[Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George H. W. Bush (1992-1993, Book II)]
[August 2, 1992]
[Pages 1291-1292]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]




[[Page 1291]]


Remarks at a Fundraising Brunch for Rich Williamson in Rosemont, 
Illinois
August 2, 1992

    Thank you all very, very much. What a wonderful welcome. And that 
makes me convinced that I'm going to win in November, too.
    Let me thank Rich Williamson. And good morning and my respects to 
Jane, and of course, to Jim Edgar, who is just doing a superb job as 
Governor of this State. You ought to be very, very proud of him. Rich 
couldn't have a better man at his side than secretary of state George 
Ryan, longtime friend. I'm grateful also to the Lieutenant Governor, Bob 
Kustre, who was out there at the airport to say hello; and to the 
State's attorney, Jack O'Malley; my old friend Congressman Phil Crane, 
with us today. And if you want some heavy lifting done in the 
fundraising, get H. Clark involved. H., thank you very, very much for 
what you've done here. And also, I want to salute our State chairman, Al 
Jourdan. And national committeewoman Mary Jo Arndt is here today. I see 
she brought some of her family with her; that's good.
    It's great to be back here in Chicago. I was half tempted to call 
the Mayor while I'm in town. My guess is that he was pretty upset by his 
party's recent gathering in New York. He thought Chicago had the 
nickname ``the Windy City.'' [Laughter]
    But this afternoon, I want to tell you a story about a young girl, 
poor in pocket but rich in hope, who left her German village to come to 
America. She came in search of something larger than herself, a future 
for her children and for their children. Here in Chicago, she married 
another immigrant. She took in laundry; he sold clothes. They lived in a 
tiny apartment and never gave up hope that their daughter would have a 
better future and their daughter's son an even better one.
    That's how this country was born. And that's how it grew into the 
most proud, the most free nation on the face of the Earth. America 
became great through millions of stories like this, stories of men and 
women who left behind their homes in order to take a chance on a dream 
for their children here in the land of opportunity.
    If that young woman I just told you about were here today, she would 
see how her sacrifice made the American dream come true for her 
grandson. She would see with pride that he stands here today, determined 
to make that dream come true for all of us, the sons and the daughters 
of Illinois, the whole country. Helen Salisbury would be proud to see 
the next Senator from Illinois, her grandson, Rich Williamson.
    As he said, Rich and I go back a long way. Rich and his dog, Mac, 
knew Millie before she was a best-selling author. [Laughter] So I'm here 
out of friendship for a brilliant, dedicated leader. But I'm also here 
for what's good for the United States of America. I thought George Ryan 
put it very, very well when he spelled out what's at stake here because 
Rich's race and the race I'm involved in have a lot in common. If you 
really want to make a change in this country, let's change the 
institution that hasn't changed for 38 years and change control of the 
United States Congress. Rich can do a lot to help.
    In the dog days of summer, it's very easy to be attracted to the new 
candidate, the one who says the things the polls say the people want to 
hear. But by the fall, the American people look more closely, and they 
ask this question: Who do we trust to change America? Who has the ideas 
to carry us forward to a better future?
    Rich Williamson is a leader worthy of your trust. Just as we've 
changed the world, we now have the ideas to change America. Rich and I 
both believe that to lead a great

[[Page 1292]]

Nation you must first trust the people you lead.
    Look at the two sides in this election, and the choice is very 
clear. On one side you have people advocating a Nation of the 
Government, by the Government, for the Government. Rich and I have a 
very different philosophy. We agree with another son of Illinois: 
America should be a Nation ``of the people, by the people, and for the 
people.''
    Let me just take one issue today, discuss one issue to show the 
Grand Canyon of philosophy that separates the two sides in this 
election. It is one of the most pressing concerns that we face today: 
I'm talking about health care. Our health care system doesn't work 
today. We all know that. Thirty-four million Americans are without 
insurance. Millions more worry that they cannot afford the rising costs 
of health care.
    What are we going to do about it? Well, the other side and I have 
both put forward plans; you can look them over. I invite comparison. The 
other plan offers health care reform. My plan offers health care reform. 
The other plan is printed on plain white bond paper, and my plan is 
printed on plain white bond paper. From there the differences are wider 
than an Illinois cornfield.
    The other plan will dump 52 million Americans into a new Government 
bureaucracy, and my plan will help 90 million Americans afford private 
insurance to take care of their health care needs. The other plan would 
slap at least a 7-percent payroll tax on middle-income Americans, and my 
plan would provide tax relief to Americans to help them pay for their 
own health care. The other plan will cost America at least 700,000 jobs, 
and my plan helps small business afford health insurance so they can 
hire more people. The other plan will create lines at hospitals so long 
you'll think they were selling Bears tickets inside. [Laughter] My plan 
will allow you to get the care you need when you need it, and my plan 
will preserve the quality of health care in this country. The other plan 
is going to put bureaucrats in charge of setting health care prices, and 
my plan attacks the root causes of rising costs: faulty insurance, too 
much paperwork, far too many frivolous lawsuits out there.
    Understand what's at stake here. If the Governor of Arkansas is 
elected with a Democratic Congress and a new Democratic Senator from 
Illinois, within a year the Government will run health care in this 
country. Our health care system will combine the efficiency of the House 
post office with the compassion of the KGB. I am not going to let that 
happen.
    Give me Rich Williamson in the Senate, and we will fight against 
those who put the Government first all the time. We'll fight for what 
works for America. We will fight for what's right for America. That's 
what this election is all about, not about change alone because change 
always happens. The question is, who do you trust to change America? On 
health care, taxes, education, and every other issue we face, Rich and I 
say the same thing: Let others listen to the polls; let others listen to 
the pols. Rich and I want to fight for what's right for the United 
States of America.
    Rich touched on it, and he and I share a strong love of a certain 
proud American tradition, one that his kids, Ricky and Lisa, already 
shared with us today. I want to close by asking all of you to listen 
once again to these familiar words. I believe with all my heart that 
Americans must join and once again pledge allegiance to the finest 
vision of the United States of America: ``one Nation under God, 
indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.''
    That is the country I love, the country Rich loves, the country you 
love. When I ask you to help that country by believing in this good man, 
working for him, and voting for him, I'm sure you'll answer in the words 
of the motto of this great city of Chicago: I will.
    God bless you all. Thank you very, very much for this fantastic 
turnout and this wonderful support. Thank you very much.

                    Note: The President spoke at 12:15 p.m. at the Hyatt 
                        Regency O'Hare Hotel. In his remarks, he 
                        referred to Jane Williamson, wife of Rich 
                        Williamson, and H. Clark, master of ceremonies.