US Presidency
1968

The unfinished work of the first session must be completed the Higher Education Act, the Juvenile Delinquency Act, conservation measures to save the redwoods of California, and to preserve the wonders of our scenic rivers, the Highway Beautification Act- and all the other measures for a cleaner, and for a better, and for a more beautiful America. Next month we'll begin our 8th year of uninterrupted prosperity. The economic outlook for this year is one of steady growth if we are vigilant. True, there are some clouds on the horizon. Prices are rising. Interest rates have passed the peak of 1966; and if there is continued inaction on the tax bill, they will climb even higher. I warn the Congress and the Nation tonight that this failure to act on the tax bill will sweep us into an accelerating spiral of price increases, a slump in homebuilding, and a continuing erosion of the American dollar. This would be a tragedy for every American family. And I predict that if this happens, they will all let us know about it.