Would Make Education No. 1 Priority, Ensure That Prosperity Benefits All Families

"It's a question of priorities and values." -- Al Gore in last night's presidential debate

Education:
Al Gore agrees with George W. Bush that we must strengthen accountability. Gore would test all new teachers to make sure they are qualified, but his education plan doesn't end there. Gore's comprehensive education plan starts with universal pre-school for all four-year-olds, reforms classrooms, makes most college tuition tax deductible and promotes lifelong learning and skills training. Gore would invest in education to finish hiring 100,000 new teachers, reduce class sizes and help local communities construct new schools and modernize classrooms.

Responsible Tax Cuts and Economic Choices:
Al Gore would balance the budget and eliminate the national debt by 2012. This would eliminate interest payments that consume more of the federal budget each year than all expenditures other than Social Security and national defense. He has proposed a $500 billion package of tax cuts for working and middle-class families that need it most. He will make college tuition tax deductible up to $10,000 and help families save for college tax-free. His cuts will help families pay for child-care and long-term care.

George W. Bush's budget would drain most of the surplus on a $1.6 trillion tax cut for the rich, overspend the surplus by at least $1.1 trillion and keep the nation in permanent debt. Through his massive tax cut, Bush would drain $665 billion of the surplus to the wealthiest one percent of Americans. This sum is greater than the amount Bush would spend on education, health care, prescription drugs and national defense combined.

Bush Leaves Questions Unanswered on His Priorities in Texas:

1)Why did Governor Bush prioritize large tax cuts and an "emergency" tax cut for Big Oil companies over expanding children's health insurance?

• Bush Prioritized Oil Tax Breaks over Children's Health Insurance. In 1999, after Bush deemed a $45 million oil industry tax break an emergency and made it the first signed bill of the session, some Democratic legislators questioned his priorities in putting the legislation before the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP). "It's about priorities," Democratic Rep. Dale Tillery said. "I know a whole lot of uninsured children, but I don't know a lot of poor oilmen." "The governor's got to satisfy certain interests within the Republican party as he tries to win the Republican nomination and the oil interests are very strong among that group," said Democratic Rep. Kevin Bailey. "Clearly he's doing what he's got to do to curry favor with those who will influence the nomination for president." [Dallas Morning News, 3/12/99; Tulsa World, 3/13/99]

• Bush Fought Efforts to Expand Children's Health Insurance. Even though Texas ranks second worst in the nation in the percentage of uninsured children (24 percent) and the number of kids lacking health insurance (1.4 million), Bush fought efforts to expand coverage to more children. In fact, Bush's initial 1999 budget proposal for the Children's Health Insurance Program would have denied coverage to 220,000 kids compared to the plan passed by the state legislature. CHIP provides health insurance for children in families that don't qualify for Medicaid and can't afford private insurance. In fact, while Texas had a $6.4 billion budget surplus, and $1.8 billion from the tobacco settlement, Bush had his staff lobby to contain expansion of the program, according to lawmakers involved in the negotiations. [Austin American-Statesman, 2/26/99; Dallas Morning News, 12/2/98; New Republic, 7/12/99]

  2)In response to a gun safety question, Bush said it "starts with enforcing the law." So why were criminals in Texas given licenses to carry concealed weapons?

• Bush Signed NRA-backed Concealed Gun Bill. In 1995, Bush signed an NRA-backed bill to allow private citizens to carry concealed handguns. "Texas will be a better place because of this law," he said. The bill ended a nearly 125-year prohibition of concealed weapons in Texas. The Texas Police Chiefs Association lobbied against the bill. Texas uses a "shall issue" standard for concealed weapons permits. Texas law enforcement officials are required to approve a permit for anyone who passes a background check and attends 10 hours of classroom training. Other states allow the police discretion in determining who should be allowed a permit to carry a concealed weapon. [Dallas Morning News, 8/27/95, 5/11/95, 12/23/97, 5/27/99; New York Times, 5/28/95; "Carrying Concealed Weapons: Questions and Answers," www.handguncontrol.org/gunlaw]

• Texas Has Been Giving Criminals Concealed Weapons Permits. According to the Los Angeles Times, "...since the [Bush-supported 1995 concealed weapons] law took affect, the state has licensed hundreds of people with criminal convictions -- including rape and armed robbery -- and histories of violence, psychological disorders and drug or alcohol problems. ... Still others committed crimes, ranging from double murder to drunk driving, after they were licensed." [Los Angeles Times, 10/3/00]

• More than 215,000 Concealed Handgun Licensees in Texas in 2000 -- At Least 400 Had Prior Convictions. As of October 2000, 215,000 Texans with concealed weapons permits. State officials admitted at least 400 of those people were given permits despite having prior convictions. [Los Angeles Times, 10/3/00]

  3)Why would Bush claim that environmental standards were "mandatory" and that polluters in Texas "must conform to clean air standards...no excuses" when mandatory standards only apply to certain plants and Bush signed a voluntary law that same year.

• Mandatory Reduction Bill Only Applies to Certain Plants. In 1999, Bush signed another voluntary emission reduction bill for most grandfathered companies. That same year, he signed the energy deregulation bill, SB 7, which does mandate a reduction in emissions for grandfathered utility companies. SB 7 will only address a fraction of the current air pollution in Texas. The bill requires utilities to decrease their emissions by 50 percent. Currently, utility companies make up only one third of grandfathered emissions. [Austin American?Statesman, 6/2/99]

• Bush Signed Another Voluntary Bill That Same Year. In 1999, Bush signed another voluntary permit bill into law. SB766 does not mandate that companies clean up their air pollution, but does increase the fees they must pay if they continue to pollute. Environmentalists estimated that only eight or nine grandfathered companies -- out of more than 800 -- are likely to reduce emissions because of the legislation. The bill had been mandatory and late in the legislative process was made voluntary. "The responsibility for the failure of the Texas Legislature to pass legislation closing the grandfather loophole and achieving necessary clean air benefits for Texas rests with George W. Bush. ... The Governor chose to placate his polluter friends and contributors rather than move more aggressively against grandfathered polluters," said Ken Kramer, director of the Sierra Club. "I do not believe you can sue your way or regulate your way to clean air and clean water," Bush has said. [Sierra Club Press Release, 6/1/99; San Antonio Express?News, 6/4/99; Dallas Morning News, 12/1/99]