Clinton Train Off And Rolling

ASHLAND,Ky. (AllPolitics, Aug. 25) -- President Clinton ripped into Republican economic policies today at a campaign stop in Kentucky, calling GOP promises of tax cuts nothing but a "pretty song."

"The budget of the United States of America would be in surplus today, this day, if it were not for the interest we're paying on the debt run up in the 12 years before I took office, when they quadrupled the debt with all those tax cut promises," said Clinton.

His remarks came on the first day of a four-day whistle-stop train tour through the Midwest en-route to the Democratic National Convention in Chicago.

Touting his recent flurry of bill-signings, including measures hiking the minimum wage, reforming welfare, and expanding health insurance coverage, Clinton promised he would work to help American families in a second term.

"My strategy for the 21st century is simple," he said. "Opportunity for all, responsibility from all, and a stronger American community where we know we have to go forward together and everybody has a role to play."

Clinton also outlined tax cuts he would propose for American families.

They include a $1,500 refundable tax credit for the cost of a community college education, a $10,000 tax deduction for post-high school education, and $2,000 "skills grants" to help unemployed workers prepare for new jobs. The president also proposed a $5,000 tax credit to families who adopt a child.

Clinton criticized Republicans for voting against measures that would have helped create safe and drug-free schools, and would have added 100,000 new police officers on the street.

"The other side is proposing a tax cut that's five times as big as mine, that they don't know how they're going to pay for," he charged. "And you know what'll happen -- it'll blow a hole in the deficit. That means higher interest rates -- that means whatever you get in the tax cut, you'll pay right back in your mortgage payments, your car payments, your credit card payments."

Clinton began the day boarding the "21st Century Express," in Huntington, W.Va. Before chugging through the Appalachian hills, Clinton addressed some 20,000 people gathered to send the president, First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton and daughter Chelsea off. (363K WAV sound)

"I come here to say to you, I'm on my way to Chicago and I'm going on a train because I want to see the people like you that I've been working for and fighting for," he said.

The train will take the Clintons through Kentucky, Ohio, Michigan and Indiana before its last stop in Chicago on Wednesday.

Full text of President Bill Clinton's remarks at rally in Huntington, W.Va.

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Clinton Train Off And Rolling

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