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7338353
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Text of Remarks by the President to Be Delivered to the National Newspapers Association Government Affairs Conference [Ford Speech or Statement]
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7338353
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Text of Remarks by the President to Be Delivered to the National Newspapers Association Government Affairs Conference [Ford Speech or Statement]
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White House Press Releases (Ford Administration)
Press Releases
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14
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1975-03-14
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1975
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Digitized from Box 8 of the White House Press Releases at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library
EMBARGO
FOR RELEASE
UNTIL 4:00 PM, EDT
MARCH 14, 1975
Office of the White House Press Secretary
THE WHITE HOUSE
TEXT OF REMARKS BY THE PRESIDENT
TO BE DELIVERED TO THE
NATIONAL NEWSPAPER ASSOCIATION
GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS CONFERENCE
Ladies and Gentlemen
welcome to the White House.
The East Room is a particularly appropriate place for us to meet -- and
talk about the Nation's problems. This room is rich in history -- full of
happy and sad moments in the lives of the residents of this house and in
the Nation's past.
The first First Lady in this house was Abigail Adams -- who wrote her
family of hanging laundry in this room and of the problems of the new
Federal City. Mrs. Adams sent news to her family of the large and small
problems she faced -- the same kind of news that you in this room share
with your readers.
I have fond memories of the non-metropolitan weekly and daily newspapers
in the 5th District of Michigan. During my Congressional campaigns, I
advertised heavily in small city newspapers and relied on the knowledge
the publishers and editors had of their areas. I know first-hand that the
people who know a town best are those who run the local newspapers.
And in recent years, the growth in the number of suburban newspapers
reflects the importance of this brand of personal journalism. In an age
of mass communications -- you are in the business of local communica-
tions. You fill an important need of your readers; their need to know
about the problems of their communities.
While the world has grown small and interdependent in many ways, the
fact remains that the news around the corner and down the street is still
important to all of us.
We live in a mobile society -- and too many of us have been pulled away
from our roots. Your newspapers put us in touch with our new
communities and give us links to our hometowns.
You are part of the dialogue that keeps self-government going. I admire
your work and I need your help. A meaningful discussion of national
problems cannot take place only on network television or in large metro-
politan newspapers because these forums do not provide sufficient
opportunity for audience response and participation.
One of the reaons it is important for me and members of this Administration
to travel around the country and to meet in Washington with groups like this
one -- is to listen as well as talk about the Nation's oblems.
Perhaps my Congressional background convinced me of the value of face
to face contact -- but there is no substitute for the discussion of ideas in
person with community leaders like you. The best briefing paper in the
world cannot explain problems as well as someone who deals with them
daily and directly -- governors, or the mayors or publishers.
(MORE)
-2-
Government officials need more talk-back from the people they serve --
and that is particularly true of those of us in Washington. This town can
be just as parochial as a town of 250 people.
One of our ways at the White House of getting talk-back is our briefing
sessions. But another is for you to send your comments and editorials
to Ron Nessen in our Press Office.
We need to hear from you and the readers you serve. And we also need
your help in describing the problems and solutions of the day. But, the
economic and energy debate underway now must not become simply an
exchange of rhetoric. The debate must produce action.
In January, the Administration outlined a comprehensive program to deal
with some very harsh realities facing our nation economically and in
energy. We made some stern choices in drawing up the Administration
plan -- the kinds of choices that some politicians would rather talk about
than make.
You deal with deadlines in your business. If those deadlines aren't met
then you cannot serve your readers on time. The Congress must respond
to some very real national deadlines. I:asked for action by April 1st on a
rebate of 1974 income taxes for individuals and for businesses. There
has been much discussion on who should receive the tax rebates. a dis-
cussion based too often on purely political considerations.
We cannot look at this rebate on a political basis we have to look on
how a rebate will affect all Americans. It is sometimes fashionable to
talk as if what is good for the American economy is not good for the
American people. This tendency to treat the economy as an abstract idea
divorced from the lives of the citizens leads to some unfortunate piece-
meal proposals.
When the economy is sound it means the people of this Nation are able
to live comfortably without fear of inflation and with jobs.
To meet the proposed April 1st deadline on the tax cut the Senate must
act before it recesses March 21st and the House before its March 26th
Easter recess.
The tax cut is only part of the program this Administration has proposed
and there has been more response from Capitol Hill on this proposal than
on many others. But as necessary as the tax cut is it is only a small
piece of the actionthat must be taken.
The Congress must act on other parts of my proposal especially in the
area of energy. In my State of the Union address, I called for action in 90
days on a more comprehensive energy tax program. The first response
by the Congress to this plea was to negate any action by the President to
increase the oil tariffs -- and suspend the Pr esidential authority for 90
days. I have vetoed that bill but I did delay the imposition of the tariffs
until May 1st to give more time for the Congress to act.
The Nation's current economic and energy situation is so critical that
the deadline foraction cannot be pushed back indefinitely. As you know
well, the time comes when there is a final deadline. We in America are
approaching that point.
(MORE)
-3-
There is national agreement on the need for action. There is within the
spirit of the American people a willingness to accept the hard choices
required to regain economic stability and achieve energy independence.
In many ways -- the President and the American people now wait for the
Congress to catch up with us.
As Ralph Waldo Emerson said, "In skating over thin ice our safety is
our speed." The spring thaw is coming -- and the Congress must pick
up its speed.
Thank you for coming today -- and I close with a traditional and heartfelt
saying -- "Let us hear from you." You already know you'll be hearing
from us.
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