US Presidency
1971

Millions of frustrated young Americans today are crying out, asking not what will government do for me, but what can I do, how can I contribute, how can I matter? And so let us answer them. Let us say to them and let us say to all Americans, We hear you. We will give you a chance. We are going to give you a new chance to have more to say about the decisions that affect your future, a chance to participate in government, because we are going to provide more centers of power where what you do can make a difference that you can see and feel in your own life and the life of your whole community. The further away government is from people, the stronger government becomes and the weaker people become. And a nation with a strong government and a weak people is an empty shell. I reject the patronizing idea that government in Washington, D.C., is inevitably more wise, more honest, and more efficient than government at the local or state level.