Return to Transcripts main page
CNN Saturday Morning News
Bush Delivers Radio Address
Aired January 05, 2002 - 10:05 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
MARTIN SAVIDGE, CNN ANCHOR: We want to get to our other big story of the morning and that is the economy. President Bush, today, is heading to the West coast where unemployment is high. Mr. Bush will begin a hard sell of his economic plan. The President will hold a town-hall style meeting in Ontario, California. He will also speak with families in Portland, Oregon.
The economy is also the topic of his radio address, and it's also been the subject of the Democratic attack, as they have been working very feverishly, saying that the President has worked very well with the war, but has failed at home with his economic policies. It's something the president will address when he speaks on radio today. We'll bring that radio address to you coming up in just a moment.
In fact, it will begin right now.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Good morning.
The events of September the 11th left America sadder and stronger, and they clarified some important goals for our country. We have a war to wage and a recession to fight. Defending our country and strengthening our economy are great priorities for 2002. We must be determined and we must keep our focus.
This Saturday I am travelling in Oregon and California, talking with people who have been hit hard by the economic downturn. When I return to Washington on Monday I will be meeting with my economic advisers and other officials to discuss the latest economic data and work for a quick recovery for our economy.
My administration has offered our ideas for creating new jobs. I propose speeding up the tax reductions Congress passed last year, because the faster tax rates come down, the faster our economy will grow.
I have proposed tax refunds for lower- and moderate-income families to put money in the hands of people with kids to support and bills to pay.
I have proposed reforming the alternative minimum tax so employers and entrepreneurs no longer see their taxes rise as their profits shrink. In tough times we need to encourage entrepreneurship and small-business growth, not punish it.
I have proposed better tax treatment for employers and entrepreneurs who invest in new equipment, which will help the hardworking people who use the equipment and those who manufacture the equipment.
The Council of Economic Advisers estimates that these ideas could save at least 300,000 threatened jobs.
I'm also calling on Congress to act immediately to help the unemployed workers. I have proposed extending unemployment benefits by 13 weeks, and I have supported tax credits to protect the health insurance of workers who have been laid off.
But we can't stop there. It is important to help workers who have lost their jobs; it is even more important to help workers find new jobs. In tough times, people need an unemployment check, but what they want is a paycheck. Americans want the independence of a job and the satisfaction of providing for their families themselves. A job is more than a source of income, it is a source of dignity.
I made my proposals to create new jobs and help dislocated workers on October the 4th, three months and 943,000 lost jobs ago. The House of Representatives accepted my proposals, but the Senate Democratic leadership would not even schedule a vote.
Some in the Senate seem to think we can afford to do nothing, that the economy will get better on its own sooner or later. I say that if your job is in danger or you have a loved one out of work, you want that recovery sooner, not later.
We need a plan to lengthen unemployment benefits. We need a plan to shorten the recession. The Senate should act on both. America's workers cannot afford more delay.
Thank you for listening.
(END AUDIO CLIP)
SAVIDGE: And that was President Bush in his Saturday morning radio address. He was outlining the economic program, which he says will be top of the agenda for him and Congress when he returns to the White House Monday morning. He is also challenging Congress to work with him on that economic program.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
