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1252706
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2/23/76 - Remarks Upon Proposing a Toast at the Winter Meeting of the National Governors' Conference
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1252706
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document
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2/23/76 - Remarks Upon Proposing a Toast at the Winter Meeting of the National Governors' Conference
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President's Speeches and Statements Reading Copies (Ford Administration)
Reading Copies of Presidential Speeches and Statements
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Speeches, addresses, etc.
Dinners and dining
Intergovernmental relations
Governors conferences
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1252706
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23
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1976-02-23
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2
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1976
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23
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1976-02-23
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2
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1976
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The original documents are located in Box 24, "2/23/76 - Remarks Upon Proposing a Toast
at the Winter Meeting of the National Governors' Conference" 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States of America his copyrights in all of his unpublished writings in National Archives collections.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.
Oner 27 Ventel ylats my state
Mc lonating Pres.
THE
PRESIDENT HAS SEE
A
DINNER TOAST:
NATIONAL GOVERNORS' CONFERENCE
FEBRUARY 23, 1976
Digitized from Box 24 of President's Speeches and Statements: Reading Copies at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library
-I-
IT IS A GREAT PLEASURE FOR BETTY AND ME TO WELCOME
OUR DISTINGUISHED GOVERNORS, YOUR LOVELY WIVES,
AND OUR OTHER HONORED GUESTS TO THE WHITE HOUSE
-2-
THIS IS THE SECOND YEAR WE HAVE HAD THE HONOR
AND THE PRIVILEGE OF TENDERING A FORMAL DINNER
FOR THE NATIONAL GOVERNORS' CONFERENCE
-3-
THIS, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, IS A VERY
SPECIAL EVENING
-4-
THIS IS A TIME TO RECALL THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS
OF THE PAST WHILE PLANNING FOR AN EVEN BETTER TOMORROW
A TOMORROW BRIGHT WITH PROMISE BECAUSE WE LOOK FORWARD
TO NEW PERCEPTIONS
WE LOOK FORWARD TO NEW REALITIES
AND SOME OF US EVEN LOOK FORWARD TO NEW HAMPSHIRE
-5-
TONIGHT I LOOK NOT ONLY TO THE FUTURE BUT TO THE
PRE SENT STATE OF WHITE HOUSE RELATIONS WITH THAT OTHER
GREAT AMERICAN INSTITUTION -- THE STATE HOUSE
-6-
IN THIS BICENTENNIAL YEAR, WE MUST WORK TOGETHER
TO REDEEM ALL THAT IS BEST IN AMERICA
WE MUST REVIVE
A GREAT SOURCE OF AMERICAN STRENGTH
THE ESSENTIAL BALANCE
CONCEIVED BY OUR FOUND ING FATHERS FOR THE RELATIONSHIP
OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT WITH THE STATES
-7-
LAST YEAR I ASKED A DISTINGUISHED FORMER GOVERNOR,
VICE PRESIDENT NESSON ROCKEFELLER, TO SUGGEST
THE BEST POSSIBLE WAYS FOR US TO HELP YOU HERE IN WASHINGTON
THIS IS ESSENTIAL TO RESTORE TO YOU THE AUTHORITY THAT RIGHTFULLY
BELONGS IN THE STATE HOUSE/RATHER THAN IN THE COMPLEX AND
CATEGORICAL PROGRAMS CREATED BY THE CONGRESS
-8-
TO PROVIDE THE BEST POSSIBLE COMMUNICATIONS,
WE HAVE NOW EXPANDED THE FUNCTION AND STAFF OF OUR WHITE HOUSE
OFFICE OF INTERGOVERNMENTAL RELATIONS
I HAVE APPOINTED
A SPECIAL ASSISTANT FOR THIS OFFICE, STEVE Mc CONAHEY,
WITH ORDERS TO DO EVERYTHING POSSIBLE TO IMPROVE RAPPORT
BETWEEN YOU AND ALL OF MY ADMINISTRATION
-9-
OUR COOPERATION BECOMES EVEN MORE VITAL AT
A TIME WHEN THE CONGRESS IS DEMONSTRATING GREAT RELUCTANCE
TO ACT ON THE PROPOSAL I MADE ALMOST A YEAR AGO/FOR THE
EXTENSION OF GENERAL REVENUE SHAR ING
-10-
I HAVE ASKED THE VICE PRESIDENT TO WORK WITH YOU TO MOUNT
A VIGOROUS CAMPAIGN TO CONTINUE THIS VITAL PROGRAM
so THAT GOVERNMENT CAN BE CLOSER AND MORE RESPONSIVE
TO THE PEOPLE
-II-
LAST DECEMBER, A NUMBER OF YOU GAVE ME AND MY
CABINET A VERY VALUABLE BRIEFING ON THE STATE OF THE STATES
MUCH OF YOUR THINKING WAS, AS YOU KNOW, INCOR PORATED INTO
MY STATE OF THE UNION MESSAGE
-12-
I WILL CONTINUE TO RESPOND TO YOUR SUGGESTIONS
ONLY TODAY I SENT TO THE CONGRESS A NEW BLOCK GRANT PROPOSAL
I WILL SEND OTHER SUCH PROPOSALS IN COMING DAYS,
TO TRANSFORM OUR IDEAS INTO EFFECTIVE ACTION
-13-
WE MAY NOT ALWAYS AGREE ON EVERY ITEM
BUT I CAN ASSURE YOU THAT I WHOLEHEARTEDLY AGREE TO GIVE
EVERY POSSIBLE CONSIDERATION TO ANY CHANGE THAT HELPS
YOU GOVERN MORE EFFECTIVELY ON THE STATE LEVEL
-14-
AND WE CERTAINLY AGREE ON THE NEED FOR LOCAL DETERMINATION
OF LOCAL PRIORITIES AND TO RETURN FEDERAL TAXES AND
DECISION-MAKING PROCESSES TO OUR STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS
IF WE ACHIEVE NOTHING ELSE DURING THE BICENTENNIAL, THIS PROCESS
ALONE, JOINTLY ADVANCED, WOULD BE A MONUMENTAL MILESTONE
-15-
YOU AND I TOGETHER HAVE THE HIGH HONOR -- AND
SER IOUS RESPONSIBILITY -- OF RENDER ING THE BEST POSSIBLE SERVICE
THIS YEAR, AND EVERY YEAR, TO ALL THOSE WHO GIVE US THEIR
TRUST -- THE PEOPLE OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
-16-
so LET US DRINK A SPECIAL TOAST TONIGHT
TO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE AND PLEDGE OUR OWN WORK AND
COOPERATION TO THE PERFECTION OF THE FINEST POSSIBLE GOVERNMENT
THAT WE CAN ACHIEVE -- LOCAL, STATE-WIDE AND FEDERAL --
FOR ALL THOSE WHOM WE ARE so PRIVILEGED TO SERVE
END OF TEXT