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1252768
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3/27/76 - Remarks at a Rally in the Mary E. Sawyer Auditorium, La Crosse, WI
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1252768
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3/27/76 - Remarks at a Rally in the Mary E. Sawyer Auditorium, La Crosse, WI
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President's Speeches and Statements Reading Copies (Ford Administration)
Reading Copies of Presidential Speeches and Statements
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Wisconsin
Economics
Speeches, addresses, etc.
Presidential campaign, 1976
Agriculture
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1976-03-27
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1976
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1976-03-27
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1976
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The original documents are located in Box 27, "3/27/76 - Remarks at a Rally in the Mary E.
Sawyer Auditorium, La Crosse, WI" 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States of America his copyrights in all of his unpublished writings in National Archives collections.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 27 of President's Speeches and Statements: Reading Copies at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library
THE PRESIDENT HAS SEEN
REMARKS AT MARY E. SAWYER AUDITORIUM
LA CROSSE, WISCONSIN
SATURDAY, MARCH 27, 1976
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS -- LA CROSSE
-- THANK YOU, DR. GUNDERSON,
-- GOVERNOR KNOWLES,
-- MAYOR ZIELKE, (ZEE - L - KEY)
-- REVEREND CLERGY,
-- LADIES AND GENTLEMEN
-I-
LET ME SAY FIRST OF ALL -- IT'S GREAT TO BE
IN GOD'S COUNTRY TODAY.
IT'S EASY TO SEE WHY LA CROSSE WAS CHOSEN
OVER 243 OTHER CITIES LAST YEAR AS THE NUMBER ONE SMALL
METROPOLITAN AREA IN AMERICA -- AND I CONGRATULATE YOU
ON THAT VERY OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT.
-2-
IN FACT, I SENT A LETTER OF CONGRATULATIONS
TO YOUR FINE MAYOR, PAT ZIELKE (ZIL-KEY), WHEN THAT ANNOUNCEMENT
WAS MADE, AND I KNOW THAT ALL OF YOU ARE VERY, VERY PROUD.
YOU SHOULD BE PROUD OF THE WAY YOU HAVE
SUCCESSFULLY MAINTAINED A WORKABLE AND BENEFICIAL BALANCE
BETWEEN PRESERVATION AND PROGRESS IN THIS AREA.
-3-
A THRIVING CITY AND FERTILE FARMLANDS ARE IN
PEACEFUL CO-EXISTENCE HERE, AND THE SHEER PHYSICAL BEAUTY
OF LA CROSSE IS REALLY SOMETHING TO BEHOLD
YOUR PEOPLE ARE STRONG AND FORWARD-LOOKING
YOUR COMMERCE IS DIVERSE
IN MANY WAYS, LA CROSSE
IS ALMOST AN AMERICA IN MINIATURE
-4-
YOU HAVE ENJOYED A RICH AND EXCITING HISTORY,
AS AMERICA HAS
YOU HAVE HAD YOUR SHARE OF PROBLEMS,
AS AMERICA HAS
BUT YOUR ACCENT IS ALWAYS ON THE FUTURE
JUST AS AMERICA'S MUST BE
THE YEAR 1976 IS A VITALLY IMPORTANT,
VERY CRITICAL YEAR FOR AMERICA
-5-
IT MARKS A TURNING POINT FOR OUR COUNTRY AS
WE ENTER THE LAST QUARTER OF THE 20th CENTURY, AND BEGIN
THE THIRD CENTURY OF AMERICA'S INDEPENDENCE.
IT IS GOOD FOR US, SOMETIMES, TO TAKE STOCK
OF WHERE WE HAVE BEEN, WHERE WE ARE NOW, AND WHERE WE
ARE GOING -- AS PEOPLE AND AS A NATION.
-6-
AMERICA HAS COME A LONG LONG WAY IN THE LAST
200 YEARS
WE HAVE GROWN FROM A VERY SMALL
POOR
WEAK
I
STRUGGLING COLLECTION OF COLONIES TO BECOME THE GREATEST NATION
IN THE HISTORY OF THE WORLD
YOUR ANCESTORS HELPED CONQUER A VAST AND DANGEROUS
CONTINENT, AND MADE THE HEART OF AMERICA STRONG
-7-
TOGETHER
WE HAVE COME THROUGH WARS
DEPRESSIONS
DROUGHTS RIOTS ASSASSINATIONS SCANDALS -- PRACTICALLY
EVERYTHING THAT FATE COULD THROW AT US
BUT WE HAVE ALSO ENJOYED PHENOMENAL ECONOMIC.
TECHNOLOGICAL
AND SOCIAL PROGRESS IN AMERICA
AND THAT
PROGRESS HAS MADE OUR WAY OF LIFE THE ENVY OF ALL THE WORLD
-8-
DESPITE ALL THE PROBLEMS WE'VE HAD I DON'T THINK
ANY ONE OF US WOULD TRADE PLACES WITH THE PEOPLE OF ANY
OTHER COUNTRY IN THE WORLD
WE HEAR A LOT OF TALK THESE DAYS ABOUT AMERICA
BEING IN A STATE OF DECLINE
WE HEAR THAT AMERICA'S BEST
DAYS ARE BEHIND US
WE HEAR THAT AMERICA IS ONLY A
SECOND-RATE POWER IN THE WORLD TODAY
-9-
THAT'S DEAD WRONG, AND FRANKLY, I'M SICK AND
TIRED OF HEARING PEOPLE WHO ARE ALWAYS RUNNING DOWN AMERICA.
I'M PROUD OF AMERICA, AND I'M PROUD TO BE
AN AMERICAN, AND KNOW YOU ARE TOO.
I BELIEVE IN THIS COUNTRY.
I BELIEVE IN ITS
VALUES
ITS TRADITIONS ITS INSTITUTIONS,
ITS PEOPLE.
I BELIEVE IN AMERICA'S FUTURE.
-10-
WE HAVE THE CAPACITY IN THIS COUNTRY TO DO JUST
ABOUT ANYTHING WE SET OUR MINDS TO DO.
AMERICA TODAY REMAINS THE BEST HOPE OF PEACE,
THE STRONGEST GUARDIAN OF FREEDOM, IN THE WORLD.
ARE
PURSUING A POLICY OF PEACE THROUGH STRENGTH.
ALL OF US
CHERISH THE PEACE THAT AMERICA ENJOYS
to
THE PEACE THAT
FINDS NO AMERICANS IN COMBAT ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD TONIGHT.
-10a-
BUT TO MAINTAIN THAT PEACE,
TO DETER AGGRESSION
IN THE WORLD
AND TO PROTECT OUR NATIONAL SECURITY,
-
AMERICA
MUST BE STRONG.
I CAN ASSURE YOU THAT AMERICA'S muletary
CAPABILITIES ARE SECOND TO NONE -- AND INTEND TO KEEP
IT THAT WAY.
amrin in #)
Industry
agor
militory morally x Spentudy
# / because
215 million destracted
-11-
BUT AMERICA'S STRENGTH IS MEASURED BY MORE THAN
ARMAMENTS ALONE
AMERICA TODAY IS THE GREATEST AGRICULTURAL POWER
THE MOST PROLIFIC PRODUCER OF FOOD AND FIBER IN THE WORLD
THAT IS A CREDIT
\
IN LARGE PART
TO THE DAIRY FARMS
AND OTHER FARMS RIGHT HERE IN LA CROSSE AND THROUGHOUT
WISCONSIN -- AND I COMMEND YOU FOR IT
-12-
MANY OF THESE FARMS HAVE BEEN IN THE SAME FAMILY
FOR GENERATIONS
I WANT TO SEE THE FAMILY FARM SURVIVE
AND THRIVE IN AMERICA
I WANT TO MAKE IT EASIER FOR PEOPLE
TO PASS ON THEIR FARMS
THE PRODUCT OF MANY YEARS OF
HARD WORK AND LOVE AND FAITH
TO THEIR SONS AND DAUGHTERS
-13-
I WANT TO MAKE IT EASIER TO KEEP THOSE FARMS IN
THE FAMILY
RATHER THAN SACRIFICING THEM TO THE TAX COLLECTOR
I'VE PROPOSED TWO MEASURES TO HELP PROMOTE THAT
RESULT
FIRST
I
PROPOSED THAT THE CONGRESS ACT TO
STRETCH OUT ESTATE TAX PAYMENTS, AT GREATLY REDUCED INTEREST
RATES, OVER A 25-YEAR PERIOD
-14-
AND SECOND
I
HAVE PROPOSED AN INCREASE
IN THE ESTATE-TAX EXEMPTION FROM 60 THOUSAND TO 150 THOUSAND
DOLLARS
THESE PROPOSALS, IF ENACTED, WOULD HELP
NOT ONLY FAMILY FARMS BUT FAMILY BUSINESSES AS WELL
-15-
FAMILY-OWNED BUSINESSES,
LIKE EVERY OTHER
SEGMENT OF OUR ECONOMY SUFFERED HEAVILY IN THE WORST
RECESSION IN FORTY YEARS
-16-
BUT THANKS TO SOME STRONG
COMMON-SENSE
POLICIES I INITIATED AT THE OUTSET OF THE RECESSION, AND
THANKS TO THE DETERMINATION AND COURAGE OF THE AMERICAN
PEOPLE, WE ARE WORKING OUR WAY OUT OF OUR ECONOMIC
DIFFICULTIES.
-17-
WITH ONE FAVORABLE INDICATOR AFTER ANOTHER
POINTING THE WAY, WE'RE ON THE ROAD TO RECOVERY AND
PROSPERITY IN AMERICA, AND WE'RE PICKING UP SPEED
EVERY DAY
EVEN WITH THE SEVERE SETBACKS WE EXPERIENCED
RECENTLY, AMERICA TODAY IS STILL THE MOST ECONOMICALLY
POWERFUL NATION IN THE WORLD
-18-
I HAVE NEVER LOST FAITH IN THE SYSTEM OF
PRIVATE ENTERPRISE AND PERSONAL INITIATIVE WHICH EARNED
THAT WEALTH IN THE FIRST PLACE AND GAVE US THE HIGHEST
STANDARD OF LIVING IN THE WORLD
I WILL DO ALL THAT I CAN TO SEE THAT GOVERN MENT
REGULATIONS AND RED TAPE DO NOT ENSLAVE FREE ENTERPRISE
AND PERSONAL FREEDOM IN AMERICA
-19-
THE HEAVY HAND OF GOVERNMENT HAS FOUND
ITS WAY INTO TOO MANY AREAS OF OUR NATIONAL LIFE
AND
THE COST OF GOVERNMENT HAS RISEN MUCH TOO QUICKLY
I KNOW HOW HARD YOU WORK FOR THOSE TAX
DOLLARS AND I WILL DO EVERYTHING I CAN TO SEE THAT
THOSE TAX DOLLARS WORK JUST AS HARD FOR YOU
-20-
I'VE VETOED 46 BILLS SINCE BECOMING PRESIDENT,
AND 39 OF THOSE VETOES HAVE BEEN SUSTAINED.
THE SEVEN
VETOES WE LOST WILL COST YOU, THE TAXPAYERS, SEVEN BILLION
EXTRA DOLLARS.
BUT I AM GLAD TO REPORT THAT MY OTHER 39
VETOES -- WILL SAVE YOU 13 BILLION DOLLARS -- AND AS ANY
WISCONSIN FARMER KNOWS, THAT AIN'T HAY.
-21-
IF THERE'S ONE THING WE MUST NEVER LOSE
SIGHT OF, IT'S THIS: THAT A GOVERNMENT BIG ENOUGH TO
GIVE US EVERYTHING WE WANT IS A GOVERNMENT BIG
ENOUGH TO TAKE FROM US EVERYTHING WE HAVE.
THAT'S NOT THE KIND OF GOVERNMENT WE
WANT IN AMERICA
-22-
WE HAVE THE BEST SYSTEM OF GOVERNMENT
IN THE WORLD
IT IS A SYSTEM LAID OUT WITH GREAT
CARE AND PAID FOR AT GREAT PRICE BY PATRIOTS YEARNING
FOR FREEDOM
WE MUST MAKE SURE THAT GOVERNMENT IS
ALWAYS THE SERVANT -- AND NEVER THE MASTER -- OF
THE AMERICAN PEOPLE
-23-
WE WANT THE FREEDOM TO CHOOSE OUR OWN COURSE
IN OUR OWN LIVES,
TO CHART OUR OWN FUTURE ON OUR OWN TERMS,
WITHOUT HAVING THE GOVERNMENT TELL US EVERYTHING WE CAN
AND CANNOT DO.
IT WASN'T THE GOVERNMENT THAT MADE AMERICA
THE GREAT NATION IT IS.
-23a-
THE MAJOR CONTRIBUTION OF OUR GOVERNMENT HAS BEEN
IN GIVING PEOPLE THE FREEDOM TO DO GREAT THINGS THEMSELVES
TO EXPLORE,
TO INVENT,
TO BUILD
TO LEARN,
TO SPEAK,
AND TO PROSPER.
EIGHT GENERATIONS OF AMERICANS HAVE ENJOYED
THIS FREEDOM AND MADE THE MOST OF IT.
-23b-
WHAT OTHER NATION ON EARTH CAN MATCH THE
COMBINED ECONOMIC,
AGRICULTURAL,
TECHNOLOGICAL,
MILITARY
AND MORAL STRENGTH OF AMERICA?
THE FACT IS THAT NO OTHER NATION CAN MATCH
THIS COMBINATION OF STRENGTH WHICH AMERICA POSSESSES.
WE'RE NUMBER ONE, AND WE'RE GOING TO KEEP IT
THAT WAY IN THE YEARS AHEAD -- I CAN PROMISE YOU THAT.
-24-
THE ELECTIONS OF 1976 WILL PLAY AN IMPORTANT
ROLE IN DECIDING WHAT COURSE WE CHART FOR AMERICA'S
FUTURE , -- IN THE AREAS OF COVERNMENT CONTROL, ECONOMICS,
DEFENSE, AND MANY, MANY OTHERS.
-24a-
IN THE PAST 19 MONTHS, WE HAVE MADE SUBST ANTIAL
PROGRESS. by doing what is right.
THERE IS MORE TO BE DONE OF COURSE.
BUT
I
DON'T THINK THERE'S ANY REASON TO TRADE IN YOUR FORD
ON ANOTHER MODEL IN 1976.
-25-
I INVITE YOU
AND ALL OF YOUR
NEIGHBORS IN WISCONSIN
TO WALK WITH ME ON THE
PATH OF PEACE
ON THE ROAD TO PROSPERITY.
ON THE
WAY TO VICTORY IN 1976
NOW I WOULD BE HAPPY TO RESPOND
TO YOUR QUESTIONS.
END OF TEXT