Oct. 19 / Administration of George W. Bush, 2006 Remarks at a Reception for Congressional Candidate Don Sherwood and the Pennsylvania Victory Committee in La Plume, Pennsylvania October 19, 2006 Thank you all very much. Please be seat- going to try that out myself. [Laughter] But ed. I’m glad to be back again. Thanks for thank you very much for letting us use welcoming me. I am pleased to be here this facility on this beautiful campus, and with Don Sherwood. He is the right man thanks very much for being involved in to represent the people of the Tenth Con- higher education. I appreciate your leader- gressional District from the State of Penn- ship, and I know the people of this part sylvania. of the world do as well. He has got a record of accomplishment. I thank very much Rob Gleason, who’s He has been a strong supporter of those the chairman of the Republican State Com- brave men and women who wear our Na- mittee for Pennsylvania, and Bob Asher, tion’s uniform. He has been a supporter who is the national committeeman. The of the Tobyhanna Army Depot. He’s a reason I bring up these folks is that a lot strong supporter of Pennsylvania’s dairy of politics depends upon the capacity of farmers. When it came time to make sure the grassroots to do their job. So first, I highway money was available for Pennsyl- want to thank you very much for raising vania, he did his job that you expect him the money, filling the hat. It’s important to do. He’s a person who has been working for Don Sherwood’s campaign to be able hard to increase jobs here in this part of to advertise, and he will continue to do the world. He’s worked to cut taxes on the working people. He understands it’s im- so. But in order for him to win, we got portant to keep the people of the district to turn out the vote. And so for those of safe. I strongly believe the people in this you who are involved with grassroots poli- part of Pennsylvania need to send Don tics, I want to thank you in advance for Sherwood back to the United States Con- what you’re going to do to get people to gress. the polls come November. And I’m glad Carol is here with us today. I also want to thank my friend Bill Scran- I read Carol Sherwood’s letter to the citi- ton, who’s with us today. Bill and Maryla zens of this congressional district. I was are fine citizens of this part of the world, deeply moved by her words. Carol’s letter and I’m proud to call him friend. And I shows what a caring and courageous woman really want to thank you for being here. she is. I’m delighted to be here with Carol Thanks for coming. and their daughter Maria. Thanks for com- It’s a big campaign coming up, and I ing. like being out on the campaign trail be- I am not Sherwood’s first choice to be cause I like sharing with the people what here at the fundraiser. [Laughter] Both he I believe. And I’m looking forward to work- and Carol wanted Laura to come. [Laugh- ing with Congressman Sherwood the next ter] But she sends her very best to the time Congress convenes in—not in a lame- Sherwoods, and she, like me, strongly be- duck session. We got a lot to do. One thing lieves Don Sherwood ought to be reelected we got to do is make sure we become to the United States Congress. less dependent on foreign sources of oil. I want to thank Dr. Ned Boehm, the You know, I understand the price of gaso- president of Keystone College—and Re- line is dropping, but that should not ob- gina. Regina told me she broke her foot scure the fact that we have a national secu- playing golf. [Laughter] In 21⁄2 years, I’m rity problem when it comes to relying upon 1872 VerDate Mar 15 2010 10:45 Oct 01, 2010 Jkt 211655 PO 00000 Frm 00560 Fmt 1240 Sfmt 1240 E:\HR\OC\211655A.016 211655A rmajette on DSK29S0YB1PROD with HEARING Administration of George W. Bush, 2006 / Oct. 19 oil from parts of the world that don’t like income taxes, the Democrats voted against us. it. When we reduced the marriage penalty, And so I want to continue to work with Democrats voted against it. When we cut Congressman Sherwood to make sure we taxes on small businesses, Democrats voted promote new technologies, new ways to against it. When we lowered taxes for fami- power our automobiles. I envision a day lies with children, the Democrats voted when ethanol becomes more widespread, against it. We put the death tax on the where Pennsylvania farmers are actually road to extinction; the Democrats voted providing the fuel necessary to run our against it time and time again. When the cars. For the sake of economic security and Democrats had a chance to deliver tax re- for the sake of national security, we must lief for the American people, they voted continue to diversify away from foreign no. This is a party that is genetically hostile sources of crude oil. to tax relief. [Laughter] No, we’ll work together on issues like With every vote they have cast, they health care. I appreciate the fact that he make clear to the American people, higher was a strong supporter of Medicare mod- taxes are part of the congressional Demo- ernization. For the seniors who are on pre- crats’ DNA. When we passed tax relief over scription drugs here in this part of the dis- the Democrat objections in 2003, the mi- trict, they understand that this new Medi- nority leader in the House called it a trag- care bill is a good bill. No longer do poor edy and predicted it would not create jobs seniors have to choose between medicine or grow our economy. and food, thanks to people like Congress- And here are the actual facts: The tax man Don Sherwood. cuts we passed put more than a trillion But as this campaign gets closer to the dollars in the hands of American workers stretch, you will hear a lot of rhetoric and and families and small businesses and farm- a lot of partisan charges coming from the ers, and the American people have used other side. Their goal is to distract you that money to fuel a strong and growing from the two main issues in this campaign, economy. The United States economy is and they are these: Which party will keep the envy of the industrialized world. your taxes low, and which party will take Since overcoming the recession, the ter- the steps necessary to defend the United rorist attacks, war, hurricanes, corporate States of America? scandals, this economy has had 37 straight My administration, our party, and Don months of job growth, since August of Sherwood have clear records on both these 2003. And since that day, we’ve added 6.6 issues. Let me first start with taxes. Repub- million new jobs. The national unemploy- licans have a clear philosophy. We believe ment rate is low. The progrowth economic that the people who know best how to policies that Don Sherwood supported have spend your money are the people that earn made this economy strong, and we intend that money, and that is you. The Demo- to keep it growing. crats believe that they can spend your As well, because of growing our econ- money better than you can. So we worked omy, which increases tax revenues into the hard to ensure that the working families Federal Treasury, and being wise about in this district and all around the country how we spend your money, we met our kept more of their paychecks when we en- goal of reducing our Federal deficit in half acted the largest tax cuts since Ronald 3 years ahead of schedule. Democrats may Reagan was President of the United States. call this a tragedy; we call it success. Our record is clear, and so is the record And now you’re going to hear that same of the Democrats in Washington, DC. old, tired rhetoric, Washington Democrats When we cut taxes for everybody who pays talking about how they’re going to raise 1873 VerDate Mar 15 2010 10:45 Oct 01, 2010 Jkt 211655 PO 00000 Frm 00561 Fmt 1240 Sfmt 1240 E:\HR\OC\211655A.016 211655A rmajette on DSK29S0YB1PROD with HEARING Oct. 19 / Administration of George W. Bush, 2006 taxes only on the rich. You know, they say There are major differences between the they’re for fairness and they’re for tax relief political parties on the issue of how best for the middle class. But we’ve heard this to protect the American people. You know, before, and the American people shouldn’t the enemy has got to be right once, and be fooled by this kind of rhetoric. we’ve got to be right 100 percent of the You might remember, back in 1992, the time to protect you. Democrats campaigned on a tax cut for And that’s why I thought it was very the middle class. They won, but when they important to institute a program that would took office, the middle class tax cut they enable our professionals at the Central In- promised turned out to be the largest tax telligence Agency to question people that increase in American history.