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STATEMENT BY HOUSE DEMOCRATIC LEADER RICHARD A. GEPHARDT ANNOUNCING THE DEMOCRATIC FAMILIES FIRST AGENDA
Democrats have spent a lot of time in the past year and half fighting against the more extreme parts of the Republican agenda -- the parts that we believed would hurt America's working families.
We don't relish those kinds of fights. But when it came to cutting Medicare, and education, and environmental protection to lavish more on those who have the most -- we had to choose conscience over convenience. I think most Americans agree that we did what was right.
But as we move toward this fall's Congressional elections, Democrats have an obligation to tell the American people not just what we stand against, but what we stand for. You see, Democrats don't want to merely win back the gavel. We want to deserve it.
In this Families First Agenda, we describe the ways in which a new Democratic majority would rededicate itself to the hard-working, middle class families that have always been the core of this country.
America's economy is a lot stronger than it was four years ago. But for too many middle class families, just staying in place means a never-ending scramble of longer hours, second jobs, and credit card debt.
Democrats didn't do enough to address that problem when we ran the Congress. I believe that's why we're not running the Congress today. But whether or not you agree with the Gingrich-Dole agenda, the Republicans have virtually ignored your real, day-to-day problems. If you give Democrats another chance, we'll work 24 hours a day to help you meet those challenges.
The Families First Agenda is a very different kind of Democratic agenda. It's not about giving hand-outs. It's really about giving a hand up -- helping families earn more security for themselves in this tough new economy.
Every part of this agenda is modest and achievable -- the kinds of change Americans will see right away in their own lives. We're not trying to re-write the Constitution on the back of a napkin. If the Gingrich-Dole era has taught us anything, it's that you don't need extreme ideology -- of the right or of the left. My hope is that, at end of the day, a lot of moderate Republicans will join us in supporting the Families First Agenda.
The Families First Agenda focusses on three areas: security, opportunity, and responsibility. Security means health care for your kids and better pensions for you. It also means more paycheck security, and the personal security of safer streets and more police on the streets.
Opportunity means more education and training, and help for small businesses at a time when big business seems to get all the breaks.
Responsibility means the right kind of balanced budget, and also welfare reform, cracking down on teen pregnancy, and strong protection of the environment.
The bottom line is that Democrats are asking for another chance to lead. Our sole and central mission would be to help the working families caught in today's middle class squeeze.
Then, we will have a Congress that puts families first, and special interests last. Then, average Americans will finally have a Congress that's on their side.
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