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PRESS RELEASE -- July 2, 2000
INVITATION FROM THE DEMOCRATIC LEADERSHIP COUNCIL
The Democratic Leadership Council (DLC) has invited me to represent Iowa on
July 14th and 15th at what they term the "National Conversation"
in Baltimore, Maryland. President Bill Clinton will keynote the event, which
will bring together national and statewide political leaders from across the
country.
The National Conversation will focus on the New Economy, which is driven by
technology, globalization, and new methods of organizing work. Our jobs, our
family lives, our neighborhoods, and our world are being transformed by
technology and a global Information Age economy. Change is inevitable. The
difficult part is to shape and embrace change while reflecting traditional
American values and give every American the opportunity to succeed.
My primary purpose in going to Baltimore to learn more about the best new
thinking on these topics. I am especially interested in a discussion of how
we can support our public schools in preparing productive workers for the
21st Century. And, I am keenly interested in how we can continue our work of
reforming the health, mental health, and human services systems to be more
responsive and accessible with new technology.
My contribution to the discussion will be sharing the work we have done in
Iowa to address the needs of infants and pre-school children through the
development of Community Empowerment areas. The Community Empowerment
initiative emphasizes the coordination of public and private efforts along
with local decision-making in providing services and support to families
with young children.
The National Conversation gives me a chance to talk with other state and
local elected officials about the needs and central priorities that we see
in our daily experiences in the communities we represent. Our political
system, and both parties, would benefit from a greater emphasis on this
problem-solving approach to public service and less reliance on personal
attacks. The gathering in Baltimore will help spread the word so we can do
something to meet the challenges of a new century and a new millennium.
I am very pleased to have been invited to participate in this important
discussion.
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