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Withdrawal/Redaction Sheet Clinton Library DOCUMENT NO. SUBJECT/TITLE DATE RESTRICTION AND TYPE 001. letter To Hillary Rodham Clinton from constituent re: health care (partial, p. 08/19/93 b(6) 3) (1 page) 002. passport Re: Dennie P. DeGuzman (3 pages) n.d. b(6) COLLECTION: Clinton Presidential Records First Lady's Office Maggie Williams (Subject Files) OA/Box Number: 4106 FOLDER TITLE: Margaret A. Williams [Folder 2] 2013-0359-S rv1420 RESTRICTION CODES Presidential Records Act - |44 U.S.C. 2204(a)] Freedom of Information Act - 15 U.S.C. 552(b)] P1 National Security Classified Information [(a)(1) of the PRA| b(1) National security classified information |(b)(1) of the FOIA] P2 Relating to the appointment to Federal office [(a)(2) of the PRA] b(2) Release would disclose internal personnel rules and practices of P3 Release would violate a Federal statute |(a)(3) of the PRA an agency [(b)(2) of the FOIA] P4 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 P5 Release would disclose confidential advice 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 P6 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 b(8) Release would disclose information concerning the regulation of of gift. financial institutions |(b)(8) of the FOIA] PRM. Personal record misfile defined in accordance with 44 U.S.C. b(9) Release would disclose geological or geophysical information 2201(3). concerning wells [(b)(9) of the FOIA] RR. Document will be reviewed upon request. 05/22/05 00:30 3166613245 JPGINC PAGE 01 THIS DOCUMENT IS BEING SENT FROM FAXNET AGENT TEL# ( ) FAX# ( ) FAXNET NAME FAXNET TRANSMISSION FORM TO: NAME: Hilms Rodban Clenter FAX# (200) 1436 - 246 \ COMPANY: White house STREET: PHONE# ( ) - CITY: TOTAL NUMBER OF PAGES STATE ZIP: INCLUDING THIS PAGE FROM: COMPANY: NAME: Stephen R.Reed R. PHONE # (5% ) 538 4204 STREET: RETURN FAX # ( ) - CITY: STATE: ZIP: SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS/MESSAGE: MESSAGE: I will be Listening tonight FAXNET FAXMET Corporation, 8 Corporate Place, Pleastaway, New Jersey 09955, 806-562-1877 from: Stephen R. Rud To: Hilan Rodham Clinton / CEverts Koop Re: Health Care Refarm Geeeting! Wslame about C. Evert Koop. It. has been A long time. sense the Passident Commission for NIV commiter. to hope you and your family me well. here up the good week! I will be watching Stoing more then the previous administrate You are right this administration or is Take care of yourself. afours stuly. Stephen R.Ruct Mrs Hillary Rodham Clinton September 6, 1993 The First Lady The White House 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue White House Correspond- Washington, D.C. 20500 ence No 765530 US Postal service Dear Mrs. Clinton: I ( and 1 am sure my co-workers at the Oakland Plant and Distribution Center ) would like to thank you for your assistance in keeping our Medical Unit open. While the quality of care remains a matter of some concern, at least we will have a nurse there on a full-time basis as of September 18, 1993. If you or the President are ever in the Oakland area again, we would be delighted to see you at the Oakland Plant and Distribution Center. So thanking you again for your assistance and with mine and my co- workers best wishes to you and the President, I am, Sincerely Yours, William Ellia William Ellis 287 Kingston Way Walnut Creek, California 94596 August 24, 1993 Hilary Rodham Clinton 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue Washington, D.C. Jill Pfau Maelzer 12614 Red Canyon Road Knoxville, Tennessee 37922 re: Mary Pfau, Cincinnati, Ohio with ref. to the Council on Aging. Dear Mrs. Clinton, My Mother and I are deeply touched by and ever so grateful for your response to my letter asking for your assistance in aiding my Mom in her objective to remain safely in her own home instead of resorting to a deficient existence in a nursing home facility. Such wonderful events have occurred since your prompt intervention. The contrast of her former situation of struggle and frustration to the current program of home- health care workers is simply phenomenal; already in place are these crucial services: home-health care aide on duty 8 a.m. to 10 a.m., Senior Center homemakers to help my Mom for three hours in the afternoon, home health care aide returns from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m., a physical therapist comes to help with gait training and exercise, an occupational therapist to help with personal hygiene, weekly nurse's visits and the procurement of a necessary lift chair. Because of your diligence and expeditious nature, my Mother has now regained her dignity as an independent and valuable person in her community. She will be able to move progressively in her recovery unencumbered by financial duress and deprivation of her basic needs. Your call to the office of the Council On Aging in Cincinnati, precipitated a course of events led by Executive Director, Robert Logan, the details of which were fine tuned in a workable manner by the Assistant Executive Director, Ms. Nancy Preszyk. Ms. Preszyk was sensitive to my Mom's real needs and took immediate steps to meet those needs. The initial interview with the social worker, Kim Schultz transpired shortly after your phone call and was used to collect data for Mr. Logan. It was Nancy Preszyk's efforts that led to the immediate resolution of the acute situation faced by Mary Pfau. Nancy contacted R.N. Born, who in turn accelerated the program that transformed a seriously despairing situation into and event of monumental hope and positive accomplishment. Presently, my Mom's life has been enhanced by a compassionate group of women representing Fidelity Home Health Care of Cincinnati, and most especially by a registered nurse, Jayne Born, manager of my Mom's case and dedicated to our cause. Her group of compassionate women at the Anderson Senior Center is the heartbeat of everyone's combined efforts to help. I communicate this joyful development to everyone who cares enough to listen, in my effort to repay you and to demonstrate my sincere appreciation for your support and your spirit of self-less caring for the elderly. I am committed to make myself available to you if you ever need my support in your endeavors as First Lady. You are the embodiment of realistic womanhood for those of us living in the '90's and a star of hope for my daughters' generation. Please accept my gratitude, my admiration and my promise to repeat the cycle of compassion you have begun toward the elderly; accept these as my "Bouquet of Words" from my garden to your lush display of care. Sincerely yours, gill Maelzer P.S. Repeating the closing of my first correspondence ... "Sometimes help comes from the most obscure places, and from the dearest of the dear!" You are. 2 D Peterson D. PETERSON & ASSOCIATES CONSULTANTS TO HEALTH CARE LEADERS August 31, 1993 Hillary Rodham Clinton The White House 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. Washington, DC 20006 Dear Mrs. Clinton: It was a sincere pleasure to hear your remarks at the Annual Meeting of the American Hospital Association. You are a most articulate spokesperson on the health care challenges and solutions. I recognize that your role is a rather thankless one-the issues are thorny and the solutions are not simple. However, many are anxious to work with you on the complex solutions. Again, it was a pleasure to meet you and to have the photographic opportunity with you and the members of the American Hospital Association Board. Best wishes in your endeavor, and I personally stand ready to help in any way. Sincerely, Dran Peteren Diane Peterson, FACHE President 1020 HOLCOMBE BOULEVARD, SUITE 1107 HOUSTON, TEXAS 77030 713/795-5800 FAX 713/795-4417 Dear Hillary letter you, regarding you I recondly close a i Healthcare, to sublishin the wash. Post. VI want to follow To thank you through and thank you, not only for the honor but for for your thoughtfulness It meant somuch and warmly tell you, too, listening me Day husband and You make the world 2 Jons Spencert Exan, to not have my prayers fall a brighter place just by being you! on deaf eases. God Bess your THANK YOU Path - let me know if I can help. Sincerely, Alison Burton 2734 CoRte SanBlas 510-426 4638 Pleasanton, (a 94566 Letters Reflect Anxiety Over Gaps in Care and Outrage Over Costs By Natalie Davis Spingarn Many of the letters I handled came fraud and inefficiency that patients compelling: Parenting classes should be from professional people who were not encounter. Special to The Washington Post offered in the schools, the writers, physicians. The system needed change, most of especially the nurses, argued; more What struck me in the letters was the the writers stated, and some added that here were usually a dozen or so of attention should be paid to the prevention high level of anxiety people feel over gaps they would be willing to pay for such of unwanted pregnancies-and to all T us volunteers, sitting at a long in their health care and outrage over the change. They had put careful thought into reproductive health-and to youthful table in one of three high-ceilinged cost. A clinical social worker, for their many suggestions on how to achieve violence. Many wanted mobile clinics of rooms in the grandiose Old example, who can't change insurance reform. Some detailed plans for a new one kind or another, whether to dispense Executive Office Building reading, coding, companies because she has breast system. A pharmacist, for example, vaccines or eyeglasses. sorting and analyzing many thousands of cancer-a preexisting condition-is suggested a U.S. Health Board, But the vast majority of health letters that began "Dear Hillary." therefore stuck with a monthly health somewhat like the Federal Reserve correspondents wanted above all to share I felt a sense of kinship with the insurance premium of $670 and Board, to pinpoint deficiencies, draw up a their personal health care experiences writers. For years, as a freelance foreclosed from disability insurance. plan, monitor its effectiveness and set up and concerns. Asked by the president and journalist, I have written about health Medical bills, carefully reproduced in zones with screening centers. A hospital Hillary Rodham Clinton for their ideas, care. But I have also confronted the thousands of copy machines from Maine employee's six-point plan stipulated that they responded willingly. Although many system personally, since I was first to Florida to California, were sent in as doctors and hospital employees should be seemed aware that the first family might diagnosed and treated for breast cancer hard proof of outrageous charges often prohibited from owning health care not actually read their words ("I know 19 years ago. So I recognized the despair made to Medicare-including one for provider stocks. you won't see this, but "), they were $400 for a five-mile ambulance ride. Others-particularly those who had and frustration of many of the stories weighing in, glad, or at least hopeful, that There was some "canned" mail-an lived and worked in countries with these authors told. people in high places were finally ready to estimated 10 percent-usually sent by @ different health care systems such as listen. As a lifelong Democrat, I had helped on professional group, such as chiropractors. Germany, Australia and Canada- A fellow volunteer told me that she Bill Clinton's transition team. When the Less often, people concerned with a generally advocated universal coverage found many letters sad. Reading them, White House Health Care Task Force specific problem like infertility wrote with comprehensive benefits (although she confessed, tears came to her eyes; was formed, I continued to work similar letters. Some of the non-physician one doctor warned that such a system wasn't it enough to grapple with graye part-time for six months as a volunteer. professionals-mental health workers or would exacerbate shortages). Social disease, without having to fight to find The ambiance could be heady. Once dietitians, for example-simply stated workers and psychologists, among others, the necessary care, and pay for it? admitted through the strict security their belief in how their work benefited warned the president and first lady of the My reaction was different. I found system, you entered the spacious patients; others argued forcefully that impersonality of decision-making in myself uplifted to know that those who in corridors, with elegant curving granite excluding their specialty from coverage managed care systems. recent years had so often argued that POST HEALTH/AUGUST 17. 1993 staircases, skylit domes and black and would be counterproductive. Many wanted a holistic-or there was no groundswell in America for white marble floors. Along these The issues that aroused the most "wellness"-approach included in any new real reform were wrong; these letters corridors, you could even meet the passion were varied: denial of insurance health care scheme. These ranged from a constitute a remarkable civic outpouring. President on his way to the Indian Treaty benefits for people with congenital licensed acupuncturist who reported that his conditions or chronic illnesses that can be rheumatoid arthritis had been cured by Natalie Davis Spingarn has worked on Room, striding ahead of his retinue; he managed medically but are quite herbal cleansing and fasting to a registered health care issues, both as a government always took time to stop and shake hands expensive to treat; the soaring cost of nurse who said that since "wellness VS. official and a private citizen, and is the with people. insurance premiums, particularly for illness is the key," people must learn to author of several books. She also has served We volunteers-hundreds of people of individuals with preexisting conditions, assume responsibility for their health, losing as a commissioner of D.C. General Hospital all ages, shapes, complexions and families and small businesses; the need weight and making other lifestyle changes. and the executive director of the National backgrounds-tackled the thousands of for long-term care and expanded mental There were those who wanted more Commission on Confidentiality of Health letters a day received by the White health services; rules and regulations that emphasis on living wills and less on the Records. She is now vice chair of the House. A large percentage zeroed in on are often contradictory or cause hardship, life-extending machines. And advocates National Coalition for Cancer health care. and of course, the examples of waste, for young people were particularly Survivorship. September 15, 1993 Ms. Hillary Rodham-Clinton White House 1600 Pennsylvania Ave Washington DC 20500 Dear Ms. Rodham-Clinton, I have recently changed my party affiliation from Republican to Democratic. The reasons for this are many but the biggest reason, by far, is professional. As a dentist, I've become increasingly embarrassed, ashamed and disgusted with the posture my profession takes towards dental care for middle and lower income Americans. I'm interested in supporting your efforts in health-care reform with respect to my profession. We presently have 3 and will soon have 6 successful metro-Denver area dental clinics. Our 16 dentists and 70 employees all support themselves nicely with a concept that the huge majority of my profession believes won't work: Our emphasis is middle and lower income patients. We offer lower fee, yet quality care to Medicaid patients, managed care patients, self-pay patients, insurance patients, all patients. Every kind of dental patient is wanted in our practices. We believe our concept satisfies the concerns of the American people and the concerns of my profession. We hope to someday expand our unique concept beyond the meto-Denver area. Enclosed is an editorial on this subject that I wrote for our leading professional business periodical. I have been called one of the leading practice management experts in my profession. If I can be of any assistance to you in your health-care reform efforts with respect to dentistry, please do not hesitate to contact me. I remain at your service. Sincerely, Rick A. Kushner, D.D.S. P.S. Please notify me as to how I may contribute to the President's re-election campaign fund. COMFORT DENTAL GROUP INC. 17404 W. 53rd Drive Golden, CO 80403 303-278-3335 Are We Becoming a Profession of Elitists? 've read with disturbed interest Even if third-party involvement mean an affordable, serviceable the minor controversy surround- does go away, capitation would cosmetic immediate denture or ing the "Understanding Capitation" survive longer as the lower-cost does it mean not doing immediate Viewpoint in Dental Economics' alternative. dentures at all? Does it mean treat- December 1992 issue. In it, Dr. Where do dentists who think cap- ing only patients with the right den- Howard Farran presents a thought- itation will magically disappear de- tal IQ and pocketbook, or does it ful, yet flawed (the one I would velop these ideas? Do they ever mean treating all types of patients write would be flawed, also), analy- venture out of their 10 X 10 boxes with kindness and respect accord- sis of capitation. Dr. Farran, wheth- and look at the changes in their ing to their value systems and their er you like him, dislike him, are marketplace? (For those of you willingness and ability to pay? I'm indifferent to him or are ignorant of who graduated prior to 1970, by so confused with all this talk about him, is one of the most innovative "changes in their marketplace," I'm quality and excellence. thinkers this profession has ever I know nothing at all of the prac- seen. Free thinking is sadly missing tices of the "capitation will go in this profession. away" dentists, and I have no Subsequent issues of this maga- doubt whatsoever that they are out zine have included several re- standing clinical dentists, but I'll bet sponses to Dr. Farran's article. One dollars to donuts that they have letter-writer feels that the impend- Managed care been in practice at least 30 years, ing shortage of dentists will cause is not the I'd further bet that a first visit to one capitation to go away. Golly-gee, I wish it were so. Managed care is cause of any of their offices costs about $100, and you'd better bring the $100 not the cause of any of our prob- of our problems- with you on that first visit or you're lems-it's a result. Nor is it the it's a result. not welcome. It's so much easier to solution to our problems. It is sim- be ideological and to use and live ply a piece of. an extremely com- by phrases such as care and skill plex provider puzzle in an extreme- and judgment and clinical and diag- ly complex national economy. Cap- nostic excellence when you estab-) itation is not going away. Unless, referring to the willingness and abil- lished your practice in the "golden that is, third-party involvement in ity of the patient base to pay for our age of dentistry" sixties. If all the dentistry goes away completely; services.) Or, when they do venture "dream practice" really required and that actually could happen. out, is it only to their dental-society was hard work, dedication and meetings filled with lots of people postgraduate courses, there would who all think the same way? be tens of thousands of dream Another letter-writer rips Dr. Far- practices in this country-and I The author has been involved with ran pretty good for using the word haven't found a single one yet. lecturing and consulting in the field of "profit" too often and not using the As for the word "profit," this is dental-practice management for more words quality and excellence. I've still, after all, America. For a signifi- than 13 years. His "Lean and Mean" seminar series has become a yardstick never known what quality in den- cant percentage of American den- for measuring practice profitability. Dr. tistry really means. Does it mean tists, even clinically excellent den-f Kushner still is a practicing dentist and an economical amalgam with ex- tists, "profit" must be the primary manages two practices which he start- cellent contacts and margins, or goal as bankruptcy becomes a real ed within the last four years in Colora- does it mean not doing amalgams possibility. do. Seminar information can be ob- at all? Does it mean a quick, pain- Still another letter-writer face- tained by calling 303-277-0001, or writ- ing Table Mountain Seminars, 17404 less extraction, or does it mean not tiously accuses Dr. Farran of be- W. 53rd Drive, Golden, CO 80403. doing extractions at all? Does it lieving welfare dentistry is profit- DENTAL ECONOMICS / JUNE 1993 23 VIEWPOINT Designed togo anywhere. able. For 16 years, each of our aging meticulously all areas of the practices has accepted Medicaid practice. Those who listened will patients (along with indemnity in- win in the current marketplace even surance patients, self-pay patients, if it's by losing less than the rest. capitation patients, rich patients, 1 have two sons who talk about poor patients, fat patients, thin pa- becoming dentists. The older one tients, all patients) and no, it's not could conceivably be in dentistry in profitable. We do so out of a com- 10 or so years. Let's hypothesize mitment to our entire community that he will have no financial help and with a belief that someday, just whatsoever upon dental-school maybe, the Medicaid patient will graduation. Let's say he's $75,000 get a job or that maybe, just may- in debt from school and faces an- be, the Medicaid patient has a other $100,000 practice start-up friend who has a job and he'll re- debt in an economy like the one we member we treated him with kind- now are in. Let's say he's married ness and respect when he was in and has an infant to support. Do I If you're looking for an need. Even though we're among prefer he follow the ideological, the few in our area to see Medicaid philosophical advice of the letter- attractive, space-saving patients, we're frequently criticized writers or the realistic, profit-moti- filing solution, consider as placing profit above all else. vated advice of the type Dr. Farran Times-2 Classic™ The My overall point is that I'm ex- gives? Guess! It's 1993, gang. world's original rotatable tremely concerned that we're rapid- Name a business that functions file. Compared to con- ly becoming a profession of elitists. today with 30-year-old thinking. We're turning our backs on the bulk I was fortunate enough recently ventional laterals, Times- of our patient base; and fewer and to attend the Conservative Summit 2 Classic can save you up fewer of our population can afford in Washington, D.C. I was interest- to 64% of your floor our care, any care. We have 95 ed in the position on the health- space. Now available in percent of the profession sniffing care crisis of the think tank of the 27 beautiful standard col- after 5 percent (and shrinking) of Heritage Foundation. It seems as the patient base, and the numbers though Mrs. Clinton may work with ors, it's beautiful enough just don't work. Our country has the Heritage Foundation on her to go anywhere in your changed-not changing, but health-care project. My conclusion office. So you can bring changed. The reality is that we're is that we could be in for a major files closer to the people under constant pressure to see earthquake. Those of you who are who use them. And with more patients and perform more offended by the word "profit" are services for fewer dollars without going to love the next 10 years, changeable multi-media sacrificing quality. Sounds pretty unless, of course, the phrase "lack options, it can adapt to impossible and is incredibly diffi- of profit" offends you also. your ever-changing stor- cult, but some of us feel we have a age needs. For our free pretty good handle on it. Managed Editor's Note: Readers are invited care is just a weapon to wage the to submit manuscripts for consider- brochure, please call battle on cost of dental service. ation for the Viewpoint column. The 1(800)877-8456 or in I've tried for 10 years to prepare staff reserves the right to edit Canada 1(800)363-6237. this country's dentists for the mar- manuscripts to fit available space. ket we face by remaining open to Send manuscripts to: different service-providing opportu- Dental Economics RICHARDS WILCOX nities. I've recommended not limit- Box 3408 Storage Environments ing practices in any way and man- Tulsa, OK 74101. Circle 16 on reader service card 26 DENTAL ECONOMICS / JUNE 1993 August 19, 1993 Mrs. Hillary Rodham Clinton c/o The White House 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue Washington, D.C. Dear Mrs. Clinton: I have debated for months now as to what might be accomplished by the writing of this letter. I have now concluded that, regardless of whether or not it is ever seen or its contents taken seriously does not matter. I must tell this story in order to free myself of the moral and professional frustration I have suffered for the past four years. I am a 35 year old woman, originally from Florida, having relocated to Dallas almost four years ago. It is an understatement that my life, both personally and professionally has changed dramatically in those few short years. I am a 16 year veteran employee of the insurance industry. I began my career in insurance sales and over the course of my career, have been exposed to most facets of the industry, including Sales and Marketing, Insurance Software Sales and Education, and for the past four years, as an executive in the health insurance market here in Texas. The situations I have witnessed in recent years, both personally and professionally, are appalling at best and have prompted me to. write this letter. Mrs. Clinton, I cannot begin to express to you the degree of waste, abuse of power (both Regulatory and within the insurance companies), lack of moral fiber and complete social irresponsibility I have seen. I have worked for companies who feel no financial or moral obligation to properly prepare for and reserve for (as required) their policyholder's potential claims. I have seen a 21 year old young man by the name of Gregory P. Romero, literally die on the steps of a Louisiana hospital because his family was told that the insurance they had paid for for over 3 years was no good. I spoke at length with his mother as she battled, not only the loss of her son, but the insurance company she had relied on as well. I have seen that same company spend astronomical sums of money on corporate jets, $1200.00 "business dinners", and personal expenses by the tens of thousand which were paid from company funds. I do recognize that all of these things have been going on for many years prior to my becoming a part of this industry; but to witness it first hand, to watch companies fold due to poor regulatory supervision, and to see policyholders struggle to keep their homes and families intact due to these failures, is more disheartening than you can imagine. I have been on my own since age 16. I have worked hard to provide for myself and for my family, and until recent years have taken enormous pride in the self-sufficiency and self- respect that my career has afforded me. I now find myself with a wonderful healthy new marriage with so much hope and so many personal goals, many of which will undoubtedly never be realized due to personal and professional obstacles. I have always been able to maintain my optimism, even during the most difficult challenges of my life, but my doubts as to the survival of the only industry I have ever known are increasing almost daily. Mrs. Clinton, I have a beautiful step-daughter who is six and want more than anything to start a family of my own. Unfortunately, as I have no way to obtain health coverage to cover a pregnancy, the financial concerns must outweigh that desire for right now. I cannot tell you what a painful realization that is. My insurance company does not provide any significant maternity coverage, and even if I did chose to purchase what little coverage is available, the premium for the maternity benefit alone is $271.80 per month. My present premium for my major medical coverage is only $171.30 per month. Changing companies is not an option. I recently underwent surgery which would prohibit me from obtaining coverage with another carrier, due to the pre- existence of this problem. Seven years ago, I suffered one of the very few medical problems I have ever had. A doctor in Florida diagnosed a TMJ problem and performed corrective surgery using Vitek Proplast Implants. This past year, the problem returned, much worse that it was manifested originally. By this time, the implants, which had been recalled by the F.D.A., had shattered and caused many other problems. My only alternative was to have total bilateral joint replacements in my jaws. I underwent over ten hours of intense surgery and with the help of a wonderful physician, have been blessed with a good recovery and hopefully, a permanent one. Fortunately, I also have, what I consider one of the few truly "good" insurance companies still in existence. They were not only supportive and helpful, but were very expedient about processing over $60,000 worth of claims. The truly sad part of the entire experience was seeing the bills which were submitted to the hospital and paid by the insurance company. My hospital bill alone was over $37,000, and I spent a total of two nights in the hospital! This did not include the surgeons bill, the anesthesiologist, or any other out-patient expenses. I finally had a first hand look at a health claim, from the prospective of both myself and the insurance company. The costs for this medical care was exorbitant and Withdrawal/Redaction Marker Clinton Library DOCUMENT NO. SUBJECT/TITLE DATE RESTRICTION AND TYPE 001. letter To Hillary Rodham Clinton from constituent re: health care (partial, p. 08/19/93 b(6) 3) (1 page) COLLECTION: Clinton Presidential Records First Lady's Office Maggie Williams (Subject Files) OA/Box Number: 4106 FOLDER TITLE: Margaret A. Williams [Folder 2] 2013-0359-S ry1420 RESTRICTION CODES Presidential Records Act - |44 U.S.C. 2204(a)] Freedom of Information Act - 15 U.S.C. 552(b)] P1 National Security Classified Information |(a)(1) of the PRA] b(1) National security classified information [(b)(1) of the FOIA] P2 Relating to the appointment to Federal office |(a)(2) of the PRA b(2) Release would disclose internal personnel rules and practices of P3 Release would violate a Federal statute |(a)(3) of the PRA an agency [(b)(2) of the FOIA] P4 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 PRAJ b(4) Release would disclose trade secrets or confidential or financial P5 Release would disclose confidential advice between the President information [(b)(4) of the FOIA] and his advisors, or between such advisors [a)(5) of the PRAJ b(6) Release would constitute a clearly unwarranted invasion of P6 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 b(8) Release would disclose information concerning the regulation of of gift. financial institutions |(b)(8) of the FOIA] PRM. Personal record misfile defined in accordance with 44 U.S.C. b(9) Release would disclose geological or geophysical information 2201(3). concerning wells |(b)(9) of the FOIA] RR. Document will be reviewed upon request. I found myself wondering how any company can survive while attempting to meet these outrageous costs. I do apologize for the long windedness of this letter, and will now attempt to make my point. Mrs. Clinton, the position you and your husband have taken on Healthcare Reform is so primary to our survival and growth as a country, and I am anxiously awaiting the outcome of the discussions and plans presently surrounding this issue. We have Insurance Companies who are controlled by people who have very little actual regard for the policyholders who keep them in business, yet have no choice but to keep raising our premiums to cover the escalating costs of healthcare. We have Healthcare Providers who think nothing of charging exorbitant fees for services that most Americans cannot afford, even with insurance benefits, and finally, we have the American public whom, it would appear, must try to survive in a Nation that cannot seem to look out for their own. In closing, I sincerely hope that you have the opportunity to read this letter. I realize that I am telling you nothing new, especially with the significant research that has obviously been prepared on these issues, but I truly believe that most Americans recognize the merit of proposed change in this Administration, and I applaud you both for the promise of hope that your time in Office brings to us all. My best wishes to you as you meet the unique challenges you are facing, on this and all other issues. Sincerely, [001] (b)(6) Hillary Rodham Clinton 08/30/93 The White House Washington, D.C. 20500 Dear Mrs. Clinton, My name is Jim Teyechea. I live in Nogales, Az. I am 44 years old. I have an 18 year old son and a 13 year old daughter. My daughter's name is Liana. She is the most special person in my life. My son is somewhat lost. Maybe he will come around maybe he won't. I am divorced like many people in this country. Un- like most people, I have cancer. I suffer from Multiple Myeloma, cancer of the red plasma cells. A lot of people refer to it as cancer of the bone marrow. It is a fatal form of cancer as there is no cure for it. I probably will live less than a year. I am not writing you to tell you my life story or to ask for pity or anything from you. I am writing you because I am so angry that I can no longer see straight. You and your husband, whom I have lost all respect for, ought to be completely and totally ashamed of yourselves. I know that I am. You and everyone else in that ugly and terrible city that you call home are bought and paid for. I am writing to you and not to your husband because I realize that anyone who has become president of the United States cares for nothing other than his political career. What am I so angry about? Too many things to count but I cannot tolerate your and Bill's stance on NAFTA. I am sick and tired of hearing nothing but lies and propoganda coming out of the White House and everywhere else in Washington, all of it pushing for NAFTA. You are bought and paid for and President Clinton is bought and paid for and none of you give a damn about me or my daughter or the lives that we are living here on the border. We are being slowly poisoned. We are being slowly murdered. And you and Bill are pulling the trigger. Just as sure as if you were here doing it yourself, you and him and the rest of the animals that are pushing NAFTA on us are killing us. And you don't give a damn, do you! To you and the rest of your ilk, our lives are valueless. You cheapen and demean our lives with your lies and your propoganda. All you give a damn about is what serves your own interests or the interests of those people or corporations that have paid for your services. Corporate profits and jobs for Mexico BULLSHIT!!!, Mrs. Clinton. Death for me and death for my daughter and you don't even know what it is that you are doing. In 1967, Mexico wanted more jobs SO they sold the U.S. the "maquiladora" program and we on the Border have been dying ever since. Nogales' air is unbreathable did you know that? Do you even give a damn? It is filled with ugly, black, noxious, poisoned smoke! But there is a catch. It is invisible. You can't see it. We never knew what was being done to us. We were sold a bill of goods. Our local chamberpot of commerce, 25 years ago, told us that it was "clean industry" and that we would all benefit from it. The only business that benefited was the local funeral parlor. In fact, they did so well, that the owners were able to sell out to a large franchise from Tucson for big money. VOC's, Mrs. Clinton. Do you know what they are? Volatile organic compounds! They come from the solvents that are used at almost all of the 89 maquiladoras that are located in Nogales, Mexico. They are found at levels of up to 66,000 times the maximum contaminant level allowed by: the EPA here in the United States and they are vented into the air. The prevailing winds then carry them northward along the Nogales Wash and we breath them. Our parents, our brothers and sisters, our cousins, our uncles and aunts, and worst of all, our children, Mrs. Clinton. We breath all this poison in and we sicken and we die and nobody knows why. And nobody cares, least of all you and Bill and the rest of your Pro-NAFTA goons. To you we are dogmeat. To you our lives are nothing more than the cost of doing business. To you, we are the "lambs" that will make the sacrifice for the "greater good". And what makes it absolutely intolerable is that there isn't a damn thing that I can do about it. Who is going to listen to me? My life is worth nothing to you and your "establishment" so why should my words carry any value? I am angry, Mrs. Clinton, and all your degrees and your fancy titles and all of the bullshit that surrounds and fills your life is useless to you in hearing what I am telling you. I am president of a group called L.I.F.E. here in Nogales. It stands for Living Is For Everyone, Inc. We are a non-profit group that is investigating the incredible rates of cancer and lupus that we have here in Nogales. We have only 19,500 people living here but we are getting around 40 new cases of cancer each MONTH!!! That is around 500 new cancers per year! And the children suffer the most. In the last two months we have had 3 more kids go down with leukemia. We are the ones that are paying for the ignorance that is rampant in Washington, D.C. We are the ones who are paying for the greed and the vice and the buy-offs and the pay-offs and the fees that Washington charges for influence peddling to whomever has the money to pay. I am paying with my life. And I live in terror that my daughter will someday have to pay with hers. I don't expect you to help. I don't even expect you to care what happens to us. You have your own agenda and our lives don't even make yours or Bill's top 100 list. I am through deluding myself that my government or even my country gives a damn about me or my family. But I want to try to make you hear. I want to try to make you see. I am going to die and probably pretty soon. And the only thing that I ask of you is to look at yourself in the mirror and read my letter to you while you are looking into your own eyes. I want you to see that you and your husband are selling this country a bill of goods and asking us on the Border to take a blank check from Mexico that isn't even worth the paper that it is written on. I want you to see how you have made corporate profit the main issue and the environmental issues are simply "side" issues that unfortunately have to be dealt with. I want you to see that you and Washington have turned my life and my daughter's life into nothing more than a "side issue". How are you going to see this? You never will but I have to try. Send Chelsea to Nogales, Mrs. Clinton. Enroll her in the Nogales Public School System and let her go to school with my daughter. They would be great friends, I guarantee you. Liana is charming, intelligent, and has a real grasp of life for just being thirteen years old. She wants to become a doctor or a scientist and her goal. is to go to Brazil and save the rain forests and the people living there. Send us your daughter, Mrs. Clinton. Let her breathe the same air and take the same risks that you and Bill are so blithely asking us to take. Feel the fear every- time she gets sick and you are worried that it is more than a cold or just the sniffles. Feel the sense of anguish when you tell your friend that it is just the sniffles only to be told that their daughter has just been diagnosed with leukemia or lupus. If you really believe all this crap that your husband and Mickey Kantor and all the other "government representatives" are saying, then you will take the risk, won't you? No, Mrs. Clinton, you won't! And you know why you won't? Because you love your daughter just as much as I love mine and you would never expose her to any risks like we have here because of that love. And there is another reason too. Because I care a lot more for your daughter than you do for mine. I would stop you from bringing Chelsea here. I hate it when our children sicken and I abhor it when one of them is diagnosed and I would save them all if I could. I would save my child, but I would also save yours. Do not send her here even to visit, Mrs. Clinton. Nogales is not a nice place to visit and it is a deadly place to Iive. And you and Bill and Carlos Salinas de Gotari and going to make it even deadlier. I'm not looking for anything from you except one thing. I want you to know what it is that you are Bill are doing. I want you to understand that you are killing us. This place is our home. We will die here you just know what it is that you have done. And know one other thing. Know that no matter what you and your husband do or think or believe know that you are wrong. Our lives, the lives of all the Americans living on the border are valuable and have great meaning. You can destroy them and you can cause them to be lost and you can try to devalue and de- mean them and you can physically succeed, but morally, ethically, and spiritually you cannot do any of these things. There are things that you must know. I am not going to try to fill you up with statistics because you already have your own and you will use the ones that suit your needs. But know this and know that I speak the truth. We have already had NAFTA here in Nogales and all along the border. We have had our own mini-NAFTA for the last 25 years. Listen to me! I went through the death certificates at the local mortuary last October. I looked at around 1,000 death certificates going back to 1986. Out of these 1,000, around 400 showed no cause of death whatsoever. Of the remaining 600, 290 of them showed cancer either as the principal cause of death or as a contributing factor to the death. Almost half, Mrs. Clinton!!!! I did this! I saw this! This is real! In Nogales, Sonora around 40% of the homes (if you can call them that) don't even have indoor plumbing or sewage facil- ities of ANY type. When it rains, the raw sewage runs down the hills and gets into our drainage and water system. Over one-half of the homes in Nogales Sonora don't have running water. Most people are forced to store their water in 55 gallon barrels or drums that were used by the maquilas to store their solvents in. Accord- ing to the law, these drums are to be punctured and crushed so as to never be used by humans in this manner, but the maquilas get between $20.00 to $25.00 for each drum from the poor people. Over 60% of the population in Nogales, Sonora drinks contaminated water. Do you want to hear about it? VOC's again, Mrs. Clinton. Trichloroethene (TCE), tetrachlororethene (PCE), trichloroethane (TCA), and dichloro- ethylane (DCA) are the primary ones. We find these mostly in the water. In the air it is even worse. There we have benzene, ethylbenzene, toluene, xyelene, viny1 chloride, and poly chloroprene (Neoprene). In Nogales, Sonora we have verified 22 anencephaletic births. We have not been able to account for spina bifida or Downs Syndrome or other neural tube defects because the Mexican government has put a gag in everyone's mouth. They want NAFTA and frankly, my dear, they don't give a damn (about anything else). We have no representative for SEDESOL (Mexico's EPA) in Nogales, Sonora. He was hired away for more money by the maquilas. Mexico just recently finished a study on neural tube birth defects within their country. The results were to be expected. Cameron County, Texas has the highest rate within the U.S @ 38 per 100,000. The Mexican report showed Nuevo Laredo, on the Texas border, as the highest with 15.8 per 100,000. Next was Matamoros across from Brownsville, in Cameron County, with 15.1 per 100,000. Third was . Nogales, Sonora with 14.8 per 100,000. There is no doubt in my mind that these figures were altered or doctored to make them look "not so bad". Add 38 to each figure (Cameron County's rate) and you are probably looking at the real figure. The point is that the three highest ranking cities in Mexico for neural tube birth defects (environmentally caused) are right along the U.S./Mexico border where there is the highest concentration of maquilas. And you and Bill want to open it up for more? It is insane, Mrs. Clinton. For the love of God, open your eyes. You wouldn't put your own daughter here. Why will you do this to our children? Listen to this! ATSDR just released the Priority List of Hazardous Substances. It contains the 217 worst or most dangerous hazardous substances related to human health. The first five on the list are as follows: 1) lead; 2) Aresenic; 3) metallic Mercury; 4) Viny1 Chloride; and 5) Benzene. We are in the news here in Nogales for our high lead contents in both our air and our drinking water. We have suffered through several aresenic spills on both sides of the border (none of them accidental). We have consistently found Mercury as a trace metal in our washes. Our air is full of viny1 chloride and benzene is the worst of our VOC's. Five out of five! How do like that, Hillary? Again, I ask you you wouldn't expose your own daughter to this poison Why do you and your husband feel that it is perfectly okay to ex- pose our children to it? Worse than just condoning it, you and he actually support it. You endorse it. It is all about money. We have a real slob of a mayor here in Nogales, Mrs. Clinton. His name is Jose Guadalupe Canchola and he is the biggest fraud in Arizona since Charles Keating. He owns four McDonald's franchises and he supports NAFTA be- cause his personal financial profile stands to grow substantially with the new fran- chises that he will open when and if NAFTA goes through. He doesn't give a damn about Nogales! All he cares about is himself. And it starts here with a short, fat greedy mayor and it doesn't stop, does it? It goes all the way to Washington, D.C. and all the way to the top. Where do we go for justice, Mrs. Clinton? Where do we go to hear the truth? Where can we go to speak the truth? Who will listen? Worse, who even cares anymore? I used to love this country. Now I feel only shame. I do not apologize for anything that I have said in this letter. I do not apologize for either my anger nor my language. I mean every word that I have written. I feel only deep shame for a country that values money more than human life. And I feel even deeper shame and utter contempt for the leaders of this country who propo- gate and encourage the greed that is killing us. Live a long and prosperous life, Mrs. Clinton. I wish you and your family, especially your child, good health for as long as God allows it. Think about us often, will you? Think about my daughter and how much I love that little girl. Think about the kids with leukemia, dying and if they are lucky, only losing their childhood so that Carlos Salinas de Gotari can put more people to work for $5.28 per day and you and Bill can go to your cock- tail partys in your fancy clothes and tell each other what a wonderful thing you have done for America. Think about me, Mrs. Clinton. I have been poisoned. I have been murdered by the system that you support. I will never see my grandchildren. I will never dance with my daughter at the Heart Fund Ball or at her wedding. I have been robbed of my life for corporate profit. Think about me often, Mrs. Clinton. I was a good man. Jaime C. h. Jaime C. Teyechea Jr. P.O. Box 884 Nogales AZ 85628 (602) 287-7114 P.S. One last thing. Do you even know when Mexico passed its first ever environ- mental law? This will drop you in your tracks. Mexico passed its FIRST EVER en- vironmental law in 1988 just 5 years ago. The maquilas have been over there dump- ing hazardous waste damn near anywhere they wanted for over 25 years. Do you have even the vaguest idea of what a nightmare they have created just across the border? Can you, in your wildest nightmares, imagine what they have done over there that is yet to be seen? We haven't even touched the tip of the iceberg yet and you and Bill want to completely open everything up. We don't even have roads, much less paved ones, and you want to bring another 89 maquilas and another 100,000 people to Nogales, Sonora. I wish God would give me a way to make you see what it is that you are doing. You are blind and you are deaf! But you are sure going to please your buddy Charly Salinas. Bully for you or as he will say to you, "Olè y 01è". Viva Mexico! Tulane Tulane Law School WILLIAM A. LOVETT Joseph Merrick Jones Hall Joseph Merrick Jones Professor Tulane University of Law and Economics New Orleans, Louisiana 70118-5670 Director, International Law, (504) 865-5960 Trade, and Finance Program FAX (504) 865-6748 September 3, 1993 Ms. Hillary Rodham Clinton The First Lady - The White House 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W. Washington, D.C. 20500 RE: Update - Evaluation of NAFTA Side Agreements and Dunkel Draft GATT Round Agreement Dear Ms. Clinton: NAFTA Side Agreements have been negotiated. But many believe they are rather weak, and there is widespread public unease about U.S. trade policy. More important, however, and more dangerous, is the proposed Dunkel draft GATT agreement. Unfortunately, the Dunkel draft Uruguay GATT Round agreement is hardly being reported. Few hearings have been held. There is a real danger that this deal could slip through Congress without any significant improvement since December, 1992, and without careful review of its negative long-term impact on U.S. manufacturing, imports, and exports. I've taught through both trade deals and their full texts this spring in my International Trade and Finance course. NAFTA entails serious trade risks for the U.S.; clearly NAFTA needed strengthening, and U.S. Mexico trade flows will have to be carefully supervised to prevent excessive U.S. job flight, serious de-industrialization, and major trade imbalances. Few seem to appreciate, however, that the Dunkel draft GATT agreement would greatly weaken U.S. ability to supervise and regulate our own trade flows. The combination of Dunkel draft GATT on top of NAFTA would substantially aggravate U.S. trade and current account difficulties. American needs to rejuvenate its industry, not weaken it. We need to eliminate, not aggravate, excessive and damaging U.S. trade and current account deficits. And the U.S. badly needs to enlarge job opportunities on a broad front, not to reduce them. Enclosed are closely written summaries of the current trade issues. Please feel free to circulate copies among your colleagues and the trade community. William Best regards, Lovett William A. Lovett 1 Op-Ed Piece William A. Lovett, 1993* A Better Way on Trade: Move Away from GATT for a Fresh Start It's time to change American trade policy. We've had at least 15 years of increasingly unequal U.S. trade relations, which helped erode our industrial base. For 12 years we've suffered greatly excessive U.S. trade and current account deficits, totaling $-1,300 billion and $-1,000 billion between 1981-93, respectively. We've transformed the U.S. from the world's leading creditor nation into the biggest debtor country, with an external debt of $-750 billion. The U.S. has become the World "Chump" of trade. The basic U.S. trade problems are threefold: (1) Unequal and asymmetrical open-ness; (2) Excessive accumulated trade imbalances; and (3) Lack of careful supervision for trade. The first problem, unequal U.S. trade open-ness, began in the Cold War years. Americans opened their markets up more than other nations as a kindness to Europe, Japan, and many developing countries. The slogan was "TRADE NOT AID" as a strategy to build up allies and fight communism. Through successive GATT rounds we largely eliminated U.S. international tariffs, subsidies, and restrictions. But we didn't enforce comparable reciprocity. Multinational companies increasingly adapted to this environment, and began relocating more of their manufacturing elsewhere. We've let things get out of hand. The second problem, greatly excessive U.S. trade and current account deficits, has been neglected for at least 10 years now. This structural problem was aggravated by a decade of very large U.S. budget deficits, which led to excessive borrowing from abroad, and some 7-8 years of higher U.S. interest rates. But the underlying, and more fundamental source of American budget deficits, was weaker economic growth, a crippled industrial base, and an erosion of competitiveness resulting from our trade policies. Unfortunately, the $1,300 billion of recent U.S. trade deficits, and the $1,000 billion of current account deficits, have been very costly for Americans. Instead of earning $20-30 billion net interest on capital from abroad annually, we now pay $50-60 billion of net interest to foreigners. We've lost at least 3-5 million American manufacturing jobs, with reduced economic growth and incomes. And in terms of exchange rates, the dollar is * Joseph Merrick Jones Professor of Law and Economics, Tulane Law School, New Orleans, LA 70118 (504) 865-5960. 2 worth less, too. Thus, a dollar was worth 230 yen 10 years ago. Today a dollar buys only 100-105 yen, and Japanese per capita incomes are moving beyond American levels. Heavy and sustained trade deficits have bad national consequences, which should have been corrected for the U.S. years ago. Third, Americans failed to supervise carefully our trading flows with other nations. The best traders in the world today, Japan, Switzerland, Taiwan, Singapore, and Germany, don't make this mistake. They have learned from harsh experience, and tough international competition around the world. They count every year carefully, and try to maximize gains. In many ways, the U.S. had it too easy in the post-World War II era. We enjoyed too big a lead in industry, technology, shipping, and incomes in 1945, when most of our strongest competitors today had suffered very heavily from the war. But now Americans must learn from our best competitors abroad. We should enforce equal trading conditions, and promptly eliminate U.S. trade deficits. Frankly, this requires that we get away from GATT as the only significant guide for U.S. trade policy. For the U.S. GATT has become an entrenched, asymmetrical trading system with heavy advantages for most NIC's and developing countries, and sizeable net advantages for Europe and Japan, too. Other countries are allowed much more scope for subsidizing their industries under GATT, which our federal system and U.S. politics finds difficult to do. And other countries have broad freedom to use marginal cost discounting or dumping strategies in world trade, which badly handicaps many U.S. manufacturing industries (like steel, auto, machinery, electrical equipment, electronics, etc.) Sadly, the Dunkel draft Uruguay Round GATT agreement, which the Bush administration virtually accepted in December, 1992, doesn't really improve things. In fact, the Dunkel draft substantially weakens U.S. ability to respond and remedy foreign subsidies and dumping. In return, the Dunkel draft offers only modest, and largely illusory "market opening" opportunities for U.S. services, mainly in the financial sector. But most other countries will not turn over their banking and insurance to U.S. firms; they will support their own instead. Recent slumps and unemployment in Europe and Japan have made these trading partners even tougher, with even less willingness to concede markets or jobs. So--What's the bottom line on the prospective Uruguay GATT round deal now scheduled for December 15, 1993? The U.S. would bind itself even more rigidly into the GATT straight-jacket of unequal trade open-ness. This would 3 benefit multinational corporations, eager to entrench their exports into the U.S. and guarantee their freedom to switch more manufacturing into lower wage countries. But it will guarantee continued U.S. economic stagnation, industrial decline, job losses, with no real progress for the majority of Americans. NAFTA, combined with the Dunkel draft deal, only compounds the economic and social problems of the U.S. More deindustrialization would probably follow, with weaker U.S. economic performance. There would be no improvement in U.S. poverty, unemployment, drug abuse or criminality. While a case could be made for a stronger NAFTA with closely supervised U.S. trading flows, combined with a rejection of the Dunkel draft GATT agreement, this does not seem to be our current U.S. trade bargaining strategy under USTR Mickey Kantor. No--sad to say, U.S. trade policy under the Clinton administration seems to be NAFTA plus Dunkel draft, despite widespread public unease and opposition from a strong majority of Democrats in Congress. This Clinton trade policy is a tragic misreading of majority attitudes on U.S. industrial-trade policy. Sixty- two percent of the electorate in November, 1992, supported Clinton and Perot, both of whom campaigned on the need for a stronger U.S. trade policy, and the importance of more jobs for Americans. The uncritical acceptance by Clinton of the Bush NAFTA (with only weak side agreements), and the Dunkel draft GATT deal, clearly undercuts the trade strategy on which Clinton, Gore, and Perot won a large majority vote in last fall's presidential election. The American public wanted and need a better deal for U.S. trade. What makes better sense for U.S. trade policy? First, our top priority should be the prompt elimination of U.S. trade and current account deficits. Second, suspend further negotiations on the GATT Dunkel draft agreement, insisting upon much stronger U.S. latitude and remedies to offset foreign subsidies, restrictions, discounting, and trade surpluses. Third, insist upon a new era of effective reciprocity for the U.S. and its trade partners. The U.S. does have a responsibility of kindness and somewhat greater open-ness to the poor nations of the globe. But a better trade regime would be the following: (a) 10 percent revenue tariffs on all goods from all countries. This would allow low wage countries reasonable access to the wealthier nations, but excessive disruptions would be eased. The U.S. would gain as well another $50 billion or more in budget revenues, badly needed to offset recently excessive U.S. budget deficits. (b) 20 percent industrial development tariffs for selected infant industries and rejuvenating industries. This would promote economic development for NIC's and LDC's, but allow 4 mature industrial countries to prevent significant industrial displacement.] (c) 30 percent penalty tariffs to offset subsidies, restrictions, and discounting that injure domestic industries. This would allow more effective and prompt unfair trade practice remedies. All countries could enjoy and utilize the same tariff regime, and enforce reasonable trade reciprocity together. National self-enforcement and reciprocity disciplines would limit excessive and unwarranted protectionism. Asymmetrical open-ness and unfair trading privileges would be eliminated. This a better way for U.S. trade policy. Let's get away from GATT, and drop the unequal open-ness of the proposed Dunkel draft Uruguay Round deal. NAFTA and a special Western hemisphere trading zone still makes sense to offset the European Community bloc and the emerging East Asia trading bloc. Tariffs could always be lowered together among special friends, on a truly reciprocal basis and simultaneously. But the U.S. should discard, reject, and eliminate all trading arrangements that are based upon asymmetrical trade open-ness, and substantially unequal trade flows. This new U.S. and global trade regime would still allow and encourage large capital movements to developing countries, and to sponsor infant industries. Technology should still flow easily throughout the global marketplace. And the common crafts and engineering skills of mankind would be broadly shared among all peoples. But the big difference between a new, fair, and uniform tariff ladder of world commerce, and the existing asymmetrical GATT regime, is that the U.S. would no longer be locked into a system of self-destructing, industrial implosion. The current GATT regime, based upon unequal open-ness and a much richer U.S., that could once afford such asymmetries for the sake of subsidizing economic development and MNC's, is simply no longer sustainable. The unequal GATT regime cannot last much longer. The U.S. must learn to defend its own workers, industries, and national economic interests. American need to restore full employment and broadly shared prosperity, to renew the traditional promise of American life, that hard work can earn a good home and future. 1 Op Ed Piece c William A. Lovett, 1993* Clinton's Triple Challenge: Jobs, Trade, and Deficits The Clinton administration needs to solve three tough, inter-related problems. Excess budget deficits must be phased out. Excessive health care costs must be reduced, yet coverage should be extended to the 10-20 percent not adequately covered now. And, overall economic growth should be restored to the post-World War II average; 10-15 million new jobs are needed for the remainder of this decade. Unfortunately, a misguided and weak U.S. industrial-trade policy could undermine Clinton's good intentions. The issue is not simply NAFTA; the problem is how to upgrade U.S. industry, expand jobs, and get back a fair share of world markets. On deficit reduction Clinton earns a B or B+ so far. His significant tax increases (mostly on the well-to-do) approach the limit of tolerability, but entitlement spending growth (pensions, social security, and medicare) continues to outpace real per capita GDP. Therefore, more spending discipline is needed, many agree, but at least Congress made a substantial start in 1993. If interest rates remain low and economic growth picks up, further fiscal discipline will be easier. For health care overhaul Clinton is proposing a mix of broader coverage, payroll taxes, and cost containment. Only limited additional tax burdens are feasible, however, which requires a more imaginative breakthrough to cut health care costs. Unfortunately, our medical establishments probably will resist, and the outcome is in doubt. Nonetheless, Clinton seems to understand this challenge, and the necessity of health care cost control -- both for the sake of long-run budget discipline and economic growth prospects. On jobs and industrial rejuvenation, a solid public majority favors stronger trade policy, and wants America to defend its own interests more effectively. NAFTA makes many uneasy; the Supplementary Side Agreements worked out by Clinton trade experts are relatively weak. Only modest remedies for import surges or environmental parity are provided, with much lower wages and limited environmental protection in Mexico. Whether a "giant sucking sound" of jobs flows South will depend upon the supervision and enforcement of U.S. trade laws. Labor and * Joseph Merrick Jones Professor of Law and Economics, Tulane Law School, New Orleans, LA 70118 (504) 865-5960. 2 environmental interests mistrust Clinton's commitment in this area. This leaves the current Uruguay GATT Round negotiations, scheduled for completion by Mid-December, 1993, as a crucial wild card. If the proposed Dunkel draft GATT agreement, virtually accepted by the Bush administration in December, 1992 were accepted by the Clinton administration, this would permanently lock the U.S. into unequal trade open-ness. U.S. manufacturing industries and domestic employment would be seriously weakened. The combination of a Dunkel draft GATT deal and NAFTA would largely destroy U.S. ability to supervise its trade flows. Continued American deindustrialization would follow without enough offset in the service sectors. On the other hand, if the U.S. rejected promptly the Dunkel draft GATT agreement this fall, and we enforced a much stronger, equal trade flow relationship with Japan, Europe, and developing countries generally, then NAFTA could be accepted as part of a useful strengthening of special trade-investment ties with Latin America. In fact, a respectable argument can be made that the U.S. should up-grade Western Hemisphere trade-investment relations as a logical offset to European Unification trends, and the increasing emergence of a very powerful East Asia bloc based upon Japan and China. But Congress is being asked to vote on NAFTA before the Clinton administration discloses its detailed deal on the pending Uruguay GATT Round deal. Frankly, it looks like NAFTA could be a stalking horse, drawing most of the labor-U.S. manufacturing criticism and flak, meanwhile the Dunkel draft GATT agreement sneaks through with minimal attention and hardly any serious debate. Thus, those interests favoring a unilateral U.S. free trade policy, and opposed to any serious industrial revival effort, will triumph. U.S. markets would become irreparably open, without effective reciprocity. From the standpoint of American manufacturing, labor, and job prospects, the entrenchment of a unilateral U. S. trade open- ness policy through the Dunkel draft agreement would be a national blunder. The Clinton administration would condemn itself to economic failure, i.e., relative economic stagnation and minimal growth in jobs. Even if the Clinton era should succeed on the macro-economic front, with improved budget discipline over 5 years, and health care costs are contained, a naive and unrealistic, unilateral free trade policy would largely undercut job growth potential. No -- if Congress wants the Clinton administration to succeed, it must help force an end to self-destructive, unilateral U.S. free trade policies. The best vote for Congress on NAFTA will be to delay for at least another 6 months. Then we should scuttle the Dunkel draft unilateral free trade agreement, 3 and help the Clinton administration enforce a tougher trade policy, implement systematic industrial rejuvenation, and achieve large scale job growth. The most important social problems in America, increased unemployment, widespread poverty, spreading crime and drug abuse, are rooted in a weakened U.S. economic base. If America had kept up the economic growth rates of 1945-73, and continued to create large numbers of good new jobs, our tragic social problems could have been alleviated, and steadily minimized. But instead, through tragic shortsightedness, America neglected its industrial and job base. U.S. imports grew to excess, and a lot of our manufacturing moved abroad. The U.S. accumulated $1,400 billion of trade deficits between 1980-93, and at least $1,000 billion of current account deficits. We went from the leading creditor nation in the early 1980's to the largest debtor nation with around -$750 billion in net external debts according to some reasonable estimates. For a great industrial nation and leader of the free world, this was truly gross negligence in macro-economic policy. Unlike Japan, parts of Europe, and many NIC's, which kept healthy manufacturing, increased their exports, and invested their capital more wisely, the Americans went on a binge of borrowing (public and private), and simply wasted a great deal of their borrowed investment potential. The most heartbreaking aspect of this neglect is that so few responsible American economists and business leaders really objected. But we can't afford this blind irresponsibility any longer. Americans must have a stronger trade policy. Now we need to rejuvenate American industry and jobs. We should defer NAFTA, negotiate stronger side agreements, and enforce balanced trade flows with our significant trade partners. The Dunkel draft Uruguay GATT Round agreement should be repudiated. We need to move on promptly to a stronger U.S. trade policy based upon systematic industrial revival, with the goal of full employment in the U.S. by the year 2000. THE WHITE HOUSE WASHINGTON September 23, 1993 Mr. John Doe 123 First Street Little Rock, Arkansas 12345-4444 Dear Mr. Doe: Thank you for writing to Hillary to share your concerns about the North American Free Trade Agreement. America's economic growth depends as never before on increasing exports and opening up new markets overseas. My administration is working to increase trading opportunities for all U.S. goods and services. I believe America will benefit greatly from a comprehensive NAFTA agreement. NAFTA will boost economic growth throughout North America by substantially reducing and ultimately eliminating barriers to trade between the U.S., Mexico and Canada. Canada and Mexico are already America's first and third largest trading partners. In 1992, the United States shipped more than $40 billion worth of goods to Mexico, 22 percent higher than the year before. NAFTA will further this trend by expanding economic opportunities and creating high-paying, high-skill jobs for America and our neighbors. In order to serve the best interests of the American people, a comprehensive NAFTA package must include effective measures that safeguard our workers and our environment. My administ- ration has negotiated crucial side agreements to NAFTA with Mexico and Canada in order to raise standards where they are deficient, improve the U.S.-Mexico border environment, strengthen national enforcement of national laws, and establish two, independent three-country commissions on labor and the environment. With these crucial elements, NAFTA will contribute to the competitiveness of our companies and our farmers, while elevating quality of life and promoting prosperity throughout North America. Thank you again for sharing your views about the NAFTA proposal. Sincerely, Bill Clinton THE WHITE HOUSE washington Thank you for sharing your concerns with me on the North American Free Trade Agreement. America's economic growth depends as never before on increasing exports and opening up new markets overseas. My Administration is working to increase trading opportunities for all U.S. goods and services. I believe America will benefit greatly from a comprehensive NAFTA agreement. NAFTA will boost economic growth throughout North America by substantially reducing and, ultimately, eliminating barriers to trade between the U.S., Mexico, and Canada. Canada and Mexico are already America's first and third largest trading partners. In 1992, the United States shipped more than $40 billion worth of goods to Mexico, 22 percent higher than the year before. NAFTA will further this trend by expanding economic opportunities and creating high-paying, high-skill jobs for America and our neighbors. In order to serve the best interests of the American people, a comprehensive NAFTA package must include effective measures that safeguard our workers and our environment. My Administration has negotiated crucial side agreements to NAFTA with Mexico and Canada in order to raise standards where they are deficient, improve the U.S.-Mexico border environment, strengthen national enforcement of national laws, and establish two, independent three-country commissions on labor and the environment. With these crucial elements, NAFTA will contribute to the competitiveness of our companies and our farmers, while elevating quality of life and promoting prosperity throughout North America. Sincerely, Bill Clinton Carl Schurz Elementary School New Braunfels Independent School District School SINCE 1845 633 W. Cull New Braunfels, Tx 78130 (210) 625-7361 Dr. Jane MacDonald Principal September 7, 1993 Dear Ms. Clinton, On behalf of 488 bibliophiles at Carl Schurz Elementary, we want you to know that your actions during vacationing on Martha's Vineyard have been closely watched. As a new librarian, I was SO excited because you fit into my first lesson plan. As I was sharing my love for books to my students, they weren't all that impressed with my bibliophilia, but when I mentioned that Ms. Clinton went shopping on vacation and bought, not fine jewelry or expensive clothes, but, books, you should have seen the excitement! Then when I told them about your stroll with Styron while the President and Chelsea went horseback riding, they were totally enthralled. When I said that I bet Ms. Clinton was a bibliophile, they wondered if you knew what that meant. I assured them that you did, but the next question from them was, "Do you know what books she bought?" I said that I had no idea, but that I would write and ask. If you feel comfortable sharing one or more titles, you would really excite a bunch of fledgling bibliophiles and one slightly aging bibliomaniac! On a personal level, I want you to know that I was not in your corner during the elections, but you have won me over, and oddly enough, after reading about your life in the various periodicals, I now feel a real kinship to you. Thank you for being the type of woman most of us wish we could be, and thanks for being such a positive role model for our children. Most sincerely, Koria Kalach Gloria Kolacek, Librarian THE WHITE HOUSE WASHINGTON September 27, 1993 Ms. Gloria Kolacek Librarian New Braunfels Independent School District Carl Schurz Elementary School 633 W. Coll New Braunfels, Texas 78130 Dear Ms. Kolacek: Thank you for your thoughtful letter. I am pleased and honored that you included me as an example in your first lesson to your students about the importance of reading. I commend your efforts to instill a love of books in the children you teach. Your method of trying to excite young people about reading by showing them examples of adults, who are "bibliophiles" is a unique way to interest them in an activity which will enrich them throughout their lifetimes. I would also like to thank you for your personal support. It is gratifying to know that people like you, who are directly involved in educating our nation's children, are supportive of my efforts. My hope is that you are also supporting the administration, as President Clinton is committed to improving the country's system of education. I have included a letter for your students. Thank you again for writing to me and for your efforts to encourage your class of "bibliophiles." Sincerely yours, Clinton Hillary Rodham Clinton THE WHITE HOUSE WASHINGTON September 28, 1993 Ms. Gloria Kolacek Librarian New Braunfels Independent School District Carl Schurz Elementary School 633 W. Coll New Braunfels, Texas 78130 Dear Students: Your Librarian, Miss Gloria Kolacek, has written to me about your class. In her letter, she referred to me as a "bibliophile". The dictionary describes a bibliophile as someone who loves books, and that is an accurate description of me. I enjoy reading and collecting books. I encourage all of you to read as often as possible. Reading helps us to learn so much about our world. Books give us the opportunity to learn about people, places, and ideas which we might never otherwise encounter. I hope that you all enjoy the rest of the school year and that you will continue to read as much as you can both in school and at home. Sincerely yours, Clinton Hillary Rodham Clinton 1202 S. Delaware Street San Mateo, CA 94402 (415) 345-2914 September 8, 1993 Ms. Hilary Clinton The White House 1600 Pennsylvania Ave, NW Washington, DC 20503 Dear Ms. Clinton: If you're anything at all like me, you probably hate those letters that start out full of complements and ingratiating statements and then end with the request of a favor. They always make me wonder if the beginning was sincere, or whether it was just a means to an end. Please believe my sincerity when I briefly tell you what an impact both you and your husband have had on my life. I came here ten years ago from the north of England and have since felt that I belonged in neither place, but I was so impressed by both your and President Clinton's sincerity during the campaign that I filed for U.S. Citizenship. I can't really explain why, without reams of paper, that you and your husband have renewed my spirit. I want to be a citizen so I can help keep President Clinton in The White House for a second term. He made promises during his campaign just as all politicians do, the wonderful thing is, he's keeping them. But you have been a personal inspiration to me. After years of toying with the idea of returning to school, you gave me the faith in myself, as a woman, to do it. I am now in my junior year at San Francisco State University and I then intend to go on to law school. And, while I may be the oldest graduating lawyer in U.S. history, I'm going to finish it. I am taking a women's studies course and I would like to share with my class any discrimination you may have encountered because you are a woman, either while you were in law school or afterwards during your employment. How do you think female lawyers have impacted the American Justice System, and what would you change? I realize you get thousands of letters to which you cannot respond and that you may not even get to read this. And, if that is the case, I hope someone on your staff will convey this message, which comes from the bottom of my heart, thank you. Channeen Maureen Garrett Sincerely, Marvett THE WHITE HOUSE WASHINGTON September 27, 1993 Ms. Maureen Garrett 1202 S. Deleware Street San Mateo, California 94402 Dear Ms. Garrett: Thank you for your thoughtful and compelling letter. I am honored that the President and I have been a source of encouragement for you. Your dedication and hard work in pursuing a career in the law is to be commended. You should be very proud of all you have achieved and I wish you continued success as you complete your undergraduate studies and enter law school. The fact that you have chosen to enter law school at a later age than most students is a wonderful reminder for all of us that furthering our education is a goal we can pursue throughout our lives. There are probably few women in this country who have not experienced discrimination at some level at some time in their lives. We should not, however, let this deter us from our objectives. President Clinton is working hard to improve opportunities for women in this country. The help of women like you who can inspire others to achieve their goals is invaluable to the President as he addresses the problems facing women today. Thank you again for writing and sharing your personal story with me. Sincerely yours, Clinton Hillary Rodham Clinton Gene & Sandy Saunders 1090 Redbird Avenue Miami Springs, FI 33166 (305) 885-1007 September 7, 1993 MRS. HILLARY RODHAM CLINTON THE WHITE HOUSE PENNSYLVANIA AVENUE WASHINGTON, DC Dear Mrs. Clinton: I want to thank you for giving my husband your autograph for me. I wanted to have it for several reasons. First, I really admire what you are doing for women in general, being the first First Lady since Eleanor Roosevelt to have any authority and power to do something of real significance in the administration. We also admire your husband for giving you that power and having faith in your abilities to perform those tasks, especially the Health Care Reform in which you are involved. Secondly, I work at Jackson Memorial Hospital and happen to have an office next to Dr. Frederick Schild, who has mentioned to me that he has had meetings with you in the White House concerning the Health Care Reform. I know he admires what you are doing as well, and the fact that you chose him to be on that committee makes me feel proud to know him as well. Finally, my husband and I attended the Sunday evening Democratic Welcome Reception at the Fountainbleau and were so very proud to have seen you and your husband and heard you both speak. Then, when my husband had the honor of being on the preparation crew (AFL-CIO member of Plumbers Local 519 who helped cordon off the area) for your Caribbean West Cutler Ridge visit, he was ecstatic. He feels very proud to have helped out in a small way, and he feels that the efforts of he and his fellow union members last year (hanging political signs etc.) made a difference in winning South Florida for Clinton. Again, thank you for giving my husband your autograph, you make us feel proud to be Democrats again. We both hope that your husband's efforts in Washington will help bring the middle class back to life and the United States back to power. "In God we Trust", I remember when ! Sincerely, Sandy Saunders Sandy Saunders / S 97 Kimberly Place New Canaan, CT 06840 August 27, 1993 Ms. Hillary Rodham Clinton The White House Washington, DC Dear Ms. Rodham Clinton: Thank you S0 much for autographing Alex Quesada's 'cowboy' picture of you. My husband, Rick Boeth, who is a picture editor at TIME, was anxious to find the perfect surprise to cheer me up after months of back-to-back business trips. He couldn't have done better. I was thrilled, and you have the place of highest honor at the base of our staircase. Thankfully, this is not a man who relies on roses. When (and since) you and your husband were elected, I have felt renewed hope for the future of women in this country. I work in management consulting, a modern, seemingly enlightened profession strangely dominated by machismo. Your confidence, intelligence and clear vision have been an inspiration to me as I work to achieve great things in my own career and for all women in the workplace. Now, as I descend the stairs each morning, your cowboy hat and invitation to 'saddle up' remind me of my own capacity to contribute and lead. I feel more empowered all day. I hope you had a relaxing vacation, what with all those TIME photographers lurking around! Sincerely, CateBooth Cate Boeth Dear Ms. carner. This has reference to the request 7 mode last may regarding Dr. DENNIS P. DE GUZMAN'S entry to the us. on whalf of my family. I month his to thank you for making my orothers trip possible. your efforts in providing me with in formation will be highly aggresiated till the end of time. Again, one sincere thanks marin P. de Gutman Erd: Photostatic copies from his passport. Withdrawal/Redaction Marker Clinton Library DOCUMENT NO. SUBJECT/TITLE DATE RESTRICTION AND TYPE 002. passport Re: Dennie P. DeGuzman (3 pages) n.d. b(6) COLLECTION: Clinton Presidential Records First Lady's Office Maggie Williams (Subject Files) OA/Box Number: 4106 FOLDER TITLE: Margaret A. Williams [Folder 2] 2013-0359-S ry1420 RESTRICTION CODES Presidential Records Act - [44 U.S.C. 2204(a)] Freedom of Information Act - 15 U.S.C. 552(b)] P1 National Security Classified Information [(a)(1) of the PRA b(1) National security classified information [(b)(1) of the FOIA] P2 Relating to the appointment to Federal office |(a)(2) of the PRA] b(2) Release would disclose internal personnel rules and practices of P3 Release would violate a Federal statute [(a)(3) of the PRA| an agency |(b)(2) of the FOIA] P4 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 P5 Release would disclose confidential advice 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 P6 Release would constitute a clearly unwarranted invasion of personal privacy [(b)(6) of the FOIA] personal privacy |(a)(6) of the PRAJ 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 b(8) Release would disclose information concerning the regulation of of gift. financial institutions |(b)(8) of the FOIA] PRM. Personal record misfile defined in accordance with 44 U.S.C. b(9) Release would disclose geological or geophysical information 2201(3). concerning wells [(b)(9) of the FOIA] RR. Document will be reviewed upon request. 3867 North 68th Street Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53216 August 20, 1993 Dear Mrs. Clinton, I think that it 's wonderful the way you are standing up for women. I 'm hardly a woman, I am only eleven years old. But when I become a woman, I plan to run for the presidency. I want to be the first Black woman president in the United States of America. Not only because I will go down in history, but because I have a great budget plan for the U.S. You are one of the women that I look up to. You don't sit around in the White House talking about what should be done, but you go out and help your husband do it. I disagree with all the jokes being made about you. The people who make them up are probably the ones who are complaining about the world instead of helping to improve it. Thank you for making '93 "The Year Of The Woman". Sincerely, Marie Carter Marie N. Carter THE WHITE HOUSE WASHINGTON September 27, 1993 Miss Marie Carter 3867 North 68th Street Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53216 Dear Marie: Thank you for writing to me and expressing your support. I am honored that you feel I am a role model for you. It is important that women support each other in the choices they make concerning their careers. Whether she decides to pursue a profession, or to stay at home and raise her children, each woman has a right to make the decision that is best for her and to be respected for her contributions. In your letter you state that you want to run for President someday. I think that is an admirable goal for you to have and one which you should pursue if you feel the same way when you are older. Involvement in community activities now could be a wonderful way to help others and learn first-hand how government and politics works. I want you to know that whatever you decide to do with your life, if you follow your own expectations for yourself and not what others think you should do, you will be a success. Thank you again for writing and I wish you much happiness and personal satisfaction now and in your future. Sincerely yours, Rodham Clinton Hillary Rodham Clinton