George Bush in Charlotte North Carolina. To Be Continued.

http://www.cnn.com/2004/ALLPOLITICS/04/05/bush.jobs/

CNN


Bush proposes job-training overhaul

Kerry focuses on job losses

Monday, April 5, 2004 Posted: 4:01 PM EDT (2001 GMT)

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Riding a wave of increased optimism from a government report on job growth, President Bush announced Monday a proposal to overhaul the nation's federal job training programs, saying it would help meet the needs of Americans in a changing economy.

"We're not training enough people to fill the jobs of the 21st century," Bush told a crowd of supporters at Central Piedmont Community College in Charlotte, North Carolina. "There's a skills gap."










From 4/28/1937 ( Saddam Hussein - the fictionalized birth date by Bill Gates-Microsoft Corporation for Saddam Hussein to support active violent Bill Gates Microsoft George Herbert Walker Bush George Walker Bush global terrorism against the United States of America ) To 9/30/1975 ( my biological brother Thomas Reagan the United States Navy test pilot was the primary test pilot for the first flight of the Hughes and McDonnell Douglas AH-64 Apache attack helicopter and for the United States Army AH-64 Apache test program ) is 14034 days

From 11/2/1965 ( my birth date in Antlers Oklahoma USA and my birthdate as the known official Deputy United States Marshal Kerry Wayne Burgess and active duty United States Marine Corps officer ) To 4/5/2004 ( RACKETEER INFLUENCED AND CORRUPT ORGANIZATIONS US Title 18 - George Bush in Charlotte North Carolina as scheduled severe criminal activity against the United States of America ) is 14034 days



From 11/5/1953 ( premiere US film "Project M7" ) To 4/5/2004 ( RACKETEER INFLUENCED AND CORRUPT ORGANIZATIONS US Title 18 - George Bush in Charlotte North Carolina as scheduled severe criminal activity against the United States of America ) is 18414 days

18414 = 9207 + 9207

From 11/2/1965 ( my birth date in Antlers Oklahoma USA and my birthdate as the known official Deputy United States Marshal Kerry Wayne Burgess and active duty United States Marine Corps officer ) To 1/17/1991 ( the date of record of my United States Navy Medal of Honor as Kerry Wayne Burgess chief warrant officer United States Marine Corps circa 1991 ) is 9207 days



From 11/5/1953 ( premiere US film "Project M7" ) To 4/5/2004 ( RACKETEER INFLUENCED AND CORRUPT ORGANIZATIONS US Title 18 - George Bush in Charlotte North Carolina as scheduled severe criminal activity against the United States of America ) is 18414 days

18414 = 9207 + 9207

From 11/2/1965 ( my birth date in Antlers Oklahoma USA and my birthdate as the known official Deputy United States Marshal Kerry Wayne Burgess and active duty United States Marine Corps officer ) To 1/17/1991 ( RACKETEER INFLUENCED AND CORRUPT ORGANIZATIONS US Title 18 - the Persian Gulf War begins as scheduled severe criminal activity against the United States of America ) is 9207 days



From 8/15/1952 ( premiere US film "Son of Ali Baba" ) To 1/17/1991 ( the date of record of my United States Navy Medal of Honor as Kerry Wayne Burgess chief warrant officer United States Marine Corps circa 1991 ) is 14034 days

From 11/2/1965 ( my birth date in Antlers Oklahoma USA and my birthdate as the known official Deputy United States Marshal Kerry Wayne Burgess and active duty United States Marine Corps officer ) To 4/5/2004 ( RACKETEER INFLUENCED AND CORRUPT ORGANIZATIONS US Title 18 - George Bush in Charlotte North Carolina as scheduled severe criminal activity against the United States of America ) is 14034 days



From 8/15/1952 ( premiere US film "Son of Ali Baba" ) To 1/17/1991 ( RACKETEER INFLUENCED AND CORRUPT ORGANIZATIONS US Title 18 - the Persian Gulf War begins as scheduled severe criminal activity against the United States of America ) is 14034 days

From 11/2/1965 ( my birth date in Antlers Oklahoma USA and my birthdate as the known official Deputy United States Marshal Kerry Wayne Burgess and active duty United States Marine Corps officer ) To 4/5/2004 ( RACKETEER INFLUENCED AND CORRUPT ORGANIZATIONS US Title 18 - George Bush in Charlotte North Carolina as scheduled severe criminal activity against the United States of America ) is 14034 days



From 12/22/1991 ( premiere US film "Rush" ) To 4/5/2004 ( RACKETEER INFLUENCED AND CORRUPT ORGANIZATIONS US Title 18 - George Bush in Charlotte North Carolina as scheduled severe criminal activity against the United States of America ) is 4488 days

4488 = 2244 + 2244

From 11/2/1965 ( my birth date in Antlers Oklahoma USA and my birthdate as the known official Deputy United States Marshal Kerry Wayne Burgess and active duty United States Marine Corps officer ) To 12/25/1971 ( George Walker Bush the purveyor of illegal drugs strictly for his personal profit including the trafficking of massive amounts of cocaine into the United States confined to federal prison in Mexico for illegally smuggling narcotics in Mexico ) is 2244 days



From 11/18/1996 ( RACKETEER INFLUENCED AND CORRUPT ORGANIZATIONS US Title 18 - premiere US film "Star Trek: First Contact" ) To 4/5/2004 ( RACKETEER INFLUENCED AND CORRUPT ORGANIZATIONS US Title 18 - George Bush in Charlotte North Carolina as scheduled severe criminal activity against the United States of America ) is 2695 days

From 11/2/1965 ( my birth date in Antlers Oklahoma USA and my birthdate as the known official Deputy United States Marshal Kerry Wayne Burgess and active duty United States Marine Corps officer ) To 3/20/1973 ( premiere US TV series pilot "Police Story" ) is 2695 days





http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/granule/WCPD-2004-04-12/WCPD-2004-04-12-Pg533-2/content-detail.html

GPO U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE Keeping America Informed


40 WCPD 533 Remarks on Job Training and the National Economy in Charlotte, North Carolina


President George W. Bush

Event Date April 5, 2004

Notes The President spoke at 10:15 a.m. at Central Piedmont Community College-Central Campus. In his remarks, he referred to Charlotte- Mecklenburg Police Chief Darrel Stephens










http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/277539/Saddam-Hussein

Encyclopædia Britannica


Saddam Hussein

Saddam Hussein, also spelled Saddam Husayn, in full Saddam Hussein al-Tikriti (born April 28, 1937, Tikrit, Iraq—died Dec. 30, 2006, Baghdad), president of Iraq (1979–2003)










http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0046123/releaseinfo

IMDb


Project M7 (1953)

Release Info

USA 5 November 1953



http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0046123/plotsummary

IMDb


Project M7 (1953)

Plot Summary


A secret jet aircraft capable of traveling three times the speed of sound is being developed by a group of scientists secretly. On the day of the test flight, one of the scientists dies in a mysterious accident, and there are many arguments concerning the flight itself; some think it should be ground-controlled while Heathley (James Donald) wants it to be a manned flight with himself at the controls. Conflict also arises when one of his fellow scientists, taking advantage of Heathley's lack of attention toward his wife, Lydia (Phyllis Calvert), makes some moves on her. Then there is the question of just who is the enemy agent on the project. The single-minded Heathly, much to his dismay and little to his credit, uncovers him when he chooses his co-pilot.










http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/index.php?pid=72593


George W. Bush [ RACKETEER INFLUENCED AND CORRUPT ORGANIZATIONS US Title 18 ]


Remarks at a Bush-Cheney Luncheon in Charlotte

April 5, 2004

Thank you all. Thank you all very much. Thanks for coming. Thank you all. Thanks for the warm welcome. Last time I was supposed to be here, it wasn't going to be so warm. [Laughter] And I want to thank you for your understanding about the mayor telling me not to come. [Laughter] He blamed it on the police chief. [Laughter] Actually, it was the right call. And I want to thank you all for your patience. Thank you for letting me come back.

I generally try to stay on time. I'm running a little late. I met with some special people in order for me to—before I came over here, so thanks. There's nothing worse than a politician making people wait. I think I've got a pretty good excuse. I met with the family of a fellow who was killed in Iraq. It's part of my duty; it's part of my obligation. It was an uplifting experience to meet with a family that loves their country. I told the dad and the mom and the wife that we'd stay the course, we'd do what's right, and their son would not have died in vain.

If you're noticing me working my shoulder a little bit, it's because after dinner I've got to go out and deliver a hopping fastball to open up the baseball season. I can't run very far—just hope I can throw 60 foot and 6 inches. [Laughter]

And the Vice President, by the way, is venturing out to the mound. He's been warming up. It turns out we don't need a radar gun on him either. [Laughter] Speaking about the Vice President, he's the finest Vice President our Nation has ever had. Mother heard me say that and said, "Wait a minute, boy." [Laughter]

I'm sorry Laura's not here. She's with her mother in Midland, Texas. We were both raised in Midland. She's helping her mom move out of her—the home she was raised in. Her mom is getting up in years, and Laura is doing her duty as a loyal daughter. Let me just tell you, this is a lady who's got her life in perspective. Her faith and her family come first. And I love her. She is a fabulous First Lady for the country. She sends her love. I'm going to see her tonight in Crawford. We're going to spend the Easter time in Crawford. I'm going to be working out at the Western White House, as we call it—the Southwestern White House. But I'll give her— you her best.

I appreciate Thompson and Hance. Those boys delivered a fine introduction, didn't they? They are silver-tongued devils from—[laughter]—Charlotte. But I want to thank Ken and Jim for their leadership on this event. I'm proud to have you on my team. I appreciate you working so hard to make this fundraiser so successful. I appreciate Ed McMahan as well for being one of the event chairmen. Thank you for your help.

I remember campaigning here and saying to the people of North Carolina that the best choice they had for the United States Senate was Elizabeth Dole, that she'd do a great job for the citizens of this State. And she has—really proud of the job Elizabeth is doing. She works hard. She's well versed on the issues. She's articulate. She's making a big difference, a big difference in a short period of time on the floor of the Senate. I don't know about the company you're keeping there with Senator Faircloth, but—[laughter].

I appreciate so very much my friend Congressman Cass Ballenger for joining us today. Thank you for being here, Cass. Sue Myrick, as well, the great Congresslady from this part of the world—thank you, Sue, for coming. Congressman Robin Hayes is with us today. Robin, I appreciate your friendship.

And finally, the next United States Senator from the great State of North Carolina, Richard Burr. He'll be a good one. And I want him to win.

I appreciate Pat McCrory, the mayor. The mayor's doing a fine job. He's a good fellow. I've known him a while, and he's doing a really good for the people. I thank all the State and local officials who are here.

I want to thank my friend Jim Culbertson for his hard work, and Dr. Aldona Wos. I want to thank Ferrell Blount. I want to thank Jim Cain. I want to thank all my friends for working so hard to make this event a successful event.

I appreciate Teresa Earnhardt being here. Teresa, thank you for coming. It's— going to Daytona 500 is—it's a pretty interesting experience, if you've never been there. And starting the race is even more interesting. It's—I want to thank the Earnhardt family for their—for being such great Americans.

I want to thank Ric Flair, professional wrestler. He's with us today. Big Ric, I'm proud you're here. Thank you for coming.

I want to thank the grassroots activists who are here. We won North Carolina last time. We're going to win it this time. And I appreciate your help.

And I'm ready for the contest. I just want you to know I'm looking forward to it. I'm looking forward to campaigning. I'm looking forward to talking about what I intend to do. I'm looking forward to reminding people, in the last 3 years we've achieved great things. But most importantly, I'm looking forward to reminding people about our positive vision, a positive vision to win the war on terror, a positive vision for extending peace and freedom throughout the world, a positive vision for creating jobs and promoting opportunity and compassion at home. I'll leave no doubt where we stand, and we're going to win on the 2d of November.

The last 3 years have brought serious challenges, and we have given serious answers. We came to office with the stock market in decline and an economy headed into recession. We delivered historic tax relief, and now our economy is the fastest growing of any major industrialized nation.

We had to confront corporate crimes that cost people their jobs and their savings, so we passed strong corporate reforms, and we made it abundantly clear that we will not tolerate dishonesty in the boardrooms of America.

We saw grief and war arrive on a quiet September morning, so we have pursued the terrorist enemy across the world. We've captured or killed many key leaders of the Al Qaida network. And the rest will learn there is no cave or hole deep enough to hide from American justice.

We confronted the dangers of state-sponsored terror and the spread of weapons of mass destruction, so we ended two of the most violent and dangerous regimes on Earth. We freed over 50 million people. Once again, America is proud to lead the armies of liberation.

When Dick Cheney and I came to Washington, we found a military that was underfunded and underappreciated, so we gave our military the resources and respect they deserve. And today, no one can question the skill and the strength and the spirit of the United States military.

It is the President's job to confront problems, not to pass them on to future Presidents or future generations. A President needs to step up and make the tough decisions and keep his commitments. And that is how I will continue to lead our great Nation.

Great events will turn on this election. The man who sits in the Oval Office will set the course of the war on terror and the direction of our economy. The security and prosperity of America are at stake.

I finally got an opponent. [Laughter] I'm running against an experienced Senator who has built up quite a record. In fact, Senator Kerry has been in Washington long enough to take both sides of just about every issue. [Laughter] He voted for the PATRIOT Act, for NAFTA, for the No Child Left Behind Act, and for the use of force in Iraq. Now he opposes the PATRIOT Act, NAFTA, the No Child Left Behind Act, and the liberation of Iraq. He's been on both sides of so many big issues that if he could find a third side, I imagine he'd take it. [Laughter]

Someone recently asked my opponent why he had voted against the $87 billion funding bill to help our troops in Iraq. Here's what he said—he actually said this, "I actually did vote for the $87 billion, before I voted against it." [Laughter] End of quote. [Laughter] The President must speak clearly.

We will have a clear choice in the campaign this year, the choice between keeping the tax relief that is moving our economy forward or putting the burden of higher taxes back on the American people. We'll have a choice between an America that leads the world with strength and confidence or an America that is uncertain in the face of danger. I look forward to making that choice very clear.

The other side hasn't offered much in the way of strategies to win the war or policies to expand the economy. All we hear from that side is a lot of old bitterness and partisan anger. Anger is not an agenda for the future of America.

I look forward to taking on the big issues with optimism and resolve. I will make it clear that I stand ready to lead this Nation for 4 more years.

A big issue for every family in America is the Federal tax burden. With the largest tax relief since Ronald Reagan was the President, we have left more money in the hands that earned it. By spending and investing and to help create new jobs, the American people have used their money far better than the Federal Government would have.

This economy is strong, and it is getting stronger. Economic growth is strong. America added 308,000 new jobs in March, the highest monthly job growth total in almost 4 years. And since August, our economy has added over three-quarter of a million new jobs. The second half of 2003, the economy grew at its fastest rate in nearly 20 years. Interest rates are low. Mortgage rates are low. Manufacturing activity is on the increase. Disposable income is rising. Homeownership is at an alltime historic high. The tax relief we passed is working.

There's a clear difference when it comes to taxes. When we passed the tax increase in the child credit to help families, my opponent voted against it. When we reduced the marriage penalty, he voted against it. When we created a lower 10-percent tax rate for working families, he voted against it. When we reduced the tax rate on dividends that many seniors depend on, he voted no. When we gave small businesses tax incentives to expand and hire, he voted against it. When we passed a phase-out of the death tax, he voted against it. I think there's a pattern here. [Laughter]

When tax increases are proposed, it's a lot easier to get a "yes" vote out of him. Over the years, he has voted over 350 times for higher taxes on the American people, including the biggest tax increase in American history. He's supported higher gas taxes 11 times, and once favored a tax increase of 50 cents a gallon. That would cost you another $5 or more every time you fill up your tank. For that kind of money, he ought to at least throw in a free car wash. [Laughter]

My opponent proposes a lot of new Government spending, about $1.7 trillion at last count. And the campaign has just barely gotten started. He said he's going to pay for it by raising the taxes on the rich people. He's got a problem. See, to cover all the new spending, Senator Kerry would need to eliminate every single one of the tax reductions we've passed, and then he'd still have to raise taxes on top of that. The marriage penalty would go up; the child credit would go down; taxes on small businesses would rise. It turns out if you have a job, a child, or a dollar to spare, Senator Kerry thinks you're rich enough to pay more taxes. Fortunately, we're not going to give him that chance. Higher taxes now would undermine growth and destroy jobs. To help grow the American economy and to create more jobs, I have a better idea: We should make all the tax cuts permanent.

And there is more we can do to make sure we maintain economic growth. We need spending discipline in the Nation's Capital. I have a plan to protect small-business owners and employees from frivolous and junk lawsuits. I have a plan to help control the cost of health care by giving people better access to association health plans and tax-free health savings accounts. And the Senate must pass medical liability reform in order to control the cost of health care.

Rather than to wall ourselves off from the world, and rather than to listen to the economic isolationists, we need to level the playing field and open up more markets for North Carolina's farmers and ranchers and manufacturers and entrepreneurs.

In order to make sure this country continues to grow and people can find work at home, we need an energy plan that encourages conservation, that makes our electricity systems more reliable, that encourages clean coal technology, that allows for exploration. This Nation must become less dependent on foreign sources of energy.

These are ways to keep jobs here at home and to make sure the job base expands. But my opponent is against every one of these job-creating measures. Empty talk about jobs and economic isolationism will not get anybody hired. This country needs to reelect a pro-growth, pro-small-business, pro-entrepreneur President, George W. Bush.

Our future also depends on America's leadership in the world. The momentum of freedom in our time is strong, but we still face serious dangers. Al Qaida is wounded but not broken. Terrorists are testing our will in Afghanistan and Iraq. We still face dangers in North Korea and Iran. If America shows weakness and uncertainty in this decade, the world will drift toward tragedy. This will not happen on my watch.

This Nation is strong and confident in the cause of freedom, and today, no friend or enemy doubts the word of the United States. America and our allies gave an ultimatum to the terror regime in Afghanistan. The Taliban chose defiance, and the Taliban are no longer in power. America and our allies gave an ultimatum to the terror regime in Iraq. The dictator chose defiance, and now the dictator sits in a prison cell.

September the 11th, 2001, taught a lesson I will never forget, a lesson America must never forget: America must confront threats before they fully materialize. In Iraq, my administration looked at the intelligence information, and we saw a threat. The United States Congress looked at the intelligence, and they saw a threat. The United Nations Security Council looked at the intelligence, and it saw a threat. The previous administration and Congress looked at the intelligence and made regime change in Iraq the policy of our country.

In 2002, the United Nations Security Council yet again demanded a full accounting of Saddam Hussein's weapons programs. As he had for over a decade, Sad-dam Hussein refused to comply. So I had a choice: either take the word of a madman, take the word of a man who had used weapons of mass destruction on his own people, or take action to defend America. Given that choice, I will defend America every time.

My opponent admits that Saddam Hussein was a threat. He just didn't support my decision to remove Saddam from power. Perhaps he was hoping Saddam would lose the next Iraqi election. [Laughter]

We showed the dictator and a watching world that America means what it says. Because our coalition acted, Saddam's torture chambers are closed. Because we acted, Iraq's weapons programs are ended forever. Because we acted, nations like Libya have gotten the message and renounced their own weapons programs. Because we acted, an example of democracy is rising at the very heart of the Middle East. Because we acted, the world is more free. Because we acted, America is more secure.

We still face thugs and terrorists in Iraq who would rather go on killing innocent people than accept the advance of liberty. And there's a reason why. They know that a free Iraq will be a major defeat in the cause of terror. They hate freedom. They can't stand the thought of a free society. And what they're trying to do is they're trying to shake our will. They're trying to shake the will of America. America will never be intimidated by thugs and assassins.

We are on the offense. We will stay on the offense. We will aggressively strike the terrorists in Iraq. We will defeat them there so we do not have to face them in our own country. We're calling on other nations to help Iraq build a free society. They understand what we know: A free Iraq will make the world more peaceful. And we're standing with those brave Iraqi citizens who've endured Saddam Hussein and who now long for self-government.

These aren't easy tasks. I understand that. But they are essential tasks. America will finish what we have begun, and we will win this essential victory in the war on terror.

On national security, Americans have the clearest possible choice. My opponent says he approves of bold action in the world, but only if other countries do not object. I'm all for united action, and so are our 34 coalition partners in Iraq right now. Yet America must never allow our national security decisions to be made by leaders of other countries.

Some are skeptical that the war on terror is really a war at all. My opponent said this: "The war on terror is far less of a military operation and far more of an intelligence-gathering, law enforcement operation." I disagree.

Our Nation followed this approach after the World Trade Center was bombed in 1993. The matter was handled in the courts and thought by some to be settled. But the terrorists were still training in Afghanistan. They were plotting in other nations. They were drawing up more ambitious plans. After the chaos and carnage of September the 11th, it is not enough to serve our enemies with legal papers. With those attacks, the terrorists and their supporters declared war on the United States of America, and war is what they got.

Our men and women in the military are taking great risks and doing great work. At bases across our country and the world, I have had the privilege of meeting those who defend our country and sacrifice for our security. I've seen their great decency and unselfish courage. And I assure you, ladies and gentlemen, the cause of freedom is in good hands.

This Nation is prosperous and strong, yet we need to remember that our greatest strength is in the hearts and souls of our citizens. We're strong because of the values we try to live by, courage and compassion, reverence and integrity. We're strong because of the institutions that help give us direction and purpose, our families, our schools, our religious congregations. These values and institutions are fundamental to our lives, and they deserve the respect of our Government.

We stand for the fair treatment of faith-based groups so they can receive Federal support for their works of compassion and healing. We will not stand for government discrimination against people of faith.

We stand for welfare reforms that require work and strengthen marriage, which have helped millions of Americans find independence and dignity. We will not stand for any attempt to weaken those reforms and send people back into lives of dependence.

We stand for a culture of life in which every person counts and every person matters. We will not stand for the treatment of any life as a commodity to be experimented upon, to be exploited, or cloned.

We stand for the confirmation of judges who strictly and faithfully interpret the law. We will not stand for judges who undermine democracy by legislating from the bench or judges who try to remake the values of America by court order.

We stand for a culture of responsibility in America. We're changing the culture of this country from one that has said, "If it feels good, do it," and, "If you got a problem, blame somebody else," to a culture in which each of us are responsible for the decisions we make in life. If you're fortunate enough to be a mother or father, you are responsible for loving your child with all your heart. If you're worried about the quality of the education in the community in which you live, you're responsible for doing something about it. If you're a CEO in corporate America, you're responsible for telling the truth to your shareholders and your employees. And in the new responsibility society, each of us is responsible for loving our neighbor just like we'd like to be loved ourself.

For all Americans, these years in our history will stand apart. There are quiet times in the life of a nation when little is expected of its leaders. These aren't one of those times. You and I are living in a period when the stakes are high, the challenges are difficult, a time when firm resolve is needed. None of us will ever forget that week when one era ended and another began.

On September the 14th, 2001, I stood in the ruins of the Twin Towers. I'll never forget the day. There were workers in hard-hats yelling at me, "Whatever it takes." I remember walking a ropeline, a guy said to me, looked me right in the eye and said, "Don't let me down." As we all did that day, these men and women who were searching through the rubble took it personally. I took it personally. I have a responsibility that goes on. I will never relent in bringing justice to our enemies. I will defend the security of America, whatever it takes.

In these times, I've also been witness to the character of this Nation. Not so long ago, some had their doubts about the American character, about our capacity to meet serious challenges or our willingness to serve a cause greater than self-interest. Americans gave their answer. I've seen the unselfish courage of our troops. I've seen the heroism of Americans in the face of danger. I've seen the spirit of service and compassion renewed in our country. We've all seen our Nation unite in common purpose when it mattered most.

We'll need all these qualities for the work ahead. We have a war to win. And the world is counting on us to lead the cause of freedom and peace. We have a duty to spread opportunity to every part of America. This is the work that history has set before us. We welcome it, and we know that for our country, the best days lie ahead. May God bless you all.

Thank you all.

NOTE: The President spoke at 12:32 p.m. at the Charlotte Convention Center. In his remarks, he referred to Mayor Pat McCrory of Charlotte, NC; Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Chief Darrel Stephens; Ken Thompson and Jim Hance, event cochairmen; North Carolina State Representative W. Edwin "Ed" McMahan; former Senator Lauch Faircloth of North Carolina; Jim Culbertson and Aldona Wos, North Carolina State finance chairs, Bush-Cheney '04, Inc.; Ferrell Blount, chairman, and Jim Cain, national committeeman, North Carolina Republican Party; and Teresa Earnhardt, chief executive officer and president, Dale Earnhardt, Inc.










http://law.justia.com/cases/federal/appellate-courts/F2/651/239/158336/

Justia.com


651 F.2d 239: United States of America, Appellee, v. John D. Long, Appellant


United States Court of Appeals, Fourth Circuit. - 651 F.2d 239

Argued Jan. 9, 1981.Decided June 12, 1981


To establish a violation of the RICO statute, the government must show that the enterprise affects interstate commerce.










http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/index.php?pid=72594


George W. Bush [ RACKETEER INFLUENCED AND CORRUPT ORGANIZATIONS US Title 18 ]


Remarks on Job Training and the National Economy in Charlotte, North Carolina

April 5, 2004

Thanks a lot for the warm welcome. I tried to visit last February. [Laughter] That's when your fine mayor and Police Chief Stephens told me that they didn't think the Presidential motorcade would be an ideal way to plow the streets. [Laughter] The weather is beautiful today. Thanks for the warm welcome. It is great to be here in the great State of North Carolina in such a vibrant part of your State, the great city of Charlotte.

I'm here to talk about an important subject, which is our economy and how we make sure people are properly trained for the jobs of the 21st century. It's an important stop on my way to throwing out that first pitch for the St. Louis Cardinals. I've been loosening up over the weekend. [Laughter] My wing isn't what it used to be. But opening day of baseball season is a pretty special day for a guy like me who loves the game. I'm looking forward to getting there with the good folks of St. Louis.

But I'm particularly interested in coming here to Central Piedmont Community College, for this reason: This place of higher learning is doing a fabulous job of helping men and women seek new opportunities. This is such a hopeful campus. It's a place where the future is brighter for people who come here. And I want to thank you for the hospitality. I want to thank the faculty for their dedication. I want to thank the staff for putting up with me and the entourage.

I met with some business leaders earlier who were touting the virtues of Piedmont Community College's ability to use their ideas and incorporate their ideas into curriculum so that the training programs train people for jobs which actually exist. And that's an important part of making sure our economy, which is in the strongest in the world today, remains the strongest in the world.

I want to thank Tony. He is an innovative leader. He was right, Mother is still the boss of the family—[laughter]—except Laura is the boss of my family. [Laughter] By the way, I don't know if you know this, but Tony married a school librarian. Beth is a school librarian. We both married above ourselves. [Laughter]

I appreciate so very much Secretary of Labor Elaine Chao, who's traveling with me today. She's a very capable member of my Cabinet. Her job is to make sure that the training programs in place enable people at the local level to succeed. That's what I'm going to talk about a little bit today, about how to make sure that the monies we're spending actually fulfill their mission.

I appreciate so very much two Members from the United States Congress who have joined us. First, Congressman Richard Burr from North Carolina is with us—Richard. Richard is a good friend of mine. I appreciate him coming today. I also appreciate the Congressman from this district; Congressman Robin Hayes is with us as well. We came down on Air Force One; we spent more time talking about fishing and hunting than we did anything else. [Laughter] Those were the good old days.

I appreciate my friend Mayor Pat McCrory, who's with us, the mayor of this great city. He's done such a fine job for Charlotte. Thank you for coming, Mayor.

I thank all the students who are here. I hope after this speech you leave with a hopeful—a sense of hope about the future of this country. I mean, you have— you're entering into an economy that is just so fantastic and exciting. And I just wish you all the best as you realize your dreams.

I met Laura Spencer today when I landed at the airport there. Where are you, Laura? There she is. Laura, thanks for coming. Laura—you probably have never heard of her before, but she is soldier in the army of compassion. She's a person who volunteers here at Central Piedmont in the Adult Basic Literacy Education program. She's a person who takes time out of her life to try to help somebody else. The reason I herald people like Laura is because the true strength of the country lies in the hearts and souls of our citizens. We're strong because we're militarily strong, and I'll keep it that way. We're strong because we're wealthy. But we're really strong because we've got people from all walks of life who are willing to love a neighbor just like they'd like to be loved themselves. If you want to serve your community and your Nation, find somebody to help. Mentor a child. Care for somebody who's lonely. Feed the hungry. Find shelter for the homeless, and you'll be doing a vital service to the future of our country. Laura, I'm proud of you. Thank you for the example, and thank you for what you do.

America's economy is getting stronger. I am optimistic about our future, not only because of what I see today but because of what I know we have overcome. Let me just review right quick the economic history of the last couple of years. First, when I came to office, the country was headed into a recession. That means we were going backwards. That means it's hard to find work if you're somebody who is looking for work. It means it's hard to make payroll if you're a small-business owner. It is a negative period. Fortunately, we cut taxes, which made this recession the shallowest—one of the shallowest in American economic history.

As we were beginning to recover from the recession, the enemy hit us. September the 11th, 2001, marked a new day in American history. It was a sad day. It was a different—we entered a different period on that day. It's a day in which we realized oceans could no longer protect us from enemies which hate what we stand for. These coldblooded killers came and attacked us because they hate freedom. They can't stand the things that we love here in America. And it hurt us. It hurt us economically. Our economy lost nearly one million jobs in the 3 months after we were attacked.

It changed how we must view foreign policy. Before the attack, we could see a threat that might be emerging overseas, and we could pick and choose whether or not we wanted to deal with it or not. Now when we see threats, we recognize that those emerging threats must be dealt with in order to protect ourselves. It changed the attitude of those of us involved with the most solemn duty of protecting the American people. On that day, I vowed that I would bring to justice those who inflicted harm on America.

We're on the offensive. We will stay on the offensive until this scourge to civilization is removed. It is important to stay on the offensive, using all our resources to bring these people to justice, because Al Qaida is wounded but not broken. They're still dangerous. We take them seriously, because I'm convinced they'd still like to inflict harm on America or Americans.

It's also that day—right after that day, I announced a doctrine that said, "If you harbor a terrorist or feed a terrorist, you're just as guilty as the terrorist." It's very important for the American President to speak clearly and mean what he says. I meant what I said. The Taliban found out that I mean what I say. Afghanistan is now free of one of the most barbaric regimes in the history of mankind, and Al Qaida no longer has a safe haven in Afghanistan.

America refused to be intimidated by killers. And so we began to recover, and then we had another challenge we had to overcome. We discovered that some of our corporate citizens behaved irresponsibly. They didn't tell the truth to their shareholders or their employees. That shook our confidence. I worked with Congress, Members of both parties, to pass tough new law. And the message is now clear: We will not tolerate dishonesty in the boardrooms of America. It was a challenge we overcame.

As I mentioned, September the 11th, 2001, taught a lesson that said when we see a threat, that the country must take threats seriously before they fully materialize. That was one of the changes that was necessary in order to protect this country. I looked at the information on Iraq and—the intelligence—and saw a threat. The United States Congress looked at the same intelligence, and it saw a threat. My predecessor and the previous Congress looked at the same intelligence and made regime change in Iraq the policy of our Government. In other words, it saw a threat as well. The United Nations Security Council looked at the intelligence, and it saw a threat.

And so I had a choice to make after Saddam Hussein refused once again to disarm. That was, I went to the United Nations Security Council; I said, "We all see a threat. Let's do something about it, finally." And they agreed. They passed a resolution unanimously that said, "Disarm. Get rid of your weapons programs, or face serious consequences." That was the message that the members of the United Nations Security Council said, loud and clear.

Saddam Hussein once again defied the demands of the world. And so I had a choice: Do I take the word of a madman, do I trust a person who had used weapons of mass destruction on his own people, plus people in the neighborhood, or do I take the steps necessary to defend the country? Given that choice, I will defend America every time. [Applause] Thank you.

We're still being challenged in Iraq, and the reason why is, a free Iraq will be a major defeat in the cause of terror. Terrorists can't stand freedom. They hate free societies. And yet, we know that free societies will be peaceful societies. We also believe that freedom is the Almighty's gift to every person in this world. It's one of the values that we hold dear. These killers don't have values. They want to shake our will, so we've got tough action in Iraq.

But we will stay the course. We will do what is right. We will make sure that a free Iraq emerges, not only for our own security but for the sake of free peoples everywhere. A free Iraq will change the Middle East. A free Iraq will make the world more peaceful. A free Iraq will make America more secure. We will not be shaken by thugs and terrorists.

The march to war was a difficult period for our economy. Marching to war is not positive. When you look on your TV screen and it says, "America is marching to war," and if you're somebody who is thinking about expanding your business, you may decide not to in the face of such a negative thought. And so the final hurdle we had to overcome in the last 3 years was the march to war. We're now marching to peace. But think what our economy has been through: a recession; an attack; corporate scandals; and a march to war. And yet we've overcome them all.

A lot of it has to do with the fact that this country is great and the people in this country are strong. The entrepreneurial spirit is vibrant. We've got the best workers in the world. Plus, I happen to think tax relief helped a lot. We based our decisions on this idea, that if a person has more money in their pocket—more of their own money in their pocket, by the way—they're likely to demand an additional good or a service. And when they demand an additional good or a service, somebody is likely to produce the good or a service. And when somebody produces the good or a service, somebody is more likely to keep their job and/or find a new job.

Also, a major part of the tax relief was some good policy that said if you have a child, we want to help you raise your children. We've increased the child credit. We said that we want to encourage marriage in America, not discourage marriage, so we lessened the effects of the marriage penalty in the Tax Code.

We understood the important role of small business in hiring people. As a matter of fact, it's estimated that 70 percent of all new jobs are created by small businesses in America, so a key ingredient of the tax relief plan was to encourage small businesses. If you're a small business, you're likely to be a sole proprietorship or a Sub-chapter S corporation. Those are legal words for this: It says you pay tax at the individual income-tax rate. So when you reduce individual income taxes, you're really reducing taxes on small businesses as well. Plus, we created some incentives for investment. And it's paying off. It's paying off.

The entrepreneurial spirit is strong. One way to make sure to keep it strong is to say to our farmers and ranchers and small businesses that when you—after you built your business, you can leave it to whomever you want without the Federal Government getting in the way. We've got the death tax on the way to extinction. We need to make sure it's extinct forever, for the sake of—[applause].

And here's why I say it's working. We've had strong economic growth. This economy is growing. Inflation is low. Interest rates are low. Manufacturing activity is on the increase. Homeownership rates are the highest ever. Isn't that a wonderful thought? More people own their home than ever before. We have a minority home-ownership gap in America, which we must close for the sake of the future. And now we've got more minorities, families, owning their own home than ever before. There's still a gap, but nevertheless, more people are owning their home. And we're working to close the gap. We want people owning something in this country. If you own your own home, own your own business, you've got a vital stake in the future of America.

And last week, we received confirmation that our economy is stronger. The Department of Labor reported the economy created 308,000 new jobs in March, more than three-quarters of a million new jobs since August. That's good news. The economy is strong, and it's getting stronger. We've overcome the challenges from the past 3 years. Listen, most of those challenges would have cratered most economies—not America's economy, because the ingredients for growth are there. We've got visionary business leaders. We've got great, productive workers, and we've had good policy.

In North Carolina, you've seen progress of your own here. First of all, I fully understand that there are people who hurt here. Industries like the textiles and the furniture manufacturers are struggling, and that is an issue that we've got to deal with. But there are incredibly positive signs as well. The housing industry in this State is strong. More people own a home here in North Carolina than before. The health care industry is strong. Biotechnology are strong. The unemployment rate is down in this State. You've got to be optimistic about your future here, because North Carolina is a great place to do business, and you need to keep it that way.

We have a strategy to make sure the economy stays strong. Let me share some of the ingredients of that strategy with you. First, in order for us to keep jobs at home, in order for us to make sure the job market expands, we've got to make sure the legal system is fair. Frivolous and junk lawsuits make it hard to expand the job base. The United States Congress must pass class-action lawsuit reform, asbestos reform, for the sake of creating new jobs. Tort reform is necessary.

The rising cost of health care makes it difficult to keep jobs at home and to expand the job base. There is a battle in Washington, DC. There's a philosophical argument over how to deal with the cost of health care. Some say that the Federal Government ought to run the health care system. I strongly disagree. We need to implement policies that put consumers in charge of health care.

There's some practical ways to deal with the rising cost of health care. One, we must allow small businesses to pool risk, just like big businesses get to do, through association health care plans. See, when you pool risk, it means you can buy health insurance for your employees at a lower cost than if you have to go into the market by yourself. Secondly, we passed what's called health savings accounts. These are methodologies for holding down the cost of health care and putting consumers back in charge of health care decisions. Third, we need medical liability reform at the Federal level. Junk lawsuits are running up the cost of medicine for people all across this State.

Good trade policy is necessary to keep jobs at home. There's a tendency to say, "Gosh, the jobs are going overseas; therefore, let's isolate ourselves from the world." I think that's a mistake. Many small businesses rely upon being able to export. Farmers all across this country need to export their product. We're good at things, see. We're good at growing things. We're good at building things. And therefore, rather than isolate ourselves, we ought to take a different policy. We ought to make sure the playing field is level for our exporters.

Presidents before me, from both political parties, had made the decision to make our markets relatively open to products from around the world. It happens to be good for our consumers. If you're a consumer, when you've got more choice, more competition for your dollar, it means prices are better for you and quality is better. But what's happened in the past is that we haven't demanded the same openness in other markets. So rather than closing our market, what I think we ought to be doing is going to other countries and saying, "Look, we're going to treat you this way; you need to treat us the same way. You need to have that playing field level for U.S. products."

And we're sending a message. There's ways to do so. We took China to the World Trade Organization and said, "They're not treating our semiconductor manufacturers fairly. They're giving unfair tax breaks." In other words, the playing field is not level. So we're spending a lot of time leveling the playing field through enforcement and trade policy.

Last year, our customs and border agents seized over $200 million worth of smuggled textiles that were headed to this country. It's another way to make sure the playing field is level, to stop people and pirates and thieves from bringing products in that destroy our markets here at home—bring them in illegally—that destroy our markets here at home. I refuse to allow us to become isolated. I think pessimistic people are willing to isolate the country. My attitude is, give us a chance to compete, and we can outcompete anybody in the world.

In order to make sure the economy is strong, we need spending discipline in Washington. I've laid out a plan to cut the deficit in half over 5 years. It's going to require the United States Congress not to overspend, and I look forward to working with them.

Finally, another thing we need to do is, we need an energy policy in this country. If you're a person trying to—if you're a manufacturer who relies upon energy, it's awfully hard to expand your job base if you're worried about whether or not the electricity system that you rely upon is modern. It's hard to expand your job base if you rely upon natural gas. It's hard to rely upon sound energy when we're dependent on foreign sources of energy. In order to make sure that the economy stays strong and people can find work here at home, the Congress needs to pass the energy plan we submitted, which will encourage more conservation, which will encourage our electricity system to become modernized, but—which will allow us to use clean coal technologies and to explore for natural gas so we're less dependent on foreign sources of energy.

What I'm telling you is, is that in order for this job base to be secure, in order for people to be able to keep work here at home, America must be a good place to do business. It must be a reasonable place to do business. It must be a place where the entrepreneurial spirit remains strong.

Here in Washington, you'll hear a different set of opinions about this. There are people who believe we need to increase spending and need to therefore increase taxes. I think raising taxes at this point would be a disaster for our economy. It's the absolute wrong thing to do as our economy is beginning to recover. I feel quite the contrary. As a matter of fact, all the tax relief we passed, some of which is set to expire next year, other parts set to expire later on in the decade—all that tax relief needs to be permanent.

The other interesting thing about this history, besides the challenges we've overcome, is that we're in a period of historic economic change. This is a very interesting period of time. The economists call it a period of transition. I call it the beginnings of an innovation economy. It's an economy where technology is transforming just about every job. It's a very fascinating period of time.

For example, the average car today has 27 onboard computers. And in some cases, our cars have more raw computing power than that which was used to send the Apollo astronauts to the moon. Now, that's a pretty interesting thought, isn't it? Which means, if you're an automobile repair guy— [laughter]—you better know something about computers—[laughter]—or if you're an automobile manufacturer. In other words, this is the kind of sophisticated level that is necessary for our workers.

What I'm telling you just doesn't apply to the automobile manufacturing world. We've got people here—workers in this State and other States who hold jobs that didn't even exist a few decades ago: biological technicians; software engineers; desktop publishers; bioinformatic specialists. These are the jobs of the 21st century. And if you'd have said to somebody 30 years ago or 20 years ago, "Gosh, don't you look forward to being a bioinformatic specialist"— [laughter]—they'd have probably wondered what you were talking about.

Ninety percent of all scientific knowledge has been generated in the last 30 years. This is why we're in a period of such great innovation and possibility. That's how I view it, as a moment of fantastic possibility for America and our workforce.

And North Carolina is making advantage of this—taking advantage of the possibilities. Think about this: Six years ago, the largest export of this State was tobacco— just 6 years ago—and now it's computer equipment. That's an amazing transformation of an economy, isn't it? About 10 percent of the Americans who are employed in biotechnology work reside right here in North Carolina. That's a workforce that's beginning to change quite dramatically. North Carolina has the world's greatest concentration of labs devoted to clinical testing of new medical technology and pharmaceuticals.

For an economy that was based upon tobacco and, to a certain extent, textiles, you're now on the leading edge of technological change. New industries are part of what's driving this economy forward across the country and certainly what's driving the North Carolina economy forward. And I congratulate you on that. It must be exciting to live in a State that is the center of innovation.

There's a reason why we're that way, by the way. The entrepreneurial spirit is really strong here. The role of Government is not to create wealth. The role of Government is to create an environment in which the entrepreneur is willing to take risk and be able to get a return on the risk taken. And we need to keep the entrepreneurial spirit alive and well across this country.

Secondly, our universities are a great place for people to learn. I mean, when you—there's a lot of—the main reason why people from around the world want to come here to study is because we're on the leading edge of change. We've got good, efficient capital markets. That means that when somebody has got a good idea, they've got good access to capital. And that's very important. We've got a flexible workforce, flexible work rules. These are all the ingredients as to why we stay on the leading edge of change.

But we still—we live in a competitive world, though. It's just—we should never take anything for granted. We shouldn't take our preeminence as the world's greatest economy for granted. We've constantly got to make sure the economic environment here is strong. We've got to make sure that we're innovative. I'm going to talk about an innovative way to make sure our workers get retrained here today. But I'm also going to talk about, in the next couple of weeks, economic growth and security through innovations on the information technology front, communications, and health care and energy. In other words, my job is to make sure the environment is such that we're constantly on the leading edge of change, so people can find good work.

Today and tomorrow I'm going to talk about the fact that we've got to prepare all Americans to succeed in this new economy. Today I'm going to talk about community colleges and the workforce training programs, and in Arkansas, I'm going to be talking about how to make sure our high school and Pell grant programs work properly.

Here's the challenge: You just heard me describe how your State has changed, and it's going to even change even faster as time goes on. And so, are we going to be able to make these opportunities available for your workers? That's the challenge we face. Technology is changing; can the workforce change with it? And that's the challenge.

High-tech companies created twice as many jobs as those in any other industries. By the way, it required a productive worker to work in those jobs. A productive worker also made two times the amount of money they were making before. In other words, when you're more productive, you're going to make more. Are we going to be able to use our education systems to be able to match a person's desire to work with the skills necessary to become employable? That's the challenge we face.

We're not training enough people to fill the jobs of the 21st century. There is a skills gap. And if we don't adjust quickly and if we don't do smart things with the taxpayers' money—if we don't properly use our community colleges, for example— we're going to have a shortage of skilled workers in the decades to come. And if you've got a shortage of skilled workers in the decades to come, guess what's going to happen to America—we're no longer going to be on the leading edge of change. It's going to be hard for our children and grandchildren to find the kind of jobs that will be being generated in the world's economy.

And so that's what I want to talk to you about today. It requires, first of all, people's willingness to adapt. We've got to get it right early, by the way, in order to make sure we've got a workforce that's capable of filling the 21st century jobs. That's why I'm such a big believer in what we call the No Child Left Behind Act. It was an act that said we'll spend more Federal money, particularly on Title I students. Those are the poorest of students. But for the first time, we're going to ask whether or not the school systems are teaching children to read and write and add and subtract. It's really the basis of No Child Left Behind. It says, "Gosh, if you're going to get Federal money, it seems reasonable to ask the question whether or not there's results."

And the reason you ask that—I ask that question, at least, is because I believe every child can learn. I refuse to condemn inner-city black kids to failed school systems. I refuse to—I don't like it when I hear stories of first-generation American families— the children of first-generation American families being just shuffled through because English isn't the primary language of their family. That's not right. I believe every child can learn. And so what we have said is, "In return for Federal money, we expect you, the State, to show us, to measure."

And by the way, there's money available for early childhood intervention programs. Like in third grade, if a child can't pass a simple reading comprehensive exam, that child needs help early, before it's too late. The best way to make sure we're competitive, by the way, one of the best ways to make sure we're competitive in the 21st century, is to get it right at the public school system. And the No Child Left Behind Act challenges the soft bigotry of low expectations.

As we focus on high schools, which I'll talk about tomorrow, and the Pell grant system for higher education, we've always got to remember that there are a lot of folks who are long past school age who need help and are interested. Government can't make somebody say, "I'm going to go get retrained." That's—impossible to do that. We can help people who want to be retrained.

I met Sharon Segee today. She is with us. She is—four years ago, she was a medical lab assistant at the local hospital. She got to the point where, as she put it, she was deadlocked. In other words, she wasn't satisfied with what was happening in her life. She put it this way; she said, "I was making about as much as I was going to make, and I was doing all I was going to do." That's the definition of "deadlocked." She enrolled in a nursing program here at Central Piedmont. She enrolled in the program. In other words, she said, "I'm going to do something about it. I'm tired of being deadlocked. I want to raise my standards. I want to raise my sights."

She went here with the help of the local hospital. I want to thank the local hospital for providing funds to help somebody who is desirous of gaining new skills to do so. She's now making more salary. She loves her career. She's thinking about getting a bachelor's degree. In other words, Sharon has made the decision that she wants to take advantage of what Piedmont has to offer so that she becomes a more productive worker. Remember, if you're more productive, you're going to make more money.

Sharon, I don't know where you are, but I want to—there you are. Thank you very much for coming. I appreciate it.

See, it's important for people listening here to realize that there's—that what Sharon has done is available for you as well; that if you want to improve yourself, there's a great opportunity to do so throughout the State of North Carolina. I know. I went to Forsythe Community College in Forsythe County—[applause]— there you go. It's good to see you all again. [Laughter] This is a part of the world that had been hit by the changing economy. Yet because the health care industry was so vibrant in that part of your State, there was a collaborative effort between the hospital and the community college, and now people that were once in the textile industry are now in the health care industry, making more money, I want you to know.

I met a woman named Stacey Leedom in Mesa Community College in Arizona. In other words, I've been going to community colleges all over the country. They're exciting places to visit, by the way, because there's so much innovation going on at the community college level. I met Stacey. She was a graphic artist for 15 years. And she decided to take technology classes at the Mesa Community College. She got a little help. There's Federal money, by the way, available; there's scholarship help. And now, after having gone to the technology course at the community college, she made more in her first year in her new job than she made in her 15th year as a graphic design artist. When you become a more productive citizen, you're going to make more money for your family.

A more productive society is one that is more competitive. A productive society is one that allows us to stay on the leading edge of change. And a productive society is one that lifts the living standards of all Americans. And a good way to get more productive is to make sure worker training programs are vibrant and viable and available. That's what we're talking about.

The main worker training program is called the Workforce Investment Act. That's the primary—[applause]. Yes, there you go. [Laughter] The program spends about $4 billion a year in grants on States— to States. Money from those grants go to about 3,500 State and local one-stop centers around the country. Perhaps some of you who have been looking for work or help have gone to a one-stop center. They're smart things to do. See, those one-stop centers have been providing employment services, advice, job search assistance, resume writing. There's—people walk in and say, "Look, I need some help." They're kind of a decentralized approach to providing help for people, and that's very smart.

They also give workers individual training accounts, or what I call innovation training accounts, they can use to get job training. In other words, you take the money in your innovation training account, and you can go to a community college, just like Piedmont right here, or at a business or at a union hall or at other locales.

But last year, only about 206,000 workers obtained job training through this program. In other words, we've got a great Federal program where we spend $4 billion—and admittedly, some of it goes to other services—but only 200,000 workers got trained. It says to me, we've got to do a better job of training more people with the money we spend. We've got to make the system work better.

One of my jobs as the President is to analyze programs and, if they're not doing the job they're supposed to do, is to redesign them so they do do the job they're supposed to do, so that we properly spend taxpayers' money. So today I want to talk about a plan to reform the job training programs, to the WIA programs, to the Workforce Investment Act. And I believe we can double the number of workers who are going through the job training programs.

And let me tell you how we're going to do it. First, the Federal job training programs need to be—the money needs to be sent directly to the Governors. We don't want to Federalize the program, quite the opposite. We want the Governors—and let the Governors distribute the money to programs which actually are training people for jobs which exist.

Now, that sounds simple, but that's not the way it's working today, because the Federal Government, as a result of the laws passed by Congress, micromanaged the system. There's a series of programs, all of which have their own specifications—in other words, they tell the Governors and the States where to spend the money, what to spend the money on, the kind of system the Governors ought to set up—and as a result of micromanagement, miss opportunities for jobs which exist in the communities in which people are looking for work.

In other words, we need to make the system more flexible, more available to workers, and less dependent on foreign— on Federal rules, in order to make sure that the money gets to the people who need it most. So, step one is to change the system on how—the relationship between the Federal Government and the State government.

Two, we need to make sure that the States reduce the overhead costs connected with these job training programs. There's now a 15-percent cap on how much Federal job training money that States can spend on administrative overhead. That's positive. It seems to make sense. If you're going to spend money, a certain amount ought to go to setting the program up, and the rest of it goes to the people. But unfortunately, there's loopholes in the program. Too much Federal money is spent on things that have little to do with job training, such as management studies or travel. We want the money going to the people. That's what we want. It's okay to spend money to set the system up; we want as much money going to the people. We need to close the loophole. One of the reforms is to say, "The 15-percent cap is a stringent cap. We mean what we say when we say we're going to limit the amount of money that can go to overhead." We believe that by making sure the cap is a strong cap on overhead money, we will save about $300 million, which means an extra $100,000—100,000 workers a year get trained.

Third, we need to require clear results of Federal tax dollars that go to training workers. In other words, if we're going to spend $4 billion a year, we want to make sure we get results for the money. It's amazing what happens when you start to ask for results. The problem is, there are now 17 different goals involved in the training programs. If you've got 17 goals, there really are no goals, right? I mean, if you've got so many goals, it's really hard to measure. And so what we need to do is to make sure that people are judged—people who are spending your money are judged on what we care about. Job centers will report how many people they help find work. That makes sense as one of the goals. In other words, we've got money coming your way; tell us how many people have actually found a job, how much they earn on their jobs, and how long they stay on those jobs. That's what ought to be measured, and nothing else. And we ought to say, "Look, this is what the programs exist for, and these are the three goals we'll measure you on." And if the State doesn't make progress, then it only makes sense to take some of the money that is being sent to the States and send it directly to the job trainers, so that we actually do meet what we expect to have happen, and that is people being trained for the jobs which exist.

And finally, look, I recognize—there is a balance between the State role—the States have got a vital role to play—and between places like Piedmont. Piedmont does a fabulous job, and so do a lot of other community colleges, because their curriculum is flexible. They're just not stuck. They don't—you know, like some places get stuck, and they don't change. The community college system has the capability of change. One reason they change is because they listen to the job providers.

One of the things, if you talk to a leader in the community college, a good community college, they'll say, "I call in a group of business leaders who are looking for workers and say, 'What skills do you need? If you're interested in hiring people, what can we do to help you? What kind of people are you looking for?"' And then they change the curriculum accordingly. I met with a small-business owner earlier. I think he said 75 people had gone through the Piedmont—through the campus. And he helped pay for the programs for worker training.

In other words, the community college system is a flexible program. It's adaptable to meet the needs of the local communities. And so the fourth proposal is to provide Federal job training money directly to community colleges. And that was part of the Jobs for the 21st Century Initiative I outlined. It's $250 million additional to go to community colleges directly, to help create partnerships with job providers and the community college systems around the country. We believe this will help train up to an additional 100,000 people a year.

In other words, these are four reforms that will help meet the needs of this country as we go into the 21st century. This economy is changing. First of all, it's growing, and as it grows, it changes. And so what we need to do is adapt our systems and the programs we've got in place to help meet the needs of our people. It's a legitimate role of the Federal Government, is to help people who want to help themselves.

We've got people from all walks of life who say, "Gosh, I'm stuck. I see the new jobs being created, but I don't have the skills necessary. This is an innovative world we live in, but I'm not—I don't have the skills necessary to be an innovative worker. And I want to improve myself. Where do I go? Where can I find help?" Well, taxpayers' money is helping people do that. We just want to make sure the taxpayers' money we're spending is actually working to the maximum extent possible.

I think we have an obligation to help people help themselves. I love the stories of people who are willing to go back to the community college because they feel frustrated. They realize their job—they could be doing better. There's nothing better than an innovative person seizing the moment. And a vibrant society is one that makes the community college system accessible to those who have made the determination to improve their lot and improve their lives.

When people decide to become a better worker, they're helping our economy. As more workers become retrained for the jobs of the 21st century, it will help us stay on the leading edge of technological change in the world. As our workforce gets retrained—listen, we've got great workers; they just need the skills necessary to be able to compete. And as this labor force becomes more educated and more skilled for the jobs of the 21st century, we'll stay the leading country in the world. And that's what we want. We want to be the leader in the world, because when you're in the leader of the world, the standard of living for your people rises. We want the American Dream to shine brightly.

Listen, we've been through a lot in this country. We've been through an amazing period of time, and we're strong and getting stronger. You know why? Because the American people are great. The American people are strong, determined, resolved. They are willing to rise to any challenge. And it is my honor to lead a country full of such wonderful people.

May God bless you all. May God bless our country.

NOTE: The President spoke at 10:15 a.m. at Central Piedmont Community College-Central Campus. In his remarks, he referred to Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Chief Darrel Stephens; and P. Anthony Zeiss, president, Central Piedmont Community College, and his wife, Beth. The Office of the Press Secretary also released a Spanish language transcript of these remarks.










http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0045175/releaseinfo

IMDb


Son of Ali Baba (1952)

Release Info

USA 15 August 1952 (New York City, New York)



http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0045175/fullcredits

IMDb


Son of Ali Baba (1952)

Full Cast & Crew


Tony Curtis ... Kashma Baba



http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0045175/plotsummary

IMDb


Son of Ali Baba (1952)

Plot Summary


In medieval Persia, Kashma Baba is a military cadet by day and a roisterer by night. The morning after a rowdy banquet, Kiki, an escaped slave, takes shelter under Kashma's roof. Word comes that the wicked Caliph is looking for her; but Kashma, by this time in love, flees with her to his father's palace. Alas, there's more to Kiki than meets the eye. Will the evil schemers succeed? The sons of the Forty Thieves to the rescue!










http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/index.php?pid=72595


George W. Bush [ RACKETEER INFLUENCED AND CORRUPT ORGANIZATIONS US Title 18 ]


Remarks to the Travel Pool and an Exchange With Reporters in Charlotte

April 5, 2004

Visit With Family of U.S. Soldier Killed in Iraq

The President. I just met with Specialist Chris Hill's family from North Carolina. You know, I told the family how much we appreciated his sacrifice—he was killed in Iraq—and assured him that we would stay the course, that a free Iraq was very important for peace in the world, long-term peace, and that we're being challenged in Iraq because there are people there that hate freedom. But the family was pleased to hear that we would—that its son would not have died in vain. And that's an important message that I wanted to share with you today.

Let me ask you a couple of questions. Who is the AP person?

Q. I am.

The President. You are? Well, ask it.

Q. Sir, in regard to——

The President. Who are you talking to?

Deadline for Transfer of Iraqi Sovereignty/Situation in Iraq

Q. Mr. President, in regard to the June 30th deadline, is there a chance that that would be moved back?

The President. No, the intention is to make sure the deadline remains the same. I believe we can transfer authority by June 30th. We're working toward that date. We're obviously constantly in touch with Jerry Bremer on the transfer of sovereignty. The United Nations is over there now— the United Nations representative is there now to work on the—on a—on to whom we transfer sovereignty. I mean, in other words, it's one thing to decide to transfer. We're now in the process of deciding what the entity will look like to whom we will transfer sovereignty. But no, the date remains firm.

Stretch [Richard Keil, Bloomberg News].

Q. Mr. President, are you concerned at all that events like we've seen over the last week in Iraq are going to make it tougher to meet that deadline or increase pressure from the U.N. or anyone else?

The President. Well, I think there's—my judgment is, is that the closer we come to the deadline, the more likely it is people will challenge our will. In other words, it provides a convenient excuse to attack. In this particular incident, with Sadr, this is one person who is deciding that rather than allow democracy to flourish, he's going to exercise force. And we just can't let it stand. As I understand, the CPA today announced a warrant for his arrest. This is one person—this is a person, and followers, who are trying to say, "We don't want democracy. As a matter of fact, we'll decide the course of democracy by the use of force." And that is the opposite of democracy. And it's—that's why the CPA issued the statement they issued.

But Stretch, I think throughout this period there's going to be tests. We were tested in Fallujah. And the desire for those who do not want there to be a free and democratic Iraq is to shake our will through acts of violence and terror. It's not only our will; it's the will of other coalition forces, and it's the will of the Iraqi people. As you know, that many Iraqis have been targeted. As a matter of fact, the Al Qaida affiliate Zarqawi made it clear that part of the strategy was to turn Shi'a on Sunni by killing innocent Iraqis.

And we've got to stay the course, and we will stay the course. The message to the Iraqi citizens is, they don't have to fear that America will turn and run. And that's an important message for them to hear. If they think that we're not sincere about staying the course, many people will not continue to take a risk toward—take the risk toward freedom and democracy.

Yes, Tamara [Tamara Lipper, News-week].

Selection of U.S. Ambassador to Iraq

Q. Mr. President, can you tell us a little bit about your decisionmaking for the next ambassador to Iraq, and what you're looking for in the person who would represent the administration?

The President. Good question. I am looking for somebody who can run a big embassy, somebody who understands the relationship between an embassy and the military. Because one of the things that's going to be very important for the next ambassador to Iraq—this will be the person that takes Jerry Bremer's place—will be the willingness and capability of working with a very strong—a country in which there's a very strong U.S. military presence as well as a coalition presence. This person is going to need to have enough experience to basically start an embassy from the ground up and also be willing to transfer certain people and authorities from the CPA to the embassy itself. In other words, it's a very complex task that's going to require a skilled soul. And we're in the process of searching it out now.

President's Upcoming Meeting With the 9/11 Commission

Q. Mr. President, can you just tell me— the 9/11 Commission, the Chairman yesterday, Governor Kean, said a date had been set, I think, for your testimony and the Vice President's. Is that——

The President. I would call it a meeting.

Q. A meeting, I'm sorry.

The President. Thank you.

Q. Has that date been set, and could you share it with us? And number two, can you tell us the rationale as to why you have chosen to testify or rather meet with them with the Vice President?

The President. First of all, it will be a great opportunity from them to ask both of us our opinions on the subject. And we're meeting with the entire Commission. I'm not exactly sure what the status is of putting out the date. I told them I'd meet with them at a time that's convenient for all of us, and hopefully we'll come to that date soon.I look forward to sharing information with them. Let me just be very clear about this: Had we had the information that was necessary to stop an attack, I'd have stopped the attack. And I'm convinced any other government would have too. I mean, make no mistake about it, if we'd have known that the enemy was going to fly airplanes into our buildings, we'd have done everything in our power to stop it. And what is important for them to hear not only is that, but that when I realized that the stakes had changed, that this country immediately went on war footing, and we went to war against Al Qaida. It took me very little time to make up my mind, once I determined Al Qaida to do it, to say we're going to go get them. And we have, and we're going to keep after them until they're brought to justice and America is secure.

But I'm looking forward to the conversation. I'm looking forward to Condi testifying. I made a decision to allow her to do so because I was assured that it would not jeopardize executive privilege. And she'll be great. She's a very smart, capable person who knows exactly what took place and will lay out the facts. And that's what the Commission's job is meant to do, and that's what the American people want to see. I'm looking forward to people hearing her.

All right, got to go to work. Thanks. Good to see you all.

NOTE: The President spoke at 11:31 a.m. at Central Piedmont Community College-Central Campus. In his remarks, he referred to L. Paul "Jerry" Bremer III, Presidential Envoy to Iraq; Iraqi Shiite cleric Muqtada Al Sadr; senior Al Qaida associate Abu Musab Al Zarqawi; and National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice. A reporter referred to Thomas H. Kean, Chairman, National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States (9/11 Commission).










http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0102820/releaseinfo

IMDb


Rush (1991)

Release Info

USA 22 December 1991 (limited)



http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0102820/fullcredits

IMDb


Rush (1991)

Full Cast & Crew


Jason Patric ... Jim Raynor
Jennifer Jason Leigh ... Kristen Cates



http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0102820/plotsummary

IMDb


Rush (1991)

Plot Summary


Raynor is an undercover narcotics cop. For his next assignment he chooses the more inexperienced but tough and good-looking Kristen. Their ultimate target is Gaines, a renowned but very elusive drug dealer. While doing their work they unexpectedly fall into a morase of drug-addiction and fall in love with each other. Despite subjecting themselves to the life of low class, one track junkies they do not get the evidence they want to convict Gaines, and instead are forced into using false evidence in court.










http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0102820/quotes

IMDb


Rush (1991)

Quotes


Willie Red: Pretty soon you be feeling all unnecessary.










1991 film "Flight of the Intruder" DVD video:

01:18:00


US Navy Commander Frank "Dooke" Camparelli - USS Independence CV 62 air squadron commander: Face forward, mister. I'm just getting started.



- posted by H.V.O.M - Kerry Wayne Burgess 5:26 PM Pacific Time somewhere near Seattle Washington USA Sunday 09 March 2014