Statement of the Vice President of the United States on Constructive Programs, Detroit, MI

This campaign has been a contest between substance and shadow. For nearly 8 weeks I have been tracing out constructive programs in many fields of public policy.

1. On September 8, I issued a statement on "The Scientific Revolution," including a program to advance American science and technology.

2. Eight days later, on September 16, at Guthrie Center, Iowa, I outlined Operation Consume, the first part of my program for agriculture, which would level down the mountains of surplus food now stored in Government warehouses.

3. Three days later, on September 19, in Scranton, Pa., I outlined my program for Federal aid to chronically depressed areas - a program which would aid communities that need help, avoiding the squandering of Federal funds, pork-barrel fashion, on communities not really in need.

4. Four days later on September 23, in Sioux Falls, S. Dak., I presented Operation Safeguard, the second part of my farm program, which would keep us from heaping up more price-depressing farm surpluses in the future.

5. Three days later, on September 26, I issued a position paper on "A National Program in Support of Education," which spelled out my plan for Federal assistance to primary and secondary schools and to colleges and universities - a plan which, while giving help, would not threaten American schoolchildren with Federal dictation of what they learn.

6. Two days later, on September 28, in Forest Hills, N.Y., I outlined a seven-point program to attack the problems posed by the growth of our metropolitan areas - a program which would, among other things, stimulate residential renewal and new housing.

7. Five days later, on October 3, I set forth a program to combat disease for the 1960's - a far-reaching proposal for expanded medical research and education.

8. Eight days later, on October 11, in San Diego, Calif., I announced the principles which I shall follow to keep the U.S. Defense Establishment what it is today - first in the world.

9. The following day, October 12, in Long Beach, Calif., I outlined my views on Government effort in the advancement of American aviation.

10. Two days later, on October 14, in Los Angeles, I outlined part of my approach to the formulation of foreign policy - a program which would include regional conferences, bringing together the leaders of government of all the free nations of Europe, Latin America, Africa and Asia.

11. Six days later, On October 20, at New York University, I proposed a 12-point program for keeping the domestic economy of the United States the strongest in the world, vigorously growing and free in the decade ahead.

12. Five days later, on October 25, in Cincinnati, I set forth my program to keep this country first in the exploration of outer space.

13. The next day, October 26, in Toledo, I presented my program for negotiating with the Soviet Union on nuclear testing; and in the same speech I turned to Project Plowshare, a program For the peaceful use of nuclear energy which would carry forward in the sixties the magnificent human adventure launched by President Eisenhower in his historic speech before the United Nations on December 8, 1953.

14. Four days later, on October 30, I published a statement on conservation and natural resources, a paper which details at length my program for continuing the magnificent and unprecedented advances - in the tradition of Theodore Roosevelt - made during the Eisenhower years in the building of dams and reclamation projects, the conservation of fish and wildlife, the protection and improvement of national parks, and the installation of facilities for generating electric power.

15. The following day, October 31, I issued a paper on "A Program for Our Senior Citizens," a nine-point approach which would take us far toward solutions of their problems, particularly medical services.

16. Two days later, on November 1, in Philadelphia, I outlined my program for the liberalization of our immigration laws: a program to double our immigration quotas, to make unused portions of some countries' quotas available to countries with oversubscribed quotas, and to reunite long-separated family groups - sons and daughters, brothers and sisters, and aged parents - by passing a special law to admit such people without regard to quotas.

17. The following day at San Antonio, I stated my program for keeping the peace by maintaining America's military superiority so long as the struggle with communism requires.

18. The next day, November 3, in Houston, Tex., I presented my program to strengthen small business - a program which looks forward to helpful changes in our tax laws.

19. On Sunday evening, November 6, I presented to a national television audience my views on the ways in which we can carry the crusade for freedom throughout the world.

These programs are now on record.

Now, in contrast, what has Senator Kennedy proposed?

To be sure, he has put out some programs.

He voices his concern for the people and then advocates a Niagara of spending which would in the end either raise their taxes or prices, or both, and would cheapen their insurance policies, pensions, and social security.

He has advanced a program for Latin America which would in the end make the United States a pariah in this hemisphere and could start a war.

He issued a statement that he would defend the dollar, but it is meaningless in the light of his continued loyalty to the Los Angeles platform's spending programs and loose money declarations.

He has come up with a notion for excusing young men from the draft in favor of vague service overseas.

He has offered a monstrosity of a farm program that would straitjacket farm families, create unemployment, and raise food prices in the stores by 25 percent.

He has offered a package of retreads.

He has campaigned with negativism, failing the American people by refusing to lay out before them worthwhile programs in these major fields which for 2 months I have been discussing in frankness and in detail.