[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 38, Number 36 (Monday, September 9, 2002)]
[Pages 1489-1494]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Remarks to the Community in Louisville, Kentucky

September 5, 2002

    Thank you all very much. Thank you all. It is great to be here in 
the State of Kentucky. Let me tell you, it's great to be back to the 
State of Kentucky. I want to thank you all for coming. It is my--it's 
going to be my honor today to talk to you about our country, our future. 
I want to talk about how to make our country a safer country and a 
stronger country and, as importantly, a better country. And there's no 
better place to do it than Louisville, Kentucky.
    I want to thank Anne for her kind introduction, and I want to thank 
the other members of the Kentucky delegation who are here today who are 
my friends, and that would be Senator Jim Bunning and Congressman Ken 
Lucas. I appreciate all three members of the congressional delegation 
coming down today. As you know, they're up there in Washington meeting, 
and it's an honor that three Members decided to come and hear the 
President. [Laughter]
    I want to thank your Governor, Paul Patton, for coming today. 
Governor, I appreciate you taking time to be here. I'm honored that 
you're here. I want to thank Elaine Chao, who is a member of my Cabinet, 
the Secretary of Labor. I appreciate you coming, Elaine. I want to thank 
the head of the Small Business Administration, Hector Barreto, for 
joining us as well. Thank you, Hector. Oh, I forgot--I forgot to mention 
the first lady of Kentucky. One thing you learn is never to forget to 
mention the first ladies. I appreciate Judi Patton being here as well. 
Thank you for coming, Judi.
    Speaking about first ladies, my wife is doing great, too. I like to 
remind people that when I married her, she was a public school 
librarian. And for all the public school librarians out there, you've 
got an advocate in the White House. For all the teachers out there, I 
want to thank you for being teachers, too. She didn't like politics, and 
she didn't like politicians when I married her. Now she's stuck with 
one. [Laughter] She's doing a great job. I'm really proud of her. She 
sends her love and her best to all the people of Kentucky.
    I want to thank the members of the Louisville community who happen 
to be small-business owners for coming to visit. We just had a good hour 
discussion about small-business issues. You see, one of the best ways to 
make sure that our economy grows is to have an environment in which the 
entrepreneur can flourish and the small business can be strong. Most new 
jobs are created in America by small businesses, and therefore, we'd 
better worry about the health of small businesses, if we're worried 
about the health and security of the country.
    And I'm worried about the health and security of our country; I am. 
And we've got a lot of work to do. I'm not worried about our future 
because I'm optimistic about America. We've got a great future ahead of 
us. But so long as anybody who wants to work can't find work, I think 
we've got a problem in America. And so, therefore, our thought process 
ought to be how to create jobs, how best to make sure that the 
foundation of economic growth remains strong and that we go forward with 
creating jobs.
    And that's why I met with the small-business owners and listened to 
their concerns and heard their points of view. First, let me tell you 
the foundation for our economy is strong. I mean, after all, interest 
rates are low. Inflation is low. We've got the best workers in the 
world. Our productivity is high. We've got the best farmers and ranchers 
in the world. We're really good at a lot of things in America which 
creates the foundation for growth. I am not satisfied, however, until 
everybody can find work. And so, fundamentally, what can we do?
    First, you've got to understand the role of Government is not to 
create wealth. It's to create an environment in which people can realize 
their dreams, in which small businesses can grow to be big businesses. 
And one way to encourage that is to let people keep more of their own 
money.
    When we came in, it turns out the country was in a recession. That's 
three quarters of negative growth. Fortunately, I was able to team up 
with members of both political parties to take a chapter out of this 
textbook. It's the chapter that says, if you let people

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keep more of their own money, they will demand a good or a service. And 
if they demand a good or a service, somebody is likely to produce that 
good or a service. And when somebody produces that good or a service, 
somebody is more likely to find work. The tax relief came at the right 
time for the American economy.
    If you listen carefully to some of the dialog in Washington, you 
begin to hear a little tone about, ``Well, maybe we ought to stop the 
tax relief from being fully implemented.'' That would be a mistake for 
our economy. That would be a terrible mistake for jobs and job creation. 
Not only should we resist anybody who wants to undo the tax relief, we 
need to make the tax relief permanent.
    Well, people say, ``How can cutting income taxes on the people 
affect small business?'' Well, most small businesses are sole 
proprietorships, which means they pay tax at the individual income tax 
rate level. Or most small businesses are limited partnerships. And so 
when you cut the taxes on the people, you're really cutting the taxes on 
the sole proprietors and on limited partnerships. You're helping small 
business grow. And when small businesses grow, America is better off.
    But let me also tell you that in the tax relief plan we began to 
mitigate the effects of the marriage penalty. Listen, the Tax Code ought 
to encourage marriage, not discourage marriage. And the other thing is 
we sent the death tax on the way to extinction. The death tax is bad for 
Kentucky farmers; it's bad for Kentucky ranchers; and it's bad for 
Kentucky entrepreneurs.
    And then you say, ``Well, why, Mr. President, do you need to talk 
about making the tax relief permanent?'' Because a quirk in the law in 
the United States Senate says that you won't--we're going to cut your 
taxes, but in 10 years it will have come back. It's hard for me to 
explain. I mean, how can you say, ``On the one hand, we're cutting your 
taxes, on the other hand, it goes away after 10 years?'' Well, that's 
just the way the Senate happens to work right now. But there's a way to 
change that, and that is to get the United States Senate to agree to 
make all this tax relief permanent. It will help people plan. It will 
help good policy, and anybody who wants to find work is more likely to 
be able to do so if the tax relief is permanent.

    In order to make sure people find work and our economy is strong, 
Congress must not overspend. Every idea sounds like a good idea in 
Washington--just that they cost billions of dollars. We need to set 
priorities, and we have set priorities in Washington, priorities of how 
to make America safer, stronger, and better. And it's my job to hold the 
line on spending the people's money.

    See, it's important to have the right mind-set up there. We're not 
spending Government money; we're spending your money. In order to make 
sure it's spent wisely--I look forward to working with Congress to make 
sure we spend your money wisely. If we overspend, it will serve as a 
drag on our economy. If we overspend, it will make it harder for people 
to find work. I'm worried about people finding work. I want anybody who 
wants a job to be able to find one here in America.

    There's some other practical things we can do in Washington, DC. We 
need to get us a terrorism insurance bill, to get our hardhats back to 
work. Over $10 billion of construction projects are not going forward 
because people can't get the proper insurance because of what the 
terrorists did to America. The Government ought to help here. It makes 
sense that the Government help. We want our hardhats back to working. 
The construction trades believe that over 300,000 workers will go back 
to work if we can get this bill out of Congress. I want a bill out of 
Congress that helps the hardhats, not helps the plaintiffs' attorneys. I 
want people going back to work in America.

    We need an energy bill. A good energy bill will create jobs in 
America. We also need an energy bill which will encourage conservation 
and the use of renewable energy. We can do that, but we also need an 
energy bill that will encourage exploration here in America, exploration 
in environmentally friendly ways, so that we become less dependent on 
foreign sources of crude oil. An energy bill is good for jobs, and it's 
good for national security, and it's time the Congress quit talking and 
get an energy bill to my desk.

[[Page 1491]]

    Now, I'm optimistic about our economy. I'm optimistic about job 
growth. I'm optimistic about the future because I understand America. 
We've got problems, no question, but we have a spirit that is 
indomitable and strong. I'm also optimistic about being able to do my 
most important job, which is to protect the homeland.
    You know, one of my concerns was the farther we got away from 
September the 11th, the more likely it would be that some in our country 
might not think the enemy still existed. But they do, and they're 
nothing but a bunch of coldblooded killers. That's all they are. People 
in our country wonder why, why would somebody hate America? It's because 
we love freedom; that's why. We love the idea that free people can 
worship an almighty God any way they so choose in America. We value the 
freedom for people to speak their mind in this country. We value a free 
press. We value freedom. And the more we value freedom, the more they 
hate us. That's why. That's why the enemy still exists.
    And there's another reason. Every life matters in America. Everybody 
counts. Everybody has worth. And these killers don't think that way. 
They're willing to take innocent life in the name of a hijacked 
religion. And so my job is to do everything we can to protect our 
homeland--it's to make America more secure.
    You need to know there's a lot of good folks working hard to protect 
us. I mean, any time we're getting a hint that the enemy might be 
thinking about doing something to us, we're moving on it. We communicate 
better. We're aware. We're aware of their hatred. Prior to September the 
11th, we would never assume that America would be a battlefield. It is 
now. It's a different era. I want you to know that you should take 
comfort in the fact that a lot of good people are doing everything they 
can to make sure that America is secure, not only at the Federal level 
but at the State level and here at the local level. A lot of really good 
people are getting better information and are acting on it as quickly as 
possible.
    I went to Congress, and I said, in order to help me and future 
Presidents--and notice I say future Presidents, because I don't think 
this war and this hatred is going to go away anytime soon--that future 
Presidents can deal with the threat on the homeland, I've asked for a 
new department in Washington called the Department of Homeland Security. 
The reason I did is because there's over 100 agencies in Washington, DC, 
that have something to do with protecting the homeland. They're 
scattered everywhere. In order to make sure the number one priority of 
these agencies is your protection, I've asked that they be put under one 
umbrella, one Cabinet Secretary to be confirmed by the United States 
Senate.
    I want to be able to align authority and responsibility. I want to 
be able to say clearly to the American people, ``We're doing a better 
job of protecting our borders.'' See, we need to know who's coming into 
America, what they're bringing into America, and whether or not they're 
going to leave America when they say they're going to leave America. We 
need to do a better job of coordinating our first--the strategy of our 
first-responders, the brave police and fire and EMS teams that you've 
got right here in Louisville and all across America. We need to do a 
better job of being able to respond to potential weapons of mass 
destruction attacks--need to do a better job of taking the intelligence 
we have and analyzing it and addressing the vulnerabilities that may be 
evident here in America.
    And so I've asked Congress to act, and I appreciate the fact that 
the House of Representatives has acted. And I'm sure on your TV screens, 
if you bother to watch TV, you'll see that the Senate is debating this 
bill. I've got deep concerns about where the Senate is headed, however. 
I need the flexibility necessary to be able to move people to the right 
place at the right time in order to protect America. And I'll give you 
an example.
    On our borders we've got three different agencies involved with 
protecting the border, Customs, INS, and Border Patrol. They wear 
different uniforms. They have different strategies. They've got 
different bosses. For the sake of protecting America, any administration 
must have the flexibility to move people around to address our 
vulnerabilities. The enemy moves quickly, and so should the Federal 
Government be able to move quickly.

[[Page 1492]]

And yet, the bill out of the Senate has got rules this thick. They want 
to micromanage the process. The Senate must hear this: I expect to get a 
bill that is not in the best interests of vested interests in Washington 
but in the best interests of protecting the American people. The best 
way to protect our homeland is to hunt the killers down, one by one, and 
bring them to justice. The best way to secure America--the best way to 
secure our country and to protect our freedom is to find the killers.
    This is a different kind of war, but the war goes on. We've got some 
great veterans in this hall who remember the way war used to be. You 
could determine the size of the enemy based upon the number of tanks 
they might have or the number of airplanes they have or the number of 
ships. This is a different kind of enemy. These are commanders who hide 
in dark caves and then send youngsters to their suicidal death. They 
kind of slither into cities and hope not to get caught. They're 
sophisticated. They understand we're after them. And they're elusive, 
and they're determined. But so are we. We've got a fabulous United 
States military, and they're on the hunt. We've got a strong coalition 
of nations which have heard, as Anne mentioned, the doctrine that says, 
either you're with us or you're with the enemy. We have upheld the 
doctrine that says, if you harbor a terrorist, you're just as guilty as 
the terrorist.
    And I want you to tell your youngsters, your children and your 
grandchildren, that when this great Nation went into Afghanistan, we 
didn't go to conquer anybody. We went in to liberate. We went in to 
liberate people from the clutches of the most barbaric regime in 
history. This great Nation and our friends and allies not only upheld an 
important doctrine, but as a result of our action, many young girls go 
to school for the first time in Afghanistan.
    And we're not leaving. We believe so strongly that every individual 
counts, that we want to help democracy flourish in that region. And 
we're not leaving because there's still Al Qaida and their buddies 
roaming around. And there's a lot of brave folks on the hunt, probably 
some of your relatives. And if you've got a relative in the United 
States military or if you're in the United States military, this Nation 
is incredibly proud of what your relative is doing.
    I have submitted a defense spending bill that is the largest 
increase since Ronald Reagan was the President. And I did so for two 
reasons--two reasons: One, any time we put our troops into harm's way, 
they deserve the best pay, the best equipment, and the best training; 
and secondly, I did so because I want to send a message to friend and 
foe alike that we're in this deal for the long haul. When it comes to 
the freedoms we love, when it comes to something we hold dear, this 
country is determined and patient and plenty resolved to achieve 
victory.
    Congress is back. The House passed a version of the defense bill. 
The Senate passed a version of the defense bill. I expect the Congress 
to work together and get that defense bill to my desk as soon as 
possible. It's in the interests of the United States. The American 
people are not going to like it if they see the Congress playing 
politics with the defense bill when we're at war.
    We're making progress. See, because the enemy is different and the 
nature of the war is different, sometimes you don't see what's going on. 
As I said early on, and right after September the 11th, sometimes you'll 
see what's happening, and sometimes you won't. That's just the nature of 
this war. Sometimes one of these killers will be brought to justice, and 
you'll hear about it, and sometimes they won't. But we're making 
progress. Slowly but surely, we're making progress. Slowly but surely, 
we're bringing people to justice.
    Notice I don't say, ``Slowly but surely, we're seeking revenge.'' I 
said, ``Slowly but surely, we're bringing people to justice.'' We owe 
that to our children. We owe that to our children's children. We must 
stay on the hunt for the sake of freedom here. We must continue to deny 
sanctuary. Once we get them on the run, we've also got to make it hard 
for them to light anywhere. We must make sure that those who would like 
to harbor them continue to get the message that there will be a 
consequence. We must anticipate problems before they occur. We must deal 
with threats to our security today, before it can be too late.

[[Page 1493]]

    Yesterday I announced to the country that I would be working closely 
with our United States Congress and the American people to explain the 
threat that Saddam Hussein poses to world peace. I take the threat very 
seriously. I take the fact that he develops weapons of mass destruction 
very seriously. I remember the fact that he has invaded two countries 
before. I know for a fact that he's poisoned his own people. He doesn't 
believe in the worth of each individual. He doesn't believe in public 
dissent.
    I look forward to a dialog. I'm a patient man. I've got tools--we've 
got tools at our disposal. And therefore, yesterday I began an important 
discussion about our future, about peace, about freedom; a discussion 
that I will continue to have with the United States Congress, Republican 
and Democrat alike; a discussion I will carry on with the American 
people; a discussion I will begin at the United Nations next week; a 
discussion I will have with the Prime Minister of Britain Saturday; a 
discussion I'll have with the Prime Minister of Canada on Monday; a 
discussion I'll be having with the President of Russia, Premier of 
China, President of France tomorrow.
    I will remind them that history has called us into action, that we 
love freedom, that we'll be deliberate, patient, and strong in the 
values that we adhere to, but we can't let the world's worst leaders 
blackmail, threaten, hold freedom-loving nations hostage with the 
world's worst weapons.
    I can't imagine what went through the enemy's mind when they hit us. 
I can't imagine what they were thinking. Let me guess. They probably 
said, America is so selfish and so self-absorbed and so materialistic, 
that after September the 11th we might file a lawsuit or two, but that's 
all we would do. They were wrong. See, they don't understand America. 
They don't understand our character, and they don't understand our 
fiber. They don't understand that, when we love something, we love it 
dearly. We love life, and we love freedom.
    And they understand one thing about us, too. When we need to be 
plenty tough, we're going to be plenty tough. And they're learning 
another thing about America. When we need to be compassionate and 
loving, we can be compassionate and loving, too. You see, I believe out 
of the evil done to America--and make no mistake, it was an incredibly 
evil act--will come incredible good. You need to tell your loved ones, 
the little ones in particular, that when they hear the President talking 
about Al Qaida, Iraq, and other places, I do so because I long for 
peace. See, I believe out of the evil done to America, if we're strong 
and focused and determined, we can achieve peace. We can not only 
achieve peace today for America but peace in the long term--but not only 
for America. See, every life matters in this country. And you don't have 
to be an American for you to matter, as far as this Nation is concerned. 
We want peace in parts of the world that have quit on peace. We want 
there to be peace in the Middle East. We want there to be peace in South 
Asia. We act because we believe in peace. And out of the evil done to 
America can come a more peaceful world.
    And out of the evil done to America can come a more compassionate 
America, too. A lot of people say, ``Well, what can I do on the war 
against terror?'' You can love your neighbor like you'd like to be loved 
yourself, is what you can do.
    No, I'm for a safer and strong America, and I'm for a better 
America. A better America begins, by the way, with making sure every 
child gets an education in this country and no child is left behind. A 
better America is when we take care of people who can't help themselves 
with a health care system that's modern. A better America is one that 
calls upon the best of America. See, Government can hand out money--we 
do a pretty good job of it. But what Government cannot do is put hope 
into people's hearts or a sense of purpose in people's lives. That's 
done when a loving individual puts his arm around a fellow citizen and 
says, ``I love you. What can I do to help you?''
    You see, America is changing, one person at a time--one person at a 
time. We're saving America one soul, one conscience at a time, because 
thousands of our fellow citizens have recognized it's important to serve 
something greater than yourself.
    Robert Mihalovic is here. I met two groups of people--I met one 
group of people, and I met one person. I met Robert. I also met the 
Louisville Little League team, both kind

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of heroes in their own way. One group of kids won a championship. I did 
remind them, it's just beginning for you. You've got a responsibility 
now that you're champs, a responsibility to make the right choices in 
life.
    Robert is here--Robert, if you don't mind standing up--I'll tell you 
why Robert is here. He's a Navy World War II veteran. He's a Korean war 
veteran. But let me tell you something about him. He mentors children. 
See, he's decided that in order to make a difference, in order to be a 
patriot, he wants to help a child in need. Robert told me at Air Force 
One that his most beautiful moments come when the child hugs him and 
says, ``Thank you,'' when the child says, ``Thanks for giving me some 
hope, and thanks for giving me love.''
    No Government program can do that. It happens because thousands of 
citizens like Robert, who I call soldiers in the armies of compassion, 
have heard the call to love their neighbor like they'd like to be loved 
themselves. One person, one Robert can't do everything, but he can do 
something. He can help change America, one heart, one soul at a time.
    The enemy hit us. They did tremendous evil to America. But out of 
that evil is going to come a more compassionate country. We can deal 
with addiction and hopelessness and despair when our fellow citizens 
answer the call to make America a compassionate and a decent place. And 
that's what's happening in this country. It's happening in America. No, 
out of the evil done to America is going to come incredible good--peace 
and a better society, because we're the greatest Nation, full of the 
greatest people on the face of the Earth.
    Thank you for coming. God bless. God bless America.

Note: The President spoke at 11:40 a.m. in the Broadbent Arena at the 
Kentucky Fair and Exposition Center. In his remarks, he referred to 
Representative Anne M. Northup of Kentucky, who introduced the 
President; Gov. Paul Patton of Kentucky, and his wife, Judi; President 
Saddam Hussein of Iraq; Prime Minister Tony Blair of the United Kingdom; 
Prime Minister Jean Chretien of Canada; President Vladimir Putin of 
Russia; President Jiang Zemin of China; and President Jacques Chirac of 
France. The Office of the Press Secretary also released a Spanish 
language transcript of these remarks.