Presidents -- United States -- Messages; United States -- Politics and government -- Sources
The third element in our program is a renewed attack on inflation. We've
learned the hard way that high unemployment will not prevent or cure
inflation. Government can help us by stimulating private investment and by
maintaining a responsible economic policy. Through a new top-level review
process, we will do a better job of reducing Government regulation that
drives up costs and drives up prices.
But again, Government alone cannot bring down the rate of inflation. When a
level of high inflation is expected to continue, then companies raise
prices to protect their profit margins against prospective increases in
wages and other costs, while workers demand higher wages as protection
against expected price increases. It's like an escalation in the arms race,
and understandably, no one wants to disarm alone.
Now, no one firm or a group of workers can halt this process. It's an
effort that we must all make together. I'm therefore asking government,
business, labor, and other groups to join in a voluntary program to
moderate inflation by holding wage and price increases in each sector of
the economy during 1978 below the average increases of the last 2 years.
I do not believe in wage and price controls. A sincere commitment to
voluntary constraint provides a way, perhaps the only way, to fight
inflation without Government interference.
As I came into the Capitol tonight, I saw the farmers, my fellow farmers,
standing out in the snow. I'm familiar with their problem, and I know from
Congress' action that you are too. When I was running Carters Warehouse, we
had spread on our own farms 5-10-15 fertilizer for about $40 a ton. The
last time I was home, the price was about $100 a ton. The cost of nitrogen
has gone up 150 percent, and the price of products that farmers sell has
either stayed the same or gone down a little.
Now, this past year in 1977, you, the Congress, and I together passed a new
agricultural act. It went into effect October 1. It'll have its first
impact on the 1978 crops. It will help a great deal. It'll add $6 1/2
billion or more to help the farmers with their price supports and target
prices.
Last year we had the highest level of exports of farm products in the
history of our country, $24 billion. We expect to have more this year.
We'll be working together. But I think it's incumbent on us to monitor very
carefully the farm situation and continue to work harmoniously with the
farmers of our country. What's best for the farmers, the farm families, in
the long run is also best for the consumers of our country.
Economic success at home is also the key to success in our international
economic policy. An effective energy program, strong investment and
productivity, and controlled inflation will provide [improve] our trade
balance and balance it, and it will help to protect the integrity of the
dollar overseas.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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