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Skriven 2004-10-30 23:37:18 av Whitehouse Press (1:3634/12.0)
Ärende: Press Release (041030) for Sat, 2004 Oct 30
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President's Radio Address
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For Immediate Release
October 30, 2004

President's Radio Address


˙˙˙˙˙Audio

THE PRESIDENT: Good morning. In just a few days, Americans will choose who
will lead our country during a time of war and economic opportunity. And
the choice on Tuesday comes down to a few issues of great consequence. The
first choice is the most important, because all our progress depends on our
safety.

Since September the 11th, 2001, I have led a relentless campaign against
the terrorists. We have strengthened homeland security. We removed terror
regimes in Afghanistan and Iraq. We are on the offensive around the world,
because the best way to prevent future attacks is to go after the enemy.

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My opponent has a different view. Senator Kerry says September the 11th
didn't change him much, and his policies make that clear. He says the war
on terror is "primarily an intelligence and law enforcement operation." He
has proposed what he calls a "global test" that would give foreign
governments a veto over American security decisions. And when our troops in
Afghanistan and Iraq needed funding for body armor and bullets, Senator
Kerry voted against it.

The direction of the war on terror is at stake in the election of 2004. And
when you go to the polls on Tuesday, remember this: I will do whatever it
takes to defend America and prevail in the war on terror, and I will always
support the men and women who do the fighting.

The second choice in this election concerns your family budget. As a
candidate, I pledged to lower taxes for families, and I have kept my word.
We doubled the child tax credit, reduced the marriage penalty, and dropped
the lowest tax bracket to 10 percent. Now working families keep more of
their paychecks, and America's economy is growing faster than any other
among major industrialized nations.

My opponent voted against all our tax relief for working families. His
votes would have squeezed about $2,000 more in taxes from the average
middle-class family. Now Senator Kerry is promising to increase federal
spending by more than $2.2 trillion. And to pay for all that new spending,
he would have to raise taxes on American families. I will keep your taxes
low because I know it's not the government's money, it's your family's
money.

The third choice in this election involves your quality of life. As
President, I signed historic education reforms to bring high standards to
the classroom and make schools accountable to parents, and our children are
making progress in reading and math. We've strengthened Medicare, created
health savings accounts, and expanded community health centers to help more
Americans get health care. I'm proposing a series of practical reforms to
make health care more affordable and accessible by expanding health savings
accounts, allowing association health plans, and protecting patients and
doctors from junk and frivolous lawsuits.

My opponent has a different approach. Senator Kerry voted for the No Child
Left Behind Act, but he has pledged to weaken the accountability standards.
He's voted 10 times against medical liability reform. And now, he's
proposing a big-government health care plan that would do nothing about
rising health costs, and would cause millions of Americans to lose their
private health insurance and end up on government programs.

Finally, this election presents a choice on the values that keep our
families strong. I believe marriage is a sacred commitment, and I will
always defend it. I will continue to appoint judges who strictly interpret
the law. And I will keep working to move this good-hearted nation toward a
culture of life.

On these issues, my opponent and I are miles apart. Senator Kerry was part
of an out-of-the-mainstream minority that voted against the Defense of
Marriage Act. He believes there ought to be a liberal litmus test for
judicial appointments. He voted against banning the brutal practice of
partial birth abortion. I believe that reasonable people can find common
ground on difficult issues, and I will continue reaching out and bringing
Americans together to protect our deepest-held values.

All of these choices make this one of the most important elections in our
history. These past four years, you have seen how I do my job. Even when
you might not agree with me, you know where I stand, what I believe, and
what I intend to do. Soon, the decision will be in your hands. And however
you decide, I urge you to get out and vote on Tuesday.

Thank you for listening.

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