 You have citizens for the Republic are delighted to see this room filled with so many old and close friends. To all of you who are doing so much for our country, I thank you. You have citizens for the Republic are here today because you've chosen to become actively involved in the political life of our nation. I guess you wouldn't be surprised if I said that reminds me of the story. It's a real time call for joy. One thing I'm a little bit scared of doesn't mean I'm told that you are ready. I have to pretend I haven't. Make a laugh. This is supposed to be about an old fellow that owns some pre-bodied land. One day he set it out to clean it up. It was covered with brush and rocks. He cleared the brush and pulled the rocks away. He cultivated it and fertilized it and planted it. He had a garden spot. One day he searched. Sunday he asked the preacher to come out after the service and see what he'd done. The preacher got there and took a look. He said, I've never seen corn so tall. The Lord has blessed this land. He said, I've never seen melons so long. God has been really good. And he went on and on. The little boy was getting pretty fidgety and fondly. He said, Reverend, I wish you could have seen it when the Lord was doing by himself. The industry is people in a vast and beautiful land. But in this democracy it's up to each other to help keep America great. Think back to six years ago, big taxing and spending led to the soaring interest rates and inflation with the American economy in the worst mess it had been in since the Great Depression. And we took office and determined to make a new beginning. And today we've knocked inflation down to about a third of what it was. We're in the midst of what may prove to be the longest economic expansion since the war. The stock market is up, way up, and a higher percentage of our potential workforce have jobs than at any other time in our history. I don't know whether you know or not, I was amazed to find out what is considered the potential workforce of America. It is everybody, male and female, 16 years and up. And the highest percentage of that block of citizens who has ever been employed is employed now. The good news is that with our economic program in place, especially our tax reform, more taxes have become a thing of the past and we can take pride in this. Because it testifies to a fundamental fact about our nation, the ability of the American people to make their own will prevail over that of the special interest and big government. I'm afraid there's some bad news. You see, when it comes to more spending, we still have our work cut out for us. The fact is the federal budget process just plain isn't working. Here in Washington we must get Congress to reform the budget process itself to stop all the delays in the mis-deadlines. We can do this by getting Congress to vote yes or no, up or down on an amendment to the Constitution that will put a stop to the flood of red ink. You know there's a little story that comes to mind here. It seems that back in 1981, one congressman was out talking to one of his constituents and he asked him how he stood on the tax cuts that the president wanted. But the congress went on for some length about the great complexity of the issue and the enormous difficulties of public expenditures and revenues. And the old farmer he was talking to just kind of shifted around and then he said, well, let me ask it this way. Are you for him or again him? Well, today a majority of states have already passed resolutions calling for a constitutional convention to propose a balanced budget amendment to the Constitution. If Congress goes on refusing to take this action, I won't hesitate to take the case for this constitutional amendment directly to the state legislatures. But my friends, isn't it about time that Congress did the right thing and finally enacted the balanced budget amendment? 40, 44 states have this in their state constitutions. Beyond those constitutional reforms, there's the need for immediate political action in short, we must get Congress to agree to a responsible budget deficit reduction package this year and to stay with it. You know, I've heard these cracks, they've been making some of them up on the hill lately that, well, I've never submitted a balanced budget. Well, of course I haven't. There's no way that anyone could pretend with the size of the deficit that we inherited and that goes on every year that you could cut that all at once in one year. That's why Graham Rudman Hollings was passed, to set a pattern of reducing it each year till finally you reached the balanced budget and then make that from then on permanent. We, I've already shown that when Congress passes budget-busting boondogs, the kind that give me heartburn, I, well, let me put it like this, how do I spell relief? V-E-T-O. We've got our work cut out for us in the next 19 months. Turning from Washington to the country at large, we need to extend our support to state and local levels. One fact just about says it all. There are 88 congressional districts where in 1984 George Bush and I received more than 60% of the vote but where the congressional seat is today still held by a Democrat. It's high time for us to start fighting back. Time for us to set priorities and concentrate on just how and where those congressional lines are drawn. Now if Republicans have greater statehouse strength, then we can play a major role in ensuring a fair redistricting process. Now that will take place again as it does every 10 years in 1990 and they have been gerrymandering for over 50 years. They have been in charge of the redistricting. When they redistricted in 1970 and I was Governor of California, I took one look at what they'd done and I said the only district they left to the Republicans was south of the border. So we've only got a couple of years and it's going to be necessary if we're to get back. Just think out of 56 years, the Democrats have had a majority in both houses of the Congress for 46 of those years. One house for six, the six that I had where I had the Senate and now we've lost that again. And in 32 years in that period of Democratic presidents, all of them had Democratic Congresses except for one two-year period when Harry Truman had a Republican Congress. And for the 24 years of Republican presidents, well, other than my six years with the one house, for 16 years of Republican presidents, they all had Democratic Congresses, majorities in both houses except for one two-year period during Ike's term. And we've got to change that. The people want it nationwide, the only person or people in Washington that are elected by all the people of the President and Vice President, then how come by districts we let them divide up the country so that they can send a Congress to keep the presidents from doing what the people wanted them to do? One thing is very clear every day, the number of Republicans in Congress makes an important difference. Well, I've told you about the only Republican president, but let's make a commitment tonight to get the word out and get the vote out. I'm sure you'd agree that future presidents should not have to work with a Congress that doesn't represent the people. The issues are with us. The challenge is getting the word out. Our policies have given the American people economic growth, stable prices, and international peace. Our opponents offer rhetoric. I think we can claim we offer accomplishments. We worked hard for all our accomplishments in 1980 and 1984, and our great nation is now at a crossroads. The presidential elections of 1988 are going to be crucial to the future for our children and for their children. I'm going to do everything I can to help our nominee become the next president. And I hope too that you will work as hard to help elect Republicans in the coming elections when it comes to that presidential election. Let's be reminded of something that back in the 60s served us so well. Let us remind all of our candidates to obey the 11th Commendment and run against the Democrats, not against each other. You know, our political adversaries believe that the gains we've made these past six years were a fluke. I just happen to believe they were the result of a great deal of hard work. Perhaps even more important, a vision. And that's what distinguishes citizens for the Republic. You're one organization that understands both the need to dream great dreams and then the need to work hard at making them come true. So for all that you've done for our nation, and even more, and for all that you're going to do, I thank you. And now I think that in view of my first story that I ought to give the Lord an even break. You heard about the fellow in the flood that was on the roof of his house and a boat came along to take him off and he said, oh no, I've placed my trust in the Lord. He'll take care of me. He stayed right there. Pretty soon the water kept on coming up and a motorboat came by and they tried to take him off and he got the same answer that he'd placed his face in the Lord. A helicopter came over and he wouldn't do that. And he was washed away and drowned. He got to heaven and he was pretty upset. He said, I don't know what I'm doing here and why I'm dead. He said, I placed my faith in the Lord and here I am. And a voice from above said, I sent two boats and a helicopter. Well now, if you don't mind, I'm going to quit this because I have a chance now the only way to say be able to greet each one of you individually and you'll know that I'm saying thank you all the time to all of you for what you've done. So I'll go back there and take my place and you're all going to come by and we're going to greet each other.