Gator - Trailer Trash is relative - Arkansas has produced a real LOAD - watch your millions Gator - another POGAMME socialist style and he needs your money to finance it :) from the UK Financial Times
World News / Americas
Clinton switches to fight on home front
By Deborah McGregor in Washington
President Bill Clinton, fresh from
celebrating victory in the
Balkans, yesterday began a
concerted effort to revitalise his
image at home.
In a speech to students at
Georgetown University, Mr
Clinton urged the Republican-led
Congress to join him in a new "season of progress" on
domestic policy issues.
His domestic agenda has stalled in Congress, partly
because of the White House's preoccupation with the
conflict in Kosovo, but also because of fundamental
differences with Republicans on many issues.
Appealing to the Congress to work with him on areas of
common concern, Mr Clinton said there was enough
agreement to pass legislation that would raise the
minimum wage, expand patients' rights in dealing with
companies that manage healthcare and revamp
campaign finance laws. And there was plenty of time left
before the next elections in 2000 to advance a solid
legislative agenda.
But, in a swipe at House Republicans, the president
complained that the atmosphere in Washington seemed
"increasingly poisoned by bitter partisanship" adding that
some seemed to want to "run out the clock" instead of
making progress.
Mr Clinton identified several policy areas where there
was less common ground between himself and the
Congress, but where he said the American people
wanted to see change. These included reform of the
Social Security and Medicare social programmes and
new steps to combat violence among young people.
Republicans showed no sign of being stirred to action by
Mr Clinton's appeal. In a bid to pre-empt the message,
dozens of House Republicans had earlier staged a rally
on Capitol Hill, restating their own priorities, which
include increased defence spending, less federal control
of education, greater retirement security and big tax
cuts.
Dennis Hastert, the House Speaker, called upon Mr
Clinton to join Republicans in championing tax cuts. "We
will fight for tax relief for working families," said Mr
Hastert.
And, striking a theme that has increasingly been
sounded by many of the most entrenched Washington
politicians, Mr Hastert urged Mr Clinton: "Don't let
Washington spend the surplus."
Mr Clinton also said, that, while America was enjoying
an unprecedented period of prosperity, there were still
pockets of poverty" across the country. He plans to draw
attention to them on what he called an "unprecedented
trip" beginning on July 5 aimed at attracting new
business investment to such places as Kentucky, South
Dakota and inner-city Los Angeles. He will be joined by
corporate leaders as well as politicians from both main
parties.
"We have got the strongest economy on record all right,"
said Mr Clinton. "But there are still too many poor
neighbourhoods and rural communities where prosperity
is something you read about, not experience. I believe
we should be committed to going into this new century
leaving no one behind."
Mr Clinton also signalled that he would announce a
White House programme next week aimed at providing
prescription drug benefits for the elderly - a plan
congressional Democrats believe is a political winner.
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