Thomas Daschle: “As we begin this new year, Americans have every reason to be proud and optimistic. In the last decade of the last…”

“As we begin this new year, Americans have every reason to be proud and optimistic. In the last decade of the last century, we saw freedom and democracy triumph around the globe. We saw Eastern Europe abandon communism and the Soviet Union disintegrate. We saw Nelson Mandela walk out of prison and into history as the first democratically elected President of the new South Africa. Here at home we restored strength to America's economy. We started the last decade with the biggest budget deficits in our Nation's history, and we ended it with the biggest budget surplus. We have seen more than 20 million new jobs created in the last 7 years. Today we have the lowest unemployment in 40 years, and the lowest unemployment ever among African Americans and Hispanics. Americans are working again. Finally, after 20 years, real wages for America's families are growing again. Family incomes are up, and inflation is virtually nonexistent.”