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Congress has once again proved that making sausage is a more attractive process to watch than law-making in a gridlocked Congress. Two days ago, Congress finally reached a partial and time-limited agreement to avert the fiscal cliff. In the midst of the deal, they pushed thousands of family farmers over the edge, leaving many of us to question our commitment to family famers and to improving the health of rural and urban residents.

Americans suffering in the cold are a disturbing reminder that all too many Americans suffer through the winter without enough heat, thanks not just to storms, but to poverty. And just as we all have united to help those in need after Hurricane Sandy, we must also remember the help we give to so many Americans who work hard and can’t make ends meet. With President Obama’s re-election victory on November 6th, will poor Americans be in the cold this winter or will they get warmth from the White House?

Both of my children attend public school.

When my oldest daughter was in first grade, I helped her classroom teacher out for an hour or two a week. The teacher, a wonderful and committed one as all my children’s teachers have been, asked me to work with one particular girl who was having trouble reading. She could identify the letters and knew what sounds they made but could not blend the sounds, a key step in learning to read. It was heartbreaking. She was clearly bright and I watched her become angry and withdrawn. I had no idea how to help her. I’m not a trained professional. And my daughter’s teacher had 26 kids in her class and no para-professional. How could she teach all her students and give children with learning disabilities the attention they deserve? Soon after, the school evaluated the student and got her the help she needed.

On December 2, MSNBC host Chris Hayes invited CSI Founder and President Maya Wiley to talk about the impact of budget sequestration on families.

In his acceptance speech, President Barack Obama said, “What makes America exceptional … [is] the belief that our destiny is shared; that this country only works when we accept certain obligations to one another and to future generations.”

He’s right. In America, we have done so much good for each other.