 other group of people I've just met they were lucky they didn't have to hear me make a speech well I'm delighted that so many of you are here and with us today in the White House I want you to know that I know and understand the many problems that you face as elected officials and after meeting with Margaret and George the day before yesterday I have an even greater appreciation of the problems that you face on a daily basis and for this reason I greatly cherish the support that I've received from you as Republican elected officials and even some who weren't Republican and I know that many of you have worked with Rich Williamson and his staff in the development of the federalism initiative and other administration proposals and I for your help I'd like to say thank you again over the past two years I've had an opportunity to get to know Margaret Hans who's been tremendously helpful and candid in her assessment of many of our initiatives and Margaret I wrote a letter to you where are you I didn't mail it I don't mean that I don't have some confidence in the post office but I framed it instead because I don't want you to forget how grateful I am for all that you've done not only for us and the administration but for our country I'm not to do something on mayoral like cry but as I told the president on one other occasion it's so easy to support someone who is right this lady has done a very great job and you've done a great job it hasn't been easy and I would like also to congratulate Mayor George Israel as he assumes the role now of president of the national conference of Republican mayors municipal officials and George knows that I look forward to working with him in the next year the year ahead and last but not least I like for all of you to know that I do appreciate the many sacrifices that you've made and that you make as well as the input that you've provided to us over these last two years and I hope we'll keep this relationship because I still say what I said when we started trying to convince the Congress that they should loosen the reins we've managed to do some of it but we want to complete the job and that is really the basic philosophy of this country and as a matter of fact in 1932 the Democratic National Platform said it all I don't think they've used that platform but it said that one of their planks was and I know because I was a Democrat then and it was to restore to states and local communities the authority and autonomy that has been unjustly seized by the federal government and I want to see that done I'm just going to tell a little story then I'm going to get off of here so that you can enjoy yourselves I enjoy telling this around the circles here in the White House and if you've heard it don't tell me because I want to tell it again I know that you get advice as I do and all those people who can make economic projections out there for years ahead and what's going to happen with three men died and arrived at St. Peter's Gates at the same time and St. Peter said that unfortunately at that moment there was only room for one and he said we've decided that whichever one of you is practicing the oldest trade or profession whatever that may be is the one that will be admitted and one step forward and said well I think that means me he said we know that the Lord made Adam and then he made Eve from a rib of Adam which required surgery I am a surgeon so I guess that's the oldest profession and before he could go through the Gates second man suggest a minute he said we're told that before the Lord made Adam that all was chaos and that he then worked and created the earth in six days obviously he was an engineer which is what I am and as he started to step forward the third man said wait I'm an economist where do you think they got all that chaos much and it's a great pleasure to have you here in this your house tonight because it is the house of all of you