Evidently, President Eisenhower changed the original language in his famous last speech. Out of reluctance to annoy members of Congress, he allowed the draft of his speech to be changed from its original target: “the military-industrial-congressional complex.”
Too bad he changed it, but then, we haven’t paid any attention to the warnings that survived the edit, so maybe it didn’t matter.
Why would an outgoing president be concerned about the sensitivities, such as they may be, of members of Congress? If Eisenhower had harbored ambitions to run for another elective office, as did John Quincy Adams, perhaps he would have had reason. Otherwise, he should have let it rip.
Where are you now?
Love this Eisenhower quote
Should any political party attempt to abolish social security, unemployment insurance, and eliminate labor laws and farm programs, you would not hear of that party again in our political history. There is a tiny splinter group, of course, that believes that you can do these things. Among them are a few Texas oil millionaires, and an occasional politician or businessman from other areas. Their number is negligible and they are stupid.
– President Dwight D. Eisenhower (R), 1954
Seems like it’s not such a tiny splinter group anymore, though maybe it is, just with a little too much control.