Election year enters final stretch

Sunday, August 11, 1996

Do you want to re-elect a president who stands in the way of
progress?

In 1994, Republicans were swept into both houses of Congress by
an American electorate disenfranchised and infuriated with its
president. He promised tax relief, a balanced budget, welfare
reform and "the most ethical administration in the history of the
Republic." What did the American people receive in return for their
trust in Bill Clinton? The largest tax increase in U.S. history, an
administration that displays ethics even more infrequently than the
truth, and, even with a Congress and Senate controlled by
Democrats, not a single bill to balance the budget or end "welfare
as we know it."

It wasn’t hard for Republicans, with 73 energetic Congressional
freshmen, to draw a stark contrast to the Clinton administration.
Their strategy was painfully simple: promise what America deserves,
and follow through. The result: the most successful Congress in
generations. The GOP budget kept Medicare and Social Security
solvent while increasing its spending at twice the rate of
inflation. To prevent a resounding Republican victory, Clinton and
the Democrats engaged in a shameful "Medi-Scare" campaign to
frighten seniors with outright lies. After dragging Bill Clinton to
the bargaining table kicking and screaming, Republicans passed a
series of balanced budgets for the first time in three decades.
Clinton vetoed each of them.

The progressive Republican Congress also had to force a
reluctant Clinton to deal with welfare reform. Ending 61 years of
the government’s "blank check" welfare policy, the GOP placed a
five-year lifetime cap on benefits. Clinton vetoed the first two
bills and has promised to sign the third, almost identical bill,
only under intense public pressure.

While Bill Clinton floundered during his first two years and
roadblocked the GOP agenda during the last two, the Republican
Party has been marching full steam ahead to get America on the
right track again. Only Bill Clinton and the Democrats have stood
in the way.

Though Bob Dole is steadily closing the gap with Bill Clinton in
national polls, he still faces an uphill battle, an astounding
situation given his rival’s presidential record. If he is to win,
and enable the Republican Congress to move on to the 21st century
without endless stonewalling from the Democrats, the truth must
come out. With masterful use of lies and deceit, the Democrats have
convinced many Americans, among them many students, that
Republicans are mean-spirited corporate pawns out to "screw the
poor." The truth is, under this Congress, funding for the federal
school lunch program was increased; Medicare and Social Security
payments were increased; availability of college loans was
increased by over 50 percent with the reintroduction of free-market
capitalism. And this is just the tip of the iceberg. A balanced
budget and tax relief would have by far the greatest effect of all
in combatting the rising cost of education.

As you go to the polls this November, ask yourself this very
important question: will you vote for the Democrat who talks the
talk, or the Republican who walks the walk? Consider everything the
GOP has accomplished with part of the government and ask yourself
why the Democrats did nothing when they controlled the entire
government. Bob Dole has been a proven American leader since his
return from World War II and has spearheaded the victories of the
104th Congress. With leadership reinstated in the Oval Office and
Bill Clinton returned to Little Rock, our childrens’ future
promises to be better than our own. As Bruin Republicans, we will
fight hard to make sure that this promise is never broken.

A strong vision, the truth, and a brighter future are on the
side of the Republican Party. Shouldn’t you be?

Jason Steele is the chairman of the Bruin Republicans.

The Republican Party has been marching full steam ahead… Only
Bill Clinton and the Democrats have stood in the way.