Political Quotes

“Mr. President, most of us were in our States over Labor Day. I usually come to the floor a few days after Labor Day to talk about the importance of Labor Day and what it means to working Americans, what it has meant to our country, and what it has meant to building a strong middle class. I would like to read a letter sent to me by Bill Ross, who is an Ohio business leader. Mr. Ross writes: I grew up in a first generation immigrant family in a small Ohio town. My father, who obtained only an 8th grade education (not uncommon for his generation), worked hard in an industrial job. My mother worked at home to care for our family of 5 children. When able to do so, she went to work outside the household too. We rented a home for $25 a month, ate nutritious meals at home, and all walked to school with clean clothes each day. All five children went to college, obtained post-graduate professional degrees, and pursued rewarding professional careers in law, education and business. How did that happen? Because, first and foremost, my father had a job with a living wage and health care for his family that his union protected. Because we had access to good quality public education. Because we had access to affordable state universities and student loan programs that we could later afford to repay. Because blue collar working people had a chance. I hope we can restore all that in America again. Bill Ross's story is very much like my wife Connie's story.…”