Pubdate: Sat, 07 Oct 2000
Source: San Diego Union Tribune (CA)
Copyright: 2000 Union-Tribune Publishing Co.
Contact:  PO Box 120191, San Diego, CA, 92112-0191
Fax: (619) 293-1440
Website: http://www.uniontrib.com/
Forum: http://www.uniontrib.com/cgi-bin/WebX
Authors: Joe Cantlupe And Otto Kreisher, Copley News Service
Note: The Associated Press contributed to this report.

BUSH TOUTS BETTER DRUG ENFORCEMENT

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa -- George W. Bush used America's heartland as a stage 
yesterday to propose a five-year $2.7 billion plan to create a "drug-free 
society," vowing beefed-up enforcement along the nation's borders and more 
cooperation with Mexico.

"Unfortunately, in the last seven and a half years, fighting drug abuse has 
ceased to be a national priority," the Republican presidential nominee told 
a crowd of supporters at a community center in Cedar Rapids. "Drug policy 
has been pursued without urgency, without energy and without success."

In Florida, Democratic nominee Al Gore charged that Bush would bankrupt 
Social Security "in a single generation."

The tough rhetoric flew as the campaign intensified following presidential 
and vice-presidential debates this week.

A new Time-CNN poll found that more people think Bush is trustworthy enough 
to be president than Gore. The vice president, however, got better grades 
in the first presidential debate and was seen as right on most of the 
issues, and as more experienced to handle the job. Overall, the poll had 
the race in a virtual dead heat.

On the stump, Bush characterized President Clinton's drug czar, Barry 
McCaffrey, as a man working on the problem "almost alone" within the 
administration, a notion McCaffrey dismissed as "nonsense."

The Texas governor laid out his anti-drug plan, including $25 million to 
support nonprofit organizations working with a Parents Drug Corps to get 
the message across to children not to abuse drugs.

Bush also proposed spending $350 million over five years that would double 
grants for community coalitions. And he proposed to increase federal 
funding to drug treatment centers by $1 billion.

The drug plan capped a week in which Bush has hit repeatedly on the theme 
that government can help parents instill character in their children.

Fighting drug abuse is a major part of that effort, Bush said.

"The job of opposing drugs belongs to every family," he said. "But there 
are some things that only the federal government can do. Only the federal 
government can attack the supply of drugs -- a commodity that destabilizes 
whole governments and crosses all borders."

Meanwhile in Orlando, Fla., Gore reunited with running mate Sen. Joseph 
Lieberman to push their plans to bolster Social Security, Medicare and 
create incentives for Americans to save more.

"Here is the difference," said Gore, appealing to the state's older voters. 
"We give you a generous incentive to save and invest, not at the expense of 
Social Security but on top of Social Security."

Speaking to about 3,000 cheering supporters at a bayside rally, Gore 
promised "a secure and dignified retirement" and criticized Bush's proposal 
to allow workers to invest a portion of their Social Security money privately.

"That would cause the bankruptcy of Social Security in a single 
generation," Gore said.

As if to underscore the political importance of Florida, Bush flew into the 
state late yesterday.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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