I watched President Ford's trip to the U. S. Capitol on C-Span the other night, missing some football games, but it was well worth while. For those of us who were Republican before Republican was cool, President Gerald Ford was a special person ... partially because of the unique service he rendered bringing our country back together during his short term as president, but mostly because of his skilled leadership as the minority leader in the House of Representatives during the era when the conservative movement was just beginning to gain ground against the liberal attitude that was dominant in Washington at the time. He received great criticism from liberals, and from the media, for constantly holding their feet to the fire with one recurring theme. Every time the liberals introduced costly, new social programs, Ford would remind them (and I quote him here): "A government that can give you all you want, can also take from you all you have." Every time I think of President Ford, I think of two of his statements. First, he said he was NOT a Lincoln; he was a Ford. And secondly: "A government that can give you all you want, can also take from you all you have." And during his short term as president, he vetoed 66 spending bills. He not only talked the talk, he also walked the walk.
The three people considered most effective in moving conservatism forward were Barry Goldwater, Ronald Reagan and Newt Gingrich. But Gerald Ford, as leader of a minority party in the House of Representatives, was able to make conservative gains during the period when liberalism was dominant in Washington. He was a good one.
This is Gordon Sawyer, and may the wind always be at your back.
Thursday
May 8th, 2025
12:07AM
