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10/18/76 - Eldon Rudd Dinner
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1133488
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10/18/76 - Eldon Rudd Dinner
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Carla A. Hills Speeches
Speeches
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Arizona
Congressional elections
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1976
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1976-10-18
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10
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1976
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The original documents are located in Box 2, folder "10/18/76 - Eldon Rudd Dinner" of the
Carla A. Hills Speeches 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States of America his copyrights in all of his unpublished writings in National Archives collections.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 2 of the Carla A. Hills Speeches at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library
FINAL
ELDON RUDD DINNER
OCTOBER 18, 1976
IT WOULD BE HARD TO FIND A MORE DEDICATED, TALENTED
AND HARD-WORKING MEMBER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
THAN JOHN RHODES AND CERTAINLY THERE IS NO BETTER FRIEND,
I AM SO PLEASED THAT YOU INVITED ME AND JOHN URGED ME
TO BE WITH YOU IN THE BEAUTIFUL CITY OF PHOENIX TONIGHT.
SINCE I AM A MEMBER OF THE FORD ADMINISTRATION, AND THE
PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION IS JUST 15 DAYS AWAY, YOU MIGHT THINK
THAT SOME OF MY ENTHUSIASM IN BEING HERE IS RELATED.
WELL -- YOU ARE RIGHT! I USE EVERY OCCASION I CAN GET
TO TELL WHAT A FINE JOB OUR PRESIDENT IS DOING.
BUT OUR JOB, OVER THE NEXT 15 DAYS, ENTAILS MORE THAN
MAKING SURE THAT WE RETAIN OUR REPUBLICAN PRESIDENT IN THE
WHITE HOUSE.
DURING THE PAST 26 MONTHS, PRESIDENT FORD'S REMARKABLE
RECORD OF HOLDING THE LINE AGAINST THE LEGISLATIVE SPENDTHRIFTS
ON CAPITOL HILL WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN POSSIBLE WITHOUT THE
VALIANT EFFORTS OF OUR HEAVILY-OUTNUMBERED REPUBLICAN MINORITY
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.
GERALO A. FORD LIBRARY
-2-
IN THE REPUBLICAN TROPHY ROOM OUR SUPERLATIVE HOUSE
MINORITY CAPTAIN, JOHN RHODES, CAN PROUDLY POINT TO 47
"WILD BUDGET BUSTERS" HIS TEAM BAGGED DURING THE 94TH
CONGRESSIONAL EXPEDITION.
IN SUSTAINING 47 OUT OF 59 PRESIDENTIAL VETOES, JOHN
AND HIS REPUBLICAN COLLEAGUES NOT ONLY DISPLAYED THEIR
SUPERIOR LEGISLATIVE SKILLS, THEY SAVED THE NATION FROM
GOING $10 BILLION DOLLARS FURTHER INTO DEBT.
As FOR THE 12 THAT "GOT AWAY" -- THEY, TOO, MIGHT BE
IN JOHN RHODES' TROPHY ROOM TONIGHT IF HIS TEAM ONLY HAD
BEEN LARGER, AND WE WOULD HAVE SAVED $13 BILLION MORE.
AND THAT IS WHY THE ELECTION OF ELDON RUDD IS so IMPORTANT
-- NOT JUST TO ARIZONA AND ARIZONA'S FOURTH DISTRICT, BUT TO
THE NATION AS A WHOLE. WE MUST, BY NOW, BE CONVINCED THAT THE
DEMOCRATIC SPENDERS ARE NOT GOING TO CHANGE THEIR SPOTS, SO
WE'VE GOT TO CHANGE THEIR NUMBERS,
I AM TOLD, ELDON, THAT ARIZONA'S "FOURTH" INTENDS TO
SEND YOU DOWN TO THE 95TH CONGRESS TO ADD ANOTHER REPUBLICAN
VOICE OF REASON, SELF-DISCIPLINE AND FISCAL SANITY TO THE
DELIBERATIONS IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.
LIBRARY
ORD
-3-
AND, IF ENOUGH PEOPLE IN OTHER CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICTS
EXERCISE THE SAME GOOD JUDGMENT -- WHO KNOWS? INSTEAD OF
LEADING A LARGER REPUBLICAN MINORITY, JOHN RHODES MIGHT MOVE
INTO THE LARGER QUARTERS BEING VACATED BY SPEAKER ALBERT TO
LEAD A NEW REPUBLICAN MAJORITY.
THE FACT IS THAT WE ARE FORTUNATE TO BE CAMPAIGNING ON
A SOLID RECORD OF ACHIEVEMENT AND ON POLICIES AND PROGRAMS
THAT ARE WORKING FOR AMERICA -- AND WE HAVE A PRESIDENT OF
WHOM WE CAN BE VERY PROUD.
OUR OPPOSITION HAS TRIED TO PUT DOWN THE PRESIDENT'S
LEADERSHIP CAPACITY, AND ON THAT ISSUE WE ARE STRONG --
AND WE SHOULD NOT HESITATE TO MEET IT STRAIGHT ON.
FOR, WITHOUT HESITATION WE CAN STATE -- AND CAN PROVE
-- THAT PRESIDENT FORD HAS BEEN TAKING BETTER CARE OF THIS
NATION'S AFFAIRS THAN ANY PRESIDENT IN RECENT HISTORY.
ON ASSUMING OFFICE 26 MONTHS AGO, HE LED THIS NATION
THROUGH ITS MOST SERIOUS CONSTITUTIONAL CRISIS SINCE THE
CIVIL WAR AND THEN PROCEEDED TO RESTORE NATIONAL CONFIDENCE
IN THE INSTITUTIONS WHICH DISTINGUISH OUR FORM OF GOVERNMENT
FROM THOSE ENDURED BY A MAJORITY OF THE WORLD'S PEOPLE.
GERALD
-4-
HIS STRONG LEADERSHIP OVER THE PAST TWO YEARS HAS
RESTORED THE PRESTIGE OF AMERICA AMONG THE COUNTRIES OF
THE WORLD -- WHILE MAINTAINING PEACE, ENHANCING GOOD WILL,
AND STANDING FIRM ON THE NEED FOR CONTINUED NATIONAL STRENGTH.
IF ANYTHING CAME THROUGH TO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE IN
THE MOST RECENT DEBATE -- IT WAS THE UNARGUABLE FACT THAT
THERE IS NOT ONE SINGLE AMERICAN ON A BATTLEGROUND ANYWHERE
ON THIS EARTH!
WHEN MR. CARTER DUCKED ONE OF SEVERAL TOUGH FOREIGN
"POLICY" QUESTIONS, AND RETREATED TO COMPARING THE ECONOMY
UNDER RECENT DEMOCRATIC PRESIDENTS WITH THE ECONOMY TODAY,
HE INADVERTENTLY OPENED UP A SUBJECT THAT THE AMERICAN PEOPLE
WOULD DO WELL TO RECALL,
FOR, THE TRUTH IS, THAT THE RELATIVELY LOW UNEMPLOYMENT
FIGURES MR. CARTER MENTIONED WERE, IN EVERY CASE, ACHIEVED
THROUGH THE ARTIFICIAL STIMULUS OF WAR, AND DEARLY PAID FOR
WITH THE LIVES AND CRUSHED HOPES OF MILLIONS OF OUR AMERICAN
PEOPLE!
AND PAID FOR AGAIN, IN PEACETIME, AS THE NATION STRUGGLED
TO RE-ADJUST ITS PRIORITIES -- BOTH ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL.
-5-
BUT, UNLIKE THE PRESIDENT'S OPPONENT, WE NEED NEITHER
THE RHETORIC OF PERSONAL ATTACK NOR THE PLATITUDES OF A
CAMPAIGN COMMERCIAL TO MAKE OUR CASE. ALL WE HAVE TO DO
IS LOOK AT THE RECORD.
WHERE WERE WE A YEAR AGO? WHAT HAVE WE DONE ABOUT IT?
WHAT HAVE WE LEARNED?
NONE OF US CAN FORGET THAT IN 1975, THE MAJOR QUESTION
MARK WAS WHETHER OUR NATIONAL ECONOMY WOULD SUSTAIN THE
FORWARD MOMENTUM WHICH WAS THEN ON THE CUSP OF A POSITIVE
TURN-AROUND -- FROM THE BLEAK AND DEPRESSING 12-MONTH PERIOD
OF A TERRIFYING RECESSION COMPOUNDED BY AN UNCEASING INCREASE
IN THE COST OF EVERYTHING.
INFLATION STOOD AT 12 TO 14 PERCENT. THE UNEMPLOYMENT
RATE WAS ABOUT 9 PERCENT,
URBAN REVENUES WERE WAY DOWN, NEW YORK WAS ON THE BRINK
OF FINANCIAL FAILURE, INDUSTRY WAS DEPRESSED AND THE HOUSING
SECTOR WAS SUFFERING ITS WORST YEAR IN THREE DECADES.
ON CAPITOL HILL, LABOR AND POLITICAL LEADERS WERE PROPHESIZING
A NATIONAL COLLAPSE UNLESS WE ENGAGED IN MASSIVE FEDERAL SPENDING
-- IN THE FORM OF SUBSIDIES -- PARTICULARLY IN THE HOUSING INDUSTRY.
-6-
A PARADE OF POORLY CONCEIVED SPENDING BILLS WERE LITERALLY
TUMBLING OUT OF THE LEGISLATIVE BRANCH TO FUEL OUR DOUBLE-DIGIT
INFLATION.
WITH THE SMALLEST PARTY SUPPORT IN CONGRESS IN OVER
50 YEARS, AND IN THE FACE OF THE SO-CALLED VETO PROOF CONGRESS,
THE PRESIDENT HAD THE LEADERSHIP CAPACITY AND POLITICAL
SHREWDNESS TO BLOCK THE VAST MAJORITY OF THESE ILL-CONCEIVED
MEASURES.
OUR FOUNDING FATHERS CONSTRUCTED OUR SYSTEM OF CHECKS
AND BALANCES FOR VERY GOOD REASON -- AND NEVER BETTER
DEMONSTRATED THAN DURING 1975.
So, HERE WE ARE -- ONE YEAR LATER.
THE NATION AND ITS ECONOMY SURVIVED -- AND THE DELICATE
HEALTH OF THE ECONOMIC UPTURN, WHICH WE WATCHED so FRETFULLY
A YEAR AGO, HAS BECOME STRONGER AND STRONGER WITH EACH
PASSING MONTH.
IN ONE SHORT YEAR WE HAVE SEEN:
-7-
PERSONAL INCOME JUMP $83 BILLION; -- OUR GROSS NATIONAL
PRODUCT GROW BY $200 BILLION; -- RETAIL SALES INCREASE 16
PERCENT; -- AUTO SALES 38 PERCENT; -- GENERAL MERCHANDISE
11 PERCENT; -- NEW FACTORY ORDERS UP $17 BILLION.
TODAY, THERE ARE 3 MILLION MORE AMERICANS WORKING THAN
ONE YEAR AGO -- IN SPITE OF A TREMENDOUS INFLUX OF WOMEN AND
YOUNG PEOPLE INTO THE LABOR MAKRET. AND INFLATION HAS BEEN
MORE THAN CUT IN HALF.
IN HOUSING -- PERHAPS THE HARDEST HIT SECTOR OF OUR
ENTIRE ECONOMY -- NEW STARTS ARE UP 22 PERCENT OVER LAST
AUGUST, AND 64 PERCENT OVER THE BEGINNING OF 1975.
WHAT HAVE WE LEARNED?
WE HAVE COME THIS FAR, NOT THROUGH THE MAGIC OF A BIG
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT "SAVE", BUT THROUGH THE STRONG AND CONSISTENT
GUIDING HAND OF A PRAGMATIC PRESIDENT.
AND OUR PROSPECTS FOR CONTINUED GROWTH AND PROGRESS
DEPEND ON MAINTAINING THE STEADY COURSE PRESIDENT FORD SET
WHEN HE TOOK OFFICE TWO YEARS AGO,
-8-
WE ARE RIGHT ON TARGET WITH OUR FORECASTS MADE AT THE
BEGINNING OF THE YEAR,
WHAT WORRIES ME ARE MR. CARTER'S REPEATED CALLS FOR
MORE GOVERNMENT SPENDING PROGRAMS,
IF WE LISTEN TO MR. CARTER'S PROPOSALS THAT WOULD ADD
$100 TO $200 BILLION TO A BUDGET THAT IS ALREADY PRODUCING A
DEFICIT OF OVER $50 BILLION, WE MUST CONCLUDE THAT HE BELIEVES
THE "MAGIC" OF THE FEDERAL PURSE HAS MORE PULLING POWER THAN
OUR FREE ENTERPRISE SYSTEM.
BUT, THE UNVARNISHED EVIDENCE IS THAT THESE BIG SPENDING
PROGRAMS THWART NEEDED BUSINESS EXPANSION BY DRIVING UP COSTS
OF DOING BUSINESS,
THAT HURTS THE VERY PEOPLE SUCH PROGRAMS WERE SUPPOSED
TO HELP -- WITH GREATER EXPENSES, EMPLOYMENT CONTRACTION,
LAY-OFFS AND STILL ANOTHER ROUND OF UNEMPLOYMENT CHECKS,
IN THE HOUSING AREA I AM VERY CONCERNED ABOUT MR. CARTER'S
CALL FOR THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO SUBSIDIZE THE BUILDING OF
2-1/2 MILLION HOUSING UNITS A YEAR,
-9-
THE FACT IS THAT THE PROBLEMS WE HAVE SUFFERED IN HOUSING
OVER THE PAST TWO YEARS WERE CAUSED IN LARGE MEASURE BY THAT
VERY PHILOSOPHY WHICH WAS MANDATED BY THE HOUSING Act OF 1968.
FOR PURSUANT TO THAT AcT, THIS NATION SUBSIDIZED, ANNUALLY,
MORE THAN TWO MILLION HOUSING STARTS FOR THREE YEARS RUNNING ---
AND GENERATED A BURST OF HOUSING OVERPRODUCTION THAT WE ARE JUST
NOW WORKING OFF,
IN THE COURSE OF THIS PRODUCTION EXPLOSION OUR NATION
ABANDONED THOUSANDS OF SOUND, WELL-DESIGNED HOMES IN OUR CITIES
AND UNDER-UTILIZED ROADS, UTILITIES, AND SEWAGE SYSTEMS ALREADY
IN PLACE THERE, AS BUYERS HEEDED THE PIED PIPER CALL OF "NEW IS
BETTER". NEIGHBORHOODS ALL ACROSS THIS NATION WERE BLIGHTED
WITH ROW UPON ROW OF BOARDED-UP HOUSES LEFT TO DECAY, THE MOST
FREQUENTLY CITED SYMPTOM OF THE ILLNESS IN OUR CITIES.
BUT, IT WAS NOT ONLY OUR CITIES THAT SUFFERED - OUR HOUSING
INDUSTRY WAS INCAPACITATED. BECAUSE AN ARTIFICIALLY PRODUCED
"BOOM" CANNOT CONTINUE FOREVER, THE NEXT PERIOD, WHICH HIT US
ABOUT TWO YEARS AGO, WAS ONE OF EXAGGERATED CONTRACTION TO ENABLE
US TO WORK OFF EXCESSIVE INVENTORIES WITH THE RESULTING LAY-OFFS
IN THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY,
-10-
THE PRESIDENT'S HOUSING POLICIES ARE DESIGNED TO ACCOMMODATE
THE LOGICAL CALL FOR REASONABLE LEVELS OF STARTS WHILE AVOIDING
THE DISASTEROUS CYCLES OF ALL OR NOTHING THAT HAVE CHARACTERIZED
THE HOUSING CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY EVER SINCE BIG GOVERNMENT GOT
INTO THE ACT.
AND HIS POLICIES HAVE WORKED. EVEN IF WE FAIL TO BUILD
ANOTHER HOUSE IN 1976, THIS YEAR WILL BE THE FOURTH BEST YEAR
ON RECORD FOR NEW SINGLE-FAMILY STARTS. AND MULTI-FAMILY
STARTS, ALTHOUGH NOT so QUICK TO RECOVER, JUMPED 48 PERCENT
LAST MONTH WITH A SUBSTANTIAL JUMP IN PERMITS so THAT WE HAVE
EVERY REASON TO BE CONFIDENT OF THEIR CONTINUED GAIN.
BUT, THESE NEW HOMES WILL GO BEGGING, IF THE AMERICAN
FAMILY DOES NOT HAVE THE SPENDABLE INCOME TO MAKE THE DOWNPAYMENT
AND TO PAY THE MORTGAGE, THE UTILITIES, AND THE MAINTENANCE COSTS,
THE ONLY SURE PRESCRIPTION FOR THAT IS THE CONTINUATION
OF THE STEADY PROGRESS WHICH PRESIDENT FORD HAS MADE IN REDUCING
INFLATION AND INCREASING EMPLOYMENT THROUGH ARTFUL STIMULATION
OF THE PRIVATE SECTOR.
-11-
WE SIMPLY CANNOT IGNORE THE LESSON FOR WHICH WE PAID
so DEARLY IN THE 1960's -- THAT NO MATTER HOW MUCH WE MAY
WILL IT -- A "SOCIETY" IS NOT SUDDENLY MADE "GREAT" THROUGH
WELL-MEANING PROGRAMS WHOSE SOLE SOURCE OF SUSTENANCE IS
THE FEDERAL EXCHEQUER.
WE KNOW THAT OUR PRIVATE ECONOMY CANNOT SUSTAIN THE
AWESOME FEDERAL DEFICIT OF TODAY'S MAGNITUDE WITHOUT THE
EROSION OF THE VERY FINANCIAL RESOURCES THAT ARE VITAL TO
THE GROWTH AND PRODUCTIVITY OF OUR FREE ENTERPRISES, WHICH
ARE THE SOURCE OF FIVE OUT OF SIX JOBS.
PRESIDENT FORD HAS HELD THE LINE IN EXPENDITURES, AND
IN so DOING HAS CREATED THE LARGEST NUMBER OF JOBS IN OUR
NATION'S HISTORY,
HE HAS DIRECTLY ATTACKED THE DELAYS, THE RED-TAPE, AND
THE REGULATION MAZE so DISHEARTENING TO THE INNOVATIVE SPIRIT
THAT IS THE SOUL OF THE FREE ENTERPRISE SYSTEM. AND HE HAS
DONE IT IN TWO SHORT YEARS, ASSEMBLING HIS WINNING TEAM AT
THE LOWEST POINT IN THE POLITICAL HISTORY OF OUR COUNTRY.
AND ONE OF THE GREAT REASONS FOR HIS SUCCESS IS THAT HE
REALLY KNOWS WASHINGTON AND HE KNOWS HOW TO MAKE IT WORK FOR
THE NATION.
-12-
FOR MORE THAN 25 YEARS, GERALD FORD HAS FOUGHT AGAINST
EVERY DEMOCRATIC SCHEME THAT WOULD GIVE THE AMERICAN PEOPLE
MORE "WASHINGTON" THAN THEY ALREADY HAVE.
HIS "WASHINGTON" POLICY AS PRESIDENT HAS BEEN TO GIVE
MORE AMERICA TO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE BY CONTINUING TO GIVE THEM
-- MORE REAL INCOME FROM THEIR EARNINGS;
-- MORE REAL JOBS SUPPORTED BY HEALTHY PRIVATE ENTERPRISE;
- MORE HOMES THEY CAN AFFORD TO BUY AND MAINTAIN; AND
-- A NATIONAL ECONOMY FREE FROM THE BOMBARDMENTS OF
ARTIFICIAL PROGRAMS THAT SAP THE VITALITY OF AMERICA.
THIS IS WHAT HE WILL CONTINUE TO DO OVER THE NEXT FOUR YEARS.
WHAT WE HAVE TO DO OVER THE NEXT 15 DAYS IS TO GET EVERY
THINKING AMERICAN TO THE POLLS ON NOVEMBER 2ND TO VOTE FOR
THIS GREAT LEADER WHOSE RECORD OF ACCOMPLISHMENT AND STRENGTH
OF PURPOSE IS CLEARLY VISIBLE.
AND so THAT HE CAN DO EVEN MORE, YOU IN ARIZONA MUST MAKE
SURE THAT HE HAS ELDON RUDD THERE IN THE HOUSE WITH JOHN RHODES,
THANK YOU,