Are you better off today than you were four years ago?

Since I came to the White House, I got two hearing aids, a colon operation, skin cancer, a prostate operation, and I was shot. The damn thing is, I've never felt better in my life.

Government exists to protect us from each other. Where government has gone beyond its limits is in deciding to protect us from ourselves.

Today, we're taking a break from the concerns and the bustle of the work-a-day world. But we're also making a new beginning... Let us renew our faith that as free men and women we still have the power to better our lives, and let us resolve to face the challenges of the new year holding that conviction firmly in our hearts. That, after all, is our greatest strength and our greatest gift as Americans.

The best social program is a productive job for anyone who's willing to work.

The time has come to match outgo to income, instead of always doing it the other way around.

There is purpose and worth to each and every life.