Remarks
by Steve Forbes
Presidential Campaign FIling Announcement
Tuesday, March 16, 1999
On-line at Forbes2000.com
Hello, I’m Steve Forbes.
Today, I’m happy to announce the beginning of my campaign for
President of the United States of America.
Today marks the beginning of a national crusade to restore Ronald
Reagan’s vision of hope and prosperity for all Americans.
I don’t believe in business as usual — and I surely don’t believe in
politics as usual.
This is going to be a new, Information-Age campaign about great
ideas and enduring values.
I’m going to run the first full-scale presidential campaign in
American history on the Internet — because I want you to be involved
every step of the way.
First, I’d like to tell you all some things about myself.
I’m the grandson of an immigrant from Scotland.
When my grandfather came to this country at the turn of the century,
he came only with a dream, because he had practically no money.
He worked very hard to create a magazine about people building the
greatest economy on the face of the planet. My brothers and I
learned the business from our father, just as he learned it from his
father.
When I became CEO years later, my goal was to keep Americans on the
cutting edge of the new, Information-Age economy.
To that end, we launched new magazines that tell the story of the
people building America’s small businesses and high-tech industries,
creating jobs and unleashing opportunity. And we started a
cutting-edge new web-site, forbes.com (Forbes Digital Tool).
Today, you and I are heading into a new century and a new
millennium.
We face different challenges than our grandparents faced — but
they’re real...they’re serious... and if we don’t get them right our
children are going to pay the price.
Take the global economic crisis that’s raging around the world.
Wherever you look — Russia, Asia, Brazil — economies are in deep
trouble and people are suffering. We can’t ignore that.
America cannot afford to be an island of prosperity in an ocean of
poverty.
We live in a new economic era — we live in a world that’s linked
together by travel, by trade — and, obviously, by the Internet.
When people around the world can’t afford to buy more corn, and
wheat and other farm products, guess who suffers? Americans —
especially American farmers.
When people in Asia can produce steel at rock bottom prices because
their currencies are virtually worthless, guess who suffers?
Americans.
What happens if Russia’s economy continues to collapse? What are the
political implications of a nuclear-armed nation in economic and
political chaos?
And what about the increasingly troublesome and dangerous behavior
of China?
These are serious questions as we enter a new century.
Here at home, what about Social Security?
Do you trust the politicians to protect your money and your
retirement in the next century?
Are you going to let the Clinton-Gore Administration keep raiding
the Social Security Trust Fund to pay for more big government
spending?
Do you know what astounds me — more young people believe in UFOs
than believe that they’re going to collect Social Security when they
retire.
And what about our tax system? It’s an abomination. It’s too
complex, too corrupt — it’s a playground for special interest
lawyers, lobbyists and lifetime politicians. Sure, the special
interests, the politically well-connected, and the Washington
political class get all kinds of tax breaks and loopholes.
But what about you?
Can you afford to hire all kinds of big shot lobbyists to carve out
a tax break for yourself?
Of course not.
That’s why we need an honest, simple new tax code for a new century
– one that will put real money back into the pockets of working
families.
And what about other issues that you face every day?
Are your kids going to schools that are getting them ready to really
compete and succeed in the Information-Age economy? Who should
control our schools — government or parents? Do you have the freedom
to choose doctors you trust and specialists you need?
No, and I don’t think that's right — and I want to change that.
You see, I believe that you and I are on the verge of the greatest
era of economic freedom and spiritual renewal the world has ever
seen.
It’s an age of opportunity — the likes of which our grandparents
never even dreamed possible. And everyone is getting ready for it —
except Washington.
You and I are entering the Information-Age — and the Washington
politicians are stuck in the Stone Age.
The problem is: the Washington politicians don’t get it. They’re
wholly owned subsidiaries of the status quo. They have no intention
of giving you back your freedom, your money — or the unalienable
right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.
And I think we can do better. I think it’s time to give every
American the freedom to participate in this new era of prosperity.
Now, the central questions of the Year 2000 campaign clearly are
these:
Do you trust the establishment politicians to protect your economic
security and give you more freedom and more control over your own
life?
Do you trust them to defend your values, and protect the first and
most important freedom of every child — the freedom to be born?
Do you trust them to confront the atrocities in China, end Saddam
Hussein’s reign of terror, and deploy a real missile defense system
to protect our children?
Do you trust other politicians to clean out the corruption and
sleaze of the Clinton-Gore Administration?
Do they have a plan and a passion to give you and your family a real
stake in the American Dream — or are they just politicians seeking
power?
You know, some people run for President to be something.
I’m running for President to do something — for you, the American
people.
That’s why today — with the love and support of my wife and my best
friend, Sabina, and our five wonderful daughters — I have filed
papers that begin the process of running for President of the United
States of America.
So stay tuned to our on-line campaign headquarters — Forbes2000.Com
— for daily updates and news of our formal campaign announcement
coming up in a few months.
Source: Steve Forbes for President 2000 Web Site |