September 5, 2008 McCain part 4: Bringing the GOP 'back to basics' Play video

(NECN: Saint Paul, Minn.) - Saying he would bring the Republican party back to basics, Arizona Sen. John McCain laid out the principles that he would apply to a Mccain administration, calling for low taxes, strong defense, a "culture of life" and conservative judges who 'don't legislate from the bench.'

McCain said his plans for low taxes and free trade would create jobs. He also called for a doubling of the child tax exemption to $7000, elimination of what he called 'failed government programs.

TO SEE PART ONE OF McCAIN'S SPEECH, CLICK HERE TO SEE PART TWO OF McCAIN'S SPEECH, CLICK HERE TO SEE PART THREE OF McCAIN'S SPEECH, CLICK HERE TO SEE PART FIVE OF McCAIN'S SPEECH, CLICK HERE TO SEE PART SIX OF McCAIN'S SPEECH, CLICK HERE TO SEE PART SEVEN OF McCAIN'S SPEECH, CLICK HERE

But McCain focused greatly on education, calling for investment in community colleges, retraining assistance for displaced workers -- and for a national school choice program for families in failing school systems. "When a public school fails to meet its obligations to students, parents deserve a choice in the

education of their children. And I intend to give it to them," McCain said. "Some may choose a better public school. Some may choose a private one. Many will choose a charter school. But they will have that choice and their children will have that opportunity."

TEXT OF THIS SECTION OF SEN. McCAIN'S SPEECH IS BELOW:

We believe everyone has something to contribute and deserves the opportunity to reach their God-given potential from the boy whose descendents arrived on the Mayflower to the Latina daughter of migrant workers. We're all God's children and we're all Americans.

We believe in low taxes; spending discipline, and open markets. We believe in rewarding hard work and risk takers and letting people keep the fruits of their labor.

We believe in a strong defense, work, faith, service, a culture of life, personal responsibility, the rule of law, and judges who dispense justice impartially and don't legislate from the bench. We believe in the values of families, neighborhoods and communities.

We believe in a government that unleashes the creativity and initiative of Americans. Government that doesn't make your choices for you, but works to make sure you have more choices to make for yourself.

I will keep taxes low and cut them where I can. My opponent will raise them. I will open new markets to our goods and services. My opponent will close them. I will cut government spending. He will increase it.

My tax cuts will create jobs. His tax increases will eliminate them. My health care plan will make it easier for more Americans to find and keep good health care insurance. His plan will force small businesses to cut jobs, reduce wages, and force families into a government run health care system where a bureaucrat stands between you and your doctor.

Keeping taxes low helps small businesses grow and create new jobs. Cutting the second highest business tax rate in the world will help American companies compete and keep jobs from moving overseas. Doubling the child tax exemption from $3500 to $7000 will improve the lives of millions of American families. Reducing government spending and getting rid of failed programs will let you keep more of your own money to save, spend and invest as you see fit. Opening new markets and preparing workers to compete in the world economy is essential to our future prosperity.

I know some of you have been left behind in the changing economy and it often seems your government hasn't even noticed. Government assistance for unemployed workers was designed for the economy of the 1950s. That's going to change on my watch. My opponent promises to bring back old jobs by wishing away the global economy. We're going to help workers who've lost a job that won't come back, find a new one that won't go away.

We will prepare them for the jobs of today. We will use our community colleges to help train people for new opportunities in their communities. For workers in industries that have been hard hit, we'll help make up part of the difference in wages between their old job and a temporary, lower paid one while they receive retraining that will help them find secure new employment at a decent wage.

Education is the civil rights issue of this century. Equal access to public education has been gained. But what is the value of access to a failing school? We need to shake up failed school bureaucracies with competition, empower parents with choice, remove barriers to qualified instructors, attract and reward good teachers, and help bad teachers find another line of work.

When a public school fails to meet its obligations to students, parents deserve a choice in the education of their children. And I intend to give it to them. Some may choose a better public school. Some may choose a private one. Many will choose a charter school. But they will have that choice and their children will have that opportunity.

Senator Obama wants our schools to answer to unions and entrenched bureaucracies. I want schools to answer to parents and students. And when I'm President, they will.