    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: William J. Clinton (1995, Book I)]
    [April 25, 1995]
    [Pages 592-593]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Remarks at the National Rural Conference Closing Session in Ames
    April 25, 1995

        First of all, let's give all the panelists a big hand for all the
    work they've done. [Applause]

        I would like again to congratulate the Secretary of Agriculture and
    the Deputy Secretary and others on the fine work they did here. I want
    to thank the president of this fine university and all the people who
    have worked so hard to make this a success.

        I want to remind all of you--I think you can see today that we care
    a lot about these issues and we're committed to doing something about
    them. So if you had ideas that were not expressed, fill out those forms
    and give them to us. They will not just be thrown away.

        Finally, let me thank the State of Iowa, Senator Harkin, the
    Governor who is not here anymore but spent some time with us. Attorney
    General Miller was here, and we have the State treasurer, Mike
    Fitzgerald, and the State agriculture commissioner, Dale Cochran. Thank
    you all for being here.

        Let me close by leaving you with this thought: The balance of power,
    political power, in this country has shifted. Never mind whether you
    think it's Republican, Democrat, liberal, or conservative. It's
    basically shifted to a suburban base. And most of those folks in the
    suburbs either once lived in a city or once lived in the country. But
    most--a lot of them are doing reasonably well in the global economy. And
    if they aren't, the only thing they may think they need from the
    Government is help with a student loan for their kids. And otherwise
    they may view anything any public entity does as doing more harm than
    good.

        What we have seen today on this panel--and I know, and most of you
    don't, but I know that we had people up here who are Republicans and
    people who were Democrats. And I'll guarantee you, listening to this
    conversation, you couldn't tell one from another. Why? Because what
    works is practical commitment to partnerships and to solving problems
    each as they come up, to developing the capacities of people, to dealing
    with the options that are there, and to going forward.

        So we have two problems today in coming up with good legislation in
    the farm bill and in coming up with other approaches that are
    appropriate. One is that Washington tends to be much more ideological
    and partisan than Main Street America, particularly rural America. And
    we need more of Main Street up there, not more of what's up there down
    here.

        The other is that demographically our country's political center has
    shifted away from the urban areas and the rural areas into the suburbs,
    and a lot of the people who have to make decisions on these matters,
    without regard to their party or their philosophy, have no direct
    experience or direct lobbying in the best sense on these issues.

        Therefore, I think what we need--I cannot tell you how strongly I
    feel this--is for, in States like Iowa and every other State here
    represented, we need for people of good will to try to get together at
    the community level, across party lines, and come up with positions on
    these matters that can be communicated to the Congress, because Dick
    Durbin and Tom Harkin and Senator Grassley and others on the Republican
    side will be trying to craft legislation that makes sense in some way
    that will be much more difficult unless your voice is heard in
    partnership, not partisanship, and the voice from the rural heartland. I
    implore you to do that.

        Meanwhile, I pledge to you that your day here has not been wasted. I
    have learned a lot, and we will act on what we have learned.

    [[Page 593]]

        Thank you so very much.

    Note: The President spoke at 2:47 p.m. in the Memorial Union at Iowa
    State University.