STATEMENT BY LOS ANGELES MAYOR SAM YORTY ON HIS CANDIDACY FOR THE DEMOCRATIC NOMINATION FOR THE PRESIDENCY
"Encouraged by the advice of many friends and supporters, I have decided to become a candidate for President. Our campaign is already well underway in New Hampshire."
"My position on issues will be that of a moderate Democrat -- a position I hope will appeal not only to a majority of Democrats but also to many Republicans who are disillusioned with the current resort to sheer political expediency by the Nixon administration in its effort to win re-election at all costs or by any means in 1972. Prior Nixon promises, positions or commitments, seem to mean nothing as 1972 approaches. I am sorry to see this. I do not like to see any President fail because when a President fails the nation suffers."
"The most obvious failure of the Nixon administration is in the field of economics. The early deliberate drastic reigning-in of this economy snowballed downward so fast the administration panicked as the 1972 election loomed over the horizon. All promises were promptly forgotten. Fiscal irresponsibility and political expediency became the order of the day – anything to get by ‘72 with no thought of what comes after."
"Too many Washington politicians learned they can finance programs with printing press money by piling debts on this and future generations. This is not only fiscal madness, it is grossly unfair to young people coming into the economy saddled with a huge tax-eating debt."
"In eight years under President Harry Truman, the national debt was increased $1.6 billion. This year alone, the Nixon administration will cause a deficit of $30 billion and maybe even more. A previous Nixon deficit budget was deceptively labeled a “full employment budget“ and a “self fulfilling prophecy.“ It was neither. Now even the pretense of fiscal responsibility has been brushed aside. While the administration fuels the fire of inflation with one hand, it is forced to hold the other hand on the lid of the boiling pot in a desperate effort to postpone the consequences until after 1972. As a result, the marvelously productive American free enterprise system has been placed in a straitjacket -- its future clouded with uncertainty -- its performance threatened by political manipulation. And yet, we see Democratic candidates insisting that the administration spend even more and tax less. They do not hesitate to propose politically popular spending programs but they do hesitate to vote for the taxes to pay the costs. It is easier and more expedient just to pass the costs on to future generations by piling up the national debt and let others worry with it later."
"I do not want to see another generation of young Americans march off to war because of short-sighted politicians. If the American people wish me to use my long experience to help correct our national course, I am ready. I will not use a coterie of researchers and speech writers to tell me what to think and say. The views I express will be mine. The image alone will be my own and not something fabricated for a campaign by public relations experts."
Full Speech http://www.4president.org/speeches/1972/samyorty1972announcement.htm
