Remarks from Politico and
below.
Our
platform, crafted by Democrats, is not about partisanship but pragmatism; not
about left or right, but about moving America and our economy forward. Our
platform—and our president—stand firm in the conviction that America must
continue to out-build, out-innovate and out-educate the world.
This
platform is a clear choice between economic pathways: forward or back,
inclusion or exclusion, grow together as a nation or be a country of savage
disparities that favor the fortunate few over the greatest driving force of any
economy—a large and robust middle class.
We choose
forward. We choose inclusion. We choose growing together. We choose American
economic might and muscle, standing strong on the bedrock of the American
ideal: a strong, empowered and ever-growing middle class. Our platform
emphasizes that a vibrant, free and fair market is essential to economic
growth.
We also
must pull from our highest ideals of justice and protect against those ills
that destabilized our economy—like predatory lending, over-leveraged financial
institutions and the unchecked avarice of the past that trumped fairness and
common sense. Our platform calls for significant cuts in federal spending. Our
platform calls for a balanced deficit reduction plan where the wealthy pay
their fair share.
And when
your country is in a costly war, with our soldiers sacrificing abroad and our
nation facing a debt crisis at home, being asked to pay your fair share isn't
class warfare—it's patriotism.
But we
all know—it's common sense—that for an economy built to last we must invest in
what will fuel us for generations to come. This is our history—from the
Transcontinental Railroad to the Hoover Dam, to the dredging of our ports and
building of our most historic bridges—our American ancestors prioritized growth
and investment in our nation's infrastructure.
And today
our businesses, industries, entrepreneurs and economy realize a return on those
investments. Let us not fall prey to rhetoric that seeks to gut investment and
starve our nation of critical, common-sense building for our future. And
investment must include the real engine of job growth in America: the American
small business.
That is
why I'm proud that our president has made a profound difference for people and
businesses in Newark, New Jersey and our nation by cutting taxes for 100
percent of working families and giving small businesses 18 different tax cuts.
For
President Obama, "home of the brave" are not just the last words of
our national anthem, but also a call to action. This is why the president's
policies and our platform include incentives to train and hire our troops
returning home. Not only because of our moral responsibility, but because it
makes for a stronger, more secure American economy.
But
investing in people doesn't stop with our troops. Our platform and our
president make it clear that the most critical investment we can make in a
21st-century, knowledge-based economy is education. Our president has already
doubled Pell grants, raised education standards, invested in research and
development at our universities and early childhood education in our
neighborhoods.
Our
platform and our president state it clearly: our nation cannot continue to be
the world's number one economy if we aren't committed to being the world's
number one educator.
Our
platform and our president are not interested in petty political arguments.
Instead, this platform of big and practical ideas sets forth an emboldened
pathway toward the historic hope which has driven generations of Americans
forward—it is our most fundamental national aspiration—that no matter who you
are, no matter what your color, creed, how you choose to pray or who you choose
to love, that if you are an American—first generation or fifth—one who is
willing to work hard, play by the rules and apply your God-given talents—that
you should be able to find a job that pays the bills.
You
should be able to afford health care for your family. You should be able to
retire with dignity and respect.
And you
should be able to give your children the kind of education that allows them to
dream even bigger, go even farther and accomplish even more than you could ever
imagine.
This is
our platform. This is our American mission. These are the dreams of our fathers
and mothers. This is the demand from the next generation, who call to our
conscience in a chorus of conviction, in classrooms from north to south, from
sea to shining sea, when they proudly proclaim with those sacred words from our
most profound pledge, that we are a nation with liberty and justice for all.
And this
November, with the re-election of President Barack Obama, this generation of
Americans will ever expand upon the hope, the truth and the promise of America.
Mr.
Chairman, I am very pleased to move for the adoption of the 2012 Democratic
National Platform.
Thank
you.
No comments:
Post a Comment