Gore Promotes Higher Education

Turning his focus to higher education, Al Gore toured another school Wednesday and told staffers the importance of lifelong learning is "the single most important lesson the new economy teaches us."

To personalize his pitch, the Democratic presidential nominee spent a short night at the home of local teachers, then met with Lewiston High School staffers, teachers and parents. "I'm anxious to learn from you," Gore told them as he prepared to teach a history class and pitch his higher education proposals at a rally.

"Getting a diploma is not the end of an education, but just the beginning" Gore said. "We need to make college education and skill training available for a lifetime."

The vice president said high school staffers play a critical role in preparing youngsters. "One of the challenges is making sure the kids take school seriously," Gore said, touring the cafeteria.

The goal of Gore's swing is to hammer at his $170 billion proposal for education, an issue that traditionally plays well for Democrats, in an effort to counter Republican rival George W. Bush's success promoting education reform ideas.

In New England, Gore was shifting to his plans for higher education and lifelong learning, proposals he said could lead up to 75 percent of the nation's college-age youth to pursue higher education.

In southern Ohio on Tuesday, Gore and running mate Joseph Lieberman abandoned their limos in favor of bright yellow school buses as they motored across the battleground state, holding town meetings and stopping at three schools to promote their $170 billion education package.

Some polls suggest Bush has made inroads on the traditionally Democratic issue, with about as many people thinking he or Gore would be just as good at improving the nation's schools.

That led Gore to launch a weeklong effort devoted to the details of programs he would push if elected, as he seeks to set his own plan against the Texas governor's.

"The other side has proposed a very different approach," said Gore. "I want you to know what the contrasts are."

The Bush campaign was dismissive.

"Gore is just financing failure," GOP running mate Dick Cheney said in a statement, arguing that Gore and President Clinton have failed in eight years to implement education reforms. "His plan means merely more money for the bureaucrats."

Gore has argued for a major investment in higher education. Among his proposals are:

• Making up to $10,000 in tuition expenses tax deductible or offering a credit for low-income people seeking to pay for college who don't have enough income to benefit from a tax deduction.

• Creating a new savings device similar to a 401(k) so parents can set aside money for college costs and defer taxes on the money. Working professionals also would be able to take advantage of the program.

• Reducig the national debt, which Gore says will keep interest rates low and make college loans more affordable for young people and their parents.

• Bolstering college preparatory programs, and beginning them as early as the middle-school level.

• Giving businesses a $6,000 tax break when they make training programs available to employees, an incentive to broaden training programs largely offered through community colleges.

• Coordinating efforts between states with savings programs for college expenses to allow parents the luxury of moving from state to state without sacrificing their savings or suffering tax consequences.