Cory Booker in 2012 Democratic National Convention speeches

On Budget & Economy: Paying your fair share isn't class warfare, it's patriotism

This platform is a clear choice between economic pathways: forward or back, inclusion or exclusion, grow together as a nation or be a country of savage disparities that favor the fortunate few over the greatest driving force of any economy--a large and robust middle class.

And when your country is in a costly war, with our soldiers sacrificing abroad and our nation facing a debt crisis at home, being asked to pay your fair share isn't class warfare--it's patriotism.

We choose forward. We choose inclusion. We choose growing together. We choose American economic might and muscle, standing strong on the bedrock of the American ideal: a strong, empowered and ever-growing middle class.

On Corporations: Predatory lending & unchecked avarice destabilized economy

We also must pull from our highest ideals of justice and protect against those ills that destabilized our economy--like predatory lending, over-leveraged financial institutions and the unchecked avarice of the past that trumped fairness and common sense.

On Homeland Security: Incentives to train & hire troops returning home

On Technology: Businesses realize a return on our infrastructure investment

And today our businesses, industries, entrepreneurs and economy realize a return on those investments. Let us not fall prey to rhetoric that seeks to gut investment and starve our nation of critical, common-sense building for our future. And investment must include the real engine of job growth in America: the American small business.