The 2012 elections show that Americans want President Obama and Congress to strengthen the middle class, put people back to work, embrace prosperity economics over austerity, and protect essential retirement security programs like Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid.

The message was sent by a host of labor, faith, community, education, think tanks, family and other advocacy groups including the Center for Community Change. The groups took out a full-page ad in today’s Washington Post spelling out what the President and Congress MUST do now.

The groups called on national leaders from both parties to stand up for the middle class and demand that any budget agreement include the following:

• Ask all Americans to pay their fair share of taxes.
• Prioritize job creation first.
• Prevent cuts to Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security.
• Protects the safety net and vital services for low-income people.
• Stops the sequester.

The ad states: “As you face urgent budget decisions over the next two months, you must keep the election results in mind and resist budget cuts that slow our economy and hurt families.”