Jimmy Carter

“ We properly honor these men and women on Memorial Day—as we honor those who fought and lived, to continue the struggle for peace, freedom, justice, and human rights.
Those of us who survived the battle, or who never had to bear it, must work to assure that no American will ever be asked to offer up his or her life in war unless the survival of our Nation or of democracy itself is at stake.
Let us remember on Memorial Day those who have lived and died in pursuit of a just peace. Let us pray that, like them, we will leave behind us a stronger Nation and a better world. ”

“ Our Nation must be fair to the poorest among us, so we will increase aid to needy Americans to cope with rising energy prices. We often think of conservation only in terms of sacrifice. In fact, it is the most painless and immediate way of rebuilding our Nation's strength. Every gallon of oil each one of us saves is a new form of production. It gives us more freedom, more confidence, that much more control over our own lives.
So, the solution of our energy crisis can also help us to conquer the crisis of the spirit in our country. ”

“ We must never accept a permanent group of unemployed Americans, with no hope and no stake in building our society. For those left out of the economy because of discrimination, a lack of skills, or poverty, we must maintain high levels of training, and we must continue to provide jobs.
A responsible budget is not our only weapon to control inflation. We must act now to protect all Americans from health care costs that are rising $1 million per hour, 24 hours a day, doubling every 5 years. We must take control of the largest contributor to that inflation—skyrocketing hospital costs. ”

“ The choice, the choice between the two futures, could not be more clear. If we succumb to a dream world then we'll wake up to a nightmare. But if we start with reality and fight to make our dreams a reality, then Americans will have a good life, a life of meaning and purpose in a nation that's strong and secure.
Above all, I want us to be what the Founders of our Nation meant us to become—the land of freedom, the land of peace, and the land of hope. ”

“ We are a nation of families. This country was settled and built by families of all kinds. A source of strength in our past, families are America's hope for the future. All families are important, but the extended family, the foster family and the adoptive family play a special role by relieving the isolation of those who lack the comfort of a loving nuclear family.
Families are the most universal and enduring element in human existence. A family is a reservoir of shared experiences, shared joys and sorrows and, most of all, shared love that spans generations and distances. ”

“ They have given us a gift too valuable ever to repay, save by preserving that peace, that liberty, that America.
We have seen how easily the hopes of peace are dashed. Yet we must keep faith with those who have gone before, with those throughout the world who share our dream, and with the generations yet unborn whose very existence may depend upon the success of our efforts.
We earnestly pray that all the people of the world will join us in our struggle, so that one day all the earth may share the blessings of liberty, justice and peace. ”

“ Yearly, in gratitude, we celebrate this incomparable achievement of Christopher Columbus. We honor too the courage, self-sacrifice, and perseverance that propelled him on that voyage.
These qualities can fairly be held as a standard for the people of the United States of America. When they have been foremost in our spirit, they have produced the finest moments in the history of our Republic. Let us continue to hold them fast so that we may always be open to new wisdom, but courageous and persevering in defense of the ideas we hold dear. ”

“ At home, we are recognizing ever more clearly that government alone cannot solve these problems. And abroad, few of them can be solved by the United States alone. But Americans as a united people, working with our allies and friends, have never been afraid to face problems and to solve problems, either here or abroad.
The challenge to us is to build a new and firmer foundation for the future--for a sound economy, for a more effective government, for more political trust, and for a stable peace--so that the America our children inherit will be even stronger and even better than it is today. ”