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Lincoln Day Dinner, Jacksonville, FL, May 26, 1973
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4526499
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Lincoln Day Dinner, Jacksonville, FL, May 26, 1973
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Gerald R. Ford Congressional Papers
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Administration goals and achievements
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1973
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The original documents are located in Box D34, folder "Lincoln Day Dinner, Jacksonville,
FL, May 26, 1973" of the Ford Congressional Papers: Press Secretary and Speech File 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. The Council 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States of America his copyrights in all of his unpublished writings in National Archives collections.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.
Distribution: 20 copies with
M OFFICE COPY
CONGRESSMAN
NEWS
GERALD R. FORD
HOUSE REPUBLICAN LEADER
RELEASE
--FOR RELEASE AT 6 P.M. SATURDAY--
May 26, 1973
Excerpts from a Speech by Rep. Gerald R. Ford at a Lincoln Day Dinner May 26, 1973
at Jacksonville, Fla.
Over the years one of the extraordinary aspects of American life has been
our eagerness to strive for betterment of American society. This has been true from
the very beginning of this nation almost steadily down to the present day.
Toward the end of the Sixties, however, this striving for betterment seemed
to be lost in America. It became lost in the confusion generated by governmental
permissiveness, revolutionary strife, and a foreign policy which lacked backbone
and direction.
Just over four years ago a Democratic President and a Democratic Congress
were running this country.
Four years ago we had over a half million men in Vietnam, with 300 dying
every week. This nation and China faced each other over a gulf of hostility and
ignorance while Russia and the United States continued a spiraling arms race which
was headed toward nuclear disaster.
Rioting wracked our cities. The cry we heard was "burn, baby, burn." Fully
one-half of the women in this country were afraid to walk in their own neighborhoods
at night. Even breathing the air and drinking our water was becoming dangerous.
Today we have the leadership of a Republican President, Richard Nixon. And
today, for the first time since 1945, the threat of nuclear war is diminishing, not
increasing. All of our men and POW's are home from a Vietnam which is almost at
peace. Crime rates have come down. Employment is at a record level of over
83 million, and unemployment is at its lowest level in 2½ years. We are creating
new jobs at an unprecedented rate, and with less damaging environmental impact than
ever before.
Look at the Republican record. We are virtually free from war. Racial
rioting is only a bad memory. Our college students now are more interested in
learning than burning. Americans are living better today than ever before.
(more)
Digitized from Box D34 of the Ford Congressional Papers: Press Secretary and Speech File at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library
Page 2
Of course we have our troubles. Inflation has become worse in America
recently. It's running at a 5 per cent rate for the latest 12 months. But the
rise in the cost of living is 8 per cent in Italy and Britain, 7 per cent in France
and West Germany, and 13 per cent in Israel.
Then there are the weird events that have shaken Washington to its
bureaucratic and congressional foundations. But I feel that so much attention has
been focused on these unfortunate and regrettable events that Americans are beginning
to lose sight of what's right with their country and what this nation's relationship
is to the rest of the world.
President Nixon's achievements have been tremendous. We must not let those
achievements be eroded by the current clamor over the overzealous actions of a
relatively small number of men. And we must remember, too, that the irrational
conduct of these men is not the conduct of the Republican Party. The Party is
represented by its elected officials--the President, the Vice-President, Republican
members of Congress, and elected party officials. From that point of view, the
strength, purposes, goals and ideals of the Republican Party are as strong as ever.
The Republican Party--the party of Abraham Lincoln--is a great party. Its
goals are embraced by the vast majority of Americans.
The Republican Party--like most Americans--believes in fiscal restraint, fully
aware of the horrendous impact of deficit financing on the people's pocketbook in
the form of either increased taxes or increased inflation.
The Republican Party--like most Americans--believes in returning power to
state and local governments through Federal revenue sharing and insistence that
local communities and not faceless and arbitrary bureaucrats make local decisions.
The Republican Party--like most Americans--believes in helping those who
cannot help themselves, but in otherwise preserving the liberty and freedom of
individuals in this great country to work out their own destinies.
Now, how can we accomplish these great goals of the Republican Party and the
American people? We can achieve these objectives by electing more people to
Congress who believe in these fundamental goals and principles, by electing more
Republicans in Florida and the South.
There are, of course, Democrats in the South, including Florida, who share
the Republican Party's ideals. Their thinking coincides with Republican philosophy.
They, like John Connally, would feel much more comfortable in the Republican Party
than in the party of the New Deal, the Fair Deal, the New Frontier and the Great
Society. They feel downright uncomfortable in the party which stands for
centralization of all power in Washington.
We have to move in new directions. We have to move in the direction of
President Nixon's New Federalism, and Floridians--Democrats and Republicans--can
help. Let's bring government back to the people. We can do it, if we all try.
# # #
20 copies u/m. 7 only
OFFICE COPY
CONGRESSMAN
NEWS
GERALD R. FORD
HOUSE REPUBLICAN LEADER
RELEASE
--FOR RELEASE AT 6 P.M. SATURDAY--
May 26, 1973
Excerpts from a Speech by Rep. Gerald R. Ford at a Lincoln Day Dinner May 26, 1973
at Jacksonville, Fla.
Over the years one of the extraordinary aspects of American life has been
our eagerness to strive for betterment of American society. This has been true from
the very beginning of this nation almost steadily down to the present day.
Toward the end of the Sixties, however, this striving for betterment seemed
to be lost in America. It became lost in the confusion generated by governmental
permissiveness, revolutionary strife, and a foreign policy which lacked backbone
and direction.
Just over four years ago a Democratic President and a Democratic Congress
were running this country.
Four years ago we had over a half million men in Vietnam, with 300 dying
every week. This nation and China faced each other over a gulf of hostility and
ignorance while Russia and the United States continued a spiraling arms race which
was headed toward nuclear disaster.
Rioting wracked our cities. The cry we heard was "burn, baby, burn." Fully
one-half of the women in this country were afraid to walk in their own neighborhoods
at night. Even breathing the air and drinking our water was becoming dangerous.
Today we have the leadership of a Republican President, Richard Nixon. And
today, for the first time since 1945, the threat of nuclear war is diminishing, not
increasing. All of our men and POW's are home from a Vietnam which is almost at
peace. Crime rates have come down. Employment is at a record level of over
83 million, and unemployment is at its lowest level in 2½ years. We are creating
new jobs at an unprecedented rate, and with less damaging environmental impact than
ever before.
Look at the Republican record. We are virtually free from war. Racial
rioting is only a bad memory. Our college students now are more interested in
learning than burning. Americans are living better today than ever before.
(more)
Page 2
Of course we have our troubles. Inflation has become worse in America
recently. It's running at a 5 per cent rate for the latest 12 months. But the
rise in the cost of living is 8 per cent in Italy and Britain, 7 per cent in France
and West Germany, and 13 per cent in Israel.
Then there are the weird events that have shaken Washington to its
bureaucratic and congressional foundations. But I feel that so much attention has
been focused on these unfortunate and regrettable events that Americans are beginning
to lose sight of what's right with their country and what this nation's relationship
is to the rest of the world.
President Nixon's achievements have been tremendous. We must not let those
achievements be eroded by the current clamor over the overzealous actions of a
relatively small number of men. And we must remember, too, that the irrational
conduct of these men is not the conduct of the Republican Party. The Party is
represented by its elected officials--the President, the Vice-President, Republican
members of Congress, and elected party officials. From that point of view, the
strength, purposes, goals and ideals of the Republican Party are as strong as ever.
The Republican Party--the party of Abraham Lincoln--is a great party. Its
goals are embraced by the vast majority of Americans.
The Republican Party--like most Americans--believes in fiscal restraint, fully
aware of the horrendous impact of deficit financing on the people's pocketbook in
the form of either increased taxes or increased inflation.
The Republican Party--like most Americans--believes in returning power to
state and local governments through Federal revenue sharing and insistence that
local communities and not faceless and arbitrary bureaucrats make local decisions.
The Republican Party--like most Americans--believes in helping those who
cannot help themselves, but in otherwise preserving the liberty and freedom of
individuals in this great country to work out their own destinies.
Now, how can we accomplish these great goals of the Republican Party and the
American people? We can achieve these objectives by electing more people to
Congress who believe in these fundamental goals and principles, by electing more
Republicans in Florida and the South.
There are, of course, Democrats in the South, including Florida, who share
the Republican Party's ideals. Their thinking coincides with Republican philosophy.
They, like John Connally, would feel much more comfortable in the Republican Party
than in the party of the New Deal, the Fair Deal, the New Frontier and the Great
Society. They feel downright uncomfortable in the party which stands for
centralization of all power in Washington.
We have to move in new directions. We have to move in the direction of
President Nixon's New Federalism, and Floridians--Democrats and Republicans--can
help. Let's bring government back to the people. We can do it, if we all try.
# # #