THE PRESIDENT: Thanks for the warm welcome. (Laughter.) More inside
than outside, I might add. (Laughter.) But thank you all very much for
giving me a chance to come and share some thoughts about this great
land and some of the challenges that face us.
I'm particularly thrilled to be in a place where the
entrepreneurial spirit is strong, and that is J.S. Logistics.
(Applause.) It is strong because of the spirit of the guys who run the
company, John and Greg, and the people that work with them to provide
good service and product.
It's important for our fellow Americans to understand that the
strength of our country, the strength of our economy really depends
upon the strength of the small business community all across America.
(Applause.) And that's why I'm here today in this small business, to
remind people about the importance of small business.
I brought Hector Barreto, who is the Administrator of the Small
Business Administration. Thank you for coming, Hector. (Applause.) I
know there's a lot of other small business owners here from around the
state of Missouri. I'm honored you came. Thank you for lending your
support to what I am going to describe today as a way to make sure
people can find work in America.
I want to thank the employees of this good company for putting up
with the small entourage I travel with. (Laughter.) I want to thank the
folks that came to the roundtable today -- not only were some employees
of JS, but there's some folks who are running their own businesses and
companies. We heard from single moms, newly-married couples, people
that are working hard to make sure the three-person company stays
afloat. It was a good discussion, and I'm going to share some of the
stories from that discussion with you in a minute.
I want you to know that this country has got some big challenges
ahead of us. There's no question in my mind that we're going to meet
every challenge. (Applause.) One of the challenges we have is to make
sure that every American, from every walk of life, has a chance to
succeed in this country. (Applause.) That's an important challenge.
Where I spend a lot of time talking about education, to make sure every
child is educated; to make sure we insist upon high standards for our
schools; to make sure that we measure to understand whether those
standards are being met; and to make sure we solve problems early,
before it's too late. No child in America should be left behind in this
country. (Applause.)
Today I had the honor of meeting Dezzie Houston, who came out to
Air Force One to say hello. She is a volunteer with the Missouri
Mentoring Partnership. Where are you, Dezzie? Oh, there you are. Thanks
for coming. (Applause.) The reason I bring this up is, part of making
sure people aren't left behind in our society, we've got to recognize
in our plenty there are people who hurt, and there are some who wonder
whether or not the so-called American Dream is meant for them. And so
long as any of us hurt, we all hurt. And one way to help heal hurt and
encourage hope is to mentor somebody in need. You see, I like to remind
people, government can hand out money, but it can't put love into
people's hearts or a sense of purpose in people's lives. That happens
when some caring individual finds somebody in need and says, can I help
you; what can I do to help you make a better life. (Applause.)
And this society of ours is filled with all kinds of heroes,
American citizens doing their duty. And Dezzie is one such person. She
told me that she has mentored three people, three teens, encouraging
them to either go to college or how to find a job. I'm told, recently
one of your mentorees graduated from college. It must have made you
feel incredibly proud to know that you had a hand in encouraging that
person to reach for the best in America. You had a hand in encouraging
that person to realize that his or her God-given talents should be used
to the fullest on the short time we have on Earth.
I want to congratulate you for being a mentor. I call upon any
American who is concerned about the future of our society to find
somebody who needs a hand and surround that person with your love and
your talents. Thank you for being here, Dezzie. (Applause.)
A big challenge we face is how to make sure that this world is a
peaceful world, and make sure our country is a secure country. I still
remember September the 11th, 2001. It was a time in which history
changed for America. When I was coming up in Texas, it used to be that
oceans could protect us. We wouldn't have to worry about gathering
threats abroad. We could pick and choose problems as they arose because
we felt we were safe and secure. We felt that our history was such that
the future would be secure and safe. But that's not what happened.
September the 11th changed the stakes for America. It changed the
attitude we must have if we're going to make sure our children can grow
up in a safe and secure world.
Even though September the 11th is-- appears to be distant in our
rear-view mirror, our country is still under threat. We're under threat
because of terrorists who don't value life like we value life in
America. See, in this country, we say everybody is precious, everybody
counts, everybody has got values. The enemy we face doesn't feel that
way. They don't care about innocent life. They don't believe every life
has value. They only believe the lives that have values are those who
bow to their sick ideologies.
And so we're still on guard here in America. And we're running
these terrorists down, one by one. It's a different kind of war that we
fight. It's a war in which the enemy hides in the recesses of the
world. It's a war in which they try to get inside caves in remote
regions of the world. But you need to know that America is on the
hunt. There is a cave -- there's no cave deep enough or corner of the
world dark enough for them to hide from the long arm of justice of the
United States of America. (Applause.)
We're making progress. Sometimes you'll see about it, sometimes you
won't. And progress comes in different kinds of-- different kinds of
ways. Our friends in Great Britain have recently uncovered and have
arrested a group of al Qaeda that they think were intending to poison
the British people. Slowly but surely, we're rounding them up. That
coalition of freedom-loving people still stands: Either you're with us
and those of us who love freedom, or you're with the enemy. (Applause.)
We've got an obligation to our children to hunt these people down.
We've also got an obligation to our children to address problems before
they come back to America, and in my judgment, in my considered
judgment, there is a real risk to America and our friends and allies in
Iraq. (Applause.)
The dictator of Iraq has got weapons of mass destruction. He has
used weapons of mass destruction. He can't stand America and what we
stand for. He can't stand our friends and allies. He's a dangerous,
dangerous man with dangerous, dangerous weapons. And that's why the
world came together at the United Nations Security Council and said,
Mr. Saddam Hussein must disarm. The message was as clear as can
possibly be delivered -- Mr. Saddam Hussein must disarm.
And the first step of that disarmament was for him to make a
declaration of his weapons -- 12,000 pages of deceit and deception were
placed at the U.N. Security Council. We know what it means to disarm;
we know what a disarmed regime does. We know how a disarmed regime
accounts for weapons of mass destruction. Saddam Hussein is not
disarming, like the world has told him he must do.
He's a dangerous man, with dangerous weapons. He's a danger to
America, and our friends and allies. And that's why the world has said,
disarm.
But Saddam Hussein has learned lessons from the past. See, the
first time he was told to disarm was 11 years ago. He is adept at
deception and delays and denying. He asked for more time so he can give
the so-called inspectors more runaround. He's interested in playing
hide and seek in a huge country. He's not interested in disarming.
I hope the world has learned the lessons from the past, just like
Saddam Hussein has learned the lessons from the past, but in a
different way. It's time for us to hold the world to account, and for
Saddam to be held to account. We must not -- (applause.) We must not be
fooled by the ways of the past. After all, we just discovered
undeclared chemical warheads in Iraq. It's incredibly troubling and
disturbing for a man -- that is evidence of a man not disarming.
He wants to play a game. For the sake of peace, we must not let him
play a game. And so the resolutions of the Security Council will be
enforced. (Applause.)
My hope is that Saddam Hussein will disarm voluntarily; that's my
hope. I take seriously the commitment of any troop into combat. I
desire peace. But in the name of peace, in the name of securing our
future, if Saddam Hussein will not disarm, the United States of America
and friends of freedom will disarm Saddam Hussein. (Applause.)
And should that path be forced upon us, there will be serious
consequences. There will be serious consequences for the dictator in
Iraq. And there will be serious consequences for any Iraqi general or
soldier who were to use weapons of mass destruction on our troops or on
innocent lives within Iraq. (Applause.) Should any Iraqi officer or
soldier receive an order from Saddam Hussein, or his sons, or any of
the killers who occupy the high levels of their government, my advice
is, don't follow that order. Because if you choose to do so, when Iraq
is liberated, you will be treated, tried and persecuted as a war
criminal. (Applause.)
And there will be serious consequences -- should we be forced into
action, there will be serious consequences for the Iraqi people -- and
that's freedom, freedom from oppression. (Applause.) Freedom from
oppression, freedom from torture, freedom from murder, freedom to
realize your God-given talents.
And so we've got a lot of challenges when it comes to keeping the
peace. But this great, mighty nation, this kind, generous,
compassionate nation will lead the world to peace, so that not only our
children, but children in the far reaches of our globe can grow up in a
peaceful society. (Applause.)
And here at home, we've got economic challenges. Think about what
this economy of ours has been through. In a short time, we've had a
recession. I -- first three quarters of my presidency were negative
growth. That's the definition of a recession. And then before we could
get our head above water, the enemy hit us -- and hurt us. It took
thousands of innocent lives, and at the same time, hurt our economy.
And we acted. We acted on the recession by letting you have more of
your own money. We enacted the largest tax cut in a generation.
(Applause.) And it helped. It helped bottom out that recession. You
see, when people have more of their own money, they tend to spend it.
And when they spend it, it means somebody is going to produce the
product or the service in which they're spending their money, which
means, then, somebody is likely to find work.
We acted after the enemy hit us. We made sure our airlines got
moving, and we passed a terrorism insurance bill to encourage large
construction projects to move forward, so our hard-hats could find work
here in America. We got the stock markets up and running. We acted.
And then the confidence of our country was affected when it turned
out some of our corporate leaders didn't tell the truth, that they
fudged the books, that they thought in this-- they thought it was okay
to deceive their employees and shareholders. And they found out that
it's not okay. We're going to find them and prosecute those who don't
tell the truth. (Applause.)
We've taken action, but there's more to do, because there's still
people looking for work. There's still uncertainty about the economic
future of this country. Any time somebody is looking for work and can't
find a job says to me, we've got a problem. And so today, I want to
talk to you about how I think it's best to address the problem, what
Congress can do to make sure that the environment for job growth is
strong in America. And it starts with accelerating the tax relief plan
we've already passed. (Applause.)
The tax plan that passed doesn't take effect-- finally take effect
until years from now. The rates in 2006 -- dropping the lower rate from
15 percent to 10 percent in out-years; getting rid of parts of the
marriage penalty; raising the child credit from $600 to $1,000 --
(applause) -- all these plans have been approved by the Congress. And
yet our economy is still bumping along. For the sake of economic
vitality and growth, the Congress needs to accelerate the tax plans.
(Applause.) If the tax relief is good enough three years from now,
surely it's good enough today. (Applause.)
And when they act-- because I'm confident they'll hear the voices
of the people-- and when they act, we will then make sure that the tax
relief takes effect of January of this year, to immediately get money
in your pockets and into the economy. (Applause.)
You hear a lot of talk about fairness, and there ought to be
fairness in our society. That's one of the great things about America,
we try to be fair. A family of four with an income of $40,000 will
receive a 96-percent tax cut. (Applause.) That's fair. And it's good
for the economy. It's the right thing to do. Ninety-two million
Americans will keep an average of $1,083 more of their own money when
this tax plan goes through. And that's good for the economy.
(Applause.)
But there is a difference of opinion about who best to spend your
money in Washington, D.C. Sometimes they forget whose money you're
spending. Listen to the rhetoric. The government's money, they say. The
money in Washington is not the government's money, it's your money. And
you can spend it just as good or better than the government can.
(Applause.)
In order to make sure people can find work, we've got to strengthen
our small business environment. And one of the things that gets lost in
this debate about tax relief is the effect of tax rate reductions on
our small businesses. Oh, sure, you hear the typical class warfare
rhetoric, trying to pit one group of people against another. But lost
in the all the rhetoric is the fact that a significant number of small
businesses pay taxes at the individual income tax rate, starting right
here with JS Logistics. They are organized such that they pay taxes on
the company profits at the individual tax rate. So, therefore, when you
reduce all rates on the income tax code, you're affecting small
business, like JS.
The best way to encourage job growth is to let companies like JS
keep more of their own money so they can invest in their business and
make it easier for somebody to find work. (Applause.)
Twenty-three million small business owners will receive an average
tax cut of $2,042 under this plan. Now, some will say in Washington, of
course, that's not much money. It's a lot of money to somebody who has
got two employees. It's a lot of money to somebody making a decision
whether or not to expand a business. It's a lot of money. And when you
multiply the effects of that money throughout our society, with all the
individual decisions that are being made to strengthen these small
businesses, it is going to have an incredibly positive effect on job
growth in America.
And to make sure that job growth at the small business level is
even more significant, we ought to allow small firms to right off as
expenses up to $75,000 a year, instead of the limit of $25,000 a year.
(Applause.)
So I met a guy today named Joe. He runs Software-to-Go. He's got
three employees. He said, I looked at your plan. Where are you, Joe?
There you are. He said, I looked at your plan. He said, by allowing
businesses to expense up to $75,000, it means somebody is more likely
to buy a copying machine, or in this case, an architectural fancy
machine. (Laughter.) But the point is, is that he then has more
business opportunity, even though this tax relief doesn't affect him
directly. It affects his customers. It makes his customers more likely
to buy a product. And when Joe's customers are more likely to buy a
product, he's more likely to be able to employ people.
It is important for Congress to understand that the revitalization
of the small business sector is incredibly important to the job growth
of the United States of America. (Applause.)
One aspect of the tax relief plan that I haven't mentioned yet,
which is important to small business owners, is the elimination of the
death tax. A lot of people work all their lives to build up their
business or their farm or their ranch. And after they're gone, their
heirs are unable to keep their assets because of the death tax. It's
unfair. It taxes a person's assets twice. It means that family farms
leave the family sooner than the owners of the farms would have liked.
It means small business owners like Joe may have problems passing their
business off to a child or somebody they choose to pass their business
off of.
We put it on its way to extinction. Unfortunately, the law -- the
rules of the Senate are such that after 10 years from the time of the
passage of the bill, they could conceivably come back. For the sake of
certainty, for the sake of fairness, the Congress needs to make all the
tax relief not only happen now, but to make sure the tax relief is
permanent. (Applause.)
I also believe we ought to end the double taxation on dividends in
America, as well. (Applause.) Dividends are important for our seniors.
Many seniors rely upon dividends to help them in their later years.
Ending the double taxation on dividends will encourage capital to flow
into our markets. Capital equals jobs. Ending the double taxation on
dividends makes the tax code more fair.
Let me talk to you about one aspect of what I mean when I talk
about helping seniors. More than 40 percent of the people who receive
dividends make under $50,000 a year. Many of them are seniors.
Three-fourths of the people in America who receive dividends make less
than $100,000 a year. Dividends help our fellow citizens deal with
their retirement years.
Dividends are a part of the savings of America. Double taxation of
dividends deprives people of needed money. It has bad effects. The
average savings for somebody 65 years and older, if we get rid of the
double taxation on dividends, will be $936 per year per tax return in
America. Getting rid of the double taxation of dividends helps
Americans from all walks of life. (Applause.)
When this tax plan is passed -- and I expect Congress to hear from
the American people and pass it -- (applause) -- we will be putting $70
billion in the economy over the next 16 months. That's how to make sure
this economy is growing jobs so people can work. That's important. It's
called stimulative effect.
The Council on Economic Advisors said these proposals over the next
three years will create 2.1 million jobs, and that's important. This is
a common-sense plan that trusts the people with their own money, that
recognizes that-- that there are ways and things we've got to do to
make sure this economy is growing.
Part of making sure our economy is strong is more money in your
pockets. Part of making sure the deficits don't balloon is for
Congress to hold the line on spending, and I expect them to be wise
with your money. (Applause.)
I mentioned early on that I recognize there are hurdles, and we're
going to achieve those hurdles. There's no doubt in my mind we will,
because of the nature of this country. The entrepreneurial spirit in
America is strong. Look right around you, right here in J.S. It's one
of the things that makes us a great nation. There are thousands of
Americans from all walks of life who are realizing their dream of
owning their own business, and that's incredibly positive. And the
government can help create an environment where that makes-- is more
possible.
There are thousands of our fellow citizens who are loving their
neighbor just like they'd like to be loved themselves. That doesn't
require a government program. It requires answering a higher calling.
(Applause.) The compassion of this country runs deep in our soul, and
there are thousands of Americans who are willing to serve overseas in
the name of peace and liberty.
If you've got a relative in the United States military, the
Commander-in-Chief is proud of their skills, proud of their service,
and proud of their commitment -- (applause) -- and proud of their
commitment to peace and freedom.
May God bless you all, and may God bless America. (Applause.)