[Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2002, Book I)]
[April 15, 2002]
[Pages 605-611]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]
Remarks on Tax Day in Cedar Rapids, Iowa
April 15, 2002
Thank you all. Well, thank you for that warm Iowa welcome. It's nice
to be here. Bill, thank you for
your hospitality. And I want to thank you all for giving me a chance to
come and share some things with you about our great country.
First, I want to thank the folks who work here, who spent some time
talking to me about how much they enjoy working here in the company,
talking about their families, what tax relief meant for them in real
terms. I appreciate the Governor of the State of Iowa, Tom
Vilsack, for coming. Thank you, Governor,
I'm honored you're here. I had the privilege of flying down from
Washington with two fine--I mean fine--United States Congressmen, Jim
Leach and Greg Ganske, and I'm honored at your presence. I appreciate Mayor
Paul Pate for being here, the mayor of Cedar
Rapids. I want to thank him for his hospitality today.
And I want to thank my fellow Americans. I want to thank you all for
your patience and your determination and your love for freedom. This is
a fabulous country, and I want to thank you all.
Today, as you know, is April 15th--[laughter]--tax day. Today, at
least, we get to call it tax relief day. It was right here in the State
of Iowa, when I was running for President, asking people for their
votes, that I said if you gave me a chance to be President, I'd work
hard to let people keep their own money. I reminded people that the
money we're talking about is not the Government's money; it's the
people's money.
And we kept that promise. I say ``we,'' a lot of--more than one guy
up there in Washington working on behalf of the working people; I think
you noticed that today. I'm going to spend some time talking about it
and why it's important, but we've also got other priorities in this
country. I want to spend a little bit of time talking about those
priorities.
We've got a priority to make sure our homeland is secure. My most
important job is not politicking; my most important job isn't to give
speeches everywhere. My most important job is to make sure people don't
hit America again, is to make sure we're secure.
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And I want to assure you that your Federal Government is doing
everything humanly possible to secure the homeland. We've got a first-
responders initiative to work with the police and fire and emergency
medical corps, those brave men and women who serve us on a daily basis.
We've got a bioterrorism-response initiative going on that says if they
ever do use a bioterrorist-type weapon, that we know how to respond.
We're doing a better job of understanding who's coming into our
country and who's going out of our country. We need to know who's coming
in and why they're coming in. We're securing our borders in a better
way. And as well, we're taking every bit of information we get, every
hint and running down every lead to make sure if somebody is still here
in our country who wants to hurt innocent Americans, we're going to
disrupt their plans.
They're out there. You just need to know that the people we're
dealing with are coldblooded killers. It's hard for Americans to
understand the mentality of somebody who hates freedom, because we love
freedom. We value our freedom to worship the way we want to worship, the
value of our freedom to raise our families the way we want to raise our
families, the value of the freedom to be able to speak our minds or to
read a free press. There are people who hate freedom, and therefore they
hate America, because we're the bastion of freedom.
I don't know what got in their mind on that day when they attacked
us. They must have thought this country of ours was so weak and so
materialistic, so self-absorbed, that all we would do would be to file a
lawsuit. [Laughter] They found out we think a little differently here in
America. They now know that we know the best way to defend our homeland
is to hunt them down one by one and bring them to justice, and that's
exactly what we're going to do.
In order to make sure America is secure, we must be relentless and
steady and patient. We must find those who want to hurt us because of
the beliefs we hold dear, and bring them to justice. I want you to know,
I use the word justice. And for the young here, you need to know our
country does not seek revenge. We seek justice. And when we say we're
going to do something, we're going to do it, because the credibility of
our country is at stake.
I said, you know, that the Taliban regime, because they were feeding
these guys and giving them a nice place to hang out, we were going to
get them. We were going to run them out of business. And that's exactly
what we did, thanks to the United States military.
But we were not conquerors. We were liberators. We went into
Afghanistan, and we routed out one of the most barbaric regimes in the
history of mankind. And as a result of the United States, plus other
nations, young girls were able to go to school for the first time. I
cannot tell you how proud I am of a country that on the one hand is
willing to defend its freedom and, on the other hand, is willing to
fight for the freedoms of others as well. When those young girls went to
school, I was so proud of the United States military and our country.
We've got a lot of work to do. Oh, I know there's a certain
impatience sometimes with the commentators and the writers and all the
people that make our political process whole. But you just need to know,
there's a lot more to go, and I'm not tired. I don't have a calendar on
my desk that says by a certain date, all this business has got to end.
That's not how it works. That's what the enemy wants. They want us to
quit, because we're impatient. But it's not going to happen. It can't
happen.
History has called us into action. We must never look back and say,
``How come we didn't act when there's called into action?'' We must be
steadfast in that which
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we believe and steady in our resolve. And I can assure you it doesn't
matter whether you're a Republican or whether you're a Democrat or
whether you don't even give a darn about political parties; this country
is united when it comes to defending the freedoms we hold dear.
And so we're going to keep them on the run. And I've told world
leaders, ``Either you're with us, or you're not with us.'' And I mean
every word of it. And they now know our country means every word of it
as well. And so we're in for a long time, but it's worth the price.
For those of you who have got relatives in the military, a son or a
daughter or an aunt or uncle or a mom or a dad, I want to thank you from
the bottom of our heart for not only their sacrifice but for your
understanding as well. The cause is noble, and the cause is just.
And I wasn't kidding when I said that in order for our children to
grow up in a safe world, in order for our children and our children's
children to be able to have the same freedoms that we enjoyed coming up,
that we can't let the world's worst leaders harbor and develop the
world's worst weapons, so that they might try to blackmail us or hold us
hostage or launch one of those awful weapons at us, that we must be
steadfast not only in routing out Al Qaida and terrorist organizations
who would do us harm, but we've got to draw the line when it comes to
nations, for example, a nation that was willing to gas its own people, a
nation willing to assassinate people who speak out in dissent and, at
the same time, develop a weapon that can be used against us.
We're deliberate; we're patient. I'm under no hurry, but you can
rest assured that when it comes time to protecting our freedoms and our
country, this Government is going to take action.
I believe strongly the collective will of people who love freedom
can make an enormous difference in this world, and I will continue to
work with the coalition of leaders and countries that share the same
values we share, leaders and countries that understand that, if we let
terrorists run rampant, they will affect the peace in regions of the
world where we long for peace. I know that one of the good things that's
going to come out of the evil done to America, with the right leadership
and the right focus, is a lasting peace all around the world. I believe
that as sure as I'm standing here.
As well we had problems here at home right after September the 11th.
You know it; I know it. I'm sure you were concerned about your jobs, and
when the enemy hit, they not only killed a lot of innocent people, but
they affected our economy. And it's one of the reasons I'm so proud we
cut the taxes on the people who work, because you see, if you let people
keep their own money, they tend to want to spend it. [Laughter] And when
they spend it, they're going to buy a good or a service, and somebody
will provide the good or a service. And when they provide or produce the
good and service, it means somebody is going to find work. The best way
to make sure that workers continue to work in the face of a recession is
to cut the taxes on the people who do the work in America, and that's
what we did.
These tax relief plans were fair. To me, that's really important. It
wasn't one of these targeted deals, where some get it, and some don't.
We basically said, ``If you pay taxes, you get relief.'' It was
straightforward; everybody understood it; and it's going to be around
for a long time. Tax relief began immediately, and I want to remind the
people about what took place before September the 11th. Tax rebate
checks started coming in the mail. A single payer received up to $300.
Single parent taxpayers received up to $500. Married couples received up
to $600. In the State of Iowa, there were 974,000 refund checks mailed
out, totalling $426 million. And that was an important part of making
sure people could realize their own dreams and,
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at the same time, making sure this recession eventually didn't take--
didn't strangle our economy.
The good news is, is that tax relief is continuing--this wasn't a
one-time event; that there is more tax relief coming, and if you file
out your forms--and I kind of suggest you do here, pretty quick--
[laughter]--that you'll see the child credit was increased to $600 and
made available to more lower income Americans. For a single mom with two
children, making $18,000 a year, this one change alone provides $800 of
tax relief. This year we're beginning a new 10 percent bracket. We've
lowered the bracket. We're making it easier for low-income workers to
stay--take their first steps up the ladder of opportunity. Starting this
year, you'll be able to save more of your own money, tax free, through
education savings accounts, IRA, or 401(k). And I hope you take
advantage of it. Saving is good for your families, and savings are
important for your future.
You know, one of the interesting things that we discussed today was
how these tax relief actually--I mean, benefits people. Sometimes in
Washington, it's all theory. And yet, behind every tax--every check that
went out, there's a true story. Today the Madsen family shared with us--
where are you? There he is, right behind me--big
John--shared with us--two beautiful kids--talked about how tax relief
helped them with their mortgage payments. He spoke about owning a home
and how the tax relief helped him do that. It's a fantastic feeling, I
know, when you own your home, John.
It was important for the Galvin family to make improvements on the
house--there he is, Terry*--make improvements
on the house they brought last August. By the way, they needed to make
an improvement on their house because this good couple has got a huge
heart, and they're willing to adopt children, to provide them a loving
and safe and promising home. And I want to thank them for the love they
show for their kids.
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*White House correction.
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Patty Wignall talked about how tax relief
helped her purchase school supplies and clothes for her children. She
was wondering whether or not we could crank up the refund checks again.
[Laughter] No. [Laughter]
But in the code--the code is going to continually change. I want to
share with you what's going to happen. By the year 2010, the child
credit will increase up to $1,000 per child. It just started this year,
to increase. That's good for moms and dads and families. At the same
time, the marriage tax will be reduced, and the unfair death tax will be
completely abolished.
Small businesses--maybe some of you all harbor ambition to run your
own business. A small business generally pays tax not at the corporate
rate but at the personal income rate, because they're sole
proprietorships or partnerships or Subchapter S corporations. And by
reducing the marginal rate on taxes, we encourage the growth of small
businesses, which is incredibly important for the future of America. And
it's important to make that dream of owning your own small business
vibrant and alive and well. And we have done so through tax reform.
Marginal rates will continue to fall, and that's important. And as
they do, and when fully phased in--I want you to hear these statistics--
43 million married couples will see their taxes reduced, on average, by
more than $1,700 a year; 11 million single moms will be able to keep an
average of $770 more of their income each year, to care for their
children; 13 million seniors will see their taxes reduced, on average,
by more than $900; and 3.9 million Americans will have their Federal
income tax liability changed forever--they won't pay taxes.
Tax relief is absolutely right for America. It was important. And I
believe one of the reasons why we're seeing encouraging signs
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in the economy is because of tax relief. But we need to do more. My
attitude is, so long as somebody is working for work and can't find it,
we need to continue making sure we increase jobs. I worry about people
worrying about their work. I know that's not the case here in General
Mills, because you're a strong, vibrant company. But there are people
out there who are wondering whether or not they're going to get a
paycheck tomorrow. There's still some uncertainty in our economy. And
besides tax relief, there are things we need and can do.
First, in order for the long-term job security of our country, this
country needs to have an energy plan. We need to have a plan, because if
there is a disruption in supply, it's going to affect jobs. You've got
to understand, we import more than 50 percent of our energy from
countries around the world. And I'll be perfectly blunt with you: Some
of them don't like America. Some of the people sending our energy our
way really don't care for us that much. And for the good of our national
security and economic security, we need an energy plan.
Now, an energy plan has got to start with encouraging conservation.
We can do a better job of conserving energy. And we must do a better job
of developing alternative uses--for example, a car. I believe that
within a--the lifetime of--my lifetime and others here, we'll be driving
hydrogen powered cars and trucks, the technology which will enable us to
keep our air cleaner and technologies that will make us less dependent
on foreign sources of energy.
But we've got to do more than just enhance technology. It's going to
take a while to get these cars to be ready for the market and the
infrastructure to be able to deal with them. And it's going to take more
than just conservation. We need to focus on renewable sources of energy,
starting with ethanol produced right here, from corn in Iowa.
And we need to explore for more energy here at home. And we can do
so in an environmentally friendly way. And that is what's important,
that technology has changed to the point where I can confidently say
that exploration for energy in ANWR in Alaska can be done without
leaving a footprint that will affect the environment in a negative,
harmful way.
Oh, I've heard the propaganda. But let me tell you this: When Saddam
Hussein stood up and said he wanted to cut
off energy--and we're importing energy from him--it makes sense to me
that we'd better, in order to make sure he doesn't hold us hostage, that
we'd better figure out a way to explore for more energy at home.
So there's a bill--one of them came out of the House, and there's
one on the floor of the Senate--would not only promote ethanol, not only
promote conservation and encourage the development of technologies that
will change our lives in positive ways, but it will also encourage
exploration here at home. We need that bill. It's good for economic
security for those who work in America, and it's important for our
national security as well.
A second thing we need to do is we need to promote world trade. You
know that Cedar Rapids, Iowa, has got more trade per capita than nearly
any other city in the United States. Let me tell you what that means.
That means when we open up markets for products in the United States,
the good people of this city are working because of that. Trade equals
jobs, and this Nation ought not to be afraid to work hard to open up
markets. Listen, we're the best farmers and ranchers in the world, and
we ought to be selling our foodstuffs and our meats all across the
globe.
In order to make sure that our job base continues to grow, we've got
to help small businesses. I just talked about the affect tax relief will
have on small businesses. It's a positive part of stimulating growth.
Most new jobs in America are created by small-business owners. And
that's an important
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fact for people to understand. And so we need regulatory reform; we need
health care reforms; we need Government contracting reforms to make sure
the small-business sector continues to grow in America.
In order to make sure the job base remains strong, we've got to make
sure our folks are educated. A good education system will mean that
people are going to be able to find good work in America. And one of the
things we did--it was Republicans and Democrats, I might want to remind
you--came together and said, public education ought to be a top domestic
priority. We passed historic reforms which sets high standards and, at
the same time, trust the Governors and local folks to manage the path
for excellence. The people who care more about the Iowa children when it
comes to education, are Iowans, not people in Washington, DC.
One thing that's pretty interesting to note is that some of these
tax reforms are going to expire at the end of 10 years, or in 2011. It's
a quirk in the law. I think that doesn't make much sense. It's going to
be hard to plan your future, if you think all of a sudden these things
get kicked in full time and then go away. They need to make these tax
cuts permanent. For the good of the working people in America, for the
good of families, for the good of small businesses, for the good of
farmers and ranchers, we need to make the tax relief plan permanent in
the Tax Code.
There is a lot of issues facing us. But one of the issues I want to
talk quickly about--not an issue, just--I want to remind you about--is
that if you want to fight the war against terror and you're living right
here, you want to stand up against evil, love your neighbor like you'd
like to be loved yourself. People ask me all the time, people say,
``What can I do? How can I help? What can I do to make the country I
love as strong as it can be?'' And that is, just do some good in your
neighborhood.
It is these acts--millions of acts of kindness and compassion that
really define our country. It's the hearts and generous spirit of
Americans from all walks of life that will help us stand squarely in the
face of evil. When you tell your child you love them and give them a
hug, that's part of making sure the future of the country is as strong
as it can be. If you ever walk across the street and tell a shut-in,
``What can I do to help you,'' that is part of defining the great
compassion of our country.
I believe 9/11 was a wake-up for America. It made us realize that
we're vulnerable, that two oceans no longer separate us from terror, and
we've got to do something about it, and we are. But I also know that 9/
11 really made us remember what is important in life, that families are
important and children are important and loving a neighbor like you'd
like to be loved yourself is incredibly important.
To me, one of the most--the most meaningful of moment--or one of the
most meaningful moments came when the people on Flight 93 got on the
cell phones on that airplane, and listened to what was taking place on
the ground. And they called their loved ones, and they said, ``I love
you.'' They said a prayer, and they drove the plane into ground to save
somebody else.
It's the American spirit of sacrificing for something greater than
ourselves. And that thing greater than ourselves is freedom. And that
thing greater than ourselves is a country based upon fabulous values.
And that's why it is my honor, not only to be here today but to be the
President of the greatest country on the face of the Earth, because of
our great people.
May God bless you all, and may God bless America.
Note: The President spoke at 2:20 p.m. in the warehouse at General
Mills, Cedar Rapids. In his remarks, he referred to William F. Mowery,
plant manager, General Mills,
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Cedar Rapids; and President Saddam Hussein of Iraq. The President also
referred to ANWR, the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.