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About The Clackamas print. (Oregon City, Oregon) 1989-2019 | View Entire Issue (Oct. 28, 1992)
^Wednesday, October 28, 1992 Opinion The Clackamas Print Pg. 7 Writers speak for candidates in mock forum Greg Tully as Arkansas Gover nor Bill Clinton Frank Jordan as Independent Candidate H. Ross Perot ■Robert A. Hibberd as Presi dent George Herbert Walker Kush Questioning by Clackamas Print Columnist Eric St. Anthony’s In an effort to increase stu dent voterawarenessof the Presi dential Candidates, The Clacka mas Print has put together this little fireside chit-chat of the is sues. Since the three candidates ■were not available, some staff members will be representing the candidates' positions to the best of their knowledge. Who do you feel is at fault for the current economic cri ps? Clinton: The current eco nomic disaster known as the Bush any problem it is probably due to congress’ mismanagement. What do you think is the best policy for economic growth? Bush: Well as you may or may not know I have appointed James Baker as Economic Czar. We have a plan for continued economic growth that involves free trade, tax cuts and spending cuts. I’m calling for less regula tion over American businesses. The question I have to ask at this time - and I direct this to the American people - is: Who do you trust to run the country? I think that’s all I have to say on this issue. Clinton: It’s interesting that Mr. Bush would mention de-regu- lation. The idea seems to be: if it worked so well for the S&L’s, let’s try it with all American busi nesses. On trust, Mr. Bush has Decision 1992 resident George Bush ¡overnor Bill Clinton . Ross Perot administration has so pitifully mis managed foreign affairs that we currently have no strategy to deal with the crippling national debt, ballooning costs of health care or the global recession. Twelve years of trickle-down economics has made the rich richer, the poor poorer and dwindled the middle class to an almost invisible en- tity. The time has come for a Range. ■ Perot: My volunteers have entrusted me to work on getting this five-star migraine headache of a problem that we call the fed- "Trie only way to get this crazy aunt out of the base ment is to put America back to work... -Jordan as Perot eral debt under control. The only ®y to get this crazy aunt out of R basement is to put America Rk to work so we can have Rare workers to help pay the ■Is. Do you hear me, people? ■ trillion is a little more than Range in the collection plate. Re time to start is now. | Bush: That’s a good ques- tion, Eric, and I’m glad that you Reed it because I have been muting to talk to the American people about this issue of the Rtnomy. I do not know why the Rdia keep saying that we are in R middle of an economic crisis Ben I proclaimed just last year Rt the recession was over. We B streamlining government Rending and we are providing R breaks for the American people Bl believe that the majority of Rnericans are happy with their Rjnomic situation. If there is broken his tax pledge, embraced an economic theory that he once called “voodoo economics,” and has ignored the problems of this country for three and one half years. I’ve spent the last 12 years creating jobs and that’s why Ar kansas has created more jobs in the private sector than Bush has in the other 49. My plan includes tax fairness, investment in edu cation and training, jobs programs in the technologies of the future and a trade plan that forces other countries to play by fair rules or we’ll play by yours. Perot: We have got to get America back to work. Enough with the slow dancin’ that the big mouthed Washington types just waltz through year after year. Jobs will stimulate economic growth and we won’t need to raise taxes to do that. My advisors are work ing on the problem and it is up to the voters to put me in to get the job accomplished. And “family values”... ? How about the Family Leave Bill? Perot: Family values are im portant, but this is not what is ailing the country. Economic growth will take care of the pros perity that we all seek as Ameri cans. Whatever the family unit may be, put me in the house in Washington and we will grab the bull by the horns and solve the problem. Bush: I am the Family Val ues President. My administra tion and I have worked very hard for the past four years to protect and preserve the way of life en joyed by those who have realized the American Dream and I will ensure that we continue to do so in the next four years. Bar and I are both equally concerned about the status of American families. We should stick it to those fa thers who have abandoned their family responsibilities and make them pay for the children that they have produced. Clinton: I believe very strongly in the American family. When GeorgeBush talks of “fam ily values,” he uses it as a coded message for the type of hatred and fear he has promoted every time he seeks public office. I believe in the Family Leave Bill, which has been adopted by every other industrialized nation on Earth. The fact is Bush has done nothing to crack down on delin quent fathers, while it would be one of the top priorities of a Clin ton Administration. What do you think is the best policy for health care? Clinton: Al Gore and I have a plan that would cover everyone with a basic package of health insurance and, at the same time, reduce the rising cost of health care which threatens to cripple the American family and increase the national debt. This plan would take on pharmaceutical compa nies which make U.S. consumers pay twice as much for medicine as they charge in Canada for the same drug. We would establish a health care board to crack down on the $75 billion a year in fraudu lent billing. And we would pro tect those on Medicare while "As usual, Bush is sinking to the desperate politics of fear and lies.” -Tully as Clinton George Bu sh would decrease their coverage. Perot: Doctors make too much money, hospitals charge too much, and people running those hospitals can retire at age 40. What do we have to do to get affordable health care? My advi sors are working on the problem and I will have a solution by the time I put my hand on the Bible on January 20. Bush: Our health care sys tem is in just fine shape. The real problem is those greedy lawyers and their outrageous malpractice suits. They have driven the price of insurance up so high that it is almost impossible for a doctor to make a living. Governor Clinton wants to set up a health care pack age that will bankrupt the phar maceutical industry, making it impossible for senior citizens to get the medicine that they need. I won’t do that. Clinton: If I could respond: Malpractice costs are the lowest in the country in Arkansas be cause of sound policies. An inde pendent study group has deter mined that my plan would save' hundreds of billions of dollars and cover every American while Bush’s “plan” would rise prices tremendously and leave more and more people without health care. What about the abortion issue? Clinton: I’m pro-choice. Period. Let’s get out of women’s private decisions and on to the issues that can move this country into the twenty-first century. for 12 years as an agent of change? I know I can get this country Perot: A woman’s decision is her own. What I cannot under moving again in the right direc tion. End the politics of hate, end stand is how the current Presi dent can be against abortion, but the era of a man who has run out of ideas, creating fascist govern for capital punishment. What do ments in Panama and Iraq and you do? It’s like throwing the fish back after you catch it. then sent our young men to die removing them from power, and, Bush: I have,a real problem with the amount of abortions that finally, end the horrifying spec happen each year in this country. ter of “President Dan Quayle.” I believe that if you do the crime Vote for me and Al Gore for a change. than you should do the time. Closing statements? Perot: This country is in criti cal condition. People are out of Bush: If a major world cri work, health care costs are sky sis were to occur, who do you rocketing, the education system want to see on your television when you turn it on to see who is in control of the situation? Who do you want to be the president if "Who do you want to be the something really scary were to president if something re happen. I’m talking about a big- time crisis, like a nuclear war or ally scary were to happen?” something. Who do you trust to -Hibberd as Bush be on your TV, ? Do you trust Governor Clinton, who betrayed his country by dodging the draft is poorly managed, and we are and opposing the war, or do you $4 trillion in debt. If you’all trust me. You know, when I was want to pussyfoot around and shot down during World War II stay the course, then vote for one and I was awaiting rescue in the of my esteemed opponents. If big water, I thought about all you want to get something done, those war protesters and how un- then I am your man. I love Amer American they were. I am the ica and all that it stands for. We one you should trust I never have the greatest country on the dodged the draft or burned face of the Earth. If you want American flags in Moscow. something done and done right Clinton: As usual, George now, then I am your man. I am Bush is sinking to the desperate doing this for one purpose and politics of fear and lies .Who do one purpose only. Because I love you trust, a president who flip- America and I want to leave some flopped on unemployment bene thing significant for my grand fits, the civil rights bill, policies children and your grandchildren. towards Yugoslavia and the So viet Union, “No new taxes,” “15 . Thank you very much, and I want to again thank my volunteers. million new jobs,” abortion, Without you, I would not be stand “voodoo economics,’’aid to L. A. ing here today. and lord knows what else? Or do you trust a man who has worked More than three to choose from Consider all the parties before you make your vote Stott Writer , So^Stc^ tO jfêâir; Wê can choosefrom: GEORGE BUSH, thècurrentpresidcnt, the •toh^^ofr the Reagan ■ EçriracœniÎB:-i^aisj.^political experience galore and more on the federal level» onetime representative from Texas, onetime diplomat to China, (Democrat) BILL CLINTON, : the Arkansanian j Governor,■ with political experience on the state level, having been Attorney General prior to 12 • years of making Arkansas ' a ROSS PEROT, the political ' newcdmerandptoven busi- ness leader. • But I am deeply disappointed with the two major parties for not getti ng any thin g done na- ■ tionally.For the last 130 years er so, they held an oligopoly on political power, and their choices for what to do about th is country’s problems read l ike Çola Wars (because there are two major players in that one); s' 'v And since there were two other candidatoiW^ papers blatantly overlooked, Idecided tobehistoric.Never Won? jktomtdisi dfe* Cided tO-took at some other candidates from other parties" bd^^ttolnow;'' So what are we waiting for? (Libertarian) ANDRE MAR- ’■ ROU, former Represen tat i ve from Alaska, now the flagbearer for the nation’s third-most popular political pairty^ijd'' (New Alliance) LENORA FULAN1, the first woman to run for President. the first Af rican-American to run for President, a psychotherapist ouiof Harlem, New York, the nation’s? largest ’ Africa#*’ : American. urban area on the island of Manhattan; She is the leader of . the nation's, fourth-most popular pol itical party. What I am trying to say is that you have more of a choice than you think, so look at all:: candidates carefully, espe cially those from the. other political parties,: ers' Pamphlet should rim down. thelisttaihdidiates,;/.:.:<■
