 cares deeply about people and you know she said he expects the best from your American people and I believe your people will give him the best that they have I I believe so too as you already have and that's why I believe that under the inspired leadership of Ronald Reagan all together we can give this nation under God a new burst of freedom and opportunity and prosperity for all ladies and gentlemen a great president of the people because he brings the greatness out of our people the president of the United States of America Ronald Reagan thank you thank you guy vendor Jack and thank all of you for doing what you were just doing long enough for me to swallow the lump in my throat Nancy and I are honored to be here with you distinguished ladies and gentlemen this evening and please forgive me but as I was waiting here and listening to you and listening to the great Ernie Banks I felt a little like the fellow that bats last for the Chicago Cubs now that's alright I'm a lifelong Cubs fan I used to broadcast the Chicago Cubs games and Ernie I was broadcasting that 21 game winning streak which has never been matched in the history of baseball but if I can wait all these years for them to win another pennant you better believe I can wait a few minutes to pay tribute to each of you on this beautiful spring evening of course the real sign of spring is our national pastime nine guys galloping out on the field the Democratic presidential candidates no runs no hits just errors you know the more things change the more they steam the stain every time I see my dear friend Jim Brady it seems that the Cubs have lost another game and that's bad news but every time I see Jim he's looking better and better and that's good news but may I just say something you've made me feel at this dinner anyone who believes the Republican Party has reached its peak is making a big mistake if you maintain the support enthusiasm and commitment you've shown this evening then this grand old party can reach the farthest stars and score a tremendous victory on election night in November 1984 it happens to be a fact that we don't just have good people on our side we have the best people we have a man who only one week after leaving his government post to accept a top job in private industry didn't hesitate a second when asked to organize this dinner as you've been told you know of course I'm talking about Drew Lewis and what a great job he always does and can anyone here imagine two more dedicated talented and determined leaders for our congressional and senatorial committees than Guy Vanderecek and Dick Lugar and let me repeat what I could never say often enough when I needed someone of unquestionable leadership loyalty and skill there's only one person I could or would choose again and that's my partner and your vice president George Bush I believe we have an important message with the support of the people we come to the rescue of a nation whose house was on fire we put out the flames and brick by brick we're rebuilding a foundation of strength safety and security for America we've made our share of mistakes we'll have many problems to stow but you gave us the courage to take action when those before us had refused again and again and again Teddy Roosevelt said far better it is to dare mighty things even though checkered by failure than to take rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy much nor suffer much because they live in the great twilight that knows not victory or defeat our opponents oppose our budget savings they oppose our tax cuts and they complain that all their special interests have been treated unfairly will let them deny and oppose and complain because we can remind the people those who saddled this nation with double digit inflation 21 and a half percent interest rates the highest in more than a hundred years and the worst tax burden in our peacetime history they're the last people who should be giving sermons about fairness and compassion if inflation had continued at the twelve point four percent rate of their last year in office a family of four on a fixed income of twenty thousand dollars would be seventeen hundred dollars poorer in purchasing power today if their tax increases had stayed on the books and our tax cuts had not been passed a median income family of four would be paying seven hundred dollars more in federal income taxes this year now that doesn't sound like fairness to me and it sure isn't compassion I said we still have a long way to go but take a look at how far we've come in this short time by sticking together inflation has been cut by two thirds the prime rate has been cut in half personal tax rates have been cut for the first time in two decades estate taxes on family farms and businesses been cut sharply real wages are improving for the first time since nineteen seventy eight the rate of personal saving and productivity have reversed their declines venture capital investments have reached record levels the stock market has awakened from a decade of disappointment and surged into new record ground sunrise industries are springing up like jackrabbits production in autos housing and steel is gaining strength and more workers are being called back each month and you ain't heard nothing yet isn't it time for republicans to stand shoulder to shoulder and tell our critics if you weren't won't work with us if you can't cooperate and help to keep america moving forward then stand aside get out of the way and let us get on with it you know I get kitted about this but I keep wondering now that our program is doing what we said it would how come our critics don't call it a reaganomics anymore that was their name for our program when they were sure it wouldn't work to tell you the truth I never liked it in my mind it's always been the people's program and now that it seems to be working our opponents want to change it well let there be no confusion on one point I will veto any attempt to tamper with or take away the third year of the people's income tax cut or indexing the other day I was handed two letters one from the house of representatives and one from the senate and each of those letters was signed by enough good republican members of the house and of the senate to guarantee upholding a veto that I would put on any attempt to tamper with those tax reductions indexing is an historic reform it protects low and middle income families from being pushed by inflation into higher income tax rates or brackets indexing is the very essence of fairness and compassion 78% of the benefits go to low and middle income earners so we have a right to ask the democrats and we should ask them why are you falling all over each other to push working families and small business people into tax brackets once reserved for millionaires we don't need new tax increases we need to control spending this is incidentally of the third income tax cut that comes due on July 1st 72% of that will go to the low and middle income earners in our country and yet today I saw where there was a poll in which the our opponents are hailing this poll that says that tax cuts only going to benefit the rich this is small business week and we should remember that small businesses on the cutting edge of innovation and job creation in America of the 2.7 million new jobs added in 1980 and 81 some 60% were in firms of less than 500 employees 85% of all us firms pay their taxes by personal rates not by the corporate rate so let us spell out what this means in terms of jobs the democratic plan to eliminate the third year of the tax cut of the indexing provision amounts to an enormous tax increase on the most important employers of America the small business community the democratic tax increases are not a jobs creation program their tax increases are a jobs elimination program and America doesn't need any more progress of that kind increasingly we see evidence that the ideas and vision of our party which we brought to Washington are shared by the great majority of our citizens during the years when federal spending on education grew and grew in the government elbow decide the traditional role of parents we saw the SAT scores steadily decline we said the answer was not Washington knows best but a return to the basics more competition more emphasis on high standards quality instruction student discipline and a restoration of parental involvement and local control now after 18 months of preparation a blue ribbon commission on excellence in education has issued a report that says exactly what we'd been saying let me interject here to say there's one area where the federal government is clearly neglected its responsibility and that is in national defense the debate on defense is about more than dollars and deficits and rooting out waste as important as they are the central issue is about protecting human lives and preserving freedom and democracy because they're the source of all our other blessings I believe what occurred in the last decade when the Soviets raced ahead militarily and we stood still was dreadfully wrong I believe it is not just immoral but unforgivable to ask the sons and daughters of America to protect this country with aging equipment and bargain basement weapons we can only keep our family safe on our country at peace when the enemies of democracy know that America has the courage to stay strong and we intend to see that they know that a senator from Massachusetts his name escapes me for the moment criticizes our administration for being as he puts it too concerned with preparing for war but what George Washington warned in 1790 holds true today being prepared for war is one of the best ways of preserving the peace and peace through strength is our goal senior officials from three previous administrations and leading republicans and democrats across the country have joined our call to build and deploy the MX peacekeeper and the small single warhead missile has been nicknamed midget man but not so we can fight a war they want to build and deploy those missiles so America can secure deep arms reductions and preserve the peace and just before coming over here the phone rang tonight and I learned that out of the senate appropriations committee came the money for the MX missile by a 17 to 11 vote during the past decade the USS are improved developed or deployed almost a dozen new strategic systems while the United States virtually stood still the Soviets will have no incentive to negotiate arms reductions if we unilaterally disarm for the sake of America and all we hold dear I'm asking all responsible democrats and republicans to join together now to endorse the snowcroft commissions recommendations for the peacekeeper the small single warhead missile and the renewed efforts toward arms reduction we're doing everything we can to ensure the United States will be safer stronger and more secure today both economically and militarily than before and let us remain united and true to our vision of progress a vision that begins with your families churches schools and neighborhoods we don't ask the people to trust us we say trust yourselves trust your values and working together we'll make America great again some of our opponents are only comfortable trusting government their solutions would bring us back full circle to the source of our economic problems with the government deciding that it knows better than you what should be done with your earnings and how you should live your life our road is bold and filled with hope and opportunity their road is timid and relies on fear and envy so we have a great message for the people and with the all-out support that I know you'll continue to give we'll get that message across and republicans will celebrate a magnificent victory in 1984 God bless all of you thank you