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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsHakeem Jeffries' Magnificent Speech To the 118th Congress, January 7 2023
Last edited Sun Jan 8, 2023, 05:54 PM - Edit history (4)
(Full transcript in all caps by CSPAN)
DISTINGUISHED MEMBERS OF THE HOUSE DEMOCRATIC CAUCUS AND THE HOUSE REPUBLICAN CAUCUS, IT'S MY HIGH HONOR AND DISTINCT PRIVILEGE TO FINALLY WELCOME ALL OF YOU TO THE 118TH CONGRESS.
LET ME JUST BEGIN BY THANKING MY GOOD FRIEND, PETE AGUILAR, FOR HIS VERY GENEROUS WORDS OF INTRODUCTION AND FOR PLACING MY NAME INTO NOMINATION, A TOTAL OF NINE TIMES. AND I ALSO WANT TO THANK MY OTHER COLLEAGUES FROM THE DEMOCRATIC CAUCUS FOR YOUR GENEROUS WORDS OF NOMINATION, AS WELL AS JIM CLYBURN, KATHERINE CLARK, TED LIEU, DEAN PHILLIPS, JOE NEGUSE, AND VERONICA ESCOBAR. AND I THANK MY COLLEAGUES AND MY FRIENDS IN THE HOUSE DEMOCRATIC CAUCUS FOR YOUR PERSEVERANCE, FOR YOUR STRENGTH, FOR YOUR FRIENDSHIP AND FOR YOUR UNANIMITY OF PURPOSE AND FOR YOUR UNANIMOUS SUPPORT.
I SIMPLY WANT TO SAY THAT SHOWING OF STRENGTH IS NOT FOR ANY ONE PARTICULAR INDIVIDUAL. IT WILL BE A SHOWING OF STRENGTH THROUGHOUT THE 118TH CONGRESS, UNANIMITY OF PURPOSE ON BEHALF OF THE AMERICAN PEOPLE.
BEFORE I PROCEED ANY FURTHER, LET ME BEGIN BY ACKNOWLEDGING THE DISTINGUISHED GENTLELADY FROM THE GREAT STATE OF CALIFORNIA, THE ICONIC, THE HEROIC, LEGENDARY NANCY PELOSI. .. . . AND WITHOUT QUESTION IN MY MIND, SPEAKER EMERITA PELOSI WILL GO DOWN IN HISTORY AS THE GREATEST SPEAKER OF ALL TIME.
THROUGHOUT HER TIME -- THROUGHOUT HER TIME IN CONGRESS, SHE'S BEEN A LEGENDARY LEGISLATOR, A FABULOUS FACILITATOR, AND A NO-NONSENSE NEGOTIATOR. WE KNOW THAT NANCY PELOSI IS A WOMAN OF FAITH, A LOVING WIFE, A MOTHER OF FIVE, A GRANDMOTHER OF NINE. A DEFENDERS OF DEMOCRACY. A VOICE FOR THE VOICELESS. AND A POWERFUL CHAMPION FOR THE CHILDREN, THE CLIMATE, CHARM CITY, CALIFORNIA, THE CAUCUS, THE CONGRESS, THE COUNTRY, AND THE CONSTITUTION.
THANK YOU, MADAM SPEAKER, FOR ALL THAT YOU HAVE DONE, IT IS AN HONOR TO STAND ON YOUR BROAD SHOULDERS.
AS WELL -- AS WELL AS THE SHOULDERS OF THE GREAT STENY HOYER AND THE GREAT JIM CLYBURN, TWO CONSEQUENTIAL LEADERS IN THEIR OWN RIGHT.
SCRIPTURE SAYS IN GALATIANS, LET US NOT BECOME WEARY IN DOING GOOD, FOR AT THE PROPER TIME, WE WILL REAP A HARVEST IF WE DO NOT GIVE UP.
OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS, HOUSE DEMOCRATS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PRESIDENT BIDEN AND OUR COLLEAGUES IN THE SENATE HAVE BEEN HARD AT WORK ON BEHALF OF THE AMERICAN PEOPLE, GETTING BIG THINGS DONE.
WE PASSED THE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN.
SAVED THE ECONOMY FROM A DEEP RECESSION.
PUT SHOTS IN ARM, MONEY IN POCKETS AND KIDS BACK IN SCHOOL.
WE PASSED THE INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENT AND JOBS ACT. TO CREATE MILLIONS OF GOOD-PAYING JOBS. FIX OUR CRUMBLING BRIDGES, ROADS, TUNNELS, OUR AIRPORTS, OUR SEWER AND WATER SYSTEM, MASS TRANSPORTATION SYSTEMS AND ENSURE HIGH SPEED INTERNET ACCESS IN EVERY SINGLE COMMUNITY.
WE PASSED GUN SAFETY LEGISLATION FOR THE FIRST TIME IN 30 YEARS THAT WILL SAVE LIVES AND MAKE OUR COMMUNITIES SAFER.
WE PASSED THE CHIPS IN SCIENCE ACT TO BRING DOMESTIC MANUFACTURING JOBS BACK HOME TO THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND ENSURE THAT OUR WORK FORCE HAS THE SKILLS TO SUCCEED IN THE 21ST CENTURY ECONOMY AND
WE PASSED THE INFLATION REDUCTION ACT TO STRIKE A DRAMATIC BLOW AGAINST THE CLIMATE CRISIS, SET OUR PLANET ON A SUSTAINABLE TRAJECTORY FORWARD, LOWER ENERGY COSTS, STRENGTHEN THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT, LOWER HEALTH CARE COSTS AND DRIVE DOWN THE HIGH PRICE OF LIFE-SAVING PRESCRIPTION DRUGS FOR MILLIONS OF AMERICANS.
IT WAS ONE OF THE MOST CONSEQUENTIAL CONGRESSES IN AMERICAN HISTORY. PRESIDENT BIDEN GETS THE JOB DONE AND SO THE D IN DEMOCRAT STANDS FOR DELIVER.
SO OVER THE NEXT TWO YEARS, OVER THE NEXT -- OVER THE NEXT TWO YEARS -- AS WE BEGIN THIS 118TH CONGRESS, LET US CONTINUE TO
FIGHT FOR LOWER COSTS. LET US CONTINUE TO
FIGHT IN THIS CONGRESS FOR BETTER PAYING JOBS. LET US CONTINUE TO
FIGHT IN THIS CONGRESS FOR SAFER COMMUNITIES. LET US CONTINUE TO
FIGHT IN THIS CONGRESS TO DEFEND DEMOCRACY. LET US CONTINUE TO
FIGHT IN THIS CONGRESS TO PUT AND PROTECT THE PUBLIC INTERESTS. LET US CONTINUE TO FIGHT IN THIS CONGRESS FOR ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY IN EVERY SINGLE ZIP CODE AND LET US CONTINUE TO
FIGHT IN THIS CONGRESS FOR REPRODUCTIVE FREEDOM.
BECAUSE -- BECAUSE AS DEMOCRATS WE DO BELIEVE IN A COUNTRY FOR EVERYONE.
WE DO BELIEVE IN A COUNTRY FOR EVERYONE. A COUNTRY THAT
PROVIDES FOR THE POOR.
WORKS FOR WORKING FAMILIES.
MAKES SENSE FOR THE MIDDLE CLASS.
STANDS UP FOR SENIOR CITIZENS.
INNOVATES IN THE INNER CITY.
STRENGTHENS SUBURBAN COMMUNITIES,
HELPS OUT THE HEARTLAND AND
REVITALIZES RURAL AMERICA.
WE BELIEVE IN A COUNTRY WITH
LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL,
EQUAL PROTECTION UNDER THE LAW,
FREE AND FAIR ELECTIONS AND YES,
WE BELIEVE IN A COUNTRY WITH THE PEACEFUL TRANSFER OF POWER.
WE BELIEVE -- THAT IN AMERICA OUR DIVERSITY IS A STRENGTH. IT IS NOT A WEAKNESS.
AN ECONOMIC STRENGTH, A COMPETITIVE STRENGTH, A CULTURAL STRENGTH.
OUR DIVERSITY IS A STRENGTH. IT IS NOT A WEAKNESS.
WE ARE A GORGEOUS MOSAIC OF PEOPLE FROM THROUGHOUT THE WORLD.
AS JOHN LEWIS WOULD SOMETIMES REMIND US ON THIS FLOOR, WE MAY HAVE COME OVER ON DIFFERENT SHIPS BUT WE'RE ALL IN THE SAME BOAT NOW.
WE ARE WHITE, WE ARE BLACK, WE ARE LATINO, WE ARE ASIAN, WE ARE NATIVE AMERICAN,
WE ARE CHRISTIAN, WE ARE JEWISH, WE ARE MUSLIM, WE ARE HINDU,
WE ARE RELIGIOUS, WE ARE SECULAR,
WE ARE GAY, WE ARE STRAIGHT,
WE ARE YOUNG, WE ARE OLDER,
WE ARE WOMEN, WE ARE MEN, WE ARE CITIZENS, WE ARE DREAMERS,
OUT OF MANY WE ARE ONE.
THAT'S WHAT MAKES AMERICA A GREAT COUNTRY.
AND NO MATTER WHAT KIND OF HATERS ARE TRYING TO DIVIDE US, WE'RE NOT GOING TO LET ANYONE TAKE THAT AWAY FROM US, NOT NOW, NOT EVER.
THIS IS THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. A LAND OF OPPORTUNITY.
THE FACT THAT I'M ABLE TO STAND UP HERE TODAY IS ANOTHER DATA POINT IN THAT NARRATIVE.
I WAS BORN IN BROOKLYN HOSPITAL, RAISED IN A WORKING CLASS NEIGHBORHOOD IN CROWN HEIGHTS, GREW UP IN THE CORNERSTONE BAPTIST CHURCH. STARTED OFF IN THE CRADLE ROLL DEPARTMENT, SOMEHOW SURVIVED THE VIOLENCE OF THE CRACK COCAINE EPIDEMIC AND WOUND UP HERE IN THE UNITED STATES CONGRESS AS THE HIGHEST RANKING DEMOCRAT IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. AMERICA TRULY A LAND OF OPPORTUNITY. GOVERNMENT OF THE PEOPLE, BY THE PEOPLE, AND FOR THE PEOPLE.
SO ON THIS FIRST DAY, LET US COMMIT TO THE AMERICAN DREAM. A DREAM THAT PROMISES THAT IF YOU WORK HARD AND PLAY BY THE RULES, YOU SHOULD BE TABLE PROVIDE A COMFORTABLE LIVING FOR YOURSELF AND FOR YOUR FAMILY. EDUCATE YOUR CHILDREN. PURCHASE A HOME. AND ONE DAY RETIRE WITH GRACE AND DIGNITY.
LET US COMMIT ON THIS FIRST DAY TO LIFT UP THE AMERICAN DREAM FOR EVERY SINGLE PERSON IN THIS NATION.
NOW I RECOGNIZE THAT THIS IS A MOMENT OF TRANSITION.
AS WE TRANSITION FROM ONE CONGRESS TO THE NEXT, FROM ONE MAJORITY TO THE NEXT. FROM A YEAR OF ACCOMPLISHMENT, A YEAR OF ACCOMPLISHMENT TO A YEAR OF AMBIGUITY. A MOMENT OF TRANSITION.
THE AMERICAN PEOPLE UNDERSTANDABLY AFTER THE EVENTS OF THIS WEEK RECOGNIZE THAT THE CONGRESS IS AT A FORK IN THE ROAD. AND ARE ASKING THE QUESTION, WHAT DIRECTION WILL WE CHOOSE?
ON THIS FIRST DAY, I DO NOT PRETEND TO ANSWER THAT QUESTION ON BEHALF OF MY COLLEAGUES ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE AISLE. BUT WE DO EXTEND OUR HAND OF PARTNERSHIP TO YOU. AND WANT TO MAKE CLEAR THAT WE EXTEND AND INTEND TO TRY TO FIND COMMON GROUND, WHENEVER AND WHEREVER POSSIBLE ON BEHALF OF THE AMERICAN PEOPLE.
NOT AS DEMOCRATS, NOT AS REPUBLICANS, NOT AS INDEPENDENTS, BUT AS AMERICANS.
BUT I ALSO WANT TO MAKE CLEAR THAT WE WILL NEVER COMPROMISE OUR PRINCIPLES. HOUSE DEMOCRATS WILL ALWAYS PUT
AMERICAN VALUES OVER AUTOCRACY.
BENEVOLENCE OVER BIGOTRY. THE
CONSTITUTION OVER THE CULT.
DEMOCRACY OVER DEMAGOGUES.
ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY OVER EXTREMISM.
FREEDOM OVER FASCISM.
GOVERNING OVER GASLIGHTING.
HOPEFULNESS OVER HATRED.
INCLUSION OVER ISOLATION.
JUSTICE OVER JUDICIAL OVERREACH.
KNOWLEDGE OVER KANGAROO COURTS.
LIBERTY OVER LIMITATION.
MATURITY OVER MAR-A-LAGO.
NORMALCY OVER NEGATIVITY.
OPPORTUNITY OVER OBSTRUCTION.
PEOPLE OVER POLITICS.
QUALITY OF LIFE ISSUES OVER Q-ANON.
REASON OVER RACISM.
SUBSTANCE OVER SLANDER.
TRIUMPH OVER TYRANNY.
UNDERSTANDING OVER UGLINESS.
VOTING RIGHTS OVER VOTER SUPPRESSION.
WORKING FAMILIES OVER THE WELL-CONNECTED.
XENNIAL OVER XENOPHOBIA.
YES WE CAN OVER YOU CAN NOT DO IT. AND
ZEALOUS REPRESENTATION OVER ZERO SUM CONFRONTATION
WE WILL ALWAYS DO THE RIGHT THING BY THE AMERICAN PEOPLE.
SO LET US NOT GROW WEARY OF DOING GOOD. FOR THE AMERICAN PEOPLE WILL REAP THE BENEFIT OF THE HARVEST IF WE DO NOT GIVE UP.
GOD BLESS YOU. GOD BLESS THE HOUSE. AND GOD BLESS THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.
targetpractice
(4,919 posts)Jeffries is an amazing communicator... Seemed to deliver that speech with no notes. I was just casually watching MSNBC, and suddenly found myself stuck to the TV when he was talking. A trully hard act to follow, and McCarthy was boring as shit afterwards.
UTUSN
(70,725 posts)ancianita
(36,132 posts)UTUSN
(70,725 posts)J_William_Ryan
(1,756 posts)Well done.
targetpractice
(4,919 posts)... by Dale Carnegie.. "How to Win Friends and Influence People"... And one of the take-aways from the book is that people need to hear things three times for the idea to stick in their memory... People do this and use it in their PowerPoint presentations, and whatnot. Basic. Rachel Maddow also takes this concept literally and repeats herself OVER AND OVER again on her broadcasts... I get what she strives to do, but it's blunt force repetition and is really annoying from her.
.
Jeffries, however, elevates this concept and instead uses alliteration and rhyming to accomplish the same goal. He's a brilliant orator. Riveting. For example, he spoke about Nancy Pelosi...
"LET ME BEGIN BY ACKNOWLEDGING THE DISTINGUISHED GENTLELADY FROM THE GREAT STATE OF CALIFORNIA, THE ICONIC, THE HEROIC, LEGENDARY NANCY PELOSI. .. . . AND WITHOUT QUESTION IN MY MIND, SPEAKER EMERITA PELOSI WILL GO DOWN IN HISTORY AS THE GREATEST SPEAKER OF ALL TIME.
THROUGHOUT HER TIME -- THROUGHOUT HER TIME IN CONGRESS, SHE'S BEEN A LEGENDARY LEGISLATOR, A FABULOUS FACILITATOR, AND A NO-NONSENSE NEGOTIATOR. WE KNOW THAT NANCY PELOSI IS A WOMAN OF FAITH, A LOVING WIFE, A MOTHER OF FIVE, A GRANDMOTHER OF NINE. A DEFENDERS OF DEMOCRACY. A VOICE FOR THE VOICELESS. AND A POWERFUL CHAMPION FOR THE CHILDREN, THE CLIMATE, CHARM CITY, CALIFORNIA, THE CAUCUS, THE CONGRESS, THE COUNTRY, AND THE CONSTITUTION."
That's how it's done, my friends.
SheltieLover
(57,073 posts)Such an eloquent speaker! Reminds me of Obama!
Ty for sharing!
Roy Rolling
(6,928 posts)Democrats inspire others to work for freedom and justice.
Republicans encourage others to work profitably.
burrowowl
(17,644 posts)calimary
(81,440 posts)Last edited Sat Jan 7, 2023, 01:54 PM - Edit history (1)
He really did a star turn.
Great to have the whole script. I can get some great quotes outta this.
AND, we're gonna do an ask based on this, for our next Call to Action email.
malaise
(269,157 posts)Added your link to my OP😀
Biophilic
(3,689 posts)Both clever and truthful as well as things we can always be trying to do better on. A great list of both goals and bedrock beliefs.
BumRushDaShow
(129,376 posts)And technically, the speech was given on January 7, 2023 (east coast time). McCarthy wasn't gonna have his dream of finally being elected Speaker ON January 6, a day with an insurrection he and his caucus planned, stoked, and nurtured, and even today, still support.
ancianita
(36,132 posts)Okay. I'll change the date. I just loved the thought of his speech being given on the second anniversary of the failed coup so much that I forgot what time it was.
BumRushDaShow
(129,376 posts)that speech would have been given this past Tuesday January 3rd.
But GOP in disarray!
calimary
(81,440 posts)So youre right either way.
niyad
(113,527 posts)Hortensis
(58,785 posts)NOT AS DEMOCRATS, NOT AS REPUBLICANS, NOT AS INDEPENDENTS, BUT AS AMERICANS.
It may be that this congress will force some Republicans to at times work openly with Democrats to block the chaos caucus and do their job, the way they used to in better times. This would allow them move more toward the center.
ancianita
(36,132 posts)imo, Text helps ground the spirit of video. It's always good to have two media for understanding important ideas.
You make a good point. Would that Republicans showed the nerve to work with us, even if it's just to keep votes back home. Isn't it a pity that we have to be the ones to move those people out of their fact free world view of things and focus on doing the people's business, and not that of their owners'.
Hortensis
(58,785 posts)Sometimes things have to get worst before they can get better, and hopefully this all may be driving that party to a tipping point. Toward function.
Even Republican house business will frequently be brought to fractious halts. They got their control over the debt ceiling process, with a goal of cutting funding for social programs, the IRS, climate change projects, etcetera, in return for agreeing to pay our bills. Many want cuts to Social Security and Medicare (!), which should get the attention of even the most recalcitrant voters back home.
BumRushDaShow
(129,376 posts)you had bills like -
H.R.8404 - Respect for Marriage Act
that received 39 House Republican votes.
So even on things that the GOP deems - "wedge issues" / "culture issues" - that they go extremist with, there are some in there who don't buy it.
Hortensis
(58,785 posts)vote for all kinds of actions they haven't by lessening MAGA influence. All along the Republicans have been cooperating with Dems to pass bills that haven't been weaponized for public controversy, so the two parties have that habit of managing routine business even in the midst of RW warfare to expand on.
UTUSN
(70,725 posts)FakeNoose
(32,725 posts)I went to bed early last night.
ancianita
(36,132 posts)Rhiannon's video post, I, being a reader, just had to find the full transcript.
Hekate
(90,775 posts)Mr. Mxyzptlk
(4 posts)I believe that House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries' powerful, magnificent speech is one of the most important speeches I've heard in some time. As such, I wanted to find a transcript of it and could not find one until I found the CSPAN copy in this forum. Finding the all caps version somewhat confusing, I went through and re-typed it into more normal print form. I then wanted to insure accuracy, so I read along with a YouTube video of House Democratic Leader Jeffries' speech. I found differences and omissions and corrected them. For the sake of clarity, I also deleted something like 5 redundancies that were caused by applause and inappropriate negative commentary from his detractors. What I submit here is the most accurate, nearly verbatim transcript of House Democratic Leader Jeffries' monumental speech that may be found online. I hope this is helpful. Kudos to CSPAN for their transcript and ancianita for posting it here.
House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries Speech on the Election of Speaker of the House, January 7, 2023
Madam Clerk, Whip Clark, distinguished members of the House Democratic Caucus and the House Republican caucus, its my high honor and distinct privilege to finally be able to welcome all of you to the 118th Congress.
Let me just begin by thanking my good friend Pete Aguilar for his very generous words of introduction and for placing my name into nomination a total of nine times. And I also want to thank my other colleagues from the Democratic caucus for your generous words of nomination, as well as Jim Clyburn, Katherine Clark, Ted Lieu, Dean Phillips, Joe Neguse and Veronica Escobar. I also want to thank my colleagues, my friends in the House Democratic caucus for your perseverance, for your strength, for your friendship, for your unanimity of purpose and for your unanimous support.
And I simply want to say that that showing of strength is not for any one particular individual. It will be a showing of strength throughout the 118th Congress, unanimity of purpose on behalf of the American people.
Before I proceed any further, let me begin by acknowledging the distinguished gentlelady from the great state of California, the iconic, the heroic, the legendary Speaker Emerita Nancy Dalesandro Pelosi
and without question in my mind, Speaker Emerita Pelosi will go down in history as the greatest speaker of all time. Throughout her time in Congress, shes been a legendary legislator, a fabulous facilitator and a no-nonsense negotiator. And we know that Nancy Pelosi is a woman of faith, a loving wife, a mother of five, a grandmother of nine, a defender of democracy, a voice for the voiceless and a powerful champion for the children, the climate, Charm City, California, the caucus, the Congress, the country and the Constitution. Thank you, Madam Speaker, for all that you have done. Its an honor to stand on your broad shoulders, as well as the shoulders of the great Steny Hoyer and the great Jim Clyburn, two consequential leaders in their own right.
Now scripture says in Galatians, Let us not become weary in doing good for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.
Over the last two years, House Democrats, in partnership with President Biden and our colleagues in the Senate, have been hard at work on behalf of the American people, getting big things done. We passed the American Rescue Plan, saved the economy from a deep recession, put shots in arms, money in pockets and kids back in school. We passed the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act to create millions of good paying jobs, fix our crumbling bridges, roads, tunnels, our airports, our sewer and water system, our mass transportation systems and ensure high speed Internet access in every single community. We passed gun safety legislation for the first time in 30 years that will save lives and make our communities safer. We passed the Chips in Science Act to bring domestic manufacturing jobs back home to the United States of America and ensure that our work force has the skills to succeed in the 21st century economy and we passed the Inflation Reduction Act to strike a dramatic blow against the climate crisis, set our planet on a sustainable trajectory forward, lower energy costs, strengthen the Affordable Care Act, lower healthcare costs and drive down the high price of life-saving prescription drugs for millions of Americans. It was one of the most consequential Congresses in American history. President Biden gets the job done and the D in Democrats stands for deliver.
Over the next two years, as we begin this 118th Congress, let us continue to fight for lower costs. Let us continue to fight in this Congress for better paying jobs. Let us continue to fight in this Congress for safer communities. Let us continue to fight in this Congress to defend democracy. Let us continue to fight in this Congress to put and protect the public interests. Let us continue to fight in this Congress for economic opportunity in every single zip code and let us continue to fight in this Congress for reproductive freedom, because, as Democrats, we do believe in a country for everyone. We do believe in a country for everyone; a country that provides for the poor, works for working families, makes sense for the middle class, stands up for senior citizens, innovates in the inner city, strengthens suburban communities, helps out the heartland and revitalizes rural America. We believe in a country with liberty and justice for all, equal protection under the law, free and fair elections, and yes, we believe in a country with the peaceful transfer of power. We believe that in America, our diversity is a strength; it is not a weakness; an economic strength, a competitive strength, a cultural strength. Our diversity is a strength. It is not a weakness. We are a gorgeous mosaic of people from throughout the World. As John Lewis would sometimes remind us on this floor, We may have come over on different ships, but were all in the same boat now. We are White, we are Black, we are Latino, we are Asian, we are Native American, we are Christian, we are Jewish, we are Muslim, we are Hindu, we are religious, we are secular, we are Gay, we are straight, we are young, we are older, we are women, we are men, we are citizens, we are dreamers. Out of many, we are one. Thats what makes America a great country, and no matter what kind of haters are trying to divide us, were not going to let anyone take that away from us, not now, not ever. This is the United States of America; a land of opportunity.
The fact that Im able to stand up here today is another data point in that narrative. I was born in Brooklyn Hospital, raised in a working class neighborhood in Crown Heights, grew up in the Cornerstone Baptist Church-started off in the Cradle Roll Department, somehow survived the violence of the crack cocaine epidemic and wound up here in the United States Congress as the highest ranking Democrat in the House of Representatives. America-truly a land of opportunity. Government of the people, by the people and for the people.
So, on this first day, let us commit to the American dream; a dream that promises that if you work hard and play by the rules, you should be able to provide a comfortable living for yourself and for your family, educate your children, purchase a home and one day retire with grace and dignity.
Let us commit on this first day to lift up the American dream for every single person in this nation.
Now, I recognize that this is a moment of transition. As we transition from one Congress to the next, from one majority to the next, from a year of accomplishment, a year of accomplishment to a year of ambiguity, a moment of transition. The American people, understandably after the events of this week, recognize that the Congress is at a fork in the road and are asking the question, Which direction will we choose? On this first day, I do not pretend to answer that question on behalf of my colleagues on the other side of the aisle, but we do extend our hand of partnership to you and want to make clear that we extend and intend to try to find common ground, whenever and wherever possible, on behalf of the American people, not as Democrats, not as Republicans, not as Independents, but as Americans.
But, I also want to make clear that we will never compromise our principles. House Democrats will always put American values over autocracy, benevolence over bigotry, the Constitution over the code, democracy over demagogues, economic opportunity over extremism, freedom over fascism, governing over gaslighting, hopefulness over hatred, inclusion over isolation, justice over judicial overreach, knowledge over kangaroo courts, liberty over limitation, maturity over Mar-a-lago, normalcy over negativity, opportunity over obstruction, people over politics, quality of life issues over Q-Anon, reason over racism, substance over slander, triumph over tyranny, understanding over ugliness, voting rights over voter suppression, working families over the well-connected, xenia [hospitality] over xenophobia, yes we can over you can do it and zealous representation over zero sum confrontation.
We will always do the right thing by the American people. So, let us not grow weary of doing good, for the American people will reap the benefit of the harvest if we do not give up.
God bless you. God bless the House and God bless the United States of America.
Mr. Mxyzptlk
(4 posts)I'm a good editor. I love the language arts. If there is enough interest in more work of this type going forward, I'm willing to do it.
debm55
(25,300 posts)was brilliant. I can know see in your post of the text why they call it the A-Z speech. Thank you again.