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Change
The change we seek for our nation is not the choice of an
individual but must be the calling of a country.
Cooperation
When American citizens pull together, there is little we
can't accomplish.
Dialogue
There is too much disagreement for disagreement's sake.
In a time of persistent challenges that still call into
question our most sacred aspirations as a country, we cannot
afford shallow callous divisiveness in our public debate.
We
become distracted from productive labors by our perceived
opponents; we become focused on them and not on our larger
calling to advance our nation; our debate becomes more about
scoring points against an adversary and less about advancing
our common cause.
Economy
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.
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.
Infrastructure
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.
We should
not be scrimping on investments in public safety. The lack
of infrastructure spending is costing us lives in America.
It's costing every commuter."
Interdependence
In America we have a Declaration of Independence, but our
history, our advancements, our global strength all point
to an American declaration of interdependence.
We
have had in our nation a well-celebrated Declaration of
Independence. But our success as a country will depend upon
a new 'Declaration of Inter-dependence.' A belief in how
much we need each other, how much we share one common destiny.
Living
wage
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.
Social
Movements
As I review the great history of our nation, community organizers
have been at the center of so many of our great social movements.
Values
If you look at great human civilizations, from the Roman
Empire to the Soviet Union, you will see that most do not
fail simply due to external threats but because of internal
weakness, corruption, or a failure to manifest the values
and ideals they espouse.
Spirituality
You can't have a physical transformation until you have
a spiritual transformation.
Unity
in Diversity
One of the very hallmarks of our nation is the ideal of
E Pluribus Unum. It is a concept that richly flows from
the highest ideals of our nation.
Wealth
inequalty
If we cannot provide excellent educational opportunities
to all children, safe communities, quality health coverage,
or robust and fair avenues towards wealth creation, then
our nation will increasingly be in peril.
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