People need to have confidence in their leaders.

If they know that the President of the United States is someone on whose character they can depend, someone who is not going to act irrationally or intemperately, that in itself will be a reassuring and settling factor.

One of the strengths of Ronald Reagan was the spirit of optimism which he conveyed. The confidence which he had in his country and in himself was evident and that went on to impact the rest of the country. People saw it, respected it and they were influenced by it.

The federal government does have an impact on the country. This includes what it does in regards to events at home and around the world.

The best thing the federal government can do to restore confidence in America's economic future is to lower federal taxes, reduce federal spending, return more decisions to the marketplace and empower American families by letting them keep the money they earn. The problem today is that the federal tax burden is so severe that in many families there's pressure on both spouses to be in the work force. Sometimes this includes working multiple jobs so that one of them can raise enough dough to pay the government's taxes, while the other raises the money to support the needs of the family.

By abolishing direct federal taxes like the income tax, capital gains tax, the inheritance tax, gift taxes and especially the FICA tax, (which is particularly severe in its impact upon young families and young workers), we would restore confidence in our own economy. People around the world would once again look to America as an example not only of prosperity, but of opportunity, liberty and sound principle.

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