00:00:12 THANK YOU SO MUCH.
00:00:16 MR.
00:00:17 PRESIDENT, MR. VICE PRESIDENT, MRS.
00:00:19 OBAMA, DISTINGUISHED GUESTS -- WHICH INCLUDES EVERYBODY -- THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THIS WONDERFUL HONOR TO BE AT THE THIS STAGE AGAIN.
00:00:28 I WAS HERE 16 YEARS AGO, AND FACT THAT THEY'VE INVITED ME BACK MEANS THAT I DIDN'T OFFEND TOO MANY PEOPLE, SO THAT WAS GREAT.
00:00:35 [LAUGHTER] I WANT TO START BY READING FOUR TEXTS WHICH WILL PUT INTO CONTEXT WHAT I'M GOING TO SAY.
00:00:43 PROVERBS 11:9.
00:00:44 WITH HIS MOUTH THE GODLESS DESTROYS HIS NEIGHBOR.
00:00:49 BUT THROUGH KNOWLEDGE THE RIGHTEOUS ESCAPE.
00:00:54 PROVERBS 11:12, A MAN WHO LACKS JUDGMENT DERIDES HIS NEIGHBOR, BUT A MAN OF UNDERSTANDING HOLDS HIS TONGUE.
00:01:02 PROVERBS 11:25, A GENEROUS MAN WILL PROSPER.
00:01:08 HE WHO REFRESHES OTHERS WILL HIMSELF BE REFRESHED.
00:01:12 AND SECOND CHRONICLES 7:14, IF MY PEOPLE WHO ARE CALLED BY MY NAME WILL HUMBLE THEMSELVES AND PRAY AND SEEK MY FACE AND TURN FROM THEIR WICKED WAYS, THEN WILL I HEAR FROM HEAVEN AND WILL OR FORGIVE THEIR SINS AND HEAL THEIR LAND.
00:01:32 YOU KNOW, I HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK IN A LOT OF VENUES.
00:01:36 THIS IS MY FOURTH SPEECH THIS WEEK.
00:01:39 AND I HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO TALK TO A LOT OF PEOPLE.
00:01:42 AND I'VE BEEN ASKING PEOPLE WHAT CONCERNS YOU?
00:01:47 WHAT ARE YOU MOST CONCERNED ABOUT IN TERMS OF THE SPIR OR CALLTY -- SPIRITUALITY AND THE DIRECTION OF OUR NATION AND OUR WORLD?
00:01:54 I'VE TALKED TO VERY PROMINENT DEMOCRATS, VERY PROMINENT REPUBLICANS.
00:01:59 AND I WAS SURPRISED BY THE UNIFORMITY OF THEIR ANSWERS.
00:02:05 AND THOSE HAVE INFORMED MY COMMENTS THIS MORNING.
00:02:10 NOW, IT'S NOT MY INTENTION TO OFFEND ANYONE.
00:02:15 I HAVE DISCOVERED, HOWEVER, IN RECENT YEARS THAT IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO SPEAK TO A LARGE GROUP OF PEOPLE THESE DAYS AND NOT OFFEND SOMEONE.
00:02:23 [LAUGHTER] PEOPLE WALK AWAY WITH THEIR FEELINGS ON THEIR SHOULDERS WAITING FOR YOU TO SAY SOMETHING, AH, DID YOU HEAR THAT?
00:02:31 THE PC POLICE ARE OUT IN FORCE AT ALL TIMES.
00:02:34 I REMEMBER ONCE I WAS TALKING ABOUT THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A HUMAN BRAIN AND A DOG'S GRAIN, AND A MAN -- AND A DOG'S BRAIN, AND A MAN GOT OFFENDED.
00:02:45 YOU CAN'T TALK ABOUT DOGS LIKE THAT.
00:02:46 [LAUGHTER] PEOPLE FOCUS IN ON THAT, COMPLETELY MISS THE POINT OF WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.
00:02:50 [LAUGHTER] AND WE'VE REACHED REACH THE POINT WHERE PEOPLE ARE AFRAID TO ACTUALLY TALK ABOUT WHAT THEY WANT TO SAY BECAUSE SOMEBODY MIGHT BE OFFENDED.
00:02:57 PEOPLE ARE AFRAID TO SAY MERRY CHRISTMAS AT CHRISTMAS TIME.
00:03:00 DOESN'T MATTER WHETHER THE PERSON YOU'RE TALKING TO IS JEWISH OR, YOU KNOW, WHETHER THEY'RE ANY RELIGION.
00:03:08 THAT'S A SALUTATION, A GREETING OF GOODWILL.
00:03:11 WE'VE GOT TO GET OVER THIS SENSITIVITY.
00:03:13 YOU KNOW, AND IT KEEPS PEOPLE FROM SAYING WHAT THEY REALLY BELIEVE.
00:03:17 YOU KNOW, I'M REMINDED OF A VERY SUCCESSFUL YOUNG BUSINESSMAN, AND HE LOVED TO BUY HIS MOTHER THESE EXOTIC GIFTS FOR MOTHER'S DAY.
00:03:27 AND HE RAN OUT OF IDEAS, AND THEN HE RAN ACROSS THESE BIRDS.
00:03:30 THESE BIRDS WERE COOL, YOU KNOW?
00:03:31 THEY COST $5,000 APIECE.
00:03:33 THEY COULD DANCE, THEY COULD SING, THEY COULD TALK.
00:03:35 HE WAS SO EXCITED, HE BOUGHT TWO OF OF THEM.
00:03:38 SENT THEM TO HIS MOTHER, COULDN'T WAIT TO CALL HER UP ON MOTHER'S DAY, MOTHER, MOTHER, WHAT'D YOU THINK OF THOSE BIRDS?
00:03:45 AND SHE SAID, THEY WAS GOOD.
00:03:49 [LAUGHTER] HE SAID, NO, NO, NO! MOTHER, YOU DIDN'T EAT THOSE BIRDS?
00:03:54 THOSE BIRDS COST $5,000 APIECE! THEY COULD DANCE, THEY COULD SING, THEY COULD TALK! AND SHE SAID, WELL, THEY SHOULD HAVE SAID SOMETHING.
00:04:02 [LAUGHTER] AND, YOU KNOW, THAT'S WHERE WE END UP, TOO, IF WE DON'T SPEAK UP FOR WHAT WE BELIEVE.
00:04:09 [LAUGHTER] AND, YOU KNOW, WHAT WE NEED TO DO -- [APPLAUSE]
00:04:15 WHAT WE NEED TO DO IN THIS PC WORLD IS FOR FORGET ABOUT UNANIMITY OF SPEECH AND UNANIMITY OF THOUGHT, AND WE NEED TO CONCENTRATE ON BEING RESPECTFUL TO THOSE PEOPLE WITH WHOM WE DISAGREE.
00:04:35 AND THAT'S WHEN I BELIEVE WE BEGIN TO MAKE PROGRESS.
00:04:39 AND ONE LAST THING ABOUT POLITICAL CORRECTNESS, WHICH I THINK IS A HORRIBLE THING, BY THE WAY.
00:04:44 I'M VERY, VERY COME -- COMPASSIONATE, AND I'M NOT NEVER OUT TO OFFEND ANYONE.
00:04:53 BUT PC IS DANGEROUS.
00:04:54 BECAUSE, YOU SEE, THIS COUNTRY ONE OF THE FOUNDING PRINCIPLES WAS FREEDOM OF THOUGHT AND FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION.
00:05:00 AND IT MUZZLES PEOPLE.
00:05:01 IT PUTS A MUZZLE ON THEM.
00:05:04 AND AT THE SAME TIME, KEEPS PEOPLE FROM DISCUSSING IMPORTANT ISSUES WHILE THE FABRIC OF THIS SOCIETY IS BEING CHANGED.
00:05:16 AND WE CANNOT FALL FOR THAT TRICK.
00:05:18 AND WHAT WE NEED TO DO IS START TALKING ABOUT THINGS, TALKING ABOUT THINGS THAT ARE IMPORTANT.
00:05:25 THINGS THAT WERE IMPORTANT IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF OUR NATION.
00:05:28 ONE OF THOSE THINGS WAS EDUCATION.
00:05:32 I'M VERY PASSIONATE ABOUT EDUCATION BECAUSE IT'S MADE SUCH A BIG DIFFERENCE IN MY LIFE.
00:05:37 BUT HERE WE ARE AT A TIME IN THE WORLD, THE INFORMATION AGE, THE AGE OF TECHNOLOGY, AND YET 30% OF PEOPLE WHO ENTER HIGH SCHOOL IN THIS COUNTRY DO NOT GRADUATE.
00:05:51 44% OF PEOPLE WHO START A FOUR-YEAR COLLEGE PROGRAM DO NOT FINISH IT IN FOUR YEARS.
00:05:58 WHAT IS THAT ABOUT?
00:06:01 THINK BACK TO A DARKER TIME IN THIS OUR HISTORY.
00:06:04 TWO HUNDRED YEARS AGO WHEN SLAVERY WAS GOING ON IT WAS ILLEGAL TO EDUCATE A SLAVE, PARTICULARLY TO TEACH THEM TO READ.
00:06:14 WHY DO YOU THINK THAT WAS?
00:06:15 BECAUSE WHEN YOU EDUCATE A MAN, YOU LIBERATE A MAN.
00:06:20 AND THERE I WAS AS A YOUNGSTER PLACING MYSELF IN THE SAME SITUATION THAT A HORRIBLE INSTITUTION DID BECAUSE I WASN'T TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THE EDUCATION.
00:06:31 I WAS A HORRIBLE STUDENT.
00:06:32 MOST OF MY CLASSMATES THOUGHT I WAS THE STUPIDEST PERSON IN THE WORLD.
00:06:36 THEY CALLED ME DUMMY.
00:06:38 I WAS THE BUTT OF ALL THE JOKES.
00:06:40 NOW, ADMITTEDLY, IT WAS A BAD ENVIRONMENT.
00:06:43 SINGLE-PARENT HOME, YOU KNOW, MY MOTHER AND FATHER HAD GOTTEN DIVORCED EARLY ON.
00:06:48 MY MOTHER GOT MARRIED WHEN SHE WAS 13.
00:06:50 SHE WAS ONE OF 24 CHILDREN.
00:06:51 HAD A HORRIBLE LIFE.
00:06:53 DISCOVERED THAT HER HUSBAND WAS A BIGAMIST, HAD ANOTHER FAMILY.
00:06:58 AND SHE ONLY HAD A THIRD GRADE EDUCATION.
00:07:00 SHE HAD TO TAKE CARE OF US.
00:07:02 DIRE POVERTY.
00:07:03 I HAD A HORRIBLE TEMPER, POOR SELF-ESTEEM.
00:07:07 ALL THE THINGS THAT YOU THINK WOULD PRECLUDE SUCCESS.
00:07:10 BUT I HAD SOMETHING VERY IMPORTANT, I HAD A MOTHER WHO BELIEVED IN ME, AND I HAD A MOTHER WHO WOULD NEVER ALLOW HERSELF TO BE A VICTIM NO MATTER WHAT HAPPENED.
00:07:23 NEVER MADE EXCUSES, AND SHE NEVER ACCEPTED AN EXCUSE FROM US.
00:07:28 AND IF WE EVER CAME UP WITH AN EXCUSE, SHE ALWAYS SAID DO YOU HAVE A BRAIN?
00:07:32 AND IF THE ANSWER WAS, YES, THEN SHE SAID THEN YOU COULD HAVE THOUGHT YOUR WAY OUT OF IT.
00:07:38 IT DOESN'T MATTER WHAT JOHN OR SUSAN OR MARY OR ANYBODY ELSE DID OR SAID.
00:07:42 AND IT WAS THE MOST IMPORTANT THING SHE DID FOR MY BROTHER AND MYSELF.
00:07:46 BECAUSE IF YOU DON'T ACCEPT EXCUSE, PRETTY SOON PEOPLE STOP GIVING THEM, AND THEY START LOOKING FOR SOLUTIONS.
00:07:51 AND THAT IS A CRITICAL ISSUE WHEN IT COMES TO SUCCESS.
00:07:56 WELL, YOU KNOW, WE DID LIVE IN DIRE POVERTY, AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I HATED WAS POVERTY.
00:08:04 YOU KNOW, SOME PEOPLE HATE SPIDER, SOME PEOPLE HATE SNAKES, I HATED POVERTY.
00:08:11 I COULDN'T STAND IT.
00:08:12 [LAUGHTER] BUT, YOU KNOW, MY MOTHER COULDN'T STAND THE FACT THAT WE WERE DOING POORLY IN SCHOOL, AND SHE PRAYED AND ASKED GOD TO GIVE HER WISDOM, WHAT COULD SHE DO TO TO TO MAKE HER SONS UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE OF WISDOM?
00:08:29 GOD GAVE HER WISDOM.
00:08:30 AT LEAST IN HER OPINION.
00:08:31 IT WAS TO TURN OFF THE TV, LET US WATCH ONLY TWO OR THREE PROGRAMS DURING THE WEEK, AND READ TWO BOOKS APIECE AND SUBMIT TO HER WRITTEN BOOK REPORTS WHICH SHE COULDN'T READ, BUT WE DIDN'T KNOW THAT.
00:08:45 [LAUGHTER] SHE PUT CHECK MARKS AND HIGHLIGHTS AND STUFF -- [LAUGHTER]
00:08:48 BUT, YOU KNOW, I JUST HATED THIS.
00:08:52 AND MY FRIENDS WERE OUT HAVING A GOOD TIME.
00:08:55 HER FRIENDS WOULD CRITICIZE HER.
00:08:56 THEY WOULD SAY YOU CAN'T MAKE BOYS STAY IN THE HOUSE READING BOOKS, THEY'LL GROW UP AND HATE YOU.
00:09:02 AND I WOULD OVERHEAR THEM AND SAY, YOU KNOW, MOTHER, THEY'RE RIGHT.
00:09:05 BUT SHE DIDN'T CARE.
00:09:06 [LAUGHTER] AFTER A WHILE, I ACTUALLY BEGAN TO ENJOY READING THOSE BOOKS BECAUSE WE WERE VERY POOR, BUT BETWEEN THE COVERS OF THOSE BOOKS I COULD GO ANYWHERE, I COULD BE ANYBODY, I COULD DO ANYTHING.
00:09:16 I BEGAN TO READ ABOUT PEOPLE OF GREAT ACCOMPLISHMENT, AND AS I READ THOSE STORIES, I BEGAN TO SEE A CONNECTING THREAD.
00:09:24 I BEGAN TO SEE THAT THE PERSON WHO HAS THE MOST TO DO WITH YOU AND WHAT HAPPENS TO YOU IN LIFE IS YOU.
00:09:31 YOU MAKE DECISIONS.
00:09:32 YOU DECIDE HOW MUCH ENERGY YOU WANT TO PUT BEHIND THAT DECISION.
00:09:36 AND I CAME TO UNDERSTAND THAT I HAD CONTROL OF MY OWN DESTINY.
00:09:41 AND AT THAT POINT I DIDN'T HATE POVERTY ANYMORE, BECAUSE I KNEW IT WAS ONLY TEMPORARY.
00:09:45 I KNEW I COULD CHANGE THAT.
00:09:47 IT WAS INCREDIBLY LIBERATING FOR ME, MADE ALL THE DIFFERENCE.
00:10:39 .. >> ANYBODY FINISHING THE SECOND GRADE WAS COMPLETELY LITERATE.
00:10:42 HE COULD FIND A MOUNTAIN THAT ON THE OUTSKIRTS OF SOCIETY THAT COULD READ A NEWSPAPER, HAVE A POLITICAL DISCUSSION, TO TELL HOW THE GOVERNMENT WORKED.
00:10:51 IF YOU REALLY WANT TO BE IMPRESSED, TAKE A LOOK AT THE CHAPTER ON EDUCATION IN MY LATEST BOOK, AMERICA THE BEAUTIFUL, WHICH I WROTE WITH MY WIFE, CAME OUT LAST YEAR.
00:11:00 AND IN THAT EDUCATION CHAPTER YOU WILL SEE QUESTIONS EXTRACTED FROM A SIXTH GRADE EXIT EXAM FROM.
00:11:13 I DOUBT MOST COLLEGE GRADUATES TODAY COULD PASS THAT TEST.
00:11:16 WE HAVE DUMBED THINGS DOWN TO THAT LEVEL.
00:11:19 AND THE REASON THAT THAT IS SO DANGEROUS IS BECAUSE THE PEOPLE WHO FOUNDED THIS NATION SAID THAT OUR SYSTEM OF GOVERNMENT WAS DESIGNED FOR A WELL-INFORMED AND EDUCATED POPULACE.
00:11:32 AND WHEN THEY BECOME LESS INFORMED, THEY BECOME VULNERABLE.
00:11:36 THINK ABOUT THAT.
00:11:40 OUR SYSTEM OF GOVERNMENT, AND THAT'S WHY THE EDUCATION IS SO VITALLY IMPORTANT.
00:11:47 SOME PEOPLE SAY, YOU ARE OVERBLOWING IT, THINGS AREN'T THAT BAD.
00:11:52 AND YOU'RE A DOCTOR, UNDER A SURGEON, WHY ARE YOU CONCERNED ABOUT THESE THINGS?
00:11:56 I'VE GOT NEWS FOR YOU.
00:11:59 FIVE DOCTOR SIGNED THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE.
00:12:01 DOCTORS WERE INVOLVED IN THE FRAMING OF THE CONSTITUTION, THE BILL OF LIGHTS, A WHOLE BUNCH OF THINGS.
00:12:06 IT'S ONLY BEEN IN RECENT DECADES WE'VE EXTRACTED OURSELVES WHAT YOU THINK IT'S A BIG MISTAKE.
00:12:12 WE NEED DOCTORS AND MANY SCIENTISTS AND ENGINEERS, ALL THOSE PEOPLE INVOLVED IN GOVERNMENT.
00:12:16 NOT JUST LAWYERS BUT I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING AGAINST LAWYERS, BUT HERE'S THE THING ABOUT LAWYERS.
00:12:20 I'M SORRY BUT I'VE GOT TO BE TRUTHFUL, OKAY?
00:12:25 [LAUGHTER] GOT TO BE TRUTHFUL.
00:12:27 WHAT DO LAWYERS LEARNED IN LAW SCHOOL?
00:12:28 TO WIN.
00:12:31 BY HOOK OR BY CROOK, YOU'VE GOT TO WIN BUT THEY'VE ALL THESE LAWYERS ANY OF ALL THESE REPUBLICAN LAWYERS AND THEIR SIDE WANTS TO WIN.
00:12:38 WE NEED TO GET RID OF THAT.
00:12:39 WHAT WE NEED TO START THINKING ABOUT IS HOW DO WE SOLVE PROBLEMS?
00:12:53 [APPLAUSE] BEFORE I GET SHOT LET ME FINISH.
00:12:57 [LAUGHTER] YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE REASONS, AND ADULT LIKE TO BRING A PROBLEMS WITHOUT SOME OF THE SOLUTIONS.
00:13:03 MY WIFE AND I STARTED THE CARS AND SCHOLARS FUND 16 YEARS AGO AFTER WE HEARD ABOUT THE SURVEY, INTERNATIONAL SURVEY LOOKING AT THE ABILITY OF EIGHTH GRADERS IN 22 COUNTRIES CAN SOLVE MATH AND SCIENCE PROBLEMS, AND WE CAME OUT 21.
00:13:19 VERY CONCERNED.
00:13:20 WE GO TO SCHOOL NCLB STROPHES, ALL-STATE BASKETBALL, ALL-STATE WRESTLING.
00:13:25 THE QUARTERBACK WAS THE BIG MAN ON CAMPUS.
00:13:30 WHAT ABOUT THE INTELLECTUAL SUPERSTARS?
00:13:32 WHAT DID THEY GET?
00:13:33 NATIONAL HONOR SOCIETY BEEN, A PAT ON THE HEAD, THEY ARE, THEY ARE, LITTLE.
00:13:38 [LAUGHTER] NOBODY CARES ABOUT THEM.
00:13:42 IS IT ANY WONDER SOMETIMES THE LITTLE SMART KIDS TRY TO HIDE AND THEY DON'T WANT ANYBODY TO KNOW?
00:13:49 THIS IS NOT HELPING US.
00:13:51 SO WE STARTED GIVING OUT SCHOLARSHIPS TO STUDENTS FROM ALL BACKGROUNDS FOR SUPERIOR ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE AND DEMONSTRATION OF HUMANITARIAN QUALITIES.
00:13:59 AND LETS YOU DID ABOUT OTHER PEOPLE, IT DIDN'T MATTER HOW SMART YOU WERE.
00:14:02 WE HAVE PLENTY OF PEOPLE LIKE THAT.
00:14:04 WE NEED SMART PEOPLE WHO CARE ABOUT OTHER PEOPLE.
00:14:06 WE WOULD GIVE THE MONEY, THE MONEY WOULD GO INTO A TRUST.
00:14:10 THEY WOULD GET INTEREST ON THE.
00:14:12 WHEN IT WENT TO COLLEGE THEY WOULD GET THE MONEY.
00:14:15 BUT ALSO THE SCHOOL GETS A TROPHY.
00:14:17 EVERY BIT AS IMPRESSIVE AS A SPORTS TROPHY.
00:14:18 THEY GET A METAL.
00:14:19 THEY GET TO GO TO A BANQUET.
00:14:23 WE TRY TO PUT THEM ON THE SAME KIND OF PEDESTAL AS WE DO THE ALL-STATE ATHLETE.
00:14:29 I HAVE NOTHING AGAINST ATHLETICS OR ENTERTAINMENT.
00:14:30 POLICE BELIEVE ME.
00:14:33 I'M FROM BALTIMORE. THE WAY EVENTS -- THE RAVENS WON.
00:14:38 THIS IS GREAT. BUT WHAT WILL MAINTAIN OUR POSITION IN THE WORLD?
00:14:41 THE ABILITY TO SHOOT A 25-FOOT JUMP SHOT?
00:14:44 OR THE ABILITY TO -- WE NEED TO PUT THINGS IN PERSPECTIVE.
00:14:54 [APPLAUSE] >> MANY TEACHERS HAVE TOLD US WE WOULD PUT A CARSON SCHOLAR IN THE CLASSROOM THE GBA OF THE WHOLE CLASSROOM GOES UP.
00:15:03 IT'S BEEN VERY GRATIFYING.
00:15:04 WE STARTED 16 YEARS AGO WITH 25 SCHOLARSHIPS IN MARYLAND.
00:15:07 NOW WE HAVE GIVEN HIM MORE THAN 5000 WE ARE IN ALL 50 STATES.
00:15:12 WILL ALSO PUT IN READING LIVES.
00:15:14 THESE ARE FASCINATING PLACES THAT NO LITTLE KID COULD POSSIBLY PASS UP.
00:15:19 THEY GET POINTS FOR THE AMOUNT OF TIME THEY SPEND IN THE READING ROOM.
00:15:22 THE NUMBER OF BOOKS THEY READ AND THEY CAN TRADE THEM IN FOR PRIZES.
00:15:25 IN THE BEGINNING THEY DO FOR THE PRIZES BUT IT DOESN'T TAKE LONG BEFORE THE ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE IMPROVES.
00:15:32 WE PARTICULARLY TARGET TITLE I SCHOOLS WHERE KIDS COME FROM HOMES WITH NO BOOKS AND THEY GO TO SCHOOLS WITH NO LIBRARIES.
00:15:39 THOSE ARE THE ONES WHO DROP OUT.
00:15:40 WE NEED TO TRY TO TAKE A PROCESS OR EARLY ON BECAUSE WE CAN'T AFFORD TO WASTE ANY OF THOSE YOUNG PEOPLE.
00:15:46 FOR EVERYONE OF THOSE PEOPLE THAT WE KEEP FROM GOING DOWN THAT PATH, THAT PATH OF SELF-DESTRUCTION AND MEDIOCRITY, THAT'S ONE LESS PERSON YOU HAVE TO PROTECT YOURSELF AND YOUR FAMILY FROM.
00:15:59 ONE LESS PERSON YOU TO PAY FOR IN THE WELFARE SYSTEM.
00:16:03 ONE MORE TAXPAYING PRODUCTIVE MEMBER OF SOCIETY WHO MAY INVENT A NEW ENERGY SOURCE OR COME UP WITH A CURE FOR CANCER.
00:16:11 THEY ARE ALL IMPORTANT TO US, AND WE EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM.
00:16:14 IT MAKES A DIFFERENCE OF.
00:16:21 [LAUGHTER] [APPLAUSE] >> PLEASE READ ABOUT IT.
00:16:24 THE CARSON SCHOLAR FROM.
00:16:26 CARSON SCHOLARS.
00:16:28 ORG. AND BUT WHY IS IT SO IMPORTANT THAT WE EDUCATE OUR PEOPLE?
00:16:33 BECAUSE WE DON'T WANT TO GO DOWN THE SAME PATHWAY AS MANY OTHER PINNACLE NATIONS HAVE PRECEDED US.
00:16:40 I THINK PARTICULARLY ABOUT ANCIENT ROME.
00:16:42 VERY POWERFUL, NOBODY COULD EVEN CHALLENGE THEM MILITARILY.
00:16:47 BUT WHAT HAPPENED TO THEM?
00:16:49 THEY DESTROYED THEMSELVES FROM WITHIN.
00:16:52 MORAL DECAY, FISCAL IRRESPONSIBILITY.
00:16:59 THEY DESTROYED THEMSELVES.
00:17:00 AND IF YOU DON'T THINK THAT CAN HAPPEN TO AMERICA, YOU GET OUT YOUR BOOKS AND YOU START READING.
00:17:05 BUT, YOU KNOW, WE CAN FIX IT.
00:17:08 WHY CAN WE FIX IT?
00:17:09 BECAUSE WE ARE SMART.
00:17:11 WE HAVE SOME OF THE MOST INTELLECTUALLY GIFTED PEOPLE LEADING OUR NATION'S.
00:17:17 ALL WE NEED TO DO IS REMEMBER WHAT OUR REAL RESPONSIBILITY ARE SO WE CAN SOLVE THE PROBLEM.
00:17:26 I THINK ABOUT THESE PROBLEMS ALL THE TIME, AND, YOU KNOW, MY ROLE MODEL WITH JESUS, AND HE USED PARABLES TO HELP PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THINGS.
00:17:39 [APPLAUSE] AND ONE OF OUR BIG PROBLEMS RIGHT NOW, LIKE I SAID I'M NOT -- YOU KNOW, OUR DEFICIT IS A BIG PROBLEM.
00:17:50 THINK ABOUT IT.
00:17:53 AND OUR NATIONAL DEBT -- [APPLAUSE]
00:17:56 SIXTEEN A HALF TRILLION DOLLARS, DO YOU THINK THAT'S NOT A LOT OF MONEY?
00:18:00 I'LL TELL YOU WHAT, COUNT ONE NUMBER PER SECOND WHICH A CANDIDATE BECAUSE WHAT YOU GET TO 1000 IT TAKES YOU LONGER TO GET TO A SECOND THE BUT ONE NUMBER PER SECOND, DO YOU KNOW HOW LONG IT WOULD TAKE YOU TO COUNT TO 16 TRILLION?
00:18:13 507,000 YEARS, MORE THAN HALF A MILLION YEARS TO GET THERE.
00:18:17 WE HAVE TO DEAL WITH THIS.
00:18:20 HERE'S A TERRIBLE.
00:18:21 A FAMILY FALLS ON HARD TIMES.
00:18:23 A DAD LOSES HIS JOB OR GETS DEMOTED, IT'S PART-TIME WORK.
00:18:27 HAS FIVE CHILDREN. HE COMES TO THE FIVE CHILDREN AND HE SAYS, WE ARE GOING TO HAVE TO REDUCE YOUR ALLOWANCE.
00:18:34 WELL, THEY'RE NOT HAPPY ABOUT IT BUT HE SAID, EXCEPT FOR JOHN AND SUSAN.
00:18:39 THEY ARE EXCEPTIONAL.
00:18:40 THEY GET TO KEEP THEIR ALLOWANCE.
00:18:42 WE MAY GIVE THEM MORE. HOW DO YOU THINK THAT IS GOING TO GO DOWN?
00:18:45 NOT TOO WELL.
00:18:46 SAME THING HAPPENS, ENOUGH SAID.
00:18:50 WHAT ABOUT OUR TAXATION SYSTEM?
00:18:55 SO COMPLEX, THERE IS NO ONE WHO CAN POSSIBLY COMPLY WITH EVERY -- IF I WANTED TO TEACH YOU OR YOU, I COULD GET YOU ON THE TAX ISSUE.
00:19:06 THAT DOESN'T MAKE ANY SENSE.
00:19:07 WHAT WE NEED TO DO IS COME UP WITH SOMETHING THAT SIMPLE.
00:19:10 AND WHEN I PICK UP MY BIBLE, DO YOU KNOW WHAT I SEE?
00:19:15 I SEE THE FAIREST INDIVIDUAL IN THE UNIVERSE, GOD, AND HE IS GIVEN US A SYSTEM.
00:19:19 IT IS CALLED HIVES.
00:19:22 WE NOW KNOW SO HAVE TO DO 10% OF THE PRINCIPAL, HE DIDN'T SAY IF IF YOUR CROPS FAILED THOUGH GETTING ANY TYPING.
00:19:29 HE DIDN'T SAVE HAVE A BUMPER CROP GIVE ME TRIPLE.
00:19:32 SO THERE MUST BE SOMETHING INHERENTLY FAIR ABOUT PROPORTIONALITY.
00:19:35 YOU MAKE $10 BILLION, YOU PUT IN A BUILDING BECAME A $10, YOU PUT IN ONE.
00:19:40 OF COURSE, YOU GOT TO GET RID OF THE LOOPHOLES.
00:19:44 [APPLAUSE] NOW SOME PEOPLE SAY, THEY SAY THAT'S NOT FAIR BECAUSE IT DOESN'T HURT THE GUY WHO MADE $10 BILLION AS MUCH AS THE GUY WHO MADE 10.
00:19:55 WHERE DOES HE HAVE TO HURT THE GUY?
00:19:57 HE JUST PUT A BILLION DOLLARS IN THE POT.
00:19:59 WE DON'T NEED TO HURT HIM.
00:20:00 [APPLAUSE] IT'S THAT KIND OF THINKING, IT'S THAT KIND OF THINKING THAT HAS RESULTED IN 602 BANKS IN THE CAYMAN ISLANDS.
00:20:09 THAT MONEY NEEDS TO BE BACK HERE BUILDING OUR INFRASTRUCTURE AND CREATING JOBS.
00:20:14 AND WE ARE SMART ENOUGH, WE'RE SMART ENOUGH TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO DO THAT.
00:20:18 WE'VE ALREADY STARTED DOWN THE PATH OF SOLVING ONE OF THE OTHER BIG PROBLEMS, HEALTH CARE.
00:20:22 WE NEED OF GOOD HEALTH CARE FOR EVERYBODY.
00:20:24 IT'S THE MOST IMPORTANT THING THAT A PERSON CAN HAVE.
00:20:28 MONEY MEANS NOTHING, TITLES MEAN NOTHING WHEN YOU DON'T HAVE YOUR HEALTH.
00:20:32 BUT WE'VE GOT TO FIGURE OUT SUFFICIENTLY TO DO IT.
00:20:37 WE HAVE SPENT A LOT OF MONEY ON HEALTH CARE, TWICE AS MUCH PER CAPITA AS ANYBODY ELSE IN THE WORLD, AND YET NOT VERY EFFICIENT.
00:20:44 WHAT CAN WE DO?
00:20:46 HERE'S MY SOLUTION.
00:20:48 WHEN THE PERSON IS BORN, GIVE HIM A PER CERTIFICATE, AN ELECTRONIC MEDICAL RECORD, AND HEALTH SAVINGS ACCOUNT.
00:20:55 TO WHICH MONEY CAN BE CONTRIBUTED, PRETAX, FROM THE TIME YOU'RE BORN UNTIL THE TIME YOU DIE.
00:21:00 WHEN YOU DIE YOU CAN PASS ONTO ON TO YOUR FAMILY MEMBERS SO THAT WHEN YOU'RE 85 YOU HAVE SIX DISEASES, YOU'RE NOT TRYING TO SPIN EVERYTHING THAT YOU'RE HAPPY TO PASS IT ON AND THERE'S NOBODY TALKING ABOUT THE DEATH PENALTY ARE NUMBER ONE.
00:21:12 AND ALSO, FOR THE PEOPLE WHO ARE INDIGENT WHO DON'T HAVE ANY MONEY, WE CAN MAKE CONTRIBUTIONS TO THEIR HSA EACH MONTH BECAUSE WE ALREADY HAVE THIS HUGE POT OF MONEY INSTEAD OF SENDING IT TO SOME BUREAUCRACY, LET'S PUT IN THEIR HSA.
00:21:26 NOW THEY HAVE SOME CONTROL OVER THEIR OWN HEALTH CARE.
00:21:30 WHAT DO YOU THINK THEY'RE GOING TO DO?
00:21:32 THEY'RE GOING TO LEARN VERY QUICKLY HOW TO BE RESPONSIBLE OR WHEN MR.
00:21:38 JONES GETS THAT DIABETIC FOOT LOOK AT COME HE'S NOT BLOWING A BIG CHUNK.
00:21:40 HE'S GOT TO GO TO THE CLINIC.
00:21:42 HE LEARNED THAT VERY QUICKLY.
00:21:43 GETS THE SAME TREATMENT THE EMERGENCY ROOM THEY SEND IN A.
00:21:48 IN THE CLINIC THEY SAY LET'S GET YOUR DIABETES UNDER CONTROL.
00:21:51 THAT'S HOW WE BEGIN TO SOLVE THESE KINDS OF PROBLEMS.
00:21:54 IT'S MUCH MORE COMPLEX THAN THAT AND I DON'T HAVE TIME TO GO INTO IT ALL BUT WE CAN DO ALL OF THESE THINGS BECAUSE WE ARE SMART PEOPLE.
00:22:04 AND LET ME JUST BEGIN TO CLOSE HERE BY ANOTHER TERRIBLE.
00:22:09 SEA CAPTAIN, AND HE'S OUT ON THE SEA NEAR THE END WHERE THE TITANIC WENT DOWN THERE AND I LOOK AT HIM AND HIS BRIGHT LIGHT, RIGHT THERE, ANOTHER SHIP HE FIGURES.
00:22:19 AND HE TELLS HIS SIGNALER, SIGNAL THAT SHIP.
00:22:23 DEVIATE 10 DEGREES TO THE SOUTH.
00:22:25 BACK COMES THE MESSAGE.
00:22:28 NOW, YOU DEVIATE 10 DEGREES TO THE NORTH.
00:22:32 TOTO THE NORTH.
00:22:33 WELCOME HE'S A LITTLE BIT INCENSED, YOU KNOW?
00:22:34 HE SAID SEND A MESSAGE, THIS IS CAPTAIN JOHNSON, DEVIATE 10 DEGREES.
00:22:44 BACK COMES THE MESSAGE, THIS IS IN SOME FOURTH CLASS RIGHTLY, DEVIATE 10 DEGREES TO THE SOUTH.
00:22:53 NOW HE IS REALLY UPSET.
00:22:55 HE SAID SEND HIM A MESSAGE.
00:22:59 THIS IS A NAVAL DESTROYER.
00:23:00 BACK COMES THE MESSAGE, THIS IS A LIGHTHOUSE.
00:23:10 [LAUGHTER] ENOUGH SAID.
00:23:14 NOW, WHAT ABOUT THE SYMBOL OF OUR NATION?
00:23:16 THE EAGLE, THE BALD EAGLE, AN INTERESTING STORY HOW WE CHOSE THAT BUT A LOT OF PEOPLE THINK WE CALLED IT A BALD EAGLE BECAUSE IT LOOKS LIKE IT HAS A BALD HEAD.
00:23:26 THAT'S NOT THE REASON.
00:23:27 IT COMES FROM THE OLD ENGLISH WORD WHICH MEANS GROUND WITH WHITE.
00:23:33 AND WE JUST SHORTENED IT THE BALD.
00:23:35 USE THAT NEXT TIME YOU SEE SOMEBODY WHO THINKS THEY KNOW EVERYTHING, YOU'LL GET THEM ON THE.
00:23:42 WHY IS THAT EAGLE ABLE TO FLY HIGH?
00:23:44 FORWARD, BECAUSE IT HAS TWO WINGS.
00:23:48 THEY LEFT WING AND A RIGHT WING.
00:23:55 [LAUGHTER] ENOUGH SAID.
00:23:57 [LAUGHTER] AND I WANT TO CLOSE WITH THIS STORY.
00:24:00 200 YEARS AGO, THIS NATION WAS INVOLVED IN A WAR.
00:24:08 THE WAR OF 1812.
00:24:09 THE BRITISH, WHO ARE NOW OUR GOOD FRIENDS, THOUGHT THAT WE WERE YOUNG WHIPPERSNAPPERS AND IT WAS TIME FOR US TO BECOME A COLONY AGAIN.
00:24:17 THEY WERE WINNING THAT WAR, MARCHING UP THE EASTERN SEABOARD DESTROYS CITY AFTER CITY, DESTROYED WASHINGTON, D.
00:24:23 C., BURNED DOWN THE WHITE HOUSE.
00:24:25 NEXT STOP, BALTIMORE BUT AS THEY CAME INTO THE CHESAPEAKE BAY, THE ARMADA OF SHIPS, WARSHIPS A SOURCE OF THE EYE COULD SEE, IT WAS LOOKING GRIM.
00:24:36 FORT McHENRY STANDING RIGHT THERE.
00:24:39 GENERAL ARMISTEAD WHO WAS IN CHARGE OF FORT McHENRY HAD A LARGE AMERICAN FLAG COMMISSION TO FLY IN FRONT OF THE FORT.
00:24:49 THE ADMIRAL IN CHARGE OF THE BRITISH FLEET WAS OFFENDED AND SAID TAKE THAT FLAG DOWN.
00:24:55 YOU HAVE UNTIL DUSK UNTIL YOU TAKE THAT FLAG AND BUT IF YOU DON'T WE WILL REDUCE YOU TO ASHES.
00:25:02 THERE WAS A YOUNG AMATEUR POET ON BOARD BY THE NAME OF FRANCIS SCOTT KEY, SENT BY PRESIDENT MADISON TO TRY TO OBTAIN THE RELEASE OF AN AMERICAN PHYSICIAN WHO WAS BEING HELD CAPTIVE.
00:25:15 HE OVERHEARD THE BRITISH PLANS THEY WERE NOT GOING TO LET THEM OFF THE SHIP.
00:25:20 HE MOURNED AS DUSK APPROACHED.
00:25:23 HE MORE FOR HIS FLEDGLING YOUNG NATION.
00:25:24 AND AS THE SUN SET, THEN BARTMAN'S, MISSILES, SO MUCH DEBRIS, HE STRAINED TRYING TO SEE WAS THE FLAG STILL THERE?
00:25:36 HE COULDN'T SEE A THING.
00:25:39 ALL NIGHT LONG A CONTINUED.
00:25:40 AT THE CRACK OF DAWN HE RAN OUT TO THE BANISTER.
00:25:43 HE LOOKED, STRAINING HIS EYES BUT ALL HE COULD SEE WITH DUST AND DEBRIS.
00:25:47 THEN THERE WAS A CLEARING, AND HE BEHELD THE MOST BEAUTIFUL SIGHT HE HAD EVER SEEN.
00:25:52 THE TORN AND TATTERED STARS AND STRIPES STILL WAITING.
00:25:58 AND MANY HISTORIANS SAID THAT WAS THE TURNING POINT IN THE WAR OF 1812.
00:26:02 WE WENT ON TO WIN THAT WAR AND TO RETAIN OUR FREEDOM BUT AND IF YOU GO INTO THE GROUNDS OF FORT McHENRY, THAT VICTIMHOOD IS SEEN AT THE BASE OF THAT FLAG, THE BODIES OF SOLDIERS WHO TOOK TURNS PROPPING UP THAT FLAG.
00:26:19 THEY WOULD NOT LET THAT FLAG GO DOWN BECAUSE THEY BELIEVED.
00:26:24 IN WHAT THAT FLAG SYMBOLIZE.
00:26:25 AND WHAT DID IT SYMBOLIZE?
00:26:28 ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR
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