[Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George H. W. Bush (1992, Book I)]
[March 16, 1992]
[Pages 452-455]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]



Remarks at a Bush-Quayle Fundraising Luncheon in Milwaukee

March 16, 1992
    Thank you, Governor Thompson, and thank all of you for that warm 
welcome. Sue Ann, it is such a treat to see you again. May I second the 
motion on Bob Kasten; it is absolutely essential that he be reelected. 
And I'm glad to be here with him today.
    And earlier this morning, we were out at a very dynamic steel 
company. And I want

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to thank Fred Luber for his sponsorship and leadership in seeing this 
minority business out there have a real shot at the American dream. But 
with us out there was Lieutenant Governor Scott McCallum and his wife, 
Laurie, both with us here today. I salute them. And may I single out 
former Secretary of Commerce Bob Mosbacher, who is now a cochairman of 
our campaign, sitting down here. And Bobby Holt's with us somewhere, our 
national finance chairman. And I am very, very grateful to both of them. 
And Bob did a superb job for commerce in this country. Thank you, Mr. 
Mosbacher.
    And I could not possibly come back to Wisconsin without saluting my 
longtime friend--picked me up, dusted me off in the dark ages when we 
were really down and been at my side ever since, same for Tommy--and I'm 
talking about John MacIver, our Bush-Quayle chairman over here. And 
again, our thanks to Fred Luber for cochairing this and his wife, Ann; 
and also for Wisconsin's chairman, David Opitz; and Mike Grebe over 
here, a longtime friend and now our national committeeman. You have a 
wonderful team.
    Someone asked me what I think of the challenger who has no 
leadership experience whatsoever but thinks he's qualified to assume 
high office. Frankly, I think Phil Garner will do a fine job with the 
Brewers, outstanding. [Laughter] And it is good to get out of 
Washington. And I'll tell you, what's going on on Capitol Hill right now 
gives new meaning to the phrase, ``The check's in the mail.'' [Laughter]
    You know, too many people in Washington are fixated on the next 
election, and too few are focused on the next generation. And we are in 
a battle for our future. And we want America to lead the world in good 
jobs with productive work. And we want to and we will remain a force for 
world peace and freedom. And we're for fighting to protect our most 
basic institution, the family.
    That's why this year of decision is so vital for America. And that's 
why April's primary election and November's general election are vital 
to our future. I'm asking you to get out to vote and create a resounding 
mandate to transform America. Let's nominate and elect men and women who 
share our values. We've got more to do to get America on the right 
track. And so I am asking you today for 4 more years as President of the 
United States of America.
    America was built on faith, family, and freedom. And these form the 
foundation of our great country. And we must now renew those sources of 
our strength. We must allow common sense to prevail, for example, in our 
welfare system, forge a new connection between welfare and work. And as 
I've said, I am encouraging States to seek waivers to reform the 
Nation's welfare programs. And today, standing right here, Governor 
Thompson is submitting such a waiver request, and I look forward to 
receiving it.
    You're on the right track right here in Wisconsin with learnfare, 
Bob referred to this, with workfare, and the proposed Parental 
Responsibility Act. Those are just a few of the reasons why more and 
more people are beginning to say, ``Watch Wisconsin because Wisconsin 
works.''
    The people of the country, like the people of the State, are not 
stingy. Americans are a caring people. If somebody else is hurting, we 
feel it. And we support welfare for families in need. But Americans want 
to see government at every level, for example, work together to track 
down the deadbeat dads, the ones who can't be bothered to pay child 
support. And they want to see us break this cycle, this ugly and 
deplorable cycle of dependency that destroys dignity and then passes 
down poverty from one generation to the next. It's wrong. It's cruel. 
And we're working to change it. And we're encouraging States to follow 
Governor Thompson's lead, to follow Wisconsin's lead, with plans that 
help people break welfare dependency and begin learning work skills.
    And we will continue to fight for the parents' right to choose their 
children's schools. School choice is at the heart of our wonderfully 
exciting America 2000, our strategy to revolutionize, literally 
revolutionize, American education.
    And Wisconsin knows what I mean. Think of the groundbreaking efforts 
of Polly Williams, whom I talked to from Air Force One this morning. 
This State pioneered the 
frontier of school choice, because, as

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Tommy said, the Governor said, ``It was the right thing to do.'' And I'm 
grateful to say it looks like your State supreme court would agree. And 
there are those who find change difficult. And some say, ``Slow down.'' 
And we say to them, ``Get out of the way.'' Choice works in Wisconsin, 
and we're going to take this crusade to every State in the Union.
    Incidentally and perhaps parenthetically, here's another choice I 
deeply support. I really believe, because I talk about family and faith, 
I really believe our children have the right to choose voluntary prayer 
in school. And I'd like to see something done about it.
    Parents, not some bureaucrat in Washington, know what is best for 
the kids. And that's why I worked to win this child care bill, with Bob 
Kasten's support, a bill that gives parents the right to choose who 
provides the care. And we know America is first as long as we put the 
family first.
    And for 3 years I've had to struggle fighting the liberal leadership 
of the Congress on these issues. And I'm going to continue to stand and 
fight for principle even when Congress stands in the way. And thank God 
again for Bob Kasten and his cohorts on our side in the Senate.
    We've put judges on the bench, on the Federal bench, who know their 
role is to interpret the law, not legislate from the Federal bench. And 
I will use the veto when I have to--another point--to stand for 
principle, to stand up for family values. And if I had the kind of line-
item power that your Governor has, I would prove once and for all, that 
the pen is mightier than the sword. As it is, even my friends have said 
that at times I was courting defeat by casting a veto out there instead 
of compromising. But we've never lost a veto fight. And I'll never 
hesitate to use it when principle is at stake.
    You remember, I asked Congress to pass tax cuts and incentives to 
get the economy moving, to get real estate up and running, to reward the 
risktakers who create good jobs. And one reason Wisconsin has weathered 
the recession better than most of the other States is that Wisconsin 
kept the cut on capital gains and Wisconsin business taxes are among the 
lowest in the Nation. And Wisconsin works, and it's time Washington woke 
up to why. And I am again calling on the Congress to cut the tax on 
capital gains. It is a job creator, not a break for the rich.
    But instead of passing my plan, the big spenders that control the 
Congress had other ideas. And here they are: In the House of 
Representatives, a temporary cut for more people, tax cut; in the 
Senate, a permanent cut for less people. How much? Twenty-five cents a 
day, a quarter a day for each man, woman, and child in America. Fine, 
but what's the catch? Ninety billion dollars in new permanent taxes. And 
the Democrats call that, as Bob knows, new revenue. And I call it your 
money.
    And remember, we set a deadline, March 20th, and that's just 4 days 
away. And I said to Congress, ``Pass our plan. Help get our economy 
moving. Do something good and right now for the American people.'' And 
we'll fight, and we'll win. We may have to veto--I will veto the tax 
bills if they come out of the House and Senate anything like they are 
today. Make no mistake about it.
    And we're going to keep to our leadership course in the world 
economy. Because if we want to succeed economically at home, and Tommy 
touched on this one, we've got to lead economically abroad. Trade with 
our neighbors, trade with the world is important here in Wisconsin. And 
this State exports $15.4 billion in manufactured goods in a single year, 
that's billion dollars. And almost 200,000, I believe the figure is, 
Wisconsin jobs--somewhere in there--depend on exports, direct and 
indirect.
    But my opponents are peddling protectionism, a retreat from economic 
reality. You cut through all the patriotic posturing and all the tough 
talk about ``fighting back'' by closing shop, and look closely. That is 
not the American flag they're waving. It is the white flag of surrender. 
And that's not the America that you and I know. America does not cut and 
run, and we compete. And never in this Nation's 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 the American worker. I mentioned this out there at 
the steel plant:

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Level the playing field and our worker, the American worker, will 
outthink, outproduce, and outperform anyone, anywhere, anytime. So we've 
got to let the world know this: Whatever the challenge, America will 
meet it. We are in it to win.
    Think back. Think back to just about a year ago, to the calm after 
Desert Storm. And ask any one of the proud sons and daughters of 
Wisconsin who became liberators of Kuwait, and they'll tell you that 
military strength doesn't mean a thing without moral support right here 
at home.
    And yes, there were some who didn't support us then, and there are 
those who second-guess us now. But not here, not in Wisconsin. When I 
drew that line in the sand, you stood with me. And never would this 
country tuck tail and let aggression stand. And America did what was 
good and just, and we did what was right.
    And there are those who act as if America's work in the world is 
over--``Come back; come home.'' And to them I say: We will never neglect 
America's vital national interests. And as far as our national defense 
goes, I am going to continue to keep this country strong so that our 
worldwide credibility, now at an all-time high, will help us strengthen 
democracy, freedom, and peace around the entire world. Look around the 
world. It is only our country, it is only the United States of America 
that can lead the world. And as long as I am President, I am going to 
stay engaged and do just exactly that.
    Let my opponents, both sides, sound the retreat, run from the new 
realities, seek refuge in a world of protectionism or high taxes or big 
Government. And let the analysts on the tube tick off everything that's 
wrong in America. We know what's right. And let me say, too, I am 
counting on the good people of Wisconsin to reject the ugly politics of 
hate that is rearing its head. Racism, anti-Semitism, and bigotry have 
no place in the United States of America. And we must continue to stand 
for that principle.
    Let me close by saying that, in the first place, I'm very proud of 
our First Lady. She's not here, but I can say it with great pride in 
what Barbara Bush has done, raising the standards for literacy in this 
country and just being a wonderfully decent family person. And I know 
this sounds maybe a little too prideful, but I think she's been a superb 
First Lady. And we are very blessed, if you will, blessed to serve this 
great Nation of ours at a moment when so many of the old fears have been 
driven away and when so many new opportunities stand within our reach. 
Since the day I took the oath of office I made it my responsibility, my 
duty to try to do what is right for this wonderful country that's been 
so good to us. I've given it my level-best, and I'm not done yet. I am 
not finished.
    You and I have much more work before we've finished our mission. 
It's a battle for our future: It's about jobs; its about family; it's 
about something big, world peace, the kind of legacy we're going to 
leave our kids. Together, we've made a great beginning. I take great 
pride that the young people in this country go to sleep today without 
quite the fear of nuclear war that perhaps their parents had not so many 
years ago. We want to renew the miracle of American enterprise. We want 
to strengthen the underpinnings of our society, the values of family and 
faith and freedom.
    And now we're approaching an hour of decision--and next month, right 
here in this State. Don't wait until November. I'm asking you to vote on 
April 7th in the Republican primary. Give me your vote in this important 
election next month. Help me win 4 more years to lead the fight for 
these fundamental values we share.
    Thank you all so very, very much. And may God bless the United 
States of America. Thank you.

                    Note: The President spoke at 12:18 p.m. at the 
                        Pfister Hotel. In his remarks, he referred to 
                        Sue Ann Thompson, wife of Gov. Tommy Thompson; 
                        John K. MacIver, chairman, and Fred G. Luber, 
                        finance cochairman, Wisconsin Bush-Quayle 
                        campaign; David W. Opitz, Wisconsin Republican 
                        Party chairman; Phil Garner, manager of the 
                        Milwaukee Brewers baseball team; and State 
                        legislator Polly Williams.