OFA Blog

2009

Christopher Hass — Wed, 30 Dec 2009 14:54:17 EST

From OFA Director Mitch Stewart:

Looking back at 2009, it turns out you were right.

Early this year, millions of you chose to keep working together and create Organizing for America, to build on the momentum of the Obama campaign, take on the defenders of the status quo, and make change happen.

Special interests thought they could steamroll you with hundreds of millions of dollars in lobbying and attack ads. Meanwhile, you built a massive organization, driven by local leadership, that reached out to millions of fellow Americans and made your voices heard to Congress in record numbers.

This has been a remarkable year for the movement you've built from the ground up, and I wanted to take a moment at year's end to reflect on everything you've accomplished.
Beth Kimbriel, a mother of four from Richmond, Virginia, has no formal political experience. But every week, as an OFA "Community Organizer," she trains and manages other volunteer leaders to organize effectively around the President's agenda. Hundreds of her fellow OFA Community Organizers around the country have already volunteered more than 200,000 hours doing similar work. Thousands more have taken on other leadership positions in every single state. And we're still growing -- nearly a million people who had never volunteered for the presidential campaign have signed up with OFA this year.

Supporters spread the word throughout our communities, with more than a million conversations with neighbors on the phone and at the doorstep, and 250,000 letters to the editor about how President Obama's policies would help ordinary Americans.

And when Congress was making crucial decisions, you spoke out more powerfully than the special interests ever could. In the last few months, you've made more than 1 million calls to Congress -- including more than 300,000 on one amazing day in October that created huge momentum for health reform. Thousands of supporters attended town halls to counter the shouting mobs and speak out in person. And you even held 37,107 events in every congressional district -- bus tour rallies, phonebanks and forums to inform your neighbors.

These incredible efforts have powered victories on a wide range of issues. OFA volunteers provided a huge boost to help pass the Recovery Act, President Obama's historic budget, an expansion of children's health care, credit card and student loan reform. Your voices helped pass a historic green jobs and energy bill in the House, and the confirmation of the nation's first Latina Supreme Court justice, Sonia Sotomayor, in the Senate. And of course, you were instrumental in passing comprehensive health reform through both houses of Congress for the first time in American history.

With every phone call to a member of Congress, every door knocked on a rainy day, every event held in a town center, you've helped to push this country forward.
Thanks for making it all possible,

Mitch

Mitch Stewart
Director
Organizing for America

Here's a look at just some of the incredible events that OFA supporters took part in this year:

"It starts with you"

Christopher Hass — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 11:46:15 EST

Earlier this month, Organizing for America held more than 200 volunteer trainings across the country in one weekend. Local volunteers gathered in living rooms, community centers, and coffee shops to learn the skills needed to step up and become leaders. It's the kind of story that rarely registers on the national news radar, but it's this kind of tireless, methodical organizing that is the foundation of OFA.

Open Thread

Christopher Hass — Mon, 28 Dec 2009 09:26:09 EST

Merry Christmas from the President and the First Lady

Christopher Hass — Fri, 25 Dec 2009 11:23:40 EST

For the first time in a weekly address, the President is joined by the First Lady as they celebrate Christmas. They both honor those serving overseas, those who have sacrificed for their country, and the families that stand by them.

You can find ways to lend our troops and their families a home through DOD’s Military Homefront, OurMilitary.mil, and of course the USO.

Open Thread

Christopher Hass — Thu, 24 Dec 2009 23:03:43 EST

Message from the President: "A historic moment"

Christopher Hass — Thu, 24 Dec 2009 11:20:53 EST

Shortly after the Senate vote this morning, President Obama sent out the following email to supporters:

Although it's Christmas Eve, I wanted to share some exciting news: The Senate just passed a historic health reform bill.

In all the back and forth, it's easy to lose sight of what this incredible breakthrough really means. But consider this: This Christmas, there are millions of Americans without health insurance who risk losing everything if they get sick.

There are mothers and fathers who wonder how they'll provide for their children because an illness has wiped out their savings. There are small business owners who worry that they'll have to lay off a long-time employee because the cost of insurance is rapidly rising.

If we finish the job, all this can change. We will have beaten back the special interests who have for so long perpetuated the status quo. We will have enacted the most important piece of social policy since the Social Security Act in the 1930s, and the most important health reform since Medicare in the 1960s.

In Decembers to come, millions more will have access to affordable coverage. Parents will have the security and stability of knowing their insurance can't be revoked at a moment's notice. And the skyrocketing costs plaguing our small businesses will be brought under control.

When you make calls, write letters, organize, this is the change you're making -- a better life for your family and for men and women in every state.

There is still more to do before I can sign reform into law -- a last round of negotiations and final votes in the Senate and the House -- and I'm counting on your help every step of the way. But for now, I hope that as you celebrate this holiday season, you remember that the work you are doing is making our union more perfect, one step at a time. For that, I am grateful to you.

Merry Christmas and happy holidays,

President Barack Obama

P.S. -- Organizing for America supporters are signing a note of appreciation to all the senators who have worked so hard to make this possible. I hope you'll join them.

Senate Passes Health Reform Bill

Christopher Hass — Thu, 24 Dec 2009 07:16:41 EST

Shortly after 7:00 A.M. this morning, the Senate passed its version of the health reform bill by a vote of 60-39, with all Republican senators voting against. We'll have more details shortly.

UPDATED 7:48 A.M. President Obama is scheduled to deliver remarks on this morning's vote at 8:45 A.M. You can watch live onine at WhiteHouse.gov/live.

UPDATED 8:12 A.M. The Associated Press reports:

Senate Democrats passed a landmark health care bill Thursday that could define President Barack Obama's legacy and usher in near-universal medical coverage for the first time in the country's history.

The 60-39 vote on a cold Christmas Eve morning capped months of arduous negotiations and 24 days of floor debate. It also followed a succession of failures by past congresses to get to this point. Vice President Joe Biden presided as 58 Democrats and two independents voted "yes." Republicans unanimously voted "no."

The tally far exceeded the simple majority required for passage.

Senate Clears Final Hurdle to Set Up Christmas Eve Vote on Health Reform

Christopher Hass — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 17:30:00 EST

With a vote of 60-39 (with all Republicans against), the Senate cleared the final procedural hurdle this afternoon to set up an up or down vote on health reform tomorrow morning. Tomorrow's vote will be the first vote held on Christmas Eve since Dec. 24, 1895.

"What's really at stake"

Christopher Hass — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 21:21:57 EST

From David Plouffe:

Any day now, health insurance reform will come up for a vote in the Senate.

We're hearing a lot about what's at stake with this vote for President Obama, the Democrats who are fighting alongside him, and the Republicans who have lined up in opposition.

But let's talk about what's really at stake for America. The Senate health reform bill will:
-- Extend coverage to 31 million Americans, the largest expansion of coverage since the creation of Medicare.

-- Ensure that you can choose your own doctor.

-- Finally stop insurance companies from denying coverage due to a pre-existing condition.

-- Make sure you will never be charged exorbitant premiums on the basis of your age, health, or gender.

-- Guarantee you will never lose your coverage just because you get sick or injured.

-- Protect you from outrageous out-of-pocket expenditures by establishing lifetime and annual limits.

-- Allow young people to stay on their parents' coverage until they're 26 years old.

-- Create health insurance exchanges, or "one-stop shops" for individuals purchasing insurance, where insurance companies are forced to compete for new customers.

-- Lower premiums for families, according to the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office -- especially for struggling folks who will receive subsidies.

-- Help small businesses provide health care coverage to their employees with tax credits and by allowing them to purchase coverage through the exchanges.

-- Improve and strengthen Medicare by eliminating waste and fraud (without cutting basic benefits), beginning to close the Medicare Part D donut hole, and extending the life of the Medicare trust fund.

-- Create jobs by reining in costs -- fostering competition, reducing waste and inefficiency, and starting to reward doctors and hospitals for quality, not quantity, of care.

-- Cut the deficit by over $130 billion in the next 10 years.
It's a long list. But that's only because this bill represents the most significant health reform our nation has seen since the creation of Medicare.

And it's important that every American knows what's really at stake this holiday season.

So please pass this email along to friends, family, and neighbors today -- or click below to share this list on Facebook and Twitter, or print out a copy to share with others:

http://my.barackobama.com/SenateReformBill

We wouldn't be this close to enacting these powerful reforms without all your hard work. Now, we're in the final stretch -- let's keep it up.

Thank you,

David Plouffe

Message from the President: "Where we stand"

Christopher Hass — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 17:44:19 EST

Earlier tonight, President Obama sent out the following email to supporters:

Early this morning, the Senate made history and health reform cleared its most important hurdle yet -- garnering the 60 votes needed to move toward a final vote in that chamber later this week.

This marks the first time in our nation's history that comprehensive health reform has come to this point. And it appears that the American people will soon realize the genuine reform that offers security to those who have health insurance and affordable options to those who do not.

I'm grateful to Senator Harry Reid and every senator who's been working around the clock to make this happen. And I'm grateful to you, and every member of the Organizing for America community, for all the work you have done to make this progress possible.

After a nearly century-long struggle, we are now on the cusp of making health insurance reform a reality in the United States of America.

As with any legislation, compromise is part of the process. But I'm pleased that recently added provisions have made this landmark bill even stronger. Between the time when the bill passes and the time when the insurance exchanges get up and running, insurance companies that try to jack up their rates do so at their own peril. Those who hike their prices may be barred from selling plans on the exchanges.

And while insurance companies will be prevented from denying coverage on the basis of pre-existing conditions once the exchanges are open, in the meantime there will be a high-risk pool where people with pre-existing conditions can purchase affordable coverage.

A recent amendment has made these protections even stronger. Insurance companies will now be prohibited from denying coverage to children immediately after this bill passes. There's also explicit language in this bill that will protect a patient's choice of doctor. And small businesses will get additional assistance as well.

These protections are in addition to the ones we've been talking about for some time. No longer will insurance companies be able to drop your coverage if you become sick and no longer will you have to pay unlimited amounts out of your own pocket for treatments that you need.

Under this bill families will save on their premiums; businesses that would see their costs rise if we don't act will save money now and in the future. This bill will strengthen Medicare and extend the life of the program. Because it's paid for and gets rid of waste and inefficiency in our health care system, this will be the largest deficit reduction plan in over a decade.

Finally, this reform will extend coverage to more than 30 million Americans who don't have it.

These are not small changes. These are big changes. They're fundamental reforms. They will save money. They will save lives.

And your passion, your work, your organizing helped make all of this possible. Now it's time to finish the job.

Thank you,

President Barack Obama

First Cloture Vote on the Senate Health Reform Bill Passes 60-40

Christopher Hass — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 01:18:34 EST

Shortly after 1:00 A.M. this morning, the Senate voted 60-40 to invoke cloture on the manager’s amendment to the health reform bill offered by Majority Leader Harry Reid on Saturday. The vote was 60-40, with no Republicans voting in favor.

This was the first of several votes that will take place over the next few days, but it represents a crucial step towards passing a health reform bill out of the Senate. The next vote to move the bill forward will likely take place Tuesday night.

Joe Biden: Why the Senate Should Vote Yes on Health Care

Christopher Hass — Sun, 20 Dec 2009 12:56:36 EST

In an op-ed in the New York Times today, Vice President Joe Biden explains why, if he were still a senator today, he would vote "yes" on the current health reform bill:

While it does not contain every measure President Obama and I wanted, I would vote yes for this bill certain that it includes the fundamental, essential change that opponents of reform have resisted for generations.

We have been here before. In the past, as the moment of decision drew nearer, criticism from both the left and the right grew louder. Compromises were derided. The perfect became the enemy of the good.

Most recently, in 1993, Democrats had a chance to forge a compromise with Senator John Chafee, Republican of Rhode Island, on a health care reform bill. Congress’s failure to pass health care reform that year led to 16 years of inaction — and 16 years of exploding health care costs and rising numbers of uninsured Americans.

We can’t let that happen again. While it is not perfect, the bill pending in the Senate today is not just good enough — it is very good. Insurance companies will no longer be able to deny coverage to those with pre-existing conditions or drop coverage when people get sick. Charging exorbitant premiums based on sex, age or health status will be outlawed. Annual and lifetime caps on benefits will be history. Those who already have insurance will be able to keep it, and will gain peace of mind knowing they won’t be priced out of the market by skyrocketing premiums. And more than 30 million uninsured Americans will gain access to affordable health care coverage.

The Vice President also addressed the disappointment that many feel over the removal of a public option from the Senate bill, but warned that there would be no second chance to vote yes for reform:

I share the frustration of other progressives that the Senate bill does not include a public option. But I’ve been around a long time, and I know that in Washington big changes never emerge in perfect form.

Those in our own party who would scuttle this bill because of what it doesn’t do seem not to appreciate the magnitude of what it has the potential to accomplish.

...Is America better off today because a chance at a compromise health bill was missed in 1993? For my friends on the left, the rising toll of the uninsured provides an emphatic no. For my friends on the right, the soaring share of federal spending on health care likewise provides a no. Let’s not make the same mistake again.

If the bill passes the Senate this week, there will be more chances to make changes to it before it becomes law. But if the bill dies this week, there is no second chance to vote yes. What those who care about health insurance reform need to realize is that unless we get 60 votes now, there will be no health care reform at all. Not this year, not in this Congress — and maybe not for another generation.

Read the full op-ed . . .

Vicki Kennedy: "The moment Ted Kennedy would not want to lose"

Christopher Hass — Sat, 19 Dec 2009 10:54:53 EST

Vicki Kennedy, the widow of the late Senator Ted Kennedy, wrote a passionate op-ed piece for this Sunday's Washington Post, in which she talks about how she believes her husband would have stood on the current health reform bill being debated in the Senate:

My late husband, Ted Kennedy, was passionate about health-care reform. It was the cause of his life. He believed that health care for all our citizens was a fundamental right, not a privilege, and that this year the stars -- and competing interests -- were finally aligned to allow our nation to move forward with fundamental reform. He believed that health-care reform was essential to the financial stability of our nation's working families and of our economy as a whole.

Still, Ted knew that accomplishing reform would be difficult. If it were easy, he told me, it would have been done a long time ago. He predicted that as the Senate got closer to a vote, compromises would be necessary, coalitions would falter and many ardent supporters of reform would want to walk away. He hoped that they wouldn't do so. He knew from experience, he told me, that this kind of opportunity to enact health-care reform wouldn't arise again for a generation.

...The bill before the Senate, while imperfect, would achieve many of the goals Ted fought for during the 40 years he championed access to quality, affordable health care for all Americans. If this bill passes:

-- Insurance protections like the ones Ted fought for his entire life would become law.

-- Thirty million Americans who do not have coverage would finally be able to afford it. Ninety-four percent of Americans would be insured. Americans would finally be able to live without fear that a single illness could send them into financial ruin.

-- Insurance companies would no longer be able to deny people the coverage they need because of a preexisting illness or condition. They would not be able to drop coverage when people get sick. And there would be a limit on how much they can force Americans to pay out of their own pockets when they do get sick.

-- Small-business owners would no longer have to fear being forced to lay off workers or shut their doors because of exorbitant insurance rates. Medicare would be strengthened for the millions of seniors who count on it.

-- And by eliminating waste and inefficiency in our health-care system, this bill would bring down the deficit over time.

Health care would finally be a right, and not a privilege, for the citizens of this country. While my husband believed in a robust public option as an effective way to lower costs and increase competition, he also believed in not losing sight of the forest for the trees. As long as he wasn't compromising his principles or values, he looked for a way forward.

...The bill before Congress will finally deliver on the urgent needs of all Americans. It would make their lives better and do so much good for this country. That, in the end, must be the test of reform. That was always the test for Ted Kennedy. He's not here to urge us not to let this chance slip through our fingers. So I humbly ask his colleagues to finish the work of his life, the work of generations, to allow the vote to go forward and to pass health-care reform now.

Read the full op-ed from Victoria Kennedy . . .

The President's Weekly Address: The Patient's Bill of Rights and Health Reform

Christopher Hass — Sat, 19 Dec 2009 08:42:44 EST

In today's address, President Obama looks back at the bipartisan "Patient's Bill of Rights" – a set of rules intended to protect Americans from some of the worst practices of the health insurance industry, that was defeated time and again in the past, but is now embodied in the current health reform bills:

This Patient’s Bill of Rights never made it into law. It fell victim – again and again – to the same special interest lobbying that has blocked passage of health insurance reform for so many decades. But today, we are being given another chance to make it a reality, because each of these rights, and many more, are incorporated in the health insurance reform bill that recently passed the House of Representatives and in the bill that is currently making its way through the Senate.

Both the House and Senate bills would make it against the law for insurance companies to deny you coverage on the basis of a pre-existing condition or illness. Both would stop insurers from charging exorbitant premiums on the basis of age, health, or gender. Both would prevent insurance companies from dropping your coverage when you get sick. And both would put a limit on how much you have to pay out of pocket for the treatments you need in a year or lifetime.

Simply put, the protections currently included in both the health insurance reform bill passed by the House and the version currently on the Senate floor would represent the toughest measures we’ve ever taken to hold the insurance industry accountable. Anyone who says otherwise simply hasn’t read the bills.

...But now – for the first time – there is a clear majority in the Senate that’s willing to stand up to the insurance lobby and embrace lasting health insurance reforms that have eluded us for generations. The question is whether the minority that opposes these reforms will continue to use parliamentary maneuvers to try and stop the Senate from voting on them.

Whatever their position on health insurance reform, Senators ought to allow an up or down vote. Let’s bring this long and vigorous debate to an end. Let’s deliver on the promise of health insurance reforms that will make our people healthier, our economy stronger, and our future more secure. And as this difficult year comes to a close, let’s show the American people that we are equal to the task of meeting our great challenges.

Senate to Release Amendment to Health Reform Bill Saturday Morning

Christopher Hass — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 23:37:21 EST

Early Saturday morning, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid is expected to unveil a "manager's amendment" to the health reform bill that will contain a comprehensive list of changes that have been arrived at over the past week. This would then pave the way for the final vote in the Senate.

The Hill reports:

Reid will unveil his amendment with a cost analysis from the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) shortly after the Senate votes at around 7:30 Saturday morning to clear a Defense spending bill.

“That’s the plan, soon after that vote because we want to file cloture on that quickly,” said Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-Ill.).

...Durbin said it was necessary to unveil Reid’s amendment and file a motion to cut of a GOP filibuster on Saturday morning to set up a preliminary vote at 1 a.m. Monday.

Lawmakers must vote early Monday to cut off debate on Reid’s amendment if they are to stick to a timeline that would set a final vote on the healthcare bill after 7 pm on Christmas Eve.

"The time for political games is over"

Christopher Hass — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 13:50:21 EST

Last night at 1:00 A.M., the Senate was narrowly able to overcome a Republican filibuster of a key defense spending bill. On Saturday at midnight, money for the Department of Defense is set to run out – including the money that funds our troops overseas. Republicans had sought to use filibustering of defense funding as a way to delay further debate on health reform.

The New York Times reported:

With Democrats trying to inch toward a final vote on the health care plan before Christmas, Republicans are using every tactic at their disposal to try to thwart progress. Delaying a final vote on the Pentagon measure was just the latest and probably not the last.

Republicans acknowledged their resistance to the Pentagon measure was due to their desire to prolong the debate over the Democratic health care overhaul.

... Asked if he would vote for the defense bill, which Republicans routinely support, Senator Sam Brownback Republican of Kansas, replied bluntly: “No. I don’t want health care.”

The Senate needed to dispose of the Pentagon measure to clear the decks for an effort to overcome a series of procedural hurdles and try to pass a health care measure before leaving for the holidays.

Money for military operations is due to run out Friday under a stop-gap bill and the Senate needs to either complete the bill or pass another extension while the spending bill is completed.

The defense spending measure also includes a two-month extension of unemployment benefits and health insurance for out-of-work Americans.

This morning, White House Communications Director Dan Pfeiffer wrote that "This is not a controversial bill – nearly 400 house members supported it and the vast majority of Republicans are expected to vote for it. It’s political gamesmanship at its worst."

The Senate is expected to resume debate on health reform tomorrow morning.

Over 1,008,426 Calls

Christopher Hass — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 22:17:47 EST

From the Barack Obama twitter feed:

One Million Calls

Christopher Hass — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 12:09:35 EST

From OFA Director Mitch Stewart:

If we don't pass health reform, millions of Americans will be trapped in a broken status quo, unable to pay their bills or see a doctor when they need one.

More and more employers will drop coverage for employees. And Medicare and Medicaid will blow a hole through our budget.

There's too much at stake not to get this done. That's why, as of this morning, OFA supporters have made 849,856 calls to Congress in support of health reform since August.

And that's why today, with the Senate locked in last-minute negotiations, our goal is to hit one million calls.

Can you help? Please call your senators now and help "ring in reform."
This holiday season, millions of Americans will go without desperately needed care simply because they can't afford insurance.

But insurance lobbyists are desperate to pull apart the bill and derail reform, so your voice is needed now.

Just call your senators' offices, then tell the staffers who answer where you live -- so that they know you are a constituent -- and that you support reform.

Click here to make sure you call is counted in the race to a million.

Thanks for standing up,

Mitch

Mitch Stewart
Director
Organizing for America

"The most significant reform of our health care system since the passage of Medicare"

Christopher Hass — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 12:44:30 EST

Earlier today President Obama hosted what he described as a "very productive" meeting with Democratic Senators on the final stages of health care reform. Following the meeting, the President spoke briefly to the press on the current state of the debate:

There are still some differences that have to be worked on. This was not a roll call. This was a broad-based discussion about how we move forward. But whatever differences remain, there is broad consensus around reforms that will finally, number one, protect every American from the worst practices in the health insurance industry. No longer will these companies be able to deny you coverage if you have a preexisting illness or condition. No longer will they be able to drop you from coverage when you get sick. No longer will you have to pay unlimited amounts out of your own pocket for the treatments that you need. We are all in agreement on those reforms.

We agree on reforms that will finally reduce the costs of health care. Families will save on their premiums; businesses that will see their costs rise if we do nothing will save money now and in the future. This plan will strengthen Medicare and extend the life of that program. And because it gets rid of the waste and inefficiencies in our health care system, this will be the largest deficit reduction plan in over a decade.

...These aren't small changes. These are big changes. They represent the most significant reform of our health care system since the passage of Medicare. They will save money. They will save families money; they will save businesses money; and they will save government money. And they're going to save lives. That's why this reform is supported by groups like the AARP who represents most of America's seniors. That's why this reform has to pass on our watch.

Now, let's be clear. The final bill won't include everything that everybody wants. No bill can do that. But what I told my former colleagues today is that we simply cannot allow differences over individual elements of this plan to prevent us from meeting our responsibility to solve a longstanding and urgent problem for the American people. They are waiting for us to act. They are counting on us to show leadership. And I don't intend to let them down, and neither do the people standing next to me. There's too much at stake for families who can't pay their medical bills, or see a doctor when they need to, or get the treatment they need. The stakes are enormous for them.

...So there are still disagreements that have to be ironed out. There is still work to be done in the next few days... [But] I am absolutely confident that if the American people know what's in this bill and if the Senate knows what's in this bill that this is going to pass, because it's right for America. And I'm feeling cautiously optimistic that we can get this done and start rolling up our sleeves and getting to work improving the lives of the American people.

Read the President's full remarks . . .

President to Meet with Senate Democratic Caucus Today

Christopher Hass — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 09:32:28 EST

President Obama is scheduled to meeting with members of the Senate Democratic Caucus at the Eisenhower Executive Office Building today, in order to discuss the ongoing negotiations and debate on health reform. Following the meeting, the President will make a statement to the press. The meeting will begin at 1:40 P.M., with the President's remarks expected around 3:00 P.M. Eastern.

Tonight: President Obama on '60 Minutes'

Christopher Hass — Sun, 13 Dec 2009 16:05:51 EST

President Obama sat down for an interview with 60 Minutes recently, which airs tonight. The President discusses his plans for Afghanistan, the economy, jobs and financial reglatory reform. In a preview of the interview, CBS News reports:

President Obama is irked by the idea that bankers at companies that the U.S. government propped up with loans and policy only months ago will still get massive annual bonuses.

..."I did not run for office to be helping out a bunch of fat cat bankers on Wall Street," Obama says.

Check your local listings for time and channel.

The President's Weekly Address

Christopher Hass — Sat, 12 Dec 2009 10:27:42 EST

Political Update on the Progress Towards Health Reform

Christopher Hass — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 19:04:42 EST

Addisu Demissie, National Political Director for Organizing for America, sat down to give a quick update on the progress towards health reform and the work supporters have done so far to get us to where we are today:

Your Holiday Wish

Christopher Hass — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 16:28:32 EST

From OFA Director Mitch Stewart:

This year, when you're writing holiday cards to your friends and loved ones, there are two more people who need to hear from you: your Senators .

With the Senate deep in final negotiations -- and a compromise just introduced that increases choice and drives costs down -- your senators need to understand how urgent reform really is.

So we've come up with a unique way for you to get the message across -- by sending your senators a card with your holiday wish for the season.

Send a holiday card to your senators, telling them that your wish this season is for them to pass health insurance reform.

Since the full Senate began debating reform just over two weeks ago, approximately 224,000 Americans have lost their health insurance, while spiraling costs have forced countless more into bankruptcy or foreclosure.

That's a big number -- it's as many people as live in a city like Baton Rouge, and more than live in Reno.

This crisis affects everyone in our community. It could be a father down the street who now won't be able to pay for care when his son breaks his leg playing soccer, or a daughter who must watch helplessly as her newly-uninsured mother gets a breast cancer diagnosis she can't afford to treat.

Every day brings thousands more stories of heartbreak and struggle that just shouldn't be in a nation as blessed as ours.

So please take a moment to cut through the noise in D.C. with your simple holiday wish: affordable, quality health care for every American family.

Send your holiday card for health reform today.

Thanks,

Mitch

Mitch Stewart
Director
Organizing for America

President Obama in Oslo: "Let us reach for the world that ought to be"

Christopher Hass — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 14:07:45 EST

"Somewhere today, in the here and now, in the world as it is, a soldier sees he's outgunned, but stands firm to keep the peace. Somewhere today, in this world, a young protestor awaits the brutality of her government, but has the courage to march on. Somewhere today, a mother facing punishing poverty still takes the time to teach her child, scrapes together what few coins she has to send that child to school -- because she believes that a cruel world still has a place for that child's dreams. Let us live by their example." -- President Obama

President Obama traveled to Oslo, Norway, to accept the Nobel Peace Prize this morning. In his speech, he described the Nobel Peace Prize as "an award that speaks to our highest aspirations," proof that, "our actions matter, and can bend history in the direction of justice." But the President also acknowledged that, even as he receives this prize, he is the Commander-in-Chief of the military of a nation in the midst of two wars:

One of these wars is winding down. The other is a conflict that America did not seek; one in which we are joined by 42 other countries -- including Norway -- in an effort to defend ourselves and all nations from further attacks.

Still, we are at war, and I'm responsible for the deployment of thousands of young Americans to battle in a distant land. Some will kill, and some will be killed. And so I come here with an acute sense of the costs of armed conflict -- filled with difficult questions about the relationship between war and peace, and our effort to replace one with the other.

...I do not bring with me today a definitive solution to the problems of war. What I do know is that meeting these challenges will require the same vision, hard work, and persistence of those men and women who acted so boldly decades ago. And it will require us to think in new ways about the notions of just war and the imperatives of a just peace.

We must begin by acknowledging the hard truth: We will not eradicate violent conflict in our lifetimes. There will be times when nations -- acting individually or in concert -- will find the use of force not only necessary but morally justified.

I make this statement mindful of what Martin Luther King Jr. said in this same ceremony years ago: "Violence never brings permanent peace. It solves no social problem: it merely creates new and more complicated ones." As someone who stands here as a direct consequence of Dr. King's life work, I am living testimony to the moral force of non-violence. I know there's nothing weak -- nothing passive -- nothing na-- in the creed and lives of Gandhi and King.

But as a head of state sworn to protect and defend my nation, I cannot be guided by their examples alone. I face the world as it is, and cannot stand idle in the face of threats to the American people. For make no mistake: Evil does exist in the world. A non-violent movement could not have halted Hitler's armies. Negotiations cannot convince al Qaeda's leaders to lay down their arms. To say that force may sometimes be necessary is not a call to cynicism -- it is a recognition of history; the imperfections of man and the limits of reason.

Despite these harsh realities, President Obama concluded with a call to "reach for the world that ought to be."

We can acknowledge that oppression will always be with us, and still strive for justice. We can admit the intractability of depravation, and still strive for dignity. Clear-eyed, we can understand that there will be war, and still strive for peace. We can do that -- for that is the story of human progress; that's the hope of all the world; and at this moment of challenge, that must be our work here on Earth.

Read the full remarks . . .

Fighting for Medicare

Christopher Hass — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 16:33:39 EST

Over the past week, much of the health reform debate in the Senate has centered around Medicare -- from proposed savings and reforms, to the possibility of allowing more Americans to "buy in" to the program at an earlier age. Yesterday, the White House released a video message from Vice President Joe Biden, in which he discussed the Democratic Party's history of fighting for Medicare, from it's inception under Lyndon Johnson to the present day.

"It's kind of an irony now, that all those who are the successors of the people who opposed the creation of Medicare, who have tried for years to let it whiter on the vine, are now saying to you that they are going to protect it.

...After all these years of defending Medicare, I'm not about to do anything to weaken it, to reduce your benefits, or to hurt the integrity of the Medicare Trust Fund."

"We will not back down"

Christopher Hass — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 20:50:54 EST

Earlier today, President Obama sent the following message to OFA supporters:

As we head into the final stretch on health reform, big insurance company lobbyists and their partisan allies hope that their relentless attacks and millions of dollars can intimidate us into accepting the status quo.

So I have a message for them, from all of us: Not this time. We have come too far. We will not turn back. We will not back down.

But do not doubt -- the opponents of reform will not rest. So I need you, the members of Organizing for America, to fight alongside me.

We must continue to build out our campaign -- to spread the facts on the air and on the ground, and to bring in more volunteers and train them to join the fight. I urgently need your help to keep Organizing for America's 50-state movement for reform going strong.

Please donate $5 or whatever you can afford today:

https://donate.barackobama.com/FinalStretch

Let's win this together,

President Barack Obama

"We have not let up" - President Obama Announces Broad New Proposals to Spur Job Growth

Christopher Hass — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 15:34:09 EST

This morning, President Obama spoke at the Brookings Institution to announce a set of broad new proposals to spur job growth. The President explained that steps the administration has taken so far have reduced the expected cost of the TARP program by more than $200 billion, providing additional resources that will now be put towards job creation and deficit reduction.

In his remarks, the President explained:

Even as the Recovery Act has created jobs and spurred growth, we have not let up in our efforts to take every responsible action to get the economy growing and America working...

Partly as a result of these and other steps, we’re in a very different place today than we were a year ago. We can safely say that we are no longer facing the potential collapse of our financial system and we’ve avoided the depression many feared. Our economy is growing for the first time in a year – and the swing from contraction to expansion since the beginning of the year is the largest in nearly three decades.

...But our work is far from done. For even though we have reduced the deluge of job losses to a relative trickle, we are not yet creating jobs at a pace to help all those families who have been swept up in the flood. There are more than seven million fewer Americans with jobs today than when this recession began. That’s a staggering figure and one that reflects not only the depths of the hole from which we must ascend, but also a continuing human tragedy. And it speaks to an urgent need to accelerate job growth in the short term while laying a new foundation for lasting economic growth.

President Obama then outlined three broad steps to accelerate job growth:

First, we’re proposing a series of steps to help small businesses grow and hire new staff. Over the past fifteen years, small businesses have created roughly 65 percent of all new jobs in America. These are companies formed around kitchen tables in family meetings, formed when an entrepreneur takes a chance on a dream, formed when a worker decides its time she became her own boss. These are also companies that drive innovation, producing thirteen times more patents per employee than large companies... That’s why it is so important that we help small business struggling to open, or stay open, during these difficult times. Building on the tax cuts in the Recovery Act, we’re proposing a complete elimination of capital gains taxes on small business investment along with an extension of write-offs to encourage small businesses to expand in the coming year. And I believe it’s worthwhile to create a tax incentive to encourage small businesses to add and keep employees and I’m going to work with Congress to pass one.

...Second, we’re proposing a boost in investment in the nation’s infrastructure beyond what was included in the Recovery Act, to continue modernizing our transportation and communications networks. These are needed public works that engage private sector companies, spurring hiring across the country. Already, more than 10,000 of these projects have been funded through the Recovery Act... Even so, there are many more worthy projects than there were dollars to fund them.

...Third, I’m calling on Congress to consider a new program to provide incentives for consumers who retrofit their homes to become more energy efficient, which we know creates jobs, saves money for families, and reduces the pollution that threatens our environment. And I’m proposing that we expand select Recovery Act initiatives to promote energy efficiency and clean energy jobs which have proven particularly popular and effective. It’s a positive sign that many of these programs drew so many applicants for funding that a lot of strong proposals – proposals that will leverage private capital and create jobs quickly – did not make the cut. With additional resources, in areas like advanced manufacturing of wind turbines and solar panels, for instance, we can help turn good ideas into good private-sector jobs.

Finally, as we are moving forward in these areas, we should also extend the relief in the Recovery Act, including emergency assistance to seniors, unemployment insurance benefits, COBRA, and relief to states and localities to prevent layoffs. This will help folks weathering these storms while boosting consumer spending and promoting jobs.

Read the President's full remarks, as prepared for delivery . . .

President Obama to Announce Proposals to Accelerate Job Growth

Christopher Hass — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 10:45:56 EST

President Obama will deliver a speech at the Brookings Institution today, in which he is expected to announce new proposals to accelerate job growth. The speech is scheduled to begin at 11:15 A.M. Eastern, and can be viewed live at WhiteHouse.gov/live.

Senate Health Debate Wrap Up: Week 1

Christopher Hass — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 14:41:24 EST

The Senate concluded its first full week of debate on the health reform bill yesterday -- a busy week that saw lawmakers working through the weekend. In addition to debate, voting began on the first of almost one hundred potential amendments that have been offered up so far. Early amendments covered a range of issues, from preventive care to home health benefits, as well as a proposal by Republicans that would have effectively ended the debate and sent the bill back to committee.

The Democrats.org blog has a post up recapping some of the early action.

President Obama Calls on Senate Democrats to "Finish the job"

Christopher Hass — Sun, 06 Dec 2009 19:43:10 EST

With the Senate preparing to enter its second full week of debate on health reform legislation, President Obama made a visit to Capitol Hill today to urge Senate Democrats to seize this moment and answer the call of history. The New York Times reported:

President Obama exhorted Senate Democrats on Sunday to put aside their fierce policy differences and to make history by passing landmark health care legislation.

Making a rare Sunday visit to the Capitol as Republicans and Democrats spent the weekend clashing over the health care bill on the Senate floor, Mr. Obama urged the Democrats in a private meeting “to finish the job” and warned that the “most costly outcome for all is a failure to finish,” according to officials in the room.

“His message was very simple,” said Senator Richard J. Durbin of Illinois, the assistant majority leader. “He reminded us why we are here. He reminded us why we run for office. And he reminded us how many people are counting on us to come through.”

Mr. Durbin added: “He urged us to get the job done and said he is ready to help us.”

Talking Points Memo added:

A number of senators suggested Obama's remarks provided the party and the legislation with much-needed momentum.

"I think it helped, more than significantly," said Sen. Max Baucus (D-MT).

"I can tell you, it would be very hard to have listened to the president's presentation and not have been persuaded of the historic importance of what's being discussed here," said Sen. Kent Conrad (D-ND). "It was a powerful speech."

The President's Weekly Address: Pushing Forward on Jobs

Christopher Hass — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 10:39:05 EST

"The best jobs report we’ve seen since 2007"

Christopher Hass — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 16:00:04 EST

The Labor Department released its monthly employment survey today, and though the U.S. lost 11,000 jobs in November, that number was nearly 115,000 fewer than was forecast. The overall unemployment rate decreased, and the report found that nearly 160,000 fewer jobs had been lost over the last two months than had been previously thought. The New York Times called this "the strongest employment report since the recession began nearly two years ago."

Speaking at an event in Allentown, Pennsylvania today, President Obama explained:

This is good news, just in time for the season of hope. But I want to keep this in perspective. We still have a long way to go. I still consider one job lost one job too many. And as I said yesterday at a jobs conference in Washington, good trends don't pay the rent. We need to grow jobs and get America back to work as quickly as we can.
The journey from here will not be without setbacks or struggle. There will be more bumps in the road. But the direction is clear. When you think about how this year began, today’s report is a welcome sign that there are better days ahead.

Following yesterday's White House Forum on Jobs and Growth, the President is scheduled to speak next Tuesday about the proposals he will be sending to Congress to help jumpstart private sector hiring and get Americans back to work.

Morning News

Christopher Hass — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 10:10:10 EST

The Hill:

President Barack Obama backed a push for job creation measures despite long-term concerns about the deficit at a White House jobs summit Thursday.

One day ahead of an unemployment report expected to show the jobless rate still in double digits, Obama called on business executives, labor leaders and economic experts who attended the summit to deliver a message to politicians skeptical of more spending. The president argued that the immediate concern for lawmakers should be over unemployment, not curtailing spending and other measures that were aimed at rebuilding the economy.

Obama is expected to press for more action on the employment front when he visits Allentown, Pa., for a jobs event Friday and gives a speech on the economy at the Brookings Institution on Tuesday…
The White House billed Thursday's "Forum on Jobs & Economic Growth" as a chance for the president to solicit ideas to include in the coming jobs bill. Obama voiced support for a number of ideas, including increased credit for small businesses and fiscal aid for state and local governments…
"So we've got about as difficult a economic play as is possible, which is to press the accelerator in terms of job growth, but then know when to apply the brakes in the out years and do that credibly," he said…

New York Times editorial:

The health insurance industry frightened Americans — and gave Republicans a shrill talking point — when it declared in October that proposed reform legislation would drive up insurance costs for virtually everyone by as much as thousands of dollars a year. The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office persuasively contradicted that claim this week.

Undaunted, the industry issued a rebuttal report, claiming again that premiums would soar. We find this second industry report no more persuasive than the first.

In its long-awaited study, the C.B.O. estimates that most Americans would pay the same or less in premiums in 2016, after reforms have kicked in, than they would pay under current law. Those who work for large employers (more than 50 workers) would, on average, see their premiums hold steady or drop by up to 3 percent per person covered. Those who work for small employers would also not see much change — anywhere from a 1 percent increase to a 2 percent reduction...

...And we have far more confidence in the C.B.O.’s expertise in evaluating a wide array of databases and in its objectivity. The chief message Americans should derive from the C.B.O.’s analysis is that tens of millions of uninsured Americans can be covered without driving up costs for everyone else.

Paul Krugman, New York Times columnist:

Healthcare reform hangs in the balance. Its fate rests with a handful of “centrist” senators — senators who claim to be mainly worried about whether the proposed legislation is fiscally responsible.
But if they’re really concerned with fiscal responsibility, they shouldn’t be worried about what would happen if health reform passes. They should, instead, be worried about what would happen if it doesn’t pass. For America can’t get control of its budget without controlling health care costs — and this is our last, best chance to deal with these costs in a rational way...
First, the uninsured in America are, on average, relatively young and healthy; covering them wouldn’t raise overall health care costs very much.
Second, the proposed health care reform links the expansion of coverage to serious cost-control measures for Medicare. Think of it as a grand bargain: coverage for (almost) everyone, tied to an effort to ensure that health care dollars are well spent.
Are we talking about real savings, or just window dressing? Well, the health care economists I respect are seriously impressed by the cost-control measures in the Senate bill, which include efforts to improve incentives for cost-effective care, the use of medical research to guide doctors toward treatments that actually work, and more…
The fact that we’re seeing the first really serious attempt to control health care costs as part of a bill that tries to cover the uninsured seems to confirm what would-be reformers have been saying for years: The path to cost control runs through universality. We can only tackle out-of-control costs as part of a deal that also provides Americans with the security of guaranteed health care.

White House Forum on Jobs and Economic Growth Underway Now

Christopher Hass — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 13:36:18 EST

Today's White House Forum on Jobs and Economic Growth is underway now -- you can follow along throughout the afternoon at WhiteHouse.gov/live.

UPDATED: WhiteHouse.gov is currently streaming six different breakout sessions. Follow along at:

Green Jobs: http://www.whitehouse.gov/live/innovation-agenda-and-green-jobs-future

Exports: http://www.whitehouse.gov/live/expanding-job-opportunities-american-workers-through-exports

Small Business: http://www.whitehouse.gov/live/paving-road-small-business-job-growth

Infrastructure: http://www.whitehouse.gov/live/creating-jobs-through-rebuilding-america-s-infrastructure

Business Investment: http://www.whitehouse.gov/live/encouraging-business-competitiveness-and-job-creation

Main Street Workers: http://www.whitehouse.gov/live/preparing-workers-and-strengthening-main-street

Live at WhiteHouse.gov: The President's Jobs and Economic Growth Forum

Christopher Hass — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 09:51:10 EST

This afternoon, President Obama will host a Jobs and Economic Growth Forum at the White House, with many of the discussions and events throughout the day streamed live online at WhiteHouse.gov. The forum is an opportunity for the President and the economic team to hear from some of the leading CEOs, small business owners, labor leaders, nonprofit heads and thinkers about ideas for continuing to grow the economy and put Americans back to work.

The President is scheduled to deliver opening remarks at 1:20 P.M. Eastern. Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis and the Vice President will also be on hand to speak. Following the opening session, senior administration officials will host discussions on job creation and expanding the economy. WhiteHouse.gov will be providing multi-channel live streams of the breakout sessions throughout the afternoon. Here’s a brief rundown of the discussion groups:

• The Innovation Agenda and Green Jobs of the Future: A breakout group to discuss new and additional ideas for creating green jobs, including through encouraging energy efficiency and investment in renewable technologies. Moderator: Secretary of Energy, Steven Chu and Assistant to the President for Energy and Climate Change, Carol Browner

• Paving the Road for Small Business Job Growth: A chance for small business leaders and others to discuss what additional steps would be most effective in encouraging small businesses to taking the next step in hiring. Moderator: Secretary of Treasury, Timothy Geithner and Small Business Administration Administrator, Karen Mills

• Creating Jobs through the Rebuilding of America’s Infrastructure: A breakout group focusing on the best ways to make infrastructure investment a longer term commitment to helping the economy continue on a path to recovery. Moderator: Secretary of Transportation, Ray LaHood and Director of the White House Office of Management and Budget, Peter Orszag

• Expanding Job Opportunities for American Workers Through Exports: A breakout group focusing on how we can continue to take advantage of the rebound in global trade and how to change the tide from consumption driven to export driven growth. Moderator: Director of the National Economic Council, Lawrence Summers and President and Chairman of the Export-Import Bank of the United States, Fred Hochberg

• Encouraging Business Competitiveness and Job Creation: A substantive discussion on ways to encourage businesses to invest and create jobs. Moderator: Secretary of Commerce, Gary Locke and Chair of the Council of Economic Advisors, Christina Romer

• Preparing Workers and Strengthening Main Street: A session focusing on the challenges facing main street as it seeks to prosper, grow and create jobs. Moderator: Secretary of Labor, Hilda Solis and Director of White House Domestic Policy Council, Melody Barnes

Watch live beginning at 1:20 P.M. Eastern at WhiteHouse.gov/live.

FACTCHECK BARRASSO: Fearmongering On Mammograms

Christopher Hass — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 12:54:03 EST

Please see below for a fact check on Senator Barrasso's remarks this morning on the Senate floor that health reform will affect women's access to mammograms:

RHETORIC: Barrasso Said That The Senate Health Care Bill Would Have Government Bureaucrats Making Decisions For Women On Whether They Were Allowed To Have Screening Mammograms. Sen. John Barrasso: "I do not want a government bureaucrat making a decision for the women of America if they should be allowed to have screening mammograms. It saves lives, 1 in 1,900 for women in their 40's. The Reid bill empowers bureaucrats to decide what benefits will be allowed for the american women. The amendment from the Senator from Maryland does the same: bureaucrats, not the physicians who are in the -- who are doing the treating." [Senate Floor, 12/3/09]

REALITY: MAMMOGRAM TASK FORCE RECOMMENDATION IS NOT AT ALL INVOLVED IN HEALTH REFORM

Task Force’s Recommendations on Mammograms Had Nothing to Do With Cost—And They Are Prohibited from Considering Cost When Evaluating Treatments. Members of the Preventive Services Task Force “said politics and questions of cost were never part of their discussions of the risks and benefits of mammograms — in fact they are prohibited from considering costs when they make guidelines. It was the scientific evidence, they said, that led them to conclude that women in their 40s should carefully consider whether they want to be screened rather than assuming they should start screening then. And it was the evidence, they said, that led them to conclude that screening every other year provides all the benefits of screening annually.” [New York Times, 11/20/09]

NYT: “The Only Part Of The Reform Bills That Could Affect Mammography Would Only Make Them More Accessible.” The New York Times wrote in an editorial: “Opponents of the health care reform bills moving through Congress have seized on the new recommendations as evidence that the government is seeking to put bureaucrats between you and your doctor or that it would ration care by denying coverage for some mammograms that are now covered. There is virtually no chance that any insurers, either public or private, will deny coverage to anyone based on these recommendations. Government and industry officials have said that explicitly and, in fact, every state but Utah requires private insurers to pay for mammograms for women starting in their 40s…The only part of the reform bills that could affect mammography would only make them more accessible. Under the legislation, the secretary of health and human services might be given authority to waive Medicare co-payments for prevention services that rank highly in the opinion of this task force. Since the task force gave a low grade to screening women in their 40s, the secretary could not waive cost-sharing for them.” [New York Times Editorial, 11/20/09]

Sec. Sebelius: Mammogram Recommendations Come From “An Outside Independent Panel Of Doctors And Scientists…They Do Not Set Federal Policy And They Don’t Determine What Services Are Covered By The Federal Government.” In a statement, Sec. Kathleen Sebelius said, “[t]here is no question that the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force Recommendations have caused a great deal of confusion and worry among women and their families across this country. I want to address that confusion head on. The U.S. Preventive Task Force is an outside independent panel of doctors and scientists who make recommendations. They do not set federal policy and they don’t determine what services are covered by the federal government…My message to women is simple. Mammograms have always been an important life-saving tool in the fight against breast cancer and they still are today. Keep doing what you have been doing for years – talk to your doctor about your individual history, ask questions, and make the decision that is right for you.” [Politico, 11/19/09]

Sebelius Pledged That Every Insurance Plan in the Exchange Would Continue to Pay for Mammograms for Women Over 40. Asked, “Would you be willing to pledge, as long as you are the secretary of Health and Human Services, that you will make sure that every plan offered on the exchange will give coverage for annual mammograms for women over 40?” Sebelius answered, “Well, yes. I think that is an important service. It's a determination that we've made.” [NPR, 11/19/09]

REALITY: HEALTH INSURANCE REFORM WILL NOT CREATE GOVERNMENT-RUN HEALTH CARE

Politifact: “Obama Health Plan Does Not Call For Government-Run Health Care.” “Obama health plan does not call for government-run health care.” [Politifact, 3/5/09]

Factcheck.org: "President Obama Hasn’t Proposed A Government-Run [Health Care] Plan And, In Fact, Has Rejected The Idea." FactCheck.org: "President Obama hasn’t proposed a government-run [health care] plan and, in fact, has rejected the idea." [FactCheck.org, 5/6/09]

Factcheck.org: President Obama Hasn’t Proposed Government-Run Health Care. FactCheck.org: "We’ve written before about conservatives claiming that Congress, or Obama, or Washington, or Democrats in general want the U.S. to have a Canadian-style, government-run health care system. The truth of the matter is that the president has repeatedly said he doesn’t." [FactCheck.org, 8/10/09]

AMA President-Elect Reassured: Physicians And Patients Don’t Need To Fear The Rise Of A Monolithic Health System With No Choice From President Obama. The Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal reported that “American Medical Association president-elect Dr. James Rohack told Mississippi doctors Friday…Physicians and patients don't need to fear the rise of a monolithic health system with no choice, because it's not something the American people would accept, Rohack said. The president didn't advocate a single-payer system for the United States at the meeting, Rohack said. Obama said he believes in access to health care for all with a system that is a mix of public and private sources with patients still able to see the physicians of their choice.” [Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal, 5/30/09]

The President's Address to the Nation: "The Way Forward in Afghanistan and Pakistan"

Christopher Hass — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 07:45:07 EST

Here's the full video of last night's speech at West Point:

President Obama Address the Nation on Afghanistan

Christopher Hass — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 19:55:47 EST

President Obama will address the nation on his plan for Afghanistan in a speech at the United States Military Academy at West Point tonight. The speech is scheduled to begin at 8:00 P.M. Eastern, and will be covered live on all of the major television news networks and can be viewed online at WhiteHouse.gov/live.

CBO Report on the Recovery Act: Up to 1.6 Million Jobs Saved or Created So Far

Christopher Hass — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 18:10:23 EST

The independent, nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office released a report late Monday on the economic impact of the Recovery Act. The CBO determined that, between its inception in February of this year and the end of September, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act has:

    • Saved or Created up to 1.6 Million Jobs
    • Added up to 3.2% to the Growth of Real GDP
    • Reduced the Unemployment Rate by as Much as 0.9 Percentage Points

Earlier today, Vice President Biden released the following statement in response to the report:

“This new report from the Congressional Budget Office is further evidence of what private forecasters and government economists have been saying: the Recovery Act is already responsible for more than 1 million jobs nationwide. From independent economists to Congress’s own nonpartisan research body, the experts have spoken and the debate is no longer whether the Recovery Act is creating and saving jobs, but how we provide even more opportunities to drive growth and support American workers. This early progress less than halfway through the program is encouraging, but we’re just getting started. In the coming months, we’ll break ground on thousands of infrastructure projects, launch multi-billion dollar broadband and high speed rail initiatives and make critical investments in our nation’s schools and businesses through the Recovery Act that will help put America back to work and lay a foundation for long-term economic growth.”

World AIDS Day

Christopher Hass — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 13:56:13 EST

Every December 1st, since 1988, people around the globe have united behind World AIDS Day in an effort to raise awareness about HIV and AIDS. Last week, President Obama released a presidential proclamation in support of World AIDS Day, encouraging to join in remembering those who have lost their lives to AIDS, and to provide support and comfort to those living with this disease:

Our Nation joins the world in celebrating the extraordinary advancements we have made in the battle against HIV and AIDS, and remembering those we have lost. Over the past three decades, brave men and women have fought devastating discrimination, stigma, doubt, and violence as they stood in the face of this deadly disease. Many of them would not be here today, but for the dedication of other persons living with HIV, their loved ones and families, community advocates, and members of the medical profession. On World AIDS Day, we rededicate ourselves to developing a national AIDS strategy that will establish the priorities necessary to combat this devastating epidemic at home, and to renewing our leadership role and commitments abroad.

Though we have been witness to incredible progress, our struggle against HIV/AIDS is far from over. With an infection occurring every nine-and-a-half minutes in America, there are more than one million individuals estimated to be living with the disease in our country. Of those currently infected, one in five does not know they have the condition, and the majority of new infections are spread by people who are unaware of their own status. HIV/AIDS does not discriminate as it infiltrates neighborhoods and communities. Americans of any gender, age, ethnicity, income, or sexual orientation can and are contracting the disease.

Globally, there are over 33 million people living with HIV. While millions have died from this disease, the death rate is slowly declining due, in part, to our Nation's global effort through the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) program. However, HIV remains a leading cause of death worldwide. Women and children around the world are particularly vulnerable due to gender inequalities, gaps in access to services, and increases in sexual violence. While the statistics are distressing, new medications and scientific advancements give us reason for hope.

Tackling this disease will take an aggressive, steadfast approach. My Administration is developing a national HIV/AIDS strategy to bolster our response to the domestic epidemic, and a global health initiative that will build on PEPFAR's success. We will develop a strategy to reduce HIV incidence, improve access to care, and help eliminate HIV-related health disparities. We have already ensured that visitors to our shores living with HIV are not marginalized and discriminated against because of their HIV status. We have also secured the continuation of critical HIV/AIDS care and treatment services. Today, we recommit ourselves to building on the accomplishments of the past decades that have dramatically changed the domestic and global HIV/AIDS landscape.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim December 1, 2009, as World AIDS Day. I urge the Governors of the States and the territories subject to the jurisdiction of the United States, and the American people to join in appropriate activities to remember those who have lost their lives to AIDS, and to provide support and comfort to those living with this disease.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this twenty-fifth day of November, in the year of our Lord two thousand nine, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-fourth.

BARACK OBAMA

President to Address the Nation on Afghanistan on Tuesday Night

Christopher Hass — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 21:07:54 EST

On Tuesday night, President Obama will address the nation on his plan for Afghanistan in a speech at the United States Military Academy at West Point. The speech is scheduled to begin at 8:00 P.M. Eastern, and will be covered live on all of the major television news networks and can be viewed online at WhiteHouse.gov/live.

Attend an OFA National Training Event

Christopher Hass — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 17:07:44 EST

From Nicole Derse, the OFA National Training Director:

I wanted to invite you to a special OFA National Training we're holding for some of our top volunteers in early December.

The training is a great chance to learn how to make the biggest impact in your community, ask questions, and learn specific skills such as how to talk with your neighbors about health reform and use OFA's technology to organize most effectively.

RSVP now to reserve your spot in an OFA National Training event near you:
During the election last year, we learned that when we build a dedicated community of volunteer leaders, we can bring about powerful change.

This training is part of building our momentum on the ground -- strengthening our community in every part of the country by bringing volunteers together, learning and sharing best practices, and refining our plan to move forward with our vision for the future.

I hope you can make it,

Nicole

Nicole Derse
National Training Director
Organizing for America

Open Thread

Christopher Hass — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 11:18:11 EST

Video: President Obama Pardons White House Turkey

Christopher Hass — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 14:06:07 EST

In case you missed it, here's the full video of President Obama granting the traditional Thanksgiving pardon to the Official White House Turkey, in a ceremony that took place Wednesday:

Weekly Address: President Obama Delivers Thanksgiving Greeting

Christopher Hass — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 15:29:01 EST

Given the holiday, the White House released the President's Weekly Address early this week, and President Obama took the opportunity to call to our attention the men and women in uniform who are away from home, sacrificing time with family to protect our safety and freedom. He also talks about the progress of health care reform, the Recovery Act, and job creation, as we work to ensure that next Thanksgiving will be a brighter day:

Thanksgiving Message from the President

Christopher Hass — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 18:04:57 EST

Earlier this afternoon, President Obama sent supporters a special Thanksgiving message of thanks and gratitude:

Tomorrow, Thanksgiving Day, Americans across the country will sit down together, count our blessings, and give thanks for our families and our loved ones.

American families reflect the diversity of this great nation. No two are exactly alike, but there is a common thread they each share.

Our families are bound together through times of joy and times of grief. They shape us, support us, instill the values that guide us as individuals, and make possible all that we achieve.

So tomorrow, I'll be giving thanks for my family -- for all the wisdom, support, and love they have brought into my life.

But tomorrow is also a day to remember those who cannot sit down to break bread with those they love.

The soldier overseas holding down a lonely post and missing his kids. The sailor who left her home to serve a higher calling. The folks who must spend tomorrow apart from their families to work a second job, so they can keep food on the table or send a child to school.

We are grateful beyond words for the service and hard work of so many Americans who make our country great through their sacrifice. And this year, we know that far too many face a daily struggle that puts the comfort and security we all deserve painfully out of reach.

So when we gather tomorrow, let us also use the occasion to renew our commitment to building a more peaceful and prosperous future that every American family can enjoy.

It seems like a lifetime ago that a crowd met on a frigid February morning in Springfield, Illinois to set out on an improbable course to change our nation.

In the years since, Michelle and I have been blessed with the support and friendship of the millions of Americans who have come together to form this ongoing movement for change.

You have been there through victories and setbacks. You have given of yourselves beyond measure. You have enabled all that we have accomplished -- and you have had the courage to dream yet bigger dreams for what we can still achieve.

So in this season of thanks giving, I want to take a moment to express my gratitude to you, and my anticipation of the brighter future we are creating together.

With warmest wishes for a happy holiday season from my family to yours,

President Barack Obama

President Obama to Attend Copenhagen Climate Talks

Christopher Hass — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 13:03:15 EST

The White House announced today that President Obama will travel to Copenhagen on Dec. 9 to participate in the United Nations Climate Change Conference, in order to work with the international community to drive progress toward a comprehensive and operational Copenhagen accord. The White House also announced that President Obama is prepared to put on the table a U.S. emissions reduction target in the range of 17% below 2005 levels by 2020.

The Washington Post reported that the announcement provides "new momentum" for the talks, saying:

Obama's decision to attend -- and commit to an emission reduction target -- prompted an outpouring of support from the environmental community and its Democratic allies ...

Senate Foreign Relations Committee John Kerry (D-Mass.), who is working to fashion a bipartisan compromise climate bill along with Sens. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) and Joseph I. Lieberman (I-Conn.), said the administration's decision to put specific climate goals on the table at the United Nations-sponsored talks amounts to "a global game changer with big reverberations here at home."

"The Obama administration is now undeniably mustering bonafide leadership on climate change, not merely departing from Bush administration intransigence and ideology," Kerry said. "By announcing a provisional target, contingent on the support of Congress, the president has defined a path to an international agreement that challenges the developed and developing nations of the to fulfill their obligations.

Raymond C. Offenheiser, president of Oxfam America, said it marked the first time Obama has "signaled that he's ready to roll up his sleeves to make a climate change deal happen."

Underscoring President Obama’s commitment to American leadership on clean energy and combating climate change, the White House also announced today that a host of Cabinet secretaries and other top officials from across the Administration will travel to Copenhagen for the conference. Interior Secretary Ken Salazar, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, Commerce Secretary Gary Locke, Energy Secretary Steven Chu, and Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lisa P. Jackson are all scheduled to attend, along with Council on Environmental Quality Chair Nancy Sutley, and Assistant to the President for Energy and Climate Change Carol Browner.

Read the full White House press release...

A Big Step: Senate Votes to Begin Debate on Health Reform Bill

Christopher Hass — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 20:27:07 EST

Just a few moments ago, the Senate voted 60-39 to move forward with debate on health reform legislation. OFA Director Mitch Stewart explained:

For the first time ever, the Senate just voted to begin debate on a comprehensive health insurance reform bill. This was the first big hurdle we had to overcome to pass reform through the full Senate.

The decision was close -- and insurance company lobbyists were working overtime to defeat us -- but your calls this week made a huge difference.

There are more fights ahead, but this is a big victory and I wanted to take a minute to thank you for making it possible.

The Senate is expected to begin debate following the Thanksgiving break.

Senate to Vote Tonight on Motion to Proceed to Health Reform Legislation

Christopher Hass — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 14:08:20 EST

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid introduced the Senate version of the health reform bill on Wednesday, and tonight the full Senate is expected to vote on the "motion to proceed," which would clear the way for the Senate to begin debate on the bill. Sixty votes are needed to pass cloture on the motion, after which the bill would move to the floor for discussion.

CNN reports:

Proceedings got under way shortly before 10 a.m. Saturday and will last through the early evening.

Around 8 p.m., the Senate will hold a roll call vote on the motion to invoke cloture.

Reid needs 60 votes to overcome a certain GOP filibuster attempt and open the chamber's debate on the bill. It also would take 60 votes to close debate that could last for weeks, while final approval of the bill would require only a simple majority.

The President's Weekly Address

Christopher Hass — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 11:11:39 EST

Twisting the Truth: Senate Republicans' Deceptions on Health Insurance Reform

Christopher Hass — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 18:55:32 EST

Another debate over health insurance reform, another weekend of Republicans inventing reasons to just say "no." Locked into their defense of the status quo, most Senate Republicans spent the debate over the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act spouting nonsensical, often already debunked, claims.

With so many distortions to correct from so many Republican Senators, we've gathered the facts (and the charges they refute) in one place. It's a long read, no question — and that goes to show how obstructionist Republicans have become.

Read the fact checks (39 of them in all) on Senate Republicans after the jump.

FACT CHECK McCain: Check The Bill, Senator

FACT CHECK McConnell: Cost Of Legislation Distortions

FACT CHECK Grassley: Grassley Confuses Up With Down

FACT CHECK Kyl: Scare Tactics On Increasing Premiums

FACT CHECK Hatch: Health Care Will Not Be Rationed

FACT CHECK McCain: Medicare

FACT CHECK Hatch: Distorting the Debate

FACT CHECK Cornyn: State Budgets and Medicaid

FACT CHECK Burr: Small Businesses

FACT CHECK Corker: Misleading on Medicare

FACT CHECK AEI: Cost of Reform

FACT CHECK: Palin Damages Credibility Again

FACT CHECK Johanns, Hatch, Brownback: Abortion

FACT CHECK Thune: Small Business

FACT CHECK Bond: Debunked Health Insurance Industry Study

FACT CHECK Bond: Bond's Arguments Against Health Care Amount To A Pig In A Poke

FACT CHECK Gregg: Gregg's Hypocrisy On The Debt

FACT CHECK Enzi: Premiums, Medicare And Medicaid

FACT CHECK Coburn: Rationing

FACT CHECK: Senator Pat Roberts Uses Falsehoods And Fear-Mongering to Claim Health Insurance Reform Will Lead To Rationing

FACT CHECK: Sen. Gregg Lies About Price Of Health Insurance Reform...Again

FACT CHECK Sen. Ensign: Rationing And GOP Plan

FACT CHECK Barrasso: Repeats Already Debunked Lie About Medicare

FACT CHECK: Sen. Jon Kyl Defends Status Quo Of Rising Premiums

FACT CHECK Kyl: Kyl Praises Republican Plan That Worsens Healthcare Crisis

FACT CHECK Lemieux: Siding With Insurance Companies

FACT CHECK Kyl: Medicare

FACT CHECK Burr: Burr Repeats Multiple Debunked Lies On Insurance Reform

FACT CHECK Hutchison: "Government Takeover"

FACT CHECK Chambliss/Brownback: Revisionist History

FACT CHECK Barrasso: Medicare

FACT CHECK Gregg: Gregg Ignores CBO

That Was Fast...

FACT CHECK Enzi: Cost Of Reform

Gregg Complains About Debt He Helped Create

Hatch Hatches More Distortions on Health Care

Boehner's Abortion Distortion

Well Senator, That’s Just Not True

Hatch Tries Health Care Hatchet Job And Hatchets Own Reputation

FACT CHECK McCain: Check The Bill, Senator

On the floor of the Senate during Saturday's debate, Senator McCain said:

“[t]he disconnect between what President Obama says and what he is doing is so glaring that most people could not abide it. Now that's strong language from an economist. And so I think that what the senator from Tennessee is saying, and what we're trying to say is let's go forward. Why don't we let people go across state lines to get health insurance policies of their choice? Why don't we reward wellness and fitness? Why don't we have -- there's a long list of -- of amendments – of – of fixes to the long-term cost of health care that we could control that we can act tomorrow in a bipartisan basis.”

REALITY: SENATE HEALTH BILL DELIVERS COMPETITION TO MARKETPLACE

Wall Street Analyst To Health Insurance Industry: Public Option “Looks Like A [Blue Cross Blue Shield] Plan,” Which Are “Strong Competitors For Private Insurers.” The New York Times Prescriptions Blog wrote, “[i]n a report sent to investors earlier this week, a Wall Street analyst, Richard Evans, concludes that the health insurance industry should probably not worry much about the prospect of a government-run health plan — at least not as it now is taking shape in Congress. As things stands now, Mr. Evans notes, the proposed legislation does not call for the new government-run plan, or public option, to be able to demand the same low prices that Medicare gets from doctors and hospitals. Private insurers have argued that Medicare-pegged rates would give the public option an unfair advantage over their plans… ‘It appears the public option would be required to negotiate price with providers, pay back its start-up capital, cover its operating costs, and earn sufficient reserves,’ wrote Mr. Evans, a managing partner for Sector & Sovereign. ‘In other words, it looks like a Blues plan.’ Mr. Evans writes that the not-for-profit Blue Cross plans may be strong competitors for private insurers, but not deadly ones. Where they operate, he notes, they tend to have the largest share of the market but seem to be able to co-exist with for-profit insurance companies. ‘This suggests that a not-for profit public option has some enrollment advantages over for-profit commercial insurers, but that the effect is modest,’ he wrote.” [New York Times Prescriptions Blog, 11/3/09]

CBO On Senate Bill: 94% Coverage, 31 Million Newly Insured. In its estimate of the Senate reform bill, CBO wrote: “By 2019, CBO and JCT estimate, the number of nonelderly people who are uninsured would be reduced by about 31 million, leaving about 24 million nonelderly residents uninsured (about one-third of whom would be unauthorized immigrants). Under the legislation, the share of legal nonelderly residents with insurance coverage would rise from about 83 percent currently to about 94 percent. About 25 million people would purchase their own coverage through the new insurance exchanges, and there would be roughly 15 million more enrollees in Medicaid and CHIP than is projected under current law.” [Congressional Budget Office, 11/18/09]

REALITY: CURRENT SENATE BILL ALREADY REWARDS HEALTHY BEHAVIOR

Senate Finance Committee Approved Bipartisan Amendment To Health Bill That Encourages Healthy Behavior Through Financial Incentives. “U.S. Senate panel on [in September] adopted a measure aimed at rewarding healthy behavior in a sweeping healthcare overhaul sought by President Barack Obama as lawmakers pushed to complete the legislation. The Senate Finance Committee voted for an amendment offered by Republican Senator John Ensign and Democrat Thomas Carper that would allow health plans to provide financial incentives for people to quit smoking, exercise more and engage in other healthy activities. ‘I believe that the key to achieving savings is to provide rewards for people who engage in healthy behaviors,’ Ensign argued. The measure passed on a 18-4 vote.” [Reuters, 9/30/09]

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act Includes Provisions to Reward Health Behavior. The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act includes provisions for rewarding healthy behavior such as participation in smoking cessation, weight management, physical fitness, and nutrition programs. [Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, Full Text, pg. 29]

FACT CHECK MCCONNELL: Cost Of Legislation Distortions

On the floor of the Senate during Saturday's debate, Senator McConnell said:

“At a moment when more than one out of 10 working Americans is looking for a job, at a time when the Chinese are lecturing us about our debt, this bill – this bill right $5 trillion government doesn't have. And can't afford. It imposes punishing taxes on almost everyone. It raises health insurance premiums on the 85% of Americans who already have health insurance. And if that were not bad enough, it slashes Medicare by half a trillion dollars. Anyone who votes aye tonight, president, is voting for all of these things.”

REALITY: THE SENATE HEALTH CARE BILL WOULD SLASH THE DEFICIT BY OVER $750 BILLION IN THE NEXT 20 YEARS DESPITE WHAT THE REPUBLICANS' CLAIM

WSJ: CBO’s Estimate Of Senate Bill Is $848 Billion, Cuts Deficit By $130 Billion. The Wall Street Journal reported that, “Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid set the stage for a climactic debate in the Senate over health care by unveiling a 10-year, $848 billion bill that would extend insurance to 31 million Americans without coverage…In a boost for the bill's prospects, the CBO estimated the Senate measure would reduce the federal budget deficit by $130 billion over the next decade, and additional amounts over the second 10 years of the program. It achieves that in part through a new Medicare payroll tax and a tax on high-value insurance plans, which has aroused strong opposition…To help ease the financial burden on workers, Mr. Reid lowered the maximum amount the bill would require them to spend on premiums, capping premiums at 9.8% of income, down from 12%.” [Wall Street Journal, 11/19/09]

Roll Call On CBO Score: Senate Bill “Slash[es] The Deficit By A Whopping $777 Billion Over The Next 20 Years,” Sen. Kent Conrad Said Sen. Reid Did “An Exceptionally Good Job.” Roll Call reported that, “[a]t first blush, Reid scored a coup with his $849 billion bill, because Democrats said the Congressional Budget Office estimated that it would slash the deficit by a whopping $777 billion over the next 20 years while providing insurance for an additional 31 million Americans. The price tag is also less than the $900 billion President Barack Obama had called for and the $1.2 trillion cost of the House-passed version… ‘He was applauded. His staff was applauded,’ said Senate Budget Chairman Kent Conrad (D-N.D.), a deficit hawk who said Reid did ‘an exceptionally good job.’” [Roll Call, 11/18/09]

Ezra Klein On Senate Bill: CBO Statements Confirm That, “The Curve, As They Say, Is Bent.” The Washington Post’s Ezra Klein wrote of the Senate health reform bill: “One actual surprise is that the Senate bill doesn't just pay for itself. It balances itself out. That is to say, the bill is not deficit neutral because it costs a billion dollars and then the government raises a billion more dollars in taxes. In that scenario, the government is spending more, but paying for it. Rather, ‘CBO expects that, during the decade following the 10-year budget window, the increases and decreases in the federal budgetary commitment to health care stemming from this legislation would roughly balance out, so that there would be no significant change in that commitment.’ In the first 10 years, in other words, the bill improves the deficit a bit, but the government is spending $160 billion more on health care than it otherwise would have. In the second decade, however, that ends: The savings from Medicare and Medicaid, paired with the excise tax (which CBO says ‘is effectively a reduction in the existing tax expenditure for health insurance premiums’) and a handful of other changes, leaves the government spending no more on health care than it otherwise planned to. That's impressive stuff. And it implies, of course, that in the third decade, the federal commitment actually goes down relative to expectation. The curve, as they say, is bent.” [Washington Post – Ezra Klein, 11/19/09]

REALITY: MEDICARE SAVINGS DO NOT CUT BENEFITS, THEY STRENGTHEN MEDICARE

FactCheck.org: “We Never Have Said That Seniors Would Suffer ‘Massive Cuts To Medicare Benefits’ Under [Health Reform Legislation], And In Fact Have Done Our Best To Debunk [Those] Claims.” FactCheck.org wrote: “We never have said that seniors would suffer ‘massive cuts to Medicare benefits’ under the pending House or Senate overhaul bills, and in fact have done our best to debunk claims to that effect.” [FactCheck.org, 11/3/09]

AARP Applauded The Senate For Bill: “Makes Progress Towards Achieving Meaningful Relief For Millions Of Older Americans…Makes Improvements To The Medicare Program.” AARP said in a press release: “We applaud the Senate for merging the Finance and Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committees’ bills and taking another important step toward fixing what’s wrong with our health care system. Under the leadership of Majority Leader Reid and Senators Baucus, Harkin and Dodd, the legislation announced today makes progress toward achieving meaningful relief for millions of older Americans who still face challenges accessing affordable, quality health care services. The new Senate bill makes improvements to the Medicare program by creating a new annual wellness benefit, providing free preventive benefits, and—most notably for AARP members—reducing drug costs for seniors who fall into the dreaded Medicare doughnut hole, a costly gap in prescription drug coverage.” [AARP, 11/18/09]

AARP Warned Seniors Against “Myths and Scare Tactics” In Health Reform Debate, Said “None Of The Health Care Reform Proposals Being Considered By Congress Would Cut Medicare Benefits.” AARP wrote in a myth-vs.-fact health reform website that, “There are special interest groups trying to block progress on health care reform by using myths and scare tactics. Like the notion that health care reform would ration your care, hurt Medicare or be a government takeover. Actually, these are false statements.” AARP concluded about the Medicare claim that, “[n]one of the health care reform proposals being considered by Congress would cut Medicare benefits or increase your out-of-pocket costs for Medicare services.” [AARP, Myths Vs. Facts]

REALITY: SENATE BILL DOES NOT INCREASE PREMIUMS

From 1999-2009, Health Insurance Premiums For Families Rose 131%, General Inflation Was 28%. USA Today reported on a report from the Kaiser Family Foundation: “Since 1999, health insurance premiums for families rose 131%, the report found, far more than the general rate of inflation, which increased 28% over the same period. Overall, health care in the United States is expected to cost $2.6 trillion this year, or 17% of the nation's economy, according to the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office.” [USA Today, 9/15/09]

Chamber Of Commerce On Baucus Proposal: A Bill “That Will Actually…Get Health-Care Costs Under Control.” The Wall Street Journal reported that, “[t]he U.S. Chamber of Commerce, which represents about three million businesses of all sizes, has run television ads opposing the Democratic-led health-care push. And the chamber, like many other big business groups in Washington, has many concerns about the Baucus bill, particularly the taxes it proposes to help pay for its $774 billion Congressional Budget Office price tag over 10 years. But the chamber applauded much of the Baucus bill as the first proposal ‘that will actually...get health-care costs under control.’” [Wall Street Journal, 9/25/09]

Conservative Tax Foundation Was Outraged: House Health Reform Proposal Would Net Middle-Class Families “An Average Benefit Of About $1,900.” The Tax Foundation decried the “income redistribution” facilitated by the House health reform legislation: “[t]he biggest beneficiaries of HR 3200's redistribution would not be low-income families, but middle-class families, especially those making between $65,704 and $112,721, who would see an average benefit of about $1,900. In fact, even in the 60 percent to 70 percent income group, earning up to $141,101, the average family would gain almost $1,000.” [Tax Foundation Press Release, 10/6/09]

MIT Health Economist: Based On CBO Model, Premiums Under SFC Proposal For A Family Could Be At Least $2,430 Lower, Up To $8,550 Lower Than Without Reform. The Washington Post’s Ezra Klein reported on estimated impact on premiums of the Senate Finance Committee proposal, finding that under current law, premiums would stay at $10,770 under current law, while premiums under the new proposal could be as low as $2,220 and would rise to only $8,340. He further wrote that, “[t]he analysis comes from MIT health economist Jon Gruber. Gruber is, undoubtedly, pro-reform. He's advised the Senate Finance Committee and served as one of the architects of the Massachusetts plan. But he's also one of the most-respected health economists in the country. Gruber runs the numbers for an average family, a 25-year-old and a 60-year-old, looking at different income levels for each, and paying close attention to the role subsidies will play. In each case, he finds the people likely to save money under the Senate Finance Committee's plan. You can download his analysis, which is based on Congressional Budget Office data, here… Gruber certainly has a lot less incentive to twist the facts than the insurance industry does, and his numbers, at least, are free from any glaring deficiencies.” [Washington Post – Ezra Klein, 10/12/09]

FACT CHECK GRASSLEY: Grassley Confuses Up With Down

On the floor of the Senate during Saturday's debate, Senator Grassley said:

“I'd like to show you a chart on federal spending, federal health spending. As this chart here illustrates, this bill bends the federal spending curve further upward by $160 billion over the next decade.”

Roll Call: Senate Bill “Slash[es] The Deficit By A Whopping $777 Billion Over The Next 20 Years. “At first blush, Reid scored a coup with his $849 billion bill, because Democrats said the Congressional Budget Office estimated that it would slash the deficit by a whopping $777 billion over the next 20 years while providing insurance for an additional 31 million Americans. The price tag is also less than the $900 billion President Barack Obama had called for and the $1.2 trillion cost of the House-passed version… ‘He was applauded. His staff was applauded,’ said Senate Budget Chairman Kent Conrad (D-N.D.), a deficit hawk who said Reid did ‘an exceptionally good job.’” [Roll Call, 11/18/09]

FACT CHECK KYL: Scare-tactics On Increasing Premiums

On the floor of the Senate during Saturday's debate, Senator Kyl said,

“[i]s it the case that the Joint Committee on Taxation which reported to the Finance Committee and the Congressional Budget Office both said that not only would the increased taxes on the pharmaceutical industry, the medical device industry, and the insurance industry be passed on to consumers in the form of higher premiums, but that overall under the legislation that was before us, that for the average family, as compared to what the prices are today, that insurance premiums would actually go up, and that this was one of the two major reasons, the other being mandated benefits?”

REALITY: REFORM WILL LOWER COSTS, AND PREVENT PREMIUMS FROM SPIRALING OUT OF CONTROL

23 Of Nation’s Most Well-Respected Health Economists: “We Believe That It Is Important To Enact Health Reform…[It] Will Lower Health Care Costs And Help Reduce Deficits Over The Long Term.” In a letter to the President, 23 of the nation’s most well-respected health economists said: “As economists, we believe that it is important to enact health reform, and it is essential that health reform include these four features [deficit neutrality, excise tax on high-cost insurance plans, independent Medicare commission, delivery system reforms] that will lower health care costs and help reduce deficits over the long term.” [Letter from 23 economists, 11/17/09]

NYT: “The Bill Just Approved By The House…Would Implement Or Test Many Reforms That Should Help Slow The Rise In Medical Costs…The New England Journal Of Medicine Concluded, ‘Pretty Much Every Proposed Innovation Found In The Health Policy Literature These Days Is Encapsulated In These Measures.’” The New York Times Editorial board issues a point-by-point analysis of the health reform measures contained in House and Senate bills: “The good news is that the bill just approved by the House and a bill approved by the Senate Finance Committee would implement or test many reforms that should help slow the rise in medical costs over the long term. As a report in The New England Journal of Medicine concluded, ‘Pretty much every proposed innovation found in the health policy literature these days is encapsulated in these measures.’… Republican critics say, correctly, that the health care bills would saddle the government with large new costs to cover the uninsured by expanding Medicaid and providing subsidies to help low- and middle-income people buy insurance. And they say, incorrectly, that the effort should not move ahead until a sure-fire way is found to rein in rising health care costs. Their arguments overlook the fact that the government is already paying many of these costs, through special payments to hospitals, each time a person without insurance, and with no means to pay, goes to an expensive emergency room for treatment. It also overlooks the fact that both bills are designed to keep deficits from increasing over the next decade or two.” [New York Times Editorial, 11/15/09]

AP On House Plan: “The Typical Family Would Be Spared Higher Taxes…And Their Low-Income Neighbors Could Come Out Ahead.” The Associated Press reported that from the newly unveiled House Democratic health reform bill, “[t]he typical family would be spared higher taxes from the House Democratic plan to overhaul health care, and their low-income neighbors could come out ahead.” [Associated Press, 11/2/09]

House Bill Provides Rebates If Premiums Far Exceed Cost Of Covering Medical Expenses, Insurers Would Have To Justify Premium Increases To State And Federal Government, Lifetime Limits On Coverage Are Eliminated. Reuters listed many of the major provisions contained in the newest version of the House health reform bill. It listed a few consumer protections, including: “Provides for consumer rebates if premiums far exceed the cost of covering their medical expenses…Sets up a state/federal process under which insurers would have to justify premium increases…Eliminates lifetime limits on coverage.” [Reuters, 10/30/09]

FACT CHECK HATCH: Health Care Will Not Be Rationed

On the floor of the Senate during Saturday's debate, Senator Hatch said:

“Zero. The number of provisions prohibiting the rationing of health care, zero. Not one word prohibiting the rationing of health care.”

REALITY: REFORM WILL NOT MEAN RATIONING OF HEALTH CARE

Dr. Sanjay Gupta On Rationing: “It’s Not True…A Look At The Reform Bill In Congress There Is No Mention Of That. No Mention Of Rationing, No Mention Of The Government Making So-Called End-Of-Life Decisions For Seniors.” “GUPTA: Tell me why. MCCOY: I try not to worry. Well, I have read some things that says that as you get older you are liable to wait and wait and wait before you can have surgery. I've heard that they're going to look at the older people and you're going to wait longer than the younger people. GUPTA (voice-over): It's not true, though a lot of people think so. A look at the reform bill in Congress there is no mention of that. No mention of rationing, no mention of the government making so-called end-of-life decisions for seniors.” [CNN Anderson Cooper 360, 11PM, 8/14/09]

Scarborough Called Out Gov. Pawlenty: “With All Due Respect, This Does Not Give Us A System Like The United Kingdom,” And Incredulously Asked Pawlenty, “How Does This Bill Get Us To ‘Death Panels?” You Don’t Believe It Does, Do You?” Gov. Pawlenty made an appearance on MSNBC’s Morning Joe, where he was challenged about claims that health reform would lead to death panels and would “pull the plug on granny:” Gov. Pawlenty said, “there’s concerns that this thing is going to be so expensive they’re not going to be able to afford all that’s promise, and somebody’s going to have to make a decision to cut back, and people are concerned that if the federal government does that—have them rationing care, that’s a real problem. And so those are not irrational concerns.” Then the following exchange occurred: “MR. SCARBOROUGH: [b]ut but, there are no death panels here, though. Counseling is one thing. Having three people lining up and saying 'granny dies, grandpa lives,' that's quite another. You can't get there from here. GOV. PAWLENTY: Well what happens--Joe, what you call it or label it, but I think the facts are these: if you have a system like the United Kingdom where—MR. SCARBOROUGH: But we don't. We don't governor. With all due respect, this does not give us a system like the United Kingdom. I'm talking specifically about this bill. How does this bill get us to ‘death panels?’ You don't believe it does, do you?” [MSNBC Morning Joe, 9/11/09]

Politifact: The Claim That Health Care Reform Will Lead To Callous Decisions That Would Allow People To Die If They Face A Costly Treatment Is "False." "In the ad, a man weeps over someone lying in a hospital bed while the announcer says, '$22,750. In England, government health officials decided that's how much six months of life is worth. Under their socialized system if a medical treatment costs more, you're out of luck. That's wrong for America.' That footage is interspersed with shots of the Capitol building and the whole thing is set to some very ominous music. You can watch it here. The carefully worded ad doesn't directly say that the government is planning to put a price on our lives, but the implication is clear: The reform plan will lead to callous decisions that would allow people to die if they face a costly treatment. So that's what we're going to check — whether the reform plan would impose those kind of caps on treatment. ... So, back to the Club for Growth ad. Although our experts agree that it gets the NICE statistic correct about the British practice, the ad's main point about cost limits is incorrect. There is no such practice in the comparative effectiveness program, nor is it part of the current health reform proposals pending in Congress. The House and Senate bills under consideration would not require the government to decide how much a person's life is worth. As a result, we give the Club for Growth a False." [PolitiFact, 8/6/09]

FACT CHECK MCCAIN: Medicare

On the floor of the Senate during Saturday's debate, Senator McCain said:

“I don't think Americans really understand the scam that's going on here of beginning to collect taxes, tax increases and Medicare cuts of approximately $1 trillion beginning 40 days from now. In other words, the 1st of January, according to this plan, Americans will begin experiencing cuts in Medicare and increases in taxes 40 days from now. Now, is there anybody would -- who would agree that that – that that's any kind of a – nothing but a scam on the American people?”
McCain said “the real costs of this [bill is] $2.5 trillion bill.”
McCain also claimed, “In 40 days from now, Happy New Year, America, [in] 40 Days it will cut $135 billion from hospitals, it will cut $120 billion from 11 million seniors on Medicare Advantage.”

REALITY: MEDICARE SAVINGS DO NOT CUT BENEFITS, THEY STRENGTHEN MEDICARE

REALITY: THE SENATE HEALTH CARE BILL WOULD SLASH THE DEFICIT BY OVER $750 BILLION IN THE NEXT 20 YEARS DESPITE WHAT THE REPUBLICANS CLAIM

Claim That Senate Bill Would Cost $2.5 Trillion Was Generated By Senate Budget Committee Republicans. Fox News reported that, “Republicans have countered the CBO estimate with a figure of their own: $2.5 trillion, an estimate that comes out of the Senate Budget Committee minority's analysis of Reid's plan.” [Fox News, 11/19/09]

REPUBLICANS ARE DEFENDING WASTEFUL SUBSIDIES TO HEALTH INSURERS TO MEDICARE ADVANTAGE THAT PROVIDE PERKS LIKE FREE GYM MEMBERSHIPS

Medicare Advantage Provides Extra Perks, Like Free Gym Memberships, That Are Subsidized By The Government And The High Costs Of The Plans Are Passed On To Seniors. "Seniors in this Sun Belt retirement haven and across the country revel in the free perks that private insurance companies bundle with legally mandated benefits to entice people 65 and older to forgo traditional Medicare and sign up for private Medicare Advantage policies. The trouble is, the extra benefits are not exactly free; they are subsidized by the government. And some of the plans pass their costs on to seniors, who pay higher co-pays and additional fees to get care. ... In a health-care debate defined by big numbers and confusing details, the prospect of losing benefits such as a free gym membership through the Silver Sneakers program is tangible, and it has spooked some seniors, who are the nation's most reliable voters and have been most skeptical about reform." [Washington Post, 10/15/09]

REPUBLICANS ARE CRITICIZING A PLAN TO FORCE INSURERS TO COMPETE...

Health Insurance Reform Would Reduce The Difference In Costs Between Medicare And Medicare Advantage Through A Competitive Bidding System. “Federal subsidies to private Medicare plans average about 14 percent higher than those involved in fee-for-service coverage. The health care bills pending in Congress would reduce or eliminate the difference in part by introducing a competitive bidding system to pay the plans. ‘Health insurance reform will strengthen Medicare for seniors, not diminish it,’ said White House spokesman Reid Cherlin. ‘Even under the competitive bidding proposal in the legislation, Medicare Advantage plans will still be paid more than traditional Medicare plans. Yes, they'll need to compete, and they'll need to be more efficient, but they'll still have more money to work with than traditional Medicare.’” [AP, 9/22/09]

FACT CHECK HATCH: Distorting the Debate

On the floor of the Senate during Saturday's debate, Senator Hatch claimed:

“[t]his bill will now massively expand the level of Medicaid coverage to 133% for everyone. Who's going to pay for that? Our colleagues say, well, the federal government will. Well, what are they going to pay for it with? We're running the federal government right into bankruptcy.”

Senator Hatch claimed that expanding Medicaid was meant to lead to a single-payer system, saying:

“[e]ver since I've been here there's been a push to have more and more people moved into Medicaid. Why is that? Because if they can push more and more people into Medicaid, then ultimately we'll have a single-payer system. In other words socialized medicine in this country where the government will control everything. And that's what's behinds lot of this bill.”

Finally, Senator Hatch repeated the thoroughly-debunked claims of the Lewin Group, saying:

“if you look at the Lewin group, they say if you go to a government plan, we'll have 1 million people in Medicaid. What's it going to be the 10 million or 119.1 million? I guarantee you that it's going to a lot closer to the 1 million than it will be to the 10 million…If you had to choose between the 10 million and 119 million as far as the way people figure things around here, you know it will be closer to the 119 million, then it will be 10 million.”

REALITY: REFORM WILL BE PAID FOR, AND WILL NOT INCREASE THE DEFICIT

REALITY: THE PUBLIC OPTION WON'T PUT PRIVATE INSURERS OUT OF BUSINESS

Politifact: “Obama Health Plan Does Not Call For Government-Run Health Care.” “Obama health plan does not call for government-run health care.” [Politifact, 3/5/09]

REALITY THE EXPERTS AGREE THAT REPUBLICANS AND THE LEWIN CANT GET THEIR FACTS STRAIGHT

Lewin Group: Unbridled Public Plan, Which Was Not Proposed By President Obama, Would Result In 119 Million Americans Leaving Private Insurers To Join Public Insurance Option, Cover 28 Million Uninsured. According to the Lewin Group estimates, instituting a public plan option that is open to all firms and all individuals without exception could lead to 119 million Americans un-enrolling from private coverage options, and 131.2 million Americans enrolling in the public plan. It would reduce the ranks of the uninsured by 28 million. The Lewin Group also noted that this estimate did not match the President’s proposed limitations to a public plan option: “The President’s campaign proposal would have limited enrollment to individuals, the self-employed and small employers. Large employers would not be permitted to cover their workers through the public plan. Under this scenario, about 42.9 million people would be enrolled in the public plan (figure 3). The number of people with private coverage would fall by about 32 million people.” [Lewin Group - Impacts Of Public Plan, 4/8/09]

Politifact Called Claim “False” That Democrats Propose “A Government-Controlled Health Care Plan That Will Deprive Roughly 120 Million Americans Of Their Current Health Care Coverage.” According to PolitiFact’s truth-o-meter, Rep. Mike Pence, in an email, wrote that Democrats propose “a government-controlled health care plan that will deprive roughly 120 million Americans of their current health care coverage.” PolitiFact wrote in response how misleading Rep. Pence was, saying, “we rated Pence’s statement that the government would ‘deprive’ 120 million of their ‘current health care coverage’ False.” [PolitiFact, 5/19/09]

FactCheck.org Called It “Misleading”: CPR Ad Claimed “119 Million Off Their Current Insurance Coverage.” FactCheck.org wrote, “[a] new ad from Conservatives for Patients' Rights says that a public health insurance plan now being proposed in Congress ‘could crush all your other choices, driving them out of existence, resulting in 119 million off their current insurance coverage.’ That's misleading.”[FactCheck.org, 6/11/09]

FactCheck.org On New CPR Ad: Better Than Their Last One, “But Still Misleading,” And “Falsely Cites The New York Times.” FactCheck.org did an in-depth analysis of the claims made by Conservatives for Patients Rights’ new ad, “Bulldozer,” and said, “[w]e wrote about one of CPR's ads in April. The new TV spot is a step up from the last effort, but still misleading …The ad also falsely cites the New York Times as the source of a statement that what's being proposed would leave no consumer choices and ‘government in control of your health care.’ The Times didn't say that at all. The newspaper was just quoting claims made by insurance companies and members of Congress.” [FACT CHECK, 6/11/09]

NPR: 120 Million Figure “Hardly Represent The Entirety Of The Report”; Lewin Group Study Writer: “Stops Short Of Saying That Opponents Of A Public Plan Were Misusing His Statistics.” John Sheils, senior vice president of the Lewin Group, was interviewed by NPR. NPR reported on the use of a 120 million people figure used by opponents of health care reform: “that number hardly represents the entirety of the report Sheils and colleague Randy Haught put out in April…Sheils stops short of saying that opponents of a public plan were misusing his statistics, because while ‘this is the extreme case, I don't think it has been stricken from everyone's agenda, as far as I can tell.’ But he did add that in general, the mood in Congress seems to be moving toward a more constrained sort of public insurance program; most likely one that would pay somewhat more than Medicare and limit enrollment.” [NPR, 6/10/09]

Now, the Senate

Christopher Hass — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 12:00:47 EST

From Mitch Stewart:

On Wednesday night, Senate leadership unveiled their final health reform package. It's a great bill that accomplishes President Obama's core goals for reform: provide more security for those who have insurance, guarantee affordable coverage options for those who don't, and rein in the cost of care for American businesses and families.

And it accomplishes all of this while reducing the deficit by as much as $777 billion over the next 20 years.

Now, we're in the final sprint toward reform, and the next challenge is already here.

Today, senators are listening carefully to see how constituents react to the bill and how we want them to proceed. So it's our job to make sure they hear quickly and unmistakably: Move forward!

On Saturday, the Senate faces a close vote on whether or not to begin debate, so it's critical to weigh in right away. Click here to call your senators now.

Just tell whomever answers the phone where you live and that you support the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act -- and want the Senate to begin discussing it right away.

After you've called, click here to tell us how it went:

http://my.barackobama.com/SenateVote

Many senators have worked tirelessly to get us this far, and they deserve our thanks. But it is crucial that every senator knows that we are counting on them to stand up to the insurance industry and support reform -- and that we will be right there standing with them.

We're getting so close, and your incredible work is a big part of why we've been successful so far. Let's keep it up and get this job done.

Thanks,

Mitch

Mitch Stewart
Director
Organizing for America

And the Winner Is . . .

Christopher Hass — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 19:19:10 EST

From David Plouffe:

After nearly 1,000 submissions, 20 amazing finalists, and more than 3 million views, we have the winner of the Organizing for America Health Reform Video Challenge.

The winning video shows that our supporters' creativity and passion is more than a match for the slick ads and partisan spin doctors on the other side. In the next few days, we'll be using this video as the basis for a new television ad that will air across the country -- and you can help, by ensuring we have the resources to make the biggest impact.

Check out the winning video and then donate $25 or more to help make sure as many people as possible see the final ad on national television.

With Congress wrapping up its last round of negotiations and closely gauging the public's mood in these crucial final weeks, now is the exact time to get this grassroots message out far and wide.

Your passion has brought our country closer to health reform than we've ever been before -- and it's what will keep our momentum strong so that we finish the job before the end of the year.

So please watch the winning video, pass it on to everyone you know, and give what you can to spread the message on national television:

http://my.barackobama.com/WinningVideo

Thanks,

David Plouffe

LIVE: President Obama Holds Town Hall with China's Youth

Christopher Hass — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 23:49:09 EST

Watch the President live in Shanghai, China, now at WhiteHouse.gov/live.

The President's Weekly Address: Veterans Day and Fort Hood

Christopher Hass — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 10:54:57 EST

Small Businesss Owners for Health Reform

Christopher Hass — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 13:27:29 EST

Over the past decade, as health insurance premiums have continued to rise, American businesses have often paid the price. If you take a look around your community, you'll likely see small business owners struggling, overwhelmed by skyrocketing health care costs.

Small businesses are the backbone of our economy, and they're a key constituency with the ear of elected representatives. Their voices are absolutely critical to the campaign for health insurance reform. Brandye, a small business owner in Joliet, Illinois, shared her story with us:

My name is Brandye. I run a beauty salon in Joliet, Illinois, and it has been fairly successful. However, with the economy in its current state, I have not been able to provide health care for myself through my business. Small businesses are forced to make so many tough choices these days. For example; buying more supplies to keep your business afloat versus health care coverage for your employees – which one do you choose?

I've called numerous insurance companies for quotes and the premiums per month would be hundreds of dollars with some companies. I am healthy and do not even have any pre-existing conditions. Because of my own personal experience with our current health care system, my heart really goes out to the people who are sick. It is heartbreaking to know there are people who need to see a doctor, but won't go because they can't afford to pay the bill.

Just think about all the people that died of cancer who would still be alive today if it was found early enough.

My father was one of those people. My father was an international singer with many hit records. He was also a self-employed entertainer most of his life, and he did not have health insurance. He died of throat cancer in 2007.

Countless families have stories like mine. Hundreds of thousands of small business owners just like me love what they do for a living and love the people we serve in our communities. We are people who know we could take a job in a larger company to enjoy the lower cost of group benefits coverage, but what would that do to our communities without us there to serve them?

The corner grocery store, the shoe repair shop, the local bakery, the light hearted beauty salon or barber shop, and the coffee shop down the street, are just a few examples of people with businesses who love the communities they serve.

This is America. The time has come for us as a nation to step up to the plate and provide decent health care with lower premiums for all. No one asks to be sick, but when we are sick are country should do all it can to give every American an opportunity to get well.

I would also like to take this opportunity to thank Rep. Debbie Halvorson, my Congresswoman in Joliet, for supporting this bill.

President Obama at Fort Hood: "Greatness Before Our Very Eyes"

Christopher Hass — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 14:59:39 EST

Here's the full video of President Obama's moving speech at yesterday's memorial service at Fort Hood, Texas:

OFA Supporters Welcome Home Representatives

Christopher Hass — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 17:31:41 EST

After casting an historic vote for health reform on Saturday night, many members in the House of Representatives are now heading home for a district work period. OFA Volunteers in Minnesota gathered at the airport bright and early on Sunday morning to greet Congressmen Walz and Ellison as they returned home from Washington.

Shortly afterward, Congressman Ellison posted to his Twitter feed:

Thanks to Obama For America MN for welcoming Tim Walz and I at the airport this morning at 8:30 am. Crew from Obama for America MN understands that the people must keep the energy HIGH until Obama signs the bill into LAW! And beyond.

In Maine, supporters were on hand to greet Representative Chellie Pingree. The Press Herald reported:

About three dozen supporters greeted Pingree as she arrived at the Portland International Jetport from Washington on Sunday morning. They carried flowers, balloons, homemade cookies and signs praising her for her vote.

"I just wanted to thank Chellie Pingree for stepping up and doing the right thing," said Maurie Hill, a 63-year-old retired nurse from Standish.

Pingree said that although the House bill is not perfect, its passage helps move the ball forward. Her advice to her Senate colleagues?

"Get voting!" she said. "It's not easy. We've been working on this for 10 months."

Representative Pingree also took to Twitter to thank supporters, posting:

Thanks so much for all the wonderful people who welcomed me at airport this morning -- made me teary! The cookies were great!!

If your representative voted for health reform last Saturday, you can use our online tools to call and thank them for their vote.

Before health reform can become law, it must pass one more time through the House of Representatives, so it's crucial to publicly show that voters support reform. Taking 30 seconds to say "thank you" could mean all the difference in the coming weeks.

"Making history"

Christopher Hass — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 00:48:52 EST

Shortly after releasing his official statement on tonight's historic vote, President Obama sent out the following email to supporters:

This evening, at 11:15 p.m., the House of Representatives voted to pass their health insurance reform bill. Despite countless attempts over nearly a century, no chamber of Congress has ever before passed comprehensive health reform. This is history.

But you and millions of your fellow Organizing for America supporters didn't just witness history tonight -- you helped make it. Each "yes" vote was a brave stand, backed up by countless hours of knocking on doors, outreach in town halls and town squares, millions of signatures, and hundreds of thousands of calls. You stood up. You spoke up. And you were heard.

So this is a night to celebrate -- but not to rest. Those who voted for reform deserve our thanks, and the next phase of this fight has already begun.

The final Senate bill hasn't even been released yet, but the insurance companies are already pressing hard for a filibuster to bury it. OFA has built a massive neighborhood-by-neighborhood operation to bring people's voices to Congress, and tonight we saw the results. But the coming days will put our efforts to the ultimate test. Winning will require each of us to give everything we can, starting right now.

Can you donate $25 or whatever you can afford so we can finish this fight?

Tonight's vote brought every American closer to the secure, affordable care we need. But it was also a watershed moment in how change is made.

Even after last year's election, many insider lobbyists and partisan operatives really thought that the old formula of scare tactics, D.C. back-scratching and special-interest money would still be enough to block any idea they didn't like. Now, they're desperate. Because, tonight, you made it crystal clear: the old rules are changing -- and the people will not be ignored.

In the final phases of last year's election, I often reminded folks, "Don't think for a minute that power concedes without a fight," and it's especially true today. But that's okay -- we're not afraid of a fight. And as you continue to prove, when all of us work together, we have what it takes to win.

Please donate to OFA's campaign to win this fight and ensure that real health reform reaches my desk by the end of this year.
Let's keep making history,

President Barack Obama

Statement of President Barack Obama on House Passage of the Affordable Health Care for America Act

Christopher Hass — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 00:19:14 EST

Shortly after the House of Representatives concluded tonight's vote on health insurance reform, President Obama released the following statement:

Tonight, in an historic vote, the House of Representatives passed a bill that would finally make real the promise of quality, affordable health care for the American people.

The Affordable Health Care for America Act is a piece of legislation that will provide stability and security for Americans who have insurance; quality affordable options for those who don’t; and bring down the cost of health care for families, businesses, and the government while strengthening the financial health of Medicare. And it is legislation that is fully paid for and will reduce our long-term federal deficit.

Thanks to the hard work of the House, we are just two steps away from achieving health insurance reform in America. Now the United States Senate must follow suit and pass its version of the legislation. I am absolutely confident it will, and I look forward to signing comprehensive health insurance reform into law by the end of the year.

As Voting Begins, Over 500,000 Calls

Christopher Hass — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 22:07:33 EST

As the House begins a series of votes on the health insurance reform bill, we've just broken the 500,000 mark for OFA supporter calls to Congress in support of reform since October 20th.

"Rise to this moment"

Christopher Hass — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 14:29:01 EST

Shortly after meeting with House Democrats on Capitol Hill in advance of the health reform vote, President Obama delivered the following remarks from the ground of the White House:

Good afternoon, everybody. I just want to say a few words about the landmark vote that the House of Representatives is poised to take today -- a vote that can bring us one step closer to making real the promise of quality, affordable health care for the American people.

For the better part of a year now, members of the House and the Senate have been working diligently and constructively to craft legislation that will benefit millions of American families and millions of American businesses who urgently need it. For the first time ever, they've passed bills through every single committee responsible for reform. They've brought us closer than we have ever been to passing health insurance reform on behalf of the American people.

Now is the time to finish the job. The bill that the House has produced will provide stability and security for Americans who have insurance; quality, affordable options for those who don't; and lower costs for American families and American businesses. And as I've insisted from the beginning, it is a bill that is fully paid for and will actually reduce our long-term federal deficit.

This bill is change that the American people urgently need. Don't just take my word for it. Consider the national groups who've come out in support of this bill on behalf of their members: The Consumers Union supports it because it will create -- and I quote -- "a more secure, affordable health care system for the American people."

The American Medical Association and the American Nurses Association support it on behalf of doctors and nurses and medical professionals who know firsthand what's broken in our current system, and who see what happens when their patients can't get the care they need because of insurance industry bureaucracies.

The National Farmers Union supports this bill because it will control costs for farmers and ranchers, and address the unique challenges rural Americans face when it comes to receiving quality care.

And the AARP supports it because it will achieve the goal for which the AARP has been fighting for decades -- reducing the cost of health care, expanding coverage for America's seniors, and strengthening Medicare for the long haul.

Now, no bill can ever contain everything that everybody wants, or please every constituency and every district. That's an impossible task. But what is possible, what's in our grasp right now is the chance to prevent a future where every day 14,000 Americans continue to lose their health insurance, and every year 18,000 Americans die because they don't have it; a future where crushing costs keep small businesses from succeeding and big businesses from competing in the global economy; a future where countless dreams are deferred or scaled back because of a broken system we could have fixed when we had the chance.

What we can do right now is choose a better future and pass a bill that brings us to the very cusp of building what so many generations of Americans have sought to build -- a better health care system for this country.

Millions of Americans are watching right now. Their families and their businesses are counting on us. After all, this is why they sent us here, to finally confront the challenges that Washington had been putting off for decades -- to make their lives better, to leave this country stronger than we found it.

I just came from the Hill where I talked to the members of Congress there, and I reminded them that opportunities like this come around maybe once in a generation. Most public servants pass through their entire careers without a chance to make as important a difference in the lives of their constituents and the life of this country. This is their moment, this is our moment, to live up to the trust that the American people have placed in us -- even when it's hard; especially when it's hard. This is our moment to deliver.

I urge members of Congress to rise to this moment. Answer the call of history, and vote yes for health insurance reform for America.

There are only a few hours left to contact your representative before the vote and add your voice to the President's call.

On the Hill

Christopher Hass — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 12:12:34 EST

An update from President Obama:

There are only a few hours left to contact your representative before the historic House vote on health reform.

The President's Weekly Address

Christopher Hass — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 09:08:58 EST

Last Chance to Vote in the Health Reform Video Challenge

Christopher Hass — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 23:31:34 EST

The deadline to vote on your favorite videos in the OFA Health Reform Video Challenge is tonight at midnight. The winning video will air as part of a national television ad buy as we enter the final stages of the health reform fight:

House Vote Scheduled for Saturday

Christopher Hass — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 10:27:03 EST

From Mitch Stewart:

This is it -- the House of Representatives will vote on health insurance reform tomorrow. All signs point to it being incredibly close, possibly even coming down to a single vote.

With the clock ticking, insurance company lobbyists are going all out to stop reform. Please call your represenative now.

President Obama is visiting the House tomorrow to call for reform, and I hope you'll add your voice to his right away. If you haven't called before, now is the time. And if you have recently called, thank you -- now please ask friends, family members, and co-workers in your district to join you.

http://my.barackobama.com/HouseVote

Everything we're fighting for comes down to moments like this -- and every second counts.

Thanks for stepping up,

Mitch

Video from the President: "A remarkable anniversary"

Christopher Hass — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 20:14:26 EST

A special message from Obama for America Campaign Manager David Plouffe:

One year ago today, you made history.

We all knew that electing Barack Obama President was only the opportunity to bring about change; that we would all have to keep working to fulfill the promise our victory offered.

And you've come through -- by making hundreds of thousands of calls to Congress to push health reform forward, by pouring your effort into seemingly insurmountable challenges time and again, and, since January, by building on the power of our campaign to create Organizing for America.

And now, with the finish line on health reform in sight, we need your voice more than ever before.

To mark this special day, President Obama just recorded a video for supporters like you -- please watch his message, and sign up to join OFA in your community today.
Thank you so much for fighting so hard and giving so much to make the promise of a stronger, more just and prosperous America in the years ahead a reality:

http://my.barackobama.com/Year

My best,

David Plouffe

One Year Ago

Christopher Hass — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 23:12:25 EST

Election Results Open Thread

Christopher Hass — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 21:31:14 EST

Special thanks to everyone who helped make calls, knocked on doors, and got out and voted today...

GOTV Calls: Only a Few Hours Left

Christopher Hass — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 18:13:30 EST

UPDATED (8:00 p.m.) Polls are now closed in Virginia and in New Jersey, but voting is still underway in New York and other places across the country.

Click here to call voters in New York's 23rd District.

UPDATED (7:00 p.m.) Polls in Virginia are now closed, but voting is still underway in New Jersey and New York, as well as other races across the country.

Polls in Virginia close at 7:00 p.m. Eastern; polls in New Jersey close at 8:00 p.m. Eastern and polls in New York close at 9:00 p.m. Eastern.

We've only got a few hours left to make as much of an impact as possible. No matter where you are, you can help out in the final stretch by making GOTV calls from home:

Click here to call voters in Virginia. (polls are now closed)

Click here to call voters in New Jersey. (polls are now closed)

Click here to call voters in New York's 23rd District.

Urgent: House Vote Soon

Christopher Hass — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 15:10:16 EST

From OFA Director Mitch Stewart:

The House's first full vote on health reform legislation may come as early as this week. It'll be the first time in more than 60 years that the full body votes on comprehensive reform, and we expect it to be very close.

But with just a few days before the vote, the insurance industry and their allies are putting extraordinary pressure on every representative to defeat it. We know that their expensive lobbyists will be dashing to each congressional office, attempting to twist arms. The only question is whether the phones will be ringing off the hook with constituents supporting reform while that happens.

Can you call your representative right now and tell them to vote in favor of real health insurance reform?
The House bill incorporates the best ideas from Democrats and Republicans to guarantee security and stability for those with insurance, provide affordable options for those without -- including the choice of a public insurance option -- and reduce costs for families and small businesses, all while decreasing the deficit.

Many representatives are standing with the President and fighting hard for reform. They need to know that they have our thanks and our support.

And we need to remind the rest of Congress that Americans need them to rise above partisan divides and stand up to the special interests. Please call:

http://my.barackobama.com/HouseVote

It's down to the wire. Your hard work helped bring us to this historic moment. Now let's bring it home.

Thanks,

Mitch

Mitch Stewart
Director
Organizing for America

GOTV Calls: "Felt like old times"

Christopher Hass — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 12:42:24 EST

As voters in a number of states head to the polls today, many long-time supporters are back on the phones, making calls to help get out the vote. In New Jersey, Jersey Girl reports:

Turn out is slow like any other non Presidential election no surprises there. This afternoon I volunteered to take people to the polls for now to the phones. Let's go NJ, NY and VA GOTV.

From Cookemon, in Illinois:

I'm making calls to Virginia, reminding folks to vote and let them know how important their vote is... I'll be calling off and on today.

And from Sharon, in Maryland:

Just finished 50 calls to New Jersey. Felt like old times. Time to stretch my legs and go back for more.

No matter where you are, you can help out in the final stretch by making GOTV calls from home using our online tools:

Click here to call voters in New Jersey.

Click here to call voters in New York's 23rd District.

Click here to call voters in Virginia.

Election Day

Christopher Hass — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 10:37:27 EST

In many places across the country, today is election day. There are governor races in Virgina and New Jersey, Congressional races in New York's 23rd District and California's 10th District, as well as countless other important local races.

Voters in New Jersey can find their polling location here.

Voters in New York's 23rd District can find their polling location here.

Voters in Virginia can find their polling location here.

No matter where you are, you can help get out the vote in these key states by making phone calls from home using our online tools. Turnout is key in off-year races, and just a few minutes on the phone can make a huge difference in a tight race.

Click here to call voters in New Jersey.

Click here to call voters in New York's 23rd District.

Click here to call voters in Virginia.

One year ago, we saw firsthand the impact that these phone calls and conversations can have. It's election day, and you know what to do.

Premiering Tuesday: "By the People"

Christopher Hass — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 23:40:00 EST

Call Time

Christopher Hass — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 18:36:49 EST

For voters in many parts of the country, tomorrow is election day. This weekend brought huge news out of New York's 23rd congressional district -- Republican Dede Scozzafava suspended her campaign, leaving a two-way race between Democrat Bill Owens and Conservative Party candidate Doug Hoffman.

And yesterday, Scozzafava endorsed Bill Owens -- President Obama's choice -- calling Owens the one candidate left who "understands this district and its people, and when he represents us in Congress he will put our interests first."

In a special election like this, turnout is everything -- tomorrow's outcome could be decided by just a handful of votes. We need your help to call Bill Owens supporters and make sure they get out to vote tomorrow.

Call Bill Owens supporters in NY-23 and remind them to vote tomorrow.

Thousands of OFA supporters have made calls using our online "Neighbor to Neighbor" tool in the past year. Just log in (or create an account) and follow the instructions.

In no time, you'll be on the phone with an Owens supporter who is grateful for the reminder to vote -- and you'll have a tremendous impact on a key special election from the comfort of your own home.

A week ago, President Obama wrote folks in New York to announce his support for Bill Owens:

As I work to change the tone of our nation's politics and end the petty partisanship that has dominated Washington for too long, I'll need the help of leaders like Bill.

But my support will only take Bill so far. As we learned last year, true change doesn't come from folks in Washington, but from the dedication and energy of people like you.

We proved last year that thousands of volunteers knocking on doors and making phone calls can accomplish anything. And today, we need your help again.

Call Owens supporters and remind them to vote tomorrow.

Remember?

Christopher Hass — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 12:39:03 EST

November 4th, 2008, and the final days leading up to it, is a time I will never forget.

After 19 months of working to help elect Barack Obama, what I remember most from that final stretch are the stories that came in from the field, from volunteers like you.

Working on the campaign headquarters blog, I saw countless inspirational stories -- from volunteers on their final weekend GOTV canvasses, folks who had driven from their home to faraway battleground states, and those who watched election returns in North Carolina, Indiana, and Virginia, and saw their states turn blue for the first time in a generation. I heard stories that poured in from across the country, each with a unique perspective on how things were going.

One year later, after Obama for America launched Organizing for America, we're still working as hard as ever on the campaign for health insurance reform, but we wanted to take this anniversary to stop and reflect on what all of us accomplished together.

Can you share a brief story about your best memory of the final days of the campaign?

We'll be featuring some of the stories on the headquarters blog to help folks reminisce and remember why we all continue to fight for change.

I know that the larger story of that day one year ago is made up of countless smaller stories. Please send in yours today.

One Year Ago

Christopher Hass — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 16:41:27 EST

From OFA Deputy Director Jeremy Bird:

One year ago today, we were in the homestretch of the Obama for America campaign. I had been organizing on the ground in Ohio for months, with hundreds of incredible -- and exhausted -- staff, and thousands and thousands of amazing volunteers.

We were hopeful, but we didn't take anything for granted. As we watched the victorious results of your hard work come in -- state-by-state, county-by-county, precinct-by-precinct -- we were completely elated. I'm sure you felt the same way.

But that work wasn't finished, and it still isn't. That night, President-Elect Obama told us that the election victory was only the beginning of the change we all sought -- and today, through Organizing for America, we're fighting just as hard to make health insurance reform a reality, this year. But while we seek to live up to the President's words, we're planning to gather together to reconnect, celebrate, and remember that moment, last year, when we won a historic victory.

So this week, we're holding reunion events across the country for folks who were involved in the campaign. Can you go to one near you?

Our current fight for real health insurance reform is just as important as last year's campaign. But we did a special thing together, and sometimes it's important to stop and reflect on that. I hope you can join us:

http://my.barackobama.com/ReunionAttend

My best,

Jeremy

Jeremy Bird
Deputy Director
Organizing for America

Weekly Address: Milestones on the Economy and the Recovery Act

Christopher Hass — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 10:08:55 EDT

Health Reform Video Challenge: Open for Voting

Christopher Hass — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 16:03:37 EDT

New Media Director Natalie Foster just sent out the following email, announcing the top 20 finalists -- as well as the opening of public voting -- for the Health Reform Video Challenge:

We just finished going through the submissions to OFA's Health Reform Video Challenge, and they're great. There are personal stories that grab your heart, brilliant summaries of what reform would really mean, and plenty of biting satire that calls out the insurance lobbyists.

Out of nearly a thousand excellent videos submitted, we're down to the top 20. Now it's your turn to watch the finalists and vote for your favorites -- and then we'll air the winner on national television.

Watch and vote on the finalists now.
The top 20 ads will also be voted on by our panel of experts and artists, including Black Eyed Peas frontman will.i.am, animator and director Seth MacFarlane, actress Kate Walsh, Obama for America campaign manager David Plouffe, and Democratic National Committee Chairman Tim Kaine.

It couldn't be more urgent for us to get these funny, powerful, and eye-opening messages out to the public. As the full Congress begins its final debate on reform, airing the winning video as an ad on national television could help tip the balance toward enacting the changes they've been talking about for years in Washington.

Polls close at midnight on Friday, November 6th, so don't waste a minute: Watch the finalists and vote for your favorites right away.
Thanks, and go get started,

Natalie

Natalie Foster
New Media Director

P.S. -- Help spread the word: After you vote, make sure you send this on to friends and family so they can check out the finalists.

http://my.barackobama.com/VideoChallenge

Senator Reid Announces ‘Opt-Out’ Public Plan

Christopher Hass — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 18:13:47 EDT

Earlier today, Senator Majority Leader Harry Reid announced his intention to include a government-run insurance plan with an “opt out” provision in the Senate version of health care legislation. The New York Times reported:

“I’ve concluded, with the support of the White House, Senators Dodd and Baucus, that the best way to move forward is to include a public option with the opt-out provision for states,” Mr. Reid said at a news conference.

“Under this concept, states will be able to determine whether the public option works well for them and will have the ability to opt out if they so choose. I believe that a public option can achieve the goal of bringing meaningful reform to our broken system.”

Shorty after Senator Reid's announcment, the White House released the following statement in support of the work that Congressional leaders have done so far:

“The President congratulates Senator Reid and Chairmen Baucus and Dodd for their hard work on health insurance reform. Thanks to their efforts, we’re closer than we’ve ever been to solving this decades-old problem. And while much work remains, the President is pleased that at the progress that Congress has made. He’s also pleased that the Senate has decided to include a public option for health coverage, in this case with an allowance for states to opt out. As he said to Congress and the nation in September, he supports the public option because it has the potential to play an essential role in holding insurance companies accountable through choice and competition.”

Message from Mitch Stewart: "That was fast"

Christopher Hass — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 16:52:20 EDT

From OFA Director Mitch Stewart:

On Thursday, Vice President Biden called out the insurance industry's escalating war on health reform in a special message to OFA, and asked for your help in fighting back.

Sure enough, the insurance industry is already stepping up the attack: Reports just leaked from a closed-door meeting where insurance industry lobbyists frantically warned Republican members of Congress that it was not in their interest to "ever vote for this thing" and said supporting reform is like "giving comfort to the enemy." USA Today is reporting that groups opposing reform are lobbying at "a record pace" -- and the Associated Press notes that they've already spent an astounding $32 million on TV ads this year.

This is what we're up against. President Obama, Vice President Biden, and all of us together through OFA are fighting back -- but success depends on having the resources to win.

Can you chip in $25 or more today to power our campaign?

In this fight, the insurance industry has their war chest and insider lobbyists. We have you. I know who I'm betting on.

Let's win this thing.

Mitch

Mitch Stewart
Director
Organizing for America

The President's Weekly Address: "Working with Small Business to Drive Recovery"

Christopher Hass — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 09:42:11 EDT

Open Thread

Christopher Hass — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 14:15:31 EDT

The fight

Christopher Hass — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 17:00:00 EDT

Earlier today, Vice President Joe Biden sent out the following email:

We've got a fight on our hands. Powerful insurance companies are pulling out all the stops to defeat the President's plan for health reform. They're spending seven million bucks a week on lobbyists, blanketing the country with deceptive TV ads, and just funded two high-profile "reports" to distort what reform would mean for you.

I know their game. I was in the Senate the last time health reform came around, and I saw the special interests savage our efforts. Frankly, under the old rules of Washington they were nearly impossible to beat. But now, thanks to you, the rules are changing. All the lies, scare tactics and lobbyist shake-downs in the world are no match for the incredible work of Organizing for America supporters like you. That's exactly what frightens them so much -- and it's what Barack and I are counting on.

After decades of false starts, we're now just a short time from finally passing real reform. Every member of Congress will soon have to cast their vote. As real change draws near, you can bet the insurance companies will hold nothing back. That means OFA will need the extra resources to beat back whatever attack they can dream up next. Here's the bottom line: it's not time to let up -- it's time to double down.

Can you donate $25 or more to power OFA's fight for change as we head into the final round?

When I talk about you changing the rules in Washington, here's what I mean: This week, crucial negotiations on Capitol Hill are shaping a comprehensive reform proposal. At the same time, the insurance companies' phony reports are grabbing headlines and their lobbyists are twisting arms. But your work is keeping them from setting us back.

On Tuesday, OFA supporters around the country organized more than 1,000 local outreach events and generated an astounding 330,000 calls to Congress from constituents telling their representatives that "it's time to deliver." From my years in Congress and my conversations with Senate colleagues this week, I can tell you with confidence that your message broke through and you helped keep us on track.

If this fight were only about guaranteeing the choice of secure, quality, affordable care for every American, it would be worth everything we could throw at it. But as Barack reminded us this week, this fight for change is now about something even bigger: a test of whether or not "we as a nation are capable of tackling our toughest challenges, if we can serve the national interest despite the unrelenting efforts of the special interests; if we can still do big things in America."

I believe we can. And Barack believes we can. But what really matters is whether you believe we can. If you do, now is the moment to make it happen. Please contribute today:

https://donate.barackobama.com/FinalRound

Thank you,

Vice President Joe Biden

"Off the hook"

Christopher Hass — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 07:43:23 EDT

A message from Mitch Stewart, sent out very late last night:

It's late; I know you've gotten a lot of messages from us recently, and everyone here at OFA headquarters is pretty tired. But the last reports of calls and commitments are just coming in from events on the West Coast, and I wanted to share the news with you.

As you know, we set a big goal: 100,000 calls to Congress placed or committed to in a single day by OFA supporters and allied organizations. By 2:30 p.m., you had crushed it. So, we gulped and said let's go for 200,000, not knowing what would happen. But the calls just kept pouring in -- keeping phones ringing off the hook in congressional offices in D.C. and your representatives' district offices around the country.

Then, OFA supporters gathered in over 1,000 living rooms and community centers from Macon, Georgia to Missoula, Montana. You called hundreds of thousands of key voters in your community and got them to agree to call Congress and speak out for reform, too. President Obama joined in at a call party in New York -- and he had some amazing words of support for the folks like you who make this movement possible.

I'm looking at the numbers, and with almost all of the reports now in, the tally wasn't 200,000 calls placed or pledged -- it was 315,023. You did it.

Take a moment to watch the President's inspiring words to OFA volunteers on this incredible day.
Your voice was overwhelming -- with reports in the media of congressional offices "completely crushed with calls." CBS News described your effort as an "onslaught." And a congressional aide was quoted with a common response, saying their office was deluged by "pretty much non-stop health care calls from OFA."

You set a new OFA record, you caught the national media's attention, and you certainly put Congress on notice. But you know that's not what really matters.

The message I sent earlier talked about a woman, Jenny U., whose insurance company cut off her coverage because they decided her kidney donation to her sick daughter counted as a "pre-existing condition." What really matters is that today you brought America one giant, irreversible step closer to being a place where no one will ever have to suffer that kind of injustice again. That's what all the messages, late nights, and phone calls ultimately add up to. It's what makes everything we do together worthwhile -- and it's why we'll keep fighting together until the job is done.

Watch President Obama's special message to you from a call party in New York:

http://my.barackobama.com/TTDreport

Thank you, so much, for being part of the team.

Sincerely,

Mitch

Mitch Stewart
Director
Organizing for America

P.S. -- Here are just a few stories from "Time to Deliver" events across the country:

This evening I and three other volunteers got together and made calls. As I was calling, one of the women I spoke with told me that she was inspired by my story -- shared in the email earlier that day -- to get her entire family to call Congress. She didn't know it was me on the phone, but she said she just couldn't stop saying "this isn't right" when she heard my story. It gave me so much hope -- during the evening we made 213 calls and got 64 commitments to call tomorrow.

-Jenny U., Missouri Volunteer

Seeing the tally go up, hearing voter after voter agree to call, and listening to the real excitement people have about finally fixing this broken system, I was reminded why we do this. Each of us can only give so much -- but when we all do it together, we move mountains. Health insurance reform, here we come.

-Sean Knox, California New Media Director

I want to recognize the folks in this room -- and folks watching online -- who are helping us to do exactly that. And I want to thank all the Organizing for America volunteers for making calls, knocking on doors, and keeping up the fight. You know why this is so important. ... We are nearing the finish line -- and with your help, we're going to cross it.

-President Barack Obama

Open Thread: 234,752 and Counting . . .

Christopher Hass — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 22:16:57 EDT

Watch Live: President Obama at a "Time to Deliver" Call Party

Christopher Hass — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 19:56:26 EDT

President Obama is scheduled to speak live at a New York call party starting at 8:05 p.m. Click here to watch a live webcast of the event.

Reports: "Phones have been ringing off the hook"

Christopher Hass — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 15:49:53 EDT

The Huffington Post reports:

It's not even noon on the West Coast and already Capitol Hill staffers say they're getting nonstop calls from constituents in support of President Barack Obama's health insurance reform. At about 2:15 EST, Organizing for America (OFA) surpassed it's goal of 100,000 phone calls to Congress, each one imploring representatives to vote for reform.

The nationwide "Time to Deliver on Health Reform" event is the most massive outpouring of support from Obama supporters since Election Day 2008.

Senate Democratic aides told HuffPost that their phones have been ringing off the hook. "We're getting completely crushed with calls, jamming our phone lines from the moment we opened," said one aide.

Another said they'd gotten "pretty much non-stop health care calls from OFA."

100,000

Christopher Hass — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 14:35:45 EDT

Amazing.

50,000

Christopher Hass — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 13:04:47 EDT

You can follow the progress at Twitter.com/BarackObama.

Tuesday: Time to Deliver

Christopher Hass — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 13:15:08 EDT

From OFA Deputy Director Jeremy Bird:

With health insurance reform finally ready for consideration before the full Congress, we've set a big goal for this Tuesday: 100,000 calls to Congress made or committed to in a single day. We'll make our voices heard above the din created by the insurance industry's campaign of misinformation and fear and make sure our representatives know it's finally time to deliver on health reform.

But here's the thing -- if we're going to get there, we need your help to reach out to friendly folks who still need to speak up in support of reform.

We're holding "Time to Deliver" call parties and neighborhood outreach events across the country. We'll get together in living rooms and community centers, and reach out to supportive voters whose voices are particularly critical in this debate. We'll talk to them about the President's plan, and then we'll ask them to call on their representatives to support reform and thank those already doing so.

And the President will be joining all of the events that evening via an exclusive webcast -- please find an event near you and RSVP today.

You don't need to have any experience to attend a Time to Deliver event. The host will have everything set up for you, so it will just be a great evening of reaching out to voters with your friends and neighbors and making a tremendous difference.

We've set a big goal, but if we hit it, two things will happen: we'll have set a new record for contacting Congress in a single day, and the phones in our representatives' offices will be ringing off the hook the whole day, meaning our voices cannot be ignored.

With more than 1,000 events happening on Tuesday, we've got everything set to reach our goal -- but we need you to make it happen.

Please RSVP for an event by you:

http://my.barackobama.com/AttendTTD

See you out there,

Jeremy

Jeremy Bird
Deputy Director
Organizing for America

Health Reform Video Challenge Deadline: Midnight Tonight

Christopher Hass — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 12:39:15 EDT

The deadline for entries into the OFA Health Reform Video Challenge is midnight tonight.

Making a 30-second ad is a unique opportunity to add your voice and your creativity to the health reform debate. The top 20 videos will be seen by millions of OFA supporters nationwide, and the winning entry will be aired on national television.

Supporters across the country will have the opportunity to view and weigh in on their favorites, alongside a panel of judges that includes Black Eyed Peas front man will.i.am; director and animator Seth MacFarlane; actors Kate Walsh, John Cho, Rosario Dawson, Olivia Wilde, and Dulé Hill; Democratic National Committee Chairman and Virginia Governor Tim Kaine; and David Plouffe, campaign manager for President Obama's campaign.

We're looking for videos that are serious or funny, animated or live action, simple or complex -- anything creative and powerful that makes the case in 30 seconds.

You can see the full details, and submit your entry, at BarackObama.com/VideoChallenge.

The President's Weekly Address: "Taking on the Insurance Companies"

Christopher Hass — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 09:16:30 EDT

On the Air: "Every Day"

Christopher Hass — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 15:35:44 EDT

Our doctors and nurses ad, called "Every Day," is up on the air now -- and it's making big news.

The ad, starring Dr. Jeremy Spinks of Virginia, and nurse Elizabeth Prah of Maryland, has already received coverage by the Washington Post, ABC News, Huffington Post, CBS News, and many other sources.

See it for yourself: :

Thanks again to everyone who chipped in to get it on the air!

It's time to deliver

Christopher Hass — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 20:20:56 EDT

An quick update from OFA Director Mitch Stewart:

Last week, Jeremy asked you to host a "Time to Deliver" Call Party this Tuesday, October 20th, to help us set an OFA record of 100,000 calls to Congress placed or committed to in a single day.

Now, I wanted to share some exciting news: President Obama will be joining your party via an exclusive live webcast to encourage your guests and thank you for your role in passing health reform.

These call parties couldn't come at a more important time -- the final Senate committee just passed their version of the plan, so the debate is about to move to the full Congress for the first time. And the insurance industry lobby is throwing everything they've got at us to distort the issues and derail progress. Our voices must be heard.

Hosting a Time to Deliver Call Party on the 20th is an easy but extremely powerful way you can help pass health reform in 2009. So are you in?

http://my.barackobama.com/deliver

Thanks so much,

Mitch

Message from Mitch Stewart: "Historic news on health care"

Christopher Hass — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 21:09:41 EDT

OFA Director Mitch Stewart just sent out the following email:

Despite increasingly desperate attacks from the insurance lobby, the Senate Finance Committee took the historic step of voting reform legislation out of committee with bipartisan support. They're the final committee to do so -- and the negotiations over the final bill will now move to the full House and Senate.

Soon, every senator and representative must decide where they stand. Lobbyists will be racing to each office, trying every trick in the book to derail the President's plan. In fact, just this week, the insurance lobby released a self-serving report falsely claiming that reform would increase costs. Journalists called it "deceptive" and said "something doesn't smell right here." A prominent M.I.T. economist described the study as "deeply flawed."

It's a blatant scare tactic designed to frighten voters and bully Congress -- and it's just the beginning. We need to speak out right away to show Congress that their constituents are watching closely, and we're counting on them to say "no" to the lobbyists and "yes" to reform.

Send a message urging Congress to stand with voters, not D.C. lobbyists, and pass real reform.

It's becoming clear that the insurance companies will do whatever it takes to stop progress: The New York Times is reporting that special interests are spending $1.4 million every day to kill reform -- and even commissioned their own slanted analysis of the Finance Committee's legislation in an effort to defeat it. But today, after widespread criticism, the company that produced the report issued a statement saying that it analyzed only part of the bill because that's exactly what the insurance industry paid them to do!

And we just got word that insurance companies are spending $1 million on a misleading ad to scare seniors out of supporting reform. The ad falsely declares that reform will cause cuts in Medicare, even though reform is crucial to ensuring the long-term survival of the program and preserving the care that millions of seniors depend on.

Now that all five congressional committees have passed reform legislation, we're sure to see attacks that are even more extreme. It's up to us to make sure that ordinary Americans continue to be heard louder than the Washington lobbyists.

Please send a message to Congress today:

http://my.barackobama.com/Fight_Back

The next few weeks are absolutely crucial to our success -- we'll be organizing events, running ads, and doing everything possible to make sure Congress passes real reform. But right now, the most important thing we can do is make our voices heard immediately. Please speak out now.

Thanks,

Mitch

Mitch Stewart
Director
Organizing for America

"A Critical Milestone"

Christopher Hass — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 19:53:18 EDT

Shortly after today's Senate Finance Committee vote, the President took a moment to mark the historic progress that Congress has now made towards passing health insurance reform:

Good afternoon. Today we reached a critical milestone in our effort to reform our health care system. After many months of thoughtful deliberation, the fifth and final committee responsible for health care reform has passed a proposal that has both Democratic and Republican support. This effort was made possible by the tireless efforts of Chairman Max Baucus and the other members of the Senate Finance Committee. It's a product of vigorous debate and difficult negotiations.

After the consideration of hundreds of amendments, it includes ideas from both Democrats and Republicans, which is why it enjoys the support of people from both parties. And I want to particularly thank Senator Olympia Snowe for both the political courage and the seriousness of purpose that she's demonstrated throughout this process.

Now, this bill is not perfect and we have a lot of difficult work ahead of us. There are still significant details and disagreements to be worked out over the next several weeks as the five separate bills from the Senate and the House are merged into one proposal. But I do believe the work of the Senate Finance Committee has brought us significantly closer to achieving the core objectives I laid out early in September.

Most importantly, this bill goes a long way towards offering security to those who have insurance, and affordable options for those who don't. It reins in some of the worst practices of the insurance industry, like the denial of coverage due to preexisting conditions. It also sets up an insurance exchange that will make coverage affordable for those who don't currently have it. And as the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office has certified, it will slow the growth of health care costs in the long term and it will not add a penny to our deficit.

The committee's progress over the past several weeks is the culmination of work by all five committees and numerous members of Congress over the better part of this year. We've reached out to stakeholders across the spectrum -- doctors and nurses, businesses and workers, hospitals and even drug companies. And we've considered a wide variety of ideas and proposals in an effort to find common ground.

As a result of these efforts, we are now closer than ever before to passing health reform. But we're not there yet. Now is not the time to pat ourselves on the back. Now is not the time to offer ourselves congratulations. Now is the time to dig in and work even harder to get this done. And in this final phase, I hope that we will continue to engage each other with the spirit of civility and seriousness that has brought us this far and that this subject deserves.

I commend the Chairman and the committee's members for their achievement and the example that they've set, and I look forward to continue to work with Congress in the weeks ahead. We are going to get this done.

Thank you very much, everybody.

Senate Finance Committee Bill Passes Out of Committee

Christopher Hass — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 17:07:26 EDT

From Democrats.org:

This afternoon—after months of deliberation and the consideration of hundreds of amendments—the Senate Finance Committee passed its version of health insurance reform legislation.
The bill passed 14 to 9, winning bipartisan support with a yea vote from Senator Olympia Snowe of Maine. The Finance committee is the fifth and final committee with jurisdiction over health reform to pass a bill. Though we still have a ways to go (the Senate and House still need to vote and pass final versions of legislation, before the process can go to conference committee, and onto another vote in both houses), the Finance Committee’s action today represents an enormous and critical step forward.

Reality Check on AHIP's Health Insurance Report

Christopher Hass — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 10:28:54 EDT

Yesterday, on the eve of a key vote in the Senate Finance Committee, the insurance industry group America's Health Insurance Plans (AHIP) released a report falsely suggesting that health care costs would increase with health reform. As Linda Douglass of the White House Health Reform Office explained:

"It is hard to take it seriously. The analysis completely ignores critical policies will lower costs for those who have insurance, expand coverage and provide affordable health insurance options to millions of Americans who are priced out of today's health insurance market or are locked out by unfair insurance company practices."

AHIP is a Washington, D.C., based association that has been fighting efforts to enact reform all year, and the study released yesterday relies on selective and subjective analysis throughout. The White House quickly responded with a detailed look at the report, debunking the key claims:

AHIP CLAIM: Health reform will cause health care premiums to rise faster than they would under the current system.

REALITY: The Congressional Budget Office and other analysts confirm that the current Senate Finance Committee (SFC) health reform proposal will lower health care premiums in the exchange and make health insurance more affordable for families.

AHIP CLAIM: Taxes on the highest cost health plans – so called "Cadillac" plans – will raise the cost of employer-based coverage. This is the single largest driver of AHIP’s assumed $4,000 premium increase in the large group market.

REALITY: The majority of health economists from all parts of the political spectrum have arrived at precisely the opposite conclusion — a tax on insurers that provide the highest cost health plans will contribute to lowering premiums. Even AHIP’s study acknowledges that insurers are like to lower premiums in response to this tax change.

AHIP CLAIM: The failure to enact an individual responsibility requirement will increase costs in the individual market by creating an incentive for people to wait until they are sick to purchase coverage. This is the single largest driver of AHIP’s assumed 49% premium increase in the individual market.

REALITY: AHIP incorrectly downplays the responsibility requirement in the SFC proposal, which, in the context of comprehensive reform, will increase coverage by providing an incentive for the uninsured to enter the system.

AHIP CLAIM: Reductions in Medicare spending will raise costs for families. Part of the premium increases that the AHIP analysis assumes stems from "provider payment cuts" in Medicare and Medicaid, leading to cost-shifting onto private plans.

REALITY: Health insurance reform will strengthen Medicare. Once again, the assumptions in the AHIP analysis are not consistent with the facts of the bill that they are analyzing.

You can read the full Reality Check on the AHIP report at WhiteHouse.gov.