[Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George H. W. Bush (1992, Book I)]
[July 20, 1992]
[Pages 1138-1144]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]



Remarks and a Question-and-Answer Session With the American Legion Boys 
Nation

July 20, 1992
    The President. Thanks for the welcome. Hey, listen, I came out here 
to welcome you guys to the White House. Well, thank you very much. 
Please be seated, and let's get underway here. But I want to salute the 
national commander of the American Legion, who's done a great job, Dom 
DiFrancesco, and an old friend. I am a legionnaire and have been for a 
long, long time, lifetime member. And I have great respect for what Dom 
and Bob Turner, the past national commander who is with us today and 
also now the assistant director for activities for Boys Nation, do.
    The Legion does a lot of good works, and I can't think of any of 
them that's better than what brings us here today. So let me first 
congratulate all 96 of the outstanding young leaders that are here 
today, representing 48 States. And I understand that some of you come 
from as far away as Anchorage up in Alaska and as near as Falls Church 
across the river. And Reagan DeMas, you absolutely have to tell me what 
life is like in a place called Boring, Oregon. [Laughter] Where is he? 
We'll talk about that.
    But anyway, for two of you, the journey

[[Page 1139]]

has taken you even further, all the way from Communist Vietnam. What a 
moving story is Won Lee's, Nhon Trong Nguyen's. They have a great story 
to tell, leaving culture and country behind to start over, to start 
afresh here in the United States of America. Your presence here today 
reminds us all of America's meaning, of America's magic.
    We all know that Boys Nation's alumni often go on to do remarkable 
things. It's no secret that two of America's great political leaders got 
their start in this organization. I'm talking about a former Governor, 
now our Secretary of Education, Lamar Alexander, and I'm talking about a 
former Congressman, now our very able Secretary of Defense, Dick Cheney.
    I've held Boys Nation in high regard for many years. I remember, 
maybe Dom does, as Vice President about 10 years ago I had the honor of 
greeting some of your predecessors right here in Washington. Many of you 
were young then, 6 or 7 years old. But it's good to see that our younger 
generation continues to come forward with what the whole country sees as 
model citizens. You've reason to be proud of your accomplishments, and I 
hope that you're going to continue to achieve great things for our 
country.
    Right now the country is focusing on some big questions: how America 
can compete and win in the global economy; how we'll educate our 
citizens and do it better, do it different, but educate our citizens for 
a new century; and how we'll open opportunity to all Americans and then 
preserve one Nation under God. Big issues, every one of them. We've got 
to realize that the solution for every one of these challenges literally 
starts close to home.
    The question is this--and I've heard this from the mayors of urban 
America; I've heard it from everyone: Can we stop the assault on the 
American family? Can we strengthen the family, help parents pass on the 
moral code and character that goes with it and sustain us as a nation? 
So today, when you're focusing on college and career, let me share a 
little advice from someone whose next experience with the teens won't 
come until I actually hold in my arms my 13th grandchild.
    What will matter years from now won't be what you achieve or how 
much you earn or even what honors are showered on you along the way. 
What matters will be the kind of parent you've been, the kind of kids 
that you've raised. It all comes down to family. So today I want to 
salute the mothers and fathers who are here, every parent back home 
bursting with pride in you just because you're here, what you've 
achieved.
    I also understand that while you're here in Washington you're going 
to be participating in your mock congress. I won't touch that one. 
[Laughter] But whether you end up in Congress or in front of the 
classroom or as leaders in business, your efforts and your skills will 
be absolutely vital to our country's continued success.
    George Washington once challenged us to raise a standard to which 
the wise and honest can repair. And as a nation, our crusade is this: We 
must continue to defend our Nation's liberty and interest, and we must 
continually seek solutions to our country's ills, to refine this great 
democracy our forefathers created.
    So let me urge you: Maintain your commitment to our country. Find 
ways to serve your neighbors and solve the problems of your communities. 
It cannot be done entirely from Washington, DC. Continue to spread the 
word about the benefits of our great system of democratic capitalism. 
And keep your eye on the greatest prize of all, ensuring that our 
country remains out there on the cutting edge, that America continues to 
be the example the whole world holds in awe. Believe me, the whole world 
still holds us in awe.
    America is now and always will be the one nation that the entire 
world looks to for leadership. America is now and always will be a 
country whose purpose and values, whose global mission and economic 
success continues to be the success story of our time. And it's no 
secret why that's so. Throughout our history, individuals, achievers, 
people just like you have made it so.
    America is now and always will be a rising nation. And we'll remain 
strong. We will succeed as long as young people like yourselves continue 
to support and advance

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the values upon which our success is based and, really, upon which this 
wonderful program, Dom, is based.
    So keep up the great work. Congratulations on what you have already 
achieved. But there's a great challenge lying out there ahead of each 
and every one of you. So good luck, and may God bless you all. And may 
God bless our wonderful country.
    Now, what I thought we'd do is take a few questions and then go--how 
we're going to do this--I never saw so many hands up.
    Shoot.

Voter Registration Bill Veto

    Q. Mr. President, was the primary reason that you vetoed the motor 
voter bill the fact that it would increase the number of poor and young 
voters, groups in which you have little strength? If not, can we have a 
brief explanation?
    The President. No, that had nothing to do with the veto of the bill. 
States have the right to set their own registration; everybody has a way 
to register. It has nothing to do with the poor and the young. Frankly, 
I think we're going to do very well with the young and, hopefully, with 
the poor. What it has to do, though, is with guarding against corruption 
of the voting process, and that's why I vetoed it.

Urban Aid

    Q. Mr. President, my question to you is, throughout your term 
previous to the Rodney King verdict and the L.A. riots in particular, 
your support for Secretary Jack Kemp's programs in the areas of housing 
and urban development appeared to come very reluctantly. Yet you 
approved generous emergency expenditures to help provide relief for the 
desperate situation at hand. If elected to a second term, do you plan to 
increase Government funding for the HUD programs?
    The President. The answer is no, but the answer is I've been 
diligently for the program. The program is mine. I'm the President; I 
set the program. Kemp has been a superb advocate for homeownership, for 
enterprise zones, for the things that we believe really would have 
helped avoid some of the crisis in the cities. So I have been advocating 
it and supporting it and introducing it in the Congress all along.
    Even after the riots we had the Mayor of Los Angeles here, Tom 
Bradley; the Governor of the State; Peter Ueberroth, who is trying to 
bring jobs into the center city. They all supported strongly the 
enterprise zones. And it took weeks to get that passed even in the face 
of the riots.
    So now, in terms of will I increase spending, I can't pledge that. I 
don't want to be in any false colors. I want these programs there to 
bring jobs in the private sectors into the city. I want our ``Weed and 
Seed'' program, which is weeding out the criminal elements and then 
seeding the areas with hope and opportunity, to pass. But there's 
another big problem facing this country, and it is the deficit. I know 
that this is the year when everybody promises, I'm going to do this for 
that, each little interest group, each big interest group being pledged 
and promised to, but I can't do that because I am determined to fight to 
get this deficit down.
    So we've got good programs, and I think they'd make an enormous 
difference in the cities, and I hope you all can support them.

Economic Plan

    Q. The economic plan that Bill Clinton unveiled at the Democratic 
National Convention last week is rapidly gaining support. What flaws do 
you see in his plan as you compare it to your own?
    The President. Well, I don't think it's rapidly gaining too much 
support. What I see is a program that does not address itself to the 
deficit, and I'll have a lot more to say about that later on. I think 
we've got to get the deficit down. I don't think you need to go raise 
taxes on people right now. I think that's a big mistake. I think it's 
counterproductive. When you analyze the program, they have this 
expression around here, smoke and mirrors. You're going to save it all 
by eliminating overhead, eliminating waste, and there's billions of 
dollars that is earmarked to do that. And I just don't think that's 
practical.
    So when the campaign comes on, there's going to be a very serious 
comparative analysis on our part. I don't think the program

[[Page 1141]]

is gaining strength. He had one that was quite different a few months 
ago, and now, just in time for the convention, out comes another one. 
But both of them result in taxing.
    You see, I think the Government is spending too much, and that's why 
I had to answer this question here like that. I don't think people are 
taxed too little. I don't think that's the problem. So we're going to 
have a big difference on the economic approach. Our economic incentives 
are out there. They're strong, and they're good.

North American Free Trade Agreement

    Q. Regarding the United States and Mexico free trade agreement, 
don't you think that if it was passed that the standard of living in the 
Southwest United States will drop and it would also result in more 
unemployment? Also, what are the short- and long-term goals you hope to 
achieve by having this free trade agreement?
    The President. I'm convinced that NAFTA, the North American free 
trade agreement, will increase the standard of living on both sides of 
the border. I am absolutely convinced that it will increase jobs for 
Americans. Look at what happened when we entered into the deal with 
Canada. Business is way up in both ways, trade going both ways. The same 
thing will happen in Mexico. And I am afraid that in the Mexican case in 
some of the opposition there is some discrimination against our southern 
neighbor.
    I don't care whether it's good politics or bad politics, I'm going 
to work for free trade. I want to see the NAFTA agreement passed. And I 
am absolutely convinced that it will mean more jobs for Americans and 
good jobs. The argument is, well, all the companies will flee to Mexico. 
That's not true; they could do that now. There are many reasons that 
companies place investment where they do.
    NAFTA is only going to increase Mexico's ability to import goods. 
It's going to increase their standard of living, which will bring relief 
to our borders out near San Diego where you have immigration going 
across the way. It will give them the wherewithal to have better 
environmental standards, and it will give more jobs to the United States 
because our exports, which have already gone up substantially, will go 
up more.
    So I'm for free trade. I'm not for protection. I'm not for promising 
one thing out in Detroit and then trying to deny that it was said some 
other part of the country.

Education

    Q. Mr. President, I would like to ask you with regard to education, 
do you think that a national standard achievement test at the lower 
grade levels would be a good way to gauge how well our education system 
is doing?
    The President. Yes, and part of our program feels that a national 
system of volunteer testing would be good. That's part of our proposal. 
I emphasize the word ``volunteer'' because I still believe that your 
community should really control the curriculum and the hours and the 
teacher's pay and whatever it is. Most people forget that about 6 
percent, I believe it is, of funding on education is at the Federal 
level, our level, and 90-some percent is where it belongs at the local 
and State level.
    But this concept of testing is a good one. I think kids need to know 
where they stand with others across the country; parents have the right 
to have that information. But I emphasize it should be on a voluntary 
basis.
    Let's get in the back rows, back here.
    Oh, the man's bringing gifts. Come right up.
    Q. I'd like to present this to you on behalf of Boys Nation.
    The President. Thanks a lot. Now we're talking. This is great. Thank 
you very much, Steve.
    Q. Mr. President, I'm a student of the middle class, and there's an 
ever-increasing problem with the students that I represent that we 
simply do not have the funds to attend the colleges of our choices to 
take the leadership roles in Government. What can you tell the students 
of the middle class to affirm the fact that the buck does stop here and 
you're taking a leadership position in our plight to have affordable 
college education?
    The President. I can tell them that the best thing that we can do 
there is to get the

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whole economic system moving. I can tell them that we've increased 
funding for that kind of student loan program, and we've just got to 
keep doing it to support those that need scholarships. A big problem is 
when you're operating at these enormous deficits, you can't go out and 
promise to increase spending beyond which we've already increased it. 
I'm the guy that has the plan. The buck does stop here. We have 
increased programs for the funding for student loans, contrary to some 
of the political--I can't wait for this campaign to start to go after 
some of the things I'm hearing out there. But we've just got to keep 
going on it, and we will do our very best.
    Way in back here. Yes.

Foreign Aid

    Q. Mr. President, I'd just like to commend you on your fine foreign 
policy. But the question I pose to you is this: Do you feel the only way 
we can have a strong foreign policy is pumping the billions of dollars 
that we do into other countries' economy? Being a visitor to Washington, 
DC, we took a bus ride, and we drove through the Capital City, and I saw 
some of the most depressed and poverty-stricken areas I've ever seen. 
Why can't we bring some of that foreign policy money home to where it 
belongs in our Nation?
    The President. Well, I'll tell you, maybe you've missed the fact 
that we've cut the defense budget substantially. We can't cut the muscle 
of defense. We're not going to do that. I stood here with Boris Yeltsin 
and did something that affected the lives of everybody here, everybody 
here. We worked out the most historic nuclear arms reduction package 
that's ever happened, thus reducing the fear of nuclear war that some of 
you guys may have grown up with when you were younger. The pressure has 
been bled off. We have to keep a strong defense. We have cut the defense 
budget by billions of dollars, and we'll continue to look at it as the 
world changes. But we can't cut into the muscle of it.
    Secondly, in terms of foreign aid, it's always been unpopular. 
There's always a guy that says, ``Don't do that abroad. Do it all at 
home.'' And that's a mood out there in this country. But it is in our 
interests, humanitarian interest, to help people abroad. It's the United 
States that always has taken the lead. As long as I'm President, we'll 
continue to take the lead. But we are going to have to try to do these 
things that will forestall our need to use military action.
    That's the reason, rationale for it. But listen, I understand the 
desire to have more at home, and yet, again, I'm not going to please 
everybody by saying we're going to increase spending on one program or 
another. We've got a good budget. Spending has gone dramatically up. But 
we've got to hold the line on it now. We've got to get the deficit down.

Presidential Campaign

    Q. Mr. President, I was wondering, isn't it disheartening that all 
of your actions are either maligned, belittled, or ignored by the 
national media?
    The President. Now we're talking here. Those back here are not 
smiling, those beyond those with the red and white shirts. Look, you've 
got to take it in life. Nobody ever said it would be a bed of roses. I 
found that over the years in politics or in business or whatever it is.
    I have a very quiet confidence when I take my case to the American 
people that things will work out. But to be very honest, it's not 
pleasant. It's not pleasant. The one I don't like the most is when they 
go after your family, try to make corruption out of a family that's been 
honorable and decent. I don't like it when they do that kind of thing.
    But they've got their job to do; I've got mine to do. I'm not going 
to be stampeded into anything by a lot of that kind of press. When we 
get into the campaign, I will try to draw the distinctions between 
myself and the opponents. I'll try to put out the positive aspects of 
our record: the war on crime; the fact that we've got a sound, 
revolutionary education program; what we're trying to do, in answer to 
your question, about bringing homeownership and hope into the cities; 
the fact that we've got the best health care reform of anybody up there, 
sitting right there, languishing, and the fact that we've got a program 
that if we could only get this Congress to work on it

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would do something for health care.
    So we've got the programs. Now, the fact that that's not resonating 
and the press seems to be critical, that changes. I go back to '88, and 
I remember a great reporter for the New York Times--I don't know what 
he's doing now, but I think he's gone onto greater things--saying, 
``dogged by Iran-Contra, the President landed in Iowa today.'' They've 
always got some kind of sensationalist thing.
    But the facts are the programs are sound. I hope that I will pass 
the test of commitment to country. I am proud, as I told Dom earlier, of 
having served my country. I believe that what we've accomplished around 
the world is substantial, major, the ending of the cold war. I think 
what we did with Yeltsin, getting rid of these ICBM's, I happen to think 
it's big, and you don't read a darn thing about it in the press.
    I didn't listen, I've got to confess to you guys I did not listen to 
the Democratic National Convention. I was fishing. I suppose I could 
have turned on a radio, but I just didn't feel inclined to do it. But 
there was no mention, I am told retrospectively, of the major 
accomplishments that the American people and this administration has 
made in bringing peace to the world and standing up against aggression 
in the process, setting an example. So when I said in my remarks people 
look to the United States for leadership, they do, but that has no 
resonance. I think it will. I think every family in America in their 
hearts know that we are in a less-threatened position.
    I loved it when I'm told that my opponent, one of them I guess, at 
the convention said, ``Well we've changed the world. Now let's change 
America.'' Hey, a Democratic candidate dropped out of the race for 
plagiarism last year. This is a comment that I've been saying, and now 
we're trying to get it done. We have changed the world. Now let's change 
America. Use that same leadership.
    And parenthetically, if you want to know what I think really needs 
to be changed, it is the control of the House of Representatives. We 
have had the same control of Congress, same control in the House since 
1956, maybe earlier. They talk about institutions changing; Presidents 
have changed, different parties; the Senate has changed. The one 
institution--those who know how to run the bank and the post office up 
there haven't changed for 36 years. We are going to take that case to 
the American people.

The Economy

    Q. My question to you concerns us as young Americans. When we get 
out of college and university, how are we going to be assured as 
qualified Americans that there will be jobs for us to pursue our careers 
as citizens?
    The President. One, the economy is improving. Not near enough. It is 
growing. You wouldn't hear that--I keep citing a statistic that 92 
percent of the economic news has been negative as you analyze it. 
They've got this group that analyzes the news coverage. A tremendous 
percentage, 60 percent, think the economy's getting worse. A lot of 
people are hurting, but the overall national economy is growing, not 
near enough.
    What I want to do is stimulate it to grow more. That was what was 
behind and still remains behind an incentive program that encourages 
buying homes; that encourages getting the deficit down; that encourages 
changing the--this is technical--but the IRA rules; that encourages an 
investment tax allowance to stimulate the investment in equipment that 
actually brings jobs. So jobs are being created, not fast enough.
    If I can get the American people to give the strong support in 
Congress for the economic program, I believe that's the best guarantee 
of jobs for people. It is not going to be Government-created jobs, by 
the Government getting into the private sector. I oppose that. This idea 
of an industrial policy where the Government should pick the winners and 
losers is wrong. What we ought to do is increase the R&D credits so you 
stimulate the research that has made this country a job-creating 
country.
    So that's the program that I'll be taking to the American people.

AIDS

    Q. AIDS cases being so epidemic, do you have any national plans to 
inform the public and get the AIDS cases down so it

[[Page 1144]]

doesn't keep rising?
    The President. The question is on AIDS cases being so epidemic. 
Absolutely. We asked for $4.9 billion. We've been spending at the rate 
of about $4.3 billion on AIDS. That's about 10 times as much as on, say, 
cancer, per case. We have got to educate the American people, and I'm 
trying to do that. We've got to demonstrate compassion. We have got to 
go against behavior that causes AIDS. Education: AIDS is one disease 
that can't be totally controlled by behavior but some of it can, dirty 
needles, for example. So we've got to win that drug fight. We have got 
the biggest and best research, by far, program of any country in the 
world.
    I had a couple of the top specialists in here the other day, Dr. 
Fauci at NIH. They are encouraged in what that research will bring. Some 
of you are--well, none of you were alive when they discovered the Salk 
vaccine for polio, but that's the line they're approaching it, our great 
research labs. I am somewhat optimistic about achieving a major 
breakthrough in that.
    But in the meantime, we've got to speak with compassion. We've go to 
demonstrate the concern that we all feel in our hearts about this. We've 
got to be sure that we do the utmost we can in research. And then we've 
got to all speak out in terms of the behaviors that cause AIDS in some 
cases, not all, but in some cases. I plan to continue to do that.
    But it's a national problem. It's one where we really--it's 
heartbreak hill. It's just everybody in one way or another has a friend 
that's touched with this. We just simply have to win this fight, and I'm 
optimistic we will.
    Listen, I gather they're telling me we're out of here. But we only 
got about 4 percent of the questions, I think. But thank you very, very 
much. And I wish we didn't have to go. Thank you all. And good luck to 
all of you. We're very, very proud of you.

                    Note: The President spoke at 9:32 a.m. in the Rose 
                        Garden at the White House. During the question-
                        and-answer session, Steve Kennedy, Mississippi 
                        representative and secretary of the senate for 
                        Boys Nation, presented a polo shirt to the 
                        President.