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Congressional Appreciation Dinner Honoring Representative J. Herbert Burke, Hollywood, FL, November 3, 1967
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Congressional Appreciation Dinner Honoring Representative J. Herbert Burke, Hollywood, FL, November 3, 1967
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The original documents are located in Box D23, folder "Congressional Appreciation Dinner
Honoring Representative J. Herbert Burke, Hollywood, FL, November 3, 1967" of the Ford
Congressional Papers: Press Secretary and Speech File at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential
Library.
Copyright Notice
The copyright law of the United States (Title 17, United States Code) governs the making of
photocopies or other reproductions of copyrighted material. The Council donated to the United
States of America his copyrights in all of his unpublished writings in National Archives collections.
Works prepared by U.S. Government employees as part of their official duties are in the public
domain. The copyrights to materials written by other individuals or organizations are presumed to
remain with them. If you think any of the information displayed in the PDF is subject to a valid
copyright claim, please contact the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library.
Distribution: Full + 20 Mr. Ford
1:00p, Nov. 3, 1967
CONGRESSMAN
NEWS
GERALD R. FORD
HOUSE REPUBLICAN LEADER
RELEASE
--FOR RELEASE AT 6:30 P.M. FRIDAY--
November 3, 1967
Excerpts from a Speech by Rep. Gerald R. Ford, House Republican Leader,
at Congressional Appreciation Dinner honoring Rep. J. Herbert Burke, R-Fla.,
Friday evening, Nov. 3, 1967, at the Diplomat Hotel, Hollywood, Fla.
The credibility gap yawns wider with every passing day. A nationally
syndicated news columnist testifies to this with the remark that the American
people not only don't believe President Johnson any more, they don't even listen
to him. That scathing comment was made by this columnist after he had made a
pulse-taking swing through the heartland of America. It dramatically illustrates
the pass to which this country has come as a result of the leadership gap in
the White House.
The leadership vacuum we now are suffering from looms even larger, I am
afraid. Not only don't the people believe Mr. Johnson, neither do the members
of Congress. And they are not listening to him, either. The reason is that
the man in the White House has plunged this Nation into a mess both at home and
abroad and has taxed the credulity of this country with his attempts to explain
it away. He has lost the confidence and trust of the people and of his former
colleagues on Capitol Hill.
Much has been said about the refusal of Congress to give the President his
10 per cent income tax surcharge, impose a heavier income tax burden on
Americans to pay for the President's past mistakes and future extravagance.
Why do you suppose economy-minded members of Congress are reluctant to
accept the President's promise that he will cut federal spending by $2 billion
in exchange for an income tax increase?
First of all, a $2 billion spending cut is not enough. Second, the
President's record for keeping promises is just plain bad. It won't hold up.
I remember only too well the promise made by the President--and by a
Democratic Congress--when income taxes were cut in 1964.
That promise was set forth in the preamble to the Revenue Act of 1964 and
offered by Ways and Means Chairman Wilbur Mills as the basis for tax cuts in
time of red ink spending.
The idea was that the tax reductions would so stimulate the economy as to
produce more revenue. The promise was that this increased revenue would "first
(more)
GERALE R.FORD LIBRARY
Digitized from Box D23 of the Ford Congressional Papers: Press Secretary and Speech File at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library
-2-
be used to eliminate the deficits in the administrative budgets and then to reduce
the public debt." This was the promise--in just those words--written into an
Act of Congress.
The preamble to the Revenue Act of 1964 went on to say: "To further the
objective of obtaining balanced budgets in the near future, Congress by this
action recognizes the importance of taking all reasonable means to restrain
Government spending and urges the President to declare his accord with this
objective."
The President did declare his accord with that objective. After all, that
was the agreement he made with Wilbur Mills to get him to push the tax cut bill.
You have seen what has happened since the 1964 Revenue Act was passed. Was
the increased revenue used to eliminate deficits and to reduce the public debt?
The answer is a cruel joke on the American people.
In the flush of the feeling of well-being that came with tax cut benefits,
the voters gave President Johnson a Congress so responsive to his wishes that
he called it "my Congress." He owned it and it gave him everything he wanted.
At Mr. Johnson's urging the 89th Congress opened the floodgates to federal
spending and launched vast new federal programs with built-in cost escalators.
For his part, Mr. Johnson insisted the Nation could afford costly programs
at home while pouring billions of dollars into a war halfway around the world.
Lyndon Johnson's social welfare spending, combined with war costs, so over-
heated the economy last year that it put all of us on the cost-of-living escalator.
How do we get off that escalator? President Johnson is making it plain to
the American people that only a change in national leadership can give them
control of federal spending again.
That's the real issue in the fight over the President's 10 per cent surtax:
Will the American people ever regain control over federal spending.
Fight Johnson inflation? Certainly we must fight Johnson inflation. And
the best way to do it is to cut federal spending, because most economists will
tell you a dollar cut from federal spending has nearly twice as much impact on
inflation as a dollar increase in income taxes.
I have hopes we can make deep cuts in federal spending despite stubborn
resistance from President Johnson. The reason I believe we can do it is that
the taxpayers are in revolt all over this country against the wild spending
policies of the Johnson Administration.
(more)
-3-
The American people know the Johnson Administration is not serving their
needs but those of the bureaucrats and social experimenters. And they are sick
of it.
The American people know that the Johnson Administration held back for over
two years on effective bombing of significant military targets in North Vietnam
but has bombed the people's pocketbook full of holes.
They call this the Great Society. Take a good look at it and what
do you see? A mighty Nation locked in a war of attrition with a primitive
country a fraction its size. Seventy-six major riots in the last three years,
with more than 100 persons killed, including 12 policemen, and 2,424 wounded,
including 1,199 policemen, 7,985 cases of arson, 28,939 arrests, 5,434 convictions,
$210.6 million in property damage, and an estimated $504.2 million in economic
losses.
A Great Society? We're living in a society at war with itself a society
kept in constant turmoil because the Administration in power is floundering in
a sea of fear and failure both at home and abroad.
As I speak to you here in Florida, I am struck by the growing strength
of the Republican Party here and elsewhere in this part of the country. I
think it is significant that a Republican has been elected mayor of Birmingham,
Alabama. This indicates to me a growing realization by people in the South that
it is the Republican Party which stands for sound government, prudent use of the
taxpayer's dollar and progress at a pace we can afford.
I am greatly encouraged, too, because the voters of this congressional
district in 1966 chose as their representative Herbert Burke, the first Republican
to hold a seat on the Broward County Commission. I understand that Broward
County has grown in population from 200,000 in 1952, when Herb first went on
the county commission, to more than half a million in 1966. It certainly is
fitting that the man who helped Broward grow into greatness is serving as this
area's first congressman. I feel sure those people of Dade County who will
become voters in the Florida 10th also will recognize Herb Burke for what he
is--a dedicated, hard-working, highly capable congressman who represents the
best interests of all the people of his district.
###
--FOR RELEASE AT 6:30 P.M. FRIDAY--
November 3, 1967
Excerpts from a Speech by Rep. Gerald R. Ford, House Republican Leader,
at Congressional Appreciation Dinner honoring Rep. J. Herbert Burke, R-Fla.,
Friday evening, Nov. 3, 1967, at the Diplomet Notel, Holpywood, Fla.
The credibility gap yawas wider with every passing day. A nationally
syndicated news columnist testifies to this with the remark that the American
people not only don't believe President Johnson any more, they don't even listen
to him. That scathing comment was made by this columnist after he had made a
pulse-taking swing through the heartland of America. It dramatically illustrates
the pass to which this country has come as a result of the leadership gap in
the White House.
The leadership vacuum we now are suffering from looms even larger, I am
afraid. Not only don't the people believe Mr. Johnson. Neither do the members
of Congress. And they are not listening to him, either. The reason is that
the man in the White House has plunged this Mation into a mess both at home and
abroad and has taxed the credulity of this country with his attempts to explain
it away. He has lost the confidence and trust of the people and of his former
colleagues on Capitol Hill.
Much has been said about the refusal of Congress to give the President his
10 per cent income tax xurcharge, impose a heavier income tax burden on
Americans to pay for the President's past mistakes and future extravagance.
Why do you suppose oconomy-minded members of Congress are reluctant to
accept the President's promise that he will cut federal spending by $2 billion
in exchange for an income tax increase?
First of all, a $2 billion spending cut is not enough. Second, the
President's record for keeping promises is just plain bad. It won't hold up.
I remember only too well the pledge made by the President--and by a
Democratic Congress--when income taxes were cut in 1964.
There was a promise made at that time, a promise that was set forth in the
presuble to the Revenue Act of 1964 and offered by Ways and Means Chairman
FORD
Wilbur Mills as the basis for tax cuts in time of red ink spending.
The idea was that the tax reductions would so stimulate the economy as to
LIBRARY
produce more revenue and that this increased revenue would "first be used to
-2-
eliminate the deficits in the administrative budgets and then to reduce the
public debt." This was the premise--in just those words-written into an Act
of Congress.
The presuble to the Revenue Act of 1964 went on to say: "To further the
objective of obtaining balanced budgets in the near future, Congress by this
action recognizes the importance of taking all reasonable means to restrain
Government spending and urges the President to declare his accord with this
objective."
The President did déalare his accord with that objective. After all, that
was the agreement he made with Wilbur Mills to get him to push the tax cut bill.
You have seen what has happened since the 1964 Revenue Act was passed. Was
the increased revenue used to eliminate deficits and to reduce the public debt?
The answer is a cruel joke on the American people.
In the flash of the initial feeling of well-being that came with tax cut
benefits, the voters gave President Johnson a Congress so responsive to his
wishes that he called it "my Congress." He owned it and it gave him everything
he wanted.
Mr. Johnson's urging the 89th Congress opened the floodgates to federal
spending and Launched vast new federal programs with built-in cost escalators.
For his part, Mr. Johnson insisted the Nation could efford costly programs
at home while pouring billions of dollars into a war halfway around the world.
Lyndon Johnson's social welfare spending, combined with war costs, so over-
heated the economy last year that it put all of us on the cost-of-living escalater.
How do we get off that escalator? I guess Republicans owe the President a
debt of gratitude because he is making it plain to the American people that only
a change in national leadership can give them control of federal spending again.
That's the real issue in the fight over the President's 10 per cent surtax:
will the American people regain control over federal spending.
Fight Johnson inflation? Certainly we must fight Johnson inflation. And
the best way to do it is to cut federal spending, because most economists will
tell you a dollar cut from federal spending has nearly twice as much impact on
inflation as a dollar increase in income taxes.
I have hopes we can make deep cuts in federal spending despite stubborn
resistance from President Johnson. The reason I believe we can do it is that
the taxpayers are in revolt all over this country against the wild spending
-3-
policies of the Johnson Administration.
The American people know the Johnson Administration is not serving their
needs but those of the bureaucrats and social experimenters. And they are sick
of it.
The American people know that the Johnson Administration held back for over
two years on effective bombing of significant military targets in North Vietnam
but has bombed the people's pecketbook full of holes.
This is what they call the Great Society. Take a good look at it and what
do you see? A mighty Nation locked in a war of attrition with a primitive
country a fraction its size. Seventy-six major riots in the last three years,
with more than 100 persons killed, including 12 policamen, and 2,424 wounded,
including 1,199 policemen, 7,985 cases of arson, 28,939 arrests, 5,434 convictions,
$210.6 million in property damage, and an extimated $504.2 million in economic
lesses.
A Great Society? We're living in a society at war with itself. A society
kept in constant turmoil because the Administration inpower is floundering in a
sea of indecision and failure both at home and abroad.
As I speak to you here in Florida, I am struck by the growing strength
of the Republican Party here and elsewhere in this part of the country. I
think it is significant that a Republican has been elected mayor of Biruingham,
Alabama. This indicates to me a growing realisation by people in the South that
it is the Republican Party which stands for Sound government, prudent use of the
taxpayer's dollar and progress at a pace we can afford.
I am greatly encouraged, too, because the voters of this congressional
district in 1966 chose as their representative Herbert Burke, the first Republican
to hold a seat on the Broward County Commission. I understand that Broward
County has grown in population from 200,000 in 1952, when Herb first went on
the county commission,t more than half a million in 1966. It certainly is
fitting that the men who helped Broward grow into greatness is serving as this
area's first congressman. I feel sure those people of Dade County who will
become voters in the Florida 10th also will recognise Merb Durke for what he
is--a dedicated, hard-werking, highly capable congressmen who represents the
best interests of all the people of his district.
...
CONGRESSMAN
NEWS
GERALD R. FORD
HOUSE REPUBLICAN LEADER
RELEASE
--FOR RELEASE AT 6:30 P.M. FRIDAY--
November 3, 1967
Excerpts from a Speech by Rep. Gerald R. Ford, House Republican Leader,
at Congressional Appreciation Dinner honoring Rep. J. Herbert Burke, R-Fla.,
Friday evening, Nov. 3, 1967, at the Diplomat Hotel, Hollywood, Fla.
The credibility gap yawns wider with every passing day. A nationally
syndicated news columnist testifies to this with the remark that the American
people not only don't believe President Johnson any more, they don't even listen
to him. That scathing comment was made by this columnist after he had made a
pulse-taking swing through the heartland of America. It dramatically illustrates
the pass to which this country has come as a result of the leadership gap in
the White House.
The leadership vacuum we now are suffering from looms even larger, I am
afraid. Not only don't the people believe Mr Johnson, neither do the members
of Congress. And they are not listening to him, either. The reason is that
the man in the White House has plunged this Nation into a mess both at home and
abroad and has taxed the credulity of this country with his attempts to explain
it away. He has lost the confidence and trust of the people and of his former
colleagues on Capitol Hill.
Much has been said about the refusal of Congress to give the President his
10 per cent income tax surcharge, impose a heavier income tax burden on
Americans to pay for the President's past mistakes and future extravagance.
Why do you suppose economy minded members of Congress are reluctant to
accept the President's promise that he will cut federal spending by $2 billion
in exchange for an income tax increase?
First of all, a $2 billion spending cut is not enough. Second, the
President's record for keeping promises is just plain bad. It won't hold up.
I remember only too well the promise made by the President--and by a
Democratic Congress-when income taxes were cut in 1964.
That promise was set forth in the preamble to the Revenue Act of 1964 and
offered by Ways and Means Chairman Wilbur Mills as the basis for tax cuts in
time of red ink spending.
The idea was that the tax reductions would so stimulate the economy as to
FORD
produce more revenue. The promise was that this increased revenue would "first
(more)
LIBRARY
-2-
be used to eliminate the deficits in the administrative budgets and then to reduce
the public debt." This was the promise--in just those words--written into an
Act of Congress.
The preamble to the Revenue Act of 1964 went on to say: "To further the
objective of obtaining balanced budgets in the near future, Congress by this
action recognizes the importance of taking all reasonable means to restrain
Government spending and urges the President to declare his accord with this
objective."
The President did declare his accord with that objective. After all, that
was the agreement he made with Wilbur Mills to get him to push the tax cut bill.
You have seen what has happened since the 1964 Revenue Act was passed. Was
the increased revenue used to eliminate deficits and to reduce the public debt?
The answer is a cruel joke on the American people.
In the flush of the feeling of well-being that came with tax cut benefits,
the voters gave President Johnson a Congress so responsive to his wishes that
he called it "my Congress." He owned it and it gave him everything he wanted.
At Mr. Johnson's urging the 89th Congress opened the floodgates to federal
spending and launched vast new federal programs with built-in cost escalators.
For his part, Mr. Johnson insisted the Nation could afford costly programs
at home while pouring billions of dollars into a war halfway around the world.
Lyndon Johnson's social welfare spending, combined with war costs, so over-
heated the economy last year that it put all of us on the cost-of-living escalator.
How do we get off that escalator? President Johnson is making it plain to
the American people that only a change in national leadership can give them
control of federal spending again.
That's the real issue in the fight over the President's 10 per cent surtax:
Will the American people ever regain control over federal spending.
Fight Johnson inflation? Certainly we must fight Johnson inflation. And
the best way to do it is to cut federal spending, because most economists will
tell you a dollar cut from federal spending has nearly twice as much impact on
inflation as a dollar increase in income taxes.
I have hopes we can make deep cuts in federal spending despite stubborn
resistance from President Johnson. The reason I believe we can do it is that
the taxpayers are in revolt all over this country against the wild spending
policies of the Johnson Administration.
(more)
-3-
The American people know the Johnson Administration is not serving their
needs but those of the bureaucrats and social experimenters. And they are sick
of it.
The American people know that the Johnson Administration held back for over
two years on effective bombing of significant military targets in North Vietnam
but has bombed the people's pocketbook full of holes.
They call this the Great Society. Take a good look at it and what
do you see? A mighty Nation locked in a war of attrition with a primitive
country a fraction its size. Seventy-six major riots in the last three years,
with more than 100 persons killed, including 12 policemen, and 2,424 wounded,
including 1,199 policemen, 7,985 cases of arson, 28,939 arrests, 5,434 convictions,
$210.6 million in property damage, and an estimated $504.2 million in economic
losses.
A Great Society? We're living in a society at war with itself a society
kept in constant turmoil because the Administration in power is floundering in
a sea of fear and failure both at home and abroad.
As I speak to you here in Florida, I am struck by the growing strength
of the Republican Party here and elsewhere in this part of the country. I
think it is significant that a Republican has been elected mayor of Birmingham,
Alabama. This indicates to me a growing realization by people in the South that
it is the Republican Party which stands for sound government, prudent use of the
taxpayer's dollar and progress at a pace we can afford.
I am greatly encouraged, too, because the voters of this congressional
district in 1966 chose as their representative Herbert Burke, the first Republican
to hold a seat on the Broward County Commission. I understand that Broward
County has grown in population from 200,000 in 1952, when Herb first went on
the county commission, to more than half a million in 1966. It certainly is
fitting that the man who helped Broward grow into greatness is serving as this
area's first congressman. I feel sure those people of Dade County who will
become voters in the Florida 10th also will recognize Herb Burke for what he
is--a dedicated, hard-working, highly capable congressman who represents the
best interests of all the people of his district.
# # #