US Presidency
1971

By creating more centers of meaningful power, more places where decisions that really count can be made, by giving more people a chance to do something, we can have government that truly is by the people. And by setting up a completely modern, functional system of government at the national level, we in Washington will at last be able to provide government that is truly for the people. I realize that what I am asking is that not only the executive branch in Washington but that even this Congress will have to change by giving up some of its power. Change is hard. But without change there can be no progress. And for each of us the question then becomes, not Will change cause me inconvenience? but Will change bring progress for America? Giving up power is hard. But I would urge all of you, as leaders of this country, to remember that the truly revered leaders in world history are those who gave power to people, and not those who took it away.