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9/13/75 - Remarks at a Meeting of the National Federation of Republican Women, Dallas, Texas
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9/13/75 - Remarks at a Meeting of the National Federation of Republican Women, Dallas, Texas
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President's Speeches and Statements Reading Copies (Ford Administration)
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Republican National Committee (U.S.)
Women
Federal budget
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The original documents are located in Box 15, "9/13/75 - Remarks at a Meeting of the
National Federation of Republican Women, Dallas, Texas" of the President's Speeches and
Statements: Reading Copies 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. Gerald Ford 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States of America his copyrights in all of his unpublished writings in National Archives collections.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.
Digitized from Box 15 of President's Speeches and Statements: Reading Copies at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS - NAT'L FEDERATION OF
REPUBLICAN WOMEN
THE PRESIDENT HAS SEEN
THANK YOU, CONNIE (Connie Armitage introduces you)
MARY LOUISE
SENATOR TOWER
DISTINGUISHED MEMBERS OF CONGRESS
BILL ARCHER
ALAN STEELMAN
JIM COLLINS
BOB KASTEN
JACK KEMP
Missourc
GOVERNOR BOND - WITH MUCH THANKS FOR A. GREAT DAY YESTERDAY
will
MY OLD FRIENDS JOHN CONNALLY AND ANNE ARMSTRONG
AND ALL OF THE OTHER WONDERFUL REPUBLICANS WHO ARE HERE
TODAY
THE PRESIDENT HAS SEEN
PRESIDENTIAL REMARKS
TO THE
NATIONAL FEDERATION OF REPUBLICAN WOMEN
DALLAS, TEXAS
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 1975
- 1 -
(ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS)
THERE'S A SLOGAN THAT SAYS: NEVER UNDERESTIMATE
THE POWER OF A WOMAN.
I CAN ASSURE YOU, THE NATIONAL
FEDERATION IS AN ORGANIZATION OF REPUBLICAN WOMEN WHOSE
POWER,
PRESTIGE,
PERCEPTION AND PURPOSE WILL NEVER BE
UNDERESTIMATED BY ANYONE!
I KNOW IT.
YOU KNOW IT.
AND NEXT YEAR A LOT OF DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATES ARE GOING TO
KNOW IT, TOO!
- 2 -
FIRST, LET ME THANK PRESIDENT CONNIE ARMITAGE
FOR HER INTRODUCTION -- AND LET ME ALSO THANK CONNIE ON
BEHALF OF ALL REPUBLICANS FOR HER QUARTER CENTURY OF OUTSTANDING
CONTRIBUTION TO OUR PARTY.
CONNIE, YOU HAVE MADE EXCELLENCE
LOOK ALL TOO EASY.
- 3 -
BUT THE FEDERATION HAS ALWAYS BEEN RICH IN
EXCEPTIONAL LEADERSHIP AND I KNOW THAT PAT HUTAR (YOU-TAR)
WILL CONTINUE THIS TRADITION OF OUTSTANDING EXECUTIVE
ACHIEVEMENT.
AS ONE CHIEF EXECUTIVE TO ANOTHER, I PLEDGE
TO PAT MY FULLEST COOPERATION IN PUTTING OUR PARTY'S
PRINCIPLES TO WORK!
- 4 -
THE REPUBLICAN PARTY, ITS MEN AND WOMEN,
WILL BE FACING AN HISTORIC CHALLENGE NEXT YEAR.
1976 WILL DETERMINE WHETHER WE CAN REGAIN OUR NUMBERS
STATURE AND EFFECTIVENESS ON THE NATIONAL POLITICAL SCENE --
OR WHETHER AMERICA IS TRULY ON THE ROAD TO ONE-PARTY RULE.
- 4a - -
TO MEET THIS CHALLENGE, WE NEED THE SPIRIT,
THE DETERMINATION,
AND ABOVE ALL -- THE TALENT OF ALL REPUBLICANS.
WE NEED YOUR HELP. as I have gotten The wonderful
help from The michigan delegation.
THE STRONG AND FREE SPIRIT THAT MADE AMERICA
MUST BE REKINDLED TO SAVE IT.
- 5 -
negative attitude
FRANKLY, I HAVE HAD IT WITH THE NEGATIVITY THAT
WOULD WRITE A SELF-FULFILLING PROPHECY OF DOOM FOR AMERICA.
from people who ray
I HAVE HEARD TOO MUCH ABOUT LOW HOW EVERYTHING IS FALLING APART
HOW THE QUALITY OF LIFE IS SLIDING DOWNHILL, HOW THE DOLLAR
IS WORTHLESS, HOW MUGGERS AND MURDERERS HAVE DRIVEN
EVERYONE BEHIND LOCKED DOORS
f
AND HOW EVEN THE PRESIDENT
OF THE UNITED STATES SHOULD STOP VISITING PUBLIC PLACES.
- 6 -
I DID NOT TAKE THE SACRED OATH OF OFFICE TO
PRESIDE OVER THE DECLINE AND FALL OF THE UNITED STATES OF
AMERICA.
I REJECT THE SCENARIOS OF PESSIMISM.
- 7 -
I LOOK TO THE FUTURE AND TO BUILDING UPON
A PROUD PAST.
IN AMERICA'S FIRST CENTURY, A YOUNG NATION
FORGED POLITICAL INSTITUTIONS RESPONSIVE TO THE PEOPLE
UNITY GREW FROM DIVERSITY.
OUR SECOND CENTURY
TRANSFORMED AMERICA INTO THE MOST PRODUCTIVE NATION
THAT EVER EXISTED.
- 8 -
AMERICA VIBRATED WITH PIONEER COURAGE
THE ACHIEVEMENTS
OF INDUSTRY,
\
AGRICULTURE AND FREE TRADE UNIONS
\
THE
INCENTIVES OF FREE ENTERPRISE AND THE SHARING OF ECONOMIC
GAINS AT HOME AND ABROAD.
- 9 -
OUR THIRD CENTURY BEGINS IN LESS THAN A YEAR.
LET THIS NEW ERA BE ONE OF FULFILLMENT FOR THE INDIVIDUAL.
I SEE A CENTURY DEVOTED TO THE QUALITY OF PERSONAL AND FAMILY
AND COMMUNITY LIFE.
I SEE PEOPLE SOLVING PROBLEMS RATHER
THAN WALLOWING IN DESPAIR.
- 10 -
I SEE PEOPLE MAKING THEIR OWN DECISIONS RATHER THAN
ABDICATING THEIR FUTURE TO THE MASSIVE "BIG BROTHER"
GOVERNMENTAL STRUCTURES OR TURNING OVER THEIR LIVES
TO THE "1984" NIGHTMARE SCRIPT OF WHAT OUR THIRD CENTURY
COULD BE.
- 11 -
IT IS MY FERVENT CONVICTION THAT A GOVERNMENT BIG
ENOUGH TO GIVE YOU EVERYTHING YOU WANT IS BIG ENOUGH TO TAKE
from you
AWAY EVERYTHING YOU HAVE.
I ASK YOU TO SHARE MY VISION OF A THIRD AMERICAN
CENTURY IN WHICH THE INDIVIDUAL
AND NOT THE GOVERNMENT
-
MAKES PERSONAL CHOICES.
- 12 -
I AM CONFIDENT THAT THE AMERICAN SPIRIT THAT BROUGHT
US TO OUR 200TH BIRTHDAY HAS PRODUCED MEN AND WOMEN
WHO ARE DETERMINED TO PREVAIL OVER THE AGENCIES AND BUREAUS
OF GOVERNMENT THAT WOULD REDUCE HUMAN BEINGS TO COMPUTERIZED
ABSTRACTIONS.
- 13 -
I SEE AMERICAN INDIVIDUALISM AS THE SENTINEL OF 1976
STANDING WATCH OVER OUR FUTURE.
NEVER FORGET THAT,
IN AMERICA, OUR SOVEREIGN IS THE CITIZEN.
THE GOVERNMENT
EXISTS TO SERVE PEOPLE.
GOVERNMENT MUST NEVER BECOME
AN UNRESPONSIVE MONSTROSITY THAT MASTERS EVERYONE AND
IS RESPONSIVE TO NO ONE.
- 14 -
THUS
MY VISION OF AMERICA'S THIRD CENTURY IS
A TIME OF ACHIEVEMENT RATHER THAN APATHY,
\
FOSTERING HUMAN
GROWTH AND SPIRITUAL AND MORAL
- 15 -
TWO CENTURIES OF STRUGGLE WON FOR AMERICA
A GREAT MEASURE OF POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC INDEPENDENCE.
I AM PROUD TO BE PRESIDENT OF A FREE GOVERNMENT THAT CHECKS
AND BALANCES ITS OWN EXCESSES.
I AM PROUD OF A FREE
ECONOMIC SYSTEM WHICH CORRECTS ITS OWN ERRORS,
CONTROLLED BY THE MARKETPLACE OF FREE AND ENLIGHTENED CONSUMERS.
- 16. -
I AM ESPECIALLY PROUD TO BE A MEMBER OF A PARTY
THAT CHERISHES THE INDIVIDUAL AND BELIEVES IN GOVERNMENT
THAT DOES FOR THE INDIVIDUAL ONLY THAT WHICH HE OR SHE CANNOT
ACHIEVE ALONE.
THAT IS WHAT FREEDOM IS ALL ABOUT.
Busing
- 16a -
OUR FOREBEARS WHO FOU NDED THIS GREAT NATION
WERE DRIVEN BY A PASSION TO BE INDIVIDUALS.
THEY CREATED A SYSTEM OF GOVERNMENT THAT GAVE
FORM AND SUBSTANCE TO THAT REVOLUTIONARY GOAL.
BUT THEN THE POLITICIANS AND THEORISTS BEGAN TO INTRUDE
UPON THIS INDIVIDUALITY WITH THEORIES THAT BIG GOVERNMENT
AND FEDERAL SPENDING COULD CURE EVERY SOCIAL ILL.
- 17 -
THEY BEGAN TO PREACH THAT OUR FREE ENTERPRISE SYSTEM NEEDED
oppresent
GOVERNMENT RULES AND REGULATIONS TO PROTECT THE INDIVIDUAL.
-17a - -
THEY STARTED A TREND THAT NOW THREATENS TO
ENGULF INDIVIDUALS AS WELL AS THE ENTIRE NATION.
A TRICKLE OF FEDERAL SPENDING FOR HUMAN NEEDS
HAS BECOME A TIDAL WAVE. under D Democratics
action,
- 18 -
SOME LAWS NEEDED TO PROMOTE COMPETITION
HAVE BECOME A MAZE OF REGULATIONS THAT ARE STRANGLING
OUR ECONOMIC SYSTEM.
EVERY NEW DOLLAR APPROPRIATED
\
EVERY NEW LAW
THAT FETTERS FREE ENTERPRISE ERODES PERSONAL FREEDOM
WE ARE LOS ING THE FREEDOM THAT MADE IT POSSIBLE TO BUILD
THIS GREAT NATION.
- 19 -
THE FLOOD OF FEDERAL SPENDING COVERS A WIDE RANGE
enacted by Corpers
OF INCOME REDISTRIBUTION PROGRAMS -- PROGRAMS UNDER
a
WHICH A QUALIFIED CITIZEN IS AUTOMATICALLY ENTITLED
TO SPECIFIC BENEFITS.
- 20 -
SOME OF THESE PROGRAMS ARE NECESSARY AND
those laws enacted by Cropers
COMMENDABLE.
BUT IN THIS FISCAL YEAR THEY WILL TOTAL
1
MORE THAN 168 BILLION DOLLARS.
THEY WILL EAT UP
MORE THAN 45 PERCENT OF FEDERAL EXPENDITURES.
- 21 -
EVER-INCREASING GOVERNMENT SPENDING FOR SOCIAL
PROGRAMS THREATENS OUR WHOLE ECONOMY.
IF THAT SPENDING
GROWS AT THE RATE OF THE LAST 20 YEARS, BY THE YEAR 2000
HALF THE PEOPLE IN THIS NATION WILL BE LIVING OFF THE OTHER HALF.
THIS TREND MUST BE REVERSED and it will be.
- 22 -
EVERYBODY HERE KNOWS MY RECORD IN THE CONGRESS
WHERE I WON FIVE "WATCHDOG OF THE TREASURY" AWARDS --
EVERY YEAR THEY WERE ISSUED WHILE I WAS IN THE CONGRESS.
IN THE WHITE HOUSE I HAVE CONTINUED TO FIGHT THE BIG SPENDERS.
BUT IT TAKES TIME TO UNDO THE DAMAGE CAUSED BY 25 YEARS OF
RECKLESS DEMOCRATIC SPENDING.
- 23 -
IF NOT STOPPED, THIS DEMOCRATIC CONGRESS
WILL BALLOON THIS YEAR'S BUDGET DEFICIT TO 70 BILLION DOLLARS,
80 BILLION DOLLARS OR EVEN 100 BILLION DOLLARS.
WE CAN'T
LET THIS HAPPEN!
THE ONLY WEAPON AVAILABLE TO OUTNUMBERED
CONGRESSIONAL REPUBLICANS IS THE VETO.
I HAVE USED IT
AND, IF NECESSARY, WILL USE IT AGAIN. and again
- 24 -
THESE VETOES ARE POSITIVE.
THE FRAMERS
OF OUR CONSTITUTION INTENDED THAT THEY SHOULD BE.
THE EXPERTS TELL ME THAT MY VETOES THIS YEAR WILL SAVE
TAXPAYERS SOME SIX BILLION DOLLARS BY 1977.
NOT THAT IS POSITIVE. action by any standard
-2,5 -
MY VETOES HAVE OFTEN RESULTED IN BETTER LEGISLATION.
WHEN I VETOED IRRESPONSIBLE BILLS AND ENOUGH CONGRESSMEN
AGREED TO SUSTAIN THE VETO, THE CONGRESS WAS FORCED TO
COME UP WITH BETTER BILLS ALONG THE ORIGINAL LINES I HAD
PROPOSED.
THAT IS ANOTHER POSITIVE BENEFIT OF THE VETO.
- 2,6 -
I HAVE HEARD THAT THE WILD-SPENDING DEMOCRATS
IN THE CONGRESS WANT TO SWITCH BILLIONS OF DOLLARS FROM
more
NATIONAL DEFENSE INTO SOCIAL PROGRAMS.
THAT WOULD BE
DEAD WRONG.
I WILL FIGHT THEM EVERY STEP OF THE WAY.
- 27 -
AS WE APPROACH THE CAMPAIGN YEAR OF 1976,
THE AIR WILL SOON BE FILLED WITH THE VOICES OF CANDIDATES,
S
THE RUMBLE OF BANDWAGONS \ AND THE QUESTIONS OF POLLSTERS.
AND POLLSTERS AREN'T THE ONLY ONES WHO WILL BE ASKING
QUESTIONS.
I HAVE SOME QUESTIONS OF MY OWN TO ASK.
- 28 -
DO YOU WANT YOUR PRESIDENT TO ACCEPT
WITHOUT
A FIGHT
\
BUDGET-BUSTING APPROPRIATIONS BILLS?
Let's put it way
WHAT PM CETTING AT IS -- DO YOU WANT TO BE DEEP IN THE
HEART OF TEXAS OR DEEP IN THE HEART OF TAXES?
- 29 - -
DO YOU WANT YOUR PRESIDENT TO OPEN THE UNITED STATES
TREASURY TO EVERY CITY THAT HASN'T OR WON'T RESPONSIBLY MANAGE
ITS FINANCIAL AFFAIRS?
- 30 -
DO YOU WANT YOUR PRESIDENT TO ROLL OVER AND
PLAY DEAD WHILE THE CONGRESS PASSES MORE AND MORE
LEGISLATION TO STRANGLE FREE ENTERPRISE?
- 31 -
DO YOU WANT YOUR PRESIDENT TO GO ALONG WITH
THOSE WHO ABDICATE STATE AND LOCAL RESPONSIBILITY
TO A MASSIVE FEDERAL BUREAUCRACY?
DO YOU WANT YOUR PRESIDENT TO ACCEPT
LEGISLATION THAT WILL CONTINUE AMERICA'S DEPENDENCE
ON UNRELIABLE FOREIGN OIL?
- 32 -
DO YOU WANT YOUR PRESIDENT TO ACCEPT,
WITHOUT
A FIGHT
SLASHES IN OUR DEFENSE PROGRAM THAT WOULD MAKE
AMERICA NUMBER TWO -- IN A WORLD WHERE ONLY NUMBER ONE
COUNTS?
- 33 -
AS AMERICANS CONCERNED ABOUT THE FUTURE
OF THIS GREAT NATION -- YOUR REPUBLICAN ANSWER TO EVERY ONE
OF THOSE QUESTIONS HAS TO BE A RESOUNDING "NO!"
- 34 -
I AGREE WITH YOU
AND I INTEND TO FIGHT WITH
EVERYTHING AT MY COMMAND TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE:
-- FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY IN GOVERNMENT;
-- A VIGOROUS FREE ENTERPRISE SYSTEM;
-- A STRONG NATIONAL DEFENSE;
-- LOCAL CONTROL OVER LOCAL AFFAIRS;
-- AND PRESERVATION OF PERSONAL FREEDOM FOR
THE INDIVIDUAL.
- 35 -
TODAY,
\
THE REPUBLICAN PARTY AND THE AMERICAN
PEOPLE ARE IN TUNE AND IN STEP -- AND THEY'RE AN UNBEATABLE
COMBINATION.
WITH YOUR TALENT,
\
WITH YOUR ENTHUSIASM,
\
WITH YOUR HELP -- WE CAN MAKE 1976 A YEAR ALL REPUBLICANS
WILL REMEMBER -- AND DEMOCRATS MAY NEVER FORGET.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
END OF TEXT