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REMARKS BY: DONNA E. SHALALA, SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES PLACE: Syracuse University Commencement, Syracuse, New York DATE: May 14, 1995
Parents, faculty, staff, alumni, honorary degree recipients, members of the Syracuse community, and the graduating class of 1995: My congratulations to all of you.
I love this university.
I left this campus twenty-five years ago, and I guess some things never change: the students here are still the best!
When I was at Syracuse, the snow ball fights were world class.
My diet consisted mostly of pizza.
I had very little sleep.
I developed a lifelong skepticism of anyone in charge.
And, it was here -- a place of discussion and dialogue, energy and excitement -- that I was intellectually disciplined by outstanding teachers and scholars.
Being back at Syracuse reminds me a little bit of the story about George Bernard Shaw and Winston Churchill.
You see, Shaw had a big play opening up -- and he sent Churchill two tickets with a searing note that read: Bring a friend -- if you have one.
Well, always known for having a keen wit himself, Churchill fired back a letter saying, "Sorry I can't make it opening night. Send me tickets to the second night's show -- if there is one!"
In that spirit, I want to thank you for bringing me back to Syracuse.
Your graduation comes at a critical juncture in our nation's history.
How ironic, that at a time when the Cold War has ended and democracy is replacing totalitarianism throughout the world, we see the fault lines of division ripping through our country.
No matter what your political beliefs, all of us can agree that political debate has become too polarized.
Antipathy has replaced empathy.
Sound bites have replaced substance.
Division has replaced discourse.
And, simplistic solutions have replaced thoughtful answers.
Part of your inheritance and part of your new responsibility will be to reignite the American values of civility and consensus, and renew the American tradition of finding pragmatic solutions to our greatest challenges.
This uniquely American tradition has yielded some of our greatest accomplishments in this century:
From facing down the threat of the Soviet empire to transforming the experience of being old in America by guaranteeing health and income security to every citizen in the twilight of their lives.
From creating the best research universities in the world to throwing open the doors of higher education to the vast majority of Americans.
We must honor this legacy today.
You must continue my generation's commitment to fulfilling the dreams of those who have sacrificed their own lives to guarantee our safety, our peace, and our freedom.
And, you must do it without locking yourselves into outmoded institutions and outmoded ways of getting things done.
You must reject ideologues on all sides -- from those who think that there's a program for every problem to those who think that government is the only problem.
Members of the class of 1995: Over the next few months, our elected officials will make critical decisions about the size, scope, and role of the federal government.
These decisions are about nothing less than what our country stands for, what kind of people we are, and, what it means to be an American.
These decisions are about you, your generation, your future, and the very future of our country.
All of us agree with the goal of a balanced federal budget.
But, we must do it the right way -- the fair way.
Unfortunately, there are some in Washington these days who are financing big tax breaks for the wealthy by slashing our safety net and turning our backs on families and communities.
And, that's about you.
When they threaten to cut some of your student loans and raise the interest on others, that's about your future!
When they try to abolish the National Service program and deprive 300,000 members of your generation of the chance to pay for college or graduate school by giving back to their communities, that's about your future.
When they care more about protecting Uzis than school lunches, that's about your future.
When they call for denying quality child care for working parents around the country, while, at the same time, dramatically cutting assistance to women who are trying to lift themselves and their children out of poverty, that's about your future.
When they want to abandon our fundamental commitment to ensuring that our food is safe, our water is clean, and our environment is free from hazardous waste, that's about your future.
When they try to roll back our critical investments in biomedical research -- investments that hold the key to curing diseases like AIDS, breast cancer, and heart disease.
That's about your future.
And, when they propose slashing more than $400 billion from Medicaid and Medicare -- not only leaving millions of vulnerable citizens out in the cold, but also shifting unbelievable costs onto the backs of younger people who pay for private health insurance,
That's about your future.
And, that's wrong.
Our approach -- an American approach rooted in our history -- must be to reform, not ruin; to rebuild and restore, rather than simplify and slash.
We must not defend the status quo.
Together, we must not be afraid to change -- to rethink, to reshape, to reinvent and to reform.
But, we must also stay true to what this country's founders clearly envisioned: a strong, effective, and limited federal government.
I am not here to defend individual programs.
I am here to put forth a much more fundamental vision.
I am talking about protecting our 219 year-old vision of a federal government that delivers real accountability, that exerts true leadership, and that articulates a clear vision on key issues that extend beyond state boundaries to affect all Americans.
When we cross state lines, we shouldn't see vast differences, experience vast inequalities, and enjoy vastly different rights.
Justice should not depend upon geography.
Justice must not depend upon geography.
If the tragedy in Oklahoma City taught us anything, it's that the federal government is not -- nor can it ever be -- the "other team."
It's "our team" -- a government "by, for, and of the people."
Listen carefully to these words: "By, for, and of the people."
This is not big government. This is shared government.
Responsibility and citizenship must be expected from every American and every American institution. Every problem must become our problem, every solution must become our solution.
Strong partnerships must be built from the ground up -- with businesses, citizens, and communities all having seats at the decision-making table.
Regardless of the next path you take, each of you has roles to play and obligations to fulfill.
Each of you must demand a voice in creating a better future.
And, each of you must find a way not only to be good at your chosen profession, but to be good citizens as well.
Hubert Humphrey once said, "What we need are critical lovers of America -- patriots who express their faith in their country by working to improve it."
I want you to heed his advice today and always.
As you leave this place of your youth and learning -- my alma mater and yours -- commit yourselves to a democratic dialogue and to tough, but commonsense, solutions.
All of us need to lower our voices, look at our common purposes, and accept responsibility for ourselves, for our families, for our communities, and for our country, great universities are very special places on this earth.
None of us -- in or out of this university -- can sit on the sidelines as this nation grapples with its character and its future.
You are all opening a new chapter in life entering a world where you will be judged not by your grades or your athletic prowess -- but by your integrity and your heart.
I know that many of you go with some fear -- but I hope all of you leave here with a sense of pride and adventure.
Twenty five years ago, as I sat where you sit today, I promised myself that I would never play it safe.
And, I've kept that promise.
I expect nothing less from each member of your graduating class of 1995.
And so I wish you good luck, good health, and great adventures.
Thank you.