＂PuttingAmericanBacktoWork＂.doc

PuttingAmericanBacktoWork Thankyou.Thankyou. SenatorHatfield,Mr.ChiefJustice,Mr.President,VicePresidentBush,VicePresidentMondale,SenatorBaker,SpeakerONeill,ReverendMoomaw,andmyfellowcitizens: Toafewofusheretodaythisisasolemnandmostmomentousoccasion.And,yet,inthehistoryofournationitisamonplaceoccurrence.TheorderlytransferofauthorityascalledforintheConstitutionroutinelytakesplaceasithasforalmosttwocenturiesandfewofusstoptothinkhowuniquewereallyare.Intheeyesofmanyintheworld,thiseveryfouryearceremonyweacceptasnormalisnothinglessthanamiracle. Mr.President,Iwantourfellowcitizenstoknowhowmuchyoudidtocarryonthistradition.Byyourgraciouscooperationinthetransitionprocessyouhaveshownawatchingworldthatweareaunitedpeoplepledgedtomaintainingapoliticalsystemwhichguaranteesindividuallibertytoagreaterdegreethananyother.AndIthankyouandyourpeopleforallyourhelpinmaintainingthecontinuitywhichisthebulwarkofourrepublic. Thebusinessofournationgoesforward. TheseUnitedStatesareconfrontedwithaneconomicafflictionofgreatproportions.Wesufferfromthelongestandoneoftheworstsustainedinflationsinournationalhistory.Itdistortsoureconomicdecisions,penalizesthrift,andcrushesthestrugglingyoungandthefixedineelderlyalike.Itthreatenstoshatterthelivesofmillionsofourpeople.Idleindustrieshavecastworkersintounemployment,humanmiseryandpersonalindignity. Thosewhodoworkaredeniedafairreturnfortheirlaborbyataxsystemwhichpenalizessuccessfulachievementandkeepsusfrommaintainingfullproductivity.Butgreatasourtaxburdenis,ithasnotkeptpacewithpublicspending.Fordecadeswehavepileddeficitupondeficit,mortgagingourfutureandourchildrensfutureforthetemporaryconvenienceofthepresent.Tocontinuethislongtrendistoguaranteetremendoussocial,cultural,political,andeconomicupheavals. YouandI,asindividuals,can,byborrowing,livebeyondourmeans,butforonlyalimitedperiodoftime.Whythenshouldwethinkthatcollectively,asanation,wearenotboundbythatsamelimitation? Wemustacttodayinordertopreservetomorrow.Andlettherebenomisunderstandingweregoingtobegintoactbeginningtoday.Theeconomicillswesufferhaveeuponusoverseveraldecades.Theywillnotgoawayindays,weeks,ormonths,buttheywillgoaway.TheywillgoawaybecauseweasAmericanshavethecapacitynow,aswehavehadinthepast,todowhateverneedstobedonetopreservethislastandgreatestbastionoffreedom. Inthispresentcrisis,governmentisnotthesolutiontoourproblem;governmentistheproblem.Fromtimetotimewevebeentemptedtobelievethatsocietyhasbeetooplextobemanagedbyselfrule,thatgovernmentbyanelitegroupissuperiortogovernmentfor,by,andofthepeople.Butifnooneamongusiscapableofgoverninghimself,thenwhoamongushasthecapacitytogovernsomeoneelse? Allofustogetherinandoutofgovernmentmustbeartheburden.Thesolutionsweseekmustbeequitablewithnoonegroupsingledouttopayahigherprice.Wehearmuchofspecialinterestgroups.Wellourconcernmustbeforaspecialinterestgroupthathasbeentoolongneglected.Itknowsnosectionalboundaries,orethnicandracialdivisions,anditcrossespoliticalpartylines.Itismadeupofmenandwomenwhoraiseourfood,patrolourstreets,manourminesandfactories,teachourchildren,keepourhomes,andhealuswhenweresickprofessionals,industrialists,shopkeepers,clerks,cabbies,andtruckdrivers.Theyare,inshort,“WethePeople.”ThisbreedcalledAmericans. Well,thisAdministrationsobjectivewillbeahealthy,vigorous,growingeconomythatprovidesequalopportunitiesforallAmericanswithnobarriersbornofbigotryordiscrimination.PuttingAmericabacktoworkmeansputtingallAmericansbacktowork.EndinginflationmeansfreeingallAmericansfromtheterrorofrunawaylivingcosts. Allmustshareintheproductiveworkofthis“newbeginning,”andallmustshareinthebountyofarevivedeconomy. Withtheidealismandfairplaywhicharethecoreofoursystemandourstrength,wecanhaveastrongandprosperousAmericaatpeacewithitselfandtheworld.Soaswebegin,letustakeinventory. Weareanationthathasagovernmentnottheotherwayaround.Andthismakesusspecialamongthenationsoftheearth.Our * hasnopowerexceptthatgranteditbythepeople.Itistimetocheckandreversethegrowthofgovernmentwhichshowssignsofhavinggrownbeyondtheconsentofthegoverned. ItismyintentiontocurbthesizeandinfluenceoftheFederalestablishmentandtodemandrecognitionofthedistinctionbetweenthepowersgrantedtotheFederal * andthosereservedtothestatesortothepeople. AllofusallofusneedtoberemindedthattheFederal * didnotcreatethestates;thestatescreatedtheFederal * . Now,sotherewillbenomisunderstanding,itsnotmyintentiontodoawaywithgovernment.Itisrathertomakeitworkworkwithus,notoverus;tostandbyourside,notrideonourback. * canandmustprovideopportunity,notsmotherit;fosterproductivity,notstifleit.Ifwelooktotheanswerastowhyforsomanyyearsweachievedsomuch,prosperedasnootherpeopleonearth,itwasbecausehereinthislandweunleashedtheenergyandindividualgeniusofmantoagreaterextentthanhaseverbeendonebefore. Freedomandthedignityoftheindividualhavebeenmoreavailableandassuredherethaninanyotherplaceonearth.Thepriceforthisfreedomattimeshasbeenhigh,butwehaveneverbeenunwillingtopaythatprice. Itisnocoincidencethatourpresenttroublesparallelandareproportionatetotheinterventionandintrusioninourlivesthatresultfromunnecessaryandexcessivegrowthof * . Itistimeforustorealizethatwearetoogreatanationtolimitourselvestosmalldreams.Werenot,assomewouldhaveusbelieve,doomedtoaninevitabledecline.Idonotbelieveinafatethatwillfallonusnomatterwhatwedo.Idobelieveinafatethatwillfallonusifwedonothing. Sowithallthecreativeenergyatourmand,letusbeginaneraofnationalrenewal.Letusrenewourdetermination,ourcourage,andourstrength.Andletusrenewourfaithandourhope.Wehaveeveryrighttodreamheroicdreams. Thosewhosaythatwereinatimewhentherearenoheroestheyjustdontknowwheretolook.Youcanseeheroeseverydaygoinginandoutoffactorygates.Others,ahandfulinnumber,produceenoughfoodtofeedallofusandthentheworldbeyond.Youmeetheroesacrossacounterandtheyreonbothsidesofthatcounter.Thereareentrepreneurswithfaithinthemselvesandfaithinanideawhocreatenewjobs,newwealthandopportunity. Thereareindividualsandfamilieswhosetaxessupportthe * andwhosevoluntarygiftssupportchurch,charity,culture,art,andeducation.Theirpatriotismisquietbutdeep.Theirvaluessustainournationallife. NowIhaveusedthewords“they”and“their”inspeakingoftheseheroes.Icouldsay“you”and“your”becauseImaddressingtheheroesofwhomIspeakyou,thecitizensofthisblessedland.Yourdreams,yourhopes,yourgoalsaregoingtobethedreams,thehopes,andthegoalsofthisAdministration,sohelpmeGod. Weshallreflectthepassionthatissomuchapartofyourmakeup.Howcanweloveourcountryandnotloveourcountrymenandlovingthemreachoutahandwhentheyfall,healthemwhentheyresick,andprovideopportunitytomakethemselfsufficientsotheywillbeequalinfactandnotjustintheory?Canwesolvetheproblemsconfrontingus?WelltheanswerisanunequivocalandemphaticYes.ToparaphraseWinstonChurchill,IdidnottaketheoathIvejusttakenwiththeintentionofpresidingoverthedissolutionoftheworldsstrongesteconomy. Inthedaysahead,Iwillproposeremovingtheroadblocksthathaveslowedoureconomyandreducedproductivity.Stepswillbetakenaimedatrestoringthebalancebetweenthevariouslevelsofgovernment.Progressmaybeslowmeasuredininchesandfeet,notmilesbutwewillprogress.Itistimetoreawakenthisindustrialgiant,togetgovernmentbackwithinitsmeans,andtolightenourpunitivetaxburden.Andthesewillbeourfirstpriorities,andontheseprinciplestherewillbenopromise. OntheeveorourstruggleforindependenceamanwhomightvebeenoneofthegreatestamongtheFoundingFathers,Dr.JosephWarren,presidentoftheMassachusettsCongress,saidtohisfellowAmericans, “Ourcountryisindanger,butnottobedespairedof.OnyoudependthefortunesofAmerica.Youaretodecidetheimportantquestionuponwhichrestthehappinessandthelibertyofmillionsyetunborn.Actworthyofyourselves.” WellIbelievewe,theAmericansoftoday,arereadytoactworthyofourselves,readytodowhatmustbedonetoinsurehappinessandlibertyforourselves,ourchildren,andourchildrenschildren.Andaswerenewourselveshereinourownland,wewillbeseenashavinggreaterstrengththroughouttheworld.Wewillagainbetheexemplaroffreedomandabeaconofhopeforthosewhodonotnowhavefreedom. Tothoseneighborsandallieswhoshareourfreedom,wewillstrengthenourhistorictiesandassurethemofoursupportandfirmmitment.Wewillmatchloyaltywithloyalty.Wewillstriveformutuallybeneficialrelations.Wewillnotuseourfriendshiptoimposeontheirsovereignty,forourownsovereigntyisnotforsale. Asfortheenemiesoffreedom,thosewhoarepotentialadversaries,theywillberemindedthatpeaceisthehighestaspirationoftheAmericanpeople.Wewillnegotiateforit,sacrificeforit;wewillnotsurrenderforitnoworever.Ourforbearanceshouldneverbemisunderstood.Ourreluctanceforconflictshouldnotbemisjudgedasafailureofwill.Whenactionisrequiredtopreserveournationalsecurity,wewillact.Wewillmaintainsufficientstrengthtoprevailifneedbe,knowingthatifwedoso,wehavethebestchanceofneverhavingtousethatstrength. Aboveallwemustrealizethatnoarsenalornoweaponinthearsenalsoftheworldissoformidableasthewillandmoralcourageoffreemenandwomen.Itisaweaponouradversariesintodaysworlddonothave.ItisaweaponthatweasAmericansdohave.Letthatbeunderstoodbythosewhopracticeterrorismandpreyupontheirneighbors. IamImtoldthattensofthousandsofprayermeetingsarebeingheldonthisday;andforthatIamdeeplygrateful.WeareanationunderGod,andIbelieveGodintendedforustobefree.Itwouldbefittingandgood,Ithink,ifoneachinauguraldayinfutureyearsitshouldbedeclaredadayofprayer. Thisisthefirsttimeinourhistorythatthisceremonyhasbeenheld,asyouvebeentold,onthisWestFrontoftheCapitol. Standinghere,onefacesamagnificentvista,openinguponthiscitysspecialbeautyandhistory.Attheendofthisopenmallarethoseshrinestothegiantsonwhoseshoulderswestand.Directlyinfrontofme,themonumenttoamonumentalman.GeorgeWashington,fatherofourcountry.Amanofhumilitywhocametogreatnessreluctantly.HeledAmericaoutofrevolutionaryvictoryintoinfantnationhood.Offtooneside,thestatelymemorialtoThomasJefferson.TheDeclarationofIndependenceflameswithhiseloquence.AndthenbeyondtheReflectingPool,thedignifiedcolumnsoftheLincolnMemorial.WhoeverwouldunderstandinhisheartthemeaningofAmericawillfinditinthelifeofAbrahamLincoln. BeyondthosemomentsthosemonumentstoheroismisthePotomacRiver,andonthefarshoretheslopinghillsofArlingtonNationalCemetery,withitsrowuponrowofsimplewhitemarkersbearingcrossesorStarsofDavid.Theyadduptoonlyatinyfractionofthepricethathasbeenpaidforourfreedom. Eacho