Bush Bends Data to Adorn State of Economy: Dukakis

Michael S. Dukakis today charged that George Bush is using selective statistics to misconstrue the state of the economy and said the Reagan Administration has left a “sea of Republican red ink that not even Moses could part.”

“Mark Twain once said that there were three kinds of falsehoods: lies, damn lies and statistics,” the Democratic presidential nominee told an invitation-only campaign rally.

‘Daily Struggle’

“Mr. Bush . . . likes statistics; the statistics that show that more Americans are working but do not tell you the quality of their jobs. Statistics that tell us that some people and some states are doing very, very well but don’t tell us about the daily struggle of many Americans to pay their bills.”

He also said not all is well with the federal economy as long as the budget deficit runs into the billions of dollars.

“The next President will inherit a sea of Republican red ink that not even Moses could part,” Dukakis said.

Dukakis also accused Bush of campaigning with “a warmed-over call to selfishness” and said a Democratic White House would seek prosperity for all Americans, not just the wealthy.

Dukakis said Bush does not understand that GOP economic policies have not spread their benefits across the economy but have served people who already have good jobs or inherited wealth.

“But most Americans aren’t satisfied, and neither am I,” the Massachusetts governor said.

‘America Moving Again’

In a line borrowed from John F. Kennedy, Dukakis said he means “to get America moving again,” restoring strength to all parts of the economy and all sections of the nation.

Dukakis said federal resources are limited but problems cannot be shrugged away.

“And we can’t afford leadership that says over and over again that it’s morning in America and then suggests that all we Americans have to do is roll over and go back to sleep,” he said.

“In their hearts (Republicans) know that four more years of Reaganomics would be bad for the country and that four more years of Reaganomics without Reagan would be a disaster.”