Madam Speaker, I ask the American people to wake up from the malaise of this debate about the deficit and raising the debt ceiling. You have lost your way. Let me just ask you to raise your voices against the issue of a broken government and the potential of a shutdown on the question of, what do you want for your children. As we go back to our districts and our school districts and our States, parents are standing in lines at school board meetings crying about 60-seat classrooms and teachers being laid off. Don't you understand that it starts right here in Washington? You need to be speaking to our friends on the other side of the aisle. It is time to invest and grow the economy. It is time to recognize that consumer spending has increased, that jobs have been created, and that it is important to invest in this economy. If you don't get in the way and get in the mix, I can tell you that the rise that we have of 192,000 jobs being created, the unemployment going down, economists saying we should invest now, you are going to lose it, tied up with those who have views that are only self-centered, our friends that are in the tea party. It is time for people to put education first and realize that if you let us fall on the spear here in Washington on the grounds of mislabeled politics and not worry about your children, you are going to lose. Wake up, America. It is time to get in the fight. Fight for your children. Invest and grow the economy now. ____________________
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