Energy and the National GoalsA Crisis of ConfidenceWord文件下载.docx
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GoodEvening:
Thisaspecialnightforme.Exactlythreeyearsago,onJuly15,1976,IacceptedthenominationofmypartytorunforPresidentoftheUnitedStates.IpromisedyouaPresidentwhoisnotisolatedfromthepeople,whofeelsyourpain,andwhosharesyourdreams,andwhodrawshisstrengthandhiswisdomfromyou.
DuringthepastthreeyearsI’vespokentoyouonmanyoccasionsaboutnationalconcerns,theenergycrisis,reorganizingthegovernment,ournation’seconomy,andissuesofwarandespeciallypeace.Butoverthoseyearsthesubjectsofthespeeches,thetalks,andthepressconferenceshavebecomeincreasinglynarrow,focusedmoreandmoreonwhattheisolatedworldofWashingtonthinksisimportant.Gradually,you’veheardmoreandmoreaboutwhatthegovernmentthinksorwhatthegovernmentshouldbedoingandlessandlessaboutournation’shopes,ourdreams,andourvisionofthefuture.
Tendaysago,Ihadplannedtospeaktoyouagainaboutaveryimportantsubject--energy.ForthefifthtimeIwouldhavedescribedtheurgencyoftheproblemandlaidoutaseriesoflegislativerecommendationstotheCongress.ButasIwaspreparingtospeak,IbegantoaskmyselfthesamequestionthatInowknowhasbeentroublingmanyofyou:
Whyhavewenotbeenabletogettogetherasanationtoresolveourseriousenergyproblem?
It’sclearthatthetrueproblemsofournationaremuchdeeper--deeperthangasolinelinesorenergyshortages,deepereventhaninflationorrecession.AndIrealizemorethaneverthatasPresidentIneedyourhelp.So,IdecidedtoreachoutandtolistentothevoicesofAmerica.
IinvitedtoCampDavidpeoplefromalmosteverysegmentofoursociety--businessandlabor,teachersandpreachers,governors,mayors,andprivatecitizens.AndthenIleftCampDavidtolistentootherAmericans,menandwomenlikeyou.Ithasbeenanextraordinarytendays,andIwanttosharewithyouwhatI’veheard.
Firstofall,Igotalotofpersonaladvice.LetmequoteafewofthetypicalcommentsthatIwrotedown.
Thisfromasoutherngovernor:
“Mr.President,youarenotleadingthisnation--you’rejustmanagingthegovernment.”
“Youdon’tseethepeopleenoughanymore.”
“SomeofyourCabinetmembersdon’tseemloyal.Thereisnotenoughdisciplineamongyourdisciples.”
“Don’ttalktousaboutpoliticsorthemechanicsofgovernment,butaboutanunderstandingofourcommongood.”
“Mr.President,we’reintrouble.Talktousaboutbloodandsweatandtears.”
“Ifyoulead,Mr.President,wewillfollow.”
Manypeopletalkedaboutthemselvesandabouttheconditionofournation.ThisfromayoungwomaninPennsylvania:
“Ifeelsofarfromgovernment.Ifeellikeordinarypeopleareexcludedfrompoliticalpower.”
AndthisfromayoungChicano:
“Someofushavesufferedfromrecessionallourlives.”
“Somepeoplehavewastedenergy,butothershaven’thadanythingtowaste.”
Andthisfromareligiousleader:
“NomaterialshortagecantouchtheimportantthingslikeGod’sloveforusorourloveforoneanother.”
AndIlikethisoneparticularlyfromablackwomanwhohappenstobethemayorofasmallMississippitown:
“Thebigshotsarenottheonlyoneswhoareimportant.Remember,youcan’tsellanythingonWallStreetunlesssomeonedigsitupsomewhereelsefirst.”
Thiskindofsummarizedalotofotherstatements:
“Mr.President,weareconfrontedwithamoralandaspiritualcrisis.”
Severalofourdiscussionswereonenergy,andIhaveanotebookfullofcommentsandadvice.I’llreadjustafew.
“Wecan’tgoonconsumingfortypercentmoreenergythenweproduce.Whenweimportoilwearealsoimportinginflationplusunemployment.”
“We’vegottousewhatwehave.TheMiddleEasthasonlyfivepercentoftheworld’senergy,buttheUnitedStateshastwenty-fourpercent.”
Andthisisoneofthemostvividstatements:
“OurneckisstretchedoverthefenceandOPEChasaknife.”
“Therewillbeothercartelsandothershortages.Americanwisdomandcouragerightnowcansetapathtofollowinthefuture.”
Thiswasagoodone:
“Bebold,Mr.President.Wemaymakemistakes,butwearereadytoexperiment.”
Andthisonefromalaborleadergottotheheartofit:
“Therealissueisfreedom.Wemustdealwiththeenergyproblemonawarfooting.”
AndthelastthatI’llread:
“Whenweenterthemoralequivalentofwar,Mr.President,don’tissueusBBguns.”
ThesetendaysconfirmedmybeliefinthedecencyandthestrengthandthewisdomoftheAmericanpeople,butitalsoboreoutsomeofmylongstandingconcernsaboutournation’sunderlyingproblems.
Iknow,ofcourse,beingPresident,thatgovernmentactionsandlegislationcanbeveryimporta