kids. the opportunity gap in america is now as much about class as it is about race. we ve got to move beyond of the false notion that this is an issue exclusively of minority concern. and angela, how important is it for the president to start to try to bring back in this racial discussion, always dangerous when the president tries to do it when this president tries to do it but to try to separate out these notions of makers and takers from issues of race. well, joy, he also talked about his white grandfather, who because of the gi bill, received an education that absolutely paved the way for him becoming president of the united states. the president s discussion on economic inequality or income inequality and the other gaps that exist in the american culture that preclude people from proceeding towards the american dream are not new. he s addressed this in the state of the union. he addressed this when he asked congress to pass the american jobs act. he addressed this when he
outline new initiatives on things like assistance to the long-term unemployed. and if republicans have any ideas, he would welcome them too. if republicans have concrete plans that will actually reduce inequality, build the middle class, provide more ladders of opportunity to the poor, let s hear them. it s not enough anymore to just say we should get our government out oh of the way and let the unfettered market take care of it. for our experience tells us, that s just not true. government can t stand on the sidelines in our efforts. because government is us. yeah, sure. try it telling that to everyone s favorite by stander, the huge fan of the congressional recess, house speaker john boehner. he hasn t obstructed anything, really. to date, the house has passed nearly 150 bills this congress that the united states senate has failed to act on. these bills would do things like increase the supply of american energy and build the key stone
house of representatives in particular are probably very slim, if not none. so how important is it for the president to keep on using the bully pulpit to keep on reminding americans that he and they are on the same side on these issues? whether it is trayvon martin, joy, or some other issue that seems to be falling on deaf ears because people haven t heard it from him is absolutely abundantly important. he does have a small window for which he can act. i don t know in 2014 if the house would flip to democrats. it s not looking that way. so he has to continue to utilize every other available effort. that would be through the administrative process, through regulations. executive orders. executive actions. and if he can continue to push this agenda through, through that way, that s probably his best bet. it will be very tough on the hill. we have not seen much happen from the house side. it is the most inactive congress in the history. i think it s going to beat that record for the 113