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Ronald Reagan Presidential Library
Digital Library Collections
This is a PDF of a folder from our textual collections.
Collection: Roberts, John G.: Files
Folder Title: JGR/Presidential Remarks,
[Statements & Addresses]
(12/16/1983-12/31/1983)
Box: 40
To see more digitized collections visit:
https://reaganlibrary.gov/archives/digital-library
To see all Ronald Reagan Presidential Library inventories visit:
https://reaganlibrary.gov/document-collection
Contact a reference archivist at: [email protected]
Citation Guidelines: https://reaganlibrary.gov/citing
National Archives Catalogue: https://catalog.archives.gov/
THE WHITE HOUSE
WASHINGTON
December 15, 1983
MEMORANDUM FOR FRED F. FIELDING
FROM:
JOHN G. ROBERTS
SUBJECT:
Proposed Talking Points on the
President's First Three Years
Richard Darman has asked that comments on the above-
referenced talking points be sent directly to Mike Baroody
by 2:00 p.m. today. The proposed talking points review the
Reagan record after three years, with the predominant focus
on the economic recovery. Foreign affairs and defense
issues appear only briefly at the very end, almost as an
afterthought. I recommend raising this imbalance in a
general way in our memorandum to Baroody. The attached
draft of that memorandum also contains several stylistic
comments.
Attachment
THE WHITE HOUSE
WASHINGTON
December 15, 1983
MEMORANDUM FOR MICHAEL E. BAROODY
DEPUTY ASSISTANT TO THE PRESIDENT
DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS
FROM:
FRED F. FIELDING Orig. signed by FFF
COUNSEL TO THE PRESIDENT
SUBJECT:
Proposed Talking Points on the
President's First Three Years
Counsel's Office has reviewed the above-referenced talking
points, and finds no objection to them from a legal
perspective. We do, however, note that the foreign affairs
and defense accomplishments of the past three years receive
relatively short shrift in the talking points, and question
whether discussion of those issues should not be expanded in
a document that purports to be a comprehensive review of the
Administration record. More specific stylistic comments
follow:
Page 1, first bullet item: To preserve parallelism,
"solvency" should be "insolvency" and "growth"
should be "stagnation."
Page 1, last bullet item: Quotation mark needed at
end of quotation.
Page 2, third bullet item: Delete first "of."
Page 5, first two sentences: As written the second
sentence contradicts the entire first sentence and
not simply the "many thought insoluble" clause. The
second sentence can be deleted.
Page 6, first bullet item: Should "New" be added
before " [o]pportunities"?
Page 7: This bullet item is very poorly written.
Suggested revision:
Our alliances have been strengthened. U.S.
leadership has been demonstrated to the world - and
welcomed - in forums such as the Williamsburg
economic summit and the UN after the Korean airline
massacre. Our welcomed leadership was clearly
evident in the rescue mission we undertook in
Grenada to protect innocent lives and to help
restore democratic institutions.
CC: Richard G. Darman
FFF:JGR:aea 12/15/83
bcc: FFFielding/JGRoberts/Subj/Chron
ID #.
CU
John
WHITE HOUSE
Reter
CORRESPONDENCE TRACKING WORKSHEET
o OUTGOING
H INTERNAL
I . INCOMING
Date Correspondence
Received (YY/MM/DD)
/
/
Name of Correspondent:
Richard G. DARMAN
MI Mail Report
User Codes: (A)
(B)
(C)
Subject: Proposed Talking Points on the President's
First Three years
ROUTE TO:
ACTION
DISPOSITION
Tracking
Type
Completion
Action
Date
of
Date
Office/Agency
(Staff Name)
Code
YY/MM/DD
Response
Code
YY/MM/DD
CUHOLL
ORIGINATOR
831215
/ /
Referral Note:
CUAT098
D 83/12/15
583,1215
Referral Note:
2:00 pm
WATI7
A 83,12,15
/ /
Referral Note:
/ /
/ /
-
Referral Note:
/
/
/
/
-
Referral Note:
ACTION CODES:
DISPOSITION CODES:
A * Appropriate Action
I Info Copy Only/No Action Necessary
A Answered
C Completed
C - Comment/Recommendation
R Direct Reply w/Copy
B Non-Special Referral
S Suspended
D - Draft Response
S - For Signature
F Furnish Fact Sheet
X Interim Reply
to be used as Enclosure
FOR OUTGOING CORRESPONDENCE:
Type of Response = Initials of Signer
Code = "A"
Completion Date = Date of Outgoing
Comments:
Keep this worksheet attached to the original incoming letter.
Send all routing updates to Central Reference (Room 75, OEOB).
Always return completed correspondence record to Central Files.
Refer questions about the correspondence tracking system to Central Reference, ext. 2590.
5/81
Document No.
WHITE HOUSE STAFFING MEMORANDUM
DATE:
12/15/83
ACTION/CONCURRENCE/COMMENT DUE BY: 2:00 p.m. TODAY
SUBJECT:
PROPOSED TALKING POINTS ON THE PRESIDENT'S FIRST THREE YEARS
ACTION FYI
ACTION FYI
VICE PRESIDENT
HICKEY
MEESE
JENKINS
BAKER
McFARLANE
DEAVER
McMANUS
STOCKMAN
MURPHY
DARMAN
P
55
ROGERS
DUBERSTEIN
SPEAKES
FELDSTEIN
SVAHN
FIELDING
VERSTANDIG
FULLER
WHITTLESEY
GERGEN
BAROODY
HERRINGTON
REMARKS:
Please forward any edits/comments directly to Mike Baroody, with a
copy to my office, by 2:00 p.m. TODAY. Thank you.
RESPONSE:
Richard G. Darman
Assistant to the President
Ext. 2702
A NEW BEGINNING: THREE YEARS OF PROGRESS
As President Reagan's third year in office comes to an
end, it's apparent that the new beginning he promised for
America has been made.
Seldom has a new President come into office faced with
problems any larger, or on any wider front, than Ronald
Reagan faced at the start of 1981.
But at the end of 1983, many of those same problems had
been solved and in stark contrast to conditions when he took
office, America is on the mend. In many ways, it's coming
back stronger than ever.
The record of accomplishment is a lengthy one. Put in
just a few words, it's this:
In 3 short years, America has been restored. The
economy is growing again; inflation's been tamed
and people are going back to work. Our military
strength is being renewed and our national will
has been demonstrated. Confidence is growing that
Government can do its job when it understands what
that job should be.
The mess we were in
By the end of the 1970s, serious problems like infla-
tion, energy dependence, Social Security's solvency,
economic growth, looked as if they were years away from
solution, at best.
There was growing doubt that government could act.
President Carter's counsel called for constitutional
revisions to change the system. Without it, he argued,
no President could be able to pass a program.
Many thought inflation would take a decade to tame;
that economic growth was something we'd have to learn
to live without; that America's military strength and
moral leadership role in world affairs was in inevit-
able decline; that her will was permanently weakened.
The fear was widespread that almost every problem was
out of control and beyond the ability of government to
solve, or even to affect.
But in his inaugural, President Reagan said that many
of America's ills "have come upon us over several
decades." With characteristic optimism, he added,
"they will not go away in days, weeks, or months, but
they will go away.
Cleaning up the economic mess
1983 has been a very good year for the economy. It was
a year that many thought couldn't happen at all; others
said it could -- but not until the 1990s.
President Reagan's program for economic recovery didn't
solve our economic problems in days. But after only
three years in office, with his program in effect for
only 26 months, the President is able to look back on
a full year of:
--
real GNP growth expected to be 6%+ for the year;
--
the lowest inflation rates since the late 1960s;
--
falling unemployment rates, with record numbers at
work by year's end -- when 102.7 million had jobs,
an increase during the year of 3.6 million jobs.
In fact, 1983 was the first full year since 1972 when
we had this favorable of a combination of consistent
growth, low inflation and falling unemployment.
By the Fall of 1983, many economists who had been
sceptical were becoming believers. The "Blue Chip"
survey of leading economists reported the recovery was
expected to last over 3 years.
Some went further saying the elements were in place for
turning recovery into a prolonged economic expansion,
that would last through the balance of the decade.
Almost all the economic indicators were bad, and get-
ting worse at the start of 1981. By the end of 1983,
most were good and getting even better:
--
Inflation was under 3% for the year as the CPI
was cut to 1/4 the 1980 rate;
--
The Prime interest rate is about half the 1980
peak. It was still too high but 1983 ended with
growing optimism that continued monetary stability
would permit interest rates to fall during 1983;
-- Civilian unemployment in 1983 dropped' 2 1/2
percentage points to 8.4%. This is the largest
drop in over two decades;
-- GNP growth averaged about an 8.5% annual rate for
the middle 2 quarters of the year and promised to
end the year growing at a 6% rate or faster;
--
Industrial production rose almost 15% from the
trough at the end of 1982 and America's factories
were running near 80% of capacity;
:
The composite index of 12 leading indicators,
which predicts future changes in the economy, is
on a strong upward trend;
:
Business investment in new plant and equipment
also started to rise -- accelerating to a 16.3%
annual rate by 3rd quarter of 1983;
-- Cars and houses, too, were selling much more
briskly in 1983. Lower interest rates led to a
full-fledged housing recovery -- with starts near
1.75 million for the year -- and U.S. auto makers
sold 6.7 million cars;
-- Consumer spending is also up with retail sales 11%
higher than a year ago; and
--
Wall Street too, set records in 1983. At year's
end the Dow-Jones hovered close to the unprece-
dented 1300 mark and the President's program to
create incentives paid-off as the number of indi-
vidual stock investors grew by 10 million since
1981.
Four point program brought recovery
O
Less than a month after he took office, President
Reagan announced his program for economic recovery.
Congressional resistance prevented its full implementa-
tion, but he got more than most observers expected. In
just three years:
--
Tax rates were reduced 25% for all Americans. In
contrast, tax collections had doubled in the
previous five years;
--
Federal spending growth was slowed from over 17%
in 1980 to about half that rate now;
--
The burden of regulation was cut -- consumers and
businesses have been saved billions of dollars
and over 300 million hours of government paperwork
each year; and
-- True to the President's promise, the Administra-
tion has encouraged the Federal Reserve to main-
tain stable growth in the money supply.
The effect on individuals and their families
Double-digit inflation in 1979 and 1980 robbed
everyone. Poor people were hardest hit. A family with
a $5,000 fixed income at the start of 1979 lost more
than $1000 in purchasing power by the end of 1980.
A typical median income family of four whose income
rose from $22,600 at the start of 1979 to $24,400 by
the end of 1980 ended up $3,250 poorer in purchasing
power as inflation raged.
Lower inflation has made a typical family with a fixed
income of $29,300 have about $2500 more in purchasing
power than if inflation were still at the 1980 rate.
($29,300 is 1983 median income for family of four).
Lower tax rates mean that family will pay $700 less in
federal income taxes for 1983 than if 1980 tax rates
were still in effect. (Despite a typical family
increase of $3000 for such a family, it actually will
pay $44 less for 1983 than for 1981.)
Together, lower taxes and inflation mean the family on
fixed income has about $3200 more in purchasing power
than it would have had if inflation had continued at
its 1980 rate.
The same holds true at other income levels -- much
higher purchasing power due to much lower inflation and
lower tax rates.
Home-ownership more affordable for more families.
The monthly payment on a $50,000 mortgage has dropped
$160 since early 1982 as interest rates have fallen.
An $80,000 30-year mortgage now costs $260 a month
less.
Statisticians say the lower rates -- down about 6
points the last year and a half -- have put home-
ownership in reach for about 10 million who couldn't
afford it 2 years ago.
A Proud Domestic Record
Besides recovery, the Reagan record includes a number
of successful efforts to solve problems many thought
insoluble.
But the record -- on a wide range of issues -- shows
otherwise:
C
The Social Security retirement fund has been made
solvent. The President's leadership in seeking a
bipartisan solution from the Congress achieved a
breakthrough that led to enactment of a reform bill in
April of 1983.
-- Despite warnings from President Reagan and others,
some denied the trust fund was in trouble, delaying
serious consideration of reform. In November of
1982, when the retirement fund had to borrow to
cover checks, all doubts that the President was
right were erased.
-- Not only has the system been saved, but since the
President took office, monthly benefits have risen
-- by about $170 for the average retired couple.
Energy dependence is way down. The U.S. imports less
than half the oil it did in 1977 -- much of it now from
neighbors Mexico and Canada, a far smaller share from
OPEC sources.
-- Critics said oil decontrol would lead to $2 a gallon
gasoline. The price is far from that and actually
less than pre-decontrol.
-- Experts say decontrol weakened OPECs ability to
hike prices arbitrarily -- by freeing the market
instead of limiting U.S. production with artifi-
cially low prices.
-- Of 375 million barrels now in the strategic petro-
leum reserve, 265 have been stored since President
Reagan took office.
Education is now discussed more in terms of how much
students should learn than how much the federal
government should spend, thanks to the President's
leadership.
-- The Excellence Commission, created soon after the
President took office, has stimulated national
debate focused not on budgets, but on standards and
requirements for students and teachers.
-- While the Education Department remains, it has been
streamlined (staff has been reduced nearly 30%) and
so have its programs (29 separate ones have been
combined into a block grant giving state and local
government more flexibility).
Job Training has been turned around by implementation
of the Administration's Job Training Partnership Act in
October of 1983. Opportunities for permanent, lasting
jobs in the private sector are now available for more
than 1 million workers of all ages each year.
-- In contrast to the old CETA program, under which
18 cents of every dollar was spent on training,
the Job Training Partnership Act will devote
70 cents of every dollar to training.
-- The new $3.5 billion program will be targeted at
those who face the toughest employment barriers
-- disadvantaged young people, AFDC recipients and
dislocated workers.
-- JTPA is a training program not a welfare program.
Results will be judged on how well people are
trained not how many.
Health care benefits for the elderly and disabled have
been strengthened by the most significant reforms in
Medicare's 18 year history. To deal with rising health
care costs while retaining full benefits, Medicare has
changed the way it pays hospitals by rewarding
hospitals for efficient practices and penalizing
inefficiency.
U.S. defenses, and the Nation's world leadership role are
also being restored.
O
The declining U.S. commitment to adequate defense
spending has been reversed under President Reagan and
funding for needed defense systems such as B-1 and MX
is being secured.
The U.S. has adopted a firm, realistic posture toward
the Soviet Union at the same time we have put forward a
comprehensive set of proposals for mutual and
verifiable arms reductions.
O
Our alliances have been strengthened and, in numerous
forums such as at Williamsburg for the economic summit,
at the UN after the Korean airline massacre, and in the
rescue action in Grenade to protect innocent lives and
to assist in the restoration of democratic institu-
tions, U.S. leadership has been demonstrated to the
world -- and it has been welcomed.
file w/om comments
memo
WHITE HOUSE TALKING POINTS
December 16, 1983
A NEW BEGINNING: THREE YEARS OF PROGRESS
As President Reagan's third year in office comes to an
end, it's apparent that the new beginning he promised for
America has been made.
Seldom has a new President come into office faced with
problems any larger, or on any wider front, than Ronald
Reagan faced at the start of 1981.
But at the end of 1983, many of those same problems had
been solved and in stark contrast to conditions when he took
office, America is on the mend. In many ways, it's coming
back stronger than ever.
The record of accomplishment is a lengthy one. Put in
just a few words, it's this:
In 3 short years, America has been restored. The
economy is growing again; inflation's been tamed
and people are going back to work. Our military
strength is being renewed and our national will
has been demonstrated. Confidence is growing that
Government can act in ways that respond to
people's wishes.
The mess we were in
By the end of the 1970s, serious problems like infla-
tion, energy dependence, Social Security's insolvency,
and economic stagnation looked as if they were years
away from solution, at best.
Many thought inflation would take a decade to tame;
that economic growth was something we'd have to learn
to live without; that America's military strength and
moral leadership role in world affairs was in inevit-
able decline; that her will was permanently weakened.
The fear was widespread that almost every problem was
out of control and beyond the ability of government to
solve, or even to affect.
But in. his inaugural, President Reagan said that many
of America's ills "have come upon us over several
decades." With characteristic optimism, he added,
"they will not go away in days, weeks, or months, but
they will go away."
John G. Roberts, Jr.
Associate Counsel to the President
itional information. call the White House Office of Public Affairs:
112 OEOB
Mike Baroody, Director: 456-7170.
Cleaning up the economic mess
O
1983 has been a very good year for the economy. It was
a year that many thought couldn't happen at all; others
said it could -- but not until the 1990s.
President Reagan's program for economic recovery didn't
solve our economic problems in days. But after only
three years in office, with his program in effect for
only 26 months, the President is able to look back on
a full year of:
--
real GNP growth expected to be 6%+ for the year;
--
the lowest inflation rates since the late 1960s;
-- falling unemployment rates, with record numbers at
work by year's end -- when by November of 1983,
102.7 million (seasonally adjusted) had jobs, an
increase during the year of 3.6 million jobs.
O
In fact, 1983 was the first full year since 1972 with
so favorable a combination of consistent growth, low
inflation and falling unemployment.
By the Fall of 1983, many economists who had been
skeptical were becoming believers. The "Blue Chip"
survey of leading economists reported the recovery was
expected to last over 3 years.
Some went further saying the elements were in place for
turning recovery into a prolonged economic expansion,
that would last through the balance of the decade.
Almost all the economic indicators were bad, and get-
ting worse at the start of 1981. By the end of 1983,
most were good and getting even better:
--
Inflation was under 3% for the past 12 month
period (ending in November) as the rate of
increase in the CPI was cut to 1/4 the 1980 rate.
--
The prime interest rate at 11% ended the year at
about half the 1980 peak.
-- Civilian unemployment in 1983 dropped 2 1/2
percentage points to 8.4%. This is the largest
drop in the first 12 months of any previous
postwar recovery in the last 3 decades.
--
GNP growth averaged about an 8.7% annual rate for
the middle 2 quarters of the year and growth for
the full year was expected to be in the 6% range.
-- Industrial production rose almost 16% from the
trough at the end of 1982 and America's factories
were running near 80% of capacity.
-- The composite index of 12 leading indicators,
which predicts future changes in the economy, is
on a strong upward trend.
- Business investment in new plant and equipment
also started to rise -- accelerating to about
a
16% annual rate by 3rd quarter of 1983.
-- Cars and houses, too, were selling much more
briskly in 1983. Lower interest rates led to a
full-fledged housing recovery -- with starts near
1.75 million for the year -- and U.S. auto makers
sold 6.7 million cars.
-- Consumer spending is also up with retail sales 110
higher than a year ago.
-- Wall Street too, set records in 1983. At year's
end the Dow-Jones was in the 1250 range and the
President's program to create incentives paid-off
as the number of individual stock investors grew
by 10 million since 1981.
Four point program brought recovery
O
Less than a month after he took office, President
Reagan announced his program for economic recovery.
Congressional resistance prevented its full implementa-
tion, but he got more than most observers expected. In
just three years:
-- Tax rates were reduced 25% for all Americans. In
contrast, tax collections had doubled in the
previous five years;
-- Federal spending growth was slowed from over 17%
in 1980 to about half that rate now;
-- The burden of regulation was cut -- consumers and
businesses have been saved billions of dollars
and over 300 million hours of government paperwork
has been cut each year; and
-- True to the President's promise, the Administra-
tion has encouraged the Federal Reserve to main-
tain stable growth in the money supply.
The effect on individuals and their families
O
Double-digit inflation in 1979 and 1980 robbed
everyone. Poor people were hardest hit. A family with
a $5,000 fixed income at the start of 1979 lost more
than $1000 in purchasing power by the end of 1980.
A typical median income family of four whose income
rose from $22,600 at the start of 1979 to $24,400 by
the end of 1980 ended up with $3,250 less in purchasing
power as inflation raged.
Lower inflation has resulted in about $2500 more in
purchasing power for that family in 1983 than if
inflation were still at the 1980 rate (assuming the
family of four is still at the median income -- $29,300
in 1983).
Lower tax rates mean that a family will pay $700 less
in federal income taxes for 1983 than if 1980 tax rates
were still in effect. (Despite a typical income
increase of $3000 for such a family, it actually will
pay $44 less for 1983 than for 1981.)
Together, lower taxes and inflation mean that the
typical family has about $3200 more in purchasing power
than it would have had if inflation had continued at
its 1980 rate.
The same holds true at other income levels -- much
higher purchasing power due to much lower inflation and
lower tax rates.
Home-ownership more affordable for more families.
The monthly payment on a $50,000 mortgage has dropped
$160 since early 1982 as interest rates have fallen.
An $80,000 30-year mortgage now costs $260 a month
less.
Lower mortgage interest rates -- down about 4 percent-
age points since early 1982 -- and stable noninflation-
ary prices have put homeownership in reach for about 5
million families who couldn't afford it 2 years ago.
A Proud Domestic Record
Besides recovery, the Reagan record includes a number
of successful efforts to solve problems many thought
insoluble.
The Social Security retirement fund has been made
solvent. The President's leadership in seeking a
bipartisan solution from the Congress achieved a
breakthrough that led to enactment of a reform bill in
April of 1983.
-- Despite warnings from President Reagan and others,
some denied the trust fund was in trouble, delaying
serious consideration of reform. In November of
1982, when the retirement fund had to borrow to
cover checks, all doubts that the President was
right were erased.
-- Not only has the system been saved, but since the
President took office, monthly benefits have risen
-- by about $170 for the average retired couple.
Energy dependence is way down. The U.S. imports only
half the oil it did in 1977 -- much of it now from
neighbors Mexico and Canada, a far smaller share from
OPEC sources.
-- Critics said oil decontrol would lead to $2 a gallon
gasoline. The price is far from that and actually
less than pre-decontrol.
-- Experts say decontrol weakened OPECs ability to
hike prices arbitrarily -- by freeing the market
instead of limiting U.S. production with artifi-
cially low prices.
-- The Administration has tripled the amount of oil in
the Strategic Petroleum Reserve from about 100
million barrels at the end of 1980 to 375 million
barrels, or a little more than half of the total
planned level of 750 million barrels. This is
equal to approximately 73 days of U.S. imports at
current levels.
O
Education is now discussed more in terms of how much
students should learn than how much the federal
government should spend, thanks to the President's
leadership.
-- The Excellence in Education Commission, created soon
after the President took office, has stimulated
national debate focused not on budgets, but on
standards and requirements for students and
teachers.
Job Training has been turned around by implementation
of the Administration's Job Training Partnership Act in
October of 1983. Opportunities for training that will
lead to permanent, lasting jobs in the private sector
are now available for more than 1 million workers of
all ages each year.
-- In contrast to the old CETA program, under which
18 cents of every dollar was spent on training,
the Job Training Partnership Act will devote
70 cents of every dollar to training.
-- The new $3.5 billion program will be targeted at
those who face the toughest employment barriers
-- disadvantaged young people, AFDC recipients and
dislocated workers.
-- JTPA is a training program not a welfare program.
Results will be judged on how well people are
trained not how many.
Health care benefits for the elderly and disabled have
been strengthened by the most significant reforms in
Medicare's 18 year history. To deal with rising health
care costs while retaining full benefits, Medicare has
fundamentally changed the way it pays hospitals -- by
paying hospitals a fixed price for a procedure rather
than reimbursing for "costs," almost regardless of a
hospital's efficiency or inefficiency.
Housing assistance for low income elderly, disabled and
families has been increased from 3.2 million to 3.7
million but per unit costs have been reduced by
utilizing direct subsidies to people renting existing
housing.
U.S. defenses, and the Nation's world leadership role are
also being restored.
The declining U.S. commitment to adequate defense
spending has been reversed under President Reagan and
funding for needed strategic and conventional military
systems is being secured.
The U.S. has adopted a firm, realistic posture toward
the Soviet Union at the same time we have put forward a
comprehensive set of proposals for mutual and
verifiable arms reductions.
Our commitment to restoring our defenses, our decisive
response to protect innocent lives in Grenada and our
successful efforts to strengthen our alliances have
demostrated to friend and foe alike that America is
once again willing and able to accept the responsibili-
ties of a leader of the free world.
THE WHITE HOUSE
WASHINGTON
December 20, 1983
MEMORANDUM FOR FRED F. FIELDING
FROM:
JOHN G. ROBERTS
Drd
SUBJECT:
Draft Presidential Remarks: News
Conference Opening Statement
Richard Darman has asked for comments on the attached
draft remarks by 10:00 a.m. today. The remarks review the
progress of the economic recovery and cite statistics to
support the proposition that the country is enjoying the
strongest economic recovery with the lowest rate of
inflation since the 60's. I have reviewed the remarks and
have no objections.
Attachment
THE WHITE HOUSE
WASHINGTON
December 20, 1983
MEMORANDUM FOR BEN ELLIOTT
DEPUTY ASSISTANT TO THE PRESIDENT
DIRECTOR, PRESIDENTIAL SPEECHWRITING OFFICE
FROM:
FRED F. FIELDING Orig. signed by FFF
COUNSEL TO THE PRESIDENT
SUBJECT:
Draft Presidential Remarks: News
Conference Opening Statement
Counsel's Office has reviewed the above-referenced draft
remarks, and finds no objection to them from a legal
perspective.
CC: Richard G. Darman
FFF:JGR:aea 12/20/83
bcc: FFFielding/JGRoberts/Subj/Chron
THE WHITE HOUSE
WASHINGTON
December 20, 1983
MEMORANDUM FOR BEN ELLIOTT
DEPUTY ASSISTANT TO THE PRESIDENT
DIRECTOR, PRESIDENTIAL SPEECHWRITING OFFICE
FROM:
FRED F. FIELDING
COUNSEL TO THE PRESIDENT
SUBJECT:
Draft Presidential Remarks: News
Conference Opening Statement
Counsel's Office has reviewed the above-referenced draft
remarks, and finds no objection to them from a legal
perspective.
CC: Richard G. Darman
FFF:JGR:aea 12/20/83
bcc: FFFielding/JGRoberts/Subj/Chron
ID #.
CU
WHITE HOUSE
CORRESPONDENCE TRACKING WORKSHEET
0 - OUTGOING
H - INTERNAL
I * INCOMING
Date Correspondence
Received (YY/MM/DD)
/
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Name of Correspondent: Richard G. DARMAN
MI Mail Report
User Codes: (A)
(B)
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Subject: Draft Presidential Remarks : News Conference
Opening Statement
ROUTE TO:
ACTION
DISPOSITION
Tracking
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Date
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cuttour
ORIGINATOR
831 12,20
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Referral Note:
WATI7
I 83/12/20
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Referral Note:
CNATI8
a
83,12,20
S $ 83112,20 83112
Referral Note:
10:00 an
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-
Referral Note:
ACTION CODES:
DISPOSITION CODES:
A . Appropriate Action
I Info Copy Only/No Action Necessary
A Answered
C Completed
C - Comment/Recommendation
R Direct Reply w/Copy
B Non-Special Referral
S Suspended
D Draft Response
S For Signature
F * Furnish Fact Sheet
X Interim Reply
to be used as Enclosure
FOR OUTGOING CORRESPONDENCE:
Type of Response = Initials of Signer
Code = "A"
Completion Date = Date of Outgoing
Comments:
Keep this worksheet attached to the original incoming letter.
Send all routing updates to Central Reference (Room 75, OEOB).
Always return completed correspondence record to Central Files.
Refer questions about the correspondence tracking system to Central Reference, ext. 2590.
5/81
Document No.
WHITE HOUSE STAFFING MEMORANDUM
DATE: 12/19/83
ACTION/CONCURRENCE/COMMENT DUE BY: 12/20/83 - 10:00 a.m.
SUBJECT:
DRAFT PRESIDENTIAL REMARKS: NEWS CONFERENCE OPENING STATEMENT
(12/19- 7:00 p.m. draft)
ACTION FYI
ACTION FYI
VICE PRESIDENT
JENKINS
MEESE
McFARLANE
BAKER
McMANUS
DEAVER
MURPHY
STOCKMAN
OGLESBY
DARMAN
P
SS
ROGERS
FELDSTEIN
SPEAKES
FIELDING
SVAHN
FULLER
VERSTANDIG
GERGEN
WHITTLESEY
HERRINGTON
ELLIOTT
HICKEY
FISCHER
HENKEL
REMARKS:
PLEASE PROVIDE COMMENTS DIRECTLY TO BEN ELLIOTT, WITH A COPY TO MY
OFFICE, BY 10:00 A.M. TOMORROW, 12/20. THANK YOU.
RESPONSE:
1983 DEC 19 PM 7: 29
Richard G. Darman
Assistant to the President
Ext. 2702
Received SS
(Elliott)
December 19, 1983
1983 DEC 19 PM 7: 05
7:00 p.m.
PRESIDENTIAL REMARKS: NEWS CONFERENCE OPENING STATEMENT
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 20, 1983
Good evening. I have a few words before taking your
questions. With the holiday season upon us, I'm delighted to see
Americans giving each other the best Christmas present
possible -- a strong economy that will ensure more jobs and
opportunities in the months ahead.
Confidence is in the air -- and with good reason. Recent
reports on prices, retail sales, employment and factory use
confirm a very welcome piece of news: The United States is
enjoying the strongest economic recovery and the lowest rate of
inflation since the sixties.
Wholesale prices last month actually fell. Consumers are
flocking into stores during the holiday season. Our factories
are operating at nearly 80 percent capacity -- up 10 percent from
a year ago. While unemployment is still too high, there are more
people working in this country today than ever before and every
month we're creating 300,000 new jobs. All in all, 1983 has been
a banner year for the American economy.
In the last few weeks, I have been involved in a number of
meetings about next year's budget. It is clear that here in
Washington, all of us -- both in the Congress and in the
executive branch -- still have our work cut out for us.
[I should emphasize that we try to be cautious in our
forecasts, and no one can predict the future. This year, the
economy performed much better than experts in or out of
Page 2
Government had predicted.] If the Congress will work with me to
restrain Government spending, and not pile new taxes on the
people, we can justify the people's confidence and keep America
moving forward.
If we work together 1984 will see strong and steady progress
for America -- continuing economic growth, unemployment coming
down and inflation staying under control.