And so we go over the cliff fiscally, and our Republican friends try to pin the blame on discretionary domestic spending, including spending for security. We pass budget resolutions that fall far short.
And we should resolve to fix our country's budget policy so that at long last our nation's people and their security can come first.
But I warn my colleagues that we will fail in our efforts to protect the homeland if we do not take additional steps to avoid a trade-off between protecting ourselves against terrorists attacks and preparing for and responding to natural disasters.
Congress needs strong parties, but it also needs the capacity to deal with budget and entitlement challenges that are likely beyond the reach of pure partisan exertion.
Honest discussions - even and perhaps especially on topics about which we disagree - can help us resist hypocrisy and arrogance. They can also help us live up to the basic ideals, such as liberty and justice for all, on which our country was founded.
I am struck by the fact that personal faith and political agendas are intertwined more closely now than at any other time in recent history.
I believe we must seek God's will, never presuming to identify it with our own program or power.
I have also come to understand Congress' need for a bipartisan as well as a partisan capacity.
I have understood the value of party discipline and have tried to help achieve it among Democrats, mainly through the whip organization.
I've said before, and I'll say it again: we can do better. We must do better. And we would do better, if we made better budget choices.
It is ironic - or perhaps "hypocritical" is the right word - to be passing a "Small Business Bill of Rights," when in fact, our Republican friends are gutting the very programs that support small businesses.
Our country's political discourse and debate are enriched by discussions of the political implications of our faith traditions, whether they are taking place in our communities, at our dinner tables, or in our places of worship.
Personal faith can be a powerful force for public good.
Since its founding, the United States has championed the development of democracy everywhere. That work has arguably never been more important than it is today. We must continue to serve not just as a model, but as a partner in the effort to strengthen democracy across the globe.
The 2001 and 2003 tax measures are an unsettling reminder that unified party control is no guarantee of either coherence or fiscal responsibility.
The Bush Administration can find a trillion here and a billion there for tax cuts of questionable benefit to our economy.
The Bush administration continues its trend of shifting money from natural and general disaster preparedness programs.
The impending teacher shortage is the most critical education issue we will face in the next decade.
Unified party control of the organs of government has proved no panacea.
We pass bills authorizing improvements and grants. But when it comes time to pay for these programs, we'd rather put the country's money toward tax breaks for the wealthy than for police officers who are protecting our communities.
We simply must do better.
We've talked a lot about education reform here in Congress. But education reform won't work without quality teachers in our classroom.
What drew me to both study and activism was the formative experience of the civil rights movement.
Owns production company, Summerwind Productions
Also owns Creative Reels, a commercial and video production company
You can share a link to this page with your friend!