The government I led gave ordinary people peace security dignity and opportunity to progress.

I stand before you today because this vision of government as the engine of opportunity is what I believe in.

The office of government is not to confer happiness but to give men the opportunity to work out happiness for themselves.

I pinch myself because of the understanding that I've been blessed with a real rare opportunity that few Americans ever get - to serve their government and their people at this level.

And I can tell you that history will back up what I'm about to say and that is that there is no government run by conservatives Republicans put whoever you want there if you give government the opportunity to spend more money than it has it will do it. It will do it every time.

We got rid of a terrible dictator. We gave the Iraqi people an opportunity for a new life under a representative form of government.

Do we believe that the goal of government is to promote equal opportunity for all Americans to make the most of their lives? Or do we now believe that government's role is to equalize the results of peoples lives?

For those who aspire to live in a high cost high tax big government place our nation and the world offers plenty of options. Vermont Canada and Venezuela all offer you the opportunity to live in the socialist big government paradise you long for.

It's opportunity. It's opportunity not a check from government - it's opportunity that has always driven America and defined us as Americans.

Fishing provides that connection with the whole living world. It gives you the opportunity of being totally immersed turning back into yourself in a good way. A form of meditation some form of communion with levels of yourself that are deeper than the ordinary self.