With government back, three things to work on. . .

(photo credit: AFGE)

Washington, D.C. - The shutdown is over and default has been avoided. With a contentious two weeks now in the rear-view, President Obama offered three opportunities for bipartisan action in this week's address. The budget, immigration reform, and the farm bill were areas where the president challenged leaders to move beyond party extremes and begin working on behalf of the American people.

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In acceptance speech, President Obama defends hope, places faith in the American people

photo credit: Barack Obama via photopin (license)

Charlotte, NC - "I am no longer just a candidate, I'm the president." Those were the words of President Barack Obama who spoke before an enthusiastic crowd Thursday night at the Democratic National Convention. Where Republicans tried to frame it as a failed promise, the President doubled down on hope, reminding his audience that the difficult road to change leads to a better place for America's future.

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Congressional Black Caucus members bring passion and urgency to DNC

(photo credit:  Steve Bott via Creative Commons License)

Charlotte, NC - The run up to the 2012 Elections has been marred by a series of changes to voting laws across the country. Changes that could impact millions of voters has led many to fear for the security of one of America's most basic democratic principles. As Democrats came together for their convention this week, members of the Congressional Black Caucus provided some of the most impassioned speeches in defense of civil rights.

Voting rights and a claim to Democratic principles took center stage Wednesday as Representatives Karen Bass (D-CA), Al Green (D-TX), and Emanuel Cleaver (D-MO) addressed the Democratic National Convention:


(Video courtesy of PBS NewsHour)

On Thursday, Representative John Lewis (D-GA) gave an emotional defense of voting rights:


(Video courtesy of PBS NewsHour)

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President Clinton defends President Obama's record, gives point-by-point rebuttal to Republican attacks

Charlotte, NC - If there was ever a speech to erase the claims of last week's Republican National Convention, President Clinton might have delivered it last night. In what proved to be a methodical, point-by-point rebuttal to attacks made by Republicans in Tampa, President Clinton gave wit to wonky, captivating a packed arena with a forceful defense of President Obama and his policies.

Placing the economic recovery in perspective, President Clinton discussed the magnitude of what faced President Obama as he came into office:

"President Obama started with a much weaker economy than I did. Listen to me now. No president, no president - not me, not any of my predecessors - no one could have fully repaired all the damage that he found in just four years."

(Video courtesy of C-SPAN)

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President to Congress: Get your act together and pass this jobs bill

In his weekly address the President continued to pressure Congress to pass the American Jobs Act. Quite bluntly, President Obama addressed inaction by leaders in Washington saying, "It's time for Congress to get its act together and to pass this jobs bill so I can sign it into law."



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Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson's message supporting Democratic jobs bills

One week after President Obama delivered his jobs speech to a joint session of Congress, Representative Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX) released the following message in support of the American Jobs Act. Representative Johnson also voiced full support of the Progressive Caucus' Rebuild the American Dream jobs framework.

Speaking of the American Jobs Act, Representative Johnson noted,

"As a senior member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, I am especially glad to see that the President has maintained his unwavering commitment to modernizing American infrastructure. The American Jobs Act will make an immediate investment of at least $2.5 billion for infrastructure modernization that will repair and modernize our existing highways, rail and transit in the state of Texas. This investment would support at least 33,000 local Texas jobs."

Turning her attention towards the Rebuild the American Dream jobs framework, Congresswoman said the following:

"This bold plan champions several job-creating bills that seek to encourage manufacturing in America: Investments in research and innovation so that America will lead the green industrial revolution; fair taxes; infrastructure investment; and preparation of our youth so that they will be prepared for the jobs of the future."

Representative Bernice Johnson is a co-sponsor of a bill to come from the jobs framework titled, "The Emergency Jobs to Restore the American Dream Act." You can read more about the framework, here.

The following message was released a little over two weeks ago on September 15, 2011:

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