EC from DC - August 1, 2014

PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA TAKES THE STAGE IN KANSAS CITY AS A STANDING ROOM ONLY CROWD CHEERS

This week the national spotlight began shining, again, on Kansas City. President Barack Obama stopped here, amidst large crowds and much fanfare, to talk about the continuing revitalization of the economy, the importance of supporting small businesses, and the goal of creating more jobs.
 

CONGRESSMAN CLEAVER TALKS WITH MISSOURI GOVERNOR JAY NIXON (LEFT), CONGRESSMAN LACY CLAY (CENTER), AND DEPUTY ASSISTANT TO THE PRESIDENT AND DIRECTOR OF INTERGOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS AT THE WHITE HOUSE DAVID AGNEW, AS THEY WAIT FOR THE PRESIDENT TO ARRIVE

It was a pleasure to welcome the President to Kansas City, and to get the opportunity to speak directly with him about the specific issues important to us here in Missouri's Fifth District. One of the things I stressed is my firm belief that our hard-working families deserve better. You deserve a Congress that will work together, listen to their constituents, and stop all of the partisan attacks, political distractions, and self-serving pettiness – and work to create jobs, expand opportunities, and strengthen the middle class. 
 

THE UPTOWN THEATER IN KANSAS CITY WELCOMES THE PRESIDENT TO TOWN

The President's speech comes on the heels of recent employment reports showing the sixth consecutive month this country has added more than 200,000 jobs. This is the first time that's happened since 1997. In fact, the 1.5 million jobs added over the last 6 months are the most in the same time period since April 2006. But with an unemployment rate sitting at just over 6%, it is clear we must stay focused on this issue. And clear we must do more. 
 

AN ATTENTIVE AUDIENCE LISTENS AS THE PRESIDENT TALKS ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF HELPING THE ECONOMY

The President also met privately with a handful of area residents to hear their thoughts and experiences on everything from the Affordable Care Act, the economy, and student loan debt relief. 
 

A LARGE CROWD, MANY HOPING TO CATCH A GLIMPSE OF THE PRESIDENT OR SNAP A PHOTO, GATHERED OUTSIDE THE UPTOWN THEATER TO WAIT FOR HIS ARRIVAL

I had a quick but interesting conversation with a man who was waiting for the President to arrive. He was not going inside the Uptown to hear the speech, but instead, exercising his right to voice his opinion while standing outside the venue. He told me about his concern for the future and what opportunities will be available for his children. I will relate to you what he said, while leaving out some of the adjectives I feel would be a bit inappropriate to share. 

"What we need," he said to me, "is for all of these politicians in Washington to stop yelling at each other, and start talking. And they should talk to people like me, and my neighbors, so we can all just stop arguing and work together."

I couldn't agree more. 
 

THE PRESIDENT WAVES GOODBYE AS HE FINISHES HIS SPEECH AND HEADS TO AIR FORCE ONE

I was honored to return to Washington on Air Force One with the President. It was a chance to continue talking about what you have heard me talk about so often here at home.

• We must support and grow our middle class.
• We must raise the minimum wage, so hard-working families who are playing by the rules and still falling behind, can better themselves and their families.
• We must repair and modernize this nation's infrastructure, creating jobs and paving the way for transportation and commerce well into the future, while fixing crumbling roads and dangerous bridges.
• We must make education accessible and affordable to all, without leaving our young people facing decades of crushing student loan debt.
• And we must pass the Paycheck Fairness Act, so women get equal pay, affordable child care, paid sick leave, and more protections from violence.

As I mentioned, one of the things the President wanted to talk about with some of our area residents was the Affordable Care Act (ACA). I wanted to share with you, as I have pledged to do over the last few months, the latest analysis regarding ACA. The information, prepared by the Minority staff of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, shows:

• More than 8 million Americans have signed up for private healthcare coverage through the Marketplaces.
• For the majority of individuals enrolled, financial assistance is available, which substantially reduces the cost of coverage – in many cases to less than $100 a month.
• Some 3 million young adults now have healthcare insurance through their parents, and can until they are 26 years old, because the ACA requires health insurers to allow it.
• Seniors throughout the country have saved more than $11.5 billion on prescription drugs in the last four years.
• You can't be discriminated against because of a pre-existing condition any longer.
• Women can't be charged more for healthcare coverage simply because they are women.
• And you can't be sold a health insurance policy that will simply disappear – right when you need it most.

I was honored to announce recently the awarding of more than $1.4 million to the Kansas City Metropolitan Area for emergency preparedness. These dollars come from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency, better known as FEMA. 

This money is critical for our cities and towns, so law enforcement officers and first responders can have all of the tools, training, and techniques they need to help us defend against terrorist attacks and natural disasters. 

For a summary of the grants our area and state will receive, please visit my website:/. 
 

In a parable written by the great Benjamin Franklin, directed to Madame Anne Louise Brillion, which I found in the Oxford Book of American Essays, the immortal American Statesman shares a wonderfully instructive story form his childhood.

As young Franklin became enamored with whistles, one day he walked into a toy shop and spotted a whistle that he just had to own. As an inexperienced shopper, the seven year old Ben Franklin voluntarily gave the shop keeper every cent he had. When he returned home, proud of his purchase, Franklin's siblings and cousins (while impressed) were verbally underwhelmed at the price he paid. In fact, they told him that he had likely paid four times as much as it is worth. In the end, the young shopper experienced more frustration over how much he paid for the whistle than joy from the whistle itself.

The early experience of paying excessively for the whistle stuck with Franklin, and throughout his life resurfaced in his consciousness. When he was tempted to make a purchase, he said to himself, "Don't give too much for your whistle." 

Considering the state of Congressional affairs, we should all take care not to pay too much. Franklin allowed the negative to overwhelm what should have been a positive experience. We must not allow our political attacks and divisive partisanship to overwhelm our capacity to come together as Americans. Congress should be a force allowing the best of us, all of us, to emerge – unity, patriotism, and statesmanship – instead of the worst. 

Or, in the words of Franklin: "Don't give too much for the whistle."