Top
three issues
Health Care: Gephardt proposes to provide universal
health coverage to the 41 million Americans currently without
health insurance, according to his official Web site. He says
he will pump more than $280 billion into the economy through
a plan that will offer businesses, as well as state and local
governments, relief from health insurance costs while offering
a significant economic stimulus. Bill Burton, Gephardt's Iowa
press secretary, says the congressman's health care plan will
create 750,000 jobs, while providing aid to state and local governments.
Economic
Issues: Gephardt
proposes a universal pension program because "every American
should be rewarded for a lifetime of hard work," according
to his Web site. He also favors an international
minimum wage that would ensure workers everywhere a livable
wage and keep U.S. workers competitive in the global market.
Burton describes Bush
is
a "miserable failure in jobs.
More than 3 million people lost their jobs under this administration."
"Teacher Corps": Gephardt wants
to create a Teacher Corps, based on the ROTC program, to pay the
college loans of students who agree to teach for five years. He
also seeks to reduce class size and provide every child with access
to pre-school. He supports affirmative action in higher education
and the expansion of federal grant and loan programs.
Campaign's
assessment of its own strength: Gephardt is
a strong candidate because of his ties to and support of
union members,
as well as his experience. Twenty unions, to which more than
95,000 Iowans belong, have pledged their support to the
Gephardt campaign. "He
is the candidate who has most experience in the highest level
of government. He would require no on-the-job training as president.
He has great energy and great momentum," said Iowa press
secretary Burton.
Quotes
from Gephardt: “First
thing I’ll do as president is get rid of the Bush tax cuts.
They have not worked. They haven’t helped stimulate the economy.
They haven’t moved us in the right direction.” -- The
Ogden Reporter, 8/27/03
"I
don’t think the president is doing a good job at all.
It’s almost as bad for jobs in this
country right now as it was in the Herbert Hoover years. He’s
losing jobs every day, and he’s only got one thing on his
mind -- giving tax cuts to the rich." -- The Telegraph
Online, 9/30/03
"If
(Dean’s) fresh approach is cutting Medicare…then
that’s
not the approach we need. I
think I’m gaining ground in New Hampshire and Iowa and the
rest of the country because I am talking about the issues that
people care about in this campaign.” -- PoliticsNH.com,
9/29/03
