TUESDAY,JANUARY20,1981
SenatorHatfield,Mr.ChiefJustice,Mr.President,VicePresidentBush,VicePresidentMondale,SenatorBaker,SpeakerO'Neill,ReverendMoomaw,andmyfellowcitizens:Toafewofusheretoday,thisisasolemnandmostmomentousoccasion;andyet,inthehistoryofourNation,itisacommonplaceoccurrence.TheorderlytransferofauthorityascalledforintheConstitutionroutinelytakesplaceasithasforalmosttwocenturiesandfewofusstoptothinkhowuniquewereallyare.Intheeyesofmanyintheworld,thisevery-4-yearceremonyweacceptasnormalisnothinglessthanamiracle.
Mr.President,Iwantourfellowcitizenstoknowhowmuchyoudidtocarryonthistradition.Byyourgraciouscooperationinthetransitionprocess,youhaveshownawatchingworldthatweareaunitedpeoplepledgedtomaintainingapoliticalsystemwhichguaranteesindividuallibertytoagreaterdegreethananyother,andIthankyouandyourpeopleforallyourhelpinmaintainingthecontinuitywhichisthebulwarkofourRepublic.
Thebusinessofournationgoesforward.TheseUnitedStatesareconfrontedwithaneconomicafflictionofgreatproportions.Wesufferfromthelongestandoneoftheworstsustainedinflationsinournationalhistory.Itdistortsoureconomicdecisions,penalizesthrift,andcrushesthestrugglingyoungandthefixed-incomeelderlyalike.Itthreatenstoshatterthelivesofmillionsofourpeople.
Idleindustrieshavecastworkersintounemployment,causinghumanmiseryandpersonalindignity.Thosewhodoworkaredeniedafairreturnfortheirlaborbyataxsystemwhichpenalizessuccessfulachievementandkeepsusfrommaintainingfullproductivity.
Butgreatasourtaxburdenis,ithasnotkeptpacewithpublicspending.Fordecades,wehavepileddeficitupondeficit,mortgagingourfutureandourchildren'sfutureforthetemporaryconvenienceofthepresent.Tocontinuethislongtrendistoguaranteetremendoussocial,cultural,political,andeconomicupheavals.
YouandI,asindividuals,can,byborrowing,livebeyondourmeans,butforonlyalimitedperiodoftime.Why,then,shouldwethinkthatcollectively,asanation,wearenotboundbythatsamelimitation?
Wemustacttodayinordertopreservetomorrow.Andlettherebenomisunderstanding--wearegoingtobegintoact,beginningtoday.
Theeconomicillswesufferhavecomeuponusoverseveraldecades.Theywillnotgoawayindays,weeks,ormonths,buttheywillgoaway.Theywillgoawaybecausewe,asAmericans,havethecapacitynow,aswehavehadinthepast,todowhateverneedstobedonetopreservethislastandgreatestbastionoffreedom.
Inthispresentcrisis,governmentisnotthesolutiontoourproblem.
Fromtimetotime,wehavebeentemptedtobelievethatsocietyhasbecometoocomplextobemanagedbyself-rule,thatgovernmentbyanelitegroupissuperiortogovernmentfor,by,andofthepeople.Butifnooneamongusiscapableofgoverninghimself,thenwhoamongushasthecapacitytogovernsomeoneelse?Allofustogether,inandoutofgovernment,mustbeartheburden.Thesolutionsweseekmustbeequitable,withnoonegroupsingledouttopayahigherprice.
Wehearmuchofspecialinterestgroups.Ourconcernmustbeforaspecialinterestgroupthathasbeentoolongneglected.Itknowsnosectionalboundariesorethnicandracialdivisions,anditcrossespoliticalpartylines.Itismadeupofmenandwomenwhoraiseourfood,patrolourstreets,manourminesandourfactories,teachourchildren,keepourhomes,andhealuswhenwearesick--professionals,industrialists,shopkeepers,clerks,cabbies,andtruckdrivers.Theyare,inshort,"Wethepeople,"thisbreedcalledAmericans.
Well,thisadministration'sobjectivewillbeahealthy,vigorous,growingeconomythatprovidesequalopportunityforallAmericans,withnobarriersbornofbigotryordiscrimination.PuttingAmericabacktoworkmeansputtingallAmericansbacktowork.EndinginflationmeansfreeingallAmericansfromtheterrorofrunawaylivingcosts.Allmustshareintheproductiveworkofthis"newbeginning"andallmustshareinthebountyofarevivedeconomy.Withtheidealismandfairplaywhicharethecoreofoursystemandourstrength,wecanhaveah2andprosperousAmericaatpeacewithitselfandtheworld.
So,aswebegin,letustakeinventory.Weareanationthathasagovernment--nottheotherwayaround.AndthismakesusspecialamongthenationsoftheEarth.OurGovernmenthasnopowerexceptthatgranteditbythepeople.Itistimetocheckandreversethegrowthofgovernmentwhichshowssignsofhavinggrownbeyondtheconsentofthegoverned.
ItismyintentiontocurbthesizeandinfluenceoftheFederalestablishmentandtodemandrecognitionofthedistinctionbetweenthepowersgrantedtotheFederalGovernmentandthosereservedtotheStatesortothepeople.AllofusneedtoberemindedthattheFederalGovernmentdidnotcreatetheStates;theStatescreatedtheFederalGovernment.
Now,sotherewillbenomisunderstanding,itisnotmyintentiontodoawaywithgovernment.Itis,rather,tomakeitwork-workwithus,notoverus;tostandbyourside,notrideonourback.Governmentcanandmustprovideopportunity,notsmotherit;fosterproductivity,notstifleit.
Ifwelooktotheanswerastowhy,forsomanyyears,weachievedsomuch,prosperedasnootherpeopleonEarth,itwasbecausehere,inthisland,weunleashedtheenergyandindividualgeniusofmantoagreaterextentthanhaseverbeendonebefore.FreedomandthedignityoftheindividualhavebeenmoreavailableandassuredherethaninanyotherplaceonEarth.Thepriceforthisfreedomattimeshasbeenhigh,butwehaveneverbeenunwillingtopaythatprice.
Itisnocoincidencethatourpresenttroublesparallelandareproportionatetotheinterventionandintrusioninourlivesthatresultfromunnecessaryandexcessivegrowthofgovernment.Itistimeforustorealizethatwearetoogreatanationtolimitourselvestosmalldreams.Wearenot,assomewouldhaveusbelieve,loomedtoaninevitabledecline.Idonotbelieveinafatethatwillallonusnomatterwhatwedo.Idobelieveinafatethatwillfallonusifwedonothing.So,withallthecreativeenergyatourcommand,letusbeginaneraofnationalrenewal.Letusrenewourdetermination,ourcourage,andourstrength.Andletusrenew;ourfaithandourhope.
Wehaveeveryrighttodreamheroicdreams.Thosewhosaythatweareinatimewhentherearenoheroesjustdon'tknowwheretolook.Youcanseeheroeseverydaygoinginandoutoffactorygates.Others,ahandfulinnumber,produceenoughfoodtofeedallofusandthentheworldbeyond.Youmeetheroesacrossacounter--andtheyareonbothsidesofthatcounter.Thereareentrepreneurswithfaithinthemselvesandfaithinanideawhocreatenewjobs,newwealthandopportunity.TheyareindividualsandfamilieswhosetaxessupporttheGovernmentandwhosevoluntarygiftssupportchurch,charity,culture,art,andeducation.Theirpatriotismisquietbutdeep.Theirvaluessustainournationallife.
Ihaveusedthewords"they"and"their"inspeakingoftheseheroes.Icouldsay"you"and"your"becauseIamaddressingtheheroesofwhomIspeak--you,thecitizensofthisblessedland.Yourdreams,yourhopes,yourgoalsaregoingtobethedreams,thehopes,andthegoalsofthisadministration,sohelpmeGod.
Weshallreflectthecompassionthatissomuchapartofyourmakeup.Howcanweloveourcountryandnotloveourcountrymen,andlovingthem,reachoutahandwhentheyfall,healthemwhentheyaresick,andprovideopportunitiestomakethemself-sufficientsotheywillbeequalinfactandnotjustintheory?
Canwesolvetheproblemsconfrontingus?Well,theanswerisanunequivocalandemphatic"yes."ToparaphraseWinstonChurchill,IdidnottaketheoathIhavejusttakenwiththeintentionofpresidingoverthedissolutionoftheworld'sh2esteconomy.
InthedaysaheadIwillproposeremovingtheroadblocksthathaveslowedoureconomyandreducedproductivity.Stepswillbetakenaimedatrestoringthebalancebetweenthevariouslevelsofgovernment.Progressmaybeslow--measuredininchesandfeet,notmiles--butwewillprogress.Isittimetoreawakenthisindustrialgiant,togetgovernmentbackwithinitsmeans,andtolightenourpunitivetaxburden.Andthesewillbeourfirstpriorities,andontheseprinciples,therewillbenocompromise.
OntheeveofourstruggleforindependenceamanwhomighthavebeenoneofthegreatestamongtheFoundingFathers,Dr.JosephWarren,PresidentoftheMassachusettsCongress,saidtohisfellowAmericans,"Ourcountryisindanger,butnottobedespairedof....OnyoudependthefortunesofAmerica.Youaretodecidetheimportantquestionsuponwhichreststhehappinessandthelibertyofmillionsyetunborn.Actworthyofyourselves."
Well,Ibelievewe,theAmericansoftoday,arereadytoactworthyofourselves,readytodowhatmustbedonetoensurehappinessandlibertyforourselves,ourchildrenandourchildren'schildren.
Andaswerenewourselveshereinourownland,wewillbeseenashavinggreaterstrengththroughouttheworld.Wewillagainbetheexemplaroffreedomandabeaconofhopeforthosewhodonotnowhavefreedom.
Tothoseneighborsandallieswhoshareourfreedom,wewillstrengthenourhistorictiesandassurethemofoursupportandfirmcommitment.Wewillmatchloyaltywithloyalty.Wewillstriveformutuallybeneficialrelations.Wewillnotuseourfriendshiptoimposeontheirsovereignty,fororownsovereigntyisnotforsale.
Asfortheenemiesoffreedom,thosewhoarepotentialadversaries,theywillberemindedthatpeaceisthehighestaspirationoftheAmericanpeople.Wewillnegotiateforit,sacrificeforit;wewillnotsurrenderforit--noworever.
Ourforbearanceshouldneverbemisunderstood.Ourreluctanceforconflictshouldnotbemisjudgedasafailureofwill.Whenactionisrequiredtopreserveournationalsecurity,wewillact.Wewillmaintainsufficientstrengthtoprevailifneedbe,knowingthatifwedosowehavethebestchanceofneverhavingtousethatstrength.
Aboveall,wemustrealizethatnoarsenal,ornoweaponinthearsenalsoftheworld,issoformidableasthewillandmoralcourageoffreemenandwomen.Itisaweaponouradversariesintoday'sworlddonothave.ItisaweaponthatweasAmericansdohave.Letthatbeunderstoodbythosewhopracticeterrorismandpreyupontheirneighbors.
Iamtoldthattensofthousandsofprayermeetingsarebeingheldonthisday,andforthatIamdeeplygrateful.WeareanationunderGod,andIbelieveGodintendedforustobefree.Itwouldbefittingandgood,Ithink,ifoneachInaugurationDayinfutureyearsitshouldbedeclaredadayofprayer.
Thisisthefirsttimeinhistorythatthisceremonyhasbeenheld,asyouhavebeentold,onthisWestFrontoftheCapitol.Standinghere,onefacesamagnificentvista,openinguponthiscity'sspecialbeautyandhistory.Attheendofthisopenmallarethoseshrinestothegiantsonwhoseshoulderswestand.
Directlyinfrontofme,themonumenttoamonumentalman:GeorgeWashington,Fatherofourcountry.Amanofhumilitywhocametogreatnessreluctantly.HeledAmericaoutofrevolutionaryvictoryintoinfantnationhood.Offtooneside,thestatelymemorialtoThomasJefferson.TheDeclarationofIndependenceflameswithhiseloquence.
AndthenbeyondtheReflectingPoolthedignifiedcolumnsoftheLincolnMemorial.WhoeverwouldunderstandinhisheartthemeaningofAmericawillfinditinthelifeofAbrahamLincoln.
BeyondthosemonumentstoheroismisthePotomacRiver,andonthefarshoretheslopinghillsofArlingtonNationalCemeterywithitsrowonrowofsimplewhitemarkersbearingcrossesorStarsofDavid.Theyadduptoonlyatinyfractionofthepricethathasbeenpaidforourfreedom.
EachoneofthosemarkersisamonumenttothekindsofheroIspokeofearlier.TheirlivesendedinplacescalledBelleauWood,TheArgonne,OmahaBeach,SalernoandhalfwayaroundtheworldonGuadalcanal,Tarawa,PorkChopHill,theChosinReservoir,andinahundredricepaddiesandjunglesofaplacecalledVietnam.
Underonesuchmarkerliesayoungman--MartinTreptow--wholefthisjobinasmalltownbarbershopin1917togotoFrancewiththefamedRainbowDivision.There,onthewesternfront,hewaskilledtryingtocarryamessagebetweenbattalionsunderheavyartilleryfire.
Wearetoldthatonhisbodywasfoundadiary.Ontheflyleafundertheheading,"MyPledge,"hehadwrittenthesewords:"Americamustwinthiswar.Therefore,Iwillwork,Iwillsave,Iwillsacrifice,Iwillendure,Iwillfightcheerfullyanddomyutmost,asiftheissueofthewholestruggledependedonmealone."
ThecrisiswearefacingtodaydoesnotrequireofusthekindofsacrificethatMartinTreptowandsomanythousandsofotherswerecalledupontomake.Itdoesrequire,however,ourbesteffort,andourwillingnesstobelieveinourselvesandtobelieveinourcapacitytoperformgreatdeeds;tobelievethattogether,withGod'shelp,wecanandwillresolvetheproblemswhichnowconfrontus.
And,afterall,whyshouldn'twebelievethat?WeareAmericans.Godblessyou,andthankyou.