Bill Clinton

“ Our democracy must be not only the envy of the world but the engine of our own renewal. There is nothing wrong with America that cannot be cured by what is right with America.
And so today, we pledge an end to the era of deadlock and drift; a new season of American renewal has begun. To renew America, we must be bold. We must do what no generation has had to do before. We must invest more in our own people, in their jobs, in their future, and at the same time cut our massive debt. And we must do so in a world in which we must compete for every opportunity. ”

“ My fellow citizens, today we celebrate the mystery of American renewal. This ceremony is held in the depth of winter, but by the words we speak and the faces we show the world, we force the spring. A spring reborn in the world's oldest democracy, that brings forth the vision and courage to reinvent America. When our founders boldly declared America's independence to the world, and our purposes to the Almighty, they knew that America, to endure, would have to change. Not change for change sake, but change to preserve America's ideals: life, liberty, the pursuit of happiness. ”

“ Governments do not raise children, people do. And the parents must take responsibility for the children they bring into this world.
I want to work with you, with all of you, to pass welfare reform. But our goal must be to liberate people and lift them up from dependence to independence, from welfare to work, from mere childbearing to responsible parenting. Our goal should not be to punish them because they happen to be poor.
We should, we should require work and mutual responsibility. But we shouldn't cut people off just because they're poor, they're young, or even because they're unmarried. ”

“ Martin Luther King, Jr., whose life and vision we honor today, recognized that the destiny of each American is bound to the destiny of all Americans; that if we are to go forward, we must go forward together. So, let us pledge today to continue our national journey together. Let us reaffirm our commitment to our shared values of family and faith, work and opportunity. And let us resolve to work together, one Nation under God, to build a bridge of hope and renewal to a new American century. ”

“ Let us overcome their despair and replace it with hope. Let us, by our example, teach them to obey the law, respect our neighbors, and cherish our values. Let us weave these sturdy threads into a new American community that once more stand strong against the forces of despair and evil because everybody has a chance to walk into a better tomorrow.
Oh, there will be naysayers who fear that we won't be equal to the challenges of this time, but they misread our history, our heritage, even today's headlines. All those things tell us we can and we will overcome any challenge. ”

“ This year, we recognize another milestone on the road to women's equality: the 35th anniversary of the enactment of the Equal Pay Act, which for the first time in our Nation's history guaranteed equal pay to women who perform the same jobs as men. Only a generation ago, a woman could legally be paid less for her time and talent solely because of her gender. Today, we realize that the denial of equal pay not only unfairly limits a woman's ability to provide for her family's economic security, but also diminishes her dignity by belittling the value of her labor. ”

“ Mother's Day reminds all of us to honor our mothers and to show them our love and appreciation-on this day and throughout the year. Whether we embrace our mothers in person or hold fast to a loving memory, the strength of their spirit and the blessing of their compassion stay with us for a lifetime.
Americans' vitality as a people flows from the health of our families. The heart and soul of our national life, mothers rise each day to take on myriad tasks, from driving a carpool to directing a city council. They are an anchor to generations past and a bridge to the world of the future. ”

“ The threats we face today as Americans respect no Nation's borders. Think of them: terrorism, the spread of weapons of mass destruction, organized crime, drug trafficking, ethnic and religious hatred, aggression by rogue states, environmental degradation. If we fail to address these threats today, we will suffer the consequences in all our tomorrows.
Of course, we can't be everywhere. Of course, we can't do everything. But where our interests and our values are at stake, and where we can make a difference, America must lead. We must not be isolationist. We must not be the world's policeman. ”

“ If we work hard and if we work together, if we rededicate ourselves to creating jobs, to rewarding work, to strengthening our families, to reinventing our Government, we can lift our country's fortunes again.
Tonight I ask everyone in this Chamber and every American to look simply into your heart, to spark your own hopes, to fire your own imagination. There is so much good, so much possibility, so much excitement in this country now that if we act boldly and honestly, as leaders should, our legacy will be one of prosperity and progress. ”

“ And just as we must transform our unemployment system, so must we also revolutionize our welfare system. It doesn't work. It defies our values as a Nation. If we value work, we can't justify a system that makes welfare more attractive than work if people are worried about losing their health care. If we value responsibility, we can't ignore the $34 billion in child support absent parents ought to be paying to millions of parents who are taking care of their children. If we value strong families, we can't perpetuate a system that actually penalizes those who stay together. ”

“ The Constitution provides a framework of both constancy and flexibility in a Nation that is forever striving to change for the better. But the Constitution is more than simply the blueprint of our system of government, more too than the guardian of our most sacred rights. It is a challenge to every American. For it is only through the daily actions of each one of us that the ideals it promises are fulfilled.
The Founders of our Nation pledged their lives, their fortunes, and their honor. They did not take their liberty or their new citizenship as Americans for granted. ”

“ As we approach a new century, we can be proud that our remarkable, dynamic Constitution, while reflecting the mores and culture of its time, continues to express America's profound commitment to human dignity.
We celebrate the Constitution as a model for other nations around the world, as the purest expression of American law, and as the ultimate authority for our statutes, judicial decisions, and Executive actions. But its power also depends on an informed, involved citizenry. Each of us must take personal responsibility for our actions and respect the rights of others. ”

“ The role of father is a unique blessing and a profound responsibility, one at the very heart of our Nation's families and communities. When we are young, our father's nurturing brings us comfort and security. As we grow, our dads are our teachers and coaches—whether we are learning to read or to play a sport—and they instill in us cherished values of honor, courage, hard work, and respect for others. Later, as adults, we look to our fathers for advice and friendship. On all the paths of life, our fathers encourage us when we hesitate, support us when we falter, and cheer us when we succeed. ”

“ Since 1928, America's Gold Star Mothers have worked together to serve their communities and our Nation. They bring comfort and hope to disabled veterans and their families, to keep alive the memory of all Americans who have paid the ultimate price for our freedom, and to promote harmony among all the peoples of the world. Their quest for peace is especially poignant because they know better than most the cruel costs of war. Every Gold Star Mother has faced the inevitable and unyielding truth that the proud son or daughter who marched off to battle will never come home to her loving arms. ”

“ He did not live and die to create a world in which people kill each other with reckless abandon. He did not live and die to see families destroyed, to see communities abandoned, and to see hope disappear. If we are to be faithful to Dr. King's vision, we must each seize responsibility for realizing the goals he worked so tirelessly to fulfill. Dr. King's valiant struggle for true equality will be won, not by the fleeting passion of eloquent words, but by the quiet persistence of individual acts of decency, justice, and human kindness. ”

“ I challenge a new generation of young Americans to a season of service; to act on your idealism by helping troubled children, keeping company with those in need, reconnecting our torn communities. There is so much to be done; enough indeed for millions of others who are still young in spirit to give of themselves in service, too.
In serving, we recognize a simple but powerful truth: we need each other. And we must care for one another. Today, we do more than celebrate America: we rededicate ourselves to the very idea of America. ”

“ Prayer has always been an integral part of American life. In every city, town, and rural community across our country, people of every religious denomination gather to worship according to their faith. In churches, synagogues, temples, and mosques, Americans come together to pray. We pray for the health and happiness of loved ones; for inner peace and peace among nations; and for the wisdom and courage to face the challenges of the new millennium. And always we raise our voices and hearts in prayers of thanksgiving for the blessing of freedom. ”

“ Thirty-four years ago, the man whose life we celebrate today spoke to us down there, at the other end of this Mall, in words that moved the conscience of a nation. Like a prophet of old, he told of his dream that one day America would rise up and treat all its citizens as equals before the law and in the heart. Martin Luther King's dream was the American Dream. His quest is our quest: the ceaseless striving to live out our true creed. Our history has been built on such dreams and labors. And by our dreams and labors we will redeem the promise of America in the 21st century. ”

“ Throughout our Nation's history, the men and women of America's Armed Forces have preserved our freedom, protected our security, and upheld our democratic values. From the battles of the American Revolution through the crucible of two world wars to the challenging peacekeeping and humanitarian missions of today's post-Cold War era, our men and women in uniform have stood proudly in defense of the United States and in the cause of liberty. In the two centuries since our Nation's birth, more than a million have paid the price of that liberty with their lives. ”

“ What we have to do in our day and generation to make sure that America becomes truly one nation — what do we have to do? We're becoming more and more diverse. Do you believe we can become one nation?
The answer cannot be to dwell in our differences, but to build on our shared values. We all cherish family and faith, freedom and responsibility. We all want our children to grow up in a world where their talents are matched by their opportunities. ”

“ The 20th century has witnessed a great wave of migration of men and women to our Nation from all parts of the globe, attracted by the freedom, justice, and rule of law guaranteed by our Constitution. As they assume the responsibilities of American citizenship, they infuse our political process with fresh perspectives and enthusiasm and prove to the world that a diverse people can live in peace and progress. Today we are a Nation with new hopes, new dreams, and new people, but we are united by a devotion to the same democratic ideals that have guided us for over 200 years. ”

“ With full hearts, we bask in the warmth of family and community gatherings, and we reflect on the challenge, responsibility, and privilege that are ours as citizens of these United States.
It is our great fortune to live in a country of abundance and promise-a land of freedom for all. Still only a few generations removed from our Nation's founders, we continue to blaze a trail toward stability and justice. Aspiring to lift ourselves closer to God's grace, we remain determined to ease the pain of the many people who know only poverty and despair. ”

“ There have always been things we could do together--dreams we could make real--which we could never have done on our own. We Americans have forged our identity, our very union, from every point of view and every point on the planet, every different opinion. But we must be bound together by a faith more powerful than any doctrine that divides us--by our belief in progress, our love of liberty, and our relentless search for common ground.
America has always sought and always risen to every challenge. ”

“ On January 15, 1929, Martin Luther King, Jr., was born, destined to make our world a greater and more noble one. Growing up in a landscape disfigured with "Colored Only" and "White Only" signs and a society rife with other demeaning racial barriers and distinctions, Martin Luther King, Jr., sadly learned that the Constitution's guarantee of equality was denied to most black Americans. He dedicated his life to ending the injustice of racism, gracing the world with his vision of a land guided by love instead of hatred and by acceptance instead of intolerance. ”

“ And in this land of new promise, we will have reformed our politics so that the voice of the people will always speak louder than the din of narrow interests, regaining the participation and deserving the trust of all Americans.
Fellow citizens, let us build that America, a nation ever moving forward toward realizing the full potential of all its citizens. Prosperity and power, yes, they are important, and we must maintain them. But let us never forget: The greatest progress we have made, and the greatest progress we have yet to make, is in the human heart. ”

“ Though we march to the music of our time, our mission is timeless. Each generation of Americans must define what it means to be an American.
On behalf of our nation, I salute my predecessor, President Bush, for his half-century of service to America. And I thank the millions of men and women whose steadfastness and sacrifice triumphed over Depression, Fascism and Communism.
Today, a generation raised in the shadows of the Cold War assumes new responsibilities in a world warmed by the sunshine of freedom but threatened still by ancient hatreds and new plagues. ”

“ My fellow Americans, I stand before you tonight to report that the state of our union is strong. Now, America is working again. The promise of our future is limitless. But we cannot realize that promise if we allow the hum of our prosperity to lull us into complacency. How we fare as a nation far into the 21st century depends upon what we do as a nation today.
So, with our budget surplus growing, our economy expanding, our confidence rising, now is the moment for this generation to meet our historic responsibility to the 21st century. ”