Obama Speech At NALEO: Fired Up, Ready To Go!

By Ed Gonzalez, Mayor Pro-Tem, City of Houston, TX

President Barack Obama’s address at NALEO’s Annual Conference today presented a stark contrast to Mitt Romney’s subdued remarks. POTUS succeeded where Romney failed and the reason was clear – President Obama had the ability to empathize with our community. In what resembled a campaign rally, his speech focused on family and how the policies that our government sets forth can affect them.

When POTUS discussed the DREAM Act, one simple remark said it best – “it is the right thing to do.” He shared that when he thought of DREAMers, he thought of himself and of his daughters. He shared the importance of protecting the children who came to this country without documentation through no fault of their own. His message was that these children are in a nation where anything is possible and we should embrace and nurture them, not send them away to a culture they did not grow up in. Only in America, is a story like Barack Obama’s even imaginable – and he was able to connect with the crowd in a personal and meaningful way because of it. The President’s commitment to the DREAM Act was evident when he once more reiterated that as soon as Congress puts a bill on his desk, it will be signed.

The President also discussed access to affordable healthcare for all and it resonated with the audience. It is an unfortunate fact that Latinos represent the largest uninsured group in the United States. Thanks to the Affordable Care Act though, an important step has been taken towards correcting the problem and ensuring all of our families have access to care. President Obama’s leadership on the issue has been noticed and is appreciated by our community.

The address by President Barack Obama today re-energized some in the audience who had been weary, converted some skeptics, and fired up his many supporters within the crowd. His continued commitment to the Latino community will be key to his re-election success. I appreciated his sincerity, his personalized approach to addressing us, and his clear ability to understand the issues and concerns that are important to Latinos.

I am fired up, ready to go!

Mayor Pro-Tem Ed Gonzalez was first elected to serve on Houston City Council in 2009.

[Photo by NALEO]

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