Just a few days ago, a Democratic Party Leader said: --
“We are the Party of intelligent, effective government. We are special because of what we believe in our hearts and in our souls.”
“Democrats see an opportunity for all! That’s what the nation was about, that’s what the Statue of Liberty says in the Harbor with the torch in the sky. That’s what got people for generations to go in little boats toward a land they didn’t know, with a language they didn’t speak.”
“They came here because we said “opportunity for all”. That’s what this nation was and is! That is our promise”.
Does all that sound familiar? Did all of you hear Andrew Cuomo utter those words a couple of days ago?
I hope all of you did hear the Secretary speak those words because no words summarize more succinctly and accurately what the purpose of the United States Government at its best has always been. At least that has always been its purpose when Democrats like Franklin Roosevelt worked in the White House, when Harry Truman surprised the world with his extraordinary leadership and dedication to the people! That’s what Jack Kennedy stood for, and surely, it was the philosophy and purpose of Lyndon Johnson’s life!
But, my friends, is that all you need to know about the work you will do or the challenges you will face, or the good things you will be able to do for the men and women you will meet and help? No, truthfully, I think you need to do more than that during your work and much more than all of that after you have completed your two-year tour of duty.
I say what I just said because today in the United States we have 36,500,000 American citizens who are living below the poverty level in our country! That number of Americans living in poverty is one-third more again in numbers than those who were living in poverty when I left the Office of Economic Opportunity in 1968! When we first initiated our programs, -- The “Job Corps”, “Vista,” “Head Start”, “Community Action”, “Legal Services” and “Medical Services For The Poor”.., etc., many experts thought and said publicly that we were crazy, that no one could successfully try to eliminate poverty. But the number of poor people in our country moved downward. In 1960 there were at least 3.9 million poor people in our country. But by 1970 there were only 25.4 million. That was a reduction of 14.5 million poor people in five years.
Today, as you all know, we are enjoying unprecedented prosperity in all of our 50 States. The average income of American people has increased greatly. We are surely the richest nation on earth and like the Roman Empire at its peak “we stand astride the world like a Colossus”.
The total reality, however, my friends, is different.
The number of poor persons continues to grow even though the income of the average American citizen also continues to rise. We are experiencing a period of economic strength never equaled by any one nation in world history, but at the same time, the number of poor people has grown. It is true. And I am here today with a very simple message and hope. The message is simply this:
You can become courageous, highly intelligent, Americans dedicated to the task of reducing poverty in our country numerically, so that once again, we can begin to approach our goal, which should be, to create a nation where all men, and women, are truly equal or at least able financially to build a life for themselves and their families where every member of their family enjoys the financial means for an intelligent and decent life.
The greatest need for visionary, new initiatives is located in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, Dallas, Miami, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, and many other cities! We need excellent education in urban affairs for all of our citizens. But we need jobs and a livable wage and homes and communities where all citizens, especially children are safe! In large and small communities where everyone should be working for the common good.
The new “Community Builders Program” is one way to help us create the kind of American citizens and cities our country needs.
The Job Corps could easily be doubled. Foster Grandparents could be greatly increased, and so could “Upward Bound”, “Legal Services For The Poor” and the medical services which are necessary to make the poor physically able to meet the challenges they face.
Our country and our Government became successful because people started working together in all the 13 States. Jefferson believed in Civic Responsibility -- in citizens working together for the common good.
That’s why Virginia and Massachusetts still use the titles “Commonwealth of Massachusetts”, “Commonwealth of Virginia”. Jefferson did not write the Declaration nor Madison the Constitution to give the world unrestrained economic competition or tax-free corporate enterprise or social Darwinism!
The U.S.A. was established to create a more perfect union, to provide for the common defense, and to promote the general welfare.
The greatest achievement was the creation of a Federal Government through which we all could work for the common good!! or the “Common Wealth”.
At the beginning of our country there was a sense of high, even lofty, purpose which moved citizens to serve their fellow men through government. Public service --- civic virtue -- a classic Grecian concept -- inspired men like Jefferson, Adams, Hamilton and Washington. Lincoln had similar motivations. So did Robert E. Lee, George Marshall and Dwight Eisenhower. So did Douglas Dillon. The 1960s saw Republicans and millionaires -- men like John McCone, John Foster Dulles, Mac Bundy, Dean Rusk, Chester Bowles, Roswell Gilpatric, Cyrus Vance, Averell Harriman -- millionaires working with a Democratic President for the common good and general welfare!!!
These men and many others confronted the challenge you also face. What are you willing and able to put into our social structure, into our communities and into our government? Or are you interested primarily in what you can extract?
How you decide will determine the quality of our nation in years to come.
I only hope you will follow Andrew Cuomo’s example by giving your fellow human beings, and your government, the best that’s in you....in your heads, yes, but also in your hearts, and in your souls!
When I was Director of the Peace Corps I had some fabulous experiences. But none will ever touch me more than the story I heard about a Peace Corps Volunteer in West Africa. It epitomizes the spirit not only of the Peace Corps, but the spirit which should permeate your work, our work, against poverty.
The story goes that a Peace Corps Volunteer was walking down a dusty road outside of an African village, up country. As he got near to the village there was a mother and her child sitting alongside the road. The child said to the mother: “Look Mother, there’s a white man!” And the Mother replied: --
“No darling, that’s not a white man -- that’s a Peace Corps Volunteer”.
I hope and trust that’s what you are trying to work for, -- toward the day when nobody will say: --
“Look there’s a white man, " or “Look, there’s a rich man,” or “Look, there’s a poverty-stricken man,”
But only:
“Look, there’s an American”...working for the benefit of all persons, but especially for the poor!!!
