Charles Rangel: “I just want to make it abundantly clear that what we were fighting for when we were talking about providing resources…”

“I just want to make it abundantly clear that what we were fighting for when we were talking about providing resources for those people that have lost their jobs was not a Democratic position or a Republican position, but it was a position that I'm glad that the minority leader understood, that affected not only the ability of Americans to put food on the table or to clothe their children or to pay their bills, but it really involved the dignity of the middle class. And I will speak briefly to that, because Jim McDermott has the passion and truly understanding that we're not talking about being liberal or being conservative. That Statue of Liberty is up there for people all over the world, for centuries, for people to dream the American dream. And what is it? It certainly isn't to be some type of tycoon that gets preferential tax treatment, and we know that it's not those people who are jobless and homeless. But it's those people that really think that they can have some dignity and pride in providing for their family, sending their kids to school, and maybe buying that first house.”