Excerpts from Clinton convention address

By Associated Press, 08/14/00

Excerpts from President Clinton's speech to be delivered at the Democratic National Convention Monday.

"At this moment of unprecedented good fortune, our people face a fundamental change -- are we going to keep this progress and prosperity going?

* * *

"Today we are in the midst of the longest economic expansion in our history. More than 22 million new jobs, the lowest unemployment in 30 years, the lowest female unemployment in 40 years, the lowest Hispanic and African American unemployment on record, the highest home ownership rate in our history.

"In 1995, we turned back the largest cuts in history in Medicare, Medicaid, education, and the environment; and proved two years later that we could find the way to balance the budget and protect our values.

"Today we have gone from the largest deficits in history to the largest surpluses in history -- and if we stay on course, we can make America debt-free for the first time since 1835.

* * *

"Our progress is about far more than economics. America is more confident, hopeful and just, more secure and free, because we offered a vision and worked together to achieve it.

"We are more confident because of progress in education: higher standards, more accountability, more investment. We have doubled funding for Head Start and provided after-school and mentoring to more than one million young people.

"We're putting 100,000 well-trained teachers in the early grades to reduce class size. More than 90 percent of our schools are connected to the Internet.

"All states have higher standards and more are requiring failing schools to turn around or shut down.

"Thanks to our teachers, students and parents, it's working. Reading and math scores are up. For the first time, African-Americans are graduating from high school at the same rate as white students. SAT scores are rising, and more students than ever are going on to college, thanks to the biggest of college aid since the GI bill: larger Pell grants, education IRAs, our HOPE scholarship tax credit, and more affordable student loans.

* * *

"We are more just because of the way we cut taxes -- to help Americans meet the challenges of work and child-rearing. This year, our HOPE scholarship and Lifelong Learning tax cuts will help 10 million families pay for college.Our Earned Income Tax Credit will help 15 million families work their way into the middle class. Twenty-five million families will get a $500 child tax credit.

"Our empowerment zone tax credits are bringing new business and new jobs to our hardest pressed communities. Today, the typical American family is paying a lower share of its income in federal income taxes than at any point during the last 35 years."

* * *

"Since 1992, America has progressed, not just economically, but as a community. Jobs are up, and so are adoptions. The debt is down, and so is teen pregnancy. We are growing more diverse and more tolerant. But we're not just better off, we're also a better country -- more decent, more humane, more united -- moving forward and working together.

* * *

"My fellow Americans, tonight we can say with confidence: We built our bridge to the 21st century. We crossed it together. And we're not going back.

"To those who say the progress of the last eight years was an accident, that we just coasted along, let's be clear: America's success was not a matter of chance, it was a matter of choice.

"Today America faces another choice, every bit as momentous as the one eight years ago. For what a nation does with its good fortune is just as stern a test of its character, values and vision as how it deals with adversity.

* * *

"Of course the biggest choice you have to make is in the presidential race. Now, you know how I feel. But it's not my decision to make. It's yours. I just want to tell you a few things I know about Al Gore.

"We've worked closely together for eight years now. In the most difficult days of the last years, when we faced the toughest issues -- of war and peace, of taking on powerful special interests -- he was always there.

* * *

"More than anybody else I've ever known in public life, Al Gore understands the future and how sweeping changes can affect Americans' daily lives.

* * *

"Al Gore and Joe Lieberman will keep our prosperity going by paying down the debt, investing in education and health care, and in family tax cuts that we can afford.

"In stark contrast, the GOP wants to spend every dime of our projected surplus and then some -- leaving nothing to extend the life of Medicare and Social Security, nothing for emergencies, nothing in case the projected surpluses don't come in."