 greater pride than I can have as your governor of the state of New Jersey than to welcome the president of the United States right here to Flamington and to to introduce to introduce the president what I would I'd like to introduce somebody as they say and it's very meaningful in this case who needs no introduction you know we're we're proud anybody we're prouder of in the United States Congress and the person I'd like to introduce now to introduce the president of the United States Congresswoman I think soon to be senator Millison Fenwick thank you thank you guests and dear friends yes very dear to all of us the president the president of our beloved you all know that perhaps the president and I are not always in perfect accord when is one ever in perfect accord but I tell you one thing we are in accord the president and I we knew that this country needed a new change of direction and I think there's something more from the star of the chart and the statistical diagram but from the heart Italy wonderful citizens who have done so much and been so hard-working and accomplished so much here and I'd like to tell you a very short little story a lingua quanta questa picola storia me dice el vecchio signore guardi guardi quanto ebello tutto queso Reagan Millison thank you very much our governor your representatives in Congress and Millison Fenwick and this group here on the platform and you ladies and gentlemen I can't match Millison with regard to the language I'll have to stick with my own as a matter of fact I had a little adventure once of that kind I was invited once before while I was still governor of California to represent our president then in Mexico and I got up and made a speech and I knew that I wasn't getting much applause and matter of fact I sat down to very little applause and I was a little embarrassed so when the next fella got up and started speaking to the audience in Spanish and they were applauding that while I'd beat him to it every time I was so embarrassed I applauded longer and louder than anybody till our ambassador leaned over and said to me I wouldn't do that if I were you he's interpreting your speech but I can't tell you how happy I am to be here at the San Gennaro festival it's great to get out of the White House and have some fun once in a while you know I once attended a an Italian American festival where everyone was having a joyous time there was such life and vitality and all kinds of delicious foods just like here and I said to the next and the man next to me I said if anyone felt lonely this is the place to be and that's true he said no one can be lonely while eating spaghetti he said it takes so much attention so when I think of Italian families I never think of loneliness but of warm kitchens and even warmer love I heard a story the other day about a family that lived in a little apartment but decided to move to a big house in the country and a friend said to the 12 year old son Tony how do you like your new house and he said we love it I have my own room my brother has his own room my sisters have their own rooms but poor mom she's still in with dad but the thing I like about Italian American families is that no matter how many rooms they have they're still together the family bond is strong and loving during the during the last campaign I spoke frequently of the crucial values of family and work neighborhood religion and personal freedom and some critics claim that I was an attempt on my part to appeal to various ethnic and religious voting blocks well in a way they were right I happened though to believe in the values that so many of this nation's ethnic groups hold dear I believe in the family I believe in the faith that binds families together I believe in tradition and I don't mind sharing those beliefs one bit perhaps perhaps some of you will remember that just a few years ago those basic values were being forgotten at the highest levels of our government the machinery of government even at times actively opposed them government intrusion into the life of the family and the community had reached unparalleled heights and I don't think that government can exactly become a substitute for parents when it comes to raising a family by the time we came to Washington federal spending had tripled in the last 10 years federal taxes doubled in only the last five years but somehow all that taxing and spending and regulating wasn't making our values any stronger or our people any better off well with the help of New Jersey leaders like Millis and Fenwick representative Rackama congressman Jim quarter senator Brady governor Cain and others we've tried to turn a few things around the growth in federal spending has been cut nearly in half we brought down inflation the deadliest tax of all it was 12.4 percent a great many people aren't aware that today and since January it's only been five point four percent prime interest rates were 21 and a half percent 1980 they're down to 13 and a half and we want to bring them down even further because that's still too high leading economic indicators which forecast future economic activity have been up from months in a row four months in a row now these statistics are cold comfort I know to someone who's still out of work and every night when I turn in I don't think anything is on my mind more than the people who want jobs and can't find them unfortunately unemployment is just about the last indicator that perks up after a recession and this is the eighth recession we've had since World War two well let me tell you we're going to knock that unemployment rate down just like we're knocking down interest rates and inflation and in the meantime unemployment benefits for those whose payments would otherwise have run out have been extended and right now I'm going to make a little announcement here that might come as a surprise to our representatives and to our future senator in New Jersey I'm spite of all of our cutting there are things that government has to do and should do I'm pleased to announce that the Department of Housing and Urban Development has advised me that they've agreed to approve section 8 funding for 125 units of elderly housing at Park Place in Ewing New Jersey but now and if you don't elect her senator we'll take it away but another another threat to the family is crime many of you've written to me how afraid you are anymore to walk the streets at night many older citizens are frightened to go out even during the daytime it's time to get the hardened criminal off the street and into jail and right now before the Congress is an omnibus anti crime package now in case maybe some of the younger people here don't know what omnibus means that means it's big and it means that we're serious about fighting crime it means we're going to give the victims the break instead of the criminals now I know you'd rather get back to eating so I won't go through our entire legislative program but what art what our administration is trying to do with all our legislation is protect the American family because it's the backbone of the nation what government must always keep in mind as it legislates and administers is the sanctity of the family our basic social unit if it is not sound then our society isn't sound and the world at times may seem cold and dark but the family is the light in the window it guides us and offers warmth family faith and freedom of the cornerstones of American life this festival today is a celebration of those very ideals and a celebration of America's beliefs so I thank you for allowing me to be a part of it I know that you're going to return these representatives to the House of Representatives I know that you're going to send Millis and Fenwick there to be your senator and again I say thank you and God bless you