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{
    "localId": "1252274",
    "label": "4/3/75 - White House Conference, San Diego, California",
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{
    "id": "1252274",
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    "contentType": "document",
    "title": "4/3/75 - White House Conference, San Diego, California",
    "citationUrl": "https://catalog.archives.gov/id/1252274",
    "collections": [
        "President's Speeches and Statements Reading Copies (Ford Administration)",
        "Reading Copies of Presidential Speeches and Statements"
    ],
    "subjects": [
        "California",
        "Speeches, addresses, etc.",
        "Federal budget deficit",
        "Meetings",
        "Energy policy",
        "Vietnam War, 1961-1975",
        "Economics",
        "Federal aid"
    ],
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    "coverageEndDate": {
        "day": 3,
        "logicalDate": "1975-04-03",
        "month": 4,
        "year": 1975
    },
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        "day": 3,
        "logicalDate": "1975-04-03",
        "month": 4,
        "year": 1975
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{
    "seq": 1,
    "pageIndex": 0,
    "type": "document",
    "url": "https://s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/opastorage/live/74/2522/1252274/content/library/document/0122/1252274.pdf",
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    "ocrText": "The original documents are located in Box 7, folder \"4/3/75 - White House Conference, San\nDiego, California\" of the President's Speeches and Statements: Reading Copies at the\nGerald R. Ford Presidential Library.\nCopyright Notice\nThe copyright law of the United States (Title 17, United States Code) governs the making of\nphotocopies or other reproductions of copyrighted material. Gerald Ford donated to the United\nStates of America his copyrights in all of his unpublished writings in National Archives collections.\nWorks prepared by U.S. Government employees as part of their official duties are in the public\ndomain. The copyrights to materials written by other individuals or organizations are presumed to\nremain with them. If you think any of the information displayed in the PDF is subject to a valid\ncopyright claim, please contact the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library.\nDigitized from Box 7 of President's Speeches and Statements: Reading Copies at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library\nTHE PRESIDENT HAS SEEN def.\nWHITE HOUSE CONFERENCE\nSAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA\nTHURSDAY, APRIL 3, 1975\n- 1 -\nI AM DELIGHTED TO BE HERE TODAY ON THE BEAUTIFUL SHORES\nOF SAN DIEGO BAY -- AMERICA'S CLEANEST BAY IN TERMS OF SIZE AND\nTRAFFIC.\nI AM ESPECIALLY PLEASED BECAUSE THIS IS A SHOWCASE\nOF WHAT AMERICANS CAN DO ON A LOCAL LEVEL TO SOLVE PROBLEMS AND\nRESPOND TO THE FUTURE WITH CREATIVITY AND CONFIDENCE.\n- 3 -\nSAN DIEGO HAS DEMONSTRATED THAT ENVIRONMENTAL\nQUALITY IS GOOD BUSINESS.\nI COMMEND YOUR CAREFULLY\nMANAGED RESIDENTIAL GROWTH.\nSAN DIEGO IS TRULY A CITY\nON WHICH OTHERS COULD BE MODELED.\n- 4 -\nI AM ESPECIALLY PROUD OF THE ROLE OF THE UNITED STATES\nNAVY AS A GOOD CITIZEN IN SAN DIEGO, AMONG OUR GREATEST NAVAL\nBASES.\nAND I PLEDGE TO YOU TODAY, AS ONE WHO SAILED FROM\nHERE DURING WORLD WAR TWO, THAT I REMAIN COMMITTED TO A NAVY\nSECOND TO NONE IN READINESS, CAPABILITY AND DEDICATION TO OUR\nNATION'S HIGHEST IDEALS.\n- 5 -\nI KNOW THAT THE CONCERNS OF THIS AREA GO BEYOND\nYOUR VITAL NAVY INSTALLATIONS.\nTOO MANY AMERICANS\nARE WITHOUT EMPLOYMENT.\nPRICES AND TAXES ARE TOO HIGH.\nNEW SOURCES OF ENERGY ARE ESSENTIAL.\n- 6 -\nI ALSO KNOW THAT LOCAL PROBLEMS ARE BEST SOLVED\nBY LOCAL PEOPLE.\nTHIS ADMINISTRATION RESPONDED TO YOUR\nPIONEERING OF GROWTH MANAGEMENT STRATEGY TO PRESERVE\nTHE RESIDENTIAL ENVIRONMENT.\nTHE DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND\nURBAN DEVELOPMENT HAS JUST APPROVED SAN DIEGO'S APPLICATION\nFOR NINE-POINT-ONE MILLION DOLLARS UNDER THE HISTORIC\nNEW COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT LEGISLATION.\n- 7 -\nTHIS CONFERS UPON SAN DIEGO THE DISTINCTION OF BEING ONE OF THE\nVERY FIRST MAJOR CITIES TO RECEIVE SUCH ASSISTANCE.\nYOUR ABLE MAYOR, PETE WILSON, TELLS ME THAT ONE OF\nTHE WAYS THIS GRANT WILL BE USED IS TO SPEED ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT\nBY ATTRACTING NEW BUSINESS AND INDUSTRIES TO SAN DIEGO.\n- 8 -\nFUNDS FROM THIS NEW BLOCK GRANT APPROACH ARE AVAILABLE FOR THE\nFIRST TIME TO PREPARE SITES AND, TOGETHER WITH THE ON-THE-JOB\nTRAINING PROGRAMS OF THE DEPARTMENT OF LABOR, OFFER AN EXTRA\nINDUCEMENT FOR NEW ENTERPRISES TO LOCATE IN YOUR ALREADY\nWORLD-RENOWNED CLIMATE.\n- 9 -\nTHIS KIND OF LOCAL INITIATIVE AND PLANNING PROVES\nWE ARE ON THE RIGHT TRACK WITH BLOCK GRANTS INSTEAD OF TRYING\nTO RUN EVERYTHING FROM WASHINGTON, AND DEMONSTRATES MY FIRM\nCONVICTION THAT THE BEST FEATURES OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT\nSHOULD NEITHER BE SACRIFICED IN THE CURRENT ECONOMIC CLIMATE\nNOR STIFFLED BY FEDERAL RED TAPE.\n- 10 -\nSAN DIEGO IS A SHOWCASE OF THE GOOD NEIGHBOR POLICY.\nTHE NEARBY MEXICAN BORDER IS THE BUSIEST INTERNATIONAL CROSSING\nIN THE WORLD, MAKING THIS A GATEWAY CITY WITH A UNIQUE\nCHALLENGE.\nSAN DIEGO AND TIJUANA SHARE THE SAME AIR AND\nWATER AND SEEK JOINT SOLUTIONS TO PROBLEMS THAT CROSS NATIONAL\nBOUNDARIES.\n- 11 -\nI COMMEND FRONTERAS 1976, THE SAN DIEGO COMMUNITY'S\nBICENTENNIAL PROJECT, JOINTLY SPONSORED BY THE CITY AND THE\nUNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA AT SAN DIEGO.\nTHIS PROJECT WILL\nADVANCE REGIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL UNDERSTANDING --\nDEMONSTRATING TO THE WORLD THE POTENTIAL OF CREATIVE COOPERATION\nAND INTERDEPENDENCE AMONG SOVEREIGN NATIONS.\n- 12 -\nSERIOUS PROBLEMS CONFRONT THE AMERICAN PEOPLE\nAT HOME.\nYET UNEMPLOYMENT AND THE GROWTH OF OUR ECONOMY,\nAS WELL AS OUR NATIONAL SECURITY, ARE DIRECTLY RELATED TO\nRELATIONS WITH THE REST OF THE WORLD.\n- 13 -\nIN RECENT WEEKS WE WITNESSED DISCOURAGING AND TRAGIC\nEVENTS IN THE MIDDLE EAST ON WHICH WE DEPEND FOR FAR TOO MUCH\nOF OUR ENERGY NEEDS.\nTHESE DEVELOPMENTS DRAMATIZED THE\nURGENCY OF MOVING AHEAD IN SAN DIEGO AND THROUGHOUT AMERICA\nWITH CONSTRUCTIVE ACTION TO MAKE THIS NATION INDEPENDENT OF\nFOREIGN SOURCES OF ENERGY.\n- 14 -\nTODAY I RENEW MY CHALLENGE TO THE CONGRESS TO ACT BEFORE THE\nEND OF THIS MONTH ON THE URGENTLY-NEEDED ENERGY PROGRAM I\nREQUESTED LAST JANUARY.\nWE CAN AFFORD NO MORE DELAYS.\n- 15 -\nI WOULD NOT BE FRANK AND HONEST WITH YOU IF I WERE TO\nIGNORE THE SERIOUS SETBACKS WE HAVE SUFFERED IN RECENT WEEKS IN\nOUR QUEST FOR PEACE IN THE MIDDLE EAST AND, MORE RECENTLY AND\nMORE DRAMATICALLY, IN SOUTHEAST ASIA.\n- 16 -\nEVEN AS I SPEAK, THE DIMENSIONS OF THE HUMAN\nCATASTROPHE IN SOUTHEAST ASIA INCREASE.\nWHETHER FROM\nYOUR EVENING NEWS SHOWS OR MORNING HEADLINES OR FROM\nMY TOP SECRET REPORTS, IT IS IMPOSSIBLE NOT TO BE MOVED\nAND SHAKEN BY THE SUDDEN AND TRAGIC DEVELOPMENTS IN\nSOUTH VIETNAM.\nALL AMERICANS ARE SHOCKED AND SADDENED\nAND WONDERING WHAT WE CAN DO.\n- 17 -\nFIRST, WE ARE TAKING ALL THE HUMANITARIAN MEASURES\nWE CAN TO RELIEVE THE INNOCENT CIVILIAN REFUGEES IN SOUTH VIETNAM\nWHOSE PLIGHT TOUCHES THE HEART OF AMERICA.\nAT THE SAME TIME,\nWE ARE PROVIDING FOR THE SAFETY OF ALL THE AMERICANS WHO FROM A\nDEEP SENSE OF DUTY MIGHT BE ENDANGERED BY SWIFT CHANGES IN THE\nBATTLE ZONE.\n- 18 -\nSECOND, AS SOON AS THEY RETURN FROM THEIR EASTER\nRECESS AND I HAVE OPPORTUNITY TO ADDRESS THEM, I WILL ASK THE\nMEMBERS OF THE CONGRESS FOR A FIRM AMERICAN COMMITMENT TO\nHUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE FOR THE HELPLESS VICTIMS OF NORTH\nVIETNAMESE AGGRESSION IN FLAGRANT VIOLATION OF THE PARIS.\nACCORDS, WHICH SOUGHT TO END THE SUFFERING AND BLOODSHED\nON A CIVILIZED BASIS.\n- 19 -\nFINALLY, I MUST SAY WITH ALL THE CERTAINTY OF WHICH\nI AM CAPABLE: NO ADVERSARIES OR POTENTIAL ENEMIES OF THE UNITED\nSTATES SHOULD IMAGINE THAT AMERICA CAN BE SAFELY CHALLENGED;\nAND NO ALLIES OR TIME-TESTED FRIENDS OF THE UNITED STATES SHOULD\nWORRY OR FEAR THAT OUR COMMITMENTS TO THEM WILL NOT BE HONORED,\nBECAUSE OF THE CURRENT CONFUSION AND CHANGING SITUATION IN\nSOUTHEAST ASIA.\nWE STAND READY TO DEFEND OURSELVES AND\nSUPPORT OUR ALLIES AS SURELY AS WE ALWAYS HAVE.\n- 20 -\nAS IT ALWAYS HAS, ADVERSITY IS CREATING A NEW\nSENSE OF NATIONAL UNITY AMONG AMERICANS IN THESE SAD AND\nTROUBLED TIMES.\nI WILL NOT ENGAGE IN RECRIMINATIONS\nOR ATTEMPTS TO ASSESS BLAME, NOR SHOULD ANY OF US.\nNOT ALL THE FACTS ARE KNOWN.\nWHAT IS ESSENTIAL NOW IS\nTHAT WE KEEP OUR NERVE AND OUR ESSENTIAL UNITY AS A POWERFUL BUT\nPEACE-LOVING NATION.\n- 21 -\nAS PRESIDENT AND COMMANDER IN CHIEF, IT IS MY SWORN\nDUTY TO MAINTAIN AND STRENGTHEN THE POWER FOR PEACE WHICH THE\nUNITED STATES POSSESSES BOTH AT HOME AND ABROAD.\n- 22 -\nTHE MILITARY STRENGTH OF THIS NATION DEPENDS, AS IT\nALWAYS HAS, ON ITS ECONOMIC STRENGTH AND THE WILL POWER AND\nSELF-DISCIPLINE OF ITS PEOPLE.\nTHE CREDIBILITY OF THE UNITED STATES IN THE WORLD,\nBOTH AMONG OUR ALLIES AND OUR ADVERSARIES, DEPENDS UPON THEIR\nASSESSMENT OF OUR MORAL, ECONOMIC AND MILITARY STRENGTH AND\nSTAYING POWER.\nALL OF THESE ELEMENTS ARE ESSENTIAL.\n- 23 -\nLET ME CONSIDER BRIEFLY THE PROBLEM OF ENSURING AND\nINCREASING OUR ECONOMIC STRENGTH.\nIN THIS, THE OBVIOUS\nPRIORITY IS TO GET OUT OF THE RECESSION WE HAVE BEEN EXPERIENCING,\nAND PARTICULARLY TO INCREASE EMPLOYMENT AND GET THE JOBLESS BACK\nINTO PRODUCTIVE JOBS.\n- 24 -\nBUT ALONG WITH THAT URGENT GOAL GOES AN OTHER PRIORITY,\nLESS OBVIOUS TO SOME, WHICH IS TO END THE RECESSION WITHOUT\nADDING UNNECESSARILY TO THE INFLATIONARY PRESSURES WHICH HAVE\nPLAGUED US FOR MANY YEARS PRIOR TO THE RECESSION AND WHICH\nHELPED TO BRING IT ON.\nWE MUST MAKE MORE JOBS AND REVERSE\nTHE RECESSION WITHOUT RECKLESSLY INVITING A NEW ROUND OF\nDOUBLE-DIGIT INFLATION,\nRISING INTEREST RATES\nY\nAND HIGHER PRICES\nWHICH IN THE LONG RUN WOULD CANCEL OUT WHATEVER STIMULUS AND\nEXPANSIONARY INCENTIVE WE CAN APPLY TO THE ECONOMY IN THE SHORT\nRUN.\n- 25 -\nTHAT IS WHY I AM DETERMINED TO HOLD THE LINE ON ALL\nTHE MASSIVE FEDERAL SPENDING PROGRAMS WHICH ARE MOVING THROUGH\nTHE CONGRESS.\nTHAT IS WHY I HAVE DRAWN THE LINE AT A MAXIMUM\nBUDGET DEFICIT OF SIXTY BILLION DOLLARS, WHICH IS WHERE WE STAND\nNOW AND IS AS FAR AS WE DARE TO GO WITHOUT ENDANGERING ECONOMIC\nRECOVERY.\n- 26 -\nI AM GRATIFIED THAT SOME OF THE RESPONSIBLE MEMBERS\nOF THE SENATE AND THE HOUSE, ON BOTH SIDES OF THE POLITICAL\nAISLE, HAVE SPOKEN PUBLICLY OF THE DANGER OF MORE MASSIVE\nDEFICITS.\nNOT MERELY THE ADMINISTRATION, BUT THE COUNTRY\nNEEDS THEIR HELP AND WILL NEED THEIR VOTES WHEN THE SHOWDOWNS\nCOME.\n- 27 -\nBUT I HAVE NO WISH TO WAGE A VETO WAR WITH CONGRESS.\nWE HAVE ENOUGH REAL WARS AND RUMORS OF WAR.\nWHAT I WOULD\nPREFER IS FOR THE CONGRESS TO EXERCISE ITS CONSTITUTIONAL POWER\nOF THE PURSE WITH THE RESPONSIBILITY AND PRUDENCE THAT THE PEOPLE\nEXPECT OF IT.\nCONGRESS MUST CUT RATHER THAN SPEND; IT MUST\nREDUCE EXISTING PROGRAMS INSTEAD OF CREATING NEW ONES.\n28\nIT CANNOT GO ON GIVING AWAY MORE AND MORE GOVERNMENT BENEFITS\nWITHOUT CONSIDERING HOW TO PAY FOR THEM, AND THE DAMAGE THAT\nWILL BE DONE BY BORROWING TO PAY FOR THEM.\n29\nWHEN THE AMERICAN PEOPLE ARE TIGHTENING THEIR BELTS\nTO GET THROUGH THE WORST RECESSION OF RECENT TIMES -- CAUSED\nIN LARGE PART BY DECADES OF DEFICITS AND EVER-GROWING GOVERNMENT\nPROGRAMS -- THE CONGRESS SHOULD NOT ASK THEM TO SUFFER THE\nCONSEQUENCES OF MORE OF THE SAME FISCAL FOLLY.\n- 30 -\nI WOULD LIKE THE CONGRESS TO FIX AN ABSOLUTE CEILING\nON FEDERAL SPENDING FOR THE COMING YEAR,\nTHE CEILING WHERE\nI DREW THE LINE.\nTO DO THIS EFFECTIVELY, THE CONGRESS MUST\nGO ONE STEP FURTHER -- PUT THE ALREADY ENACTED PROCEDURES OF\nTHE CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET AND IMPOUNDMENT CONTROL ACT OF 1974\nINTO EFFECT A WHOLE YEAR AHEAD OF SCHEDULE, STARTING THIS JULY 1.\n- 31 -\nIN THE FACE OF A HUGE DEFICIT THAT COULD REACH\nONE HUNDRED BILLION DOLLARS IF MY BUDGET IS OVERRIDDEN,\nIT IS HARD TO SEE HOW CONGRESS CAN REFUSE TO DO THIS AND\nRETAIN ANY FISCAL CREDIBILITY.\n32\nEXCESSIVE FEDERAL SPENDING FOR YEARS HAS FUELED THE\nFIRES OF INFLATION AND IMPOSED THE UNFAIREST TAX OF ALL ON THE\nAMERICAN PEOPLE -- ROBBING THE RETIRED OF THEIR PENSIONS,\nTHE ELDERLY OF THEIR SOCIAL SECURITY,\nTHE HARD-WORKING MAJORITY\nOF THEIR PAYCHECKS' FULL VALUE IN THE SUPERMARKET. RUNAWAY\nINFLATION CAN RUIN THE PRODUCTIVE GROWTH AND ESSENTIAL STRENGTH\nOF THE FREE ENTERPRISE SYSTEM AND CRIPPLE OUR ENTIRE AMERICAN\nECONOMY.\n33\nTHAT IS WHY MY ECONOMIC RECOVERY PROGRAM CONTAINS\nTWO ELEMENTS, EACH ESSENTIAL TO ITS SUCCESS.\nONE,\n\\\nA QUICK\nONE-TIME TAX CUT TO STIMULATE BUYING POWER AND NEW INVESTMENT\nIN JOB-PRODUCING EXPANSION.\nTHE OTHER,\n\\\nSPENDING CUTS AND\nA ONE-YEAR MORATORIUM ON NEW SPENDING BY THE GOVERNMENT --\nEXCEPT FOR EMERGENCY AND ENERGY NEEDS.\nFEDERAL TAX CUTS ALONE\nWILL NOT WORK WITHOUT SIMULTANEOUS FEDERAL SPENDING RESTRAINTS.\n- 34 -\nI AM DEEPLY CONCERNED THAT SOME ELEMENTS IN THE\nCONGRESS WILL TRY TO PAY FOR ADDITIONAL SPENDING PROGRAMS\nBY DANGEROUSLY STRIPPING BILLIONS FROM THE DEFENSE BUDGET.\nAT A TIME LIKE THIS, NOTHING COULD BE MORE SHORTSIGHTED OR\nDEVASTATING TO OUR SAFETY.\nINDIVIDUALLY, MANY OF THE DOMESTIC SPENDING\nPROGRAMS PROPOSED IN THE CONGRESS MAY HAVE ATTRACTIVE ASPECTS.\nTHEY PROVIDE HELP TO SOME WORTHYGROUP.\n- 35 -\nIT IS HARD FOR MEMBERS OF CONGRESS TO OPPOSE THEM --\nIT WILL BE HARD FOR ME TO VETO THEM IF CONGRESS ENACTS THEM.\nBUT IT IS NOT THE INDIVIDUAL PROGRAMS THAT ARE UNACCEPTABLE\nBUT THE SUM TOTAL OF THEM -- ADDING UP EASILY TO\nTHIRTY BILLION DOLLARS OR MORE TO BRING THE DEFICIT INTO THE\nONE HUNDRED BILLION DOLLAR RANGE.\n- 36 -\nDEFENSE SPENDING, ON THE OTHER HAND, PROVIDES NO\nBENEFITS EXCEPT THE MOST PRECIOUS BENEFIT OF ALL -- THE FREEDOM\nOF OUR COUNTRY AND THE LAST HOPE FOR PEACE IN THE WORLD.\nAS PRESIDENT EISENHOWER so WISELY OBSERVED, ONLY THE STRONG ARE\nFREE.\nCERTAINLY WE HAVE AMPLE REASON TO BELIEVE THIS TRUTH\nTODAY.\n- 37 -\nMY BUDGET RECOMMENDATIONS FOR NATIONAL DEFENSE ARE\nTHE MINIMUM I BELIEVE TO BE ESSENTIAL FOR OUR SAFETY.\n38\nIT IS NOW A POPULAR IDEA THAT BECAUSE AMERICANS ARE\nNOT FIGHTING ANYWHERE, BECAUSE WE ARE SEEKING TO BROADEN EVERY\nAVENUE OF PEACE, THAT WE CAN EXPAND SOCIAL BENEFIT PROGRAMS\nAND PAY FOR THEM OUT OF DEFENSE CUTBACKS.\nSIMPLE ARITHMETIC\nDISPROVES THIS.\nI HAVE SEEN CAREFUL MATHEMATICAL PROJECTIONS\nTHAT SHOW, IF WELFARE AND OTHER TRANSFER PAYMENTS CONTINUE\nMERELY AT THEIR PRESENT RATE OF GROWTH -- ABOUT NINE PERCENT\nANNUALLY FOR THE PAST TWENTY YEARS -- HALF OF THE AMERICAN\nPEOPLE WILL BE LIVING OFF THE OTHER HALF BY THE YEAR TWO THOUSAND.\n39\nEXCEPT FOR VASTLY INCREASING TAXES ON THOSE WHO WORK,\nTHE ONLY WAY SUCH PAYMENTS CAN BE CONTINUED INDEFINITELY IS TO\nTAKE THEM AWAY FROM OUR NATIONAL DEFENSE.\nOTHER SUPERPOWERS\nARE DOING NOTHING OF THE KIND.\nI PLEDGE TO YOU TODAY THAT\nI WILL RESIST STRIPPING AMERICA'S DEFENSE CAPABILITY IN EVERY\nLEGAL WAY AVAILABLE TO ME.\n- 40 -\nBUT IF THE MEN AND WOMEN YOU SEND TO THE CONGRESS FAIL TO FACE UP\nTO THESE INESCAPABLE REALITIES,\n/\nREFUSE TO EXERCISE THE BALANCED\nJUDGMENT THEIR OWN NEW BUDGET COMMITTEE HAS BEEN SET UP TO\nENFORCE, THEN BY SIMPLE ARITHMETIC IT WILL ONLY BE A FEW SHORT\nDECADES BEFORE OUR DEFENSES WILL BE DOWN TO A SINGLE SOLDIER\nWITH A SINGLE RIFLE WITH A SINGLE ROUND OF AMMUNITION.\n- 41 -\nI HAVE MORE FAITH IN AMERICA THAN THAT.\nI HAVE ALWAYS BEEN A OPTIMIST.\nAND WHENEVER\nI CAN GET AWAY FROM WASHINGTON AND SEE AMERICANS AS THEY\nREALLY LIVE AND WORK AND PLAY AND PLAN FOR THEIR CHILDREN,\nMY SENSE OF WHAT'S RIGHT WITH OUR COUNTRY IS RECHARGED AND\nREINFORCED.\n- 42 =\nI AM VERY PLEASED TO BE HERE TODAY IN THE OPTIMISTIC\nATMOSPHERE AND PROBLEM-SOLVING CLIMATE OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA.\nI AM AMONG PEOPLE WITH GREAT EXPERIENCE AND GREAT COURAGE.\n43\nMANY OF THE HEROIC P.O.W.'S, WHO WERE LIBERATED FROM\nNORTH VIETNAM ARE HERE IN SAN DIEGO.\nTHEY KNOW THE NEED FOR\nAN ORDERLY AND PEACEFUL WORLD.\nTHEY ALSO KNOW --\nAS MEN WHO LIVED ON THE BRINK OF DOOM, THE DANGER OF\nPESSIMISM.\nTHEY KNOW THAT THE OBJECTIVE FACTS ARE NOT AS\nBAD AS A MOOD OF FRUSTRATION AND FUTILITY TO WHICH SOME OF\nOUR COUNTRYMEN ARE TEMPTED TO SUCCUMB.\n- 44 -\nTODAY I WANT TO APPEAL TO THE COMMON SENSE AND\nCOURAGE OF THE AMERICAN PEOPLE.\nTHIS IS NOT A MOMENT FOR DESPAIR OR FATALISM.\nOBVIOUSLY IT IS NOT THE TIME TO DISMANTLE OUR DEFENSE\nCAPABILITIES -- INCLUDING OUR INTELLIGENCE CAPACITIES.\n- 45 -\nWE WILL GO ON HELPING PEOPLE TO HELP THEMSELVES.\nIT IS IN KEEPING WITH OUR RELIGIOUS HERITAGE,\n1\nOUR DECENCY AND OUR\nOWN SELF-INTEREST.\nWE WILL PRESERVE PARTNERSHIPS WITH PEOPLE\nSTRIVING FOR FREEDOM.\n- 46 -\nI REJECT THE PROPHETS OF DOOM WHO SEE\nNOTHING BUT DEPRESSION AT HOME AND DESPAIR ABROAD.\nI WILL\nREJECT ANY ADVICE TO PULL DOWN THE STARS AND STRIPES AND\nSAIL HOME FROM THE SEAS OF THE WORLD TO THE SAFE ANCHORAGE OF\nSAN DIEGO BAY.\nIF WE DO so, THIS ANCHORAGE WILL NO LONGER\nBE SAFE.\nYOU KNOW IT.\nAND I KNOW IT.\n- 47 -\nUNDER MY PRESIDENCY, WE WILL NEITHER FURL THE FLAG\nNOR ABANDON HOPE.\nWE WILL MAINTAIN CONSTANCY AND\nCREDIBILITY IN AMERICAN POLICY, AT HOME AND ABROAD.\nWE ARE LIVING IN A COMPLICATED AND TROUBLED TIME.\nEVENTS\nARE MOVING VERY RAPIDLY.\nBUT WE WILL NOT WITHDRAW INWARD\nNOR SURRENDER TO A STATE OF SHOCK.\n- 48 -\nAMERICA IS BEING PUT TO THE TEST.\nIT IS NOT JUST\nA TEST OF OUR MORAL AUTHORITY IN THE WORLD.\nIT IS A TEST OF\nOUR WILL TO DEVELOP OUR OWN ENERGY RESOURCES,\nTO REDUCE\nBUREAUCRATIC WASTE,\n\\\nAND TO PRESERVE OUR DOLLAR BY GUARDING\nAGAINST NON-ESSENTIAL SPENDING WITH THE SAME VIGILANCE THAT\nWE CONTINUE THE WATCHFULNESS AND STRENGTH OF OUR ARMED FORCES.\n49\nIT IS A TEST OF OUR WILL TO PROVIDE FOR THE ECONOMIC SECURITY OF\nOUR FAMILIES WHILE ASSURING THE MILITARY SECURITY OF OUR NATION.\nWE CAN MEET THIS TEST ONLY BY REDUCING VULNERABILITY TO WA\nWEAKNESSES IN OUR ECONOMY AND ENERGY CAPACITIES.\nTHAT IS WHY\nAN ADEQUATE SECURITY PROGRAM GOES HAND-IN-HAND WITH SOUND\nECONOMIC POLICIES AND PROMPT, EFFECTIVE ENERGY LEGISLATION.\n- - 50 -\nAMERICA HAS THE WILL.\nAMERICA HAS THE RESOURCES.\nAMERICA HAS THE KNOW-HOW.\nAND AMERICA HAS THE FAITH.\nI SHARE YOUR BELIEF IN AMERICA.\nIF YOU DESPAIRED\nOF THIS NATION AND ITS FUTURE, YOU WOULD NOT BE HERE TODAY.\nTOGETHER, WE WILL BUILD A NEW AND BETTER TOMORROW.\nEND OF TEXT"
}