Gore Defends Economic Plan : Government: Vice president says GOP critics in Congress have ignored state’s problems.

In his first foray out of Washington as vice president, Al Gore came to California on Wednesday to assail Republicans in Congress who have criticized the Administration’s plan to spend billions of dollars on a stimulus package to invigorate the economy.

The Republicans “think everything is just great the way it is,” Gore said at a town meeting attended by about 250 people in the cafeteria of Chaffey High School in Ontario. “They haven’t been to California lately. They haven’t been paying attention to the largest, most dynamic state in the union.”

Senate Minority Leader Bob Dole (R-Kan.) and other GOP leaders in Congress have called on the Administration to drop the stimulus plan, saying it is unnecessary because the economy is growing well without it.

But Gore said that California--with a 9.5% unemployment rate and continuing loss of defense industry jobs--proves that the Administration’s spending plans are justified.

Gore, like President Clinton at a town meeting in Detroit on Wednesday, refused to give specifics of the economic program to be announced next week in an address to Congress.

He did indicate that tax increases that affect the middle class would be part of the program--but only after “those who benefited unfairly over the last 12 years have paid their fair share.”

Gore said that the plan would include increased public works spending and that California is likely to receive funds for water and sewer projects. He also said that the Administration is designing jobs programs modeled on the Works Progress Administration and Civilian Conservation Corps created by Franklin D. Roosevelt during the Great Depression.

Gore was earnest in the high school setting, fielding questions on subjects ranging from the high cost of college to welfare reform to the problem of racism in America. The students and parents who participated were chosen through a lottery.

He appeared to be relaxed and in command of his material, although he was clearly striving not to break news on the economic program or to upstage the President. He said no final decisions had been made on the recovery package.

On the way to California aboard Air Force 2, Gore said that the new Administration offers a contrast to the previous Republican era because it can offer the state “a robust and well-thought-through defense conversion program” to help workers displaced by military spending cuts.

The Administration has yet to offer details of the conversion program.

Still, Gore told the Ontario audience that the Clinton Administration is serious about deficit reduction and jobs creation.

“No more smoke and mirrors,” the vice president promised. “We’re going to do it.”