    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: William J. Clinton (1993, Book I)]
    [February 20, 1993]
    [Pages 145-146]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    [[Page 145]]

    The President's Radio Address
    February 20, 1993

        This is Bill Clinton. As you know, this week I sent Congress my
    economic plan to create new jobs and to lift the living standards of
    Americans and their children. This morning I want to talk with you
    directly about it.
        Let's begin with the children. If you're on your way to soccer
    practice or to take your children to a grocery store, if you can see
    from the window of your apartment children riding bikes or tossing a
    snowball, you know why we care so much about our schools and our
    neighborhoods and why we feel so strongly about being able to give our
    children what they need in life. We've always been a strong and caring
    nation where families worked hard to pass on something better to their
    children, and where government accepted the responsibility to support
    the efforts of families and the futures of our kids. But for too many
    years, our families have struggled without the help they need.
        Our Federal Government in Washington has spent more than it had, run
    up huge deficits, and yet done nothing during difficult economic times
    to help families and their children. We neglected our economy and those
    very efforts like education, health care, training, and nutrition where
    national investments today pay big dividends in the future. Gridlock
    here in our Capital between the parties and among all the special
    interests has simply blocked progress, leading us to the politics of
    least resistance. A lot of people talked about change, but it never
    came. I hope those days of business as usual are over.
        This year can be different with your help. I've presented a plan to
    grow this economy, a plan that takes America in historic new directions
    to improve the lives of our workers, our businesses, and our families.
    We can cut the deficit and increase investment if we have the courage to
    make changes.
        Let's begin with investment. My proposal invests in infants and
    young children in programs that guarantee big returns for every dollar
    spent. For example, I've asked Congress to approve an immunization
    program to reach all children under the age of 2 with the shots they
    need to fight preventable diseases like polio, measles, tetanus, and the
    mumps. Every $1 invested today saves $10 in the future in preventable
    childhood diseases. But today, of all the countries in our hemisphere,
    only Haiti and Bolivia have lower immunization rates than the United
    States. We can do better.
        I've also recommended a maximum effort for nutrition programs to
    help pregnant mothers have healthy babies, and full funding for the Head
    Start program, the most successful early education program our country
    has ever seen. Again, we know now that $1 invested today will save $3 in
    avoidable health and education problems for these children in the
    future.
        I believe our families must also again enjoy the rewards that come
    with productive work. Under our new direction, the working poor will
    rise out of poverty. Welfare recipients will be trained for work, not
    welfare. And because families must also take responsibility for their
    own children, there will be tougher requirements for parents to pay
    their own child support, including stiffening our collection procedures
    and identifying parents when the child is born.
        And to restart America's economic engine, our primary and principal
    goal, we'll take several historic steps. We'll reward investments in
    small business with a permanent tax credit and fund new research and
    development. We'll create new incentives for bigger business to always
    be investing in high quality equipment and the best training and jobs
    for their workers. We'll create a better environment for all of the
    private sector, both business and agriculture and self-employed people,
    through deficit reduction, lower interest rates, and better trained
    workers. We'll build enterprise zones and community development banks
    across the country so that investment capital can flow to people and to
    forgotten neighborhoods desperate for the chance to grow. And I'd like
    to put hundreds of thousands of idle people back to work right now,
    repairing our public works and building the new infrastructure of
    tomorrow. As our plan restores the economy to health, millions more jobs
    will be created. These are the values and goals our plan is designed to
    accomplish. They reflect an economy that puts people first.
        But you must all be wondering how we'll provide the means to reach
    our goals. First, we'll

    [[Page 146]]

    cut wasteful or inessential Government spending. I've cut the White
    House staff by 25 percent and told the Federal agencies they must cut $9
    billion in administrative waste and to reduce personnel slots by
    100,000. I've asked Congress to freeze the salaries paid by Federal
    Government workers next year and to match the administrative cuts that
    I've proposed for the Government agencies. They've agreed to match those
    administrative cuts, and I hope they'll agree to the other budget cuts,
    too. I don't like asking for these contributions, but I have to deliver
    to you a leaner Government and a more vibrant economy in return.
        I do propose to raise income tax rates, but only for the top 1.2
    percent of taxpayers, those taxpayers whose taxes went down in the
    1980's while their incomes went way up. And our overall tax proposal
    will cost a family of four with an income of $40,000 less than $17 a
    month.
        Finally, I will cut almost $250 billion from more than 150 domestic
    programs, many of them with some merit, and from the defense budget.
        Now a lot of interests will argue that these cuts are too steep.
    Still others will say they're not enough or demand that we protect their
    pet projects while cutting someone else. To all, I say the same thing:
    Give me real cuts; don't waste the people's time anymore. I'm committed
    to cutting every bit of spending we can from programs we don't need or
    can't afford. And I won't raise taxes without cutting spending. But tell
    us exactly where you want to cut, and I'll gladly listen.
        It's time to put politics aside and put America first. It's been
    years since our Government fought for working families and gave them a
    system where they could thrive and pass the American dream on to their
    children. It's time to include all Americans again, to build a new
    prosperity, not because we want new wealth for the Government but
    because we want to renew the dreams of our children, all of them.
        I'm determined to take us in a new direction, and I ask you to join
    me in this fight for the future. Support your elected Representatives
    who are demonstrating the courage to change. If you do, we can write the
    next great chapter in the history of the greatest country the world has
    ever known. Thank you, and good morning.

    Note: The President spoke at 10:06 a.m. from the Oval Office at the
    White House.