[NPC logo] Al Gore


Vice President Al Gore branded the first 100 days of the current Republican-controlled Congress a sellout to the wealthy and special-interest lobbyists at the expense of the poor and the middle class. In his text for an afternoon talk at the Club, April 3, 1995, he called on the Republican members of Congress to remember that "your contract is not with the Republican party. Your real contract is with the people of America." Gore charged that Republicans in Congress, by cutting students loans, are making it harder for middle-income families to send their children to college. He also said they are hurting citizens by cutting school lunch programs, the Women, Infants and Children supplemental nutrition program, and the National Service program. He added that they're imperiling safe drinking water and clean air by allowing "polluters to walk right into the halls of Congress and write changes in the law to allow a lot more pollution." He said the "poster child" of Republican tax policy is the expatriate billionaire, and added that the Republican tax plan would give 20 percent of the tax cuts to the wealthiest one percent of the people. "Don't be fooled," he warned. "Even with all the cuts to the programs that Americans hold most dear, the Republican plan still costs America $630 billion." He said the Democrats have a long tradition of helping the poor and middle classes, and President Clinton and the Democrats would like to work with Republicans in creating a plan both sides like: "a plan that helps our schools, feeds our children and trains those who need job training." But as for the Republicans' 100 day agenda, he said, "just remember, the well-to-do win--everyone else loses." The National Press Club Record Volume XLV, No. 13, April 6, 1995.


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