Remarks to the
Business-Government Relations Council
Well,
thank you all very much. I'm very happy to be with you today to talk about what
we've accomplished these past 8 years and to look forward to what there is yet
to accomplish. The Business-Government Relations Council stood with this
administration as we fought the established wisdom that once ridiculed our
ideas about economic growth and taxation. The companies that you represent
recognize that they would not be able to succeed in the increasingly
competitive world marketplace without major reforms at home. And that's why you
supported us as we fought to cut taxes, eliminate unnecessary regulations, and
restrain the growth of Federal spending.
That
was quite a battle, but the battle was worth it, and the facts bear this out: 6
full years of uninterrupted economic growth, the longest peacetime recovery in
history; an unemployment rate of 5.4 percent; and almost 19 million new jobs
created since our recovery began. Today more Americans are at work than ever
before in the history of this great country. And a greater percentage of the
total work force is currently employed. Now, that total work force -- I had to
come here to find out what they meant by that. That's everybody in the
Well,
let's take a look at our successes from a Yuletide perspective. According to a
Philadelphia bank, the index of the cost of giving your true love the gifts
mentioned in the carol ``The Twelve Days of Christmas'' declined by six-tenths
of a percent this year. [Laughter] The price of pear trees fell -- [laughter]
-- and the price of partridges was unchanged. [Laughter] However, I must sadly
report that costs rose for pipers piping and drummers drumming. [Laughter] So,
you see, we still have some work to do.
We
understood the key to prosperity was low-inflationary growth, and we achieved
it. Our other aim -- cutting the budget deficit -- was hampered by a budgetary
process that can only be called insane. And so, I continue to support two
measures to stop runaway Federal spending: The line-item veto and the balanced
budget amendment. George Bush needs them, and I hope you will help him get
them.
Now,
I know Clayton will be talking to you about the Uruguay round mid-term review
in Montreal last week, but let me just say this: We've made remarkable strides
during this decade toward our goal of free and fair world trade not only in the
GATT but also through our passage of the U.S. - Canada free trade agreement.
There are many who said that we could not stem the tide of protectionism, that
the only way to respond to unfair trading practices was to close off our own
market. Well, we didn't want to succumb to this defeatist attitude. So, we
launched the
We
remain committed to an international trading system based on the principles of
freedom and fairness. And we'll continue to press for the end of agricultural
subsidies and the protection of intellectual property. We're confident these
aims can be achieved. And when they are, I believe the people of the world will
know a prosperity of which we have only the slightest glimmering.
So,
as I take my leave of you, I ask you to continue the battle -- the battle for
the line-item veto and the balanced budget amendment and free trade throughout
the world. I was one of the 43 Governors in this country that had the line-item
veto. I used it 943 times in the 8 years and was never overridden once. When
you line-item those things that may be passable when they're all buried with
other things and then send them back for them to vote on them, standing out
there all by themselves, they don't vote the same way. [Laughter]
Well,
thank you all, and God bless you all.
Note: The President
spoke at