Gore pledges to create 10 million high-tech jobs, reduce poverty
By Mike Glover, Associated Press, 09/06/00 CLEVELAND -- Al Gore offered up a voluminous and detailed spending plan for the nation Wednesday, promising to create 10 million high-tech jobs, send poverty to historical lows and boost family income by a third if his policies are put in place."Let us build together a new prosperity and let us be the generation that makes it possible for all Americans to open the door to the American dream," Gore said as he laid out his economic goals Wednesday at Cleveland State University. Gore also said he would eliminate the national debt and strengthen the finances of Social Security and Medicare. Senior aides said by focusing on paying down the national debt, Gore's plan, titled "Prosperity for America's Families," cast the Democratic presidential candidate as the fiscal conservative in his fight with Republican George W. Bush. Taking aim at Bush, Gore said, "My plan wasn't built on cross-your-fingers economics that says we can give more to the people who already have the most and then just hope the benefits trickle down to the middle class." In Wilkes-Barre, Pa., Bush also focused on their competing economic visions. "My plan has been endorsed by Nobel prize winners. His plan has been endorsed by Bill Clinton," Bush told a crowd of a few hundred gathered at the airport. He repeated his charge that Gore would allow the government to dictate who gets a slice of extra federal money. "He spends the entire surplus on bigger government," Bush said. "He won't admit it." Bush's running mate, Dick Cheney, met briefly with a Wilmington, Del., family -- John Lierenz and his wife Sherry, who stays home with their baby daughter -- and told them the Bush tax plan would shave $1,200 per year from their federal taxes, while Gore would cut only $100. Gore's plan "discriminates against stay-at-home moms," Cheney told them Wednesday. "You get credit if you have your kids taken care of outside the home, but not if they stay at home." Earlier, Gore chided Bush for his refusal to participate in all three debates proposed by the Commission on Presidential Debates. Bush wants to do one of those events and two others each sponsored by a single TV network. "What's wrong with those Commission debates, is it that too many people will be watching?" Gore asked on CBS' "Early Show." Bush, appearing on NBC's "Today," noted Gore had previously said he was willing to debate anytime, anyplace. "All of a sudden he has changed his mind. ... This is a man who says one thing and must not have meant it," Bush said. Gore's speech was part of his ongoing effort to argue to voters that he is offering them specifics and real choices while Bush is serving up vague proposals. The 191-page, 69,000-word blueprint has 12 chapters and is stuffed with charts, graphs and footnotes. By adopting more conservative budget projections, Gore also would set aside a $300 billion "surplus reserve fund" to cover any shortfalls. Among his promises:
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