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US President Bush's team touted an upbeat message on Monday about the US economy, despite slack growth, a day ahead of an economic forum intended to show Bush's concern for working Americans.
Officials said Bush, as an example to Congress of the need to rein in federal spending, would announce at the forum that he will refuse to release $5.1 billion in homeland security money earmarked for purposes other than guarding the nation.
The White House insisted that at Tuesday's forum at Baylor University in nearby Waco, Bush would hear a diversity of views in the face of criticism from Democrats that the day-long session is tilted toward those who support Bush's prescriptions for fixing the ailing economy.
Recent economic data show slowing economic growth, weaker productivity gains and stagnant job creation, causing some economists to fear the possibility of a double-dip recession, which would be a political liability for Bush as Republicans look ahead to November mid-term elections.
White House spokesman Scott McClellan called the recent indicators encouraging and said they showed that "we are on a path to sustained economic growth."
"When I talk about the recent economic indicators I'm talking about what we're seeing now, which is strong productivity growth, rising real wages, low and stable inflation, low interest rates and lower taxes," he said.
The $5.1 billion Bush is withholding includes funding for airport and embassy security, Afghan refugee assistance, $200 million for Israel and $144 million that would aid Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza. Another $200 million would fight HIV/AIDS and other infectious diseases around the world.
Bush advisers had urged him not to release the money as a symbol of the need for more fiscal responsibility in Congress.
The meeting will gather about 250 people and hear from Bush, Vice President Dick Cheney, Treasury Secretary Paul O'Neill and other top officials. The guest list is eclectic, ranging from lofty boardrooms of top U.S. companies to a United Parcel Service driver and the head of a dry cleaning company.
Egon Scholttmann, owner of Pics and Gifts of Waco, is one of those invited to attend a session on "small business and smarter regulation."
He said he supports Bush and will stress that work needs to be done to make health care more affordable and clean up corporate America after a series of accounting scandals depressed investor confidence. Bush has signed legislation to crack down on corporate fraud.
"I've lost money like crazy in the stock market because of the downturn and the dissatisfaction and not really believing in the stock market anymore. I think we need to do more," Scholttmann said.
NEW TRADE DEALS
One invitee, Curtis McGuire, owner of a truck loading company called RedLeg's Lumper Service Inc. of Columbus, Ohio, is not entirely a stranger to Washington. In 1999 he testified at a Senate committee about workplace safety and complained about burdensome government regulations.
UPS driver Robert London, who did not vote for Bush but supports him on some issues, said he would emphasize at the forum the importance of increased trade, which has been one of Bush's big issues.
(China Daily August 14, 2002)
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