Paul Simon for President 1988 Campaign Brochure

‘The Wisdom to See What is Right. The Courage to Fight for it.’

Paul Simon does not run from a tough fight.

Fighting organized crime: young Paul Simon took them on. And won.

In the small towns of southern Illinois, they still remember how the youngest newspaper publisher editor in the nation took on the gambling racketeers and the corrupt politicians.

That young crime-fighter was Paul Simon. And he won that fight for decency.

For more than thirty years in public life, Paul Simon has had the courage to speak up for what's right for ordinary Americans.

Our Environment: when you love America, you don't let the polluters destroy her.  

"If we give our children clean air, clean rivers, and unspoiled forests, we will have shown that we appreciate our heritage."

When you represent a major coal mining state in the U.S. Senate, it takes courage, as well as wisdom, to support the fight against acid rain.

Paul Simon is fighting to protect America's environment. Because he believes we have an obligation to preserve it. Not a right to destroy it.

Seabrook: the wrong plant, in the wrong place, at the wrong time.

The siting of such a dangerous plant so near the New Hampshire and Massachusetts beaches defies all logic.

Paul Simon believes we should not license any new nuclear plants until all the questions about safety and nuclear waste storage are answered.

He knows that the public's health and safety come first. He opposed limiting nuclear contractor and operator liabilities when he voted in Congress against the Price-Anderson Act, which limits that liability.

As President, Paul Simon will appoint a Nuclear Regulatory Commission that will protect the public, not the nuclear industry.

Paul Simon knows that our concerns over plant safety, and the still unanswered problems of storing radioactive wastes, mean that continued local participation in decision-making is an absolute necessity.

The key to seeing America grow: invest in education for Americans.

Paul Simon has made education a priority during his legislative career. And he will do the same as President.

Paul Simon has put more education legislation into law than all the other presidential candidates combined. As a former educator himself, he knows that the strength of our nation depends on the strength of our education system.

That's why the National Education Association ranks Paul number one in supporting vital education issues, among all the presidential candidates with congressional service.

It's plain common sense: you don't export arms to Iran. Or jobs to Japan.

Long before trade was a popular issue, Paul Simon spoke out against job-destroying subsidized foreign imports. He is a leader in the fight to save America's industries and to stop the erosion of America's industrial base.

Caring for older Americans: it's time to provide long-term care.

Our parents and grandparents shouldn't be forced into a nursing home because Medicare doesn't cover long-term care at home. Nor should American families be forced into bankruptcy because Medicare doesn't cover long-term care.

American families need long-term protection that is now available only to the very wealthy.

Giving our children a chance for peace: we must seize responsible opportunities to end the arms race.

Paul Simon, an overseas veteran of Army service, believes that a strong defense must be maintained, so that no nation can question our commitment to defend freedom.

But he also believes that when opportunities are presented to sensibly reduce the arms race with verifiable agreements by both the Soviets and the United States, we must grab those opportunities. It's our obligation to protect the future for our children's tomorrows.

Paul Simon is fighting for working families and senior citizens. In the great Democratic tradition of Roosevelt, Truman and Kennedy.

Elected to the United States Senate in 1984, Paul Simon is continuing a career of public service that began thirty years ago in Troy, Illinois.

He was first elected to the Illinois State Legislature in 1954, and was named "Best Legislator" by the Independent Voters of Illinois for every term he served. After serving as Illinois Lieutenant Governor, Paul taught history and government at Sangamon State University, Springfield, Illinois.

Paul Simon was elected to five terms in the U.S. House, representing a rural district in southern Illinois. Over the course of his career, he has written 11 books.

Paul and his wife, Jeanne, an attorney and former state legislator, have two children, Sheila, 26, and Martin, 23. The Simons live on Rural Route 1, Makanda, Illinois (population 400).