[Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George H. W. Bush (1992, Book I)]
[March 6, 1992]
[Pages 394-397]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]



Remarks at Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, Louisiana

March 6, 1992
    Thank you very much. So pleased to be introduced by your Congressman 
and my chairman, Richard Baker, doing a great job up there in 
Washington. And I want to salute two other great Congressmen, Bob 
Livingston and Jim McCrery. What a job they're doing for the people of 
Louisiana. And we brought back to Louisiana with us another of 
Louisiana's sons, Jim McCrery, and secretary of state Fox McKeithen 
right here, whose dad used to be Governor, and also Henson Moore, my 
Deputy Chief of Staff, who represented Baton Rouge in the Congress. He 
now serves as our Deputy Chief of Staff there in the White House. And 
Chancellor Davis, thank you, sir, for letting us come to this beautiful 
campus, and thank all of you for the warm welcome.
    Let me just say, when I saw the Tiger descending, it is great to be 
back in Tiger territory. And let me be very clear why I am here: Four 
more years. That's what we want. And I'm so pleased to see two that were 
in the White House not so long ago, Coach Brown and Shaquille, the 
``Shaq Attack'' O'Neal. Shaq didn't think I'd come down for his 
birthday, did he? [Laughter] Right?
    And I wonder if I have any Deke fraternity brothers out here. As I 
was driving--now, wait just a minute--as I was driving past the 
fraternity house, I heard him shouting: Four more years! And that's 
brotherhood for you, I thought. And then, Barbara said what they were 
really saying was: Four more beers! [Laughter] I think my fraternity, I 
think the Dekes get a bad rap. Some would compare to them to ``Animal 
House,'' you know. They ought to take a look at what happens up on 
Capitol Hill.
    Let me just comment about what we're doing. We're in a battle for 
our future. I'm determined that America should leave young people like 
you the best possible legacy. We want America to lead the world in good 
jobs with productive work. And we want to remain a force for world peace 
and freedom. And we are fighting to protect our most basic institution, 
the American family.
    And that's why, really, I would say to all of you, no matter who you 
are for in this process, that's why this year of decision is so 
important for our country. In next Tuesday's primary election and 
November's general election, you will hold the future of this country, 
your future, in your hands. And I'm asking you to get out the vote and 
create a resounding mandate for transforming America. Let us nominate 
men and women, and elect men and women, who share our fundamental 
values. And we've got much more to do to get America on the right track. 
And so, I'm asking you for 4 more years as your President to finish the 
job.
    Somehow I think Louisianians understand this, but this country was 
built on faith and family and freedom. And we must renew those sources 
of our strength. And we must allow common sense to prevail.
    For example, in our welfare system, restore the connection between 
welfare and work. Americans aren't cold hearted. We are a caring people, 
and we support help for those families in need. But we want to see 
government at every level work together, for example, to track down the 
deadbeat fathers, the ones who cannot be bothered to pay child support. 
But more important,

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we've got to break the cycle of dependency that destroys dignity and 
passes down poverty from one generation to the next. That's wrong. 
That's cruel. And we've got to keep working to change it. And so we're 
encouraging States to innovate with workfare and with plans that help 
people break welfare dependency and begin learning and work skills.
    So anyway, we're going to continue to fight for the parents' rights. 
We're going to fight for the parents' rights to choose their children's 
schools, school choice. We've got a great education program to help 
revolutionize the schools. School choice is at the heart of America 
2000, our strategy to literally revolutionize American education.
    And let's get our priorities right. There's something wrong. Our 
kids cannot participate in voluntary prayer in the classroom, and we 
need to change that. I will admit that they need it, but both the House 
of Representatives and the Senate open their sessions with a prayer. And 
Congress needs it, I will admit, but I think it ought to be true for 
voluntary prayer in the classrooms.
    Parents, not some bureaucrat in Washington, really know what is best 
for their children. And that's why I worked to win a child care bill 
that provides parents the right to choose who provides the care. We know 
America is first as long as we put the family first. So everything I do 
is going to be shaped at strengthening the American family.
    As Bob and Jim and Richard know, for 3 years I've had to fight the 
liberal leadership of the Congress. And I will continue to stand for 
principle no matter how daunting the odds. We've fought, and we've put 
judges, for example, on the Federal bench who know their rule is to 
interpret the law, not to legislate from the Federal bench. And I'll use 
the veto when I have to, to stand for principle, to stand up for these 
values. Sometimes even my friends said I was flirting with defeat by 
casting a veto instead of cutting a deal. But we've never lost a veto 
fight, and I'll never hesitate to use the veto when principle is at 
stake. That's the only way we can change the direction of the Congress.
    The liberal leadership of the Congress is once again on a collision 
course with my veto. You remember I asked the Congress to pass tax cuts 
and incentives to get this stagnant economy moving, to get real estate 
up and running, to reward those that go out and take the risks, the 
risk-takers who create good jobs. And it's time to quit punishing people 
who create jobs. And so I say cut the tax on capital gains and start a 
lot of new businesses.
    But instead of passing my plan, the spenders who control the 
Congress had other ideas. And they pushed through one of their own. And 
here's what's in it for people who work for a living: a tiny temporary 
tax cut, 25 cents a day, a quarter a day for each man, woman, and child 
in America. But here's the catch. You can keep that quarter in exchange 
for $100 billion in new taxes. Now, they call that new revenue. I call 
it your money.
    And if you feel the way I do, tell the Congress to keep the change 
and keep their hands off the taxpayers' wallets. And just so I am clear 
with the Congress on this, let me say right here in Louisiana, but 
beamed to Washington, DC: If the liberals send me their scheme, I'll 
send it back the minute it reaches my desk. I will veto it. I will slam 
dunk it faster than L.S.U. can say ``cha-ching.''
    Remember, I've set a deadline, March 20th. And I've said to the 
Congress: Pass our plan. Get our economy moving. Do something now for 
the American people. And let me say this: It's tough this time of year, 
right before a primary election, but let's set the politics aside long 
enough to take these few selective steps to stimulate the economy, and 
then we can put the politics in place for the fall. But let's stimulate 
the American economy and get people back to work.
    But we will fight. I like a good fight. And we will fight as we 
must, and we will win. And in the world today, if we want to succeed 
economically at home--we must--we have got to lead economically abroad. 
Each day, more and more American jobs are tied to trade. Remember this 
one: Every billion dollars more in manufactured exports means 20,000 new 
jobs, and each extra billion dollars in agricultural exports means 
thousands more jobs on Louisiana farms and

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in Louisiana agribusiness.
    But my opponents are peddling protectionism, a retreat from economic 
reality. And you can cut through all the patriotic posturing, all the 
tough talk about fighting back and bashing somebody by shutting out 
foreign goods, but look closely. That's not the American flag they are 
waving; it is the white flag of surrender. And that is not the America 
that you and I know. And clearly, when you look around the world, it is 
not the way of the future for young Americans. America doesn't cut and 
run. We compete. And never in our long history have we turned our backs 
on a challenge, and we simply are not going to start that now.
    I put my faith in your talent to compete: Level the playing field, 
and Americans will outthink, outproduce, and outperform anyone, 
anywhere, anytime.
    As I said earlier, we're strong because we value faith, family, and 
freedom. We're the world's greatest power, the world's greatest power 
because whenever our values are threatened, we fight to defend them. We 
need to keep our defenses strong. In my State of the Union Message, I 
proposed some far-reaching but still very responsible cuts to bring our 
Armed Forces into line with the new realities of the world. I based my 
recommendations to Congress on the unanimous opinion of the Joint Chiefs 
of Staff; of their able Chairman, Colin Powell; of our Defense 
Secretary. And we sent this program up that will keep our defense strong 
but still make cuts in defense; because of what's happened around the 
world, we can do that. But the liberals, true to form, want to put down 
the scalpel and pick up a meat ax. We cannot let that happen. We must 
keep America strong. I'll do that, and you can count on it. Who knows 
where the next threat comes from?
    For those of you studying government, you know this: As President, I 
have a constitutional responsibility for the national security of this 
country. And as long as I am President of the United States, I guarantee 
you we are going to have defenses strong enough to meet our 
responsibilities. We were ready when Iraq's brutal dictator invaded 
Kuwait, and we will be ready when we face the next crisis. We must not 
cut into the muscle of our defense.
    We must let the world know this: Whatever the challenge--and we're 
facing some right now if you look around the world--whatever the 
challenge, America will stay strong. America is in it to win.
    Think back to just about one year ago today, the calm after Desert 
Storm. Ask any one of the proud sons and daughters of Louisiana, more 
than 250 from right here at L.S.U., ask any one of those young people 
from this campus who became the liberators of Kuwait, and they'll tell 
you: Military strength doesn't mean a thing without the moral support 
right here at home.
    And yes, there are some revisionists out there trying to rewrite 
history now. And of course, there were those who didn't support us back 
then. There are those who second-guess us now. But not here, not across 
this State of Louisiana. When I drew that line in the sand, you stood 
with me. And never would this country tuck tail and let aggression 
stand. America did what was right and good and just, and we prevailed. 
And we are today the envy of the world, people looking to us to defend 
freedom and democracy wherever it may be.
    And now we've got to bring that same victorious spirit, that same 
``America together'' spirit to fight the problems we face today. And so 
let my opponents sound retreat, run from the new realities, seek refuge 
in a world of protectionism, high taxes, big Government. Let them drone 
on about what's wrong in America. We know what is right about this 
country.
    The spirit of Desert Storm brought us together, Americans of every 
color and creed. And I'm asking you young people to do all you can to 
keep this country united, make it a land of harmony for years to come. 
And that means right now, every one of us, I don't care, South, North, 
East, or West, every one of us must stand up and say no to the politics 
of prejudice and hate and anti-Semitism and bigotry. They have no place 
in America.
    Let me close with just a few words from the heart. Barbara and I are 
blessed, we are blessed to--and I might say I think the First Lady is 
doing a first-class job, if that's all right. No, but I know she feels 
this way, and I do. We are blessed to serve this great

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Nation of ours at a moment when so many of the old fears have been 
driven away, when so many new hopes stand within our reach. Every day, 
and this is the gospel truth, we still say our prayers. But every day I 
thank God that young people like you will be able to follow your dreams 
without the nightmare of nuclear holocaust hanging over us as it did 
just a few years ago. And since the day I took the oath of office, I 
made it my duty to try, to try hard always to do what is right for this 
country. And I've given it my level-best, and I am not done yet.
    You and I have more work ahead before we've finished our mission. 
It's a battle for our future. It's about jobs for your future. It's 
about the family. It's about world peace. Together, I believe we have 
made a great beginning to renew the miracle of the American enterprise 
and to strengthen our values of family and faith and freedom. Now we're 
approaching an hour of decision. Now it gets into the political 
trenches, next week. So don't wait until November, I'm asking you to 
vote in Tuesday on the Republican primary. And give me your vote in this 
important election next Tuesday. Help me win 4 more years to lead the 
fight for the values we share.
    Thank you, and may God bless the United States of America, the 
freest, the fairest, the most decent country on the face of the Earth. 
Thank you all.

                    Note: The President spoke at 12:55 p.m. in Pete 
                        Maravich Arena. In his remarks, he referred to 
                        William E. Davis, chancellor of the university, 
                        and head coach Dale Brown and center Shaquille 
                        O'Neal of the L.S.U. Tigers basketball team.