutionary methods. As it now stands, we must ap-
peal to the sober sense and patriotism of the people.
We will make converts day by day; we will grow
strong by calmness and moderation; we will grow
strong by the violence and injustice of our adversaries.
And, unless truth be a mockery and justice a hollow
lie, we will be in the majority after a while, and
then the revolution which we will accomplish will be
none the less radical from being the result of pacific
measures. The battle of freedom is to be fought out
on principle. Slavery is a violation of the eternal
right. We have temporized with it from the ne-
cessities of our condition; but as sure as God reigns
and school children read, THAT BLACK FOUL LIE CAN
NEVER BE CONSECRATED INTO GOD'S HALLOWED
TRUTH! [Immense applause lasting some time.]
One of our greatest difficulties is, that men who
know that slavery is a detestable crime and ruinous
to the nation are compelled, by our peculiar condi-
tion and other circumstances, to advocate it con-
cretely, though damning it in the raw. Henry Clay
was a brilliant example of this tendency; others of
our purest statesmen are compelled to do so; and
thus slavery secures actual support from those who
detest it at heart. Yet Henry Clay perfected and
forced through the compromise which secured to
slavery a great State as well as a political advantage.
Not that he hated slavery less, but that he loved the
whole Union more. As long as slavery profited by
his great compromise, the hosts of proslavery could
Ab
268
The Writings of
not sufficiently cover him with praise; but now that
and, on the other h
this compromise stands in their way-
fully deserved. An
cannot pass unhee
they never mention him,
of the times. Ev
His name is never heard:
in with everything
Their lips are now forbid to speak
Nebraska Bill are 1
That once familiar word."
they come. I will
They have slaughtered one of his most cherished
later be compelled
measures, and his ghost would arise to rebuke them.
time has not yet CO
[Great applause.]
may never come.
Now, let us harmonize, my friends, and appeal to
stronger than the
the moderation and patriotism of the people: to the
of slavery use bul
sober second thought; to the awakened public con-
November and fi
science. The repeal of the sacred Missouri Com-
by that peaceful
promise has installed the weapons of violence the
win. [Applause.
bludgeon, the incendiary torch, the death-dealing
It was by tha
rifle, the bristling cannon-the weapons of kingcraft,
early fathers fou
of the inquisition, of ignorance, of barbarism, of op-2
victory. In I82
pression. We see its fruits in the dying bed of the
Governor Coles
heroic Sumner; in the ruins of the "Free State"
President Madis
hotel; in the smoking embers of the Herald of
that those beau
Freedom; in the free-State Governor of Kansas
dirge of one wh
chained to a stake on freedom's soil like a horse
resolute determ
thief, for the crime of freedom. [Applause.] We see
our broad prair
it in Christian statesmen, and Christian newspapers,
nor shall the u
and Christian pulpits applauding the cowardly act of a
gladness to ou
low bully, WHO CRAWLED UPON HIS VICTIM BEHIND
slave; but so
HIS BACK AND DEALT THE DEADLY BLOW. [Sensation
sparkling strea
and applause.] We note our political demoraliza-
their fragrance
tion in the catch-words that are coming into such
which they
common use; on the one hand, "freedom-shriekers,
[Great applaus
and sometimes "freedom-screechers" [Laughter]
ing, and some
Abraham Lincoln
269
and, on the other hand, "border ruffians," and that
fully deserved. And the significance of catch-words
cannot pass unheeded, for they constitute a sign
of the times. Everything in this world "jibes"
in with everything else, and all the fruits of this
Nebraska Bill are like the poisoned source from which
they come. I will not say that we may not sooner or
later be compelled to meet force by force; but the
time has not yet come, and, if we are true to ourselves,
may never come. Do not mistake that the ballot is
stronger than the bullet. Therefore let the legions
of slavery use bullets; but let us wait patiently till
November and fire ballots at them in return; and
by that peaceful policy I believe we shall ultimately
win. [Applause.]
It was by that policy that here in Illinois the
early fathers fought the good fight and gained the
victory. In 1824 the free men of our State, led by
Governor Coles (who was a native of Maryland and
President Madison's private secretary), determined
that those beautiful groves should never re-echo the
dirge of one who has no title to himself. By their
resolute determination, the winds that sweep across
our broad prairies shall never cool the parched brow,
nor shall the unfettered streams that bring joy and
gladness to our free soil water the tired feet, of a
slave; but so long as those heavenly breezes and
sparkling streams bless the land, or the groves and
their fragrance or memory remain, the humanity to
which they minister SHALL BE FOREVER FREE!
[Great applause.] Palmer, Yates, Williams, Brown-
ing, and some more in this convention came from
Abra
270
The Writings of
Kentucky to Illinois (instead of going to Missouri)
finally squelched if for
not only to better their conditions, but also to get
is why this hall is 1
away from slavery. They have said so to me, and it
instead of a negro
is understood among us Kentuckians that we don't
and laughter.] Once
like it one bit. Now, can we, mindful of the blessings
locality, by ever SO
of liberty which the early men of Illinois left to us!
ever so small numb
refuse a like privilege to the free men who seek to
thistle or Bermuda
plant Freedom's banner on our Western outposts?
You yourself may di
["No!" "No!"] Should we not stand by our neigh-
bor has five or six
bors who seek to better their conditions in Kan-
neighbor, or your SC
sas and Nebraska? ["Yes!" "Yes!"] Can we as
they beg you to hel
Christian men, and strong and free ourselves, wield
vote against your il
the sledge or hold the iron which is to manacle anew
modate a neighbor,
an already oppressed race? ["No!" "No!"] Woe
the losing side. A
unto them," it is written, "that decree unrighteous
those ways slavery
decrees and that write grievousness which they have
that is done the W.
prescribed." Can we afford to sin any more deeply
the nation-is com
against human liberty? ["No!" "No!"]
very process is wor
One great trouble in the matter is, that slavery is
must recollect tha
an insidious and crafty power, and gains equally by
billion of dollars (
open violence of the brutal as well as by sly manage
men must work for
ment of the peaceful. Even after the Ordinance of
"blue lodges"--
1787, the settlers in Indiana and Illinois (it was all
doing their secret
one government then) tried to get Congress to allow
It is a very stra
slavery temporarily, and petitions to that end were
moral law that I
sent from Kaskaskia, and General Harrison, the
horse, the whole
Governor, urged it from Vincennes, the capital. If
the thief; but if
that had succeeded, good-bye to liberty here. But
than I am is hims
John Randolph of Virginia made a vigorous report
one who aids in 1
against it; and although they persevered SO well as
the inconsistencie
to get three favorable reports for it, yet the United
sacred than a m
States Senate, with the aid of some slave States,
popular sovereig
Abraham Lincoln
271
to
Missouri)
finally squelched if for good. [Applause.] And that
also
to
get
is why this hall is to-day a temple for free men
to
me,
and
it
instead of a negro livery-stable. [Great applause
that
we
don'
and laughter.] Once let slavery get planted in a
the
blessings
locality, by ever SO weak or doubtful a title, and in
left
to
us
ever SO small numbers, and it is like the Canada
who
seek
to
thistle or Bermuda grass-you can't root it out.
outposts?
You yourself may detest slavery; but your neigh-
by
our
neigh
bor has five or six slaves, and he is an excellent
in
Kan-
neighbor, or your son has married his daughter, and
Can
We
as
they beg you to help save their property, and you
rselves,
wield
vote against your interests and principle to accom-
nanacle
anew
modate a neighbor, hoping that your vote will be on
No!"]
Woe
the losing side. And others do the same; and in
unrighteous
those ways slavery gets a sure foothold. And when
they
have
that is done the whole mighty Union-the force of
more
deeply
the nation-is committed to its support. And that
very process is working in Kansas to-day. And you
slavery
is
must recollect that the slave property is worth a
equally
by
billion of dollars ($1,000,000,000); while free-State
sly
manage-
men must work for sentiment alone. Then there are
Ordinance
of
"blue lodges"-as they call them-everywhere
(it
was
all
doing their secret and deadly work.
to
allow
It is a very strange thing, and not solvable by any
end
were
moral law that I know of, that if a man loses his
arrison,
the
horse, the whole country will turn out to help hang
capital.
If
the thief; but if a man but a shade or two darker
here.
But
than I am is himself stolen, the same crowd will hang
report
one who aids in restoring him to liberty. Such are
SO
well
as
the inconsistencies of slavery, where a horse is more
the
United
sacred than a man; and the essence of squatter or
States,
popular sovereignty-I don't care how you call it-
272
The Writings of
is that if one man chooses to make a slave of another
no third man shall be allowed to object. And if you
can do this in free Kansas, and it is allowed to stand
the next thing you will see is ship-loads of negroes
from Africa at the wharf at Charleston, for one thing
is as truly lawful as the other; and these are the
bastard notions we have got to stamp out else they
will stamp us out. [Sensation and applause.] ]
Two years ago, at Springfield, Judge Douglas
avowed that Illinois came into the Union as a slave
State, and that slavery was weeded out by the opera-
tion of his great, patent, everlasting principle of
"popular sovereignty." [Laughter.] Well, now, that
argument must be answered, for it has a little
grain of truth at the bottom. I do not mean that it
is true in essence, as he would have us believe. It
could not be essentially true if the Ordinance of 87
was valid. But, in point of fact, there were some
degraded beings called slaves in Kaskaskia and the
other French settlements when our first State con-
stitution was adopted; that is a fact, and I don
deny it. Slaves were brought here as early as 1720
and were kept here in spite of the Ordinance of 1787
against it. But slavery did not thrive here. On
the contrary, under the influence of the ordinance
the number decreased fifty-one from 1810 to 1820
while under the influence of squatter sovereignty,
right across the river in Missouri, they increased seven
thousand two hundred and eleven in the same time;
and slavery finally faded out in Illinois, under the
influence of the law of freedom, while it grew
stronger and stronger in Missouri, under the law or
Abraham Lincoln
273
practice of "popular sovereignty." In point of fact
there were but one hundred and seventeen slaves in
Illinois one year after its admission, or one to every
four hundred and seventy of its population; or, to
state it in another way, if Illinois was a slave State
in 1820, SO were New York and New Jersey much
greater slave States from having had greater num-
bers, slavery having been established there in very
early times. But there is this vital difference be-
tween all these States and the Judge's Kansas experi-
ment: that they sought to disestablish slavery which
had been already established, while the Judge seeks,
SO far as he can, to disestablish freedom, which had
been established there by the Missouri Compromise.
[Voices: "Good!"]
The Union is undergoing a fearful strain; but it is
a stout old ship, and has weathered many a hard
blow, and "the stars in their courses," aye, an in-
visible Power, greater than the puny efforts of men,
will fight for us. But we ourselves must not decline
the burden of responsibility, nor take counsel of
unworthy passions. Whatever duty urges us to do
or to omit must be done or omitted; and the reck-
lessness with which our adversaries break the laws,
or counsel their violation, should afford no example
for us. Therefore, let us revere the Declaration of
Independence; let us continue to obey the Constitu-
tion and the laws; let us keep step to the music of
the Union. Let us draw a cordon, SO to speak,
around the slave States, and the hateful institution,
like a reptile poisoning itself, will perish by its own
infamy. [Applause.]
VOL. II.-18.
The Writings of
cannot be free men if this is, by our
tion and to t1
hoice, to be a land of slavery. Those who
what our grie
to others deserve it not for themselves
in as a slave S
the rule of a just God, cannot long retain
if we shall r
applause.]
TO THE SOUT
ever, my friends, seriously reflect upon
OF THE UNI
with which we are tending downwards?
climax; the
memory of men now present the leading
plauded, sta
of Virginia could make genuine, red-hot
in the air, a
speeches in old Virginia! and, as I have
arch-enchant
even in "free Kansas" it is a crime to
looked, meai
it is "free Kansas." The very senti-
cal justice.]
I and others have just uttered would
But let u
and each of us, to the ignominy and
patriotism o
a dungeon; and yet I suppose that, like
let us sprea
were "free born." But if this thing is
all over thes
continue, it will be but one step further to
Let us con
same rule in Illinois. [Sensation.]
Governor (
clusion of all is, that we must restore the
of our Stat
ompromise. We must highly resolve that
chaparral o
be free! [Great applause.] We must
while he de
he birthday promise of the Republic; we
have'a grea
the Declaration of Indepnedence; we
fians can a
good in essence as well as in form Madi-
There is bo
that 'the word slave ought not to appear
To that let
stitution"; and we must even go further
ability, no
that only local law, and not that time
tion and f
strument, shall shelter a slaveholder. We
when, if ev
this a land of liberty in fact, as it is in
AND TO TH
in seeking to attain these results-so
a rush for
if the liberty which is our pride and
endure-we will be loyal to the Constitu-
Abraham Lincoln
275
tion and to the "flag of our Union," and no matter
what our grievance-even though Kansas shall come
in as a slave State; and no matter what theirs-even
if we shall restore the compromise-WE WILL SAY
TO THE SOUTHERN DISUNIONISTS, WE WON'T GO OUT
OF THE UNION, AND YOU SHAN'T! [This was the
climax; the audience rose to its feet en masse, ap-
plauded, stamped, waved handkerchiefs, threw hats
in the air, and ran riot for several minutes. The
arch-enchanter who wrought this transformation
looked, meanwhile, like the personification of politi-
cal justice.]
But let us, meanwhile, appeal to the sense and
patriotism of the people, and not to their prejudices;
let us spread the floods of enthusiasm here aroused
all over these vast prairies, SO suggestive of freedom.
Let us commence by electing the gallant soldier
Governor (Colonel) Bissell who stood for the honor
of our State alike on the plains and amidst the
chaparral of Mexico and on the floor of Congress,
while he defied the Southern Hotspur; and that will
have'a greater moral effect than all the border ruf-
fians can accomplish in all their raids on Kansas.
There is both a power and a magic in popular opinion.
To that let us now appeal; and while, in all prob-
ability, no resort to force will be needed, our modera-
tion and forbearance will stand us in good stead
when, if ever, WE MUST MAKE AN APPEAL TO BATTLE
AND TO THE GOD OF HOSTS! [Immense applause and
a rush for the orator.]
03-03-92 36AM FROM AMERICA 2000
TO 94566218
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AMERICA 2000 FIELD REPORT
February 24, 1992
I. STATE 2000 ANNOUNCED
State
Governor
Kickoff Date
COLORADO
Roy Romer (D)
June 17, 1991
WYOMING
Mike Sullivan (D)
June 21, 1991
OREGON
Barbara Roberts (D)
August 22, 1991
AMERICAN SAMOA
Peter Coleman (R)
August 30, 1991
MAINE
John McKernan (R)
September 3, 1991
MARYLAND
William Schaefer (D)
September 5,1991
NEBRASKA
Ben Nelson (D)
September 5, 1991
LOUISIANA
Edwin Edwards (D)
September 9, 1991
MINNESOTA
Arne Carlson (R)
September 12, 1991
DELAWARE
Michael Castle (R)
September 19, 1991
VERMONT
Howard Dean (D)
September 20, 1991
NORTH CAROLINA
James Martin (R)
September 27, 1991
INDIANA
Evan Bayh (D)
October 1, 1991
ALASKA
Walter Hickel (I)
October 17, 1991
GEORGIA
Zell Miller (D)
October 18, 1991
PENNSYLVANIA
Robert Casey (D)
October 18, 1991
MASSACHUSETTS
William Weld (R)
October 24, 1991
TENNESSEE
Ned McWherter (D)
October 25, 1991
IOWA
Terry Branstad (R)
October 27, 1991
MISSOURI
John Asheroft (R)
October 29, 1991
KANSAS
Joan Finney (D)
October 29, 1991
ALABAMA
Guy Hunt (R)
October 31, 1991
MICHIGAN
John Engler (R)
November 13, 1991
SOUTH CAROLINA
Carroll Campbell (R)
November 20, 1991
WISCONSIN
Tommy Thompson (R)
November 21, 1991
OHIO
George Voinovich (R)
November 25, 1991
UTAH
Norm Bangerter (R)
December 10, 1991
MONTANA
Stan Stephens (R)
December 11, 1991
ARIZONA
Fife Symington (R)
December 12, 1991
NEW HAMPSHIRE
Judd Gregg (R)
December 17, 1991
DIST. of COLUMBIA
Sharon Pratt Kelly (D)
December 19, 1991
SOUTH DAKOTA
George Mickelson (R)
December 19, 1991
OKLAHOMA
Dave Walters (D)
December 19, 1991
MISSISSIPPI
Kirk Fordice (R)
February 10, 1992
ILLINOIS
Jim Edgar (R)
February 11, 1992
II. UPCOMING STATE 2000 KICKOFFS
State
Governor
Kickoff Date
NEVADA
Bob Miller (D)
March 9, 1992
TEXAS
Ann Richards (D)
TBD
WASHINGTON
Booth Gardner (D)
TBD
NEW JERSEY
Jim Florio (D)
TBD
PUERTO RICO
Rafael Hernandez-Colon
TBD
CALIFORNIA
Pete Wilson (R)
TBD
NORTH DAKOTA
George Sinner (D)
TBD
HAWAII
John Waihee (D)
TBD
VIRGINIA
Doug Wilder (D)
TBD
03-03-92 10:36AM FROM AMERICA 2000
TO 94566218
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STATE
OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY
U. S.'DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
400 Maryland Avenue, S.W.
Suite 4181
DE THE EST
Washington. D.C. 20202
Telephone: (202) 401-3000
Fax Number: (202) 401-0596
FAX COVER SHEET
MESSAGE
TO: Jeannice Buntin
FAX NUMBER: 456-6218
FROM: Kimberly
Sheet #1 of
keep themus consistent
status que
DRAFT
J.
Possible Education Opportunities
Beck decision
(To Teacher of the Year 7th @ 11:15 Rose Garden Hanchetiffe/Nik
change Focus on individual opport teacher's istry suches group, the system
200 people. 30 associations outreach yours invited
role teacher, play connicted to pkg. Appland teachers congress
7pts. (Charli kill's spuch) accomp in education and -> yash summit; goals; legislation;
American Business Conference 7th Anderson/ ARRINS
vislence Ed in
(education, jobs, economic, JT 2000, legislation (?),
Labor initiatives) ? life long, learning
tag on an went - workplace ? Con signt wait on until pept the wk. realing when travels
American Newspapers Editors' Association M GROARDY /BUNTON
mtq. Marlor up Dan saudy
(America 2000 ...)
Lamar to Press Club - ann/ do the report cata M 17th for Brus A do
annurynng Veto bill
National Read-Aloud Day 8th 8 AM.
Cathonic School invited here first grade Class
Event in Detroit (?)
Event in Lehigh Valley (?) PA. TOWN MEETING AMERICA 2000
30 Narch'92
lith CBC /or ASNS spech
unerployment irs. annoncemt (3)
Econome went; crime when (uhy would you
terl speechwriting)
JOB-TRAINING JOB
Education not wh/poss with after (america 2000)
5 went s tangeted
Lamar w/ POTLES then Henson then Clayton:
frus as ed ( /wk. b4 annwessary)
7 brismess
ABC 9 Slc. ed. spir FT 2000, casor, 2000
ASNE
Withdrawal/Redaction Sheet
(George Bush Library)
Document No.
Subject/Title of Document
Date
Restriction
Class.
and Type
01. Memo
Lamar Alexander to Sam Skinner, re: What the President Can
04/16/92
P-5
Be Doing and Saying About Education from Super Tuesday
Through the Convention. (5 pp.)
Collection:
Record Group:
Bush Presidential Records
Office:
Speechwriting, White House Office of
Series:
Speech File, Backup
Open on Expiration of PRA
Subseries:
(Document Follows)
WHORM Cat.:
By SN (NLGB) on 4/5/2005
File Location:
Lehigh Valley [2000] 4/16/92 [4]
Date Closed:
11/29/2004
OA/ID Number:
07572
FOIA/SYS Case #:
Re-review Case #:
2004-2265-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
MAR-17-1992 14:17 FROM SECRETARY of EDUCATION
TO
94562878
P.02
CLOSE HOLD
OF
STUDENTON
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
SERIOUS
THE SECRETARY
March 12, 1992
MEMORANDUM FOR SAM SKINNER
FROM:
LAMAR ALEXANDER
WHAT THE PRESIDENT CAN BE DOING AND SAYING ABOUT EDUCATION FROM
SUPER TUESDAY THROUGH THE CONVENTION
1. Getting the talk right -- Let speechwriters turn the attached
policy into a few paragraphs of rhetoric and use it over and over
and over again: "When I think of America in the year 2000 I think
of a nation of students educating ourselves throughout our
lifetimes at the best system of schools, colleges and universities
in the world. This will take revolutionary changes. Business as
usual will not help us reach our six ambitious national education
goals.
If
2. Prepare for Second Term --- The President hosts small one hour
private sessions every 10 days to talk about and get comfortable
with his second term plans for education and how he should go about
talking about this to the American people.
WHERE THE PRESIDENT GOES AND WHAT HE SAYS -- The President should
seize the initiative on education, make it his by a sustained
series of public appearances that make clear his agenda, where he
thinks the nation ought to go, what it ought to do in order to
become a nation of students educating ourselves at the best system
of schools, colleges and universities in the world. All of the
following ideas are either approved and part of the budget, or are
now being worked out with OMB.
1. Draw the line with Congress -- The President should
invite bipartisan congressional leaders to the White
House immediately (before April 1) Tell them: "I won't
sign business as usual legislation for our schools. We
need revolutionary changes if our children are going to
meet the six national education goals by the year 2000.
That means support for world class standards, new
curriculum frameworks and a voluntary national
examination system. It means giving teachers more
opportunity for training and more flexibility spending
federal funds in their classrooms, giving communities
help in creating truly break-the-mold New American
Schools, and giving middle- and low-income families more
of the same choices of schools for their children that
wealthy families already have."
1
400 MARYLAND AVE... C.W WASHINGTON. DC 30202-0100
MAR-17-1992 14:18 FROM SECRETARY of EDUCATION
TO
94562878
P.03
2. -- Invite Republican congressional leaders to the White
A bold Republican initiative for working Americans
House. Let them tell the President about their amendment
to the higher education bill. They will say: "Let's
create a $25,000 lifetime line of credit for education
and job training for every American which can be paid
back out of earnings collected by the IRS. This will
give working men and women and their children a better
chance for a better job and a better life." The
President can offer his support and use this for the rest
of the year.
3. Drawing the line with Congress again -- When
Congress does not act by March 20 and the April 1
deadline for authorizing the use of $100 million
appropriated for AMERICA 2000 passes, criticize the
Congress: "Congress has missed not only my deadline but
its own deadline. Worse than that, all Congress is
thinking about passing is more of the same, business as
usual. We need revolutionary changes: world-class
standards and a voluntary national examination system;
training and flexibility for teachers; break-the-mold New
American Schools; more choices of schools for families.'
4. Celebrate the first birthday of AMERICA 2000 (April
18) -- Celebrate the first anniversary of AMERICA 2000 by
making one or two visits the week before to cities
working hard to become an AMERICA 2000 community (e.g.:
Omaha, Memphis, Las Cruces, etc.). "Forty states, led by
Governors of both parties -- more than 1000 communities
-- have accepted my challenge to become AMERICA 2000
communities. This is how America will create the best
system of schools in the world by the turn of the
century, community-by-community. This is how we can help
our children reach the six ambitious national education
goals we established in Charlottesville in 1989."
Another visit in May to Charlotte-mecklenburg
Chamber of Commerce Community Education Summit -- (May
22) Major POTUS address on education. Organizers expect
"thousands" of citizens attending. Community has made a
strong commitment to AMERICA 2000 and made rapid strides
on standards and testing. Trip should include visit to
Johnson C. Smith University's Kiddie Kollege.
5. World Class Standards and Testing -- Go to Nashville
on April 3-4 (or videoconference) to address 15,000 math
teachers: "You are one more reason for America to value
its teachers. You led the way. You got out in front,
established clear and high standards for what our
children should know and be able to do about math. We
are working together to create voluntary American
2
MAR-17-1992
14:18
FROM
SECRETARY of EDUCATION
TO
94562878
P.04
Achievement Tests so parents and communities can know how
their kids and schools are doing. We want them to be
able to live, work and compete with kids growing up in
Seoul, Tokyo and Berlin."
6. "Opportunity Scholarships" -- Go to Milwaukee, check
on the progress of Polly Williams and Gov. Thompson's
program to help poor families attend private schools: "I
have included in my new budget a half billion dollars to
create one million new thousand dollar scholarships for
children of middle- and low-income families. The only
restriction would be that families be able to use this
scholarship at any lawfully operating school. This is
fair to families, will put money into the schools that
help children who need the most help, and will unleash
competitive forces that will make all schools better. It
is federal support for a kind of state or local GI Bill
for Kids. It is, in effect, a Pell grant for elementary
and high school students. It will help to create the
best system of elementary and high schools in the world
just as the GI Bill and Pell grants have helped to create
the best system of colleges and universities in the
world. For Houston, for example, this would be $100
million new federal dollars into the hands of middle- and
low-income families to be spent in the schools that serve
their children.
"
7. New American Schools -- Go to almost any city, visit
a break-the-mold school with Ted sizer, or Jim Comer, or
Hank Levin. "We must rethink our schools from top to
bottom. We must break the mold, make revolutionary
changes, invent schools that meet the needs of children
the way children are growing up today. More than 700 of
the most creative teams in America are competing for the
$200 million that the New American Schools Development
Corporation will be giving to design teams that will in
turn help communities everywhere create a new generation
of new American schools, the best schools in the world.
8. Head Start and Parental Responsibility -- GO to
National Meeting of Elementary School Principals in New
Orleans, April 31: "We know Head Start helps. That is
why I have pushed for a 127 percent increase in funding
for Head Start during my four years while the federal
budget as a whole was going up only 25 percent.
Beginning next year Head Start will be available for
every four-year-old. But, in the end, it is the parent
who must make certain the child is born healthy, loved,
read to, listened to, cared for. The family makes a
difference. Every teacher knows this."
3
MAR-17-1992 14:19 FROM SECRETARY of EDUCATION
TO
94562878
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9. Flexibility -- Meet with teachers anywhere about
this: "I can't think of a better example of the
difference between what Washington thinks and what
America thinks about this. I have yet to meet a teacher
who does not think that she and her colleagues could not
help children more if they had more flexibility in the
way they spend the $12 billion in more than 70 federal
elementary and secondary programs. Yet Congress won't
move. I think everybody against the idea of giving
teachers more flexibility in the classroom must live in
Washington, D.C."
10. Retraining Teachers -- Go to a Teachers or
Principals Academy, lots of places: "one thing is
certain -- if we are going to have new world-class
standards, and different curriculum frameworks, and New
American Schools, if we are going to expect so much more
of our children we must be prepared for a period of
massive retraining of teachers. That is why I have
recommended that Congress provide funds to begin
Governors Academies for teachers of math, science,
English, history and geography in every state. That is
why we have refocused $2.1 billion of federal math and
science education programs on teacher retraining."
11. Education and Job Training for working Americans and
their Children -- Go to any community college, or to the
national convention of community colleges in Phoenix on
April 12 (or videoconference) "When I think of America
in the year 2000, I think of a nation of students,
Americans of all ages, throughout their lifetimes
educating themselves in the best system of schools,
colleges and universities in the world. This means we
must give working men and women and their children a
$25,000 lifetime line of credit for education and job
training which may be paid back from earnings collected
by the IRS. It means we should let the working mother,
who can only take one class at a time while she is
working and managing her family, be eligible for our
federal grants and loans to continue her education."
12. The Armed Forces helping to create the best schools
in the world -- The President should take Cheney and
Alexander to a conference in Los Angeles, direct them to
implement a plan for how the armed forces can work with
Los Angeles and other school districts to create schools
for kids that aren't making it in regular schools: "If
we can put missiles down smokestacks, we can create the
best schools in the world for our children. As we cut
back on military spending, we should take some of this
brain power, equipment and dollars to help our cities
with some of their toughest educational problems."
4
MAR-17-1992
14:20
FROM
SECRETARY of EDUCATION
TO
94562878
P.06
13. Colleges and Universities -- Commencement address:
"We have the best system of colleges and universities in
the world. We are the world grand champions of science
and technology. That is why I have recommended record
levels of R&D spending. That is why I have recommended
record increases in federal funds to help families pay
for college costs. That is why I have recommended
letting students deduct from their federal taxes the
interest on student loans and to withdraw money without
penalty from their IRAs for education. Today one of
every two four-year-college students has a federal grant
or loan to help pay college costs. We must use the
principles that have helped to create the best system of
colleges and universities in the world to help to create
the best elementary and high schools in the world by the
turn of the century."
14 Design Teams -- In mid to late June the New American
Schools Development Corporation will announce the 20-30
award winners from the nearly 700 design teams who
submitted bids. The President should meet with a few of
these teams, perhaps at the proposed geographical
location of the school and speak with them about their
winning "break-the-mold" ideas.
CC: Richard Darman
Ede Holiday
Clayton Yuetter
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