772–15

Conversation No. 772-15

Date: September 7, 1972
Time: Unknown between 4:47 pm and 6:15 pm
Location: Oval Office

The President met with George P. Shultz, Arthur F. Burns and John D. Ehlichman.

US economic policies
-John B. Connally’s schedule
-Trip to Florida
-Ronald L. Ziegler
-Inclusion in meeting
-Knowledge of subject
-Questioning by press
-George S. McGovern's campaign
-Tax increase
-Minimum tax
-Salary income
-1970
 53

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. Oct-06)

-Funds raised
-Tax returns filed
-Relationship to those who paid taxes
-Number of people paying taxes
-Number of adjusted gross income
-Definition of adusted gross income
-Tax shelters
-Effect of shelter
-Minimum tax
-Size of income
-Shultz’s view
-Size of tax
-The President’s 1969 proposal
-Preference income
-Amount of money
-Rate proposed
-Half the rate of salary bracket
-Section average
-Rate proposal
-Increases
-Tax increase
-Limitations
-Salaries
-The President’s position
-Tax proposals

Ziegler entered at 4:49 pm.

Taxes
-Ziegler's analysis
-Difficulties possible
-Press story
-Tax increase
-McGovern
-The President's position
-1969 proposal of tax reform
-Burns’s view
-Congressional reaction
-Minimum tax
-Democratic Congress
-Idea of tax reform
 54

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. Oct-06)

-Proposal by the President
-1969 proposal
-Higher tax for those who have tax shelters
-Purpose of tax reform
-1970
-Amount of money
-Property tax reform
-1969 proposal
-The President's current position
-Possible effect
-Ehrlichman’s view
-Money usage from taxes
-The President’s view
-Poor
-Elderly
-Middle income
-Proposal to Congress
-Amount of money in Congress
-Connally
-Awareness of tax situation
-Property tax reform
-Interlocking city and state jurisdictions
-Revenue sharing
-Elderly
-Amount of income
-Tax credit
-Shultz’s possible solution
-Age
-Burns's situation in Vermont
-Governor of Vermont [Deane C. Davis]
-Vetoes
-OEO bill
-Amount of taxes in 1946
-Current amount
-Increase in taxes
-Burns’s view
-Increase in real property value
-Burns’s position in society
-Type of income
-Type of property
-Rural location
 55

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. Oct-06)

-Compared with cities
-Middle or low income
-Type of taxes
-Actual value in taxes
-Revenue sharing
-Effective reduction in property tax
-Property tax
-Effect from revenue sharing
-Various states
-Variation
-Tax credit for elderly
-Effect
-Group situation
-Deductions
-Property tax in local government
-Incentive for property tax reform
-Effect on federal government
-Alternative solution
-Burns
-Wealthy
-The President's current proposed position
-Proposed statement for press
-Idea of artificial deadline
-Burns
-McGovern
-Funding
-Business taxes
-Welfare programs
-Amount of money
-Number of people in America on welfare
-Wealthy people and taxes
-Tax reform
-Studying and advocating issue
-Congressional reactions
-Actual amount of money in proposal
-Tax shelter
-Equity proposition
-Capital gains
-Idea of location of money
-Investment tax credit
-Earlier advocacy
 56

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. Oct-06)

-Idea of tax reform
-Definition
-Tax increase
-Democrats' idea
-Re-allocation of funds without raising taxes
-McGovern
-Ehrlichman’s response
-The Administrations actions
-Increase taxes without reform
-Political considerations
-Burns’s view
-Timing
-Current position of administration
-Proposal
-Tax structure
-Tax reform
-Opponents
-Tax reform
-Tax increase
-Administration's position
-VAT
-Equitable tax
-Proposal
-1969 proposal
-Tax credit for elderly
-Property taxes
-Tax reform
-Tax shelter
-Democratic Congress
-Milton Friedman's proposal
-Fiscal dividend
-Factoring into tax system the result of inflation
-Stopping the rise of growth of government
-Variety of methods
-Idea of restraint
-President’s view

Manolo Sanchez entered at an unknown time after 4:49 pm.

Refreshments
 57

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. Oct-06)

Sanchez left at an unknown time before 5:21 pm.

US economic policies
-Real property tax
-Methodology
-Effect of inflation on property tax
-Tax increase
-Inflation
-Government influence
-Financing the spending of programs
-Problem
-Inflation rate
-Property tax
-Inflation
-Effect on property taxes
-Adjusting income tax
-Social Security
-Adjustment of rates
-Income taxes
-Reduction of taxes
-Possible adjustment of taxes
-Various methods
-Congress's history
-Effect on income tax
-Reductions
-Calibration
-Present tax system
-Congress
-Direction of tax rate
-Inflation
-Opposition
-Burden on taxpayers
-Rate adjustment

Ziegler left at 5:21 pm.

Economy
-Inflation
-Escalation devices
-Additional revenue
-Expansion of government
 58

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. Oct-06)

-Reduction of tax rates
-Burns’s position
-Political considerations
-Friedman’s proposal
-Earmarking of $5 billion
-Lack of increase of taxes

An unknown woman entered at an unknown time after 5:21 pm.

The President's schedule

The unknown woman left at an unknown time before 5:34 pm.

Economy
-Interest rates
-Money supply
-Comparisons
-Current trend
-Burns and Shultz
-Money supply
-Political considerations
-Housing
-Savings and loan associations
-Short term rates
-Prime rate
-Federal Reserve Bank
-Discount rate
-Burns’s view
-Burns's effort
-Application for discount rate change
-Treasury's response
-Kansas City Federal Reserve Bank
-Bank in Boston Federal Reserve Bank
-Burns's efforts
-Friedman's proposal
-The President’s view
-Description for national speech
-Meeting between the President and Friedman
-Restraints on spending
-The President’s view
-Office of Management and Budget [OMB], Treasury Department
 59

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. Oct-06)

-Administration policies
-Shultz
-Capitol Hill
-Congress
-Growth of government
-Size of government
-Government expenditures
-Percent of dollar value of US output and taxes
-1971
-McGovern's plan
-Percentages
-Calculations of McGovern's proposals
-Weekly announcements
-Casper W. (“Cap”) Weinberger
-Inventory of costs
-Dwight D. Eisenhower administration
-Congress

Ziegler entered at 5:34 pm.

-McGovern's budget
-Republican leadership
-Republican National Committee [RNC] and Committee to Re-elect the
President [CRP]
-Documentation of weekly announcement
-McGovern’s budget proposal
-Tax
-Equity
-Effect on taxes
-McGovern's current position
-Brookings Institute
-The President’s trip to the Soviet Union
-Press conference
-Executive Office Building [EOB]
-Statement on tax increase
-Tax increase
-Administration's position
-Reactions by Congress

Environmental issue
-Water bill
 60

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. Oct-06)

-Question of veto
-Possible response
-Water pollution bill
-Effects of bill on industries
-Gerald R. Ford
-Veto
-Shultz's analysis
-Businesses
-Burns's analysis
-Actual issue and importance
-Veto
-Possible outcome
-Automobile companies
-Ford Motor Company
-Effort by government

Automobile emissions systems
-Platinum catalysts
-Bell system announcement
-Timing
-General Motors [GM]

Environmental issue
-Water bill
-Authorization by contract authority
-Money amount to be spent
-William D. Ruckelshaus
-Possible veto
-Possible outcome
-The President’s view
-Spending
-Appropriations Committee
-Funds
-Contract authority
-Transportation Department
-Administration actions
-Environmental Protection Agency [EPA]

Economy
-Tax issue
-Forthcoming meeting with the President
 61

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. Oct-06)

-Public relations
-Connally
-Political judgement
-Clark MacGregor
-Meeting between the President, Burns, Ehrlichman and Shultz
-The President’s view
-Simplification of tax forms
-Idea of new approach
-Friedman's plan
-Amount
-Idea of restraint
-Tax reduction
-Fiscal dividend
-Government spending
-Property tax reform
-Tax increase
-Complexity of issue
-Increasing rate
-Minimum tax rates
-Notion of an increase
-Tax credit
-Shultz and Burns
-Ehrlichman’s comments to the press
-Administration plans
-Ehrlichman's transcript
-Connally
-Adjustment within current tax levels
-The President’s view
-Burns’s view
-Tax increase
-Forthcoming report to the President
-Minimum tax proposal
-Effects
-Friedman’s approach
-Technicalities
-Property tax reform
-Tax credit
-Tax credit
-Effect on rate
-Burns
-Tax reform
 62

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. Oct-06)

-Burns’s involvement in issue
-Monetary problems
-International monetary policy
-International Monetary Fund [IMF]
-Announcement of discussion
-Date
-Interest rates
-Announcement
-Speech to the IMF
-Welcome address by the President
-IMF
-Ehrlichman
-Personal taxes

Presidential gifts
-Watches
-Presidential seal
-Malik Faisal ibn Abd al-Aziz al-Saud

Burns and Shultz left at 5:42 pm.

Economic meeting
-Ehrlichman

Ehrlichman left 5:42 pm.

Passport for trip to North Vietnam by James R. (“Jimmy”) Hoffa
-Revocation
-William P. Rogers
-Parole board

Public relations on economics
-Tax credit
-Increase of taxes
-McGovern’s plan
-Individuals and taxes

The President's schedule
-Press reports to the press by the administration
-The President's schedule
-Meetings
 63

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. Oct-06)

-Ambassadors
-Burns
-Ehrlichman and Henry A. Kissinger

H.R. (“Bob”) Haldeman entered at 5:44 pm.

The President's meetings with staff members
-Haldeman
-Charles W. Colson
-Bugging

Bugging devices
-Democrats
-Democrat National Chairman
-Jean Westwood
-Possible bugging
-Democrat headquarters
-Watergate
-Box in hall with wires
-Fire alarm
-Edward Bennett Williams
-Type of box
-Question of accusation of Republicans of bugging
-Press
-Press response
-Call from Lawrence F. O'Brien, Jr. to Ehrlichman
-Reason

Hoffa
-Revocation of passport

Ziegler left at 5:48 pm.

Home Builders Association
-Small home builders
-Support of Nixon administration
-Administrations policies
-Effect on Congress
-Fundraising
-Dinners
-Film
 64

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. Oct-06)

-The President’s view
-Maurice H. Stans
-George W. Romney
-Proposal
-Audiotape
-Administration's response
-The President's willingness to attend dinners
-Fundraising
-The President’s view
-McGovern
-Teachers

Kissinger
-Award
-Family of Man Council of Churches Man of the Year
(City of New York)
-Whitney M. Young, Jr.
-Selection of the President in 1969
-Director of projects
-Appearance by Kissinger before Council of Churches

Council of Churches
-Fundraising
-Question of Kissinger's appearance
-Golden Medallion Award to the President
-Bronze award to Kissinger
-White House staff
-Golden Medallion Award
-Raymond P. Shafer
-Drug Abuse program
-The President’s view
-Kissinger in comparison to Shafer

The President's schedule
-Cruise on the Sequoia
-Haldeman
-Colson
-Reason
-MacGregor
-Location
-Ehrlichman
 65

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. Oct-06)

-Family
-Herbert G. Klein
-Robert H. Finch
-Location
-Leonard Garment
-Colson

Haldeman talked with the White House operator at an unknown time between 5:44 pm and 6:14
pm.

[Conversation No. 772-15A]

Request for a call to Garment

[End of telephone conversation]

The President's schedule
-John N. Mitchell
-Martha (Beall) Mitchell

Haldeman talked with Garment at an unknown time between 5:44 pm and 6:14 pm.

[Conversation No. 772-15B]

Cruise on Sequoia
-Dinner cruise
-Clothes
-Timing

[End of telephone conversation]

Cruise on Sequoia
-Clothes
-Attendance
-Harry S. Dent
-William E. Timmons
-Colson

Haldeman talked with the White House operator at an unknown time between 5:44 pm and 6:14
pm.
 66

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. Oct-06)

[Conversation No. 772-15C]

Request for a call to Timmons

[End of telephone conversation]

Timmons
-Conversation

Cruise on Sequoia
-Bryce N. Harlow

Haldeman talked with Timmons at an unknown time between 5:44 pm and 6:14 pm.

[Conversation No. 772-15D]

Attendance on cruise on Sequoia
-Garment
-Dock
-Time
-Reason for cruise

[End of telephone conversation]

Cruise on Sequoia
-Dent

Haldeman talked with the White House operator at an unknown time between 5:44 pm and 6:14
pm.

[Conversation No. 772-15E]

Request for a call to Dent

[End of telephone conversation]

Cruise on Sequoia
-Number of attending
-Dent
-Timmons
-Garment
 67

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. Oct-06)

-Dent
-Colson
-Richard A. Moore
-Raymond K. Price, Jr.
-Patrick J. Buchanan
-Reason for cruise
-Attendance
-Colson
-Number
-Dent
-Call to Colson

Stephen B. Bull entered at 6:06 pm.

Haldeman talked with Dent at an unknown time between 5:44 pm and 6:14 pm.

[Conversation No. 772-15F]

Attendance on cruise on Sequoia
-Dock
-Time
-Timmons
-Garment

[End of telephone conversation]

Cruise on Sequoia
-Attending individuals
-Dent

Haldeman talked with the White House operator at an unknown time between 5:44 pm and 6:14
pm.

[Conversation No. 772-15G]

Call to Colson

[End of telephone conversation]

Cruise on Sequoia
-Garment
 68

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. Oct-06)

-Colson
-Timmons
-Motorcade
-Automobile
-Dock

Haldeman talked with Colson at an unknown time between 5:44 pm and 6:14 pm.

[Conversation No. 772-15H]

Cruise on Sequoia
-Dock
-Time
-Poll material
-Attending individuals

Bull left at 6:09 pm.

-Dent
-Timmons
-Buchanan
-Garment
-Automobiles

[End of telephone conversation]

Haldeman talked with the White House operator at an unknown time between 5:44 pm and 6:14
pm.

[Conversation No. 772-15I]

Request for a call to Buchanan

[End of telephone conversation]

Garment
-Sammy Davis, Jr.
-Activities
-Memorial service
-Conversation with Max Fisher
-Haldeman
 69

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. Oct-06)

-Kissinger

Kissinger
-Schedule
-Verification meeting
-Richard M. Helms
-Gerard C. Smith
-[David] Kenneth Rush
-Military personnel

The President’s schedule
-Cruise on Sequoia
-Rogers

Haldeman talked with an unknown person at an unknown time between 5:44 pm and 6:14 pm.

[Conversation No. 772-15J]

Haldeman's schedule

Attendance on cruise on Sequoia

[End of telephone conversation]

Haldeman talked with an unknown person at an unknown time between 5:44 pm and 6:14 pm.

[Conversation No. 772-15K]

Buchanan

Cancellation

The President left at an unknown time before 6:14 pm.

[End of telephone conversation]

Alexander P. Butterfield entered at 6:06 pm.

Executive Protective Service [EPS] assistance
-Edward M. Kennedy
-John V. Lindsay
 70

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. Oct-06)

-United Nations [UN]
-Demonstrations
-Shultz
-Troops
-George H.W. Bush
-Shultz

Haldeman talked with Buchanan at an unknown time between 6:06 pm and 6:14 pm.

[Conversation No. 772-15L]

Attendance on cruise on Sequoia
-Time

The President entered at an unknown time after 6:06 pm.

-Car

[End of telephone conversation]

Melvin C. Snyder
-Death
-Widow
-Rose Mary Woods

The President's schedule
-Forthcoming Cabinet breakfast meeting
-Timmons
-Peter H. Dominick

Robert C. Wilson
-Congressional relations

MacGregor
-Polls
-William E. Brock, III

Haldeman
-Cabinet agenda
-Breakfast meeting between the President and Cabinet members
-MacGregor
 71

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. Oct-06)

-Polls
-Wilson and Dominick
-Political campaigns
-Date of meeting
-Activities of members
-Polls
-The President’s instructions
-Conversation about polls
-Brock

Youth
-Republican National Committee
-Barbara H. Franklin
-Anne L. Armstrong

Cabinet
-Subject of breakfast meeting
-Legislative session
-Strategy on Congressional relations
-Ehrlichman
-Colson

Meeting between the President, Ehrlichman and Colson
-Timmons
-Cabinet

EPS situation
-Shultz and Butterfield
-Assistance
-Number
-Bush request
-New York City
-Demonstrators
-New York police
-Lindsay
-Reasons for assistance

Secret Service protection for Kennedy
-Kennedy
-Haldeman's conversation with Robert Newbrand
-James J. Rowley
 72

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. Oct-06)

-Assignments
-Type of detail on Kennedy
-Number
-Time duration
-The President’s instruction
-Amanda Burden
-Request by Kennedy

Butterfield left and Ziegler entered at 6:12 pm.

Cruise on Sequoia
-Attendance
-Garment
-Colson
-Buchanan and Timmons
-Reasons for cruise
-Congressional relations
-Various issues

Haldeman

Ziegler left at an unknown time before 6:15 pm.

Secret Service protection for Kennedy
-Haldeman's conversation with Butterfield
-Conversation with Rowley
-Handling details for Secret Service
-Rowley
-Haldeman's upcoming conversation with Newbrand
-Gratitude by Newbrand towards Haldeman and the
President
-Newbrand's coverage of Kennedy
-Possible outcome
-The President’s view
-1976 election
-Coverage by Secret Service of Kennedy
-Newbrand
-Actions toward Kennedy
-John F. Kennedy

Cruise on the Sequoia
 73

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. Oct-06)

-Travel
-Mount Vernon
-Helicopter

John Mitchell
-Birthday
-Forthcoming telephone call

The President and Haldeman left at 6:15 pm.