Whenever I write a letter to a family who has lost a loved one in Iraq, or read an email from a constituent who has dropped out of college because her student aid has been cut, I'm reminded that the actions of those in power have enormous consequences--a price that they themselves almost never have to pay.

The Audacity of Hope: Thoughts on Reclaiming the American Dream (ed. Canongate Books, 2007) - ISBN: 9781847673701