President Discusses National, Economic Security in California
Remarks by the President to the Employees of United Defense Industries Ground Systems Division
United Defense Industries
Santa Clara, California
10:10 A.M. PDT
THE PRESIDENT: Thank you all. Thank you all, very much. Thanks for
the warm welcome. It's been a heck of a trip out here to California.
(Laughter.) I'm honored to be here with the good folks at United
Defense. I'm here to thank you for your contribution to making the
world a more peaceful and free place.
Yesterday, I had the honor of speaking to the American people from
the deck of the USS Abraham Lincoln. (Applause.) I made this
declaration, that major combat operations in Iraq have ended, that the
United States and our allies have prevailed. (Applause.)
I spent the night -- one night. (Laughter.) Most of the crew had
been on there for nine and a half months. I was so proud to be with
those men and women who wear our nation's uniform. Their morale is
high; they have served our nation well; and this country is proud of
them. (Applause.)
We are proud of everybody who wears the nation's uniform, and we
are proud of those who have contributed to the defense of the country,
just like the people right here at United Defense have done.
(Applause.) The technologies and products developed here at United
Defense have made our military second to none. (Applause.) So I'm here
to thank the folks who work for this fine company, on behalf of the
American people, for your contribution to the security of your nation
and for the peace of the world. (Applause.)
I'm also here for another reason. I'm here to talk about the state
of our economy. Today we saw some new statistics on employment. The
unemployment number is now at 6 percent, which should serve as a clear
signal to the United States Congress we need a bold economic recovery
package so people can find work. (Applause.) That 6-percent number
should say loud and clear to members of both political parties in the
United States Congress, we need robust tax relief so our fellow
citizens can find a job. (Applause.)
I want to thank Tom for his kind introduction, and I want to thank
Elmer for the tour. (Laughter.) You all are doing some amazing stuff
here. I'm really proud -- proud of the workers, proud of the engineers,
proud of the people who are keeping this country on the cutting-edge. I
want to thank the Mayor of Santa Clara for coming. Madam Mayor, I
appreciate you coming. I want to thank all the local officials. I
particularly Richard Pombo, the Congressman from the great state of
California, for being here, as well. (Applause.)
I had the honor of meeting a fellow named Steve Houck today. Where
are you, Steve? Where? There he is. Hi, Steve. (Laughter.) They gave
Steve a great seat. (Laughter.) At least a great view. (Laughter and
applause.) Here's why I want to mention Steve. You see, Steve works for
Salesforce.com, a company which encourages volunteerism amongst its
employees. Not only does the company encourage volunteerism amongst
employees, Steve leads the effort -- one of the leaders of the effort.
He takes the time that the company allows him and volunteers to help
make somebody's life better.
We've spent a lot of time in this country over the recent talking
about the great military might of America. The truth of the matter is,
the greatest strength of our country is the compassion of our fellow
citizens to one another. The great strength of America can be found in
the hearts of our fellow citizens.
My call to you is to love a neighbor just like you'd like to be
loved yourself. If you're worried and interested about the future of
this country, find somebody who hurts. Find somebody who needs love.
Put your arm around them and say, the great American experience belongs
to you just as much as it belongs to me. Steve, thank you for your
leadership. (Applause.)
On September the 11th, 2001, America learned that vast oceans no
longer protect us from the threats of the new era. On that day, 19
months ago, we also began a relentless worldwide campaign against
terrorists, those who hate freedom, in order to secure our homeland and
to make the world a more peaceful place.
And we're making great progress. In the battle of Afghanistan, we
destroyed one of the most barbaric regimes in the history of mankind. A
regime so barbaric, they would not allow young girls to go to school. A
regime so barbaric, they were willing to house al Qaeda. That regime no
longer exists. Many al Qaeda leaders no longer exist. And the training
camps no longer exist. (Applause.)
In the war on terror, we're making good progress. As I said last
night, nearly one-half of all al Qaeda's senior operatives are no
longer a threat to the United States of America. (Applause.) And we're
still on the hunt. (Applause.) We will flush them out of their caves,
we'll get them on the run, and we will bring them to justice.
(Applause.)
As a result of the bravery and skill of our Armed Forces and
coalition forces, the war on terror is much longer down the road
because of what happened in Iraq. You see, the al Qaeda no longer have
a ally in the regime in Iraq. Terrorists no longer have a funding
source in the regime of Iraq. One thing is for certain: Terrorists
will no longer have a source of weapons of mass destruction in the
regime that used to be in Iraq, because the regime that used to be in
Iraq is no longer. (Applause.)
We have an obligation to future generations of Americans to make
sure this country is secure. And we will keep that obligation. We have
made progress, but there is more to do. In all these efforts, our men
and women in uniform have performed brilliantly. (Applause.) By their
courage, our nation is more secure. By their skill and sacrifice, Iraq
and Afghanistan are now free. (Applause.)
The people who serve our country deserve our gratitude, and they
deserve the finest equipment we can provide. (Applause.) The new
technologies of war help to protect our soldiers, and as importantly,
help protect innocent life. You see, new technologies allow us to
redefine war on our terms, which makes it more likely the world will be
more free and more peaceful. (Applause.)
You do a lot to keep the American Armed Forces on the leading edge
of technological change here at United Defense. And I want to thank you
for that. You not only help save lives, but you're an agent for peace.
And that's important for you to know that. The better we can redefine
how war is -- wars are fought and won, the more likely it is that peace
will prevail -- because this is a peaceful nation. This is a nation
that wants nothing more than the world to be more free and more
peaceful. I want to thank you for what you've done, what you're going
to do, and I want to thank you for the product you put out in the
field.
In the Iraqi theater, the M4 command and control vehicles that you
help produce gave our commanders unprecedented control over the
battlefields. The Bradley Fighting Vehicles were responsible for a lot
of tank kills. Some of the first Army units sent to take control of
the Baghdad Airport were traveling in Bradleys. (Applause.)
The world witnessed one of the swiftest advances of heavy arms in
the history of warfare -- a 350-mile charge from south to north in
Iraq, through hostile enemy territory. We were able to do so not only
because of the good strategy, great courage and skill, but because of
the Bradleys and Abramses with which our soldiers were equipped. You're
making a good product here.
One of the things that people learned about your company, as well,
is how useful the HERCULES tank recovery system can be. (Applause.) The
guy with the sledgehammer on the statue needed a little help.
(Laughter.) Thankfully, there was a HERCULES close by. (Laughter.) A
HERCULES which pulled that statue of Saddam Hussein to the ground.
That meant more to the Iraqi people than you can possibly imagine.
It was a symbol of their future. A future based upon something that we
hold dear to our hearts; a future based upon something that is not
America's gift to the world, but the Almighty God's give to each and
every individual -- a future based upon freedom. (Applause.)
I also appreciate so very much that 35 of your fellow workers are
in theater. Some were in Kuwait; many are in Iraq, working on the
products that you helped develop -- working through those sandstorms
and those long hauls across hostile territory. They're still in the
region. They and their families need to know America is grateful for
their service and their sacrifices. (Applause.)
Just as we are grateful for the service and sacrifice of many of
the families whose loved ones have been, and still are in theater.
Perhaps some of you have got a relative over there, kind of like Ron
Pinkney, who is an engineer here at United Defense. His son, Jason, is
serving in the 101st Airborne Division. Ron, I appreciate your
sacrifice for your country by being a loving dad. But you tell Jason,
and you tell Jason to tell his buddies, the Commander-in-Chief and the
people of Santa Clara, California are really proud of his service.
(Applause.)
Major combat operations are over. Yet we have got commitments to
keep in Iraq. Parts of that country are still dangerous, and we will
provide security, we will establish order in the parts of Iraq that are
dangerous. We will chase down the leaders of the old regime -- and
they will be held account for the atrocious crimes they committed on
the Iraqi people. (Applause.)
We've got hundreds of sites to exploit, looking for the chemical
and biological weapons that we know Saddam Hussein had prior to our
entrance into Iraq. Listen, this guy has spent years and years and
years of hiding weapons from weapons inspectors. It's going to take
time, but the world will see the truth.
We'll restore the hospitals, rebuild the schools, provide needed
infrastructure in a country that didn't have as many hospitals as it
needed, or schools as it needed, or needed infrastructure as was
required, because Saddam Hussein was willing to spend money on
luxurious palaces, not on the people of Iraq. (Applause.) We will stand
with the new leaders of Iraq as they build a government of, by, and for
the Iraqi people. (Applause.)
This is going to take time. The efforts to restore security and
infrastructure is going to take time, and it's not going to be easy
work. But we will stay the course. We will stay as long as necessary
to get the job done, and then we will leave. And when we leave, we will
leave behind a free Iraq. (Applause.)
We believe in the peace, in keeping the peace. And the best way to
make the world more peaceful, and the best way to fight hatred, the
hateful ideologies oftentimes found in corners of the world, is to
promote freedom. Free people are less likely to hate. Free people are
more likely to focus on a hopeful future. We love freedom in America.
It's ingrained in our soul. We also understand the habits of freedom
are more likely to make the world a more peaceful and hopeful place. We
will stay in Iraq until it is free. (Applause.) And we will stay to
make sure the foundations for freedom are real and solid.
Now, here at home, we've got other -- we've got challenges to face.
I talked about a statistic, but behind every statistic is somebody's
life, when it comes employment statistics. The goal of this country is
to have an economy vibrant enough, strong enough, so that somebody
who's looking for work can find a job. We're making progress. You've
just got to know that. We're a growing economy. Matter of fact, we're
-- of all the industrialized economies, we're one of the strongest.
That's not good enough for me, and I know it's not good enough for
you.
We've come through some hard times. Remember, we've overcome a
recession; we've overcome an attack on our soil. We have been in two
major battles in the war against terror, one in Afghanistan, one in
Iraq. We had some of our fellow citizens forget what it means to be a
responsible citizen, some CEOs of corporations in America who felt it
would be okay to fudge the numbers, to not tell the truth. Their
irresponsible behavior affected the psychology of the country. We'll
take care of them. Corporate America -- (applause.)
It would be helpful if many CEOs in corporate America took care of
business before we had to take care of them. I call upon the CEOs of
this company to treat their employees and shareholders with the utmost
of respect. (Applause.)
Despite these obstacles, we're growing. But there is untapped
potential in this economy. You know it better than anybody, right here
in this part of the world. The foundations for growth are good. We got
low inflation, which is positive; low interest rates, which are really
good for people who either own a home or want to buy a home, or
refinancing a home in order to remodel a home. The greatest strength --
well, let me -- gas prices are coming down, which, by the way, is
positive for the American consumer, American people.
The greatest strength we have is the productivity of the American
worker. That's our greatest strength. Last year productivity growth in
America was 4.8 percent. That's the best annual increase since 1950.
Let me tell you what that means here at United Defense --
incredibly productive work force that you have here. It took four years
for United Defense's engineers to develop a working prototype of the
Bradley. It took only eight months to do the same for the Future Combat
System Vehicle. (Applause.) Productivity increases like that means
that we're more competitive, that people are likely to find better
jobs, that consumers will benefit.
No, a productivity increase is an incredibly important part of the
future of this country. And I want to thank the workers here, and the
engineers here, for being on the leading edge of the productivity
increases in our country.
But the economy is not growing fast enough. And you know it as well
as anybody here. So I've been working with the Congress on a jobs
package, a pro-growth jobs package. See, in order to help people
looking for work, we need to figure out how best to encourage economic
growth. That ought to be the cornerstone of any good jobs package. You
see, if the economy grows, somebody is more likely to find work.
Therefore, we ought to be asking the question: How do we create
economic growth?
In my judgment, and the judgment of a lot of economists -- and the
truth of the matter is, it's now become kind of the common wisdom in
Washington, D.C. -- the best way to create growth is to let people keep
more of their own money. (Applause.) The more money you have in your
pocket, the more likely it is you're going to demand a good or a
service. The more goods and services demanded, the more likely it is
somebody is going to find work in America.
And therefore, I proposed a robust tax package to the United States
Congress of at least $550 billion. The reason I did so is because
economists have taken a look at that package and say that when it
passes, one million new jobs will be created by the year 2004. If
you're interested in job creation, if you want to make sure that your
neighbor can find work, support a job package that is robust and
strong, and is hopeful for the American worker. (Applause.)
We're making good progress. I mean, it makes sense that we should
make progress. After all, most of the tax relief package I proposed has
already been passed by the Congress. You see, I said we ought to reduce
all rates. They've already agreed to that. We ought to reduce the
effect of the marriage penalty. They agreed to that. We ought to raise
the child credit from $600 to $1,000 per child. They agreed to that.
The problem is that they weren't going to let you keep your own
money for three, five, or seven years from now. Well, listen, our
economy needs a shot in the arm now, not three, five, or seven years
from now. If you're somebody that's looking for work -- if you're
somebody that's looking for work, you're not interested in what's going
to take place three, five, or seven years from now. (Applause.) If
you're somebody looking for work, you want your government to act now.
For the sake of job creation, the United States Congress must enact all
the tax reforms they passed in 2001.
When I get back to Washington, D.C., I want to see a bill on my
desk that recognizes -- well, that may be a little fast. How about in a
couple of weeks after I get back to Washington? (Laughter.) For the
sake of job growth, let's put those tax cuts we've already got in
place, in place today so people can find work. (Applause.)
You hear all kinds of talk in Washington about this plan is not
fair; this plan is going to reward only certain people. Let me tell you
the effects of this plan on a family of four making $40,000 a year.
Their tax bite will go from $1,178 a year to $45 a year. Now, perhaps
for some in Washington, D.C., that $1,000 a year for every year doesn't
sound like a lot. But for a family of four making $40,000 a year, it
means a lot. It means a lot not only to the family, for their capacity
to save or invest in their children, it means a lot for our economy, to
have people with an additional $1,000 in their pocket. Congress needs
to get this passed, and get it passed soon. (Applause.)
Any good economic jobs package has got to understand the role of
small business in our society. Most new jobs are created by small
businesses. When small businesses are strong, when small business
flourishes, people are more likely to find work.
Cutting the tax rates and accelerating the tax rates cuts is
important for small business growth for this reason: Most small
businesses pay tax at the individual income tax rates. Most small
businesses are either a sole proprietorship, or a limited partnership,
or a subchapter S, and therefore, pay tax like an individual does.
So that when you hear us talk about cutting individual tax rates
and accelerating the tax rate cuts, you've got to understand the impact
it is going to have on the American entrepreneur. It will mean more
capital in the coffers of the small business company. More capital in
the coffers of the small business company means more investment. More
investment means more work for the American people. (Applause.)
Twenty-three small business owners will see their taxes cut -- 23
million -- small business owners will be more likely candidates to hire
somebody.
As well, there is a limit on what a small business can deduct on
capital purchases, at $2,500. Congress ought to raise that limit to
$75,000 per year for small business, to allow small business to exempt
capital purchases of that amount. It ought to index it to inflation.
Listen, when somebody goes out and buys a new computer or a new
program, it not only benefits the small business because the small
business becomes more productive, it benefits the computer programmer
who has designed the program, or the computer manufacturer who made the
computer. The best way to encourage economic growth is to encourage
investment, is to stimulate supply and demand. The Congress needs to be
bold, and the Congress needs to act, and the Congress needs to
recognize the importance of small business in our society. (Applause.)
I also believe we ought to end the double taxation on dividends.
(Applause.) It makes sense to tax a company's profits. What doesn't
make sense is to tax the company's profits and then tax the owners of
the company after they pay tax. It's not fair to tax something twice in
our society. Who are the owners of the companies? The owners of the
companies are the shareholders. Millions of Americans own stock either
directly or through pension plans, 401Ks.
Listen, if you're an owner of a company, small or large, you ought
to be worried about your company -- your investment being taxed twice
by the federal government. The double taxation of dividends is not
fair. It is not fair to seniors, who oftentimes rely upon dividend
income. It's not fair to the workers whose pension plans rely upon
dividend income. It is not fair for the federal government to tax
something twice. And we need to get rid of the double taxation of
dividends in America. (Applause.)
Getting rid of the double taxation of dividends will make it easier
for businesses to raise capital. It will reduce the cost of capital.
The more capital there is in circulation, the more jobs there will be
for American workers. Getting rid of the double taxation of dividends
will encourage companies to pay dividends.
We have just gone through a period in American economic history
where people invested based upon what I would call, maybe,
pie-in-the-sky projections -- that, don't worry, we don't have any
cash-flow, but nevertheless, we've got a nice story. (Laughter.) The
problem is that story kind of ran out of steam because there wasn't any
cash-flow. To me, it's a great reform to encourage people to pay
dividends on stocks, because you can't put out a pie-in-the-sky
projection if you're a dividend-paying company. If you say you're going
to pay a dividend, you better pay the dividend. And the only way you
can pay a dividend is to have actual cash-flow available for the
investors.
Getting rid of the double taxation of dividends will be good for
job creation. It will be good for capital formation. It will be good
for the pension-holders of America. And it will be good corporate
reform in a system that needed reform. (Applause.)
I know there's people hurting here in Silicon Valley. I know there
are people who are worried about their future. I know this incredibly
vibrant part of the American economy over the past year is not meeting
its full potential. The plan I just outlined is one that will boost the
economy in the Silicon Valley. It's a plan that is bold -- because we
need a bold plan. It's a plan that is thoughtful -- because we need a
thoughtful plan. Most importantly, it's a plan that will invigorate
the entrepreneurial spirit, which has been so strong here, and make it
more likely somebody who's looking for a job will be able to find one.
I urge the United States Congress to look at the unemployment
numbers that came out today, and pass a tax relief plan that will
matter; a tax relief plan robust enough so that the people of this
country who are looking for work can find a job. (Applause.)
I know you hear talk about the deficit. And we've got a deficit
because we went through a recession. A recession means the economy has
slowed down to the extent where we're losing revenues to the federal
Treasury. We got a recession because we went to war. And I said to our
troops, if we're going to commit you into harm's way, you deserve the
best equipment, the best training, the best possible pay. It doesn't
matter what it costs, we're going to pay what it costs in order to win
the war.
We had an emergency. These all cost our government money. So with
the combination of the loss of revenue as a result of the recession --
which was official in January of 2001 -- and the expenditures in order
to win a war and deal with an emergency and deal with the new issues of
homeland security, we've got a deficit.
And there's two ways to deal with that. One is you control the
expense side of the ledger. You make sure the federal government spends
your money on that which is absolutely necessary. You focus them on
doing certain things and doing them well. You must have fiscal
discipline in Washington, D.C. in order to deal with the deficit.
(Applause.)
And the other way to deal with the deficit is to put policies in
place that increase the revenues coming into the Treasury. And the best
way to encourage revenues coming into the Treasury is to promote policy
which encourages economic growth and vitality. A growing economy is
going to produce more revenues for the federal Treasury. The way to
deal with the deficit is not to be timid on the growth package; the way
to deal with the deficit is to have a robust enough growth package so
we get more revenues coming into the federal Treasury, and then follow
my lead and make sure we don't overspend the people's money in
Washington, D.C. (Applause.)
I'm incredibly proud of this country. And I know you are, as well.
We have been through a lot as a nation. Our resolve has been tested.
You know -- but we have shown the world our greatest resources and our
greatest strength, which is our national character -- that we hold
certain values to be true, that we've got tremendous compassion as a
nation, that we're an optimistic people and we're resolved people. We
are resolved to defend the peace of the world; that we are resolved to
bring freedom to corners of the world that haven't seen freedom in
generations; that we're determined to build the prosperity of our own
country.
This is a unique moment in our country's history -- it truly is --
and the American people are rising to meet it.
I want to thank each of you for what you've done to make this
country more secure, and the world more peaceful and the world more
free. I want to thank you for coming out today. It's such an honor to
be here. May God bless you and your families and may God continue to
bless America. (Applause.)