Now is the moment when we can stand up and say 'I'm an American. I make my destiny. And we deserve better! My children deserve better! My family deserves better. My country deserves better!' So here we stand. Americans have a choice.

In the richest country in the history of the world this Obama economy has crushed the middle class. Family income has fallen by $4 0 but health insurance premiums are higher food prices are higher utility bills are higher and gasoline prices have doubled. Today more Americans wake up in poverty than ever before.

But let me perfectly clear because I know you'll hear the same old claims that rolling back these tax breaks means a massive tax increase on the American people: if your family earns less than $250 000 a year you will not see your taxes increased a single dime. I repeat: not one single dime.

Millions of Americans find community comfort and support in their faith.

Americans are fascinated by their own love of shopping. This does not make them unique. It's just that they have more to buy than most other people on the planet. And it's also an affirmation of faith in their country.

Our first responsibility is to protect the American people and we cannot put on blinders to expect that everyone who seeks asylum does so in good faith.

So when the only domestic social policy is tax cuts that mostly benefit the wealthiest Americans we say 'Where is faith being put into action here?'

The solid middle-class values of hard work responsibility family community and faith my father talked about tirelessly from Iowa to New York he lived at home. The hopes he had for his family and for me he had for all Americans. I think Americans understood this.

Of course Americans have no monopoly of patriotic enthusiasm and good faith.

Democrats can neither control nor predict whether our GOP counterparts are really ready to play chicken with the U.S. economy. But we can assure the American people that our party takes the nation's faith and credit seriously.