A Much Different Inauguration Speech

Morning in America

Thirty-two years ago last month, Ronald Reagan was inaugurated as the fortieth president of the United States. He is remembered for the many admirable qualities he personified, but chief among them, we believe, was his ability to communicate his views on the workings of government, clearly and understandably. Some might disagree with his conclusions, but the American system of government was designed to accommodate differences of opinion. While thirty-two years may seem like old history to some, it is interesting to see how some of his views are fully congruent with some of our contemporary issues.

Reagan took office during tough economic times. While it was spiking inflation rather than a lingering recession,  the effects on the American workforce were equally punishing. Here he speaks of the conditions facing the country in January of 1981:

"Idle industries have cast workers into unemployment, causing human misery and personal indignity. Those who do work are denied a fair return for their labor by a tax system which penalizes successful achievement and keeps us from maintaining full productivity."

And while inflation was the villain of the day, Reagan went on to identify a major underlying problem:
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"But great as our tax burden is, it has not kept pace with public spending. For decades, we have piled deficit upon deficit, mortgaging our future and our children's future for the temporary convenience of the present. To continue this long trend is to guarantee tremendous social, cultural, political, and economic upheavals.

You and I, as individuals, can, by borrowing, live beyond our means, but for only a limited period of time. Why, then, should we think that collectively, as a nation, we are not bound by that same limitation?"

As he continued, he drilled down to identify what he saw as a major underlying cause of the current problems:

"In this present crisis, government is not the solution to our problem.

From time to time, we have been tempted to believe that society has become too complex to be managed by self-rule, that government by an elite group is superior to government for, by, and of the people. But if no one among us is capable of governing himself, then who among us has the capacity to govern someone else? All of us together, in and out of government, must bear the burden. The solutions we seek must be equitable, with no one group singled out to pay a higher price."

Later, he continues to reinforce the links to our Founding principles:
 
"So, as we begin, let us take inventory. We are a nation that has a government--not the other way around. And this makes us special among the nations of the Earth. Our government has no power except that granted it by the people. It is time to check and reverse the growth of government which shows signs of having grown beyond the consent of the governed."
The contrast between this speech and the one we heard at last month's organization could not be greater. Click HERE to read Ronald Reagan's speech in its entirety. It reminds us of the attitudes and principles that could help pave the way of a return to "Morning in America."