Republicans many times can't get the words 'equality of opportunity' out of their mouths. Their lips do not form that way.

I know that these are the words that express the true spirit of the Trent Lott who has been my friend for 40 years.

When people lack jobs, opportunity, and ownership of property they have little or no stake in their communities

Our goals for this nation must be nothing less than to double the size of our economy and bring prosperity and jobs, ownership and equality of opportunity to all Americans, especially those living in our nation's pockets of poverty.

When people lack jobs, opportunity, and ownership of property they have little or no stake in their communities.

To Republicans, I humbly suggest that we make it possible for Democrats to give up their quest for redistribution of income and wealth by our acceptance of an appropriate role for government in financing those public goods and services necessary to secure a social safety net below which no American would be allowed to fall.