Howard Dean Speaks in Racine:
Dean Talks About "Failure
of Bush Administration"
RACINE (Feb. 14, 2004) - Governor Howard Dean, MD delivered remarks on the economy at a town hall meeting in Racine today. The following are excerpts of his remarks:
 "Today, I plan to talk about the other great failure of this administration - the economy. And about how, working together, we can turn this economy around and build a better future.
"And Wisconsin is feeling the pain as much as any place in the country. Unemployment here is 28% higher than when George Bush took office.
 "Manufacturing accounts for 19% of the jobs in Wisconsin, but 75,000 manufacturing jobs have been lost in three years here. Jobs in the few sectors that are expanding here pay $7000 a year less than the jobs that have been lost.
"Listen to what a woman in Shorewood, Wisconsin wrote to me.
"I had to drop out of UW-Milwaukee because of the increase in tuition. I have 10 classes to graduate and now have had to put it off again at 36 years old..
"I was laid off from my job as was my husband. We now make half of our income in 2000 at best and have applied for W2, BadgerCare and Food Stamps to make ends meet with 3 kids. We also have had one car repossessed, are about to lose our apartment and the other car if we can't find a fix in 10 days. We have had to become tax takers instead of taxpayers."
"What has Bush cost me? My job, my home, my cars, my credit, my education, and the ability to support my own children."
"Thanks President Bush, glad your economy is "improving"...
"Some candidates for President seem to think that they can follow in George Bush's footsteps - promise people tax cuts and health care. Tax cuts and better education. Tax cuts and we'll still balance the budget."
"That's not being straight with the American people and it's not providing them with the Real Choices that they need to make this fall."
"It doesn't have to be this way. Let me lay out five steps to real economic change, providing real economic choice."
"First, we have to balance the budget and restore fiscal discipline."
"Second, once we have repealed the President's reckless tax cuts and set ourselves on a path to balancing the budget, we'll offer fundamental tax reform."
"The third step is to shift the focus of economic policy from tax breaks for the wealthy to creating more and better jobs for ordinary Americans."
"Fourth, we'll make fairness the centerpiece of economic policy - putting the interests of working Americans ahead of the special interests and their lobbyists in Washington."
"Lastly, my economic plan will help America's working families deal with the stress of trying to make ends meet."
"This fall, Wisconsin and America, you deserve honesty and the truth. You deserve Real Choices because we so desperately need Real Change."
"We need a Democratic nominee who will face up to these truths -- who will be a force for real change, proving that economic power and political corruption are no match for the people standing up to take back their country."
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