We received this message from Iowa’s U.S. Senator Tom Harkin today.  Both of Iowa’s senators and the 5 Iowa U.S. Representatives, Boswell, Braley, Loebsack, King and Latham, voted against the recently passed deficit reduction bill proving that President Obama is right –  bipartisan common ground is possible.

The most urgent problem facing America is the jobs deficit.

These are perilous times for our nation.  Two years ago, extreme voices on the right used town hall forums to shout down their opponents.  Now they are threatening to shut down our government.  They see compromise as a dirty word, and hostage-taking as a legitimate means to get their way.

Worst of all, they are using these tactics to pursue policies that are destroying the middle class and making income inequality even worse.  They are demanding that we slash funding for programs that undergird the middle class – everything from education to Medicare to Social Security – as well as essential funding for seniors, people with disabilities, and the poor.  Yet they fanatically oppose even one dollar of shared sacrifice from the most privileged people in our society.

My greatest fear for the future is that Americans will come to accept an ever greater gap between the top and the bottom, with no middle class.  I voted against the debt-ceiling deal because I see it as another devastating blow to ordinary working Americans.

Too many progressives are responding to the current onslaught by losing heart and hope.  Some seem to think that if we shift to the right and appease the hostage-takers, things will be OK.  This is dangerously naïve and wrong.  This is the time for us to stand firm, to speak up for our values and principles.  If we do, I am convinced that the great majority of Americans – who have no use for the Tea Party extremists – will stand with us.

The most urgent problem facing America isn’t the budget deficit, it is the jobs deficit and the growing gap between the rich and the rest of America. We need to force a debate on the issues that really matter:  Are we going to rescue the middle class and preserve the safety net? Are we going to have policies that put 25 million underemployed Americans back to work?

The middle class is the backbone of this country, and we need activists and leaders with the backbone to defend it. This means investing in education, innovation, and infrastructure – creating a world-class workforce.  And it means restoring a level playing field, with fair taxation, vibrant unions, and a strong ladder of opportunity to give every American access to the middle class.

Over the years, I’ve encountered plenty of bullies.  They run amok, leaving a path of destruction, until decent people summon the courage to fight back.  That’s the challenge before progressives today.  Friends, it’s time to fight back!

Thank you
Tom Harkin