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VicePresidentBiden,Mr.ChiefJustice,MembersoftheUnitedStatesCongress,distinguishedguests,andfellowcitizens:Eachtimewegathertoinaugurateapresident,webearwitnesstotheenduringstrengthofourConstitution.Weaffirmthepromiseofourdemocracy.Werecallthatwhatbindsthisnationtogetherisnotthecolorsofourskinorthetenetsofourfaithortheoriginsofournames.Whatmakesusexceptional–whatmakesusAmerican–isourallegiancetoanidea,articulatedinadeclarationmademorethantwocenturiesago:“Weholdthesetruthstobeself-evident,thatallmenarecreatedequal,thattheyareendowedbytheirCreatorwithcertainunalienablerights,thatamongtheseareLife,Liberty,andthepursuitofHappiness.”Todaywecontinueanever-endingjourney,tobridgethemeaningofthosewordswiththerealitiesofourtime.Forhistorytellsusthatwhilethesetruthsmaybeself-evident,theyhaveneverbeenself-executing;thatwhilefreedomisagiftfromGod,itmustbesecuredbyHispeoplehereonEarth.Thepatriotsof1776didnotfighttoreplacethetyrannyofakingwiththeprivilegesofafewortheruleofamob.TheygavetousaRepublic,agovernmentof,andby,andforthepeople,entrustingeachgenerationtokeepsafeourfoundingcreed.Formorethantwohundredyears,wehave.Throughblooddrawnbylashandblooddrawnbysword,welearnedthatnounionfoundedontheprinciplesoflibertyandequalitycouldsurvivehalf-slaveandhalf-free.Wemadeourselvesanew,andvowedtomoveforwardtogether.Together,wedeterminedthatamoderneconomyrequiresrailroadsandhighwaystospeedtravelandcommerce;schoolsandcollegestotrainourworkers。Together,wediscoveredthatafreemarketonlythriveswhentherearerulestoensurecompetitionandfairplay.Together,weresolvedthatagreatnationmustcareforthevulnerable,andprotectitspeoplefromlife’sworsthazardsandmisfortune.Throughitall,wehaveneverrelinquishedourskepticismofcentralauthority,norhavewesuccumbedtothefictionthatallsociety’sillscanbecuredthroughgovernmentalone.Ourcelebrationofinitiativeandenterprise;ourinsistenceonhardworkandpersonalresponsibility,theseareconstantsinourcharacter.Butwehavealwaysunderstoodthatwhentimeschange,somustwe;thatfidelitytoourfoundingprinciplesrequiresnewresponsestonewchallenges;thatpreservingourindividualfreedomsultimatelyrequirescollectiveaction.FortheAmericanpeoplecannomoremeetthedemandsoftoday’sworldbyactingalonethanAmericansoldierscouldhavemettheforcesoffascismorcommunismwithmusketsandmilitias.Nosinglepersoncantrainallthemathandscienceteacherswe’llneedtoequipourchildrenforthefuture,orbuildtheroadsandnetworksandresearchlabsthatwillbringnewjobsandbusinessestoourshores.Now,morethanever,wemustdothesethingstogether,asonenation,andonepeople.ThisgenerationofAmericanshasbeentestedbycrisesthatsteeledourresolveandprovedourresilience.Adecadeofwarisnowending.Aneconomicrecoveryhasbegun.America’spossibilitiesarelimitless,forwepossessallthequalitiesthatthisworldwithoutboundariesdemands:youthanddrive;diversityandopenness;anendlesscapacityforriskandagiftforreinvention.MyfellowAmericans,wearemadeforthismoment,andwewillseizeit–solongasweseizeittogether.Forwe,thepeople,understandthatourcountrycannotsucceedwhenashrinkingfewdoverywellandagrowingmanybarelymakeit.WebelievethatAmerica’sprosperitymustrestuponthebroadshouldersofarisingmiddleclass.WeknowthatAmericathriveswheneverypersoncanfindindependenceandprideintheirwork;whenthewagesofhonestlaborliberatefamiliesfromthebrinkofhardship.Wearetruetoourcreedwhenalittlegirlbornintothebleakestpovertyknowsthatshehasthesamechancetosucceedasanybodyelse,becausesheisanAmerican,sheisfree,andsheisequal,notjustintheeyesofGodbutalsoinourown.Weunderstandthatoutwornprogramsareinadequatetotheneedsofourtime.Wemustharnessnewideasandtechnologytoremakeourgovernment,revampourtaxcode,reformourschools,andempowerourcitizenswiththeskillstheyneedtoworkharder,learnmore,andreachhigher.Butwhilethemeanswillchange,ourpurposeendures:anationthatrewardstheeffortanddeterminationofeverysingleAmerican.Thatiswhatthismomentrequires.Thatiswhatwillgiverealmeaningtoourcreed.We,thepeople,stillbelievethateverycitizendeservesabasicmeasureofsecurityanddignity.Wemustmakethehardchoicestoreducethecostofhealthcareandthesizeofourdeficit.ButwerejectthebeliefthatAmericamustchoosebetweencaringforthegenerationthatbuiltthiscountryandinvestinginthegenerationthatwillbuilditsfuture.Forwerememberthelessonsofourpast,whentwilightyearswerespentinpoverty,andparentsofachildwithadisabilityhadnowheretoturn.Wedonotbelievethatinthiscountry,freedomisreservedforthelucky,orhappinessforthefew.Werecognizethatnomatterhowresponsiblyweliveourlives,anyoneofus,atanytime,mayfaceajobloss,orasuddenillness,orahomesweptawayinaterriblestorm.Thecommitmentswemaketoeachother–throughMedicare,andMedicaid,andSocialSecurity–thesethingsdonotsapourinitiative;theystrengthenus.Theydonotmakeusanationoftakers;theyfreeustotaketherisksthatmakethiscountrygreat.We,thepeople,stillbelievethatourobligationsasAmericansarenotjusttoourselves,buttoallposterity.Wewillrespondtothethreatofclimatechange,knowingthatthefailuretodosowouldbetrayourchildrenandfuturegenerations.Somemaystilldenytheoverwhelmingjudgmentofscience,butnonecanavoidthedevastatingimpactofragi