Obama HQ

Look Back: National Health Care Day of Service

Christopher Hass — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 12:52:24 EDT

The group Organizing for America is headquartered only two blocks from the Capitol, but when horse-trading over healthcare legislation intensified there this week, Barack Obama's grass-roots advocacy operation turned its attention away from Washington. [Last weekend], the group recruited thousands of its volunteer members to gather in farmers' markets, rehab clinics, parks, and libraries nationwide as part of a National Health Care Day of Service." -- Boston Globe

While families across the country enjoy this 4th of July weekend, we wanted to take time to look back at the events of last weekend, when supporters across the country took place in a National Health Care Day of Service. Here are just a few of the reports we've gotten back from hosts of last weekend's events:

It was truly fantastic. People came to our booth with food they had picked from their home garden, and others came to the market specifically to shop for the Healthy Food Drive. We ended up with a full pick-up load of fresh food -- vegetables, fruit, and assorted pasta, bread, hand-made tortillas, etc. It's difficult to estimate amount, but some thought we had at least 200 pounds of food. When we showed up at the Food Bank with our load of food, they were awestruck. What I noticed is that throughout the day, the faces and the voices of both volunteers and donors were lit up, both in the giving and the receiving. Some folks, donors and volunteers, asked, "When are we doing this again?" -- Saoirse C-G, Golden, CO

I had a healthy food drive outside of ShopRite. As people walked into the grocery store, we handed them ideas of healthy foods they may want to buy and then at the exit we had a table with baskets to collect food in, information about the Children's Health Insurance Program, information about President Obama's health care plan, and health care declarations to sign...I will definitely host another event like this. It felt great to collect food for people in need in the area. All of my volunteers were super excited and really want to get involved again, so I will definitely get in touch with them and see if I can plan something else. -- Linda M, Warminster, PA

In an email to thousands of event attendees, OFA Deputy Director Jeremy Bird explained:

Last weekend, you were part of something big.

Americans like you came together across the country -- in community health centers, outside of supermarkets, in local schools -- to serve together and improve health care in your community.

While serving your neighborhoods, you raised your voice and built momentum to finally fix this broken health care system. Thank you for your work.
We can't -- and we won't -- stop now. We've got more work to do to achieve our goal of real health care reform this year, and you'll be an integral part of this effort at every step of the way.

An Independence Day Message from the President

Christopher Hass — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 17:44:40 EDT

This weekend, our family will join millions of others in celebrating America. We will enjoy the glow of fireworks, the taste of barbeque, and the company of good friends. As we all celebrate this weekend, let's also remember the remarkable story that led to this day.

Two hundred and thirty-three years ago, our nation was born when a courageous group of patriots pledged their lives, fortunes, and sacred honor to the proposition that all of us were created equal.

Our country began as a unique experiment in liberty -- a bold, evolving quest to achieve a more perfect union. And in every generation, another courageous group of patriots has taken us one step closer to fully realizing the dream our founders enshrined on that great day.

Today, all Americans have a hard-fought birthright to a freedom which enables each of us, no matter our views or background, to help set our nation's course. America's greatness has always depended on her citizens embracing that freedom -- and fulfilling the duty that comes with it.

As free people, we must each take the challenges and opportunities that face this nation as our own. As long as some Americans still must struggle, none of us can be fully content. And as America comes ever closer to achieving the perfect Union our founders dreamed, that triumph -- that pride -- belongs to all of us.

So today is a day to reflect on our independence, and the sacrifice of our troops standing in harm's way to preserve and protect it. It is a day to celebrate all that America is. And today is a time to aspire toward all we can still become.

With very best wishes,

President Barack Obama

July 4th, 2009

P.S. -- Our nation's birthday is also an ideal time to consider serving in your local community. You can find many great ideas for service opportunities near you at http://www.serve.gov.

You can watch the Independence Day celebrations at the White House live online tonight, starting at 6:45 PM Eastern.

The President's Weekly Address: On the 4th of July

Christopher Hass — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 08:50:15 EDT

Open Thread: Life-Size

Christopher Hass — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 14:52:36 EDT

Message from David Plouffe: "It's a go"

Christopher Hass — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 21:33:08 EDT

From David Plouffe:

Earlier in the week, we asked if you thought we should put the experiences of real American families on the air and online to show why we need heath care reform. The overwhelming answer? Yes.

Thanks to your support, we were able to spring into action and share with America the very personal reasons why we cannot afford to miss this one chance to finally reform our health care system.

I want you to be the first to see this powerful ad. It features real people telling their true stories of lost coverage, watching loved ones go without care, and making the case for why we need reform.

Once you watch this, you'll see what we mean about how powerful these personal stories can be -- and why we need to get them on the air right away.

Will you watch the video now, and then donate $25 or more to put it on the air?
As we speak, Congress is rapidly hammering out the details of the health care bill, and getting this message out now is crucial. Our representatives must understand how strongly we feel about the need for real reform -- and that we need it now.

In the next few days, we must decide how many of these ads we can make, where we can air them, and how many views we can guarantee. The more resources we have, the greater the impact we'll be able to make.

So watch this first video, and then please dig deep with a donation of $25 or more so we can get this ad and others like it on the air and online in key areas across the country.

https://donate.barackobama.com/healthcaread

Thanks for making it happen,

David Plouffe

P.S. -- Over 99,000 people have already donated to power our campaign for health care reform. This is the perfect time to join them, and help us hit our big goal of 100,000 donors for health care.

Full Video: A National Discussion on Health Care Reform

Christopher Hass — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 09:57:03 EDT

Here's the full video of yesterday's online town hall, in which the President answered questions submitted from Americans across the country:

Message from Mitch Stewart: "How big could this be?"

Christopher Hass — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 18:08:00 EDT

From OFA Director Mitch Stewart:

Did you see Vice President Biden's email last week, sharing personal health care stories from supporters across the country? Well, the stories have been read millions of times, and the reaction is an overwhelming, "Wow -- we've got to get to work."

It's not surprising -- these stories show the human face of the health care debate and inspire us all to act.

So here's our latest idea: Putting our supporters in coast-to-coast television and online ads, telling their own stories, in their own voice. It could be a breakthrough moment in this debate, when millions of Americans realize how urgent reform really is.

But recording and nationally broadcasting these stories won't be cheap. We can only go forward if you're ready to chip in. So what do you say -- should we do it?

Yes. I think this is a great idea, and I'm ready to contribute so it can happen.

No, I'm not ready to contribute to this plan.

How big could this be? Many experts believe health care reform was defeated in the early 90's by the infamous "Harry and Louise" ads. They featured actors sitting around a fake kitchen table, pretending to be a family that was frightened by reform.

So just imagine if this time around, the debate is shaped by real people, looking us in the eye, telling their actual story, and asking for our help to fix this broken system.

Phony stories helped defeat health care reform in the past. But this time, real stories could be the reason we win.

If enough Organizing for America supporters say yes and then donate the resources we need to pull it off, we'll start filming and distribution right away. So what do you say?

Yes, let's get these real stories on the airwaves. I'm ready to contribute.

No, I don't think this is a good idea or I can't contribute at this time.
We'll keep you posted with the results and what happens next.

Thanks, as always, for making it all possible.

Mitch

Mitch Stewart
Director
Organizing for America

LIVE: A National Discussion on Health Care Reform

Christopher Hass — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 12:47:40 EDT

President will hold a national discussion on health care today through an online town hall meeting at Northern Virginia Community College in Annandale. In addition to the live audience, questions will come from online communities such as Facebook, YouTube and Twitter. Senior advisor to President Obama Valerie Jarrett will moderate the town hall.

You can watch the event live at WhiteHouse.gov/live starting at 1:15 Eastern.

On the Ground: Minnesota

Christopher Hass — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 08:56:47 EDT

Today, volunteers throughout the Minneapolis area are organizing a series of health care related events -- canvassing, phone banking, and participating in public forums. OFA Minnesota State Director Jenn Brown explained in an email:

The fight to fix our broken health care system is heating up -- and we need your help to make sure all Americans have the care that many have lacked for far too long.

Our opponents have beaten back reform in the past, and they're ready again with seasoned lobbyists and big-money donors. But we've shown them before what our movement is capable of.

This Wednesday, we will show them again. Minnesotans from across the Twin Cities area will knock on doors, call neighbors, speak out at public forums, and build support for the President's principles for health care reform.
...When Americans get together and organize door-by-door, block-by-block, and neighborhood-by-neighborhood, we can build a movement from coast-to-coast. It's how we won a historic election -- and how we'll bring real change to America.

To fix our health care crisis, we need people like you to be part of the solution. With your help, we will prove that not only can we elect a new President -- we can build on that victory to tackle the problems facing Americans every day.

We'll have more info in the coming days on events like these throughout the country. If you live in or around Minneapolis, you can find an event today.

Statement from the President on Senator-Elect Al Franken

Christopher Hass — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 16:51:27 EDT

In a 5-0 decision, the Minnesota State Supreme Court today declared Al Franken the winner of the state's Senate race. Shortly thereafter, Franken's opponent Norm Coleman officially conceded.

In an official statement, President Obama congratulated Franken, saying:

"I look forward to working with Senator-Elect Franken to build a new foundation for growth and prosperity by lowering health care costs and investing in the kind of clean energy jobs and industries that will help America lead in the 21st century.”

Open Thread

Christopher Hass — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 09:59:36 EDT

"The first step we're taking sets new efficiency standards on fluorescent and incandescent lighting. Now I know light bulbs may not seem sexy, but this simple action holds enormous promise because 7 percent of all the energy consumed in America is used to light our homes and our businesses. Between 2012 and 2042, these new standards will save consumers up to $4 billion a year, conserve enough electricity to power every home in America for 10 months, reduce emissions equal to the amount produced by 166 million cars each year, and eliminate the need for as many as 14 coal-fired power plants."

Join the National Online Discussion on Health Care Reform

Christopher Hass — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 13:41:33 EDT

On Wednesday, President Obama will hold another online town hall, this time focused on health care reform. From WhiteHouse.gov:

This online town hall will be a little different than the last one. This time around, we are engaging online networks outside of WhiteHouse.gov, such as Facebook, YouTube and Twitter.
You can get started today by watching the President's video and posting your 20-30 second video response here:

Later this afternoon, Nancy-Ann DeParle will be hosting a live-streamed, online chat to discuss health care reform. You can take part using the White House Facebook live chat feature, starting at 5:00 PM Eastern.

Message from Joe Biden: "You've got to read these"

Christopher Hass — Sun, 28 Jun 2009 13:58:34 EDT

From Vice President Joe Biden:

A few weeks ago, President Obama asked you to share your personal story about how the health care crisis has affected you and the ones you love. Hundreds of thousands of stories poured in from every corner of the country. The President and I have read through many of them ourselves -- and now I'm encouraging you to do so as well.

Read these powerful, personal stories from people in your area and around the country.
And after you do, please forward this note on to as many people as you can.

For folks who don't yet understand why health care reform is such an urgent priority, these stories make the case far better than any statistics ever could.

For those who support health care reform but haven't yet found the time to join our campaign, these stories provide more motivation than any speech any politician could ever give.

So please read these stories, pass this note on to everyone in your address book, and help us show everyone in America why fixing our broken health care system is a necessity that just can't wait:

http://healthcare.barackobama.com/stories

Thank you,

Vice President Joe Biden

National Health Care Day Of Service

OFA Blogger — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 14:07:40 EDT

The National Health Care Day of Service is today, and volunteers across the country are taking place in thousands of events designed to raise visibility for health care reform in their communities. These health care service projects give volunteers a chance to make an impact in their own communities and improve the lives of their neighbors in the short term -- and they are just one step forward in the larger fight for long term, comprehensive health care reform.

Shonda from Greensboro, North Carolina, is making an impact on her community. Her National Health Care Day of Service event this Sunday will provide materials to local parents about State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP). She is expecting about 70 people to attend, including families she met at schools, churches, day cares and summer camps.

The Family Fair is being held at the Greensboro Public Library. The focus of the fair is providing information and applications for SCHIP to families in need. There will be tables with SCHIP information and applications, as well as food and entertainment for the kids. Two guest speakers, whose families are enrolled in SCHIP, are set to speak at the fair. Shonda has even arranged for a Spanish translator. Despite her busy schedule, Shonda is passionate about the impact of her community service.

"We are really trying to make a difference and help out as much as we can," Shonda explained. "Even with our personal lives and schedules, we find ways to make it work."

Meanwhile Pat from Chesapeake, Virginia, is planning a similar event. This Saturday, Pat will provide SCHIP information and applications to customers at local businesses, such as shopping malls and grocery stores. He is expecting a diverse crowd of around 30 volunteers to help him. The group will include health care professionals, educators, and people who are struggling with their own health care.

These are two of the many of events taking place today, and with more events scheduled tomorrow as well. There may still be time to find a service event in your area this weekend. If you attended an event, let us know how it went in the comments below.

The President's Weekly Address: "The First Step Towards a New Energy Economy"

Christopher Hass — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 12:21:49 EDT

In his weekly address, President Barack Obama praised the House of Representatives for passing the American Clean Energy and Security Act last night. This historic piece of legislation will lessen our dependence on foreign oil and spark a clean energy transformation in our economy that will create millions of new American jobs -- jobs that are critical to building a new foundation for our economy.

"Now my call to every Senator, as well as to every American, is this: We cannot be afraid of the future. And we must not be prisoners of the past. Don’t believe the misinformation out there that suggests there is somehow a contradiction between investing in clean energy and economic growth. It’s just not true."

Open Thread: Service

Christopher Hass — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 23:26:54 EDT

"Now is the time to finally act"

Christopher Hass — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 09:06:17 EDT

Yesterday, President Obama urged the House of Representatives to pass the American Clean Energy and Security Act -- a bill that is expected to come to a vote later today. In his remarks, he explained:

Right now, the House of Representatives is moving towards a vote of historic proportions on a piece of legislation that will open the door to a new clean energy economy.

For more than three decades, we've talked about our dependence on foreign oil. And for more than three decades, we've seen that dependence grow. We've seen our reliance on fossil fuels jeopardize our national security. We've seen it pollute the air we breathe and endanger our planet. And most of all, we've seen that others countries realize a critical truth: The nation that leads in the creation of a clean energy economy will be the nation that leads the 21st century global economy.

Now is the time for the United States of America to realize this, as well. Now is the time for us to lead. The energy bill before the House will finally create a set of incentives that will spark a clean energy transformation of our economy. It will spur the development of low-carbon sources of energy -- everything from wind, solar, and geothermal power to safe nuclear energy and cleaner coal. It will spur new energy savings like the efficient windows and other materials that reduce heating costs in the winter and cooling costs in the summer.

And most importantly, it will make possible the creation of millions of new jobs.

...I've often talked about the need to build a new foundation for economic growth so that we don't return to the endless cycle of bubble and bust that has led us into this deep recession. Clean energy and the jobs it creates will be absolutely critical to that new foundation.

...I know this is going to be a close vote, in part because of the misinformation that's out there that suggests there's somehow a contradiction between investing in clean energy and our economic growth. But my call to those members of Congress who are still on the fence, as well as to the American people, is this: We cannot be afraid of the future, and we can't be prisoners of the past. We've been talking about this issue for decades, and now is the time to finally act.

There is still time to contact your representative in the House, and ask him or her to support the American Clean Energy and Security Act.

Tonight: Help Create a Clean Energy Economy

Christopher Hass — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 17:19:28 EDT

OFA Political Director Addisu Demissie just sent out the following update to the President's message on the American Clean Energy and Security Act:

Any minute now, Congress will vote on historic climate change legislation that will transform the way we use and produce energy in America.

The American Clean Energy and Security Act creates a framework of clean energy incentives that will spur the development of new technologies -- innovations that have the potential to create millions of new, good green jobs that can't be shipped overseas.

But its passage out of the House is in jeopardy -- will you make a call today to ensure that it passes?

Click here to find your representative's number.
And after you've made your call, let us know whether or not your representative committed to supporting this legislation.

Making sure this bill passes the House is an important first step towards a comprehensive energy policy that breaks our dependence on foreign oil, reduces dangerous carbon pollution, and will help create millions of new, green jobs here at home.

Call your representative today, and help ensure that this crucial legislation passes.

Then let us know how the call went, so we can keep track of where your representative stands:

http://my.barackobama.com/energycall

Thank you,

Addisu

Addisu Demissie
Political Director
Organizing for America

President Obama on the Importance of Passing Historic Energy Bill

Christopher Hass — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 13:55:46 EDT

In advance of an expected vote in the House of Representatives on historic energy legislation, the President will deliver remarks from the White House lawn.

You can watch a live stream of the President's remarks at WhiteHouse.gov/live.

UPDATED: From the Associated Press:

President Barack Obama is pressing again for passage of legislation that would confront the problem of global warming head-on.
Speaking in the Rose Garden of the White House, Obama said Washington must not miss the opportunity to work on cleaning the air and at the same time creating new "green" energy jobs. He called the measure "a jobs bill" and said the country for far too long has been too reliant on energy from fossil fuels.

The American Clean Energy and Security Act creates a framework of clean energy incentives that will spur the development of new technologies, and has the potential to create millions of new, good green jobs. The vote in the House is expected to be close, and could take place within the next 24 hours.

If you have a moment, you can use our online tool to contact your representative and ask him or her or support the American Clean Energy and Security Act. And after you've made your call, let us know whether or not your representative is committed to supporting this legislation.

The President and Health Care Reform on Prime Time TV

Christopher Hass — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 08:07:31 EDT

Last night, President Obama played host to ABC News and a 164 Americans from around the country at a special prime time White House in prime. The hour long program was dedicated to answering tough questions and concerns on the President’s proposals to reduce health care costs and provide quality health care for all Americans. The conversation then continued for an additional hour on Nightline, where the President discussed how the choice of a public option will affect you and your family.

We'll have more on last night's event later on, but you can watch clips from the program on ABC's website.

Message from the First Lady: "Serving together"

Christopher Hass — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 15:27:38 EDT

From First Lady Michelle Obama:

National and community service has been a cornerstone of my life, as I know it has been for many Americans. And with the daily struggles now confronting so many families, it's especially important for us to reach out to one another and offer a helping hand.

I've just launched United We Serve, a national initiative to tackle our toughest problems by working hand-in-hand in communities across the country. We aim to make a real difference right now and bring more and more Americans into a tradition of life-long service to make an even greater difference down the road.

I'd like to invite you to be a part of it by joining Organizing for America's National Health Care Day of Service this weekend. You can join up with other local OFA supporters to help improve health care services in your community and make a difference as we work to reform America's health care system.

Sign up now to participate in a National Health Care Day of Service event this Saturday, June 27th.
There's an old Thomas Edison quote I've always liked: "Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work." It's no secret that our country faces some enormous challenges right now, and meeting them will take a lot of hard work. But in that work lies an equally great opportunity -- a chance to serve. And I do believe the chance to serve is a precious gift indeed.

Service has played a transformative role in my life -- bringing me tremendous joy and helping me find the path that led to where I am today. As a parent, I believe service is a great way to demonstrate values and to teach our children firsthand what it means to commit to a purpose beyond ourselves.

It should be a part of everyone's life. From the moment someone can walk to the day they leave this planet, service should be a part of how we give back, how we say thank you, how we express our gratitude for the lives that we've been given.

So I'm deeply honored for this chance to support our United We Serve initiative and Organizing for America, and I hope you'll be able to participate this weekend.
Please sign up now to volunteer at a local event.

Thank you,

First Lady Michelle Obama

Tonight: Health Care Town Hall with President Obama on ABC

Christopher Hass — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 13:33:39 EDT

President Obama will be hosting a special Health Care Town Hall at the White House today, that will air on ABC tonight at 10:00 PM Eastern.

"Clean Energy, Green Jobs and Climate"

Christopher Hass — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 13:14:59 EDT

From the Democrats.org blog:

The Obama Administration is dispatching cabinet secretaries and senior officials around the country this week to highlight the need for comprehensive energy legislation that makes us more energy independent, reduces climate change-causing greenhouse gas emissions and creates millions of green jobs.
... In the lead up to the vote a diverse coalition of stakeholders have ramped up their efforts to build support for the bill. Late last week, the Political Economy Research Institute (PERI) at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, the Center for American Progress (CAP), Green for All and the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) released two reports that outline how investments in a clean-energy economy will produce significant economic and job creation benefits.
-- The Economic Benefits of Investing in Clean Energy: How the Economic Stimulus Program and New Legislation Can Boost U.S. Economic Growth and Employment: Report explains how the investment of $150 billion annually, through public spending and private investment, would produce a net gain of 1.7 million new jobs. CAP compiled state-by-state fact sheets of clean energy jobs creation.
-- Green Prosperity: How Clean-Energy Policies Can Fight Poverty and Raise Living Standards in the United States: Report shows that shifting from traditional fossil fuel to clean energy will improve the standard of living for millions of Americans across all skill and education levels, especially among lower-income families.
In Case You Missed It: Last week, the White House also released a new report from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) about the potential impact of climate change in the United States. The report lays out – in layman’s terms – how failure to take action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions will result in significant changes to temperatures, rainfall patterns and sea level. Grist.org had a good round up.

Last month, the American Clean Energy and Security Act (also known as Waxman-Markey), cleared the Energy and Commerce Committee. Yesterday the bill was added to the schedule for the House of Representatives, and could come up for a vote by the end of the week.

Streaming Live at 12:30: The President's News Conference

Christopher Hass — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 11:56:07 EDT

From WhiteHouse.gov:

The President will be holding a news conference today at 12:30 in the White House Rose Garden. He will be discussing topics ranging from the energy legislation moving through Congress, to Iran, to health care and the economy. As always, watch it streamed at WhiteHouse.gov/live, or go to our "White House Live" Facebook application where you can watch and discuss it with others.

Open Thread: Rolling Up Your Sleeves

Christopher Hass — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 09:42:45 EDT

President Obama to Sign Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act

Christopher Hass — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 12:50:19 EDT

President Obama will sign an historic bill into law this afternoon, giving the Food and Drug Administration authority to regulate tobacco for the first time. The Huffington Post reported:

The law allows the FDA to reduce nicotine in tobacco products, ban candy flavorings and block labels such "low tar" and "light." Tobacco companies also will be required to cover their cartons with large graphic warnings.

The law won't let the FDA ban nicotine or tobacco outright, but the agency will be able to regulate what goes into tobacco products, make public the ingredients and prohibit marketing campaigns, especially those geared toward children.

Anti-smoking advocates looked forward to the bill after years of attempts to control an industry so fundamental to the U.S. that carved tobacco leaves adorn some parts of the Capitol.

You can watch the signing live from the Rose Garden at WhiteHouse.gov/live, starting at 2:00 PM Eastern.

UPDATED: From the President's remarks at the signing:

The legislation I'm signing today represents change that's been decades in the making. Since at least the middle of the last century, we've known about the harmful and often deadly effects of tobacco products. More than 400,000 Americans now die of tobacco-related illnesses each year, making it the leading cause of preventable death in the United States. More than 8 million Americans suffer from at least one serious illness caused by smoking. And these health problems cost us all more than $100 billion a year.

What's even worse are the effects on our children. One out of every five children in our country are now current smokers by the time they leave high school. Think about that statistic: One out of every five children in our country are now current smokers by the time they leave high school. Each day, 1,000 young people under the age of 18 become new, regular, daily smokers. And almost 90 percent of all smokers began at or before their 18th birthday.

I know -- I was one of these teenagers, and so I know how difficult it can be to break this habit when it's been with you for a long time. And I also know that kids today don't just start smoking for no reason. They're aggressively targeted as customers by the tobacco industry. They're exposed to a constant and insidious barrage of advertising where they live, where they learn, and where they play. Most insidiously, they are offered products with flavorings that mask the taste of tobacco and make it even more tempting.

We've known about this for decades, but despite the best efforts and good progress made by so many leaders and advocates with us today, the tobacco industry and its special interest lobbying have generally won the day up on the Hill. When Henry Waxman first brought tobacco CEOs before Congress in 1994, they famously denied that tobacco was deadly, nicotine was addictive, or that their companies marketed to children. And they spent millions upon millions in lobbying and advertising to fight back every attempt to expose these denials as lies.

Fifteen years later, their campaign has finally failed. Today, thanks to the work of Democrats and Republicans, health care and consumer advocates, the decades-long effort to protect our children from the harmful effects of tobacco has emerged victorious.
...When I ran for President, I did so because I believed that despite the power of the status quo and the influence of special interests, it was possible for us to bring change to Washington.

Read the text of the full remarks . . .

Open Thread: Fatherhood

Christopher Hass — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 19:11:33 EDT

A Father's Day Message from the President

Christopher Hass — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 09:21:42 EDT

Today's issue of PARADE magazine includes a special Father's Day article written by President Obama, reflecting on the importance and responsibility of fatherhood. "On this Father’s Day, I think back to the day I drove Michelle and a newborn Malia home from the hospital nearly 11 years ago," the President writes, "I think about the pledge I made to her that day: that I would give her what I never had—that if I could be anything in life, I would be a good father."

As the father of two young girls who have shown such poise, humor, and patience in the unconventional life into which they have been thrust, I mark this Father’s Day—our first in the White House—with a deep sense of gratitude. One of the greatest benefits of being President is that I now live right above the office. I see my girls off to school nearly every morning and have dinner with them nearly every night. It is a welcome change after so many years out on the campaign trail and commuting between Chicago and Capitol Hill.

But I observe this Father’s Day not just as a father grateful to be present in my daughters’ lives but also as a son who grew up without a father in my own life. My father left my family when I was 2 years old, and I knew him mainly from the letters he wrote and the stories my family told. And while I was lucky to have two wonderful grandparents who poured everything they had into helping my mother raise my sister and me, I still felt the weight of his absence throughout my childhood.

As an adult, working as a community organizer and later as a legislator, I would often walk through the streets of Chicago’s South Side and see boys marked by that same absence—boys without supervision or direction or anyone to help them as they struggled to grow into men. I identified with their frustration and disengagement—with their sense of having been let down.

In many ways, I came to understand the importance of fatherhood through its absence—both in my life and in the lives of others. I came to understand that the hole a man leaves when he abandons his responsibility to his children is one that no government can fill. We can do everything possible to provide good jobs and good schools and safe streets for our kids, but it will never be enough to fully make up the difference.

That is why we need fathers to step up, to realize that their job does not end at conception; that what makes you a man is not the ability to have a child but the courage to raise one.

As fathers, we need to be involved in our children’s lives not just when it’s convenient or easy, and not just when they’re doing well—but when it’s difficult and thankless, and they’re struggling. That is when they need us most.

And it’s not enough to just be physically present. Too often, especially during tough economic times like these, we are emotionally absent: distracted, consumed by what’s happening in our own lives, worried about keeping our jobs and paying our bills, unsure if we’ll be able to give our kids the same opportunities we had.

Our children can tell. They know when we’re not fully there. And that disengagement sends a clear message—whether we mean it or not—about where among our priorities they fall.

So we need to step out of our own heads and tune in. We need to turn off the television and start talking with our kids, and listening to them, and understanding what’s going on in their lives.

We need to set limits and expectations. We need to replace that video game with a book and make sure that homework gets done. We need to say to our daughters, Don’t ever let images on TV tell you what you are worth, because I expect you to dream without limit and reach for your goals. We need to tell our sons, Those songs on the radio may glorify violence, but in our house, we find glory in achievement, self-respect, and hard work.

We need to realize that we are our children’s first and best teachers. When we are selfish or inconsiderate, when we mistreat our wives or girlfriends, when we cut corners or fail to control our tempers, our children learn from that—and it’s no surprise when we see those behaviors in our schools or on our streets.

But it also works the other way around. When we work hard, treat others with respect, spend within our means, and contribute to our communities, those are the lessons our children learn. And that is what so many fathers are doing every day—coaching soccer and Little League, going to those school assemblies and parent-teacher conferences, scrimping and saving and working that extra shift so their kids can go to college. They are fulfilling their most fundamental duty as fathers: to show their children, by example, the kind of people they want them to become.

It is rarely easy. There are plenty of days of struggle and heartache when, despite our best efforts, we fail to live up to our responsibilities. I know I have been an imperfect father. I know I have made mistakes. I have lost count of all the times, over the years, when the demands of work have taken me from the duties of fatherhood. There were many days out on the campaign trail when I felt like my family was a million miles away, and I knew I was missing moments of my daughters’ lives that I’d never get back. It is a loss I will never fully accept.

But on this Father’s Day, I think back to the day I drove Michelle and a newborn Malia home from the hospital nearly 11 years ago—crawling along, miles under the speed limit, feeling the weight of my daughter’s future resting in my hands. I think about the pledge I made to her that day: that I would give her what I never had—that if I could be anything in life, I would be a good father. I knew that day that my own life wouldn’t count for much unless she had every opportunity in hers. And I knew I had an obligation, as we all do, to help create those opportunities and leave a better world for her and all our children.

On this Father’s Day, I am recommitting myself to that work, to those duties that all parents share: to build a foundation for our children’s dreams, to give them the love and support they need to fulfill them, and to stick with them the whole way through, no matter what doubts we may feel or difficulties we may face. That is my prayer for all of us on this Father’s Day, and that is my hope for this nation in the months and years ahead. -- President Barack Obama

PARADE magazine also featured a special behind the scenes look on how today's article from the President came about.

The President's Weekly Address

Christopher Hass — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 09:14:07 EDT

On the Ground: Nebraska

Christopher Hass — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 20:28:03 EDT

From OFA Nebraska State Director Timothy Anderson:

The fight to fix our broken health care system is heating up... Our opponents have beaten back reform in the past, and they're ready again with seasoned lobbyists and big-money donors. But we've shown them before what our movement is capable of.

This weekend, we will show them again. Nebraskans will take our message door-to-door in canvasses all across the state -- from Omaha to Kearney, Lincoln to Scottsbluff -- asking their neighbors to sign on in support of the President's principles for health care reform.

... When regular folks get together, and organize door-by-door, block-by-block, and neighborhood-by-neighborhood, we can build a movement from coast-to-coast. It's how we won a historic election -- and how we'll bring real change to America.

We'll have more coverage from the Nebraska health care canvasses tomorrow. If you're on the ground in Nebraska, be sure to report back in the comments or email your photos and stories to blog@barackobama.com

LIVE: A Town Hall Conversation on Fatherhood

Christopher Hass — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 14:42:48 EDT

President Obama is scheduled to participate in a conversation on fatherhood today in the East Room, starting at 2:45 PM Eastern. The President will be joined by five fathers from a diversity of backgrounds who will be discussing their personal stories and commitment to fatherhood and personal responsibility. The session will also include questions from the audience.

You can watch the event live at WhiteHouse.gov/live.

Open Thread: Serve.gov

Christopher Hass — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 09:41:10 EDT

Take part in the OFA National Health Care Day of Service on June 27th.

Message from David Plouffe: "100,000"

Christopher Hass — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 17:01:01 EDT

This morning, David Plouffe sent out an email in response to President Obama's message to supporters:

We've seen a tremendous response to President Obama's email this week and, as of today, an important milestone is within reach -- 100,000 donors to OFA's health care campaign.

Many are new supporters who did not donate to last year's campaign but know how critical it is to end the broken status quo on health care.

Reaching 100,000 donors will send an unmistakable signal to the opponents of reform: the movement you built is prepared to knock on as many doors, call as many neighbors, and sacrifice as much time and energy as necessary to make health care reform a reality.

Will you donate $25 or more today and put us over the top?

Thank you,

David Plouffe

LIVE: White House Health Reform Chat at 2:30 PM Eastern

Christopher Hass — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 12:37:08 EDT

Today, Nancy-Ann DeParle, Director of the White House Office of Health Reform, and Michael Hash, Senior Adviser in the Office of Health Reform, will be hosting a meeting with physicians to discuss the importance of health reform this year. The meeting is another in a series of White House Stakeholder Discussions, and the physicians will discuss how prevention and wellness initiatives can keep Americans healthy, help prevent disease and illness, and lower health care costs.

For this meeting, the White House is trying out a new online chat feature that will allow you to watch the event live and ask questions through Facebook or the White House website. You can participate in the chat and watch the discussion at http://apps.facebook.com/whitehouselive, or www.whitehouse.gov/live.

The discussion with physicians and our online chat will begin today at 2:30 PM Eastern.

President Obama Issues Memorandum on Federal Benefits and Non-Discrimination for Same-Sex Parnters: "This is just a start"

Christopher Hass — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 20:22:19 EDT

President Obama just concluded signing a Presidential Memorandum directing the Secretary of State and the Director of the Office of Personnel Management to extend benefits to the same-sex partners of Federal employees, where doing so can be achieved consistent with Federal law. The President also added:

This Presidential Memorandum is just a start. Unfortunately, my Administration is not authorized by existing Federal law to provide same-sex couples with the full range of benefits enjoyed by heterosexual married couples. That's why I stand by my long-standing commitment to work with Congress to repeal the so-called Defense of Marriage Act. It's discriminatory, it interferes with States' rights, and it's time we overturned it.

Here's the full text of the President's statement:

In 2007, Michael Guest, the first openly gay Ambassador confirmed by the United States Senate, resigned from the Foreign Service. He loved his career, but he had to leave it in the end -- because he believed that the country he served was failing to implement the principles of equality it espoused abroad. His partner was ineligible for training provided to Ambassadorial spouses; he bore the costs of his partner's transportation to his placements abroad; and his partner did not receive the overseas benefits and allowances given to spouses of Ambassadors.

It is too late to prevent Ambassador Guest from having to make the choice he made, but today I am proud to issue a Presidential Memorandum that will go a long way toward achieving equality for many of the hard-working, dedicated, and patriotic LGBT Americans serving in our Federal Government -- Americans like Ambassador Guest. In consultation with Secretary Clinton, who in her role as Secretary of State oversees our foreign service employees, and Office of Personnel Management Director John Berry, who oversees human resource management for our civil service employees, my Administration has identified a number of areas in which greater equality can be achieved under existing law by extending to the same-sex partners of Federal employees many of the same benefits already available to the spouses of heterosexual Federal employees. I am therefore requesting the Secretary of State and the Director of the Office of Personnel Management to extend the benefits they have identified to the same-sex partners of Federal employees where doing so can be achieved consistent with Federal law. I am also requesting the heads of all other executive departments and agencies to conduct a review of the benefits they administer to determine which may legally be extended to same-sex partners.

But this Presidential Memorandum is just a start. Unfortunately, my Administration is not authorized by existing Federal law to provide same-sex couples with the full range of benefits enjoyed by heterosexual married couples. That's why I stand by my long-standing commitment to work with Congress to repeal the so-called Defense of Marriage Act. It's discriminatory, it interferes with States' rights, and it's time we overturned it.

I am also proud to announce my support for an important piece of legislation introduced in both Houses of Congress last month -- the Domestic Partners Benefits and Obligations Act of 2009. This legislation will extend to the same-sex partners of Federal employees the same benefits already enjoyed by the opposite-sex spouses of Federal employees. The legislation has a number of co-sponsors in both Houses of Congress, but among those many sponsors, I want to recognize one in particular -- Representative Tammy Baldwin, who has been a real leader on this issue, and more broadly on the LGBT struggle for equality. Representative Baldwin, I look forward to working with you to achieve the important objectives set out in this bill as it moves through the legislative process. I also look forward to working with the bill's Senate champions, Senators Lieberman and Collins; I know that they will approach this process with the same spirit of cooperation in pursuit of our shared goals that they bring to all of their work in the Senate.

Extending equal benefits to the same-sex partners of Federal employees is the right thing to do. It is also sound economic policy. Many top employers in the private sector already offer benefits to the same-sex partners of their employees; those companies recognize that offering partner benefits helps them compete for and retain the brightest and most talented employees. The Federal Government is at a disadvantage on that score right now, and change is long overdue.

As Americans, we are all affected when our promises of equality go unfulfilled. Through measures like the Presidential Memorandum I am issuing today and the Domestic Partners Benefits and Obligations Act of 2009, we will advance the principles upon which our Nation was founded and continue to perfect our Union.

The President's Plan for Financial Regulatory Reform: "A careful balance"

Christopher Hass — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 18:05:10 EDT

Today President Obama announced the details of a proposed plan to reform the financial regulatory system, the culmination of a months-long process that included the President, his economic team, experienced regulators, and leaders in Congress. In his remarks, the President explained:

It is an indisputable fact that one of the most significant contributors to our economic downturn was a unraveling of major financial institutions and the lack of adequate regulatory structures to prevent abuse and excess. A culture of irresponsibility took root from Wall Street to Washington to Main Street. And a regulatory regime basically crafted in the wake of a 20th century economic crisis -- the Great Depression -- was overwhelmed by the speed, scope, and sophistication of a 21st century global economy.
...Now, we all know the result: the bursting of a debt-based bubble; the failure of several of the world's largest financial institutions; the sudden decline in available credit; the deterioration of the economy; the unprecedented intervention of the federal government to stabilize the financial markets and prevent a wider collapse; and most importantly, the terrible pain in the lives of ordinary Americans. And there are retirees who've lost much of their life savings, families devastated by job losses, small businesses forced to shut their doors.

Millions of Americans who've worked hard and behaved responsibly have seen their life dreams eroded by the irresponsibility of others and by the failure of their government to provide adequate oversight. Our entire economy has been undermined by that failure.

So the question is, what do we do now? We did not choose how this crisis began, but we do have a choice in the legacy this crisis leaves behind. So today, my administration is proposing a sweeping overhaul of the financial regulatory system, a transformation on a scale not seen since the reforms that followed the Great Depression.

...In these efforts, we seek a careful balance. I've always been a strong believer in the power of the free market. It has been and will remain the engine of America's progress -- the source of prosperity that's unrivaled in history. I believe that jobs are best created not by government, but by businesses and entrepreneurs who are willing to take a risk on a good idea. I believe that our role is not to disparage wealth, but to expand its reach; not to stifle the market, but to strengthen its ability to unleash the creativity and innovation that still make this nation the envy of the world.

That's our goal -- to restore markets in which we reward hard work and responsibility and innovation, not recklessness and greed; in which honest, vigorous competition is the system -- in the system is prized, and those who game the system are thwarted.

Some of the specifics outlined by the President in his proposal today included:

• Providing clear accountability in financial oversight and supervision. Financial institutions that are critical to market functioning should be subject to strong oversight. No financial firm that poses a significant risk to the financial system should be unregulated or regulated only weakly.

• Establishing comprehensive supervision of financial markets. Our major financial markets must be strong enough to withstand both system-wide stress and the failure of one or more large institutions.

• Protecting consumers and investors from financial abuse. To rebuild trust in our markets, we need strong and consistent regulation and supervision of consumer financial services and investment markets. We should base this oversight not on speculation or abstract models, but on actual data about how people make financial decisions. We must promote transparency, simplicity, fairness, accountability, and access.

• Providing the government with the tools it needs to manage financial crises. We need to be sure the government has the tools it needs to manage crises, if and when they arise, so that we are not left with untenable choices between bailouts and financial collapse.

Read the President's full remarks . . .

President Obama to Announce Plan for Comprehensive Financial Regulatory Reform

Christopher Hass — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 11:59:52 EDT

This afternoon, President Obama will lay out a comprehensive regulatory reform plan to modernize and protect the integrity of our financial system. While the current financial crisis has had many causes, it is clear that the government could have done more to prevent these problems from growing out of control and threatening our overall economy.

The President is scheduled to deliver remarks at 12:50 PM Eastern, and will be joined by Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner, representatives from the regulatory community, consumer groups, the financial industry and members of Congress. We'll have more coverage of the announcement later in the day.

Open Thread

Christopher Hass — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 21:17:37 EDT

PHOTO: President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden meet in the Oval Office Wednesday, June 10, 2009 with (from left) Senate Finance Committee Chairman Sen. Max Baucus, (D-Mont.) Sen. Michael Enzi, (R-Wyo.) the ranking member on the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions, Sen. Charles Grassley, (R-Iowa) the ranking member of the Senate Finance Committee, and Sen. Chris Dodd, (D-Conn.), the senior member of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions to discuss health care reform.

Message from the President: "This is why"

Christopher Hass — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 12:47:17 EDT

This morning, President Obama sent the following email to supporters:

Last year, millions of Americans came together for a great purpose.

Folks like you assembled a grassroots movement that shocked the political establishment and changed the course of our nation. When Washington insiders counted us out, we put it all on the line and changed our democracy from the bottom up. But that's not why we did it.

The pundits told us it was impossible -- that the donations working people could afford and the hours volunteers could give would never loosen the vise grip of big money and powerful special interests. We proved them wrong. But as important as that was, that's not why we did it.

Today, spiraling health care costs are pushing our families and businesses to the brink of ruin, while millions of Americans go without the care they desperately need. Fixing this broken system will be enormously difficult. But we can succeed. The chance to make fundamental change like this in people's daily lives -- that is why we did it.

The campaign to pass real health care reform in 2009 is the biggest test of our movement since the election. Once again, victory is far from certain. Our opposition will be fierce, and they have been down this road before. To prevail, we must once more build a coast-to-coast operation ready to knock on doors, deploy volunteers, get out the facts, and show the world how real change happens in America.

And just like before, I cannot do it without your support.

So I'm asking you to remember all that you gave over the last two years to get us here -- all the time, resources, and faith you invested as a down payment to earn us our place at this crossroads in history. All that you've done has led up to this -- and whether or not our country takes the next crucial step depends on what you do right now.

Will you donate whatever you can afford to support the campaign for real health care reform in 2009?

It doesn't matter how much you can give, as long as you give what you can. Millions of families on the brink are counting on us to do just that. I know we can deliver.

Thank you, so much, for getting us this far. And thank you for standing up once again to take us the rest of the way.

Sincerely,

President Barack Obama

Creigh Deeds for Virginia

Christopher Hass — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 09:07:48 EDT

Yesterday, President Obama sent out an email congratulating Creigh Deeds on his victory in the Democratic primary for Governor of Virginia:

Last Tuesday, Creigh Deeds won the Democratic primary for Governor of Virginia. In a hard-fought race, Creigh ran a terrific campaign and beat two fierce competitors by winning votes in every corner of the Commonwealth.

I know a thing or two about tough primaries, and I know a thing or two about running tough races in Virginia. Creigh Deeds' victory once again shows the power of people at the grassroots to win elections and bring about lasting change -- and he will be a better candidate this fall because of his hard work to win the nomination.

Creigh has been a dedicated public servant his entire life. As a county prosecutor and state legislator, he's been a strong advocate for economic development, high-quality education, and affordable health care -- and he's gone to great lengths to protect the environment and institute smart public transportation.

Now he needs your help to make sure Democrats retain the Virginia governorship. Please visit his website and get involved today.

Creigh has an ability to bring people together, build consensus and deliver results. He will bring the same bipartisan, pragmatic approach to politics that former Governor and now Senator Mark Warner and my friend Governor Tim Kaine used to help Virginia move forward over the past eight years.

I know that approach works because I've spent some time in your great Commonwealth. In my experience, Democratic candidates with a pragmatic approach to solving problems can be successful. That's the approach my campaign took last November to put Virginia in the Democratic column for the first time since 1964. And that's how Creigh Deeds will win this fall.

Learn more about Creigh, and get involved today:

http://www.deedsforvirginia.com

I look forward to working with Creigh to keep the Commonwealth strong and to bring about the economic recovery and renewed prosperity Virginians demand and deserve.

Sincerely,

President Barack Obama

President Obama at the American Medical Association: "The cost of inaction is greater"

Christopher Hass — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 19:29:43 EDT

President Obama spoke to a crowd of over 2,200 medical professionals at the American Medical Association's annual meeting in Chicago today. The President reiterated that health care reform that brings down costs can't wait another year or another administration:

When it comes to the cost of our health care, then, the status quo is unsustainable. Reform is not a luxury, but a necessity. I know there has been much discussion about what reform would cost, and rightly so. This is a test of whether we – Democrats and Republicans alike – are serious about holding the line on new spending and restoring fiscal discipline.

But let there be no doubt – the cost of inaction is greater. If we fail to act, premiums will climb higher, benefits will erode further, and the rolls of uninsured will swell to include millions more Americans.

If we fail to act, one out of every five dollars we earn will be spent on health care within a decade. In thirty years, it will be about one out of every three – a trend that will mean lost jobs, lower take-home pay, shuttered businesses, and a lower standard of living for all Americans.

During his speech, President Obama reiterated the core promise and principle of the reform effort -- that people who like their health care can keep it, and that the President wants a plan that fixes what’s broken with our system and builds on what works.

The first thing we need to do is protect what’s working in our health care system. Let me repeat – if you like your health care, the only thing reform will mean is your health care will cost less. If anyone says otherwise, they are either trying to mislead you or don’t have their facts straight.

If you don’t like your health coverage or don’t have any insurance, you will have a chance to take part in what we’re calling a Health Insurance Exchange. This Exchange will allow you to one-stop shop for a health care plan, compare benefits and prices, and choose a plan that’s best for you and your family – just as federal employees can do, from a postal worker to a Member of Congress. You will have your choice of a number of plans that offer a few different packages, but every plan would offer an affordable, basic package. And one of these options needs to be a public option that will give people a broader range of choices and inject competition into the health care market so that force waste out of the system and keep the insurance companies honest.

Read the President's full remarks . . .

LIVE: President's Remarks at the AMA Annual Conference

Christopher Hass — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 12:05:29 EDT

President Obama is scheduled to deliver remarks on health care reform at the annual meeting of the American Medical Association at the Hyatt Regency Chicago today, starting at 12:15 Eastern. You can listen to iive audio from the event at WhiteHouse.gov/live.

UPDATED: The event is over, but we'll have more coverage of the President's speech later in the day.

Video: President Obama's Health Care Town Hall in Green Bay

Christopher Hass — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 07:53:45 EDT

In case you missed it, here's the full video of the President's Health Care Town Hall, held last Thursday in Green Bay, Wisconsin:

National Health Care Day of Service

Christopher Hass — Sun, 14 Jun 2009 12:03:53 EDT

From OFA Director Mitch Stewart:

We're working hard together to help pass real health care reform by the end of the year. We also know that for so many people in our communities, America's broken health care system is a daily crisis -- but there are ways that we can help right now.

So we're organizing a National Health Care Day of Service. On Saturday, June 27th, in thousands of communities across the country, Organizing for America volunteers will roll up our sleeves, raise awareness about the urgent need for reform, and do what we can to improve vital health care services for people in need. Join us!

Learn more and sign up to organize or participate in a National Health Care Day of Service event near you.
The individual projects will differ from area to area, depending on what's needed most.

Some groups will organize blood drives to boost local supplies and save lives. Others will volunteer at local clinics that provide free or discount services to those in need.

In some areas, we'll be helping low-income parents get information about how to enroll their children in their state's Children's Health Insurance Program. And some of us will run healthy food drives to promote health awareness and fight hunger in our communities.

You don't need to be an expert to help out. No matter which way you serve, you'll be connecting with like-minded supporters in your area, helping those who might otherwise fall through the cracks of the current system, and at the same time building awareness and support for the comprehensive health care reform our country so desperately needs.

And you'll be doing it all in your own community, helping out those near you who need it the most.

Please sign up today.

Organizing for America was launched after last year's campaign to pursue the same ultimate goal: improving the lives of our fellow Americans. That's what motivates our work together to help pass comprehensive health care reform, and it's why we're working together on the 27th to serve those in need. I hope you can join in.

Thank you for your service,

Mitch

Mitch Stewart
Director
Organizing for America

P.S. -- Have an idea for how to address the health care needs in your community? Sign up to organize an event on the 27th, and we'll help connect you with other supporters in your area so you can make it happen.

Weekly Address: Health Care Reform and the Key to Our Fiscal Future

Christopher Hass — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 11:13:57 EDT

Guest Post: My Health Care Story, by Kristine Reger

Christopher Hass — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 17:48:08 EDT

Yesterday, the Democrats.org blog featured an excerpt from a story we received from Kristine Reger, a life-long Wisconsinite and mother of three who attended President Obama’s Health Care Town Hall in Green Bay. Today, we asked Kristine to write a guest post to share her full story:

Hi everyone. I submitted my health care story to Organizing for America online, and they’ve asked me to write a guest blog about my experience. Here's what I can tell you:

Though I'm a lifelong Democrat, my husband and I raised our three kids in a mostly Republican suburb. For years and years, I kind of rolled over and skirted political conversations with my friends and neighbors. I didn’t want to engage in debate.

Then last fall, after more than 20 years, I finally decided to have the courage of my convictions. Barack Obama inspired me to get involved. I wasn’t happy with the direction of our country and I thought to myself: enough is enough. I spent lots of time researching the issues and learning about then-Senator Obama’s positions. Eventually, I figured out that I could make a real difference in my own network of family and friends by reaching out to people through email and responding to all the emails going around that I knew weren’t true. You know what I learned? My friends are still my friends. People have started coming to me to understand what’s going on; they rely on me to tell them the truth.

Since the election, President Obama has inspired me to stay involved. I think he’s so sensible and so right on so many of the issues I care about. I woke up at 5am yesterday to attend the Health Care Town Hall in Green Bay. It was fascinating – great questions, so much excitement and not an inch of space in the room.

Unfortunately my health care story is not unique, it’s typical. My husband and his business partner run a small machine shop their fathers’ founded in the 1950s. They’ve always provided their employees with single and family coverage, but as premiums have become more expensive, they’ve been forced to modify the kind of coverage they provide. Between this year and last, costs have increased 8 percent. In order to continue to provide health insurance, they’ve had to switch to a high deducible plan. Last year, they paid $132,000 in health care costs for a plan with a $2,500 deductible. Those costs are cutting into their profits and eating into our family income. Truth be told, the policy isn’t all bad – there are actually some great things about it. For example, all our preventative care, including physicals, mammograms and colonoscopies, are covered regardless of whether or not we’ve reached our deductible. That focus on preventative care is great - its something a reform plan should build on. But when you add up all the costs of our plan, we have to spend an awful lot to receive any of the benefits.

It’s true that we’re in the midst of a terrible recession. But I don't think maintaining the status quo when it comes to health care is an option. I keep thinking if small businesses like my husband’s are the life blood of our economy, how will it ever bounce back when small business owners can’t eek out a profit because health care costs are so high?

Everyone I know cares about this issue – my Republican friends care just as much as my Democratic ones. We’re all living with the consequences of a broken system. Though we might not all agree on the exact solution, we all agree something has to be done. If people see a part of themselves in my story, and are inspired to get involved, then maybe we’ll be able to make the people in Washington pay attention to us and get something done.

Kristine Reger is a life-long Wisconsinite and mother of three. She worked as a high school English teacher before staying at home to raise her children for 19 years. She is currently a self-employed travel agent. Kristine attended President Obama’s Health Care Town Hall in Green Bay, WI on Thursday.

President Obama on Health Care Reform: "We fix what’s broken and build on what works"

Christopher Hass — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 14:11:21 EDT

Read the President's opening remarks . . .

Health Care Stories: Wisconsin

Christopher Hass — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 18:58:07 EDT

Over the last few weeks, we've collected hundreds of thousands of personal health care stories during the last few weeks. Today the Democrats.org blog featured three of these stories, in conjunction with the President's health care town hall in Green Bay:

Kristine Reger from Muskego, WI: Kristine’s husband owns a small business. He’s always prided himself on providing health insurance for his employees, but this year he’ll spend more than $125,000 on a plan with a $2,500 deductible for just nine people. Skyrocketing health care costs have wiped out his profit margin for the past several years, and it’ll happen again this year unless his business picks up considerably.
Kristine’s sister has a chronic disease. She was airlifted to the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota for care, and got stuck with a bill for $17,000. Without significant help from family, she never would have been able afford it.
Kristine attended the President’s Health Care Town Hall today in Green Bay. She also participated in a conference call yesterday with Rep. Steve Kagen (WI) and OFA Wisconsin State Director Dan Grandone. We posted the full audio here.
Michelle Winter from Green Bay, WI: Michelle co-owns a local jewelry shop and art gallery in Green Bay. She and her business partner opened the business with a $5,000 loan in 1991. Since that time, her partner has become a diabetic and requires regular check ups and prescription drugs to maintain his health. Their health insurance is $1,368, with a $5,000 deductible – more than 20 percent of what it cost to start their entire business. She’s worried that rising premiums will eventually sink her business.
Roxann Nys from Green Bay, WI: Roxann’s brother worked his whole life, but has never had health insurance. He suffers from diverticulitis and had to have emergency surgery to remove a portion of his intestine in order to save his life. Roxann thinks that if her brother had access to affordable care when he first started to feel sick, he might have been able to avoid expensive surgery. But now, he might never be able to pay off his bill and still can’t afford the care he needs for his chronic illness.

These personal stories are a powerful call for change. If you have a story to tell, you can share them here.

LIVE: Health Care Town Hall w/ President Obama

Christopher Hass — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 09:42:41 EDT

Today President Obama is traveling to Green Bay, Wisconsin for a town hall discussion on the need to reform our health care system. We'll have live coverage of the event starting at 12:10 PM Central Time.

UPDATED: The town hall has ended, but we'll have more coverage of today's event later in the day.

House and Senate Release Details on Initial Health Care Bills

Christopher Hass — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 18:47:34 EDT

In his first address to Congress, President Obama cited health care reform as one of his top priorities, and he called on Congress to move quickly to pass legislation before the end of this year. Congress answered the call, and yesterday both the House and the Senate made public information on their respective plans for the first time.

In the House, the three committees with jurisdiction (Ways and Means, Energy and Commerce, and Education and Labor) complied a three-page outline of their proposal. CQ Politics reported:

The plan would require individuals to obtain insurance and employers to help pay for it, and would create a government-run insurance plan that would compete with private insurers, according to the outline.

Leaders of the three committees briefed the full House Democratic Caucus on their outline Tuesday. “We will continue to seek input and work closely with our colleagues, outside stakeholders, and the administration and are on track to introduce legislation shortly, the trio said. “We anticipate committee action on health reform in the coming weeks, with legislation on the House floor prior to the August district work period.”

...The House Democratic plan would reorganize the private insurance market, creating a national Health Insurance Exchange where individuals or employers could obtain coverage, including from a government-run “public plan” if they wish. States would have the option of creating their own exchanges, instead of participating in the national exchange. Insurers would be prohibited from denying coverage based on pre-existing conditions and could not charge higher premiums based on gender, health status or occupation. Premiums would be higher for older people, but the increase would be limited.

The plan would cap out-of-pocket spending by patients to prevent bankruptcies due to medical costs. Some studies suggest that more than half of all personal bankruptcies are due to medical bills.

In the Senate the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee released a more detailed document on Tuesday. The 615 page document is not yet in its final form though, and additional components are expected to be released later in the week. The HELP Committee is chaired by Senator Ted Kennedy, but Senator Chris Dodd, the second-ranking Democrat, has had a large hand in drafting the bill while Kennedy continues to recover from brain cancer. The current version of the HELP bill can be read here.

The Huffington Post reported:

Kennedy's bill will get its first hearing on Thursday and is scheduled for a committee vote on Tuesday, June 16th.
Sen. Max Baucus (D-Mont.), chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, said Tuesday that a committee vote on a health care bill could come as early as the week after next. The battle over the future of health care in America now enters a span of several months as important as any in a generation.

As OFA Director Mitch Stewart said this morning, the future of American health care is now up for grabs.

Supporters Sign Judge Sotomayor's Virtual Cast

Amy Hamblin — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 15:36:11 EDT

Yesterday we asked you to leave a note for Supreme Court Nominee Judge Sotomayor who fractured her ankle on Monday. We've taken your notes and begun displaying them on a virtual cast for Judge Sotomayor ( the virtual cast is, in fact, a word cloud, which highlights the most commonly used words in your notes).

If you haven't already, please sign her virtual cast.

Here's a few notes in their entirety:

Sue from Camby, IN:

Even a fracture can't keep a good judge down! You go Judge Sotomayor....Show 'em what you're made of! Blessings to you!

Jeanny from Eau Claire, WI:

Wishing you all the best as you recover from your injury. You need to heal so you can bring your wisdom, courage, discernment, and compassion to the Supreme Court. Count me as in your corner all the way.

Rowan from Austin, TX:

Your Honor: Best wishes for a speedy recovery, and I look forward to celebrating your confirmation.

Penny from Mishawaka, IN:

I admire your character. You kept your schedule in spite of the fracture in your ankle. That showed character and should have given the people with which you met an insight into your dedication to commitments and obligations.

Meta from San Francisco:

I'm so sorry to hear of your injury, but seeing you today as you continue with your grueling schedule makes me smile to know of your incredible strength and determination.

Your nomination serves as constant inspiration to all of us. Please know that there is a whole nation behind you. I look forward to your tenure at the Supreme Court!

Saludos!

The Tools to Win on Health Care

Christopher Hass — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 14:08:24 EDT

From OFA Director Mitch Stewart:

The race to pass real health care reform in 2009 is heating up. Early drafts for a full proposal are already circulating in the Senate and in the House. While our opponents twist arms to weaken reform, the future of American health care is up for grabs.

That's why we're launching our Health Care Action Center. It's a one-stop shop for taking action and learning more to build support for real reform.

Using our simple online tools, you can find the latest info about the health care debate, declare your support for the President's principles, ensure that your representatives know exactly where you stand, and help educate and organize folks in your area. Whether you have 30 seconds or 30 minutes, you can make a huge difference at this crucial time.

Visit the Health Care Action Center and take the fight for health care reform into your own hands.
When the dust settles in Washington, will the final plan satisfy the President's call to reduce costs, guarantee choice, and ensure quality, affordable health care for every American? That depends on you.

When the lobbyists for the status quo walk out of a meeting with your representatives, will your representatives' phones start ringing with real constituents back home demanding action? They will if you call.

When your local news runs stories asking whether regular people are joining this fight, will they cover an event in your neighborhood? They will if you organize it.

And when the airwaves fill with ads featuring actors pretending that we don't need change, will your local paper run letters to the editor from real people who know why we can't wait? They will if you write one.

So please take the first step by visiting the Health Care Action Center today. You'll find everything you need to build support in Congress and your community, with as little or as much time as you have to give.

We'll continue updating the Action Center as this campaign unfolds, so consider this your personal homepage in the fight for health care reform.

We know how fierce the opposition will be -- we've seen it all before. But our opponents are about to face something new: The power of ordinary Americans who know firsthand that if we come together, we can achieve the extraordinary.

Thank you,

Mitch

Mitch Stewart
Director
Organizing for America

Video: Health Care Organizing Kickoff

Christopher Hass — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 09:39:11 EDT

Show your Support: Sign Judge Sotomayor's Virtual Cast

Amy Hamblin — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 14:28:46 EDT

Yesterday Supreme Court Nominee Judge Sonia Sotomayor fractured her ankle from a stumble she took in a New York airport. Despite the injury, she attended a meeting at the White House and met with senators on Capitol Hill. She didn't skip a beat.

You can show your support by leaving her a note in the comments section below. We’ll be compiling all the well wishes she receives and displaying them online as a sort of virtual cast for everyone to see.

Open Thread: 600,000

Christopher Hass — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 09:11:32 EDT

Organizing for Health Care: "This time it is going to be us who determine what happens"

Christopher Hass — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 10:49:33 EDT

This past weekend, grassroots supporters gathered at thousands of meetings across the country to kickoff a summer long campaign for health care reform. For Organizing for America, it was the largest post-campaign effort yet, but the timing and the issue couldn't be more urgent.

From the Boston Globe:

Barack Obama became president thanks to house parties like the thousands across the county this weekend, and thanks to activists who wrote checks and blogged and made phone calls to neighbors for the campaign. The agenda then was clear: Win the election.

Now Obama is reactivating his grass-roots political machine for a new purpose: Pass major legislation overhauling the nation's healthcare system.

From Reuters:

From a living room in Kansas to a bagel shop in New York to an Alabama church, Democrats have started mobilizing support for President Barack Obama's healthcare reform plans.

Suburban housewives and social workers mixed with Baptist ministers, college students, retirees and many others at grassroots gatherings over the weekend. Spurred by the Democratic National Committee's burgeoning political machine dubbed "Organizing for America," thousands of such meetings had been planned for Friday through Monday.

Those attending the scripted two-hour events viewed a videotaped message from Obama, shared personal stories and made local battle plans to counter the expected stiff opposition.

"It's going to be a vicious fight," said 76-year-old Hank Putsch who attended an organizing meeting on Saturday at a Kansas City restaurant. "The insurance companies and healthcare companies are gearing up to oppose this. We've got to get our voices heard."

Obama has declared this summer "make-or-break" time for healthcare reform and has called on Congress to pass comprehensive legislation by the end of the year, saying America can no longer afford the costs of a system dominated by profit-driven insurance and healthcare companies which leaves 46 million people uninsured.

Though he is leaving the details to Congress, Obama has said reform must ensure a public health insurance option operating alongside private plans, a reduction in basic costs, and assurance that no one is denied insurance.

"This is why we elected him," said Sarah Starnes, a hospital social worker who has volunteered to help campaign for the Obama plan in Missouri. "It used to be that we'd elect a president and then the lobbyists would determine what happened. This time it is going to be us who determine what happens."

Video: Health Care Organizing Kickoff

Christopher Hass — Sun, 07 Jun 2009 13:28:08 EDT

On Saturday, tens of thousands of people came together to organize for health care reform at thousands of Health Care Organizing Kickoff events across all fifty states. If you weren't able to attend one of the kickoffs, here's the special video recorded just for these events:

If you were able to make it to a kickoff this weekend, let us know how it went in the comments below . . .

Remembering D-Day: "The hour for which we were born"

Christopher Hass — Sat, 06 Jun 2009 19:59:11 EDT

Photo: Omaha Beach, 6 June 1944

In Normandy this morning, President Obama spoke at the 65th Anniversary Ceremony of D-Day, the Allied invasion of Normandy:

Lyndon Johnson once said that there are certain moments when "history and fate meet at a single time in a single place to shape a turning point in man's unending search for freedom."

D-Day was such a moment. One newspaper noted that "we have come to the hour for which we were born." Had the Allies failed here, Hitler's occupation of this continent might have continued indefinitely. Instead, victory here secured a foothold in France. It opened a path to Berlin. It made possible the achievements that followed the liberation of Europe: the Marshall Plan, the NATO alliance, the shared prosperity and security that flowed from each.

It was unknowable then, but so much of the progress that would define the 20th century, on both sides of the Atlantic, came down to the battle for a slice of beach only six miles long and two miles wide.

More particularly, it came down to the men who landed here -- those who now rest in this place for eternity, and those who are with us here today. Perhaps more than any other reason, you, the veterans of that landing, are why we still remember what happened on D-Day. You're why we keep coming back.

For you remind us that in the end, human destiny is not determined by forces beyond our control. You remind us that our future is not shaped by mere chance or circumstance. Our history has always been the sum total of the choices made and the actions taken by each individual man and woman. It has always been up to us.

Read the President's full remarks . . .

Weekly Address: President Obama Calls for Real Health Care Reform

Christopher Hass — Sat, 06 Jun 2009 09:19:25 EDT

"What we can’t welcome is reform that just invests more money in the status quo – reform that throws good money after bad habits."

This Saturday, Health Care Reform Starts in Your Town

Christopher Hass — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 12:56:25 EDT

From OFA Director Mitch Stewart:

"If we don't get it done this year, we're not going to get it done."

That's how President Obama -- briefing leading Organizing for America volunteers in our health care effort -- described our fight to pass real health care reform in 2009.

This campaign could not be more important or more urgent. And this weekend, it's coming to a living room near you.

This Saturday, June 6th, supporters like you are organizing Health Care Organizing Kickoffs all over the country. This is your chance to join up with local supporters, get the facts, make a plan for building support in your neighborhood, and start putting that plan into action.

Sign up to attend a Health Care Organizing Kickoff near you.
The health care campaign is really heating up. Just yesterday, the President wrote Congress to re-emphasize his principles for reform: reduce costs, guarantee choice -- including the choice of a public insurance option -- and ensure quality care for all.

Now it's up to us to build a groundswell of grassroots pressure strong enough to get it done.

President Obama put it best on the call: "This is our big chance," he said, "to prove that the movement that started during the campaign isn't over -- we're just getting started."

So this Saturday, June 6th, that's exactly what we're going to do -- but it can't happen without you.

Please RSVP for a Health Care Organizing Kickoff near you.

Thank you,

Mitch

Mitch Stewart
Director
Organizing for America

LIVE: Health Care Stakeholder Discussion on Women's Health Care Issues

Christopher Hass — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 11:07:36 EDT

Steaming live now on WhiteHouse.gov...

Health Care Organizing Kickoff Hosts: Meet Jack from Los Angeles

Amy Hamblin — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 18:20:02 EDT

Jack from Los Angeles, CA hasn’t slowed down since the election. His Health Care Organizing Kickoff this Saturday is his sixth event he's planned since November and each time new people come. He’s expecting about 40-50 people to attend this time, a mix of familiar faces from the campaign, community organizers and people new to the Obama network.

They'll be meeting to talk health care reform at Pasquale's Cafe in Los Angeles -- a pro-Obama restaurant that will be dishing out free slices of a special pizza dubbed, "The Michelle," to attendees. The pizza is named in honor of the First Lady for its use of organic ingredients and vegetables grown in a local community garden.

As Jack and his other guests scarf down pizza and craft a health care reform outreach plan, tens of thousands of other people will be gathering in living rooms, community centers and coffee shops across the country. At these kickoffs, people will watch a special message from the President, meet other local supporters, craft a local outreach plan and start to put those plans into action. If you haven’t already, sign up to attend a kickoff in your area.

For Jack, the goal for his kickoff is simple – “to give every attendee the tools with which to go back to their neighborhoods, communities and social networks and rally support for the President's plan to reform health care.”

Jack feels the urgency. Last week, he was on a conference call with other top volunteers when President Obama told them that health care reform wouldn’t happen if it didn’t happen this year.

The President's "now or never" call to reform health care this year was truly inspiring... talk about the fierce urgency of now! I was particularly struck with how the President skillfully connected our nation's economic future with a reformation of health care. I had not considered this part of the health care issue and it will definitely be something I stress to my event guests - a safer, stronger, healthier, more prosperous America will -- in part -- be built on a pillar of health care reform.

Join Jack and thousands of other volunteers this weekend as we begin the fight to reform health care. Sign up to attend a kickoff in your area.

The President’s Speech in Cairo: A New Beginning

Christopher Hass — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 11:39:33 EDT

Here's the full video of President Obama's speech in Cairo this morning:

Shortly after the event, Senior Advisor to the President David Axelrod sent an email from Cairo encourage Americans to watch the President's historic speech:

We all know that there has been tension between the United States and some Muslim communities. But, as the President said this morning, if all sides face the sources of tension squarely and focus on mutual interests, we can find a new way forward.

...Majority-Muslim countries around the world are filled with extraordinary people who simply want to live their lives and see their children live better lives, just as in America. Indeed, part of what makes America great is having nearly seven million Muslim Americans living here today and enriching our culture and communities.

We can extend that kind of relationship abroad. It won't always be easy, but if we make an effort to bridge our differences rather than resigning ourselves to animosity, we can move toward a more peaceful world over time.

LIVE: President Obama in Cairo

Christopher Hass — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 05:58:54 EDT

UPDATED: The President's speech has ended, but we'll have more from Cairo later today.

President Obama to Speak in Cairo, Egypt at 6:10 AM Eastern

Christopher Hass — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 22:26:53 EDT

From WhiteHouse.gov:

The history of the relationship between America and the Muslim World is deeper and more complex than the common perception might suggest. Thomas Jefferson taught himself Arabic using his own Quran kept in his personal library, and had the first known presidential Iftaar by breaking fast with the Tunisian Ambassador at sunset. President Dwight Eisenhower attended the dedication ceremony of the Islamic Center in Washington, D.C. on June 28, 1957. President Bill Clinton issued the first presidential greeting for Ramadan, appointed the first Muslim American ambassador, M. Osman Siddique, to Fiji, and sent the first presidential Eid al-Adha greeting to Muslims. And one year after President George W. Bush placed the Holy Quran in the White House library in 2005, Representative Keith Ellison took the oath of office on the same Quran owned by Thomas Jefferson two hundred years before.

With his speech in Cairo, the President will lay another marker, addressing America’s relationship with the Muslim World in the heart of the Middle East. Whereas the past years and decades have deepened the rift in that relationship, the President will seek a new start by opening up a serious, honest dialogue to find areas of common interest where we agree, and new ways of communication where we do not. By continuing unprecedented outreach to the Muslim World, the President is strengthening national security and opening up new opportunities to address some of the problems that have seemed so intractable over recent years.

We'll have a live stream of the speech here on Thursday morning starting at 6:10 AM Eastern (1:10 PM Cairo time).

In advance of the speech tomorrow morning, the WhiteHouse.gov team put together a look at some of the Muslim Americans who are proudly serving their nation in the federal government today:

President Obama Reiterates Support for Public Option and Health Insurance Exchange

Christopher Hass — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 15:01:19 EDT

President Obama sent a public letter to Senator Ted Kennedy and Senator Max Baucus, following their meeting yesterday to discuss the ongoing work on health care legislation. In the letter, the President commended both Senators for their work on what he described as "one of the most urgent and important challenges confronting us as a Nation." He also re-asserted his support for a plan that expands access, cuts costs, and preserves choice, and he reiterated his belief that Americans should have the choice of a public health insurance option operating alongside private plans:

The plans you are discussing embody my core belief that Americans should have better choices for health insurance, building on the principle that if they like the coverage they have now, they can keep it, while seeing their costs lowered as our reforms take hold. But for those who don't have such options, I agree that we should create a health insurance exchange -- a market where Americans can one-stop shop for a health care plan, compare benefits and prices, and choose the plan that's best for them, in the same way that Members of Congress and their families can. None of these plans should deny coverage on the basis of a preexisting condition, and all of these plans should include an affordable basic benefit package that includes prevention, and protection against catastrophic costs. I strongly believe that Americans should have the choice of a public health insurance option operating alongside private plans. This will give them a better range of choices, make the health care market more competitive, and keep insurance companies honest.

Read the full letter from the President . . .

"Go Time"

Christopher Hass — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 10:50:12 EDT

Under the headline "Congress set to tackle health care overhaul," the Associated Press reports:

It's go time for President Barack Obama's promise to enact a sweeping health care overhaul this year.

First up as Congress returns from a weeklong recess: Sen. Edward M. Kennedy, partially sidelined by cancer, is convening his health committee's Democrats on Tuesday to begin weighing his proposals to extend health care to all.

Later in the week, the tax-writing Senate Finance Committee meets behind closed doors to work on legislation to achieve the same goal.

"This is where the rubber finally meets the road," said Jim Manley, spokesman for Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid. "Both committees are getting ready for what is expected to be one of the most important debates of this legislative session."
...Democrats and Republicans in the House and Senate return from a Memorial Day break that many spent hearing from constituents about health care — and getting bombarded by an ever-growing number of television and radio ads from critics and supporters of Obama's plans.

House Democrats alone held 120 different health care-related events last week, said Stephanie Lundberg, spokeswoman for House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer. She said House leaders would meet this week to work on their plans.

Obama used the Memorial Day week to get his campaign volunteers behind his health care goals. He held a conference call with supporters to urge them to demand action from their lawmakers and get them on-board for a national health care campaign kickoff set for Saturday.

In case you missed it, you can listen to the President's phone call with supporters online, and there is still time to sign up to sign up to attend a Saturday Health Care Organizing Kickoff near you.

"Inside the Obama White House" - Part One Airs Tonight

Christopher Hass — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 19:38:40 EDT

NBC News begins its special two-part "Inside the Obama White House" tonight. Check your local listings for times and channels. Here is a clip of NBC News' Brian Williams explaining the series:

President Obama Meets with Senate Democrats to Discuss the Urgent Need for Health Care Reform

Christopher Hass — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 17:38:51 EDT

President Obama met this afternoon with Senator Max Baucus (D-MT) and other top Democrats from the Senate Health, Education, Labor & Pensions and Finance Committees (the two committees crafting health care legislation) to talk about the urgent need for reform.

From the Democrats.org blog:

The goal is to pass comprehensive health care legislation this year that lowers costs, preserves patient choice and gives all Americans access to quality, affordable care.
A paragraph from the New York Times article on the issue:

"…The Democrats on two Senate committees that are drafting health legislation have been invited to the White House to meet with Mr. Obama, hours before he leaves for the Middle East and Europe. As part of a push to secure Congressional passage of a bill this year, the administration will also make the case on Tuesday that reforming health care is critical to fixing the economy."The President’s meeting with Senate Democrats this afternoon follows the release of a new report this morning, "The Economic Case for Health Care Reform", by the Council for Economic Advisors, which documents the economic costs of failure to reform our system. The report found that without reform, escalating health insurance premiums will continue to erode American workers and families health care benefits and cause wages to stagnate, while rising spending on Medicare and Medicaid will lead to massive and unsustainable Federal budget deficits.

Last month health care industry leaders pledged to reduce health care spending by $2 trillion over 10 years. The results of those reductions are significant, including:

Impact on income: For a typical family of four, income would be higher than it otherwise would have been by approximately $2,600 in 2020 (in 2009 dollars) and by nearly $10,000 in 2030.
Impact on the budget deficit: The President’s Council of Economic Advisors (CEA) estimates that slowing the growth of health care costs by 1.5 percentage points would reduce the budget deficit in 2030 by 3 percent of GDP in comparison if we maintained the status quo.
Improvements in economic well-being from greater coverage: The net benefits – such as increased life expectancy – of expanding coverage are on the order of an estimated $100 billion each year.

Open Thread: A New GM

Christopher Hass — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 23:02:23 EDT

President Obama on the American Auto Industry: “The End of an Old GM, and the Beginning of a New GM”

Christopher Hass — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 17:10:26 EDT

The President delivered remarks on the American auto industry this morning, shortly after auto giant General Motors filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. In his speech, the President outlined details of the plan his administration negotiated to restructure GM:

Working with my Auto Task Force, GM and its stakeholders have produced a viable, achievable plan that will give this iconic American company a chance to rise again. It's a plan tailored to the realities of today's auto market; a plan that positions GM to move toward profitability, even if it takes longer than expected for our economy to fully recover; and it's a plan that builds on GM's recent progress in making better cars. As this plan takes effect, GM will start building a larger share of its cars here at home, including fuel-efficient cars.

President Obama explained that the deal that has been worked out is tough but fair, and that all of GM's stakeholders -- the United Auto Workers, GM shareholders and bondholders -- would have to make sacrifices.

GM is an American company with tens of thousands of employees in this country, and responsibility for its future ultimately rests with us. That's why our government will be making a significant additional investment of about $30 billion in GM -- an investment that will entitle American taxpayers to ownership of about 60 percent of the new GM.

Now, let me talk about this. I recognize that this may give some Americans pause. So let me explain as clearly as possible why we are making this investment. We inherited a financial crisis unlike any that we've seen in our time. This crisis crippled private capital markets and forced us to take steps in our financial system -- and with our auto companies -- that we would not have otherwise even considered. These steps have put our government in the unwelcome position of owning large stakes in private companies for the simple and compelling reason that their survival and the success of our overall economy depend on it.

Understand we're making these investments not because I want to spend the American people's tax dollars, but because I want to protect them. Instead of taking so much stock in GM, we could have simply offered the company more loans. But for years, GM has been buried under an unsustainable mountain of debt. And piling an irresponsibly large debt on top of the new GM would mean simply repeating the mistakes of the past. So we are acting as reluctant shareholders -- because that is the only way to help GM succeed.

What we are not doing -- what I have no interest in doing -- is running GM. GM will be run by a private board of directors and management team with a track record in American manufacturing that reflects a commitment to innovation and quality. They -- and not the government -- will call the shots and make the decisions about how to turn this company around. The federal government will refrain from exercising its rights as a shareholder in all but the most fundamental corporate decisions. When a difficult decision has to be made on matters like where to open a new plant or what type of new car to make, the new GM, not the United States government, will make that decision.

In short, our goal is to get GM back on its feet, take a hands-off approach, and get out quickly.
...I recognize that today's news carries a particular importance because it's not just any company we're talking about -- it's GM. It's a company that's not only been a source of income, but a source of pride for generations of autoworkers and generations of Americans. But while the GM of the future will be different from the GM of the past, I am absolutely confident that if well managed, a new GM will emerge that can provide a new generation of Americans with a chance to live out their dreams, that can out-compete automakers around the world, and that can once again be an integral part of America's economic future.

Read the full text of the President's remarks . . .

UPDATED: The Democrats.org blog has a more in-depth look at the principles that the Obama Administration announced will guide the government’s management of ownership interest in any private firm (including GM).

President to Deliver Remarks on the American Automotive Industry at 11:55 AM EST

Christopher Hass — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 10:07:19 EDT

President Obama is scheduled to deliver remarks on the American automotive industry at 11:55 AM Eastern. You can watch a live stream of the event here.

UPDATED: The event has ended, but we'll have more on the President's announcement shortly.

Stand with Sotomayor

Christopher Hass — Sun, 31 May 2009 10:40:24 EDT

From OFA Director Mitch Stewart:

This week, hundreds of thousands of supporters like you stood up to support Judge Sonia Sotomayor's historic nomination to the U.S. Supreme Court. But the long road to confirmation has only just begun. Add your voice, and stand with Sotomayor.

We've just launched our action center, an online hub where you can find all the tools you need to help spread the word about Judge Sotomayor, engage in the public debate about her nomination, and make sure decision-makers in the Senate know where you stand. With only a few minutes, you can make a huge difference.

Check out the action center and help confirm this great nominee.
In the coming days and weeks, our opponents will try to play politics with Judge Sotomayor's nomination, and it's up to us to help get out the facts and show the public -- and key decision-makers -- how much support she really has. Here's how you can help:

Stand with Sotomayor: You can add your name to our public display of support, showing the Senate and the media where the American people stand.

Write a letter to the editor: Using our easy online tool, you can send a letter to your local newspaper about why you support Judge Sotomayor's nomination -- highlighting her extraordinary life story, her tremendous judicial experience, the historic nature of her nomination, or anything else that's important to you. It's extremely effective and only takes a few minutes.

Call your Senator: You can look up the numbers of your two Senators, and give them a call to let them know that you support Judge Sotomayor and hope they do too.

Share President Obama's message: The president has recorded a special message explaining his support for Judge Sotomayor -- you can send it on to help educate friends and family.

Display your support: Download posters and get images you can use online to show your support.

Whichever actions you take you'll be playing a critical role in this historic moment.

Please visit the action center now.
Thank you,

Mitch

Mitch Stewart
Director
Organizing for America

The President's Weekly Address: Judge Sotomayor

Christopher Hass — Sat, 30 May 2009 08:55:50 EDT

Open Thread

Christopher Hass — Fri, 29 May 2009 18:12:22 EDT

Photo: Celina Sotomayor, the mother of Appeals Court Judge Sonia Sotomayor, cries during the announcement by President Barack Obama that her daughter is the nominee to replace retiring Supreme Court Justice David Souter, in the East Room of the White House, May 26, 2009.

Message from Joe Biden: "A home run"

Christopher Hass — Fri, 29 May 2009 09:58:34 EDT

Yesterday, Vice President Joe Biden sent out a message to supporters about President Obama nominee for the Supreme Court, Judge Sonia Sotomayor:

President Obama hit a home run with his nomination of Judge Sonia Sotomayor to the Supreme Court -- and not just because she's the "woman who saved baseball" by ending the strike in 1995, nor simply because she would be the first Latina ever to serve on the high court.

It was a home run because in her three-decade career as a prosecutor, judge, private litigator and law professor, she has time and again earned bipartisan praise as one of America's finest legal minds. And it was the right choice because Judge Sotomayor -- herself born and raised in a South Bronx housing project -- has summed up the American dream in her own incredible story and never once forgotten how the law affects our daily lives.

Now her historic nomination goes to the Senate. I know that process well, and I can tell you that the debate of the coming weeks and months will be shaped by the public response in the next few hours and days. It's critical that the Senate and the public clearly see where the American people stand.

Will you add your name to the growing list of Americans who are pledging to "Stand with Sotomayor" today? Your name and comments will become part of a public display of support at this crucial time.
I've followed Judge Sotomayor's remarkable journey for years. I voted for her when President George H.W. Bush nominated her for the District Court in 1992, and I was proud to vote for her again when President Bill Clinton nominated her for the Second Circuit Court of Appeals in 1998.

Born to a Puerto Rican family, Sotomayor grew up in a public housing project in the South Bronx. She was an avid reader from an early age, and was first inspired to pursue a legal career by the Nancy Drew mystery novels. Driven by her mother's belief in the power of education and her own relentless work ethic, she excelled in school. She won a scholarship to Princeton University, graduated summa cum laude, and then went on to attend Yale Law School where she served as an editor of the prestigious Yale Law Journal.

Like President Obama, Sotomayor passed up many more lucrative opportunities after law school to put her degree to work for the public good. She served as an Assistant District Attorney in New York, tackling some of the hardest cases facing the city, including robberies, assaults, murders, police brutality, and child pornography. Her growing reputation for fearlessness and legal brilliance prompted her first nomination to the federal bench, and she's only continued to soar.

If confirmed, she would start with more federal judicial experience than any Justice in a century, more overall judicial experience than any Justice in 70 years, and replace David Souter as the only Justice with firsthand experience as a trial judge. She has participated in over 3,000 panel decisions and authored roughly 400 opinions, expertly handling difficult issues of constitutional law, complicated procedural matters, and lawsuits involving complex business organizations.

In her years on the bench, Judge Sotomayor has earned acclaim from legal scholars and experts from both sides of the aisle for her intellectual toughness, her probing oral questioning, and her ability to issue decisions that hold both factual details and legal doctrines in equal measure. And she's never failed to apply a steady, common-sense analysis of how the law touches our daily lives.

Her story is incredible. Her qualifications are undeniable. And her judgment will serve us all well on the highest court in the land.

Please join me in becoming a part of this historic moment for the Court and our country. Add your name now to publicly show that you, too, "Stand with Sotomayor." In these crucial early hours, let us leave no doubt about the people's support for this extraordinary nominee.

Thank you,

Vice President Joe Biden

President Obama on Call to Volunteers: "We need you to stay involved"

Amy Hamblin — Thu, 28 May 2009 19:28:14 EDT

Earlier today, President Obama took time to speak by phone with thousands of Organizing for America volunteers about the urgent need to organize for health care reform.

“If we don’t get it done this year, we’re not going to get it done,” the President said.

He stressed that health care reform will only become a reality if grassroots supporters mobilize support for it in every community in America. The fight over health care reform, he noted, offers a "big chance to prove that the movement that started during the campaign isn’t over.”

We need you to stay involved. The election in November, that didn’t bring about change, that just gave us an opportunity for change...Some of you are in states and districts where politicians are resistant to bringing about change, so we need you to get involved.

If you missed the call, you can listen to the rest of what the President had to say here:

Also speaking on the call was David Plouffe, OFA Director Mitch Stewart, OFA Deputy Director Jeremy Bird, OFA New Media Director Natalie Foster and OFA volunteer Diane Robertson, who offered her advice on how to organize support in your community.

The fight over health care reform begins in your neighborhood June 6th. Sign up to host or attend a kickoff event in your area.

Reactions to Sotomayor's Nomination: "She is everything one would want in a first-rate judge"

Christopher Hass — Thu, 28 May 2009 10:24:24 EDT

Forty eight hours after the announcement, here are just a few of the initial reactions to President Obama's decision to nominate Judge Sotomayor to the Supreme Court:

Former Chief Judge of the Second Circuit Court of Appeals and Carter appointee Jon Newman said Sotomayor was “Everything one would want in a first-rate judge.” NPR reported that Judge Newman called Sotomayor a brilliant lawyer and a fair-minded pragmatist. “She is everything one would want in a first-rate judge,” he said. [NPR, 5/27/09]

Lawyer and Supreme Court expert Tom Goldstein praises Sotomayor as “extremely entelligent” with “overwhelming qualifications." On MSNBC, Goldstein said, “Objectively, her qualifications are overwhelming from the perspective of ordinary Americans. She has been a prosecutor, private litigator, trial judge, and appellate judge. No one currently on the Court has that complete package of experience… The objective evidence is that Sotomayor is in fact extremely intelligent. Graduating at the top of the class at Princeton is a signal accomplishment. Her opinions are thorough, well-reasoned, and clearly written. Nothing suggests she isn’t the match of the other Justices.” [SCOTUS Blog, 5/26/2009]

Sen. Olympia Snowe called Sotomayor “well-qualified” and said her selection was “historic.” "Indisputably, this is an historic selection, as Sonia Sotomayor is just the third woman to be nominated to The Court and the first Hispanic American. I commend President Obama for nominating a well-qualified woman, as I urged him to do during a one-on-one meeting on a variety of issues in the Oval Office earlier this month. I also appreciate that White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel called me personally this morning to inform me of the President's selection.” [Snowe Statement, 5/26/09]

Founding Dean of UC-Irvine Law School said Sotomayor “Is an excellent choice because she is an outstanding judge.” Erwin Chemerinsky wrote, “But most of all, Sotomayor is an excellent choice because she is an outstanding judge. Her opinions are clearly written and invariably well-reasoned. My former students who have clerked for her rave about her as a judge and as a person. She has enormous experience as a lawyer and as a judge, both in the federal district court and the federal court of appeals. The bottom line is that the court will now have its third woman justice in history, its first Latina, and an individual who likely will be an excellent justice for decades to come.” [The New Republic, 5/26/09]

Open Thread: Nevada

Christopher Hass — Wed, 27 May 2009 21:15:22 EDT

PHOTO: The President visits Nellis Air Force Base, in Las Vegas, Nevada May 27, 2009.

VIDEO: President Obama Nominates Judge Sonia Sotomayor

Christopher Hass — Wed, 27 May 2009 10:16:25 EDT

Here's the full video from yesterday's announcement, in which President Obama introduced his nominee for the Supreme Court -- Judge Sonia Sotomayor.

Message from the President: "My Supreme Court nominee"

Christopher Hass — Tue, 26 May 2009 17:36:01 EDT

This morning, President Obama recorded a special video message to personally introduce his nominee for the Supreme Court to supporters across the country:

I am proud to announce my nominee for the next Justice of the United States Supreme Court: Judge Sonia Sotomayor.

This decision affects us all -- and so it must involve us all. I've recorded a special message to personally introduce Judge Sotomayor and explain why I'm so confident she will make an excellent Justice.

Please watch the video, and then pass this note on to friends and family to include them in this historic moment.
Judge Sotomayor has lived the America Dream. Born and raised in a South Bronx housing project, she distinguished herself in academia and then as a hard-charging New York District Attorney.

Judge Sotomayor has gone on to earn bipartisan acclaim as one of America's finest legal minds. As a Supreme Court Justice, she would bring more federal judicial experience to the Supreme Court than any Justice in 100 years. Judge Sotomayor would show fidelity to our Constitution and draw on a common-sense understanding of how the law affects our day-to-day lives.

A nomination for a lifetime appointment to the highest court in the land is one of the most important decisions a President can make. And the discussions that follow will be among the most important we have as a nation. You can begin the conversation today by watching this special message and then passing it on.

Thank you,

President Barack Obama

President Obama Nominates Judge Sonia Sotomayor for the Supreme Court

Christopher Hass — Tue, 26 May 2009 13:40:47 EDT

This morning President Obama nominated federal appeals judge Sonia Sotomayor for the Supreme Court. If confirmed, Sotomayor would replace Justice Souter, who earlier this month announced his plans to retire who announced his plans to retire at the end of the court's current term.

From WhiteHouse.gov:

As a former constitutional law professor, [President Obama] believes it paramount to select someone who rejects ideology and shares his deep respect for the Constitutional values on which this nation was founded. And as the President has made clear, upholding those constitutional values requires more than just the intellectual ability to apply a legal rule to a set of facts. It requires a common sense understanding of how laws affect the daily realities of people’s lives.

During a joint appearance with Judge Sotomayor, the president described both her professional experience and her incredible life story:

Over a distinguished career that spans three decades, Judge Sotomayor has worked at almost every level of our judicial system, providing her with a depth of experience and a breadth of perspective that will be invaluable as a Supreme Court justice.
... But as impressive and meaningful as Judge Sotomayor's sterling credentials in the law is her own extraordinary journey. Born in the South Bronx, she was raised in a housing project not far from Yankee Stadium, making her a lifelong Yankee's fan. I hope this will not disqualify her -- (laughter) -- in the eyes of the New Englanders in the Senate. (Laughter.)

Sonia's parents came to New York from Puerto Rico during the second world war, her mother as part of the Women's Army Corps. And, in fact, her mother is here today and I'd like us all to acknowledge Sonia's mom. (Applause.) Sonia's mom has been a little choked up. (Laughter.) But she, Sonia's mother, began a family tradition of giving back to this country. Sonia's father was a factory worker with a 3rd-grade education who didn't speak English. But like Sonia's mother, he had a willingness to work hard, a strong sense of family, and a belief in the American Dream.
When Sonia was nine, her father passed away. And her mother worked six days a week as a nurse to provide for Sonia and her brother -- who is also here today, is a doctor and a terrific success in his own right. But Sonia's mom bought the only set of encyclopedias in the neighborhood, sent her children to a Catholic school called Cardinal Spellman out of the belief that with a good education here in America all things are possible.

With the support of family, friends, and teachers, Sonia earned scholarships to Princeton, where she graduated at the top of her class, and Yale Law School, where she was an editor of the Yale Law Journal, stepping onto the path that led her here today.

Along the way she's faced down barriers, overcome the odds, lived out the American Dream that brought her parents here so long ago. And even as she has accomplished so much in her life, she has never forgotten where she began, never lost touch with the community that supported her.

What Sonia will bring to the Court, then, is not only the knowledge and experience acquired over a course of a brilliant legal career, but the wisdom accumulated from an inspiring life's journey.

Read the president's full remarks, as well as Judge Sotmayor's remarks . . .

President to Make Announcement at 10:15 AM Eastern

Christopher Hass — Tue, 26 May 2009 08:39:17 EDT

The president will make an announcement regarding his nomination for the Supreme Court today at 10:15 AM Eastern.

UPDATED: President Obama has concluded his remarks, but we will have more on the nomination of Sonia Sotomayor to the Supreme Court soon.

From the New York Times coverage of the announcement:

President Obama announced on Tuesday that he will nominate the federal appeals judge Sonia Sotomayor for the Supreme Court, choosing a daughter of Puerto Rican parents raised in Bronx public housing projects to become the nation’s first Hispanic justice.

"An Unbroken Chain"

Christopher Hass — Mon, 25 May 2009 20:51:30 EDT

President Obama participated in a wreath-laying ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery, before speaking at the Memorial Amphitheater at Arlington National Cemetery. The President's remarks:

Here lie Presidents and privates; Supreme Court justices and slaves; generals familiar to history, and unknown soldiers known only to God.

A few moments ago, I laid a wreath at their tomb to pay tribute to all who have given their lives for this country. As a nation, we have gathered here to repeat this ritual in moments of peace, when we pay our respects to the fallen and give thanks for their sacrifice. And we've gathered here in moments of war, when the somber notes of Taps echo through the trees, and fresh grief lingers in the air.

Today is one of those moments, where we pay tribute to those who forged our history, but hold closely the memory of those so recently lost. And even as we gather here this morning, all across America, people are pausing to remember, to mourn, and to pray.

Old soldiers are pulling themselves a little straighter to salute brothers lost a long time ago. Children are running their fingers over colorful ribbons that they know signify something of great consequence, even if they don't know exactly why. Mothers are re-reading final letters home and clutching photos of smiling sons or daughters, as youthful and vibrant as they always will be.

They, and we, are the legacies of an unbroken chain of proud men and women who served their country with honor; who waged war so that we might know peace; who braved hardship so that we might know opportunity; who paid the ultimate price so we might know freedom.

Those who rest in these fields fought in every American war. They overthrew an empire and gave birth to revolution. They strained to hold a young union together. They rolled back the creeping tide of tyranny, and stood post through a long twilight struggle. And they took on the terror and extremism that threatens our world's stability.

Their stories are the American story. More than seven generations of them are chronicled here at Arlington. They're etched into stone, recounted by family and friends, and silently observed by the mighty oaks that have stood over burial after burial.

Memorial Day Open Thread

Christopher Hass — Mon, 25 May 2009 09:43:12 EDT

UPDATED with video of the President speaking at the Memorial Amphitheater at Arlington National Cemetery:

"That is what Memorial Day is all about. It is about doing all we can to repay the debt we owe to those men and women who have answered our nation’s call by fighting under its flag. It is about recognizing that we, as a people, did not get here by accident or good fortune alone. It’s about remembering the hard winter of 1776, when our fragile American experiment seemed doomed to fail; and the early battles of 1861 when a union victory was anything but certain; and the summer of 1944, when the fate of a world rested on a perilous landing unlike any ever attempted.
"It’s about remembering each and every one of those moments when our survival as a nation came down not simply to the wisdom of our leaders or the resilience of our people, but to the courage and valor of our fighting men and women. For it is only by remembering these moments that we can truly appreciate a simple lesson of American life – that what makes all we are and all we aspire to be possible are the sacrifices of an unbroken line of Americans that stretches back to our nation’s founding."
-- from President Obama's Memorial Weekend Address

Open Thread: Annapolis

Christopher Hass — Sun, 24 May 2009 10:32:18 EDT

The President's Weekly Address

Christopher Hass — Sat, 23 May 2009 10:33:25 EDT

Message from David Plouffe: "June 6th: It all begins"

Christopher Hass — Fri, 22 May 2009 20:13:01 EDT

From David Plouffe:

Remember this date: Saturday, June 6th, 2009. We will look back on that day as the moment when the fight for real health care reform began in your neighborhood -- perhaps even in your own living room.

On June 6th, in thousands of homes across the country, we'll gather to launch our grassroots campaign for health care. We'll watch a special message from the President. We'll build the teams and draw up the plans for winning health care reform the same way we won the election: Building support one block, one neighbor, one conversation at a time. And we'll put those plans into action.

These kickoffs are so crucial that President Obama will join confirmed hosts and attendees on a live conference call.

Sign up today to host or attend a Health Care Organizing Kickoff.
There's no prior experience required. We'll send you the details for dialing into the President's call and provide you everything you need to make your meeting a success.

After the election, people gathered at over 9,000 meetings across every state to set priorities for health care reform. Our voices were heard. Now the race is on to make sure Congress produces a plan that reflects the President's call for reduced costs, guaranteed choice, and quality care for all.

To make that happen, we need to build a groundswell of support in every district and every state, and we have no time to lose. All summer we'll be reaching out to our neighbors, knocking on doors, serving in our communities, and building a grassroots network strong enough to win.

These gatherings on June 6th are just the beginning of a battle between those who fought and believe in change and those who would protect a broken status quo. The stakes for our country could not be greater.

Some call this strategy pie-in-the-sky. They say we'll never have enough volunteers to make a real impact; that you need insiders and Washington lobbyists to make a difference. But you and I know firsthand how wrong they are. Starting June 6th, it's once again time to show this country how bottom-up change is done.

Please sign up today to host or attend a kickoff near you.

These kickoffs will be both effective and fun. You'll meet likeminded supporters in your neighborhood, share stories, enjoy good company and a shared mission, and know that no matter what this effort requires of us, if we work together we'll be ready to face it and persevere.

I look forward to joining you and the President to chart our course.

David Plouffe
Organizing for America

President Obama Signs "Credit Card Holder's Bill of Rights" Into Law

Christopher Hass — Fri, 22 May 2009 17:26:06 EDT

In an official ceremony in the Rose Garden this afternoon, President Obama signed into law the Credit Card Accountability, Responsibility and Disclosure Act -- often referred to as the Credit Card consumer's "Bill of Rights." The President thanked all of the members of Congress who worked to pass the bill, but he specifically singled out Chris Dodd for his efforts:

I want to thank all the members of Congress who were involved in this historic legislation, but I want to give a special shout-out to Chris Dodd, who has been a relentless fighter to get this done. Chris wouldn't give up until he got this legislation passed. He's spent an entire career fighting against special interests and fighting for ordinary people, and this is just the latest example.

He then went on to outline the benefits of the new law:

With this bill, we're putting in place some common-sense reforms designed to protect consumers ... I want to be clear about this: Credit card companies provide a valuable service; we don't begrudge them turning a profit. We just want to make sure that they do so while upholding basic standards of fairness, transparency, and accountability. Just as we demand credit card users to act responsibly, we demand that credit card companies act responsibly, too. And that's not too much to ask.

And that's why, because of this new law, statements will be required to tell credit card holders how long it will take to pay off a balance and what it will cost in interest if they only make the minimum monthly payments. We also put a stop to retroactive rate hikes that appear on a bill suddenly with no rhyme or reason.

Every card company will have to post its credit card agreements online, and we'll monitor those agreements to see if new protections are needed. Consumers will have more time to understand their statements as well: Companies will have to mail them 21 days before payment is due, not 14. And this law ends the practice of shifting payment dates. This always used to bug me -- when you'd get like -- suddenly it was due on the 19th when it had been the 31st.

Lastly, among many other provisions, there will be no more sudden charges -- changes to terms and conditions. We require at least 45 days notice if the credit card company is going to change terms and conditions.

So we're not going to give people a free pass; we expect consumers to live within their means and pay what they owe. But we also expect financial institutions to act with the same sense of responsibility that the American people aspire to in their own lives.

Read the President's full remarks from today's bill signing . . .

'One Step Closer to the Promise of a New Clean Energy Economy'

Christopher Hass — Fri, 22 May 2009 10:27:05 EDT

Last night, members of the Energy and Commerce Committee passed a comprehensive energy and climate bill, which will now move to the full Congress for debate. "When this bill is enacted into law," chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee Henry Waxman said, "it will break our dependence on foreign oil, make our nation the world leader on clean energy jobs and technology and cut global warming pollution."

The Salt Lake Tribune reported:

The legislation, known as a cap-and-trade proposal, sets an overall limit, or cap, on emissions. The government sells or gives away pollution credits then creates a market. A company that pollutes less than expected could then sell its credits to a company that polluted more than expected.

Over the years, the government would lower the pollution cap forcing companies to cut their emissions. The legislation would cut pollution by 17 percent, compared to the 2005 levels, by 2020.

The bill passed along party lines, 33-25. Only one Republican -- Rep. Mary Bono Mack of California -- voted in support of the legislation, and four Democrats voted against it.

Following the vote, President Obama released the following statement:

I commend Chairman Waxman and the Members of the Energy and Commerce Committee for a successful effort to pass a comprehensive energy and climate bill out of their committee today. We are now one step closer to delivering on the promise of a new clean energy economy that will make America less dependent on foreign oil, crack down on polluters, and create millions of new jobs all across America. The bill is historic for what it achieves, providing clean energy incentives that encourage innovation while recognizing the concerns of sensitive industries and regions in this country. And this achievement is all the more historic for bringing together many who have in the past opposed a common effort, from labor unions to corporate CEOs, and environmentalists to energy companies. I applaud the committee for its action and look forward to signing comprehensive legislation.

Message from the President: "Our next step on health care"

Christopher Hass — Thu, 21 May 2009 18:13:56 EDT

Last week, we asked supporters to stand with the President by declaring their support for his three core principles for health care reform. Yesterday, President Obama himself asked those supporters to take the next step:

The chance to finally reform our nation's health care system is here. While Congress moves rapidly to produce a detailed plan, I have made it clear that real reform must uphold three core principles -- it must reduce costs, guarantee choice, and ensure quality care for every American.

As we know, challenging the status quo will not be easy. Its defenders will claim our goals are too big, that we should once again settle for half measures and empty talk. Left unanswered, these voices of doubt might yet again derail the comprehensive reform we so badly need. That's where you come in.

When our opponents spread fear and confusion about the changes we seek, your support for these core principles will show clarity and resolve. When the lobbyists for the status quo tell Congress to hold back, your personal story will give them the courage to press forward.

Join my call: Ask Congress to pass real health care reform in 2009.

By declaring your support for the three core principles, you have already taken the first step -- thank you. Now, consider sharing your personal story about the importance of health care reform in your life, and the lives of those you love.

I will be personally reviewing many of these signatures and stories. If you speak up now, your voice will make a difference.

American families are watching their premiums rise four times faster than their wages. Spiraling health care costs are shackling America's businesses, curtailing job growth and slowing the economy at the worst possible time. This has got to change.

I know personal stories can drive that change, because I know how my mother's experience continues to drive me. She passed away from ovarian cancer a little over a decade ago. And in the last weeks of her life, when she was coming to grips with her own mortality and showing extraordinary courage just to get through each day, she was spending too much time worrying about whether her health insurance would cover her bills. She deserved better. Every American deserves better. And that's why I will not rest until the dream of health care reform is finally achieved in the United States of America.

Share your personal story about why you too will not rest until this job is done.

Last November, the American people sent Washington a clear mandate for change. But when the polls close, the true work of citizenship begins. That's what Organizing for America is all about. Now, in these crucial moments, your voice once again has extraordinary power. I'm counting on you to use it.

Thank you,

President Barack Obama

President Obama: "Protecting Our Security and Our Values"

Christopher Hass — Thu, 21 May 2009 15:32:26 EDT

President Obama delivered a major speech this morning, in which he addressed a number of recent foregin policy decisions -- including the closing of the Guantanamo Bay prison -- and the values that guide him, and our nation. He acknowledged that, in the midst of many challenges, his single most important responsibility as President is to keep the American people safe. "That is the first thing that I think about when I wake up in the morning," he said. "It is the last thing that I think about when I go to sleep at night."

He also acknowledged:

I believe with every fiber of my being that in the long run we also cannot keep this country safe unless we enlist the power of our most fundamental values. The documents that we hold in this very hall – the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, the Bill of Rights –are not simply words written into aging parchment. They are the foundation of liberty and justice in this country, and a light that shines for all who seek freedom, fairness, equality and dignity in the world.
I stand here today as someone whose own life was made possible by these documents. My father came to our shores in search of the promise that they offered. My mother made me rise before dawn to learn of their truth when I lived as a child in a foreign land. My own American journey was paved by generations of citizens who gave meaning to those simple words – “to form a more perfect union.” I have studied the Constitution as a student; I have taught it as a teacher; I have been bound by it as a lawyer and legislator. I took an oath to preserve, protect and defend the Constitution as Commander-in-Chief, and as a citizen, I know that we must never – ever – turn our back on its enduring principles for expedience sake.
I make this claim not simply as a matter of idealism. We uphold our most cherished values not only because doing so is right, but because it strengthens our country and keeps us safe. Time and again, our values have been our best national security asset – in war and peace; in times of ease and in eras of upheaval.
...From Europe to the Pacific, we have been a nation that has shut down torture chambers and replaced tyranny with the rule of law. That is who we are. And where terrorists offer only the injustice of disorder and destruction, America must demonstrate that our values and institutions are more resilient than a hateful ideology.
After 9/11, we knew that we had entered a new era – that enemies who did not abide by any law of war would present new challenges to our application of the law; that our government would need new tools to protect the American people, and that these tools would have to allow us to prevent attacks instead of simply prosecuting those who try to carry them out.

Unfortunately, faced with an uncertain threat, our government made a series of hasty decisions. And I believe that those decisions were motivated by a sincere desire to protect the American people. But I also believe that – too often – our government made decisions based upon fear rather than foresight, and all too often trimmed facts and evidence to fit ideological predispositions. Instead of strategically applying our power and our principles, we too often set those principles aside as luxuries that we could no longer afford. And during this season of fear, too many of us – Democrats and Republicans; politicians, journalists and citizens – fell silent.

In other words, we went off course.

The President made the case that the decisions made over the last eight years had established an ad hoc legal approach for fighting terrorism that failed to take into account either our legal traditions or our values, and that was neither effective nor sustainable:

For over seven years, we have detained hundreds of people at Guantanamo. During that time, the system of Military Commissions at Guantanamo succeeded in convicting a grand total of three suspected terrorists. Let me repeat that: three convictions in over seven years. Instead of bringing terrorists to justice, efforts at prosecution met setbacks, cases lingered on, and in 2006 the Supreme Court invalidated the entire system. Meanwhile, over five hundred and twenty-five detainees were released from Guantanamo under the Bush Administration. Let me repeat that: two-thirds of the detainees were released before I took office and ordered the closure of Guantanamo.

There is also no question that Guantanamo set back the moral authority that is America’s strongest currency in the world. Instead of building a durable framework for the struggle against al Qaeda that drew upon our deeply held values and traditions, our government was defending positions that undermined the rule of law. Indeed, part of the rationale for establishing Guantanamo in the first place was the misplaced notion that a prison there would be beyond the law – a proposition that the Supreme Court soundly rejected. Meanwhile, instead of serving as a tool to counter-terrorism, Guantanamo became a symbol that helped al Qaeda recruit terrorists to its cause. Indeed, the existence of Guantanamo likely created more terrorists around the world than it ever detained.
... Let me begin by disposing of one argument as plainly as I can: we are not going to release anyone if it would endanger our national security, nor will we release detainees within the United States who endanger the American people. Where demanded by justice and national security, we will seek to transfer some detainees to the same type of facilities in which we hold all manner of dangerous and violent criminals within our borders – highly secure prisons that ensure the public safety. As we make these decisions, bear in mind the following fact: nobody has ever escaped from one of our federal “supermax” prisons, which hold hundreds of convicted terrorists. As Republican Senator Lindsey Graham said: “The idea that we cannot find a place to securely house 250-plus detainees within the United States is not rational.”

The President then discussed in detail the various categories of detainees, and how his Administration intends to deal with each of them in a manner that reflects our values and honors existing law. Finally, he concluded by saying:

As our efforts to close Guantanamo move forward, I know that the politics in Congress will be difficult. These issues are fodder for 30-second commercials and direct mail pieces that are designed to frighten. I get it. But if we continue to make decisions from within a climate of fear, we will make more mistakes. And if we refuse to deal with these issues today, then I guarantee you that they will be an albatross around our efforts to combat terrorism in the future. I have confidence that the American people are more interested in doing what is right to protect this country than in political posturing. I am not the only person in this city who swore an oath to uphold the Constitution – so did each and every member of Congress. Together we have a responsibility to enlist our values in the effort to secure our people, and to leave behind the legacy that makes it easier for future Presidents to keep this country safe.
... I can stand here today, as President of the United States, and say without exception or equivocation that we do not torture, and that we will vigorously protect our people while forging a strong and durable framework that allows us to fight terrorism while abiding by the rule of law. Make no mistake: if we fail to turn the page on the approach that was taken over the past several years, then I will not be able to say that as President. And if we cannot stand for those core values, then we are not keeping faith with the documents that are enshrined in this hall.
... Every now and then, there are those who think that America’s safety and success requires us to walk away from the sacred principles enshrined in this building. We hear such voices today. But the American people have resisted that temptation. And though we have made our share of mistakes and course corrections, we have held fast to the principles that have been the source of our strength, and a beacon to the world.

Read the President's full remarks . . .

LIVE: President Obama to Deliver Major National Security Speech

Christopher Hass — Thu, 21 May 2009 09:31:07 EDT

President Barack Obama will discuss America's national security in a major speech at the National Archives Thursday morning. The President will discuss his broader vision for strengthening the country's security and outline how the steps his Administration is taking and plans to take going forward support those goals and principles. The speech is scheduled to begin at 10:10 AM Eastern.

UPDATED: President Obama's speech has concluded, but we'll have more coverage (including a complete transcript of his remarks) shortly.

Listening Tour Rolls On

Amy Hamblin — Wed, 20 May 2009 18:48:13 EDT

Our staff on the ground have been making more Listening Tour stops around the country. Check out some photos from Listening Tour meetings in Kansas City, Missouri and Dover-Foxcroft, Maine:

House Completes Final Passage of Consumers' Credit Card "Bill of Rights"

Christopher Hass — Wed, 20 May 2009 16:48:25 EDT

The Washington Post reports:

The House today gave final approval to a bill that would prohibit credit card companies from arbritarily raising interest rates on existing balances and charging certain fees.

With a 361-64 vote, the House ensured that President Obama will be able to sign the bill into law by Memorial Day, as he requested.

The House had approved a more diluted credit card reform bill last month but chose to send the stonger Senate version to the president instead. The Senate overwhelmingly passed its bill, written by Banking Committee Chairman Christoper Dodd (D-Conn.), on Tuesday.

"This cements a victory for every American consumer who has ever suffered at the hands of the credit card industry," Dodd said. "Many Americans depend on credit cards to get by in this economy, and today they have won a giant victory that ensures they are protected from practices that would drive them further into debt, while also making our economy stronger."

The landmark credit card legislation will force the $960 billion card industry to reinvent itself and consumers to rethink the way they use plastic.

The bill will prohibit card companies from raising interest rates on existing balances unless the borrower is at least 60 days late. If the cardholder pays on time for the following six months, the company would have to restore the original rate. On cards with more than one interest rate, issuers will have to apply payments first to the debts with the highest rates, which would help borrowers pay off their cards more quickly.

Treasury Secretary Timothy F. Geithner on Tuesday said the bill "will help create a more fair, transparent and simple consumer credit market."

Because the Senate took up the House bill directly, rather than originating its own, there was no need for a conference committee. The bill will now go to President Obama to be signed into law.

Host a Health Care Kickoff

Christopher Hass — Wed, 20 May 2009 12:31:38 EDT

With the health care debate moving forward quickly, today we're reaching out to grassroots organizers to ask them to begin planning health care kickoff across the country:

Throughout our campaign for change, and since our victory, you have helped us make enormous strides towards creating the change we all fought for. And now we have a chance to make an even greater impact, but it can't happen without you.

As we seek to enact real health care reform that includes President Obama's three core principles -- reduce costs, guarantee choice, and ensure affordable care for all -- we need you to help seize this moment and organize your community neighbor-by-neighbor, door-by-door.

On Saturday, June 6th, people like you will be hosting Health Care Organizing Kickoff meetings across the country to talk about the actions we'll all take in the coming weeks and months to make health care reform a reality.

Will you please sign up to host one?
These meetings will be crucial to our health care organizing efforts in your community, and that's why it's so important for you to play a major role.

At your meeting, you and your friends and neighbors will kick off your community's push to reform health care by learning more about the President's three core principles, sharing personal stories, and planning a health care Day of Service activity for June 27th. You'll also set up times to speak with your neighbors about health care reform, and make calls to ask others to get involved.

While this debate is heating up, it's important that we organize now to ensure that President Obama's core principles are included in any comprehensive health care reform.

So please sign up today to host a Health Care Organizing Kickoff meeting.

Thanks,

Jeremy

Jeremy Bird
Deputy Director
Organizing for America

LIVE: President Obama Meets with the Economic Recovery Advisory Board

Christopher Hass — Wed, 20 May 2009 09:24:27 EDT

President Obama will attend the first quarterly meeting of the President’s Economic Recovery Advisory Board in the Roosevelt Room this morning. The focus of the meeting will be on energy and green jobs, with the board providing recommendations on how to enhance the strength and competitiveness of the nation’s economy through the creation of a comprehensive energy plan that will generate millions of clean energy jobs. You can watch a live stream of the meeting below, courtesy of WhiteHouse.gov:

UPDATED: Here's the agenda for today's meeting:

9:30-9:35         Austan Goolsbee welcome and opening statement, Administrative business: bylaws, forming of subgroups, etc.

9:35-9:55         John Doerr presents overview of letter on energy policy: discussion and vote on whether to forward to the President

9:55-10:00       Break

10:00-10:05   President Obama gives overview

10:05-10:35    Discussion of Energy Policy and the Green Economy
                         A. Potential for green jobs
                           B. How to make US more competitive in clean technologies
                           C. What energy policy is needed to help innovation thrive

10:35-10:55 Wider issues of job growth in the economy
                       A. How to stimulate job growth
                           B. How to help small business
                         C. How to unleash credit
                           D. How to make America more competitive in key sectors

10:55-11:00    President Obama gives closing remarks

UPDATED: Today's meeting of the Economic Recovery Advisory Board has ended.

Senate Passes Consumers' Credit Card "Bill of Rights"

Christopher Hass — Tue, 19 May 2009 16:17:22 EDT

The Senate voted overwhelmingly in favor of a consumers' credit card "bill of rights" today. The measure, designed to curb fees, limit contract changes, and increase transparency in credit card agreements, passed by a vote of 90-5.

From Bloomberg:

The Senate credit-card legislation would require lenders to apply payments to balances with the highest interest rates first. It would prohibit increasing a consumer’s rate on existing balances based on late payments to another lender, a practice known as “universal default.”

Many senators said they had been flooded by complaints from constituents with clean payment histories whose rates were increased or borrowing limits were slashed.

“This has been an assault on the American consumer that is growing by the hour,” said Banking Committee Chairman Christopher Dodd, a Connecticut Democrat.

President Obama has long pressed for Credit Card reform, and Senator Dodd has made passed of the Bill of Rights a priority. This morning, the Huffington Post ran an op-ed from Senator Dodd in which he made the case for reform:

Americans know they have a responsibility to live within their means and to pay what they owe. But they also have a right not to be deceived, misled, or ripped off by unfair and arbitrary credit card industry practices that have become commonplace. That's especially important when one considers how credit card use has expanded in the US.

...Consumers should not have to live in fear that a clause buried in the fine print of their credit card contract might someday be their financial undoing.

Even the federal financial regulators finally recognized the threat posed to consumers and our economy alike, finalizing rules that would curb some of these unfair and deceptive practices.

But with our economy in deep recession and layoffs mounting, the time has come for broad reform -- to insist on consumer protections that are strong and reliable, rules that are transparent and fair, and statements that are clear and informative.

...[This] legislation prevents unfair increases in interest rates and changes in the terms of credit card contracts -- prohibiting the kind of unjustifiable rate increases on existing balances that the Pew Charitable Trusts found were allowed by 93 percent of cards surveyed, while preventing the kind of "gotcha" tactics that say if you pay late once, you're penalized forever.

The bill puts an end to exorbitant and unnecessary fees that drive families further into debt--requiring that any penalties be proportional to the violation and prohibiting issuers from charging fees when customers make a payment by phone or unknowingly exceed their credit limit.

The Credit CARD Act protects the rights of financially responsible credit card users -- so that if the credit card company delayed crediting your payment or charged you for debt paid on time, you aren't charged for their mistake.

This legislation also requires far better disclosure of card terms and conditions. Cardholders should not need a microscope to read what a statement says and a law degree to understand what it means.

...When given fair terms, credit cards can be a valuable financial tool for millions of Americans. But that's far from the case today. And with our economy in trouble, Americans do not deserve -- and cannot afford -- to be pushed down the economic ladder by credit card companies any longer.

Over and over we've heard that consumers should act responsibly when it comes to credit cards. I agree -- but it's time we held credit card companies to the same standard.

The House passed similar legislation last month, and President Obama hopes to be able to sign a bill into law before Memorial Day.

"A common effort, made in good faith, to solve our toughest problems"

Christopher Hass — Tue, 19 May 2009 13:47:03 EDT

In his announcement today of a new unified automobile fuel efficiency and emissions standard, President Obama applauded the diverse group of stakeholders that came together today to embrace a bold solution to the long-standing problems of pollution, climate change, and our dependence on foreign oil.

This is an extraordinary gathering. Here we have today standing behind me, along with Ron Gettlefinger and leadership of the UAW, we have 10 of the world's largest auto manufacturers, we have environmental advocates, as well as elected officials from all across the country.

And this gathering is all the more extraordinary for what these diverse groups -- despite disparate interests and previous disagreements -- have worked together to achieve. For the first time in history, we have set in motion a national policy aimed at both increasing gas mileage and decreasing greenhouse gas pollution for all new trucks and cars sold in the United States of America.
...That's what's been missing in this debate for too long, and that's why this announcement is so important, for it represents not only a change in policy in Washington but the harbinger of a change in the way business is done in Washington. No longer will we accept the notion that our politics are too small, our nation too divided, our people too weary of broken promises and lost opportunities to take up a historic calling. No longer will we accept anything less than a common effort, made in good faith, to solve our toughest problems.
...At a time of historic crisis in our auto industry, when domestic auto manufacturers are making painful choices and restructuring their businesses to be viable in the future, this rule provides the clear certainty that will allow these companies to plan for a future in which they are building the cars of the 21st century.

Yes, it costs money to develop these vehicles, but even as the price to build these cars and trucks goes up, the cost of driving these vehicles will go down, as drivers save money at the pump. And this is a point I want to emphasize: If you buy a car, your investment in a more fuel-efficient vehicle as a result of this standard will pay off in just three years. In three years' time you will have paid off the additional investment required. So this is a winning proposition for folks looking to buy a car. In fact, over the life of a vehicle, the typical driver would save about $2,800 by getting better gas mileage.

The fact is, everyone wins: Consumers pay less for fuel, which means less money going overseas and more money to save or spend here at home. The economy as a whole runs more efficiently by using less oil and producing less pollution. And companies like those here today have new incentives to create the technologies and the jobs that will provide smarter ways to power our vehicles.

... We have over the course of decades slowly built an economy that runs on oil. It has given us much of what we have -- for good but also for ill. It has transformed the way we live and work, but it's also wreaked havoc on our climate. It has helped create gains in prosperity unprecedented in history, but it also places our future in jeopardy.

Ending this dependence will take time. It will take an incredible effort. It will take a historic investment in innovation. But more than anything, it will take a willingness to look past our differences, to act in good faith, to refuse to continue the failures of the past, and to take on this challenge together -- for the benefit not just of this generation, but generations to come.

Read President Obama's full remarks . . .

President Delivers Remarks on New Auto Emission and Efficiency Standards

Christopher Hass — Tue, 19 May 2009 11:51:22 EDT

Scheduled to begin at 12:15 PM Eastern . . .

UPDATED: The event has ended, but we'll have more on the President's historic announcement shortly.

UPDATED: Today, President Obama announced an historic agreement today, setting in motion a national fuel efficiency and auto emisions policy aimed at both increasing gas mileage and decreasing greenhouse gas pollution for all new cars and trucks sold in the United States.

The new national standard will replace a patchwork of rules governing fuel economy and greenhouse gas emissions that were inadequate, uncertain, and inconsistent.

Fuel economy standards will be raised to 35.5 miles per gallon by 2016, an increase of more than 8 miles per gallon per vehicle. As a result, we will save 1.8 billion barrels of oil over the lifetime of the vehicles sold in the next five years – more oil than we imported last year from Saudi Arabia, Venezuela, Libya, and Nigeria combined. This is the equivalent of taking 58 million cars off the road for an entire year.

Additional benefits of this new standard include:

o   Consumers will pay less for fuel, with savings more than making up for any increase in the prices of new cars.

o   Automakers, at a time of historic crisis, will face one clear, consistent standard instead of a confusing and costly patchwork of regulations.

o   The economy as a whole will run on less oil, which means less money going overseas and more money for consumers to spend or save at home.

o   And we will enhance our national security by loosening the dangerous grip of foreign oil while making a down payment on combating global warming.

This groundbreaking policy represents an unprecedented collaboration between the Department of Transportation (DOT), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the world’s largest auto manufacturers, the United Auto Workers, leaders in the environmental community, the State of California, and other state governments.

Read President Obama's full remarks . . .