the african-american community. unfortunately, the republican obstructionist congress will not let us pass that american jobs act, so this is very, very it s very serious but it s very clear what is taking place in terms of those over 500,000 public sector jobs that were lost. also, we have to remember there s still bias in the job market, unfortunately. the public sector has always been where african americans have had a level playing field, at least an opportunity to get a job. those jobs are just about gone. once again, the president has put forth a package to invest in the public sector, which of course are our teachers, educators, firefighters. where african-americans have had those job opportunities. those are gone and the president has been working, we have been working in congress as democrats under the leadership of nancy pelosi, our leader, to really try to get this package passed so that we can stop this hemorrhaging. so we have to do more and we must do more.
want to go back? or do you want to keep america moving forward? the congressman then joined me at the podium, just to the side of the podium right after his speech. you are the one person who has so much authenticity in congress because you lived through selma. you almost died in selma. and you see a parallel with these voter suppression laws. it is unreal to see what the republicans are trying to do all across america. it s not just in the south, but even in pennsylvania, in ohio, in indiana, in so many other places, they re trying to take us back to another period, and too many people have suffered, bled and died for the right to vote. i tried to suggest tonight to vote is precious, almost sacred. they want to take us back to another period and we don t want
first of all, it s very painful and i know many members of congress, especially who represent black constituencies, latino constituencies and i know the president in the white house really understands this unemployment rate in the black community is structural, it s deep and it goes back for many, many decades. we re doing everything we can do to reduce it. secondly, a year ago, it was a 16.7% which is unacceptable. it s still unacceptable. 16.7% was a 28-year high but i just have to tell you, in terms of the african-american employment, the path to opportunity has been through the public sector. when you look at local and state job cuts and the disproportionate impact on the black community, it is just horrific. but the president put forward in his jobs bill provisions to rehire, retrain and to invest in the public sector at state and local levels, because the hemorrhaging is taking place there and that is how we address
of course, the american people really want more, but what they see is stalemate in washington. that s something that really needs to be addressed. well, stalemate in washington, when you look at the fact that the president has tried for the last three years to work with the republican tea party congress. i have been there, i have seen how he has reached out, tried to negotiate, tried to get them to come on board. just look at the stimulus package which he passed. this was a major, major accomplishment from keeping our country from going into a deep depression, created millions of jobs in infrastructure and construction work, saved many teachers jobs, first responders, police officers. not one vote for the stimulus package. when you look at all of the efforts that the president has reached out to republicans in the spirit of compromise, they have followed one rule and that was what senator mitch mcconnell said, that their ultimate goal was to make sure that president obama was a on
they don t care about job creation. i see this each and every day. the president does and we have to re-elect the president and democrats to congress so that we can move forward with a jobs bill to turn this economy around. he dug us out of this depression that we were in and we have to move forward and that s what the president said so clearly. that s the message of this convention. thanks so much for wrapping it up for us, barbara lee, congresswoman. thanks. safe travels coming on home. coming up next, voter discrimination, then and now. my conversation with civil rights pioneer and congressman john lewis at the podium last night. plus, an economic reality check. this is andrea mitchell reports. [ acoustic guitar: slow ] [ barks ] [ upbeat ] [ barks ] beneful playful life is made with energy-packed wholesome grains. and real beef and egg. to help you put more play in your day.