We all cheered when President Ford told us to support candidates, regardless of political party or ideology, ”who consistently vote to cut the cost of government, restrain Federal spending, and bring inflation under control.” Not since President Coolidge, who actually reduced the national debt, had we heard such brave words from the White House.
But President Ford’s fine phrases were almost immediately nullified by his appointment of Nelson Rockefeller to become Vice President. As Governor of New York, he increased the cost of state government about 400percent — that is, from $1.9 billion to almost $9 billion a year.
Rockefeller raised state taxes eight times, doubling the rate of state income and gasoline taxes, and imposing a 4% state sales tax. The total tax load nearly quintupled, and New York State taxpayers are the most overburdened in the country.
As a result. New York’s share of the nation’s manufacturing significantly declined (from 11.2% t o 9.2%), New York State lost 400,000 jobs, and many national companies moved to other parts of the country. Business is fleeing what it considers a hostile climate. The U.S. Census Bureau has confirmed that New York State has been losing population for the last two years, largely through exodus.
Here are some questions that the Senate and House committees should ask Nelson Rockefeller:
1. Does he favor raising taxes and increasing government spending as he did when Governor of New York?
2. Does he approve the policy of the giant Chase-Manhattan Bank, controlled by his family and headed by his brother David, of raising interest charges to its American customers in order to cover the lower interest charges on its loans to Russia?
3. Does he favor the Nixon-Kissinger policy of having the Export-Import Bank guarantee repayment from the U.S. Treasury of loans to Communist countries made by the big New York banks? These guarantees presently run to the hundreds of millions of dollars.
4. In January 1967 the Rockefeller-owned International Basic Economy Corporation announced a partnership with Cyrus Eaton to promote the export of U.S. technology and industry to Communist countries. Nelson Rockefeller’s son Rodman is now president of this company. Question: does Nelson Rockefeller favor strengthening Communist countries with U.S. technology and industry?
5. Since Governor Rockefeller signed the first abortion-on-demand bill, and then later vetoed its repeal, does he still believe that unborn children have no right to life?
It was New York’s gain when Nelson Rockefeller resigned as Governor of New York. However, New York’s gain may soon be converted into America’s loss.
