[Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George H. W. Bush (1992-1993, Book II)]
[September 22, 1992]
[Pages 1605-1611]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]



Remarks to the Community in Springfield, Missouri
September 22, 1992

    Thank you all very, very much. Thank you very much. And let me just 
say to Governor Ashcroft how appreciative I am for that rousing 
introduction. And let me tell you, it's a joy to be back. I keep showing 
up in this marvelous part of the country.
    I understand that I owe a vote of gratitude to Ben Parnell, a 
leading, most respected Democrat who gave an outstanding talk here; to 
Hal Gibbs, a former leader in the Perot organization who is now suited 
up and working hard for us. And I'm grateful to him, grateful to both of 
them. To an old friend, Johnny Morris, the only thing I feel deprived of 
is I can't go by that marvelous outlet here and enhance your economy--
[laughter]--because I love fishing and I love the outdoors. And I 
respect Johnny Morris as one of our leading environmentalists in the 
entire United States. He's sensible, and he speaks for the sportsmen all 
across this country.
    And of course, seeing modestly sitting in the front row over here my 
old, dear friend whom Barbara and I respect and love, who's been with us 
at Camp David, with whom I campaigned 4 years ago, Moe Bandy. I'll tell 
you, it's a joy to have him here. And I also want to pay my respects to 
the Congressman. I haven't seen Mel Hancock; maybe he's not with us. But 
he's a great Representative for this area. And of

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course, I was privileged to ride in with Don Gann, who is the 
neighboring State rep, a man that serves with John Ashcroft with such 
distinction in the capital.
    So let me on with the business at hand. John has set the course and 
set the agenda for today's comments. These trips today will take me to 
six different States.
    Two weeks ago in Detroit, I presented to the American people my 
Agenda for American Renewal. It is a clear-eyed look at what's wrong 
with our country and also what's right about our country. I offered a 
comprehensive, integrated approach to win the new global economic 
competition so that by early in the next century, the world's first $10 
trillion economy will be found right here in the United States of 
America.
    Last week, I discussed in detail how my vision of our future differs 
from that of the opponent. The differences simply could not be deeper. 
The stakes, as John points out, the Governor points out, could not be 
higher. Basically, it comes down to this: My opponent believes that 
Government planners can manage the economy better than the workers and 
small-business men and women who actually make it grow. I respect 
Government, but I don't put my faith in it. I put my faith in the tax-
paying, hard-working men and women of America.
    The first shot out of the box Governor Clinton says that he wants to 
raise taxes that will kill jobs. I want to see them cut to help 
Americans create jobs. Governor Clinton wants to increase--he's already 
said this--increase Federal spending by at least $220 billion. I want to 
cut it by that and more. I want the differences to be clear and sharp. 
And then the American people, then you will make a choice.
    You know, the American people are interviewing two men for the same 
job. Now, you know me. My record is on the table, over the years. You 
know its shortcomings; I admit I've made mistakes. And I hope you know 
my record's strengths. And in my agenda I've told you what I intend to 
do to build on that record. I have spoken from my heart about the great 
optimism that I feel for this Nation, how I know we can rise above our 
challenges today and achieve an even better tomorrow.
    My opponent has taken a very different path. He hasn't hesitated a 
minute to try to tear down everything we've accomplished for 12 years, 
to find everything he can about what's wrong with America. While I've 
been talking about ideas, he and his people have admitted publicly that 
their focus is on the negative, on what's wrong. For month after month, 
Governor Clinton has persisted in attacks on me; persistent, 
unrelenting, and many very personal in nature. Frankly, he has distorted 
my record, and his campaign cochairman even called me a racist. And this 
week the Governor unveiled, for the first time in this Presidential 
race, negative campaigning, negative television advertising, first one 
of this campaign.
    So far, right up to today in Springfield, I have resisted the urge 
to focus on Governor Clinton's record. Frankly, I have felt that 
Americans want a positive debate. But I must tell you, I am very tired 
of the distortions, tired of the half-truths. The stakes are too high to 
let America be deceived by a negative campaign. So today, for really the 
first time, I have chosen to lay it on the line, talk about my 
opponent's record, talk facts, talk about the record in Arkansas, the 
Governor's record. And that means explaining the Grand Canyon that 
separates his rhetoric from the reality of his record. You need to know 
this because our country's future is literally on the line. You need to 
know whether you can trust Bill Clinton to take America where it needs 
to go in the next 4 years. Because once you buy what he's selling, 
there's no refund.
    I hear candidate Clinton is up in Michigan today talking about 
debates. Well, I propose a debate for him today: candidate Clinton 
versus Governor Clinton. You see, we've all heard what candidate Clinton 
says he can do for America. But that's very different from what Governor 
Clinton has done to Arkansas, to the good people of Arkansas. And I want 
to stress this: My argument is not with the people of Arkansas, it is 
not. They are good, decent, hard-working people. Frankly, they deserve 
treatment better than they've received from Governor Clinton. So here we 
go.
    Let me begin with an issue of concern to

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every American, every fairminded American: civil rights. Governor 
Clinton says, and I quote, ``Everybody knows I have the best civil 
rights record.'' His words. His modesty overwhelms me. [Laughter] But 
how does his record stand? Some of you may know that in 1968, when I was 
a Congressman from Texas, I supported the Fair Housing Act. It wasn't 
popular with some of my constituents. Times have changed, of course, and 
nowadays 41 States have laws banning housing discrimination, 41. But 
Arkansas is not one of them, even though my opponent has been Governor 
for 12 years. Forty-six States have human relations agencies that 
safeguard citizens against discrimination, but not Arkansas under his 
leadership. Forty-eight States have basic civil rights laws that ban 
discrimination and guarantee equal opportunity, but not Arkansas. That's 
right: Arkansas is only one of two States in America without a civil 
rights statute.
    Candidate Clinton likes to talk about my 1990 veto of the Democratic 
Congress' quota bill. I did veto that bill, and I'll veto any other 
quota bill that the liberals cook up. I am for civil rights. And I am 
against quotas. That is not a contradiction. So last year, after tough 
negotiations with Congress and beating back two attempts to ram down my 
throat and the people's throat a quota bill, I did proudly sign a major 
civil rights bill without resorting to quotas. In addition, I fought for 
the Americans with Disabilities Act, the most sweeping civil rights 
legislation in 30 years, that brings those with disabilities into the 
mainstream and gives them as shot at the American dream. And I'm proud 
of it.
    What about Governor Clinton? Even though his party enjoys 
overwhelming control of the Arkansas Legislature, Governor Clinton has 
still not brought a civil rights bill to the people of Arkansas. So when 
you hear the candidate Clinton's rhetoric all across this country about 
civil rights, Governor Clinton's record just does not stand up.
    Now, consider another issue: economic fairness. You know, candidate 
Clinton is playing the old game that liberals love to play, class 
warfare: divide Americans, rich from poor, one group from another. And 
he's good at it. Candidate Clinton is very good at that, using the same 
tired, twisted, partisan statistics to explain how the poor can only get 
richer if the rich get poorer. According to candidate Clinton, the last 
10 years have been a nightmare. Well, I've got news for him. It is not 
true. The Urban Institute back in Washington is not usually sympathetic 
to me, but listen to what they had to say about the 1980's: ``When one 
follows individuals rather than statistical groups defined by income, 
one finds that, on average, the rich got a little richer and the poor 
got much richer.'' Now, that's the truth. Our policies of cutting taxes 
have spurred growth for all Americans.
    Yes, we've got tough times now. But it's fair to look at the whole 
record. And candidate Clinton doesn't think this is a fair result. He 
doesn't think it's fair. It's maybe because Governor Clinton doesn't 
have much experience with tax fairness in his own State. Governor 
Clinton has more than doubled--if you want a horror story, listen to 
this--he has more than doubled Arkansas State spending since 1983. And 
he has paid for it by raising the taxes that hurt poor and working 
families the most. My opponent has raised and extended his sales tax 
repeatedly, and he has opposed removing that tax from groceries. 
Governor taxes--``Governor Taxes''--sorry. [Laughter] Freudian slip. 
Governor Clinton raised taxes on beer and started taxing mobile homes, 
too. And he more than doubled Arkansas' gas tax to 18\1/2\ cents per 
gallon. Governor Clinton even taxed food stamps until the Federal 
Government forced him to stop. And as if working families in Arkansas 
did not have enough problems, he's even tried to tax child care.
     When it comes to taxes, Governor Clinton can't seem to get enough. 
Last year, he signed the largest tax increase in Arkansas history. I 
signed a tax increase once, and I've regretted it ever since. I admit it 
when I make a mistake. And therein lies the difference. Let me quote 
from an article in the Arkansas Gazette on all of this. ``In the Clinton 
era,'' it says, ``the State tax system has become more and more 
regressive. It has become, step by step, a pretty bad system, stacked 
against the ordinary taxpayer and consumer, stacked for the rich and 
special interest.'' End of quotation. Now,

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that's been his tax policy in Arkansas. Look at what it did to that 
State's economy--a wonderful State, but look what it did to the economy. 
The per capita income, for example--that's the bottom line for working 
men and women, how much income on average each of them have--well, at 
the end of the 1980's, Arkansas ranked 48th in the Nation, per capita 
income, only about 73 percent of the national average. And that was even 
lower than the 75 percent in 1980. The poor people have been going 
backwards under this man. And what about all those good manufacturing 
jobs that candidate Clinton talks about? Well, average hourly earnings 
for Arkansas manufacturing workers ranked 47th in 1980. By 1989, they 
had dropped to 50th.
    Now candidate Clinton says he wants to do to the American economy 
what Governor Clinton's done to Arkansas: Arkansas taxes, Arkansas 
income, Arkansas jobs. And I don't think he's kidding. I wish he were. 
Candidate Clinton wants the biggest tax increase in history. He hasn't 
even got there yet, and he's proposing the largest tax increase in 
history. And that's not even counting his payroll taxes for training and 
also those that would be required under his health care plan. And that's 
not fair. That simply is not fair for every working man and woman in 
America.
    Another issue, one near and dear to the hearts of every American, 
rural and urban, and that's crime. Candidate Clinton likes to talk 
tough. You'll hear him criticize me about Federal aid to State and local 
law enforcement. But in fact, since 1989, we've proposed a 59-percent 
increase in Federal spending to fight crime. You'll also hear candidate 
Clinton make some pretty impressive claims about crime control in 
Arkansas. Wrong. Wrong again. Not. [Laughter] Candidate Clinton, meet 
Governor Clinton. During the 1980's, the Nation's overall crime rate 
during the eighties actually declined. But not in Arkansas. In fact, 
Governor Clinton's State had the biggest increase in overall crime rate 
in the entire Nation, nearly 28 percent. Again, this is not fair to the 
good people of Arkansas.
    What about violent crimes? Arkansas' violent crime rate went up more 
than 58 percent, one of the worst records in the entire Nation. Why? 
Well, I've got a few hunches. Arkansas ranks near rockbottom in every 
important per capita law enforcement expenditure: for prisons, 46th; for 
judicial and legal systems, 50th. And when it comes to spending for 
police officers, Arkansas ranks 49th. And in Arkansas, when the prison 
door slams shut on a convicted criminal, he knows it won't be long 
before it opens up again. As incredible as it sounds, as incredible as 
it sounds, most inmates in Arkansas serve less than one-fifth of their 
sentence behind bars. That's the worst record in the entire Nation. The 
people of Arkansas deserve to walk their streets without fearing that 
some crazy convict is going to ruin their lives, some guy let out of 
jail far too early.
    Now, contrast the situation in Arkansas with what we've been doing 
on the Federal level. Most Federal inmates serve at least 85 percent of 
their full sentence. And I think it's pretty simple: If you take 
liberties with the law, you're going to lose your own liberties for a 
long, long time. When you look at Governor Clinton's record on law 
enforcement, it's not surprising that last week, the Fraternal Order of 
Police in Little Rock gave me their endorsement for President of the 
United States of America. And that is the verdict of the police officers 
in Governor Clinton's own backyard. They agree with me. You do not 
coddle criminals; you stand up for the law-abiding citizens in this 
country.
    I'm really enjoying getting this record out here. Now let's look at 
another contrast. It's been 11 long months of his hammering me. And 
we're just starting today right here Springfield because I want the 
American people to know the truth. I want them to know the facts. I want 
them to know the truth.
    Let's look at another contrast between candidate Clinton's rhetoric 
and Governor Clinton's record: with children. In his new book, candidate 
Clinton says that America has failed to provide its children with either 
the best education or adequate protection from violence. That's what the 
candidate says. Now how about the Governor? Look at the 
facts. During the 1980's, Arkansas fell from 47th to 48th place in the 
percentage

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of adults with a high school diploma. Arkansas' rankings on its primary 
college entrance examination, known as ACT, have declined overall. 
Twenty-eight States use the ACT as their primary college entrance test. 
The New York Times recently reported that in 1979, Arkansas ranked 20 
out of those 28. The State's latest available ranking is down to 25th 
out of the 28.
    And we know that more than three-quarters of Arkansas high school 
graduates require remedial instruction when they get to college. It's 
not fair to them. Think about it, 75 percent of Arkansas college 
students spend their first year of college relearning what they missed 
out on in high school. Now these are bright, dynamic young people. And 
they deserve better than a failed education system. And when it comes to 
the percentage of adults with a college degree, Governor Clinton's 
Arkansas still ranks 50th.
    Now, when it comes to protecting children from violence, you should 
know this: My opponent's record is, in one word, appalling. The facts 
are not pretty. But America should listen to the facts. During the 
1980's, the death rate of American children 14-and-under improved 
dramatically across the country. But in Arkansas, it got worse. The 
State ranked 49th in 1989. In the late 1980's, Arkansas' rate of violent 
deaths for teenagers soared at 3 times the national average. And over 
the decade, child abuse reports shot up 130 percent. Now, behind that 
statistic are tales of heartbreaking tragedy. The young people over in 
Arkansas deserve to have their hearts healed.
    Now, it's hard to believe that Governor Clinton was unaware of what 
was going on. Throughout the 1980's, study after study contained 
detailed findings and recommendations; a cry for help, if you will. And 
he even commissioned some of these studies himself. In 1990, his own 
department of human services reported that ``frequent and widespread'' 
official failures had placed the children of Arkansas in, again a quote, 
``imminent peril.'' Still Governor Clinton did nothing. And finally, a 
group of child welfare advocates took the Governor to court. They filed 
a Federal class action naming him as lead defendant. And on June 8th, 
less than 4 months ago, my opponent finally settled. And now candidate 
Clinton promises to crack down on violence against children.
    Now to what Johnny Morris is famous for and that Governor Ashcroft 
can take great pride in, the environment. I love to hike. I love to camp 
out. I love to go fishing. I like to go hunting. And you've heard me 
talk about the importance of protecting the environment many times. But 
to me real eloquence is action, and I have acted. There's our historic 
Clean Air Act, cutting acid rain in half, we did that. We banished 
offshore oil rigs from sensitive beaches on both coasts and added a 
billion dollars worth of new forests and parks for our children to 
enjoy. In the past 3 years, our Environmental Protection Agency has 
assessed more than half of all the civil penalties and criminal fines in 
the history of EPA, more than $200 million. To those who spoil our lakes 
and air we are saying: Mess with our children's health and you will pay.
    Those are facts. And that is the record, a record I am very proud of 
on the environment; a sound, progressive record. But candidate Clinton 
calls America's environmental record since 1989 a disaster. And he 
promises, quote, ``real environmental policy'' that will, again quote, 
``challenge Americans and demand responsibility at every level.'' My 
advice: Let's take candidate Clinton at his word. Demand that candidates 
run on their records. I'm prepared to do that. We've got a good record 
to take to the American people, the people of Missouri. I'll stand by my 
record. Now, let's see if he can stand on his. And again, I'm going to 
be very, very factual.
    Earlier this year, my opponent was asked to name a single Arkansas 
law that exceeds Federal environmental standards. He couldn't do that, 
not one. The Governor has accepted generous campaign contributions, free 
plane rides from Arkansas' powerful chicken industry. And the industry 
is the ultimate source of, and I'll put this as delicately as I possibly 
can, fecal coliform bacteria, which pollutes hundreds of miles of Ar- 
kansas rivers. Governor Clinton did create an animal waste task force to 
deal with the issue. But the task force subcommittee was headed by a 
chicken executive. And they

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decided that controls on what they call ``chicken litter,'' unquote--
[laughter]--should be purely voluntary. It's hard to keep this clean, 
but I'm telling you the record is bad over there. But I guess with 
Governor Clinton, some things do run thicker than water. [Laughter]
    Last year, the Institute for Southern Studies released an 
extraordinarily detailed, State-by-State study of environmental quality 
and progress. And let me quote the Institute's research director: ``In 
the areas of policy--laws passed, not task forces or commissions set up 
to study a problem--Arkansas was 50th, the worst in the Nation.'' 
Arkansas residents want clean air and clean water. They're sportsmen 
just like you all are, just like I am. They love the outdoors just like 
you do and just like I do. And they should not be last in the entire 
Nation.
    And finally, let's talk about health care. As you might expect, my 
opponent and I have two vastly different approaches to the problem. I 
want to use competition to expand coverage, preserve quality, drive down 
the costs. And candidate Clinton's plan could eventually bring our 
health care system under the control of the Federal Government. Until 
last month, candidate Clinton pretended that his plan wouldn't cost a 
dime. But then someone at USA Today got him to admit what I've been 
saying all along: His plan would require a new payroll tax. And I say 
small business does not need any more taxes. Let's do it my way. A new 
payroll tax will kill jobs, especially in the small businesses that 
we're looking to to create the new jobs we need in this country. It'll 
cut wages.
    But since we're talking about our records today, consider this, too. 
Candidate Clinton says, ``Health care should be a right, not a 
privilege.'' And yet, under Governor Clinton, Arkansas has one of the 
Nation's worst health insurance crises. More than 42 percent of Arkansas 
workers, the second highest percentage in the entire Nation, don't even 
have employer-paid health insurance. And the New York Times says a full 
25 percent of all State residents have no health insurance at all. 
Candidate Clinton now says America, quote, ``can't afford 4 more years'' 
without a solution to our health care problem. And I totally agree with 
that. But Governor Clinton took a long time to come around. Early last 
year, in his fifth term as Governor, he finally signed a bill to provide 
bare-bones coverage to people who have gone uninsured for more than a 
year.
    And so there you have it. Nothing personal, just the facts. And next 
time you hear candidate Clinton promise to be a progressive change agent 
for the entire United States, think of civil rights and taxes in the 
State he's left behind. Think of crime and child abuse and education in 
that great State of Arkansas. Think of the environment that he's 
neglected, the health care problems he's ignored. Think about all this 
the next time candidate Clinton says he will do for America what he's 
done for Arkansas.
    It is true we're having a big debate about America's future. But 
first you have to learn who's really on the other side. And you have to 
know: Is it the words of candidate Clinton or the actions of Governor 
Clinton? We've seen over the last 9 months that candidate Clinton 
appears willing to say anything to anyone. But the record of Governor 
Clinton proves that it doesn't matter what the candidate will say to 
anyone, because he won't deliver. So either way, whether it's candidate 
Clinton or Governor Clinton, I believe that Bill Clinton is wrong to be 
President of the United States of America.
    You know, I feel better now, because when I started this morning, I 
explained how for months Governor Clinton has distorted my record. And I 
sat there through primary after primary, one assault by another--not all 
by Governor Clinton, I might add, joined by a handful of other guys that 
have fallen by the wayside--and I'd made a decision. I was President; I 
was trying to do something to help this country. And I chose not to 
fight back until now, because I believe Americans want action from their 
President. And I believe they want positive ideas, want real solutions 
to our challenges.
    But I simply cannot let Governor Clinton's distortions go 
unanswered. His own record must be exposed because look at what is at 
stake. This man has the gall to go around America and promise the moon, 
when on issue after issue, the sky has fallen

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in in his own backyard. I say Arkansas deserves better. And I mean that. 
I say America deserves better. And I say America deserves more than 
learning what's wrong; we need to know what works to build a safer and 
more secure future for these kids over here. And this is what I offer in 
this campaign: experience, character, and ideas that are right for 
America.
    My agenda contains 13 specific actions that I'm going to fight to 
accomplish in the first year of my second term, with all those new 
Congressmen that are coming in as a result of the confusion and disarray 
in the House. And I'm going to get them done. I'm going to get these 
things done with your help, because America has what it takes to win the 
economic competition, to win the peace. So let's get on with the job.
    And thank you for this exceptionally warm welcome, this Missouri 
welcome. And may God bless the greatest country on the face of the 
Earth, the United States of America. Thank you all.

                    Note: The President spoke at 8:53 a.m. in the 
                        University Plaza Convention Center. In his 
                        remarks, he referred to John Morris, chairman, 
                        Bush-Quayle Outdoors Coalition; entertainer Moe 
                        Bandy; and Don Gann, Missouri State legislator.