Remarks on strengthening Social Security in Orlando, Florida

Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents, March 21, 2005

March 18, 2005

The President. Thank you all for coming. Thanks for coming. Please be seated. Thanks for being here. Go ahead and be seated. Now. [Laughter] Thanks for the warm welcome. It's great to be back in central Florida. Thank you all for taking time out of your day to come by and let me discuss with you some important topics.

But before I do, I'm proud to be introduced by one of my favorite seniors--[laughter]--okay, my favorite mother. [Laughter] She is--I told them earlier in Pensacola, if you're trying to figure me out, like the woman who walked up to me when I was campaigning for Governor of Texas, you should say, "You got your daddy's eyes but your mother's mouth." [Laughter] Which is a compliment. [Laughter]

Earlier today we were with the great Governor of the State of Florida. We're both proud of him. More importantly, we both love him dearly. He is a great man, and I'm proud of the job he's doing for Florida. I know you are as well.

I said, "Mother, we're going to be talking about Social Security." She said, "Fine. Don't tell anybody my age." [Laughter] I said, "I won't, but can I tell them you were at least born before 1950, so you don't have anything to worry about when it comes to getting your check?" She said, "Fine."

Mother and I just came from the Life Project Senior Development Center in Orlando, Florida. I went there to look at some--tell some seniors that I wanted them to know with certainty that nothing will change when it comes to their Social Security check, that they will get the check that the Government has promised. And that's important for them to hear, because I understand a lot of people rely on a Social Security check. Right there is one. [Laughter] I don't know if "'Amen" was the proper response, but nevertheless. [Laughter] "Yo" is better, yes. [Laughter]

A fellow walked up to me--I'm finding this to be the case in a lot of my travels--he said, "I'm glad I'm going to get my check. What about my grandchildren?" And that's what I want to talk to the people--to you today about, making sure the seniors' grandchildren and their great-grandchildren have the same safety net that today's seniors receive from the Social Security system.

Before I do, first I--Laura sends her best. Up until this very day, I have always said that Laura Bush was the Nation's greatest First Lady. And then I had to modify my position. [Laughter] Would you go for a tie? [Laughter]

I'm traveling from Washington to Florida with some fine Members of the United States Congress from the great State of Florida. Florida Senator Mel Martinez is with us today. The Congressman from this district, Congressman Tom Feeney, is with us today. Congressman Ric Keller is with us today. Can I tell them? Yes, I'll tell them. Keller has got an interesting way about him in this way: He's getting married tomorrow. Isn't that great? Yet he's spending the day with me. [Laughter] So he's marrying a patient person. [Laughter] But I wish Ric all the best.

Congressman Adam Putnam is with us today. And finally, Congressman Dave Weldon is with us today. I appreciate you coming, Dave.

Mayor Rich Crotty is with us. You might remember the mayor--[applause]--wait a minute, you might remember the mayor, Tyler's father. [Laughter] I said to Crotty, "Where's Tyler?" You're not going to believe this: He's in Washington, DC, today. [Laughter] One way to avoid a speech is to get out of town. [Laughter]

I appreciate the Y for letting us come by. Jim Ferber, I'm honored that you let us come by and use your facility. I'll tell you something interesting that takes place here, which I didn't realize until I got here, was that this is more than just a Y--than the Y that I used to think about. This is an education center. How about this idea for people: The YMCA partners with and houses Northlake Park Elementary School. Pretty interesting concept, isn't it? It seems like to me it would be a wise use of assets--make sure taxpayers" money goes well and also provide a great place for kids to not only learn, but to learn how to take care of their bodies.

I don't know if you know this, but Congressman Weldon is a doctor, and he and I were discussing on Air Force One, what can we do as Government officials to encourage people to make right choices with their body, eat good food, and exercise? I mean, we've got to make sure that children understand that it is important to be wise about the food you eat and, at the same time, understand the importance of exercise in order to make sure that they're healthy when they come up, that they're--that when they get older--kind of like me--they're healthy. Now is the time to encourage people to have preventative--choices in life to prevent illness. It seems pretty cool to have the elementary school and the Y educating the mind as well as training the body in the same building. So I congratulate you for your wisdom and your foresight and wish you all the very best.

I want to thank the teachers who are here. [Applause] Yes. I know I speak for Mother when I say this, and certainly Laura: We appreciate you teaching. It is a noble profession. Sam Houston was my predecessor as the Governor of Texas, by the way, and they asked him--he was a United States Senator from Texas; he was a Congressman from Tennessee; he was the Governor of Texas; he was the President of the Republic of Texas--that was before we became a State. And they said, "Of all those jobs, which one did you like the best?" Without hesitating, he said, "Teacher." It's a noble profession. So thanks for teaching. I also want to remind the morns and dads who are here that a child's first teacher is a mom and a dad, that you have the responsibility to be the first teacher, to make their job easier.