Remarks of
VICE PRESIDENT AL GORE
National Legislative Education Foundation Issues Conference
January 28, 1993
Baltimore, Maryland
THANK YOU MAYOR SCHMOKE, DR. RICHARDSON, CONGRESSMAN HOYER
AND SPEAKER FOLEY.
I CAN'T TELL YOU HOW GOOD IT IS TO BE BACK AMONG OLD FRIENDS. IT IS AN HONOR TO SERVE AS VICE PRESIDENT, AND DON'T GET ME WRONG, I LOVE THE JOB. BUT I MISS THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES AND I MISS ALL MY FRIENDS IN THE HOUSE WHO KNOW FROM FIRST HAND EXPERIENCE WHO HAS A JUMP SHOT AND WHO DOESN'T. AND I DO.
THERE ARE SO MANY FRIENDS IN THIS CROWD TODAY THAT IF I TRIED TO RECOGNIZE EVERYONE, I'D LEAVE SOMEONE OUT. BUT I DO WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE SPECIAL ROLE PLAYED HERE BY MY FRIEND FROM TENNESSEE, BART GORDON, THE CONFERENCE COORDINATOR. I KNOW THIS PROGRAM IS RICHER BECAUSE OF HIS EFFORTS.
AND, I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE MY FRIENDS FROM TENNESSEE WHO SPOKE ON YOUR PANEL THIS MORNING: SKIP LEFAUVE FROM SATURN AND MICHAEL BENNETT FROM THE UAW LOCAL IN SPRING HILL. WE FOUGHT HARD TO GET THAT SATURN PLANT IN TENNESSEE AND WE'RE VERY PROUD OF THAT COMPANY AND ALL OF ITS WORKERS. SATURN REPRESENTS A NEW WAY OF THINKING, AND A NEW WAY OF DOING BUSINESS, OFFERING ALL OF US A LESSON IN WHAT CAN BE ACCOMPLISHED WITH A REAL COMMITMENT TO CHANGE AND PROGRESS.
I ALSO WANT TO TAKE A MOMENT TODAY TO TALK ABOUT BALTIMORE. THIS CITY -- JOHNS HOPKINS ESPECIALLY -- IS A SPECIAL PLACE FOR TIPPER AND ME AND OUR FAMILY. THE PEOPLE OF BALTIMORE, AND THE SKILLFUL AND COMPASSIONATE PROFESSIONALS AT JOHNS HOPKINS CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL, REACHED OUT TO OUR FAMILY IN A TIME OF TERRIBLE TRAGEDY. DR. BEN CARSON, THE DIRECTOR OF THE DEPARTMENT OF PEDIATRIC NEUROSURGERY IS HERE TODAY. IT WAS THE CARE AND LOVE WE FOUND IN HIS DEPARTMENT THAT HELPED OUR SON, ALBERT, RECOVER FROM HIS ACCIDENT. WE WILL NEVER FORGET YOUR KINDNESS OR YOUR PRAYERS. WE CARRY YOU IN OUR HEARTS EVERY DAY.
THIS INVITATION TO JOIN YOU TODAY WAS ESPECIALLY WELCOME. IT IS AN HONOR TO JOIN WITH FRIENDS AND FORMER COLLEAGUES. WE HAVE WORKED TOGETHER FOR MANY YEARS, ON MANY ISSUES, TOO OFTEN FIGHTING ADMINISTRATIONS THAT WERE ALL-PRO AT DEFENSIVE BLOCKING BUT INCAPABLE OF MOVING THE BALL FORWARD. TODAY, THAT BATTLE IS OVER. THE BALL IS IN OUR HANDS AND WE ARE ON THE SAME TEAM.
AND NOW, WE HAVE A NEW CHALLENGE: TO WORK TOGETHER FOR THE GOOD OF OUR COUNTRY, FOR THE CHILDREN WHO ARE OUR FUTURE, WHO SOME DAY WILL READ ABOUT WHAT WE DID WHEN WE HAD THE CHANCE AND JUDGE US FOR THE CHOICES WE MADE.
WE OFTEN TALK ABOUT THE "SEPARATION OF POWERS" IN THIS COUNTRY. I THINK THAT PROFESSOR RICHARD NEUSTADT HAS SAID IT IN A BETTER WAY. HE SAYS THAT OUR GOVERNMENT IS NOT MADE UP OF SEPARATE POWERS, BUT RATHER OF "SEPARATED INSTITUTIONS SHARING POWER."
AS ALL OF YOU KNOW, THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES DID NOT SPRING FULL-GROWN OUT OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION. IN 1783, WHEN THE REVOLUTION ENDED, WE WEREN'T QUITE SURE WHAT WE HAD WON BY INDEPENDENCE.
AMERICANS WERE SCATTERED IN CITIES AND FARMS, IN FOREST AND FIELD, AND THEY WANTED TO KEEP AS MUCH GOVERNMENT AS THEY COULD CLOSE TO HOME. BUT THEY ALSO WANTED NATIONAL STRENGTH AGAINST A THREATENING WORLD.
SO THE FOUNDING FATHERS CONSTRUCTED A GOVERNMENT WITH ITS TWO LEGISLATIVE HOUSES OF CONGRESS -- THE SENATE AND THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, REPRESENTING THE STATES AND THE PEOPLE -- AND THEY PROVIDED AN EXECUTIVE -- THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES.
EVEN BEFORE WE HAD WON OUR INDEPENDENCE, JOHN ADAMS SAID THAT GOOD GOVERNMENT WAS A MATTER OF CHECKS AND BALANCES. WE HAVE USED HIS PHRASE EVER SINCE, ALTHOUGH SOMETIMES IN RECENT YEARS, IT HAS SEEMED TO BE A SYNONYM FOR GRIDLOCK, INSTEAD OF A METAPHOR FOR ORDERLY MOVEMENT.
ACTUALLY, THE PHRASE CHECKS AND BALANCES COMES FROM CLOCKMAKING. PEOPLE IN THAT CENTURY WERE FASCINATED WITH CLOCKS. ALL OF OUR FOUNDERS WERE ALIVE IN 1762 WHEN THE FIRST CHRONOMETER WAS DEVELOPED -- A SHIP'S CLOCK THAT REMAINED ACCURATE FOR WEEKS AT A TIME ON THE ROLLING SEA. GOD WAS CALLED THE GREAT WATCHMAKER. THE CLOCK BECAME A METAPHOR FOR CREATION ITSELF.
THESE MECHANICAL CLOCKS RAN BY CHECKS AND BALANCES. A CAREFULLY BALANCED PENDULUM OR SPRING DROVE WHEELS AND ESCAPEMENTS IN A CONTINUAL STOP-START THAT MOVED THE HANDS OF THE CLOCK ACROSS THE HOURS. PRECISE CLOCKS WITH ALL THEIR DIVERSE PARTS WORKING TOGETHER FASCINATED PEOPLE OF SCIENTIFIC BENT. THOMAS JEFFERSON INSTALLED THE FINEST CLOCK HE COULD BUY AT MONTICELLO, AND TWO WEEKS AGO, PRESIDENT CLINTON AND I SAW IT THERE, TICKING ACROSS OUR HISTORY. I THINK THESE CLOCKS STILL PROVIDE A GOOD LESSON FOR RELATIONS BETWEEN CONGRESS AND THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH.
NEITHER CONGRESS NOR THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH CAN RUN THE COUNTRY BY ITSELF UNDER OUR CONSTITUTION. THEY MUST WORK TOGETHER, THEIR WHEELS AND SPRINGS TICKING IN HARMONY, IF GOVERNMENT IS TO WORK. IF ONE OF THEM GETS OUT OF BALANCE OR STOPS ALTOGETHER, THE OTHER IS NOT STRENGTHENED. CONGRESS DOESN'T WIN IF THE PRESIDENT LOSES; THE PRESIDENT DOESN'T GAIN MORE POWER IF THE CONGRESS FAILS. THE MACHINERY OF GOVERNMENT BREAKS DOWN. IT BECOMES AS USELESS AND IRRITATING AS A BROKEN CLOCK.
ALL OF US HAVE TALKED A LOT ABOUT GRIDLOCK. PRESIDENT BUSH BLAMED THE CONGRESS. BUT IT IS WORTH POINTING OUT THAT HE VETOED MORE IMPORTANT CONGRESSIONAL LEGISLATION THAN ANY OTHER PRESIDENT IN THIS CENTURY. NOBODY IN GOVERNMENT WON, NOBODY IN AMERICA WON. THE AMERICAN CLOCK STOPPED, AND THE COUNTRY DRIFTED, AND OTHER NATIONS IN THE WORLD OVERTOOK US.
IT IS A FALLIBLE PROCESS. SOMETIMES THE COUNTRY RUNS FAR BEHIND TIME. AMERICA NOW EXPECTS US TO GET THE CLOCK TICKING AGAIN.
THURGOOD MARSHALL, A NATIVE OF THIS GREAT CITY OF BALTIMORE, ONE OF THE GREATEST SUPREME COURT JUSTICES IN OUR HISTORY, AND A CLOSE FRIEND TO MY FAMILY, DIED ON SUNDAY. PRESIDENT CLINTON AND I WENT TO HIS FUNERAL THIS MORNING. JUSTICE MARSHALL REPRESENTED THAT OTHER BRANCH OF GOVERNMENT, THE JUDICIARY, THAT IS TO ENFORCE THE LAW WITHOUT FEAR OR FAVOR. WE GRIEVE FOR HIS DEATH. WE CELEBRATE HIS LIFE. AND WE HONOR HIS LEGACY.
HISTORY WILL ALWAYS REMEMBER HIM AS THE CHIEF COUNSEL FOR THE NAACP IN THE HISTORIC 1954 SCHOOL DESEGREGATION CASE THAT RESULTED IN THE UNANIMOUS SUPREME COURT RULING DECLARING UNCONSTITUTIONAL THE SEPARATE-BUT-EQUAL DOCTRINE ALLOWING RACIAL SEGREGATION IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
THE SHAMEFUL HISTORY OF RACIAL SEGREGATION AND RACIAL INJUSTICE IN THIS COUNTRY ARE HUMBLING PROOF THAT THE AMERICAN CLOCK CAN SOMETIMES RUN VERY SLOW INDEED. BUT THURGOOD MARSHALL'S LIFE IS SYMBOL AND PROOF OF THE CONTINUING VITALITY OF THOSE PRINCIPLES OF DELIBERATION, DEBATE, AND THE APPEAL TO REASON AND JUSTICE ON WHICH OUR CONSTITUTION IS BASED. WITH THE RIGHT LEADERSHIP, WE CAN CATCH UP WITH THE TIMES.
BOTH THE PRESIDENT AND THE CONGRESS REPRESENT THE PEOPLE. WE HAVE NO POWER BUT THAT WHICH THE PEOPLE GIVE US. IF WE EXERCISE THAT POWER IN BLIND PARTISAN BICKERING, THE CLOCK OF GOVERNMENT STOPS, AND TIME GOES ON, LEAVING US BEHIND.
BUT GOVERNMENT CAN TELL THE PEOPLE WHAT TIME IT IS IN OUR HISTORY. IT IS, FOR THIS CONGRESS AND THIS ADMINISTRATION, FOR THE AMERICAN PEOPLE, FOR ALL OF US, TIME TO TAKE ACTION.
AS PRESIDENT CLINTON SAID IN HIS INAUGURAL ADDRESS: "WE HAVE HEARD THE TRUMPETS, WE HAVE CHANGED THE GUARD." THE TRUMPETS CALL US TO ACT. THE CHALLENGES ARE CLEAR. WE IN THIS ADMINISTRATION REACH OUT TO YOU IN CONGRESS TO WORK WITH US TO MEET THESE CHALLENGES BECAUSE ONLY TOGETHER WILL WE MOVE AMERICA FORWARD.
AS PRESIDENT CLINTON SAID: "OUR DEMOCRACY MUST BE NOT ONLY THE ENVY OF THE WORLD BUT THE ENGINE OF OUR OWN RENEWAL."
YOU HAVE SPENT THIS MORNING TALKING ABOUT OUR ECONOMY IN A DIALOGUE THAT WILL CONTINUE THROUGHOUT THIS CONFERENCE AND WELL BEYOND. FOR GOOD REASON. WE ARE SPEAKING FOR THE PEOPLE WE ARE ELECTED TO SERVE: AMERICANS ALL ACROSS OUR COUNTRY WHO ARE WORKING HARDER AND BRINGING HOME LESS, OR NOT WORKING AT ALL, STRUGGLING TO ESCAPE UNEMPLOYMENT AND DESPAIR, FIGHTING AN ECONOMIC BATTLE FOR THEIR FAMILIES AND THEIR FUTURE. FOR MANY OF THEM, WINNING HARDLY SEEMS AN OPTION; SURVIVAL HAS BECOME THE GOAL. YOU HEAR FROM THEM EVERY DAY. THEY LIVE IN EVERY DISTRICT.
TEN YEARS AGO, WE HAD THE HIGHEST WAGES IN THE WORLD. NOW, WE ARE 13TH. PRODUCTIVITY GROWTH RATES ARE FALLING. POVERTY IS RISING, ESPECIALLY AMONG YOUNG CHILDREN. FOR TOO MANY AMERICANS, THE AVERAGE WORK WEEK IS LONGER THAN IT WAS 20 YEARS AGO, BUT REAL WAGES ARE LOWER THAN THEY WERE 10 YEARS AGO. HEALTH CARE COSTS ARE BLEEDING US DRY, SAPPING OUR FAMILY BUDGETS AND THE NATION'S ECONOMIC STRENGTH. FULLY 50 PERCENT OF THE PROJECTED DEFICIT GROWTH DURING THE NEXT FIVE YEARS REFLECTS RISING HEALTH CARE COSTS ALONE -- NOT NEW HEALTH CARE SERVICES, JUST HIGHER BILLS FOR THE SAME CARE. THE DEBT AND INTEREST PAYMENTS NOW CONSUME 15 CENTS OF EVERY AMERICAN TAX DOLLAR.
PRESIDENT CLINTON HAS MADE THE URGENCY OF THIS CRISIS CLEAR IN DECLARING THAT REDUCING HEALTH CARE COSTS AND PROVIDING A BASIC SYSTEM OF HEALTH CARE TO ALL AMERICANS IS A NATIONAL IMPERATIVE. THE HEALTH CARE TASK FORCE HE HAS CREATED WITH THE FIRST LADY HEADING IT UP MATCHES HIS WORDS WITH ACTION. YOU KNOW AS WE DO THAT WE WILL NOT MAKE MEANINGFUL PROGRESS ON DEFICIT REDUCTION WITHOUT CONTROLLING HEALTH CARE COSTS.
AND YOU KNOW AS WE DO THAT THE PROBLEMS WE FACE TODAY WERE NOT CREATED TODAY OR YESTERDAY, BUT THROUGH YEARS OF NEGLECT AND SHORTSIGHTED POLICY-MAKING; THROUGH YEARS OF MISSED OPPORTUNITIES, BAD MATH, AND UNINSPIRED LEADERSHIP. WE WILL NOT REPAIR QUICKLY WHAT WAS SO LONG CORRODED, BUT WE MUST BEGIN THE WORK TOGETHER.
WE WILL BEGIN THE WORK WITH A BALANCED APPROACH BETWEEN A NEW INVESTMENT AGENDA AND A LONG-TERM COMMITMENT TO DEFICIT REDUCTION. WE WILL BEGIN BY SEPARATING SHORT-TERM BUSINESS CYCLES FROM THE LONG TERM, STRUCTURAL WEAKNESSES THREATENING SUSTAINED ECONOMIC GROWTH. WE WILL BEGIN BY INVESTING IN AMERICA AND IN THE AMERICAN PEOPLE.
PRESIDENT CLINTON IS WORKING TO CRAFT A NATIONAL ECONOMIC STRATEGY TO PUT AMERICA BACK TO WORK, TO PUT PAYCHECKS BACK IN THE POCKETS OF AMERICAN FAMILIES, TO RENEW HOPE IN AN AMERICAN DREAM TOO LONG FADED, AND RESTORE THE LUSTRE OF A FUTURE TARNISHED NOW BY UNCERTAINTY AND FEAR. WE NEED YOUR HELP AND YOUR SUPPORT.
AT THE CORE OF OUR BELIEF IS A COMMITMENT TO ACT TO REDUCE BOTH THE BUDGET DEFICIT AND THE INVESTMENT DEFICIT, TO GROW THE ECONOMY, CREATE JOBS, COMPETE AND WIN IN THE GLOBAL MARKETPLACE. IF WE ARE GOING TO REVERSE THE LONG-TERM ECONOMIC TRENDS, WE MUST INVEST IN AMERICA: IN OUR PEOPLE, IN OUR PUBLIC AND PRIVATE RESOURCES, IN PLANT AND EQUIPMENT, IN RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT.
INVESTING IN THE AMERICAN PEOPLE MEANS OPENING THE DOORS TO EDUCATION AND TRAINING TO EVERY AMERICAN AND IN RETURN, ASKING THESE AMERICANS TO SERVE THEIR COMMUNITIES. WE ARE COMMITTED TO CREATING A NEW NATIONAL SERVICE PROGRAM THAT REFLECTS THE VERY BEST OF OUR NATION AND OUR PEOPLE -- A COMMITMENT TO OUR COMMUNITIES AND TO EACH OTHER, A SENSE OF OUR SHARE RESPONSIBILITY FOR AMERICA'S FUTURE.
IT IS A SIMPLE PROPOSITION: WE CAN OFFER EVERY AMERICAN THE OPPORTUNITY TO BORROW THE MONEY FOR COLLEGE AND IN RETURN, GAIN A PROMISE THEY'LL SERVE THEIR COMMUNITIES OR PAY BACK THE LOAN AS A PERCENTAGE OF THEIR INCOME. IMAGINE THE DIFFERENCE THESE DEDICATED AMERICANS COULD MAKE IN YOUR COMMUNITIES: TEACHING CHILDREN, CARING FOR THE SICK, HELPING THE ELDERLY, PROTECTING THE ENVIRONMENT, BUILDING HOMES FOR THE HOMELESS, GIVING TEENAGERS A REASON TO STAY OFF DRUGS AND OUT OF GANGS; IGNITING AGAIN IN AMERICA A NEW SPIRIT OF COMMUNITY SERVICE AND RESPONSIBILITY, A NEW ENERGY TO REACH OUT TO HORIZONS NOW BEYOND EVEN OUR IMAGINATIONS.
BUT WE CANNOT EXPECT SUCCESS CREATING JOBS, REVIVING OUR ECONOMY, OR INVESTING IN PEOPLE IF WE DON'T MOVE QUICKLY AND THOROUGHLY TO CHANGE THE WAY WE DO BUSINESS IN POLITICS AND GOVERNMENT. PRESIDENT CLINTON AND I -- AND I KNOW YOU ARE TOO -- ARE COMMITTED TO REFORM, TO RETURNING TO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE THE GOVERNMENT CREATED TO SERVE THEM.
PRESIDENT CLINTON IS INSTITUTING THE TOUGHEST ETHICS STANDARDS ANY ADMINISTRATION HAS EVER REQUIRED. WE HAVE ALREADY CLOSED DOWN THE COMPETITIVENESS COUNCIL AND SHUT THE BACK DOOR WHERE NARROW INTERESTS COULD COME FOR SPECIAL FAVORS. AND, WE ARE MOVING TO CHANGE THE WAY GOVERNMENT WORKS -- TO CUT THE BUREAUCRACY, THE WASTE, AND THE PERKS; TO EVICT THE SPECIAL INTERESTS; AND, WITH YOUR HELP TO REFORM THE WAY OUR CAMPAIGNS ARE FINANCED.
I WANT TO SAY A SPECIAL WORD ABOUT CAMPAIGN FINANCE REFORM. WE ALL KNOW THE SYSTEM IS OUT OF CONTROL AND MUST CHANGE. TO BE SURE, REFORM WILL BE TOUGH TO ACCOMPLISH. EACH OF US WILL HAVE TO BE WILLING TO CHANGE OUR WAYS. BUT THE PUBLIC MUST CONFIDENTLY KNOW THAT WE ARE LOOKING OUT AFTER ONLY THEIR INTERESTS, THAT THE POWER OF OUR GOVERNMENT IS IN THEIR HANDS. IT'S GOOD FOR OUR DEMOCRACY AND IT'S GOOD FOR OUR DEMOCRATIC PARTY.
NEITHER CONGRESS NOR THE EXECUTIVE CAN SOLVE THESE PROBLEMS ALONE. AS A DEMOCRATIC CONGRESS, WE'VE TRIED THAT FOR TOO MANY YEARS IN THE FACE OF REPUBLICAN ADMINISTRATIONS. WE'VE ALL GOT BRUISES IN THE SAME PLACES FROM HITTING THE OBSTACLES THEY CONSTRUCTED. THOSE OBSTACLES ARE GONE. WE MUST HELP EACH OTHER HELP OUR COUNTRY AND WE MUST CALL ON THE AMERICAN PEOPLE TO HELP AS WELL. AS PRESIDENT CLINTON SAID, "LET US ALL TAKE MORE RESPONSIBILITY, NOT ONLY FOR OURSELVES AND FOR OUR FAMILIES, BUT FOR OUR COMMUNITIES AND OUR COUNTRY."
THE AMERICAN PEOPLE HAVE NEVER FAILED TO ANSWER THE CALL. WHAT WE DO AS A NATION OVER WHAT IS LEFT OF THIS DECADE MAY WELL BE AS INFLUENTIAL TO AMERICANS OF THE 21ST CENTURY AS ANY WAR WE HAVE EVER FOUGHT. BOTH THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH AND THE CONGRESS MUST ENTER THIS PERIOD OF DELIBERATION AND DEBATE WITH A SENSE OF HIGH URGENCY AND COMMON PURPOSE. WE MUST BE WORTHY OF THE PEOPLE WE SEEK TO LEAD.
WE WELCOME THE LOYAL OPPOSITION. WE ASK ONLY ONE THING: LET US APPROACH THIS DIFFICULT AND DEMANDING PERIOD IN OUR HISTORY WITH HONESTY AND MUTUAL GOOD WILL. IF WE CANNOT WORK TOGETHER, IF WE SEEK NARROW, PARTISAN ADVANTAGE, GOVERNMENT WILL GRIND TO A HALT. THE CLOCK WILL STOP. ONCE AGAIN, THE PEOPLE WILL BE DISILLUSIONED AND DIVIDED, THE RICH AGAINST THE POOR, RACE AGAINST RACE, REGION AGAINST REGION, WITH NOTHING TO UNITE US, AND A FUTURE VANISHING IN DARKNESS.
THE COLD WAR HAS ENDED BUT DEMOCRACY IS FACING A STERN NEW CHALLENGE. ALL THE WORLD STILL LOOKS TO US TO SEE IF WE CAN MAKE THE GREAT AMERICAN EXPERIMENT WORK. I SAID TEN DAYS AGO AT THE LINCOLN MEMORIAL THAT THE WORK OF AMERICA IS ALWAYS UNFINISHED. BUT THE UNITED STATES IS AN EXAMPLE TO THE WORLD IF OUR WORK CONTINUES.
LET US ALL TOGETHER RESET THE CLOCK OF AMERICA, GET IT MOVING IN TIME TO HISTORY, AND SIGNAL TO OURSELVES AND THE WORLD THAT WE ARE READY AND WILLING TO DO THE WORK THAT IS OURS TO DO.
THIS DEMOCRATIC CAUCUS UNDERSTANDS THE CHALLENGE. YOU'VE BEEN FIGHTING FOR THE AMERICAN PEOPLE, FOR REAL CHANGE AND REAL OPPORTUNITY, TOO OFTEN FIGHTING A WHITE HOUSE AND A PRESIDENT WHO JUST DIDN'T GET IT. LET ME ASSURE YOU: BILL CLINTON AND I GET IT. THIS WHITE HOUSE WILL FIGHT WITH YOU. THIS WHITE HOUSE WELCOMES YOU, YOUR IDEAS, YOUR COMMITMENT, YOUR ENERGY, AND YOUR LEADERSHIP. TOGETHER, WE WILL BE A REAL FORCE FOR CHANGE FOR THE AMERICAN PEOPLE AND FOR AMERICA'S FUTURE.
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