Political Quotes

“There are towns literally hanging on by their fingernails, trying to survive in this changing economy, and some of them are responding in creative ways. In Peoria, they have create a tech center downtown, jointly sponsored by the Chamber of Commerce, the local community, and the community college, where they are literally bringing in people, some our ages and older, introducing them to computers and what they can learn from them. So they are developing skills within their community, the lifelong learning that I mentioned earlier. Down in Benton, IL, which is a small town that has been wracked by the end of the coal mining industry, for the most part, in our State, they have decided in downtown Benton not to worry about flowers planted on the streets but rather to wire the entire downtown so they will be able to accommodate the high-tech businesses that might be attracted there. They are trying to think ahead of the curve. I am not prepared to give up on American workers. I know Senator Wellstone is not, either. We need to address the need for more training and education in rural and urban areas alike.”