Instead of serving special interests, Congress should focus on the big picture. Globalization and technology have completely reshaped our economy in recent decades, and if we don't respond, we're putting the future of the middle class at risk.

Our electoral process has created perverse incentives that have warped our democracy and empowered special interests and a vocal minority.

We can't have special interests sitting shotgun. We gotta have middle class families up in front. We don't mind the Republicans joining us. They can come for the ride, but they gotta sit in back.

Whether you're a Republican or Democrat, liberal or conservative, it is clear that we've got big problems that we need to address, starting with making our economy more competitive so that we can create more good-paying jobs for the middle class.

Big government doesn't help the middle class, it buries it.

Democrats believe we must create jobs, not protect the special interests; build the economy from the middle out, not the top down.