 the President of the United States. Thank you very much. Thank you. Thank you very much. Thank you. Thank you all very much. Chairman Ted Welch Senator Baker and Dr. Kissinger ladies and gentlemen and Henry I came here with some lessons that I brought with me that I had learned in a previous life out on the west coast don't get involved in scenes with kids or dogs and tonight I've learned another one don't get on the program following Henry Kissinger but we're here to recognize those senators who stood with us for three years and who are now running for reelection and we are here also to salute their leader and ours in the United States Senate a man who means much to all of us both professionally and personally. One of the first things I learned when I got my current job was just about how serious Howard Baker really is about photography. He's one of the few members of the Congress who would rather take your picture than twist your arm. Well there's a story and I understand it's true it's about a newspaper photographer out in Los Angeles told me of Howard he was called in by his editor and told of a fire that was raging in Palos Verdes that's a hilly area in the southern part of Los Angeles County and the photographer's assignment was to rush down to a small local airport board a waiting plane go out and get some pictures of the fire and be back in time for the afternoon edition while he raced down the freeway broke all the traffic laws got to the airport, drove his car to the end of the runway ready to go, he jumped in the plane shouting let's go and they were off at about 5,000 feet he began getting his camera out of the bag told the fellow flying the plane to get him over the fire so he could get his pictures and get back to the paper and from the other side of the cockpit there was a deafening silence and then he heard those words he will always remember aren't you the instructor well since 1966 Howard has been making the picture as well as taking the picture Howard I'd say you'll be missed but if you make yourself scarce we're going to come looking for you when you can count on that it is more than fitting that a dinner like this which is beefing up the Republican majority fund would salute Senator Baker under his leadership the Republicans of the United States Senate served faithfully as the loyal opposition and for the last three years and for the first time in half a century Republicans have maintained a majority in the upper house for two consecutive sessions the first and only time in 50 years Howard may not remember this but he did me a tremendous service several years back it was just before the 1976 election and I ran into Howard and Joy he had a new camera and I was inspecting it and I asked him what was really the camera he wanted and I always remember his answer he said we bought it we paid for it and we intend to keep it seriously though with with Howard's guidance we've proven to the American people that there is a difference in the two political parties and that have given the chance we can make a sometimes frustrating democratic process work for the betterment of our people during the election of 1980 we Republicans stated our case and outlined our program and we did not as some now suggest just run against my predecessor the opposition with few exceptions had control of both houses of the congress almost continually for 50 years in those 50 years we have held both houses of the congress for four of the 50 and one house the senate for these last almost three years and for long stretches our opponents held not only the congress of the united states but the white house as well and all the departments and agencies and now as much as they would like to blame the near crisis we inherited on my immediate predecessor we know that's not true it was not one individual that had those enormous problems America faced in 1980 it was decades of their liberal policies their policies with good intentions but unworkable solutions in January of 81 we set out to do what we propose to do together we have fundamentally changed the direction of American government we can be proud of what we've accomplished and when I say we I mean a Republican we let them clearly state the alternative then let them explain how this blueprint would differ from the many years when their party dominated the federal government and left us with near disaster what has been achieved in the last three years has been the result of a team effort we can be particularly proud of the 1981 tax and spending cut packages the most significant economic legislation in memory without Republican control of the Senate and without the kind of leadership Howard has been providing that recovery package would still be bottled up in committee it takes time for any program to take hold the opposition was declaring that our program was a failure the morning after it passed and did everything to pull a rug out from under our reforms before they had a chance to work well ladies and gentlemen we know whether the storm it is clear now even to our critics that after years of stagnation and inflation our economy thanks to the basic changes we've made is beginning to move again we're witnessing the first phase of lasting economic growth we must work together to keep what Howard has called that inflation beast locked in its cage and the most important question we must ask in next year's election is do we continue the responsible policies giving our economy new vitality and giving our people hope or do we go back to the failed ideas of tax spend and inflate that brought us stagnation and despair each and every senate race will be crucial and the Republican majority fund we contribute to this evening will give us a fighting chance to protect the gains we've made but the special interests groups that profited from big government from high taxes and high inflation will be out in force for me I'm confident when we got here inflation had been running at double digits for two years the prime interest rate had soared to its highest level 21.5% in more than 100 years taxes had doubled in just the five years between 1976 and 1981 siphoning off resources needed for savings job creating business investment growth and economic development our system is based on faith in the people and I have faith that they will not vote to return to the failed policies of the past our biggest job is to remind them what things were like how we turned that desperate situation around and just as important the crucial difference between our efforts and vision for the future and theirs we offer solid progress and real hope not fear envy and failure we will not be on the defensive as we move into the 1980 elections or 84 elections on the contrary republicans will be on the offensive we're the party that lowered tax rates reduced inflation and put the American economy back on the path to real growth and something else we're not going to let the people forget three years ago our allies and adversaries alike were counting America out it was being said that our best days were behind us morale in our armed forces was at a low ebb and the weapons and equipment they had to use were wearing out we had planes that couldn't fly and ships that couldn't sail well we've turned that situation around too including the Vietnam syndrome that had broken the will of the American people and today we've established ourselves as a reliable ally and we're rebuilding our defensive capabilities the number of combat ready units has gone up by a third since 1980 and that means they've improved their chances of never having to be in combat our navy's fleets have risen from 480 ships to 510 when we have today and it's on the way to 600 and military officers tell me that morale in our services has never been higher we've strengthened America's capabilities and we've strengthened America's resolve to meet our responsibilities in the world the likelihood of peace is not enhanced by weakness or gestures of goodwill to tyrants peace and the preservation of our freedom is not more likely if we put our head in the sand and run away from our responsibilities the peace of the world and the freedom of the United States instead depend on hard work, courage and strength now this is not just my philosophy this is republican philosophy and it's a philosophy that the voters of the United States will back up when they're given the chance Howard has told us that one of the reasons he's taking a sabbatical from government he needs time to get reacquainted with the people of the United States well I think he's going to find out they're the same people they always were the kind of people who took a vast wilderness and turned it into this blessed land of liberty and abundance they had courage faith in God and a willingness to roll up their sleeves and get on with a job at hand John Foster Dulles once said if only we're faithful to our past we shall not have to fear for our future well that's our challenge and I'm certain that like those before us we'll do the job that has to be done what we need to look forward to and dream of is after 50 years with only a brief interlude with us there able to really make the policy that fits our republican philosophy what it can be and what can happen for the world and this nation if we can one day in the very near future have not just one house but have the congress and the executive branch and the bureaus and agencies and departments carrying out the philosophy that you and I have believed in for so long that is Howard's dream and Howard wherever you are keep on trying to make your dream come true thank you all for being here tonight and God bless you all thank you thank you Mr. President the president must take his leave now and we ask you to remain seated until he has departed thank you all for coming and good night