 Thank you. Thank you very much. You're probably wondering why I asked you all here. That's an old line. The only line that I had to say more often than that back in those early days in Hollywood was give me the city desk. I got a story that'll crack this town wide open. Seeing all of you here left me with an unaccustomed loss of words. The last staff meeting I attended this large was Pat O'Brien's half-time talk in Canute Rock Me All American. Come to think of it, some of that old Rock Me spirit is just what we need today because ladies and gentlemen, it's half-time and to a great extent the rest of our season depends on how well you and I perform when we leave here in a few minutes. I'll be the first to agree that thanks to the support of the American people and of the people gathered here today, all of you, this fan, in this fancier than usual locker room, we've had a pretty good opening half. We pulled America back from the edge of economic disaster, got our economy growing again in renewed confidence and spirit. Let's not take any of these accomplishments for granted though. I don't think history will. Believe me, sitting in the Oval Office for a few years is a good way to fully realize the enormous momentum towards spending growth, tax increases and higher deficits that were built up over many decades. The fact that we've been able to deal with the juggernaut of big government slowed down significantly in the case of rising taxes has caused for more than just a little satisfaction. Had we permitted this momentum to remain unchecked, not only would we have been without the economic recovery of the last few years, but interest rates and inflation, according to several economic projections, would together have hit incredible levels, levels that would have meant the collapse of our economic strength and even posed a great threat to our nation's social cohesion and political stability. So, yes, we can take some satisfaction that we don't have to deal with now with what might have been. We averted disaster and we brought forth instead a sustained economic expansion. But the task before us is still sizable to consolidate our gains, to get on with the business of ensuring economic growth and prosperity for the rest of this decade, and well beyond that, those are the goals. And that just isn't going to happen until we straighten out the chaos that is our tax code. Our current tax system burdened some of our citizens too heavily, while permitting others to avoid paying their fair share. It makes honest people feel like cheats and lets cheats pose as honest people. It encourages the underground economy, wastes millions of man-hours on needless paperwork and regulations, and it drives money needed for growth and investment. And jobs into unproductive tax shelters. It acts as one of the single biggest obstacles to enterprise in economic expansion. To put it simply, our tax system is unfair, inequitable, counterproductive, and all but incomprehensible. So we're here today for one reason. To carry out the rest of our economic game plan for America. We're determined to stop the trauma of April 15th by ending the nightmare of tangled requirements and complicated rules that every American faces at income tax time. We have it within our power to simplify the tax code, to stimulate growth, to strengthen families, to promote family values, and to keep the American economy expanding. We have it within our power to simplify the tax code and to do it this year. I'll be talking on the air tonight about the details of our plan. But there's one overriding theme to the plan, and one message that I ask you to take out of the locker room here on the second half. You see, sometimes government officials in this city get the idea that reality is too complicated for the folks back home. That you can't really be candid with them about your problems in your game plan. That you have to manipulate them or maneuver around them. Well, the truth, of course, and this was the whole premise our founding fathers built this government on, is that even over the long run, the uncommon wisdom of the common people is far greater than that found in any gathering of Washington officials or politicians. All the people ever want of their elected and appointed leaders is that we go to them directly, give them the unvarnished facts, and rely on them to make the right decision. And this is just what we've been doing for four and a half years, all of us here together. And the story of these years is the story of the American people's overwhelming response to our confidence in them. They've supported us because they detected the ever-present undertone, the basic premise behind all the things we said and did, that we believe with the founding fathers that America's greatness and her economic and social progress come from the people, and not the artful Dodgers who too often bring forth stultifying monsters like our present tax code. So that's our message. We trust the people. We trust their energy, their talent, their creativity. We trust them with the American economy, with our future and our country. And here's our message about this tax program. We want to get government off their backs, out of their pockets, so the people will be free to create and grow and reach undreamed-of heights. We want to liberate the American people, turn them loose, and spark their collective genius for enterprise and innovation. We believe that by ending the maze of government regulations in our tax code, cutting through the thicket of favors to the special interests and lowering tax rates, the American economy can strengthen and expand and run the opposition right off the field. Franklin Roosevelt called America the land of unending challenge. Winston Churchill said of us, the tenacity, the willpower, and self-devotion of her people are endless. Well, I believe that, and I'm sure you believe that. There's a championship game at stake, so let's go team. At this time, it isn't just the gipper we're going to win this one for. We're going to win it for the people who sent us here, who believe in us, just as we believe in them. This fight for tax reform is for them, it's for their future, and for their children's future. So, keep that in mind out there on the Mashed Potato Circuit and from here on out, and we'll get this passed this year. I can't resist having open mentioning Canute Rockney and that era, I don't know if any of you are old enough to remember when he was the great genius of football in this country, but one story that I always treasured, he always seemed to have that knack of saying the thing that made everything go right. And one day, his team was not doing too well, and they were back down inside the five-yard line, and they didn't seem to be able to stop the enemy attack, and they kept looking to the sideline, thinking surely Rock will send in the word of what we're supposed to do, how we can stop this. And sure enough, in came a sub. Well, in those days, you couldn't speak till after one play, but encouraged by his presence and knowing that he had brought a message from Rockney, they held for another down and stopped him short of the goal line, and then called timeout, brought him into the huddle and said, okay, what did Rock say to do? What did he say? And the kid says, Rock says, hold him. And they all looked at each other, and they let out one whoop, and they knew he'd told them that's all they had to do. And they went up and stopped him, took over the ball. So, let's hold him. Thanks, all of you. Thanks for being here. God bless you.