But we know that many of our fellow countrymen are still out of work, wondering what will come of their hopes and dreams.  Can we love America and not reach out to tell them:  You are not forgotten; we will not rest until each of you can reach as high as your God-given talents will take you.

The heart of America is strong; it’s good and true.  The cynics were wrong; America never was a sick society.  We’re seeing rededication to bedrock values of faith, family, work, neighborhood, peace, and freedom—­values that help bring us together as one people, from the youngest child to the most senior citizen.

The Congress deserves America’s thanks for helping us restore pride and credibility to our military.  And I hope that you’re as proud as I am of the young men and women in uniform who have volunteered to man the ramparts in defense of freedom and whose dedication, valor, and skill increases so much our chance of living in a world at peace.

People everywhere hunger for peace and a better life.  The tide of the future is a freedom tide, and our struggle for democracy cannot and will not be denied.  This nation champions peace that enshrines liberty, democratic rights, and dignity for every individual.  America’s new strength, confidence, and purpose are carrying hope and opportunity far from our shores.  A world economic recovery is underway.  It began here.

We’ve journeyed far, but we have much farther to go.  Franklin Roosevelt told us 50 years ago this month:  “Civilization can not go back; civilization must not stand still.  We have undertaken new methods.  It is our task to perfect, to improve, to alter when necessary, but in all cases to go forward.”

It’s time to move forward again, time for America to take freedom’s next step.  Let us unite tonight behind four great goals to keep America free, secure, and at peace in the eighties together.

We can ensure steady economic growth.  We can develop America’s next frontier.  We can strengthen our traditional values.  And we can build a meaningful peace to protect our loved ones and this shining star of faith that has guided millions from tyranny to the safe harbor of freedom, progress, and hope.

Doing these things will open wider the gates of opportunity, provide greater security for all, with no barriers of bigotry or discrimination.

The key to a dynamic decade is vigorous economic growth, our first great goal.  We might well begin with common sense in Federal budgeting:  government spending no more than government takes in.

We must bring Federal deficits down.  But how we do that makes all the difference.

We can begin by limiting the size and scope of government.  Under the leadership of Vice President Bush, we have reduced the growth of Federal regulations by more than 25 percent and cut well over 300 million hours of government-required paperwork each year.  This will save the public more than $150 billion over the next 10 years.