And his little brother would appear on the cover of Time Magazine as the first African American elected mayor of a major American city. Of course you know I'm talking about our local heroes, Carl and Louis Stokes. And when his brother Louis retires from Congress, our nation will miss Congressman Stokes' voice, views and vision, particularly his commitment to minority health. The Stokes Brothers are more than home-town heroes. They were history-makers, agents of change.
Progress means serving the real needs of real people.
Being a voice for the voiceless, a defender of the defenseless. The history of American progress is the story of people reaching out and coming together when the need is great and the cause is just. Sometimes we seem in danger of losing that tradition. Four years ago, when Republicans took over Congress, some predicted fiercely divided government, open partisan warfare and political gridlock. Some even called for it.