Remarks at the Farm Progress Show in Alleman, Iowa

Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents, Sept 6, 2004

And one of the ways to do that is to promote an ownership society in America. In changing times, if you own something, it provides stability. For example, in changing times, if you own and control your own health care account, you can take it from job to job. In changing times, it's helpful for younger workers to be able to take some of their own money and have a personal savings account in Social Security that they can call their own. In changing times--by the way, for baby boomers and older, we're in good shape in Social Security. Nothing is going to change because it's solvent for us. It's the younger workers we need to worry about.

In changing times, we want more people owning their own business, owning their own farm, owning a piece of the future of America. In changing times, we want more people owning their own home. Do you realize the homeownership rate in America is at an all-time high? More and more people are owning their own home. I think there's nothing better in America than somebody who says, "Welcome to my home. Welcome to my piece of property." See, when you own something, you have a vital stake in the future of our country.

In changing times, there's some things that won't change, the individual values we try to live by, courage, integrity, and reverence, and compassion. Our beliefs in liberty and opportunity and the nonnegotiable demands of human dignity won't change. In changing times, we'll protect the institutions that give us direction and purpose, our families and our schools and our religious congregations.

We stand for institutions like marriage and family, which are the foundations of society. We stand for a culture of life in which every person matters and every person counts. We stand for judges who faithfully interpret the law instead of legislating from the bench.

We stand for a culture of responsibility in America. You know, the culture of our country is changing from one that has said, "If it feels good, just go ahead and do it," and "If you've got a problem, blame somebody else," to a culture in which each of us understands we're responsible for the decisions we make in life. If you're a mom or a dad, if you're fortunate enough to be a mother or a lather, you're responsible for loving your child with all your heart and all your soul. If you're worried about the quality of the education in the community in which you live, you're responsible for supporting your teachers and doing something about it. If you're a CEO in corporate America, you are responsible for telling the truth to your shareholders and your employees. And in a responsibility society, each of us is responsible for loving our neighbor just like we'd like to be loved ourselves.

For all Americans, these years in our history will always stand apart. You know, there's quiet times in the life of this Nation when little is expected of its leaders. This isn't one of those times. This is a time that requires firm resolve, steadfast purpose, and a deep belief in the values that make us a great nation.