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DNC Chairman Tim Kaine: Democrats Will Protect Social Security While Republicans Seek to End It as We Know It
News from the DNC blog - Fri, 08/13/2010 - 15:05
In recognition of the 75th anniversary of Social Security, DNC Chairman Tim Kaine released a statement:
“Seventy-five years ago, Democratic President Franklin Delano Roosevelt signed the Social Security Act into law, providing American seniors security and stability in their retirement years and dealing a major blow to the poverty that affected vast numbers of elderly Americans. Today, Americans have a resource to provide security and stability in their retirement years that will also be available to future generations. It remains a signature achievement of our party in ensuring a better life for American workers and their families.
“Over the more than seven decades since Social Security began, millions of Americans have benefitted—paying into the system throughout their career so that later they are able to draw a regular income independent of market fluctuations or other economic hardship. It is no less critical today than it was in 1935.
“Social Security provides the foundation of our commitment to working Americans—half of whom lack access to employer-provided retirement plans and all of whom are otherwise subject to market swings that could affect their retirement savings. It also remains the cornerstone of our national commitment to older Americans and provides a vital lifeline for widows, widowers, eligible children, and Americans with disabilities.
“The economic support and stability that Social Security provides is the reason President Obama and Democrats in Congress continue to support Social Security. They have vowed to defend this critical program against privatization or other misguided attempts by Republicans to end Social Security as we know it. I know that our Democratic leaders will do everything possible to preserve Social Security and to ensure that all Americans, not just the wealthy, are able to retire with dignity. To that end, I would like to join with Democrats across the country in celebrating the history of Social Security and rededicate ourselves to guaranteeing its safe future.”
Categories: Democratic Blogs
President Obama: "Today, it's time to commit to vote"
News from the DNC blog - Thu, 08/12/2010 - 16:03
President Obama sent an email to supporters asking them to commit to vote in the 2010 elections this November:
Eighteen years ago, shortly after graduating from law school, I helped lead a voter registration campaign in Chicago that generated record turnout on Election Day.
That experience taught me one of the most important lessons I ever learned as a community organizer: When people promise that they'll do something -- like voting -- they are far more likely to do it.
That's why one key part of our Vote 2010 plan this year is to get folks like you from across the country to commit to vote, to make sure we get as many people as we can to cast their ballots this fall.
But getting the commitments we need starts with your own promise to make it to the polls and cast your ballot.
Will you please commit to vote in the 2010 elections?
Over the next 82 days, volunteers across the country will spend countless hours calling voters and knocking on their doors, asking them the same question.
And you can bet that I am counting on you to join them in talking to voters in your community.
This election offers a stark choice. We Democrats are hard at work trying to move America forward, repairing a decade of damage and growing an economy based on the Main Street values of hard work and responsibility.
We've fought for and won historic reforms to our health care system, a victory 100 years in the making, and to Wall Street, the most sweeping overhaul of the financial system since the Great Depression.
But after years of policies that landed us in the worst recession since the 1930's, the Republicans who got us there have not come up with anything different from the policies of George W. Bush.
We simply cannot afford to go backwards or let them repeal our reforms. And making sure we can continue moving forward starts with your own promise to cast your ballot in these elections.
Please commit to vote this fall:
http://my.barackobama.com/Commitment
Thank you,
President Barack Obama
Categories: Democratic Blogs
@Stake: Congratulations to…
DCCC Blog - Thu, 08/12/2010 - 13:09
Executive Director Jon Vogel just sent this message to DCCC supporters:
Friend --
Thank you to the thousands of grassroots Democrats who entered for a chance to attend a dinner with President Obama and Speaker Pelosi. It is my pleasure to announce that Debra from Arizona has been chosen as our lucky winner!
Your incredible support is having an immediate impact. Thanks to you, we are fact-checking Karl Rove and his swift boat attacks. We're mobilizing our massive Fall Kickoff to put boots on the ground earlier than ever before. And we're missing no opportunity to hold Republicans accountable for trying to protect corporate CEOs who outsource American jobs.
As a special thank you for driving our success, we're pleased to bring you our latest @Stake.
Latest Republican Outrages
It's already been a busy month for Republicans on the outrage front. Here's a quick round-up of this week's latest and greatest...
Republican Leader John Boehner labels Teachers and Police Officers "Special Interests."
Sign our petition to Leader Boehner: Teachers, Police Officers and Firefighters are not "Special Interests" >> Sarah Palin Rolls Her Eyes at America's Teachers
Not to be out-done by John Boehner's insult to America's teachers, Sarah Palin got into the act when she disparagingly rolled her eyes when one of her critics confronted her and said she was a teacher.
Check out the shocking video. Karl Rove Sits in for Rush Limbaugh
Finally, what happens when Karl Rove sits in for Rush Limbaugh on his radio show? Rove's shadow groups get a whole lot richer. Check out audio of Rove shamelessly raising money for his shadow groups to launch despicable and dishonest swift-boat attacks on Democrats. There's only one solution to these kinds of outrageous Republican attacks: You.
It's time to answer combat with combat. Let's gear up to fight tooth and nail from now until November. Every dollar you give, every name you add to our petitions, and every friend or neighbor you talk to has a big impact for Democrats.
Together we will protect our Democratic House Majority and we will continue helping President Obama move America forward.
Thanks again for all that you do. Onward to Victory!
Jon Vogel
DCCC Executive Director DCCC Rapid Response
Shadow Group Targets Democrats for Protecting American Jobs
Last week, the radical Tea Party group Americans for Prosperity unleashed one of the largest attack ad buys so far this cycle in a desperate attempt to smear Democrats who voted to crack down on corporations who exploit tax loopholes to increase their bottom line by...you guessed it...shipping American jobs overseas!
Thanks to you, we hit our Rapid Response goal and had the resources to call out Republicans for standing with their corporations that outsource jobs instead of American workers.
Don't miss a beat: Get up to the minute Rapid Response updates from the DCCC on Facebook and Twitter:
Not on Facebook or Twitter? No problem: Download the DCCC Breaking News Toolbar.
Categories: Democratic Blogs
Launching Our New ‘Open Dems’ Site
News from the DNC blog - Wed, 08/11/2010 - 19:09
Today we’re excited to be launching Open.Democrats.org, a new site designed to engage software developers and share resources from the Democratic National Committee’s technology, targeting, and new media teams.
Key parts of the new site include our recently released open source software, as well as APIs that we're making available publicly. We hope that this will allow others to build on what we've done, and do new things that we haven't even dreamed of. The starting point is our Raise Your Vote API— which will allow anyone to build voter-registration focused applications.
Open.Dems gives a behind the scenes look at some of our work, sharing our best practices with an eye toward other practitioners. On the Open.Dems blog, you can see which website splash pages were most effective in growing the BarackObama.com email list, and whether including donate buttons in emails actually raises more money.
Open.Dems is a new resource for campaigns and candidates across the country, and part of the DNC’s unprecedented investment in this year’s elections. We’re both providing state-of-the-art resources to campaigns while opening up the work we’re doing so others can build on it and make it even more effective. With Open.Dems, we’re continuing to take innovations from the 2008 campaign—as well as those from this year like the Raise Your Vote site and widget—and building on that progress heading into campaign season.
Categories: Democratic Blogs
More Than 140,000 Teachers’ Jobs Saved
News from the DNC blog - Wed, 08/11/2010 - 17:26
Teachers, firefighters, police officers, and the communities they serve can breathe a little easier today, thanks to President Obama signing into law emergency aid for states and preventing layoffs scheduled for this fall.
States across the country are hurting as a result of severe budget shortfalls, but the bill signed yesterday eases some of that pain. The New York Times reported on Sunday that states are cutting back on basic services—from closing schools one day a week in Hawaii to trimming the police force and turning off streetlights to save money in Colorado Springs.
OFA supporters stood with Democrats in Congress as they worked to pass this bill amidst Republican obstruction, with members of the House returning to Washington for a special session to send the bill to President Obama’s desk. Thanks to their efforts more than 140,000 teachers’ jobs were protected, and layoffs for police officers, firefighters, and first responders were prevented.
See how many teachers’ jobs were saved in your state:
Download this data as a csv file
Categories: Democratic Blogs
DNC Memo from Governor Kaine: "The Results of Yesterday's Primary Elections"
News from the DNC blog - Wed, 08/11/2010 - 16:13
From: Tim Kaine, Chairman on the Democratic National Committee
To: Interested Parties
Date: August 11, 2010
RE: The Results of Yesterday’s Primary Elections
Yesterday, voters in four states went to the polls to elect their Democratic and Republican nominees for this fall’s election ballot. For the President and Democrats, those primary elections could not have gone better. For Republicans, they could not have gone worse.
For example, in Colorado, Democrats nominated Mayor John Hickenlooper for Governor whose stewardship of Denver and strong business credentials make him a formidable candidate, while Republicans nominated their first gubernatorial Tea Party candidate, John Maes, a candidate so divisive that former Republican Congressman Tom Tancredo is running as a third-party candidate who will split the Republican vote.
Similarly, Colorado Democrats nominated Michael Bennet – the President’s choice and the candidate supported by the strong field efforts of the Democratic National Committee and its grassroots arm Organizing for America – for the Senate. The Colorado Democratic Party is planning a unity rally with Senator Bennet and his former opponent, Andrew Romanoff, while the Republican establishment is still smarting from the loss of their preferred candidate, Jane Norton, to a Tea Party extremist, Ken Buck.
And Republicans didn’t just have trouble in Colorado – in every state that held elections yesterday Republican voters were divided and Republican primaries were dominated by extreme conservatives. The results are troubling for the Republican Party. As Politico noted this morning:
“In each of the four states that held primaries Tuesday, the GOP either nominated or gave an overnight lead to candidates tarnished by scandal, gaffes or some other significant vulnerability.”
In short, yesterday’s elections resulted in the nomination of superior Democratic candidates who were elected with broad-based support among voters with the support of the President and the Democratic National Committee, and at the same time saw the rise of weak or divisive Republican candidates who will do more to hurt their Party’s cause this November than to help it.
Organizing to Win
Yesterday’s winning Democrats ran strong primary campaigns, building a solid foundation for victory in November. Those campaigns demonstrated their ability to bring core Democratic voters to the polls. At the same time, the DNC demonstrated our ability to bring 2008 first time voters and the President’s strongest supporters to the polls in support of his allies this year.
For example, in Colorado the President’s supporters made a strong showing in favor of Senator Michael Bennet, helping to push him over the top to victory. From the very beginning, President Obama made it clear that Senator Bennet had his support – a message he reiterated in a tele-town hall with Senator Bennet; a robo call directed at likely voters; an email to Organizing for America supporters in Colorado, asking them to volunteer and vote for Senator Bennet; and other forums.
The President’s organization successfully road tested its Vote 2010 Get Out the Vote effort and the DNC and Organizing for America translated the President’s support for Senator Bennet into a major organizing effort. We hosted more than 80 canvasses, phone banks, and other events to educate voters about the importance of electing Senator Bennet to continue to serve Colorado. Organizing for America volunteers and staff made tens of thousands of calls and knocked on thousands of doors to talk with voters about the importance of casting a ballot for Senator Bennet – making 11,500 calls and knocking on nearly 3,500 doors in the four days leading up to the election alone. OFA successfully turned out traditional Midterm voters and 2008 voters who cast a ballot for the first time in that election. It is that formula OFA is employing in states across the country as part of the DNC’s $50 million Vote 2010 campaign plan for this fall’s elections.
While such efforts can’t work magic, they can make the difference in close elections – as they did yesterday in Colorado. With the President’s Democratic allies on the line in campaigns across the country, the Democratic National Committee will be working hard to demonstrate, just as we did in Colorado, the importance – to the President and the country – of electing and reelecting those Democrats. And as they did in Colorado, we believe 2008 surge voters and the President’s strongest supporters can and will turn out.
Democratic Unity vs. Republican Division and Extremism
Across the country, establishment Republican candidates suffered losses to extreme nominees, with Tea Party candidates such as Ken Buck and Dan Maes in Colorado defeating more mainstream Republicans and ultra-conservative Tom Emmer making it onto the ballot in Minnesota. In these races, as in other primaries this year, the Tea Party’s win was the Republican Party’s loss – the extreme candidates nominated yesterday might appeal to far-right primary voters, but their ideas are out of touch with the mainstream solutions Americans will be looking for this fall. In fact, it is becoming increasingly clear that the Tea Party and its candidates are becoming a millstone around the Republican Party’s neck and could hold down the gains Republicans have promised this fall.
Those Tea Party candidates will be challenged to generate enthusiasm among general election voters over the coming months, but they aren’t the only Republicans who will likely struggle this fall. In fact, as the Republican nomination of Connecticut Senate candidate Linda McMahon showed, some Republican nominees are struggling to inspire enthusiasm even among their Republican base.
Far from an experienced candidate, Linda McMahon’s resume includes leading a business that exploits its workers and promotes awful stereotypes. In fact, McMahon’s resume is such a negative that she couldn’t even win a majority of support among Republican primary voters – she lost votes to candidates who had basically dropped out of the race.
Meanwhile, Democrats in Connecticut united behind Richard Blumenthal for Senator, a leader with two decades of experience fighting for the people of Connecticut. Linda McMahon can spend as many millions of her own money on this race as she wants – but she can never buy her way to the respectability and leadership credentials that Richard Blumenthal has earned. As such, the Connecticut Senate race is yet another in which Republicans have significantly decreased their own chances of success through the nomination of an unqualified and extreme candidate.
What This Means for November
Although this year’s election climate presents a challenge for Democratic candidates across the country, yesterday’s results illustrate, once again, that Democrats are prepared to meet that challenge head-on with sophisticated and effective organizing strategies. In addition, yesterday’s primary elections show that Republicans also face significant barriers to success this fall – in particular, the nomination of extreme and divisive candidates will pose problems for the Republican Party. It is important when looking forward to the fall elections that analysts and commentators look closely at individual races rather than what is perceived to be the national political environment.
When you take into account candidates like Ken Buck, who has called for the repeal of the Affordable Care Act and Wall Street reform; candidates like Linda McMahon, who has objectified women and tolerated steroid use among her employees; candidates like Rand Paul, who opposes portions of the Civil Rights Act and Fair Housing Laws and who criticized President Obama for holding BP accountable for the oil spill in the Gulf; candidates like Sharron Angle, who want to end Social Security and Medicare as we know them; and the chaos in the Georgia and Connecticut Republican gubernatorial primary contests, the picture for Republicans this fall is less rosy than they would have you believe.
In short, while there is still a long road ahead until the November elections, the horizon is looking brighter for Democrats and darker for Republicans.
Categories: Democratic Blogs
Chairman Kaine on the Connecticut Primary Results
News from the DNC blog - Wed, 08/11/2010 - 11:06
Democratic National Committee Chairman Tim Kaine yesterday issued the following statement on the Connecticut primary elections:
“Democrats across the country are honored to have strong candidates at the top of the ticket in the Nutmeg state. In the Gubernatorial primary, we had two dedicated candidates prepared to lead the Nutmeg State: Ned Lamont and Dan Malloy. I congratulate both Ned Lamont and Dan Malloy and their supporters for a spirited primary, but ultimately only one candidate would prevail and the Democratic voters have decided that Dan Malloy is their choice to lead the state. Democrats have a great chance to win the governor’s office in Connecticut – and with Dan Malloy I know we will win in November.
“Last night's results also solidified the Senate matchup between Attorney General Richard Blumenthal and multi-millionaire Linda McMahon. Connecticut residents are keenly aware that in these two elections, the choice is clear. While Democrats like Richard Blumenthal and Dan Malloy are focused on creating new jobs and helping Connecticut’s middle class, their Republican opponents’ loyalties lie with the special interests and the radical Tea Party movement to which the Republican Party is beholden. Connecticut residents know that Richard Blumenthal and Dan Malloy will work tirelessly for them and the State of Connecticut and are committed to moving their state and our country forward – and that is why they both will be elected in November.
“Linda McMahon may be able to spend tens of millions of dollars trying to buy a US Senate seat, but Dick Blumenthal has something that no amount of money can buy – a two decade record of standing up for the people of Connecticut. The choice is clear – we need a leader like Dick Blumenthal in Washington.”
Categories: Democratic Blogs
Chairman Kaine on Senator Michael Bennet’s Primary Victory in Colorado
News from the DNC blog - Wed, 08/11/2010 - 10:50
DNC Chairman Tim Kaine issued the following statement on Senator Michael Bennet winning yesterday’s Democratic Senate primary in Colorado:
“Voters in Colorado faced a difficult choice between two accomplished and dedicated Democrats – Senator Michael Bennet and former Colorado House Speaker Andrew Romanoff. I would like to congratulate them both on a well-fought campaign. This was a close race to the end, but Democratic voters chose Senator Bennet to continue to represent them in Washington.
“Since President Obama took office, Senator Bennet has stood with the President's efforts to benefit the American people and rebuild our economy and put people back to work. Over the last year and a half, Senator Bennet helped the President to enact historic legislation including the Recovery Act, the Affordable Care Act, and Wall Street reform, among other things. In keeping with Senator Bennet’s efforts to help the President get America back on track and rebuild our economy, Colorado Democrats have nominated him to keep fighting for their jobs, their families, and Colorado’s future in the Senate.
“This November, voters across Colorado will have a clear decision to make: reelect Senator Bennet, who has been an unfailing advocate for middle-class workers and families, or choose a Republican – either Tea Party-backed Ken Buck or extreme Republican Jane Norton – both of whom have pledged to repeal the Affordable Care Act and would take back the progress made by President Obama and Democrats over the past year and a half. While Senator Bennet would continue to work with the President to build on the Administration’s progress, these Republican candidates would take us right back to the failed policies of the Bush era.”
Categories: Democratic Blogs
Free Preventive Care for Seniors
News from the DNC blog - Tue, 08/10/2010 - 19:26
A few weeks ago, Democrats across the country commemorated the 45th anniversary of the creation of Medicare. At the time, DNC Chairman Tim Kaine pointed out that the Affordable Care Act does a great deal to support and sustain Medicare. Said Kaine:
“The Affordable Care Act extends Medicare’s solvency by nearly a decade through new efforts to fight waste, fraud, and abuse.”Now, the Washington Post has an article describing some of the additional benefits of the Affordable Care Act for seniors and Medicare recipients. You can check out an excerpt from the article below and read the full Washington Post report here:
“Starting in January, the new health-care law will make it easier and cheaper for seniors to get preventive care. Medicare beneficiaries will be able to receive for free all preventive services and screenings that receive an A or B recommendation for seniors from the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, an independent panel of experts in primary care and prevention. These measures include mammograms and colorectal cancer screening, bone mass measurement and nutritional counseling for people at risk for diet-related chronic diseases such as diabetes.“Medicare beneficiaries will also get a free annual wellness visit under the new law. The visit will cover a number of services, including a health risk assessment and a review of the person's functional and cognitive abilities...Currently, seniors in traditional Medicare pay 20 percent of the cost for most covered preventive services.”
In addition to extending Medicare’s solvency and offering seniors new access to free preventive care and annual wellness benefits, the Affordable Care Act also provides assistance to eligible seniors to help them purchase life-saving prescription medications, and it guarantees that Americans of all ages will finally have access to affordable, quality care.
Categories: Democratic Blogs
Chairman Kaine: "Democrats in Congress have again made it clear that they are committed to improving the lives of middle-class Americans"
News from the DNC blog - Tue, 08/10/2010 - 17:59
Today, Democrats in the House passed a jobs bill which will aid the ongoing economic recovery and help states keep teachers in the classroom and safety officials on the streets, despite Republicans’ continued opposition to this critical aid aimed at helping middle class families. The legislation, already passed in the Senate over a Republican filibuster, will provide $26 billion in much-needed aid to states. That money will help states address impending budget crises by increasing funding for Medicaid and education. The legislation will now head to the President for his signature.
After the vote, DNC Chairman Tim Kaine issued the following statement:
“With the passage of this legislation, Democrats in Congress have again made it clear that they are committed to improving the lives of middle-class Americans and helping communities across our nation preserve vital programs and jobs during these difficult times. This bill will keep thousands of police officers and firefighters on the street and keep hundreds of thousands of teachers in the classroom. And not only will this bill ensure that our children continue to receive a quality education and that our communities stay safe and secure, it will also reduce the deficit by $1.4 billion over the next decade. This legislation is a victory for cash-strapped states, parents, children and middle class families across our country, and I look forward to seeing President Obama sign the bill.
“There could not be a better example of the differences in priorities between Republicans and Democrats than this legislation. While Democrats are working to help preserve the jobs of hundreds of thousands of teachers, firefighters, police officers and others, Republicans continue to obstruct legislation while supporting tax cuts that would only benefit Wall Street CEOs and other wealthy Americans. Even after Democrats made every effort to reach out to GOP lawmakers, Republicans fought tooth-and-nail against this critical legislation – refusing to help those who continue to struggle because of the failed Republican economic policies of the past. This stark difference in priorities could not be more clear to the American people, who now have yet another reminder of which party is on their side.”
Categories: Democratic Blogs
Republicans Protect Corporate Outsourcers At the Expense of Teachers, Firefighters & Police Officers
DCCC Blog - Tue, 08/10/2010 - 17:07
House Republicans sent a loud and clear message that multinational corporations that ship American jobs are his priority. 158 House Republicans voted against saving or creating the jobs of 161,000 teachers, and thousands of police officers, and firefighters, paid for by closing loopholes in the foreign income provisions of the tax code which gives corporations incentives to outsource American jobs.
Despite nearly unanimous Republican opposition, House Democrats passed this critical measure that will create or save 319,000 American jobs.
BACKGROUND
- The Education Jobs and Medicaid Assistance Act (HR 1586), will save or create the jobs of 161,000 teachers, and thousands of police officers, and firefighters while closing tax loopholes that encourage big corporations to ship American jobs overseas. [HR 1586, #518, 8/10/10]
- The measure appropriates $10 billion to help states retain and hire teachers and other educational professionals.
- This will save the jobs of an estimated 161,000 educators nationwide. (House Committee on Education & Labor)
- It will save or create 3,300 education jobs in Washington (House Committee on Education & Labor)
- The measure also provides $16.1 billion to temporarily increase Federal Medical Assistance Percentages (FMAP), the program that reimburses states for Medicaid.
- This funding will save or create up to 158,000 public and private sector jobs by providing critical aid to the states including both private sector as well as critical state employees such as police and firefighters. [EPI, August 9, 2010]
- The measure also cracks down on companies that take advantage of loopholes in the foreign income provisions of the tax code which makes it more profitable for them to outsource jobs. The bill is paid for by preventing corporations from using current U.S. foreign tax credit rules to subsidize their foreign activities.
Categories: Democratic Blogs
"Where do they stand?"
News from the DNC blog - Tue, 08/10/2010 - 15:19
DNC Executive Director Jen O’Malley Dillon sent a message to Democrats across the country, asking them to write their GOP lawmakers and see whether they stand with the Tea Party's radical ideas. The Republican Tea Party agenda includes repealing health and Wall Street reform, ending Social Security and Medicare as we know it, and extending the Bush tax breaks for the wealthy and big oil.
The Tea Party is the loudest voice in Republican politics, and the new Tea Party Caucus is growing fast in Congress.
Their influence means that more and more radical ideas are being adopted by GOP candidates across the country.
We all deserve to know what ideas our lawmakers are touting. And the best way to get answers is for Americans to ask their representatives where they stand.
Will you take a minute to write your GOP lawmakers and ask if they stand with the Tea Party?
Under the influence of the Tea Party, Republicans across the country are pushing to repeal health insurance reform, extend the Bush tax cuts for the wealthy and big oil, abolish the Department of Education, dismantle Social Security and Medicare -- even rewrite the Constitution and take away our right to choose our senators.
Those who believe these things need to say so publicly so that voters have the facts when they're making choices this fall. But we need constituents to call on their lawmakers to nail down their positions.
Can you take a moment to write your Republican lawmakers?
http://my.democrats.org/TeaPartyLetters
Thanks,
Jen
Jen O'Malley Dillon
Executive Director
Democratic National Committee
Categories: Democratic Blogs
President Obama: "We can't stand by and do nothing while pink slips are given to the men and women who educate our children”
News from the DNC blog - Tue, 08/10/2010 - 14:29
UPDATE: The House just voted 247-161 to pass the bill and provide emergency funding to help states prevent layoffs for teachers, police, and firefighters.
In a special session of Congress this afternoon, the House will vote on a bill to protect the jobs of more than 140,000 teachers, firefighters, and police officers that are currently scheduled to be cut due to state budget shortfalls. As MSNBC reported, laying off these workers now “would slow an already sluggish economic recovery,” not to mention leaving students without teachers and communities without key public safety services. Democrats called the House back into session from its August recess in order to vote on this bill and send it to President Obama’s desk.
Republicans have tried to block the bill from moving forward, calling it a “payoff” to “special interests.” Speaking in the Rose Garden today, the President responded that the bill addresses some of the most fundamental shared concerns we have as Americans:
"I suppose if America's children and the safety of our communities are your special interest, then it is a special-interest bill. But I think those interests are widely shared throughout this country. A challenge that affects parents, children and citizens in all -- almost every community in America should not be a Democratic problem or a Republican problem; it is an American problem."
The vote is expected by 2:30 p.m. Eastern Time.
Categories: Democratic Blogs
Back to Washington to Protect Teachers’ Jobs
News from the DNC blog - Tue, 08/10/2010 - 12:29
UPDATE: The event has now ended.
Members of Congress are back in Washington today for a vote on protecting more than 140,000 jobs for teachers, firefighters and police officers across the country. Democrats and President Obama are fighting to help states keep these jobs amidst budget shortfalls and cuts scheduled for this fall.
President Obama will speak at 11:40 a.m. ET to urge Congress to quickly pass the bill.
Categories: Democratic Blogs
Morning Open Thread
News from the DNC blog - Tue, 08/10/2010 - 09:00
Good morning.
President Barack Obama, Vice President Joe Biden and Solicitor General Elena Kagan wait in the Blue Room of the White House, May 10, 2010, prior to the President's announcement of Kagan as his choice to replace retiring Justice John Paul Stevens in the Supreme Court. Photo by Pete Souza.
Categories: Democratic Blogs
By 2020, the Highest Proportion of College Graduates in the World
News from the DNC blog - Mon, 08/09/2010 - 15:51
UPDATED: The event has now ended.
The President is in Texas today, speaking at the University of Texas at Austin on boosting our country’s rate of college graduates to make us more competitive around the world.
You can watch the President’s address here live at 3:00 p.m. Eastern Time:
President Obama on Monday will highlight his goal of dramatically boosting U.S. college graduation rates and will make the case that his administration has already taken significant steps to help achieve that goal, administration officials said.
Specifically, the Obama administration has said it wants the United States to have the highest proportion of college graduates in the world by 2020, which would mean increasing the percentage of young adults in the United States who earn higher education degrees from 40 percent to 60 percent, administration officials said.
In other words, the U.S. would need to add more than 10 million college graduates over the next 10 years.
Categories: Democratic Blogs
Morning Open Thread
News from the DNC blog - Mon, 08/09/2010 - 10:50
Good morning.
President Barack Obama jokes with Chicago Bulls players Joakim Noah and Derrick Rose. The President played basketball with friends, college and professional basketball players, before an audience that included wounded warriors and White House mentees at Fort McNair in Washington, D.C., August 8, 2010. Photo by Pete Souza.
Categories: Democratic Blogs
FACT CHECK: House Republican Leader John Boehner on Not Paying for Tax Breaks for Millionaires
DCCC Blog - Sun, 08/08/2010 - 13:35
On Meet the Press this morning, Republican Leader John Boehner failed to answer David Gregory's question -- five times -- about whether Republicans would pay for their tax breaks for millionaires. Republican Leader John Boehner knows that admitting Republicans will go back to the same old Republican plan to give tax breaks to millionaires without paying for them is bad economic policy and bad politics. This is the same failed Republican economic policy that increased the deficit by nearly $700 billion under President George W. Bush.
WATCH:
Categories: Democratic Blogs
45th Anniversary Voting Rights Act Relevance in the 2010 Election
News from the DNC blog - Fri, 08/06/2010 - 17:40
Forty-five years ago today President Lyndon Johnson signed into law the Voting Rights Act, one of the most pivotal and monumental laws governing racial equality and parity as it relates to every eligible American’s fundamental right to vote. The right to vote is not only a fundamental principle of our democracy but is an integral piece of the fabric that makes up our Republic; for a country that does not recognize the rights of the minority is a country that denies full citizenship to all of her people.
Let us not forget that when our country was founded African Americans and women were not viewed nor valued as full citizens. It would take the tireless and relentless efforts of many and the ultimate sacrifice of far too many for America to live up to her ideals. However, it was only because countless Americans put their lives on the line to secure and defend that right that America is fulfilling that promise immortalized in the Declaration of Independence that We hold these truth to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by the Creator with certain inalienable rights.
The Democratic Party-- the party of Jefferson, Roosevelt, Johnson and Obama-- is and will continue to be the party that will defend every Americans’ right to vote and make sure that essential right is protected. Never again can we allow Americans because of their socio-economic status, gender or race be denied their right to full citizenship. Conversely, it is the responsibility of every single American to exercise that right.
We cannot and we must not let the sacrifices of so many be in vain. It is because of their sacrifice that every American can exercise their right to vote. It is because of their sacrifice that generations of Americans will continue to have their voices heard. This November it is the responsibility of every American to exercise their right to vote. Moreover, if President Obama is to continue the work of turning our economy around, creating jobs and building upon the tremendous work he and Congressional Democrats have already done he must have allies in Congress to do so. At a time like this we cannot and must not waiver in our commitment to electing Democratic allies for the President. Too many people have fought, suffered and died for our right to vote and we must exercise that right this in November.
While there is still much work to do to ensure that every American has the opportunity to make their voice heard, we can and should take solace in knowing that we as a country and a people truly have come a mighty long way.
Categories: Democratic Blogs
If John Boehner thinks teachers are “special interests,” who does he stand with?
News from the DNC blog - Fri, 08/06/2010 - 16:45
Another day, another hollow show of partisanship by House Minority Leader John Boehner. The dubious target of attack this time: teachers. In the face of Senate Republicans’ customary filibuster, Democrats passed legislation this week that would enable financially-strapped states to keep hundreds of thousands of teachers in the classroom and would ensure that children don’t bear the brunt of the recession. Rep. Boehner condemned the legislation as “job killing” and as Democratic efforts to appease “liberal special interests” – evidently he thinks teachers and children are “liberal” causes only.
In response to Rep. Boehner’s irreverent comments, the Democratic National Committee launched a new web video yesterday called “John Boehner: Teachers Aren’t ‘Special Interests,’” featuring the reactions of three current and retired teachers.
As Democrats continue to create jobs, fight for small businesses and working Americans, and move our country forward, Republicans continue to stand with the corporate allies bankrolling their campaigns. If Rep. Boehner really believes that teachers are “special interests,” then who does he stand with?
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