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OCR Page 1 of 9RXECUTIVE
Fabruary 26,1470
SP2-3-36
14
FII-2
TO THE CONGRESS OF THE UNITED STATES:
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I propose reduction, termination or restructuring of 57 programs
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which are obsolete, low priority or in need of basic reform. These
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program changes would save a total of $2. 5 billion in the fiscal year 1971.
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ALASKA RAiLROAD
Of this amount, $1. 1 billion savings require Congressional action
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roughly the equivalent of the amount by which the 1971 budget is in surplus.
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No government program should be permitted to have a life of its
own, immune from periodic review of its effectiveness and its place
in our list of national priorities.
Too often in the past, "sacred cows" that have outlived their usefulness
or need drastic revamping have been perpetuated because of the influence
of special interest groups. Others have hung on because they were "too
small" to be worthy of attention.
At a time when every dollar of government spending must be
scrutinized, we cannot afford to let mere inertia drain away our
resources.
Some of these programs are the objects of great affection by the
groups they benefit. But when they no longer serve the general public
interest, they must be repealed or reformed.
No program should be too small to escape scrutiny; a small item
may be termed a "drop in the bucket" of a $200. 8 billion budget, but these
drops have a way of adding up. Every dollar was sent to the Treasury
by some taxpayer who has a right to demand that it be well spent.
As an extreme example, the government since 1897 has had a special
board of tea-tasters. At one time in the dim past, there may have been
good reason to single out tea for such special taste tests: but that reason
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