good afternoon here on msnbc. looking now at a live picture of the auditorium in the eisenhower executive building, the president moments away from coming out along with the vice president and the revelation, the signing, the implementation

of what will be known as the obama tax cuts. ultimately seen as a very beneficial political deal by most political analysts, again, the republican party getting a lot of things that were valuable to them, most notably, a less aggressive estate tax, not to mention containuation of the tax rates for the wealthy. the democrats gettingç a lot o what they wanted, a continuation of the tax cuts for the middle class along with an extension of the unemployment benefits. what is unclear in the political deal is whether this political deal, which is perhaps beneficial to the short-term longevity of democrats and republicans will do anything to actually enhance the prosperity of america. remember, all of these tax give away, whether to the rich, the poor or middle class, are being funded with borrowed money from the future prosperity and future

wealth creation of this country. $900 billion all in. you add to that, the $600 billion being precipitationed at the federal reserve. that's another $1.5 trillion of borrowed or printed money that's being created by our political class in an effort to keep money in american's pockets in the short-term, but it is unclear as to whether that will result in job kreegs in this country. by the way, we're on the mississippi river aboard the becky thatcher. any way, a river boat that was ultimately named after a woman that tom sawyer wished he could get the attention of. over there shooting us. we're steel on the water. i'm joined by mark miller and mark tapscott.

the benefits for things like job creation seem a bit more vague. >> i agree. this is a political kick the can down the road for two years. sets up barack obama to say, look what i did. i can compromise. sets up the republicans to say, we got to make that tax cut permanent. >> i want to get to chuck todd who is anticipating the president's arrival. >> you're going to have a president brag about this is his way, compromise and try to show, try to talk over frankly us in washington and the media and try to make the case that you know, he is ready to start talking to independents and that seeingç e two parties work together will help on that front. i think you're going to hear him talk about that payroll tax cut, which of all of this deal, it is the one thing that it seems economists could agree on that might have a short-term stimlative effect, where it's the one part of this that's

actual stimulus. the gamble is that this will be another way to prevent some sort of fallback and maybe this will finally get a consistent growth pattern on the jobs front, creates a foundation and is able to create some sort of economic growth. if they can get the economic growth, then they're not in so much debt as right now the cost of this bill makes it look. >> matt miller, very quickly, again, this is a continuation of policies that have been in place. >> some new ones. i think in the short-term, it will help the economy. we're cutting tacks or keeping them low for the top 2% while we're at war. we've never done that and that's miss frg the conversation. >> if the best argument they have is compromise, look, we can work together. what kind of compromise is it when you're spending other

people's money and a compromise where look, we can take care of this economy. >> i don't think so. we could have done more with a money going to the top. >> please be seated. ladies and gentlemen, the -- this is -- this is -- i was going to say big deal, but important deal. i can no longer say big deal. thank god my mother wasn't around. the famed 18th century british statesman edwin burke once said all government indeed, everybody huchl and enjoyment, every virtue, every prudent act is founded on compromise and barter. today, we have a chrrystal clea this package is the result of leaders from both sides coming

together to act on behalf of the american people at a time they need it most. i want to begin by applauding senator mitch mcconnell and the other republican leaders who like their democratic counterparts here today, were willing to take issue with some of their own party and to do what was in their view, necessary in order to move the country forward. that's what the american people expect of all this. especially in these times. that's what we have done here. it means accepting some things we don't like in order to get the job done for americans as needs to be done. we were put in office amid the deepest recession since the great depression. we were put here to protect and rebuild the middle class. we were working with two principles in mind. grow the economy and support working class families. i stand here today to say in my view, our fight has paid off. most economists, many of whom

are in this room, will tell you this plan will grow our economy in the next year. it's going to help millions of families keep their jobs if they have one and keep their unemployment benefits if they don't and keep their tax relief and their kids in school as well. all while keeping our economic recovery moving in the right direction, providing an immediate economic jolt and giving more than 150 million americans help where they need it most. in their paychecks. in their wallets. i believe it was the right thing to do. this is an example of what can happen when you have a president who knows what needs to be done. the president wholeheartedly committed to serving the middle class and that's what happens when you have a president who knows that the middle class is a backbone of the american people and that a full economic recovery will only happen if we --

before i get started, i just want to acknowledge some of the extraordinary people who did some extraordinary work in a very short period of time. and i'm going to start with somebody who has been a champion for the middle class, but has also been just an extraordinary partner on every important initiative in this administration. my friend, joe biden, the vice president.

i want to acknowledge and thank senator mitch mcconnell and the rest of the republican leadership in the senate. dave camp, republican over in the house for their willingness as joe indicated, to do what was right for the country, even though it would cost occasional discomfort. i especially want to thank the folks who are here. dick durbin, max baucus, danny davis, allison schwartz, part of a broader team that worked diligently to make this happen. we've got a bunch of other members of congress who are here as well as activists, economists, business leaders, people who generally recognize

that this critical -- we've got to think about what's best to grow the economy. we are here with good news for the american people this holiday season. by a wide bipartisan margin, both houses of congress have now passed a package of tax relief that will protect the middle class, that will grow our economy and will create jobs for the american people. not only do i want to thank all the leaders here today, but i want to thank mayors and governors from across the country who couldn't be here today and who worked together to get this done. first and foremost, the legislation i'm about to sign is a substantial victory for middle class families across the country. they're the ones hit hardest by the recession. they're the ones who need relief right now. that's what is at the heart of this bill. bisart san effort was prompted

by the fact that tax rates for every american were poised to automatically increase on january 1st. if that had come to pass, the average family would have had to pay an extra $3,000 in taxes next year. that wouldn't have just been a blow to them. it would have been a blow to our economy. just as we're climbing out of a devastating recession. i refused to let that happen. because we acted, it's not going to. in fact, not only will middle class americans avoid a tax increase, but tens of millions of americans will start the new year off right by opening their first paycheck to see that it's larger than the one they get right now. over the course of 2011, 155 million workers will receive tax relief from the new payroll tax cut included in this bill. about $1,000 for the average family. this is real money. that's going to make a real

difference in people's lives. i would not have signed this bill if it didn't include other extensions of relief that were also set to expire. relief that's going to help families cover the bills, parents raise their children, students pay for college and business owners to take the reigns of the recovery and propel this economy forward. as soon as i sign this legislation, 2 million americans looking for work can know with certainty they won't lose their emergency unemployment insurance at the epd of this month. over the past few weeks, 600,000 americans have been cut off from that lifeline, but with my signature, states can move quickly to reinstate their benefits. 8 million college students who otherwise would have faced a tuition hike as soon as next semester will instead continue to have access to a $2500 tax

credit to afford their studies. 12 million families with 24 million children will benefit from extensions of the earned income tax credit and child tax credit and when combined with a payroll tax cut, 2 million american families who otherwise would have lived in poverty next year, will be lifted out of it. and millions of entrepreneur who have been waiting to invest in their businesses will receive new tax incentives to help them expand, buy new equipment or make upgrades. freeing up other money to hire new workers. putting more money in the pockets of families most likely to spend it, helping businesses invest and grow. that's how we're going to spark demand. spur hiring. and strengthen our economy in the new year.

now, candidly speaking, there are some elements of this legislation that i don't like. there are some elements that members of my party don't like. there are some elements that republicans here today don't like. that's the nature of compromise. yielding on something each of us cares about to move forward on what all of us care about. and right now, what all of us care about is growing the american economy and creating jobs for the american people. taken as a whole, that's what this package of tax relief is going to do. it's a good deal for the american people. this is progress and that's what they sent us here to achieve. there will be moments, i am certain, over the next couple of years, in which the holiday spirit won't be as abundant as it is today.

more over, we've got to make some difficult choices ahead when it comes to tackling the deficit. in some ways, this was easier than some of the tougher choices we're going to have to make next year. there will be times when we won't agree and we'll have to work through those times together, but the fact is, i don't believe that either party has cornered the market on good ideas and i want to draw on the best thinking from both side, so where ever we can, when ever we can, it makes sense for our country's success and our children's future to work with people in both parties who are willing to come to the table for the hard work of moving our economy and country forward. what happened with this economic package was a good example of that. a bipartisan group made up of baucus and kyl sat down with

secretary geithner and jack leu to begin negotiations in good faith. leaders like nancy pelosi, john boehner, harry reid and mitch, other members who are here together worked to bring this bill across the finish line. and the final product proves when we can put aside the partisan ship and political gains, we can get a lot done. if we can keep doing it, if we can keep that spirit i'm hopeful that we won't just reinvigorate this economy and restore the american dream, i'm also hopeful that we might refresh the american people's faith in the capability of their leaders to govern in challenging times. belief in the capacity of their institutions, in this town, to deliver in a rapidly changing world and that our best days as

a nation with are still ahead of us. so, to all of you who worked to diligently, thank you so much. to my staff, working night and day, on the senate and house staffs, both parties working so hard. we're very grateful to you. with that, let me sign this bill to make sure that people are seeing bigger paycheck come january. and so the bush tax cuts, excuse me, now officially with that signature right there, become the obama tax cuts and as we watched almost no job creation net net as a result of

the financial system, hope springs eternal in washington, d.c. on the continuation of those same policies, they suddenly, magically create jobs this time. chuck todd, by what measure would they like to be measured by somebody like myself or you? >> i think they want to be measured on two scores. number one, yob creation that somehow this starts turning the corner on that and this this deal, the quote certainly, will get corporate america to spend. the second thing in there was interesting to hear the president talk about. he hopes this is now a model for what bipartisan relation can look like. this was an easy bipartisan bill. there was nothing tough in here for either side to swallow because they were arguing over how much they were not going to

take from the american public. let's see how this when they come up with a really tough decision and so, the sentiment you get that's aimed at independent voters, let's see what happens when the rubber hits the road. >> indeed, mark, he's a hostage now, what do you mean? >> you recall during the game first announced, he was browsing about republicans being hostage takers. i'm struck by what chuck todd just said. i think he's absolutely right that this is the kind of tax bill that restores some certainty. i'm not so sure it's going to restore is kind of certainty needed to boost the economy. i don't think there's going to be a lot of stimulus here. >> matt, your thoughts, not politically, but again, we're on this boat for a reason. we're in st. louis for a reason. we're on this road show for a reason. the reason is that this country

is in desperate need of meaningful jobs that solve this country's problems and whether that comes inside of communities like those here or philadelphia or seneca falls or places we will go, how does a policy like this go to creating jobs in a town like st. louis? >> it's a great deal if you plan to be alive for the next two years, but after that, the bill comes due. the idea that it's fantastic, we can come together to borrow a trillion dollars from the kids and spend on us now. i do think it's going to help the economy at the margins in the next couple of years, but will it really deserve the applause if at the same time, you're enacting the longer term deficit fixes along with much more meaningful things to boost jobs. eliminate the payroll tax. cut payroll taxes. do a reform that will

incentivise long-term investment. that was too big a bite for this kind of christmas holiday gift and terrific political theatre for the president. >> maybe we can find some kids, we can take some stuff from them. i'm sorry. that's terrible. i shouldn't say such things. if you want to create jobs in this country, tax policy is a huge portion along with trade policy, banking policy. what would a tax policy that did create jobs in your fantasy land look like? >> 10% flat tax. tax income once. eliminate all deductions. a straight, flat tax. >> matt? >> eliminate payroll and corporate, replace them with higher taxes on dirty energy. >> do either of you think there's any chance that will happen? >> i do, actually. i think we have an opportunity

here depending upon how the republicans act in the next two years. >> because of the fiscal title wave coming with the baby boomer's retirement, we're goirng to have to tax ourselves any way. the conversation will happen. >> i can't thank both of you enough for making the journey from the east and west. matt from california, mark from washington, d.c. i can't wait to spend more time discussing these things with you guys. as we mentioned, we are broadcasting live from the mississippi river in st. louis. we are aboard a ship beaming a signal to the shore. this day, the last leg of our steel on wheels tour, looking to start a jobs movement in this country and real conversation about trades, taxes, health care and the banking system as we celebrate the spirit of america and today, the frontier spirit. that spirit inspiring companies

like anheuser-busch to twitter. both out of st. louis. up next, how the go west state of mind has sparked innovation in america and the definition of the modern frontier in this 21st century. yellowbook has always been crucial to your business, but now, to get it really cooking, you need a little website development.

some transparent reporting, so you know it's working. online ads and 1-on-1 marketing consultation. yellowbook's got all that. yellowbook360 has a whole spectrum of tools. the perfect recipe for success. visit yellowbook360.com and go beyond yellow. if anything, i thought i'd get hit by a bus, but not a heart. all of a sudden, it's like an earthquake going off in your body. my doctor put me on an aspirin regimen

to help protect my life. [ male announcer ] aspirin is not appropriate for everyone. so be sure to talk to your doctor before you begin an aspirin regimen. to my friends, i say, you know, check with your doctor, 'cause it can happen to anybody. [ male announcer ] be ready if a heart attack strikes. donate $5 to womenheart at iamproheart.com, and we'll send you this bayer aspirin pill tote.

the frontier spirit. lewis and clarke. the oregon trail. americans on the move heading west in search of a better life.

the american dream at a cross roads, faced with uncertainty, but united in our never ending quest for new ideas and a fresh start. today, the spirit behind our expansion westward from the place where it all began and with hope the same spirit can still prevail. steel on wheels rolls into st. louis and the show starts right now. good afternoon from st. louis under the arch live from the deck of the becky thatcher on the mighty mississippi river. technology at its finest as we float here broadcasting live. welcome back to the last day of this leg of the steel on wheels tour, the start of a jobs movement to bring jobs back to

america by starting a real debate on trade, banking, taxes, health care. you name it. this afternoon, we're looking at the frontier spirit that founded this nation and expanded this nax and what it mean to our country today. the saying was, go west, young man. horace greeley's advice to americans moving west in search of new opportunities and a better life. that impulse, part of our character, our nation and a big reason why we will conquer is challenges we face today and we start with what's brewing in the new america. the new american frontier. beer and bites. but we're not talking about chicken wings. digital bites. anheuser-busch still brews here, but they're now owned by a belgium brewing company, imbev, dubbed the walmart of brewers in the "wall street journal." a classic example of an american

icon going through a transition so many businesses have gone through. the selling of anheuser-busch, a real wake-up call for our nation and nowhere hit harder by than that the folks here in st. louis. so while older companies continue to shed jobs in search of profit, we wonder is there hope on the new frontier. it is a worldwide web of possibleties. twitter, for example, not only profitable with millions of users, but also potentially creating the connections and networking necessary to unleash a cascade of innovation in this world the likes of which we have never seen before. social media finding its place in the fabric of our culture, not to mention the amazing innovations coming as a result

of that connect edness. but will it address the growing problem in this country? i'm proud to introduce you to a couple of great american frontiers men and women. jack dorsey, cofounder and chairman of twitter. his newest venture, square, which can turn your cell phone into a credit card machine. jack's parents are on board this boat. talked to his parents a little while ago. then julie mcintosh with us here aboard the becky thatcher. author of dethroning the king and it is a pleasure to have you aboard the boat. nice to see you. jack, item going to begin with you. beyond twitter, if you look at a world that is suddenedly connected, that suddenly had the benefit of collective intelligence as a result of the networks that companies like yours have created, what is the implication of a frontier that

has the level of connection that twitter starts to scratch is beginnings of? >> i think it's not only connection, but the ability to simplify the tools we use every day. twitter is great to spread the word about the businesses we want to create and square is great to get people in to immediately accepting payments. so, it's not just simplifying tax codes and policies, but also the tools so we can access them and use them immediately. >> and julie, you look at the other end of the spectrum. anheuser-busch, maybe one of the greatest american icons and classic example of profit before people. large corporations make money frequently by having fewer people. the old businesses that fire

people for profit. what did you learn when you looked at the implications of the transaction? >> he was always proud of the fact he ran a company that made things. budweiser, a protect we all know and love. when imbev took over, they fired 14 people right away and have continued to lay people off. it is known as the walmart of brewers. they are incredibly cost conscious. anheuser-busch had everything gold plated. there was a lot of fat to cut essentially. >> when you go into a world where the choice is employment and prosperity through problem solving or profit through people elimination, it is very hard to -- you can't do both at the same time. >> i think a middle road could have been struck if

anheuser-busch had run itself a little better. as many people as we saw in terms of layoffs, it wouldn't have been as bad. >> jack, if you were to look at the fundamental mathematics, the science of job creation, the new businesses, the new ideas where jobs are created, how central is the connection to the formation of new business period and new solutions? >> oh, i think it's a major part. one of the reasons that we've had so much fortune out here in silicon valley is that we have this huge network of mentors and technology that help us get started and we can start with one idea immediately start creating it, immediately put it in front of people and get others to participate and attract them to working on this project and to committing and sacrificing a lot to make sure that this is a successful, not just project, but also company. and then we build and build and build. so technology has made it extremely simple to start and

that's one of the hardest things to do is to get started. >> at the same time, technology's made it much easier to do much more with a lot fewer people. it's a double edged sword, like everything else. >> right. anheuser-busch is an antiquated company. they hit a ceiling in the american market. at one point, they had 52% of the american market share, but there was only down to go essentially and instead of looking globally, which is what they could have done and realized they were completing against global brewers, they focused too inwardly. >> and how much of that is typical of legacy american businesses right now? >> i think it was in particular a problem at anheuser-busch because there was an entrenched family. august busch the iii transferred power to his son and with a publicly traded company, that

may not have been the appropriate measure to take at that point. >> jack, if you were to look at the balancing acts of usinging technology to do more with less, frequently, this means more output with fewer people at the same time, technology allows more people to do more things. what can we do in the media? what can we do in for those of us who are in a position to communicate, to help people understand that technology is not just a weapon of job elimination, but an incredibly powerful weapon of job creation? >> absolutely. i think it's an opportunity to take and pivot you know, that job elimination into creation and into an ability to explore your ideas and everything that you wanted to do. be it become a hairdresser or tax accountant or piano teacher and immediately be able to start that business and more importantly, expand that

business and grow it and use tools like twitter and square to really build upon that business every single day. this is not just limited to smaller businesses. larger businesses like an anheuser-busch can use these similar tools to figure out what people are saying about their brands and to get realtime feedback throughout the world. >> jack, a pleasure, thank you so much. we'll say hello to your parents for you. julie, thank you very much. you're here, but your parents are not. we'll take you. a pleasure. nice to meet you. we've got much more ahead here on this special floating edition of the dr show. live from st. louis. [ male announcer ] if you've had a heart attack caused by a completely blocked artery,

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welcome back. along the banks of the mississippi river stands this. the gateway charge. let's go inside and check it out. been here for two decades. thomas jefferson got the western expansion starts, but really, it started with a dream. >> it is a dream. he wanted this country to be an empire in itself and to do that, we had to go west. at this time, united states western border was the mississippi river. >> he wasn't the only dreamer. >> everybody has dreams today and back then and the people that would populate this area lighter all had dreams of survival, freedom, ownership of land and getting rich. >> how important was the land and ideology of jefferson?

>> it's all about land. come with me. we'll go for a walk. jefferson's mission was simply to follow the missouri river, see if it would take you to the pacific and come back. on your way, record everything that you see. animals, plant life. american indians, their friends, the weather. everything about this new land we needed to know what was there. >> that's a dream. so, this is an actual wagon and from what i understand, it was a bumpy ride. >> it was a bumpy ride. families used this to get to the west coast or across the fragre plains. could take you up to four to five months. struggling every day. up in the morning, washingtoning

walking 10 or 15 miles a day. >> nobody's riding. >> the women had the biggest struggle because they have to leave a comfortable home to some degree and put everything here. there's no walmart out there in the pacific coast. >> but they were literally walking to the west coast. >> yes. . it's hot inside. if you were pregnant, you couldn't walk. come on in, dylan, let's go to the top. >> my head. >> well, we are at the top of the ranch and this was the dream as well. the pioneers to the west, the city of st. louis. symbolically, the doorway peopled travels to as they went west. beyond here is the wilderness. they were willing to go through it and whatever they had to because it was their dream.

>> there's a great metaphor in that and the risks we take in the pursuit of our own dreams. >> sure. we all are looking to better our life and willing to go to certain extremes. back then, people were willing to step into the wild eness, not knowing what was there. zpl so the gateway to your dreams, but also the unknown. >> it was the frontier at that time. today, it's outer space. but back then, that was the frontier. that was where everything was. >> ranger rick, thank you so much. >> thank you. welcome to the west. >> a pleasure to be here. right after this, in st. louis. naturally colorful vegetables are often a good source of vitamins, fiber, or minerals. and who brings you more natural colors than campbell's condensed soups? campbell's.® it's amazing what soup can do.™ to bring you a low-price medicare prescription drug plan called the humana walmart-preferred prescription plan.

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[ male announcer ] be ready if a heart attack strikes. donate $5 to womenheart at iamproheart.com, and we'll send you this bayer aspirin pill tote.

sam u clemens took his name nor a term used to pilot a river

boat on this mississippi river some 150 years ago. twain was america's greatest and most original satirist. he once said his autobiography would be so scandalous, it wouldn't be published for a hundred years. we're here. the first volume is now number two on "the new york times" best seller list. twain today is remarkably relevant, especially on issues like government, business and banking. the book by harriet eleanor smith. >> well, it's true that mark twain didn't want to complete autobiography published because he wanted to be able to speak his whole, frank mind. that has not been respected. there had been earlier editions

that had published much of the material, but the editing challenges was one of the main reasons it's taken this long. he left us material and it was difficult to figure out how to put it all together. >> again, we've been sending mark twain quotes out today, facebook and twitter. nothing goes over better with the crowd. mark twain on the u.s. congress. he says readers, suppose you were an idiot and suppose you were a member of congress and then says, but i repeat myself. how relevant are his -- >> well, he is another version of that, too, which is congress is the only native criminal class in america. he certainly took aim at government and he was particularly inferenced about the war of expansion in the

philippines. he felt that it was basically a false pretext that they were fighting there, that there were commercial interests at stake and he felt that the government and big business created were corrupt. >> he also didn't much care for bankers. he said -- what was his problem with bankers? >> well, i don't know a lot about his opinions about bankers, but i know that in general, he didn't think much of the abuse of power, the accumulation of wealth and costs, especially the unethical imaginations that went on. >> if anything, the residents of these quotes and nature of our current debate, whether it's criticism of our own war policies, some see them now, the

relationship between large business and the government and banks, it seems the more things change, the more they stay the same. >> well, that certainly seems to be the case. i couldn't speculate on what mark twain would say today, but i think that we can all see parallels between the issues of his day that he took aim at and the problems we're dealing with today. >> listen, congratulations on completing an extraordinary period of work for you. editor of the auto biography of mark twain. i'll leave you with my favorite quote on courage. he says, courage is resistance to fear. mastery of fear, not absence of fear. something to think about. up next on "hardball" with chris matthews, much more on president

obama and the big tax cuts deal he signed into law today. down with the bush tax cuts. here come the obama tax cuts, but first, a look back at some of the voices on this inaugural edition of our steel on wheels tour and a look ahead at our your going fight to a jobs movement in this country. yellowbook has always been crucial to your business,

but now, to get it really cooking, you need a little website development. some transparent reporting, so you know it's working. online ads and 1-on-1 marketing consultation. yellowbook's got all that. yellowbook360 has a whole spectrum of tools. the perfect recipe for success. visit yellowbook360.com and go beyond yellow. if anything, i thought i'd get hit by a bus, but not a heart. all of a sudden, it's like an earthquake going off in your body. my doctor put me on an aspirin regimen to help protect my life. [ male announcer ] aspirin is not appropriate for everyone. so be sure to talk to your doctor before you begin an aspirin regimen. to my friends, i say, you know, check with your doctor, 'cause it can happen to anybody. [ male announcer ] be ready if a heart attack strikes. donate $5 to womenheart at iamproheart.com,

and we'll send you this bayer aspirin pill tote.

we're still rolling on the mississippi here today. our tour has just begun. we kicked things off in seneca

falls, new york. our very first conversation focusing on what this is about. >> we need to educate americans that when they buy a product from aboard unless those dollars they send come back to buy our exports so they we replace those jobs lost with new jobs, america doesn't work, we have high unemployment and cycle down. >> joblessness, the challenge of our times. but as we know, this country has a long history of overcoming obstacles and injustice. whether it's economic oppression today, it has been social oppression for centuries, from slavery to women's falls, i had opportunity to learn more about the opportunity born there in which woman won the right to vote. >> to quote the old virginia

slim's motto, we've come a long way, baby. but failure is impossible. in america, anything is possible. wilma rudolph said the potential for greatness lie loos within each of us. >> well, day one also not without a bit of drama. andrew jenks enduring travel delays, tough weather and a tift with the tsa before making it to seneca falls just in the nick of time. once there, however, he did accept or challenge to prove that america's youth is passionate and can be engaged for change. >> i do think that energy and that caring nature and exists within my generation and up to people like myself who have a microphone and others to stand up and catalyze and really get

young people back involved. >> then on to philly, where we were reminded that since the days of our founding fathers, this country has always been a work in progress. >> in 1787, they were dealing can quarling states. at the same time, that they were trying to restrict and balance power, they wanted to energize government as well. >> we also got some common sense from this country's foremost authority. thomas payne. >> he would say it's time to step and for the government to take control because we can't do it individually. we have to have some sort of coordinated leadership that brings us together. >> and while in filly, we proepuated one of america's greatest symbols.

with permission. >> you think you'd let us adopt it for an economic movement? >> absolutely. >> just as that bell has come to symbolize equality and freedom, here in missouri, we look to the famous arch as a gateway to all that is possible for this nation as a group and individual will. that arch a symbol of the unlimited opportunity that stretched before the frontie frontiersmen in the 1800s -- right for innovation and investment. it take -- it takes a village as they say, to get this show on the air and it's going to take a nation to get this country back to work. we are hoping we can contribute to provoking that movement. steel on wheels.com, which we

hope will become part of that effort. it is designed to be a central clearinghouse for you to identify problems if your community and national lives and then participate with one another to start debates and solution seeking so you can not only sound off about those problems, but prevent solutions within your own community. also on the website, you can view our town hall discussion that was held at the university of rochester. check it out. again, that version 1.0. so much more to come on this internet with this effort and of course we're not done yet. not by a long shot. next month, we launch phase two of the tour, crisscrossing the heart land. celebrating innovation and finally, i want to thank the folks at the gateway arch and here on board the becky thatcher