Ask the Scholar
Page 21 of 49
I can add historical knowledge about this page.
Page image
OCR
PHH
THE
K
PRESIDENT HAS SEEN
THE WHITE HOUSE
WASHINGTON
November 28, 1973
MEMORANDUM FOR:
THE PRESIDENT
FROM:
ROYL. ASH
SUBJECT:
An Idea
In your press conference of November 17 you stated that upon completion
of your term in office you might write on the subject of "bettering the
political process". I suggest the following "grand plan 11:
1. You announce soon, as one main theme for the Bicentennial,
that of Renewing and Strengthening America's Governmental Institutions
for the country's third century and beyond. The scope of the concept
should be the broadest, as was the thinking and work on the Constitution
itself. Many important subthemes are possible.
2. As a part of the Bicentennial effort, between now and 1976,
you form a number of citizen groups to develop the subthemes, not the
answers but the issues, considerations, and options. (Better to form
and annoint the citizen groups of your choosing than to broadly invite
"scholars" to volunteer their thoughts.)
3. The year 1976 would be spent in public discussion of the issues -
again in well structured Administration sponsored forums, possibly 3 or
4 during the year. This could also have the advantage of preempting the
political value of being strongly identified with governmental renewal in
the election year, yet one step short of final commitment to any particular
idea.
4. Then, after your term, you would lead a comprehensive task
of synthesizing the ideas developed, applying the proper philosophy, pub-
lishing a multi-volume classical work, disseminating and "selling" the
results, and hopefully affecting the changes recommended.
Page data
- Page
- 21
- Source index
- 0
- Type
- photo
- Media ID
- 9c87b35613ccf1ab
- Size
- unknown
Document data
- ID
- 506679190
- Core
- doc
- Type
- document
DTO data
{
"id": "506679190",
"sourceUrl": "https://catalog.archives.gov/id/506679190",
"contentType": "document",
"title": "President's Handwriting, November 16-30, 1973 [2 of 2]",
"citationUrl": "https://catalog.archives.gov/id/506679190",
"collections": [
"White House Staff Member and Office Files (Nixon Administration)",
"President's Office Files"
],
"iiifBase": "https://s3.dualstack.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/lz/presidential-libraries/nixon/rn-smof/876218/Batch0002/37-sf-smof-pof-876218-23-06/37-sf-smof-pof-876218-23-06-001.jpg",
"thumbnailUrl": "https://s3.dualstack.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/lz/presidential-libraries/nixon/rn-smof/876218/Batch0002/37-sf-smof-pof-876218-23-06/37-sf-smof-pof-876218-23-06-001.jpg",
"largeImageUrl": "https://s3.dualstack.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/lz/presidential-libraries/nixon/rn-smof/876218/Batch0002/37-sf-smof-pof-876218-23-06/37-sf-smof-pof-876218-23-06-001.jpg",
"imageCount": 49,
"hasImages": true,
"source": "import",
"hasTranscription": false
}
Context sent to Scholar
Document identity
{
"localId": "506679190",
"label": "President's Handwriting, November 16-30, 1973 [2 of 2]",
"core": "doc",
"dtoType": "document",
"citationUrl": "https://catalog.archives.gov/id/506679190"
}
Document source metadata
{
"id": "506679190",
"sourceUrl": "https://catalog.archives.gov/id/506679190",
"contentType": "document",
"title": "President's Handwriting, November 16-30, 1973 [2 of 2]",
"citationUrl": "https://catalog.archives.gov/id/506679190",
"collections": [
"White House Staff Member and Office Files (Nixon Administration)",
"President's Office Files"
],
"iiifBase": "https://s3.dualstack.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/lz/presidential-libraries/nixon/rn-smof/876218/Batch0002/37-sf-smof-pof-876218-23-06/37-sf-smof-pof-876218-23-06-001.jpg",
"thumbnailUrl": "https://s3.dualstack.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/lz/presidential-libraries/nixon/rn-smof/876218/Batch0002/37-sf-smof-pof-876218-23-06/37-sf-smof-pof-876218-23-06-001.jpg",
"largeImageUrl": "https://s3.dualstack.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/lz/presidential-libraries/nixon/rn-smof/876218/Batch0002/37-sf-smof-pof-876218-23-06/37-sf-smof-pof-876218-23-06-001.jpg",
"imageCount": 49,
"hasImages": true,
"source": "import",
"hasTranscription": false
}
Document source extras
{
"url": "https://catalog.archives.gov/id/506679190",
"naId": 506679190,
"levelOfDescription": "fileUnit",
"recordType": "description",
"ocrSource": "nara-archive"
}
Page context
{
"seq": 21,
"pageIndex": 0,
"type": "photo",
"url": "https://s3.dualstack.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/lz/presidential-libraries/nixon/rn-smof/876218/Batch0002/37-sf-smof-pof-876218-23-06/37-sf-smof-pof-876218-23-06-021.jpg",
"mediaId": "9c87b35613ccf1ab",
"ocrText": "PHH\nTHE\nK\nPRESIDENT HAS SEEN\nTHE WHITE HOUSE\nWASHINGTON\nNovember 28, 1973\nMEMORANDUM FOR:\nTHE PRESIDENT\nFROM:\nROYL. ASH\nSUBJECT:\nAn Idea\nIn your press conference of November 17 you stated that upon completion\nof your term in office you might write on the subject of \"bettering the\npolitical process\". I suggest the following \"grand plan 11:\n1. You announce soon, as one main theme for the Bicentennial,\nthat of Renewing and Strengthening America's Governmental Institutions\nfor the country's third century and beyond. The scope of the concept\nshould be the broadest, as was the thinking and work on the Constitution\nitself. Many important subthemes are possible.\n2. As a part of the Bicentennial effort, between now and 1976,\nyou form a number of citizen groups to develop the subthemes, not the\nanswers but the issues, considerations, and options. (Better to form\nand annoint the citizen groups of your choosing than to broadly invite\n\"scholars\" to volunteer their thoughts.)\n3. The year 1976 would be spent in public discussion of the issues -\nagain in well structured Administration sponsored forums, possibly 3 or\n4 during the year. This could also have the advantage of preempting the\npolitical value of being strongly identified with governmental renewal in\nthe election year, yet one step short of final commitment to any particular\nidea.\n4. Then, after your term, you would lead a comprehensive task\nof synthesizing the ideas developed, applying the proper philosophy, pub-\nlishing a multi-volume classical work, disseminating and \"selling\" the\nresults, and hopefully affecting the changes recommended."
}