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1/16/75 - Remarks to Presidential Spokesmen
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1252194
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1/16/75 - Remarks to Presidential Spokesmen
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President's Speeches and Statements Reading Copies (Ford Administration)
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1975
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The original documents are located in Box 5, folder "1/16/75 - Remarks to Presidential
Spokesmen" of the President's Speeches and Statements: Reading Copies 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States of America his copyrights in all of his unpublished writings in National Archives collections.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 5 of President's Speeches and Statements: Reading Copies at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library
THE PRESIDENT HAS SEEN def.
REMARKS TO
PRESIDENTIAL SPOKESMEN
THURSDAY, JANUARY 16, 1975
- 1 -
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, GOOD MORNING.
IN A FEW, VERY SIMPLE WORDS, THE TIME FOR ACTION IS
NOW.
WE MUST START THE COUNTRY IN A NEW DIRECTION.
THE TRANSITION, THE HONEYMOON, THE TIME FOR DELIBERATION --
WHATEVER ONE MIGHT WISH TO CALL IT -- IS OVER.
- 2 -
THE PROBLEMS WE CONFRONT, THE QUESTIONS WE MUST ANSWER,
ARE IMMEDIATE.
THE AMERICAN PEOPLE WANT ANSWERS NOW.
THAT IS OUR JOB.
AND THAT IS WHY WE ARE HERE TODAY --
TO START IN A NEW DIRECTION.
WE HAVE A GOOD PROGRAM BASED ON SOUND PRINCIPLES.
- 3 -
AS YOU KNOW, I HAVE RECOMMENDED A TAX REDUCTION
OF APPROXIMATELY SIXTEEN BILLION DOLLARS.
THIS IS NOT AN
UNDER-REACTION AND IT IS NOT AN OVER-REACTION.
IT IS AS
FINE-TUNED, UNDER THE CIRCUMSTANCES, AS WE CAN MAKE IT.
- 4 -
THIS WILL STIMULATE THE ECONOMY WITHOUT OVERHEATING IT.
IT WILL MEAN JOBS - DIGNITY FOR THE WORKER.
IT WILL MEAN
SALES OF PRODUCTS.
IT WILL MEAN A COUNTRY WITH NEW CONFIDENCE
IN THE FUTURE.
AND FOR YOU, IT WILL MEAN OPPORTUNITY FOR
LEADERSHIP -- TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE RESTORATION OF CONFIDENCE
IN THE ECONOMY AND IN YOUR ADMINISTRATION OF THE GOVERNMENT.
- 5 -
I HAVE REVIEWED THE FISCAL 1976 NATIONAL BUDGET --
OUR BUDGET.
THE CHOICES I HAVE CONFRONTED HAVE NOT BEEN
EASY ONES -- BUT I HAVE MADE THEM.
TOGETHER, I BELIEVE,
WE HAVE FASHIONED A PROGRAM THAT MAKES SENSE FOR THE COUNTRY.
- 6 -
EVEN THOUGH FEDERAL SPENDING WILL TOTAL MORE THAN
THREE HUNDRED FORTY-FIVE BILLION DOLLARS NEXT YEAR, MANY
OF YOUR CONSTITUENTS WILL BE DISAPPOINTED.
THIS IS WHERE
YOU CAN PLAY A SPECIAL ROLE -- TRANSLATING THE NECESSARY
PRIORITY CHOICES IN WAYS THAT THE ORGANIZATIONS YOU DEAL
WITH CAN ACCEPT AND SUPPORT BELT TIGHTENING FOR THE GREATER
BENEFIT OF THE WHOLE COUNTRY.
-7- - -
OUR FIRST CONCERN IS JOBS AND PRODUCTION.
WE NEED
MORE PEOPLE AT WORK AND BETTER TOOLS WITH WHICH TO WORK.
EVERY SINGLE RECOMMENDATION THAT THIS ADMINISTRATION HAS MADE
WILL TAKE THESE TWO GOALS INTO ACCOUNT -- MORE JOBS AND
GREATER PRODUCTIVITY.
- 8 -
WE HAVE ALREADY PROVIDED FOR EMERGENCY PUBLIC SERVICE
JOBS AND ADDITIONAL ASSISTANCE.
WE ARE OFFERING BROAD-BASED
HELP TO ALL LOW-INCOME GROUPS.
WE -- -- YOU AND I, ALL OF
US -- MUST DO ALL THAT IS NECESSARY TO HELP THOSE WHO ARE HURT
THE MOST.
FOR THAT REASON AMONG OTHER OBVIOUS ONES, I HAVE
RECOMMENDED THAT FEDERAL PAY INCREASES BE HELD TO FIVE PERCENT.
- 9 -
WE MUST SET AN EXAMPLE FOR WHAT WE SEEK BY STARTING
AT HOME.
AS I TOLD THE CONGRESS YESTERDAY, AS FAR AS I AM
CONCERNED, THERE IS A MORATORIUM ON NEW SPENDING PROGRAMS.
WE WILL NOT ASK FOR ANY NEW SPENDING PROGRAMS -- EXCEPT
FOR ENERGY.
- 10 -
THE LEGISLATION I HAVE PROPOSED IS AN EXPRESSION OF
CONFIDENCE -- NOT ONLY IN THE AMERICAN PEOPLE BUT IN BUSINESS
PEOPLE AS WELL.
THE INVESTMENT TAX CREDIT WILL GET BUSINESS
MOVING AGAIN.
THE CREDITS WILL BE UP TO TWELVE PERCENT
FOR ONE YEAR.
NOW IT IS UP TO THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY TO
EXPRESS SOME CONFIDENCE IN THE GOVERNMENT AND IN THE ECONOMY --
AND MOST IMPORTANTLY -- IN THE COUNTRY -- BY JOINING IN THIS
MASSIVE EFFORT TO RESTORE ACROSS-THE-BOARD PROSPERITY.
- 11 -
NEW TAXES ON ENERGY HAVE BEEN REQUESTED, BUT WE WILL
RETURN ABOUT THIRTY BILLION DOLLARS TO THE ECONOMY IN THE FORM
OF ADDITIONAL PAYMENTS AND CREDITS TO INDIVIDUALS AND BUSINESSES
AS WELL AS STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS.
- 12 -
ALTOGETHER, FORTY-SIX BILLION DOLLARS WILL BE RETURNED TO
HELP THE ECONOMY.
THAT IS THIRTY BILLION DOLLARS IN RETURNED
ENERGY TAX REVENUES TO COMPENSATE FOR HIGHER FUEL COSTS -- AND
SIXTEEN BILLION DOLLARS IN 1974 TAX CUTS.
AND REMEMBER;
ENERGY CONSERVATION TAX REVENUES WILL CONTINUE TO BE PUT BACK
IN THE ECONOMY AS LONG AS THE CURRENT EMERGENCY LASTS.
- 13 -
AS YOU KNOW, I AM INCREASING IMPORT FEES ON EACH BARREL
OF FOREIGN CRUDE OIL FROM ONE TO THREE DOLLARS OVER THE NEXT FEW
MONTHS.
A MORE COMPREHENSIVE PROGRAM -- COVERING NATURAL
GAS AS WELL AS OIL -- MUST BE ENACTED BY THE CONGRESS.
THESE
ACTIONS WILL HELP TO REDUCE CONSUMPTION SUBSTANTIALLY.
OUR GOAL IS TO REDUCE FOREIGN OIL IMPORTS BY ONE MILLION BARRELS
A DAY BY THE END OF THIS YEAR, AND BY TWO MILLION BARRELS PER DAY
BY THE END OF 1977.
- 14 - -
WE NEED EVEN STRONGER MEASURES TO HURRY THE DEVELOPMENT
OF ADDITIONAL DOMESTIC ENERGY RESOURCES -- SUCH AS COAL,
GEOTHERMAL, SOLAR, AND NUCLEAR POWER.
OUR PROGRAM
ENVISAGES ALL THI S.
- 15 -
I HAVE DISCUSSED OUR ENERGY NEEDS AND GOALS TO 1985 AND
BEYOND.
I BELIEVE THEY ARE BOTH REASONABLE AND FAR-SIGHTED.
WE HAVE A PROGRAM THAT WILL MAKE THIS COUNTRY INDEPENDENT
ONCE AGAIN.
IT WILL FREE OUR ECONOMY FROM THE THREAT OF
SEVERE DISRUPTION.
IT WILL GIVE US -- AS WELL AS OUR CHILDREN
AND GRANDCHILDREN -- AN ADEQUATE SURPLUS OF ENERGY AT FAIR
PRICES.
AND IT WILL BRING ENERGY STABILITY TO OTHER CONSUMING
NATIONS.
BUT WE WILL NOT ACHIEVE THESE OBJECTIVES UNLESS THE
AMERICAN PEOPLE UNDERSTAND AND SUPPORT THEM.
- 16 -
THAT IS WHERE YOU COME INTO THE PICTURE.
I WANT TO
MAKE SURE THIS PROGRAM IS EXPLAINED TO THE COUNTRY IN DETAIL
BY YOU AND ME -- THE MEN AND WOMEN WHO MUST IMPLEMENT IT.
THE AMERICAN PEOPLE MUST BE MADE AWARE THAT THESE PROPOSALS ARE
SOLUTIONS -- NOT SUPPOSITIONS.
THAT THESE ARE ANSWERS
TO THE PROBLEMS OF THE FUTURE -- NOT AGONIZING REAPPRAISALS
OF THE PAST.
- 17 -
I BELIEVE THAT PROGRAM WILL BE ACCEPTED AND SUPPORTED
BY THE AMERICAN PEOPLE BECAUSE THEY ARE WELL AWARE OF ITS NECESSITY
AND URGENCY AND THEY KNOW THAT WE ARE COMMITTED TO IT.
THAT
COMMITMENT IS TOTAL AND COMPLETE ON MY PART.
IT MUST ALSO
BE so ON YOURS.
- 18 -
OUR PEOPLE MUST ALSO UNDERSTAND THE UNACCEPTABLE RISK
OF INACTION AND REJECT THAT AS FIRMLY AS THEY REJECT ALTERNATIVES
THAT WILL DO MORE HARM THAN GOOD.
WE MUST, FOR EXAMPLE,
REJECT RATIONING WHICH TAKES FROM THE PEOPLE THEIR RIGHT TO MAKE
THE DECISIONS ON HOW THEY WILL REDUCE ENERGY CONSUMPTION.
- 19 -
NOW WHAT WE NEED IS THE COMMITMENT OF THE CONGRESS AND
THE COUNTRY.
FROM THIS DAY FORWARD -- FOR THE NEXT WEEKS
AND MONTHS -- THAT IS ONE OF YOUR CHIEF RESPONSIBILITIES AS A
REPRESENTATIVE OF THIS ADMINISTRATION.
I WILL JOIN YOU IN THIS
EFFORT AS TIME PERMITS.
I PLAN TO CONCENTRATE ON WORKING
WITH THE CONGRESS TO GET THE NECESSARY LEGISLATION ENACTED
so WE CAN -- AS A NATION -- DEMONSTRATE EFFECTIVE AND
PERSUASIVE LEADERSHIP.
- - 20 -
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, AS I HAVE SAID, THE TIME FOR
ACTION IS NOW.
I HAVE FAITH IN YOU.
I BELIEVE THE AMERICAN
PEOPLE HAVE FAITH IN US TO DO THE RIGHT THING AT THE RIGHT TIME.
LET US GET TO IT.
mmm.
Mumm
- 21 -
I NOW WANT TO INTRODUCE A NEW MEMBER OF OUR TEAM --
A VETERAN LEADER MOST OF YOU KNOW.
HE HAS ALREADY TAKEN
CHARGE OF SOME TOUGH ASSIGNMENTS, AND HE WILL NOW TELL YOU
WHY IT IS NECESSARY THAT WE TAKE CHARGE OF OUR OWN FATE IN
THIS COUNTRY.
THE VICE PRESIDENT, NELSON ROCKEFELLER.
END OF TEXT
CLEARANCE FORM FOR PRESIDENTIAL SPEECH MATERIAL
TO:
THE PRESIDENT
VIA:
ROBERT HARTMANN per 94
FROM:
PAUL A. THEIS RAT
SUBJECT:
President's remarks to the
Presidential Spokesman Meeting
TIME, DATE AND PLACE OF PRESIDENTIAL USE: 11 a. m.,
Thursday, January 16, 1975, the White House
SPEECHWRITER: Casserly
EDITED BY:
Theis
BASIC RESEARCH/SPEECH MATERIAL SUPPLIED BY:
(State of the Union Message)
CLEARED BY (Please initial):
(X) OPERATIONS (Rumsfeld)
(X) PRESS (Nessen) quit
(X) CONGRESSIONAL/PUBLIC LIAISON (Marsh) Im
( ) LEGAL (Buchen)
(X) ECONOMIC POLICY BOARD (Seidman) W.S.
( ) OFFICE OF MANAGEMENT AND BUDGET (Lynn)
(X) DOMESTIC COUNCIL (Cole) Caungh for Cote
( ) NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL (Scowcroft)
(X) RESEARCH (Waldron) TBR
(X) OTHER Paul O'Neill (OMB) PO
( )
( )