Political Quotes

“Mr. President, last week, Pope Francis released an unprecedented document detailing what is wrong with our financial system. That the Pope thought it was that important to weigh in tells you a lot about where we are as a nation. We have an economy, the Pope noted, that defines success by corporate profits and measures time in quarterly earnings reports. That is not how families think. Washington may think that way, corporate CEOs may think that way, but families mark time in school years, in 30-year mortgages, and in years left to save for retirement. That is why the Pope called our current financial system ``an inadequate framework that excludes the common good.'' Right now, working families are struggling in this country. The economic statistics may look rosy, but they mask serious problems that hold too many workers back and prevent entire communities from sharing in that growth. The Pope warned last week that ``work itself, together with its dignity, is increasingly at risk of losing its value.'' Work is increasingly at risk of losing its value. Our economy simply doesn't value work the way it should. Over the past 40 years, the link between productivity and wage increases has eroded. Profits have gone up, CEO compensation has gone up, worker productivity has gone up, but wages have been stagnant. Workers simply don't get the help they should in compensation.…”