-Putting American Back to Work-.doc

演讲稿 putting american back to work ronaldreagan:firstinauguraladdressputtingamericanbacktoworkthankyou.thankyou.senatorhatfield,mr.chiefjustice,mr.president,vicepresidentbush,vicepresidentmondale,senatorbaker,speakeroneill,reverendmoomaw,andmyfellowcitizens:toafewofusheretodaythisisasolemnandmostmomentousoccasion.and,yet,inthehistoryofournationitisamonplaceoccurrence.theorderlytransferofauthorityascalledforintheconstitutionroutinelytakesplaceasithasforalmosttwocenturiesandfewofusstoptothinkhowuniquewereallyare.intheeyesofmanyintheworld,thisevery-four-yearceremonyweacceptasnormalisnothinglessthanamiracle.mr.president,iwantourfellowcitizenstoknowhowmuchyoudidtocarryonthistradition.byyourgraciouscooperationinthetransitionprocessyouhaveshownawatchingworldthatweareaunitedpeoplepledgedtomaintainingapoliticalsystemwhichguaranteesindividuallibertytoagreaterdegreethananyother.andithankyouandyourpeopleforallyourhelpinmaintainingthecontinuitywhichisthebulwarkofourrepublic.thebusinessofournationgoesforward.theseunitedstatesareconfrontedwithaneconomicafflictionofgreatproportions.wesufferfromthelongestandoneoftheworstsustainedinflationsinournationalhistory.itdistortsoureconomicdecisions,penalizesthrift,andcrushesthestrugglingyoungandthefixed-ineelderlyalike.itthreatenstoshatterthelivesofmillionsofourpeople.idleindustrieshavecastworkersintounemployment,humanmiseryandpersonalindignity.thosewhodoworkaredeniedafairreturnfortheirlaborbyataxsystemwhichpenalizessuccessfulachievementandkeepsusfrommaintainingfullproductivity.butgreatasourtaxburdenis,ithasnotkeptpacewithpublicspending.fordecadeswehavepileddeficitupondeficit,mortgagingourfutureandourchildrensfutureforthetemporaryconvenienceofthepresent.tocontinuethislongtrendistoguaranteetremendoussocial,cultural,political,andeconomicupheavals.youandi,asindividuals,can,byborrowing,livebeyondourmeans,butforonlyalimitedperiodoftime.whythenshouldwethinkthatcollectively,asanation,wearenotboundbythatsamelimitation?wemustacttodayinordertopreservetomorrow.andlettherebenomisunderstanding-weregoingtobegintoactbeginningtoday.theeconomicillswesufferhaveeuponusoverseveraldecades.theywillnotgoawayindays,weeks,ormonths,buttheywillgoaway.theywillgoawaybecauseweasamericanshavethecapacitynow,aswehavehadinthepast,todowhateverneedstobedonetopreservethislastandgreatestbastionoffreedom.inthispresentcrisis,governmentisnotthesolutiontoourproblem;governmentistheproblem.fromtimetotimewevebeentemptedtobelievethatsocietyhasbeetooplextobemanagedbyself-rule,thatgovernmentbyanelitegroupissuperiortogovernmentfor,by,andofthepeople.butifnooneamongusiscapableofgoverninghimself,thenwhoamongushasthecapacitytogovernsomeoneelse?allofustogether-inandoutofgovernment-mustbeartheburden.thesolutionsweseekmustbeequitablewithnoonegroupsingledouttopayahigherprice.wehearmuchofspecialinterestgroups.wellourconcernmustbeforaspecialinterestgroupthathasbeentoolongneglected.itknowsnosectionalboundaries,orethnicandracialdivisions,anditcrossespoliticalpartylines.itismadeupofmenandwomenwhoraiseourfood,patrolourstreets,manourminesandfactories,teachourchildren,keepourhomes,andhealuswhenweresick-professionals,industrialists,shopkeepers,clerks,cabbies,andtruckdrivers.theyare,inshort,“wethepeople.”thisbreedcalledamericans.well,thisadministrationsobjectivewillbeahealthy,vigorous,growingeconomythatprovidesequalopportunitiesforallamericanswithnobarriersbornofbigotryordiscrimination.puttingamericabacktoworkmeansputtingallamericansbacktowork.endinginflationmeansfreeingallamericansfromtheterrorofrunawaylivingcosts.allmustshareintheproductiveworkofthis“newbeginning,”andallmustshareinthebountyofarevivedeconomy.withtheidealismandfairplaywhicharethecoreofoursystemandourstrength,wecanhaveastrongandprosperousamericaatpeacewithitselfandtheworld.soaswebegin,letustakeinventory.weareanationthathasagovernment-nottheotherwayaround.andthismakesusspecialamongthenationsoftheearth.ourgovernmenthasnopowerexceptthatgranteditbythepeople.itistimetocheckandreversethegrowthofgovernmentwhichshowssignsofhavinggrownbeyondtheconsentofthegoverned.itismyintentiontocurbthesizeandinfluenceofthefederalestablishmentandtodemandrecognitionofthedistinctionbetweenthepowersgrantedtothefederalgovernmentandthosereservedtothestatesortothepeople.allofus-allofusneedtoberemindedthatthefederalgovernmentdidnotcreatethestates;thestatescreatedthefederalgovernment.now,sotherewillbenomisunderstanding,itsnotmyintentiontodoawaywithgovernment.itisrathertomakeitwork-workwithus,notoverus;tostandbyourside,notrideonourback.governmentcanandmustprovideopportunity,notsmotherit;fosterproductivity,notstifleit.ifwelooktotheanswerastowhyforsomanyyearsweachievedsomuch,prosperedasnootherpeopleonearth,itwasbecausehereinthislandweunleashedtheenergyandindividualgeniusofmantoagreaterextentthanhaseverbeendonebefore.freedomandthedignityoftheindividualhavebeenmoreavailableandassuredherethaninanyotherplaceonearth.thepriceforthisfreedomattimeshasbeenhigh,butwehaveneverbeenunwillingtopaythatprice.itisnocoincidencethatourpresenttroublesparallelandareproportionatetotheinterventionandintrusioninourlivesthatresultfromunnecessaryandexcessivegrowthofgovernment.itistimeforustorealizethatwearetoogreatanationtolimitourselvestosmalldreams.werenot,assomewouldhaveusbelieve,doomedtoaninevitabledecline.idonotbelieveinafatethatwillfallonusnomatterwhatwedo.idobelieveinafatethatwillfallonusifwedonothing.sowithallthecreativeenergyatourmand,letusbeginaneraofnationalrenewal.letusrenewourdetermination,ourcourage,andourstrength.andletusrenewourfaithandourhope.wehaveeveryrighttodreamheroicdreams.thosewhosaythatwereinatimewhentherearenoheroes-theyjustdontknowwheretolook.youcanseeheroeseverydaygoinginandoutoffactorygates.others,ahandfulinnumber,produceenoughfoodtofeedallofusandthentheworldbeyond.youmeetheroesacrossacounter-andtheyreonbothsidesofthatcounter.thereareentrepreneurswithfaithinthemselvesandfaithinanideawhocreatenewjobs,newwealthandopportunity.thereareindividualsandfamilieswhosetaxessupportthegovernmentandwhosevoluntarygiftssupportchurch,charity,culture,art,andeducation.theirpatriotismisquietbutdeep.theirvaluessustainournationallife.nowihaveusedthewords“they”and“their”inspeakingoftheseheroes.icouldsay“you”and“your”becauseimaddressingtheheroesofwhomispeak-you,thecitizensofthisblessedland.yourdreams,yourhopes,yourgoalsaregoingtobethedreams,thehopes,andthegoalsofthisadministration,sohelpmegod.weshallreflectthepassionthatissomuchapartofyourmake-up.howcanweloveourcountryandnotloveourcountrymen-andlovingthemreachoutahandwhentheyfall,healthemwhentheyresick,andprovideopportunitytomakethemself-sufficientsotheywillbeequalinfactandnotjustintheory?canwesolvetheproblemsconfrontingus?welltheanswerisanunequivocalandemphaticyes.toparaphrasewinstonchurchill,ididnottaketheoathivejusttakenwiththeintentionofpresidingoverthedissolutionoftheworldsstrongesteconomy.inthedaysahead,iwillproposeremovingtheroadblocksthathaveslowedoureconomyandreducedproductivity.stepswillbetakenaimedatrestoringthebalancebetweenthevariouslevelsofgovernment.progressmaybeslow-measuredininchesandfeet,notmiles-butwewillprogress.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;wewillnotsurrenderforit-noworever.ourforbearanceshouldneverbemisunderstood.ourreluctanceforconflictshouldnotbemisjudgedasafailureofwill.whenactionisrequiredtopreserveournationalsecurity,wewillact.wewillmaintainsufficientstrengthtoprevailifneedbe,knowingthatifwedoso,wehavethebestchanceofneverhavingtousethatstrength.aboveallwemustrealizethatnoarsenalornoweaponinthearsenalsoftheworldissoformidableasthewillandmoralcourageoffreemenandwomen.itisaweaponouradversariesintodaysworlddonothave.itisaweaponthatweasamericansdohave.letthatbeunderstoodbythosewhopracticeterrorismandpreyupontheirneighbors.iam-imtoldthattensofthousandsofprayermeetingsarebeingheldonthisday;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.beyondthosemoments-thosemonumentstoheroismisthepotomacriver,andonthefarshoretheslopinghillsofarlingtonnationalcemetery,withitsrowuponrowofsimplewhitemarkersbearingcrossesorstarsofdavid.theyadduptoonlyatinyfractionofthepricethathasbeenpaidforourfreedom.eachoneofthosemarkersisamon