If you're watching the electoral map, an amazing thing is happening. Some states that started off a deep red, have steadily gone in the last few weeks from red to pink to purple, and in the last few days, are even starting to look a little blue.
Georgia is one of them.
Meet Nicole -- mother of 2-year-old Gavin and eight-week-old Hayden, small business owner, and one of the extraordinary volunteers we can thank for Georgia's dramatic transformation.
Even with a newborn, Nicole knows how important this election is and has found the time to canvass, host a Call For Change party, donate -- and most importantly to her, she registered her husband.
Here's Nicole in her own words:
I’ve been an avid fan of Meet The Press for many years. I first became aware of Barack Obama when I saw him appear on Meet The Press. I was struck by how thoughtful, composed, and straightforward he seemed.Our country is at a critical juncture. We have the opportunity to elect someone who is intelligent and thoughtful about the interests of our nation, and speaks to the dreams and aspirations of so many of us. Now is the time to get out and get involved. It’s time to return honor and admiration to the United States’ reputation in the world. It’s time to create a moment where we can all make our country a better and more prosperous place. It’s time to help elect Barack Obama.
I’ve been an avid fan of Meet The Press for many years. I first became aware of Barack Obama when I saw him appear on Meet The Press. I was struck by how thoughtful, composed, and straightforward he seemed.
Our country is at a critical juncture. We have the opportunity to elect someone who is intelligent and thoughtful about the interests of our nation, and speaks to the dreams and aspirations of so many of us. Now is the time to get out and get involved. It’s time to return honor and admiration to the United States’ reputation in the world. It’s time to create a moment where we can all make our country a better and more prosperous place. It’s time to help elect Barack Obama.
Please pick up the phone, and give Nicole a hand.
You can redraw the electoral map.
Get out the vote:
After 10 years in the Air Force flying a C-130 Hurcules, Eli in Fairway, Kansas, got back from his fourth tour in Iraq and went right to work on the ground for Obama.
“When I got out of the Air Force, I was hungry get politically involved and to push ethics back into government. That’s a big thing Barack Obama was talking about.”
Eli, 33, and his new wife Erin had intended to take some time to travel after his Air Force service. But instead, they soon found themselves going full throttle organizing Kansas for Obama.
They first became precinct captains, then volunteer organizers, and eventually both were elected regional delegates. Eli was even elected as an alternate delegate to the National Convention. There goes his vacation time.
But for Eli, it’s all worth it.
It’s a lot of work, but I’ve gotten a lot out of it – the people I’ve met in my community and neighborhood have been amazing, and many have become good friends. It’s cool to get people out of their houses and off their front porches to actually go out and make a difference.
He first realized this election was different during the caucus:
The caucus here in February was during a blizzard. But in my location, we had more people show up in one caucus location than had showed up statewide in 2004. We re-registered over 1,000 Republicans to vote for Barack. There was a line a mile long to get in but no one complained. People don’t usually show up for Democratic functions in Kansas.
The enthusiasm he saw for Barack made Eli want to get even more involved.
I’ve never been politically involved in my life at all. I wanted to serve the military out of patriotism. But later I was disturbed that there was no justifiable reason for being in Iraq. I started questioning our politicians and I wanted answers. I think voters have a responsibility to demand that from our leaders.The military decisions affect my family in a huge way. While dating my now-wife, I was deployed four times. The effect of the war on our military families is something we really need to consider. The role of the commander and chief is to set the tone and the mission for the military. I think Obama understands that and will provide strong leadership. There is no easy solution in Iraq, so good leadership is crucial. I like Obama’s stance on Iraq and the integrity he has shown on the issue.
Eli says that public service is something we should definitely look for in a commander and chief.
I respect McCain’s service, but Obama’s community service is important as well. One of the things I will try to teach my kids is to do some sort of service out of high school or college. It could be helping out in neighborhoods like Obama. The idea of giving two years of service to serve your community or that country is a great way to help people pay for college. I went right into the service out of college, and I really respect that Obama returned to serve his community.
Eli is also concerned about veterans benefits for those he served alongside.
We need to take care of the veterans and the families of wounded servicemen. It affects out county for generations. We need to learn from Vietnam and take care of the wounded veterans who need our help. Obama has some good ideas.
As a member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs, Obama has a strong record of working for veterans, including passing legislation to improving care and backing the 2008 G.I. Bill. Barack Obama and Joe Biden have a plan to take care of America's veterans. From expanding and strengthening VA care, to improving mental health and traumatic brian injury treatment, the Obama-Biden plan puts veterans first. Learn more about the Obama-Biden plan to help veterans.
If, like Eli, you’re hungry to get involved in the political process and bring strong leadership back to Washington, join our grassroots movement and volunteer to make a difference.
Voices for Change is a series featuring profiles of Barack Obama's grassroots supporters from across the nation. The people who make up this movement come from all different backgrounds, but they share a common goal of helping bring about fundamental change in Washington.
Brian has lived all over the electoral map. Born in Minnesota, he moved with his dairy herdsman father and family to Wisconsin and then Illinois. From there, onto Nebraska, then Washington, Ohio, North Dakota, and finally back to Wisconsin. And now, having lived in so many states -- as many red states as blue -- Brian has a good sense of what this country really looks like: purple.
And there's a Senator who really agrees with him.
"I started early looking for the best candidate to get us moving to where we need to go. I found Barack's positions all very compatible with my own and his personality to be outstanding."
There are specific "purple" issues that Brian thinks the whole country could get behind, and energy independence is one of them. As a landscape construction worker employed by a Wisconsin forest preserve, he knows that an energy-independent United States would be good for the environment -- and not only that, it would increase our national security as well. By creating over 5 million new green collar jobs, it's also a much-needed boost to our economy. This bipartisan issue is at the center of Barack Obama's campaign, and that's one reason Brian got motivated to get out there and help.
I have worked on three walk lists in my local area -- and it's a little hard at first to go knock on a stranger's door. But, I've found that it's actually interesting to meet neighbors I would never have any other reason to meet. Most people I have talked with have been nice, and some are really enthusiastic about their support. I have another walk list that I am anxious to start because I still see the polls put Wisconsin in the toss-up category. We can do much better to show our support of a sane and prosperous future by getting behind the only candidate that makes any sense.
I have worked on three walk lists in my local area -- and it's a little hard at first to go knock on a stranger's door. But, I've found that it's actually interesting to meet neighbors I would never have any other reason to meet. Most people I have talked with have been nice, and some are really enthusiastic about their support.
I have another walk list that I am anxious to start because I still see the polls put Wisconsin in the toss-up category. We can do much better to show our support of a sane and prosperous future by getting behind the only candidate that makes any sense.
With the clock ticking down, and so many states in the toss-up category, now is the time to join Brian by knocking on some doors in your own neighborhood -- or making calls to someone else's neighborhood!
As Brian put it, thinking about the future of this country:
I can barely wait to get started fixing this mess.
Let's get started now.
Make calls. Knock on doors.
Elect Barack Obama as the next President of the United States.
When Sashi first read Dreams From My Father, she couldn't believe how much she could relate. If you're Sashi, it's not every day you find a candidate running for President who has lived in Indonesia, like you, who was raised by a family that valued education and hard work above everything, like you, and who chose community organizing and social service over other jobs on Wall Street -- just like you.
Sashi recommended the book to everyone she knew.
"Growing up in the developing world gives you an understanding of poverty that is impossible to grasp otherwise. We live in an increasingly global community, and Barack Obama is exactly the right person to lead this country, and other countries, into the new interconnected age."
30-year-old Sashi was originally born in Sri Lanka and came to the United States when she was 6. Her family left their country because it was in a state of war. Once they got to South Florida, Sashi says she watched her family live the American Dream.
We didn't live in the best of neighborhoods, but my parents instilled in us strong values and an appreciation for education. They helped us improve ourselves simply through hard work and school. My sister and I went to public schools our entire lives until we both received scholarships to college. In college, I became involved in social change and mobilizing people to advocate for the betterment of their communities. Reading Senator Obama's memoir, I understood why he stayed in Chicago and could appreciate some of the difficulties he faced in learning his own identity. I also know how hard it is to choose a career, such as his in community organizing, that is not lucrative and is outside the norm. He did these things because he felt he had to.
We didn't live in the best of neighborhoods, but my parents instilled in us strong values and an appreciation for education. They helped us improve ourselves simply through hard work and school. My sister and I went to public schools our entire lives until we both received scholarships to college. In college, I became involved in social change and mobilizing people to advocate for the betterment of their communities.
Reading Senator Obama's memoir, I understood why he stayed in Chicago and could appreciate some of the difficulties he faced in learning his own identity. I also know how hard it is to choose a career, such as his in community organizing, that is not lucrative and is outside the norm. He did these things because he felt he had to.
And Sashi herself went on to do work that needed to be done, leading a group of students on a HIV/AIDS peer education trip throughout South India after college, interning with the World Organization Against Torture, working in an NGO for 2 years in microfinance, and working on economic development issues in Sri Lanka. When she read Senator Obama's first book, she found someone as committed to the same principles she valued -- and so, what seems like ages ago, started recommending the memoir to anyone who might listen.
But she knew that wasn't enough.
During the primaries and over the summer, Sashi got seriously involved in the campaign and canvassed in Pennsylvania and also Northern Virginia, where she currently lives. She recruited lots of friends to join her in canvassing and phone banking and she also donated to the campaign.
I've been a pretty outspoken advocate of Senator Obama, because I want people to know that his supporters are not afraid to talk politics and not afraid to confront the major issues. If we can't talk about these things then are we really informed voters?
Now with only six days to go, Sashi and thousands of other Virginian and Floridian volunteers are making the final push to prove, as she says, "that grassroots movements and communities CAN have a voice in government."
Every door knocked is one step closer to electing the first President to inspire our nation to be global citizens and local community organizers; a President who knows that the American Dream is alive in red states and blue states; in public schools and private schools; and on the main streets of small towns everywhere, from South Florida to Northern Virginia.
Vote Hope.
And get out there:
Last Christmas, Mary, 43, from Lisbon, Iowa could only think of one thing she really wanted: “a new president, with new ideas.” So she sent out a pre-Christmas email asking her friends and family to give her Christmas “gift” to the campaign in the form of a donation. Her loved ones were happy to go along with it and Mary was excited by the results. So excited, in fact, that she did the same thing for her birthday a few months later. Mary set a personal goal of $500, and has so far raised $587 from 26 individual donors. But she’s not going to stop there. Mary is keeping her fundraising page up through the election, and has been spending all the time she can spare canvassing and volunteering. In fact, a registered nurse and SEIU member, Mary was on her way to knock on doors in a neighboring town when we called her.
I’ve always been an independent voter, but after I saw how far off we were going as a country, I felt like it was time for me to pick a side and get involved. I started looking into the candidates, and being an Iowa voter, we get to see these folks up close and personal a lot. Barack was also such a kind, genuine person. He was someone who understands and will work for the average person.
Though she had never donated to a campaign before, Mary started her own personal fundraising page back in December and has kept it up ever since, periodically asking friends and family to contribute. Most of them donated at first for her Christmas and birthday gifts, but Mary says many of them have continued to donate. Though she’s a single mom with a special-needs son, Mary has almost maxed out herself on donations.
I’ve done most of my donating through other people’s personal fundraising pages. It’s a nice way to dedicate something to a person and help Barack. It’s the idea of realizing that it’s not about me, or you, or Barack Obama – it’s about where the country is going if we don’t do this.To bring people into the movement and get them involved in the first place is my goal. I know that the campaign is not taking lobbyists’ money, so Barack is relying on us. And we’re relying on him to do for us what he can And that’s what it’s all about – teamwork. When he’s elected, we’ll work together to heal this country.
I’ve done most of my donating through other people’s personal fundraising pages. It’s a nice way to dedicate something to a person and help Barack. It’s the idea of realizing that it’s not about me, or you, or Barack Obama – it’s about where the country is going if we don’t do this.
Join Mary and our team of millions of supporters by getting involved today.
“I have been donating to Obama's campaign since January,” says Helen in Toluca Lake, California. “However, I was hesitant to set up a personal fundraising page; it's just hard to ask friends for money – especially when times are tight."
"But, I believe so strongly in Obama-Biden and the change they will bring to this country that I had to do all I could for the campaign. So, I decided that I was asking my friends to make an investment in their future, and set a fundraising goal of $1,000.”A short time later, Helen has raised $3,375.
I was blown away. I was in tears when I checked my page and saw the contributions.
Helen has been involved with the campaign since the primaries, phonebanking and even traveling to Pennsylvania and Colorado to knock on doors. Helen decided volunteer for Obama because:
I just felt like I could do it. I felt like this was an investment and my future and the future of my country. I don’t live in a vacuum; I live in the United States of America. Everything that happens affects me.
Helen says she supports Barack because “I really believe that he can make a difference. I haven’t been involved in politics since I was in college in the 60s. I never worked on a campaign before, and never donated to a candidate – but I really believe in Obama.”
America needs to be going in a different direction, and I believe Barack can lead up to that change. But the only way he can do it is if he wins this election. And that’s up to us.
Join Helen and be part of bringing Barack’s change to Washington. We've only got eight days left to make a difference.
Sign up to volunteer, vote, and be part of the change.
Whether you're Joe the Plumber, Renee the Computer Technician, or Sarah the Blogger -- you're concerned about your taxes. With good reason.
That's why Barack Obama has a tax plan that lowers taxes for Joe, Renee, bloggers everywhere and another 95% of working Americans.
But as Renee knows well: a lot of people only know what they hear in the negative ads on television.
The McCain campaign has been relentless about repeating misinformation about Barack Obama's tax plan. But the good news is: what's going to happen to your tax rate is actually very clear. Senator Obama's plan is undeniably better for the average working class American. When I meet people who think Obama is going to raise their taxes, I don't just tell them it's not true -- I send them links to any number of non-partisan tax calculator sites that will do the math for them. All of the people I've done this for find they'll have lower taxes with Barack Obama as their President. I know I will.
By now Renee, a proud single mother of an adopted daughter, has done enough volunteer work for Barack Obama that she knows what voters want: facts, not attacks. So when she phonebanks to swing states all over the country -- states like Virginia, Pennsylvania and Colorado -- she's ready with the facts. She tells them about Barack's healthcare plan which will lower costs for working families and cover every child in America. She talks about Barack's plans to rejuvenate the middle class. And she sends Barack's pamphlet outlining all the issues, "Blueprint for Change" to anyone who's interested in learning more about the specific topics they care about most.
I'm 46 years old and I've always voted. But I've never done anything like this.
In addition to phonebanking, Renee has been hosting house parties for Barack since the primaries and here's how she says you do it:
1) Post your event online at My.BarackObama.com.
2) Sit back.
3) Watch as 10, 20, 30 people from all walks of life show up at your home to talk about Barack Obama.
In Renee's experience, she saw everyone from college students to senior citizens to neighbors she didn't even know she had.
What's so important about Obama is that he inspires regular people to get involved. That's the best thing about him. And not just volunteering -- I think people are really thinking about government differently. The dirty name of politics might not be so dirty when he's done -- people might even look at those types of office as honest again.
And in fact, the best evidence she has to back up that idea is right in her own living room:
If my ten-year-old daughter walks into a room and he's on TV speaking, she stops and listens to him. I like the fact that he is making public service honorable. I like the fact that my daughter can look at him and his family and see people that look like her and that have worked very hard and are doing what they believe to be best for this country. It encourages me to see in her eyes the possibility that she really can do anything no matter what her race or gender.
You still have time to make sure Barack Obama is elected President of the United States. Join Renee, her daughter, electricians, plumbers, shoe salesmen, secretaries, store clerks, teachers and hard working Americans all across this country who are volunteering for change.
Shawn in Tempe, Arizona knows firsthand the issues surrounding the Iraq War.
At age 25, Shawn has already completed five years as an active duty marine, some of that time spent fighting Operation Iraqi Freedom. Though he left the Marines, Shawn has remained connected to the military, now serving in the National Guard.
I think we need to withdraw as soon and as much as possible from Iraq. I’ve seen that it’s not a militarily winnable situation. I have not been to Afghanistan, but it’s obvious we need more troops there, and it should be the central front of the war on terror.
Shawn is very concerned with foreign policy in this election.
We need to get out of this unilateral, go-it-alone attitude.
He’s also concerned about domestic issues as well.
We should be concerned about the justices on the Supreme Court and fiscal policy. I think Barack has the right ideas on both those fronts. I’m not an economics major, but it’s pretty clear John McCain isn’t either.
Since returning from Iraq, Shawn has enrolled as a pre-med student at Arizona State University (ASU). He says the new GI Bill proposed by the Democrats was a huge reason to support Obama.
It’s pretty impossible to go to school full time and pay bills on the $1,250 per month the current GI Bill gives veterans.
Barack Obama has a plan to help every American student afford to go to college. For veterans like Shawn, Barack supported the 2008 GI Bill, which increases education benefits for our veterans. For other students, Obama’s plan will give a $4000 annual refundable tax credit to every American student, which will cover two-thirds the cost of tuition at the average public college or university and make community college tuition completely free for most students. In exchange, students would be required to perform 100 hours of community service – ensuring that students are not only learning in the classroom, but are learning valuable lessons through serving their communities at the same time. Learn more: http://www.barackobama.com/issues/education/.
Shawn says he’s encouraged by the Obama support he sees on the ASU campus.
There’s a lot of Obama support. We’re not all awash in a sea of red.
Despite trying to make ends meet and pay for school on his veteran’s benefits, Shawn still found it in his budget to contribute to the campaign.
If the candidate I support needs by help, I feel like I need to do my part.
Join Shawn and do your part to support bringing change to Washington.
Philip is a 59-year-old dairy farmer in McGregor, Iowa. He’s also a fervent Obama supporter.
“I support him because of the way he carries himself,” Philip says. “Obama has the perfect temperament and judgment for the job of president. He’s the kind of person that if things get tense, you know he’s the one everyone else in the room would look to. He’s a natural leader.” Philip has not only donated to the campaign, but volunteered by walking neighborhoods in McGregor and registering everyone he can to vote.
I try to be part of the team. I set a personal goal of getting 100 new votes for the Democrats. It sounds simple – but that’s a lot! I plan to knock on about 1500 doors to do it. And when I’m at the gas pump or at the grocery store or in line at the post office, I always ask people if they’re registered to vote, and talk to them about Obama. I carry voter registration forms with me wherever I go.
Philip lives with his wife of 34 years on a 495-acre farm that’s also home to 170 dairy cows. Philip, who likes to hunt and fish in his spare time, is especially proud of his son who is a senior at Louisiana State University. He says the recent flooding in the Midwest is still one of the biggest problems in his home town.
There’s lots of flood damage in our county. Whole neighborhoods were wiped out and there’s no rebuilding yet. The floods made me really concerned about global warming. I want my government working on that! But I know Obama’s concerned about global warming as well.
Philip says that energy is another major concern in his part of Iowa.
Our economy is terrible right now. But at lot of farmers see renewable energy – like ethanol -- as a way to revitalize our rural economy. McCain opposes ethanol, but Barack has said he wants to renew the rural economy through renewable energy. I think he can make a big difference for a lot of people out here by investing in renewable energy.
Barack has a plan to end America's dependence on foreign oil by investing in renewable alternatives like wind, solar, clean coal andd ethanol. The Obama-Biden plan will not only help build the ecconomy in rural communities, but these alternative energy sources will provide more than 5 million well-paying American jobs. Read more about Barack's energy plan.
Join Philip and make a difference in your community by contributing to the Obama movement for change.
Veronica in Palm Beach, Florida, just made a donation to Barack Obama.“This is my third,” she says. “Though I wish it could be more. I am one of those people caught up in this housing debacle, and am a single mom struggling to take care of my 95-year-old grandmother. I also cared for my mother, who just passed away in May.”Veronica has trouble paying the bills on her teacher salary.
I cannot make ends meet, and that is a fact. I wouldn't be in this mess right now, had I not needed money for medical bills for my mother. The way it stands now, my family home will go into foreclosure.
The health care system is a major issue for Veronica in this election.
My mother, who just passed away from the many complications from diabetes and kidney failure, wanted Barack Obama to be President more than anything in this world. She so wanted to cast that vote before she passed away. But the health care system definitely let her down, and I could write volumes on how we need to do so much more for the seniors who cared for us.
Veronica says that just about every issue in the election affects her. As a mother and teacher, she’s concerned about education. As a woman, women’s issues concern her. And with a cousin serving in Afghanistan, she’s concerned about the war and our soldier’s abroad.
I accept responsibility for my life, but I realize that we are in need of change more than ever. I have so much hope for Senator Obama, and this is one time where I place all of my support toward Senators Obama and Biden.
Veronica has a message for undecided voters:
I have seen the dedication and passion that Senator Obama exhibits for working for the American people. I wish there was one thing I could say about Senator Obama to cause undecided voters to cast a vote on his behalf: We have had 8 years of failure after failure. Step up and make a stand to make a difference in the current situation. Be bold enough to trust someone who passionately promises to help us!
Now, Veronica’s volunteering for change. You too can step up and make a stand. Contact your local campaign office or sign on to Neighbor to Neighbor to contact voters in your community. It’s time to get out the vote, and you can make all the difference.
When Amos became a United States citizen a little over a year ago, he didn’t wait long to get involved in politics; as soon as his nearby Obama office opened, Amos was there and ready to do what he could. Amos started volunteering for Obama, knocking on doors and hosting campaign events at his home. And this November, he is excited to cast his first presidential vote for Barack Obama. Amos, 35, came to the United States from Kenya in 1997. With a wife, two young daughters, and a small business, Amos is living the American dream he dreamed of growing up in Kenya.
When I was growing up, everyone saw America as the land of opportunity. And it is. To vote means a lot to me. It means this country really is the land of opportunity. If you come here with the right mindset and work hard, opportunities are wide open for everyone. As someone who has been here for 10 years, I see how good and unselfish the American people are, and am proud to be a part of it.For an immigrant, to have a man running for president who is the son of an African immigrant is inspiring. I see my children in him; he is an inspiration to us all. It is amazing that in this country my children have the same opportunity as everyone else. If they work for it, anything is possible here.
In this election, Amos is most concerned about healthcare. He owns his own small business and was proud that his wife was able to stay home and care for their toddler children.
But at one point my wife fell sick, and my children fell sick, and I couldn’t make enough to cover the medical expenses. Healthcare has almost taken my family down.
Amos took a second job just to help pay for health insurance, and his wife had to go back to work. He is also concerned about American’s image in the world.
I would like to see someone in that office who will restore the image of the country back to what it was when I was young and everyone looked up to America – not because of its military might, but as a country that would always go the extra mile to help on many levels, like human rights and medicine.
Amos hopes Barack will restore America to that place of opportunity, and is doing all he can to help Barack win in November.
I’ve donated what I can to the campaign every month, and I volunteer. I can’t understand why anyone could sit on the sidelines. Politics affects the future of my children. Being an American is not just about going to work and putting food on the table – working on the campaign and voting is part of my civil duty. This is one of the privileges of being a citizen of this country. There are so many people across the world who would love to participate in the democratic process and they don’t have the opportunity. For me to be here where I can freely express my political opinion is amazing, and a privilege.
Join Amos and don’t sit on the sidelines – volunteer, donate, vote, and help Amos restore America to the land of opportunity admired around the world.
John, 61, of Mt. Sterling, Ohio (population 1,600) used to be a heavy equipment operator until an old, leaking gas tank on his land changed his life. The large underground tank had been leaking gas into the groundwater for years, poisoning John’s family until John developed Multiple Sclerosis and the culprit was found. Since then, John has become an activist for getting harmful toxins out of family farms.
I used not to care about stuff like the environment. But when you get bitten by it, you really start to care.
He says many of his neighbors in the community have gotten sick because of the same problem on their lands. John lives on a 650 acre farm that grows soybeans, corn, and green crops. With two grown children and two young grandchildren, John says his new hobby is “spoiling my grandkids.”He’s a registered Republican, but John joined the Obama campaign early on, and has made donations to the campaign.
Obama is different – he’s genuinely compassionate for the individual. We need someone in government at the top who has new ideas and new ways of treating people. We need someone who realized who he works for – us! Obama understands that.
John says the economy and healthcare concerns are ravaging rural voters.
People around here can’t afford healthcare. My sister is 57 years old, has a neurological disease and just lost her job. She’s fought for seven years to get on Social Security Disability. She paid into it her whole life, and now she doesn’t have enough to pay her bills. There’s no safety net for these people anymore. Our government should be there to protect us and help us. People need to start caring about each other again.
He says the economy is also hurting rural families.
The economy here is devastated. It’s painful to look in the newspaper every day and see 20 homes in the county that foreclosed. It’s the homes these families have lived in for years, and the kids grew up in. What does that do to our kids? It just breaks my heart.
Barack has a plan to help American families in the struggling economy. Barack's tax plan will cut taxes for 95 percent of workers and families and give them the relief they need. Seniors making less than $50,000 per year won't pay any income taxes at all.
And you can learn more about Barack's specific plan for rural America here.
People here are just hoping for change.I want a government that cares about people, and I think that’s what we’ll get with Obama. This could be a new day in American government, and I feel good about that.
Join John and our grassroots movement of people trying to create a government that cares about real Americans.
After months of phonebanking for Obama, Helaine had an epiphany.
A phone solicitor selling something or other called, and he asked if he could have a moment of my time. I said sure. If I could have a moment of his.
A phone solicitor selling something or other called, and he asked if he could have a moment of my time.
I said sure. If I could have a moment of his.
She's been educating phone solicitors ever since. "That's our thing, right? One voter at a time!" she says, laughing.
Helaine is "a 63-year-old Jewish Independent, retired and on Social Security," living in South Carolina. She volunteers regularly at the Obama headquarters in her small, southern town -- and since South Carolina is a pretty red state, she spends much of her time phonebanking to the critical swing states.
"Our motto is: work like you're 20 points behind," she says. And talking to Helaine about all the extraordinary work she and her fellow South Carolinian volunteers are doing -- they must have that motto taped to the wall.
There is no doubt in my mind that Barack Obama is the one unique person we need at this time to change the direction of our country. He is intelligent, honest and instills hope at a time our country is desperate for it. He has the judgment and temperament to become one of the best presidents ever. I haven’t felt this way since JFK. Barack has inspired the younger generation to get involved in a politics the older generation regards as cynical and one that cannot be changed. He represents and brings out the best in all of us. It’s so obvious that he is the future and his opponent is the past.
Exactly.
So let's work like we're 20 points behind, and put everything we can into helping out in these crucial swing states: Ohio, Virginia, Florida, Pennsylvania, Colorado, Wisconsin, New Hampshire, Nevada, Minnesota, Iowa -- even Indiana and North Carolina.
Let's redraw the political map.
Do you live near any of these states?
Road trip!
Do you have a phone?
Here's one:
Before you get going, here's a few more inspiring words from Helaine:
The world is watching and has a vested interest in the outcome of this race. The stakes couldn't be higher. Barack Obama has forward vision -- he does not have the "if you're not for us, you're against us" war mentality of the past as does his opponent. I feel he would be a great Commander-in-Chief because he would use diplomacy as well as force only when absolutely necessary. He would once again make America great in the eyes of the countries of the world. This is our time. I feel we’ve come to an important crossroads in our lives, in the direction of this country and the world. I am glad to be living in a time when my decision can make such a difference in the path our country will be taking. We cannot allow four more years of the same disastrous policies. I truly want to thank Barack, Michelle, Malia and Sasha Obama for their great sacrifice for our country to finally put the American people first. We will not let them down.
The world is watching and has a vested interest in the outcome of this race. The stakes couldn't be higher. Barack Obama has forward vision -- he does not have the "if you're not for us, you're against us" war mentality of the past as does his opponent. I feel he would be a great Commander-in-Chief because he would use diplomacy as well as force only when absolutely necessary. He would once again make America great in the eyes of the countries of the world.
This is our time. I feel we’ve come to an important crossroads in our lives, in the direction of this country and the world. I am glad to be living in a time when my decision can make such a difference in the path our country will be taking. We cannot allow four more years of the same disastrous policies. I truly want to thank Barack, Michelle, Malia and Sasha Obama for their great sacrifice for our country to finally put the American people first. We will not let them down.
Right?
Marla is a home health therapist in Florida -- when elderly patients come home from the hospital, she's there to help them get around the house, get dressed, navigate the shower, and balance their checkbook.
This part of Florida is like the deep South -- most of my patients think they should be Republicans. Hey, I thought I was a Republican.
That was before she really started looking into the issues. Once Marla found out about Barack's plan to initiate a new era of affordable healthcare that would put the interests of patients first, she started to lean towards Obama. When she learned that Barack has been against this war from the beginning, (and Marla has a cousin of her own who will be deployed to iraq this winter) she really started to take Obama seriously. Then, looking at Barack's plan to jumpstart the economy, and his plan to protect Social Security, and it all made a lot of sense to Marla. In fact the more she learned, the more impressed she became.
At the beginning, it was a question of getting informed. Now it's a question of making the effort to get that information out there.
And if those are the questions, Marla is making sure that she is part of the answer. Using the Neighbor to Neighbor tool, Marla has canvassed an impressive 250 neighbors in her tiny community, all by herself.
I remember what my questions were about Barack Obama, my reservations -- and so that's what I talk about when people open the door. One issue in particular that resonates with many of the older Florida folks is of course Social Security. I talk about it with my clients all the time. The problem is: people don't really know what privatizing Social Security means. First things first: John McCain wants to privatize Social Security, Barack Obama does not. McCain makes no bones about it. But people still don't really know what that entails. They look at stocks going up and down on Wall Street, and they think that's just about the fat cats who can afford to play the market. So I tell people -- you know how you keep waking up every day and the stock market keeps dropping 200, 500, 700 points? Privatizing Social Security means that your money, your Social Security gets put into the stock market -- and your money, your Social Security could drop 200, 500, 700 points. That's a good way to convert a Florida McCain supporter.
I remember what my questions were about Barack Obama, my reservations -- and so that's what I talk about when people open the door. One issue in particular that resonates with many of the older Florida folks is of course Social Security. I talk about it with my clients all the time. The problem is: people don't really know what privatizing Social Security means.
First things first: John McCain wants to privatize Social Security, Barack Obama does not. McCain makes no bones about it. But people still don't really know what that entails. They look at stocks going up and down on Wall Street, and they think that's just about the fat cats who can afford to play the market. So I tell people -- you know how you keep waking up every day and the stock market keeps dropping 200, 500, 700 points? Privatizing Social Security means that your money, your Social Security gets put into the stock market -- and your money, your Social Security could drop 200, 500, 700 points.
That's a good way to convert a Florida McCain supporter.
Marla is full of good ways to convert McCain supporters -- often pointing out that Barack Obama recently paid off his student loans. That he was raised by single mom and his grandparents, sometimes on food stamps. And that John McCain, on the other hand, has seven houses.
If you have too much money, you can't possibly begin to understand people like my mom who won't be able to pay her electric bill at the end of the month.
Which is why Marla's whole family, who she describes, "very, very Catholic," are all voting for Barack Obama.
Of course there are a lot of Catholics who vote Republican because of one or two issues. But we're talking about the future of this country -- and we have to look at the broader picture: healthcare, the economy, education, Social Security, the way we're respected around the world. Barack is the clear choice when it comes to any of these issues.
Please help Marla continue to keep up the good work educating residents in Florida -- a critical swing state -- one voter at a time. You can even call Florida residents right now, using this handy calling tool.
And wherever you are, check out Neighbor to Neighbor like Marla did -- which gives you the names and addresses of people right in your neighborhood -- and start talking to some people on your own block:
This election is too important to sit on the sidelines -- so get out there, and get started!
Ginger and Todd of Columbia, South Carolina, have never donated to a political campaign before. But they’ve already written two checks to the Obama campaign, and plan on writing a few more before the election is over.
Todd and Ginger often vote Republican – and voted twice for President Bush – but are now solidly behind Barack Obama.Ginger says:
I just love Obama’s message and the way he appeals to ordinary people to contribute. I haven’t given much, but it’s just nice to feel like you’re really a part of something.I admire Barack -- the way he personally came from a disadvantaged background and made something of himself. He seems like a real person. He has a kinder, gentler, philosophy of dealing with people.
Ginger and Todd, both 6th grade teachers, are especially concerned about healthcare, as the see the impact it has on the students in their classrooms every day. Ginger says:
A lot of my students don’t have healthcare, and it’s just not fair. Insurance companies get rich off people who can’t afford it, and then when you need their help it’s hard to get it. I have a lot of students from low-income families. They have enough money for food, but not enough to get regular checkups and dental care. Their parents don’t have health insurance, so they wait too long to go to the doctor, often ending up in the emergency room.Sometimes those kids come to school every day – even when they’re sick – because school is the brightest part of their lives.
A lot of my students don’t have healthcare, and it’s just not fair. Insurance companies get rich off people who can’t afford it, and then when you need their help it’s hard to get it. I have a lot of students from low-income families. They have enough money for food, but not enough to get regular checkups and dental care. Their parents don’t have health insurance, so they wait too long to go to the doctor, often ending up in the emergency room.
Sometimes those kids come to school every day – even when they’re sick – because school is the brightest part of their lives.
Todd, who also volunteers as a youth minister, is especially concerned about helping some of his lower-income students succeed. Todd says:
Obama’s policies on healthcare and tax cuts for lower income people are very good. We need to help people who have low income be able to get ahead. Obama’s idea of giving a tax credit for tuition and requiring students to pay it back to the community is also great. Kids should be able to go to college if they want to and are willing to work for it.
Todd has done some phonebanking for the campaign and plans to do more before November. Todd says, “It’s important to me to get Obama elected. For years I’ve been tired of politicians running negative campaigns, and for once I heard someone telling us what we can do, instead of what we can’t.”Ginger notes:
I hope people in South Carolina turn out the way they did in the primary. If they do, I think we’ve got South Carolina won.
Barack has already shown us what we can accomplish together. But we still need your help. Join our nationwide network of grassroots supporters. Please make a contribution today.
I'm a fourth grader at Cool Spring Elementary School. My teacher is Mrs. Kusterer, and I've been a political junkie for all my life.
9-year-old Sophia is not just an armchair analyst. She and her dad, Miles, have knocked on over 1,500 doors campaigning for Barack Obama in the critical swing state of Virginia.
"We've probably had 150 meaningful conversations from the 1,500 doors we've knocked on," says Miles.
If those 150 people vote for Obama, and there are 10,000 more people like us out there knocking on doors, that's a potential 1,500,000 votes.
Sophia and Miles have been using the Neighbor to Neighbor tool to easily find the names and addresses of people in their area that they can go canvass for Barack Obama. To put things in perspective, 250 doors is a lot of doors to knock. 1,500 is plain old inspiring.
And so are Sophia and Miles. Here's an excerpt from our interview with this awesome father-daughter volunteer team:
Q: So, what do you like about Obama?Miles: I like the way he thinks. I like his temperament. I like how calm he is. I trust him and his judgment.Sophia: I also like how he's very calm in situations and he can get things done. He's not a drama queen. In the beginning my main issue is the war in Iraq, because I'm the next generation. But as we got more involved in the campaign, I heard his other issues and realized he wasn't just any old democratic nominee. I was very inspired by all of his stands on issues like energy and health care and the war.Q: What kind of work have you done/hope to do for the campaign? Miles: We use the Neighbor to Neighbor tool and our field organizer sends us out on weekends and Thursday night canvasses. When we meet undecided voters who tell us an issue they're interested in, we copy material from Barack's website and bring it back to them with a personal note within 48 hours. We follow up with others in the neighborhood. Canvassing is a blast!Sophia: We have canvassed to the ends of Hanover County. When we get an undecided voter, I pipe in with "What are your issues?" What I love about canvassing is when you get an undecided voter that starts to think, you walk down the steps with this feeling of satisfaction like you're changing the world, and you are. Q: What would you want to say to the world to inspire them to get involved?Miles: If you live in a battleground state like Virginia, if you're not dropping everything to spend every spare moment working on this campaign, you're missing the opportunity of a lifetime. If you live in a blue state or a red state and you're an Obama supporter, if you're not arranging to sleep on the floor of a friend in a battleground state the weekend before the election, you're missing the opportunity of a lifetime. If you have kids of any age, take them canvassing. It's the most important and meaningful way I've ever spent time with my daughter. She is learning so much from the experience. She listens in on and participates in real, adult conversations that will teach her life lessons. Once we canvassed a 90-year-old man who was just happy to have a visitor. He was a McCain supporter but we wrote in the notes, "a very nice old man..." Many a person has taken Sophia's hands in theirs, regardless of their politics, and said, "Thank you for doing this..." Sophia: It's important that people know that we can turn Virginia purple, if not blue. You can't give up while canvassing. Every single thing you do, even if it's just a few houses on Neighbor to Neighbor, is giving a little bit of hope to middle-class families and people all over the earth. And the people you talk to -- to them, it's amazing that a campaign would come out to their door. Once, out in rural Hanover County, we talked to an old man and he said, "Nobody's ever come out here," and I realized we were going in places that hadn't had anybody ever come up to their door and ask who they were voting for. To them, nobody really cared that much. Even if they were a McCain supporter, you feel like you're making a difference.
Q: So, what do you like about Obama?
Miles: I like the way he thinks. I like his temperament. I like how calm he is. I trust him and his judgment.
Sophia: I also like how he's very calm in situations and he can get things done. He's not a drama queen. In the beginning my main issue is the war in Iraq, because I'm the next generation. But as we got more involved in the campaign, I heard his other issues and realized he wasn't just any old democratic nominee. I was very inspired by all of his stands on issues like energy and health care and the war.
Q: What kind of work have you done/hope to do for the campaign?
Miles: We use the Neighbor to Neighbor tool and our field organizer sends us out on weekends and Thursday night canvasses. When we meet undecided voters who tell us an issue they're interested in, we copy material from Barack's website and bring it back to them with a personal note within 48 hours. We follow up with others in the neighborhood. Canvassing is a blast!
Sophia: We have canvassed to the ends of Hanover County. When we get an undecided voter, I pipe in with "What are your issues?" What I love about canvassing is when you get an undecided voter that starts to think, you walk down the steps with this feeling of satisfaction like you're changing the world, and you are.
Q: What would you want to say to the world to inspire them to get involved?Miles: If you live in a battleground state like Virginia, if you're not dropping everything to spend every spare moment working on this campaign, you're missing the opportunity of a lifetime. If you live in a blue state or a red state and you're an Obama supporter, if you're not arranging to sleep on the floor of a friend in a battleground state the weekend before the election, you're missing the opportunity of a lifetime. If you have kids of any age, take them canvassing. It's the most important and meaningful way I've ever spent time with my daughter. She is learning so much from the experience. She listens in on and participates in real, adult conversations that will teach her life lessons. Once we canvassed a 90-year-old man who was just happy to have a visitor. He was a McCain supporter but we wrote in the notes, "a very nice old man..." Many a person has taken Sophia's hands in theirs, regardless of their politics, and said, "Thank you for doing this..." Sophia: It's important that people know that we can turn Virginia purple, if not blue. You can't give up while canvassing. Every single thing you do, even if it's just a few houses on Neighbor to Neighbor, is giving a little bit of hope to middle-class families and people all over the earth. And the people you talk to -- to them, it's amazing that a campaign would come out to their door. Once, out in rural Hanover County, we talked to an old man and he said, "Nobody's ever come out here," and I realized we were going in places that hadn't had anybody ever come up to their door and ask who they were voting for. To them, nobody really cared that much. Even if they were a McCain supporter, you feel like you're making a difference.
You feel like you're making a difference, because...you are!
Check out Neighbor to Neighbor right now and see how easy it is to print up a list of people to canvass right in your own neighborhood.
This post-debate weekend is the perfect weekend to get out there and talk to your neighbors about the real differences between Barack Obama and John McCain. Getting a real live visit from a real live supporter makes a difference at this crucial time when voters are making up their minds.
And it's also a great time to get your kids involved!
A wise man once said: it's the opportunity of a lifetime.
This election is a truly defining moment in our country’s history. I really see it as a referendum on the soul of America: the person we elect as President is a reflection of how we see ourselves.
Meet Lisa Nicolle, a young filmmaker and substitute teacher in the Atlanta Public School system.
Lisa Nicolle says what we're facing is really a clear choice between progress and the status quo, between inclusion and exclusion. Ultimately, she says, it's a choice between the future and the past.
Recently, as someone who has worked tirelessly on voter registration efforts in Georgia, she was asked to come in and give a presentation about the importance of the upcoming election to a small group of high school seniors.
It's essential to impress a few things on the kids I'm talking to. First of all: vote. We have to vote. This is a real opportunity for these kids to make a statement -- to participate, and create the kind of world they would like to live in.And Barack Obama's own life story is a huge inspiration when it comes to getting involved: even if life has been challenging for you, you can turn things around. That resonates with kids everywhere. That and being a skinny kid with big ears and a funny name.
It's essential to impress a few things on the kids I'm talking to. First of all: vote. We have to vote. This is a real opportunity for these kids to make a statement -- to participate, and create the kind of world they would like to live in.
And Barack Obama's own life story is a huge inspiration when it comes to getting involved: even if life has been challenging for you, you can turn things around. That resonates with kids everywhere. That and being a skinny kid with big ears and a funny name.
Thanks to her pep talk at that tiny event, Lisa Nicolle registered three new high school-aged voters. And had even more sign up to help with a follow-up voter registration drive last weekend. And that, plain and simple, is the story of the greatest grassroots campaign in Presidential history.
I have stood next to so many different kinds of people who are doing the same work for this campaign -- from an older white man who was a self-described recovering Republican, to a young biracial boy whose mom wanted to show him how big he could dream and brought him to see Barack speak, to these kids I work with in the inner city, to a woman I met at a rally who had really believed in Bobby Kennedy, and said to me, "This, this is what we have been waiting for."
We are at a defining moment in history.
And volunteers like Lisa Nicole are proving that when Barack Obama is elected President, it will be just as she says: a reflection of this country. That is, a country that pulled itself together at a critical juncture, and in an enormous community effort worked hard and put America on the right track.
You can turn things around.
The time to join this movement has never been more important:
Tim from Noblesville, Indiana is excited to be casting his first vote ever for Barack Obama. The 20-year-old junior political science major at Purdue University is excited that his vote is going to count in this election.
It means a lot to be casting my first presidential vote for Obama. And I’m excited that Indiana is a swing state. My vote’s going to make a difference. I want to say that I voted for him. He’s a historic candidate and the right candidate. I support Obama because the politics of the past eight years – the politics I few up with -- have been a nightmare, but he restored my hope in American politics. He believes that we can rise above and accomplish something bigger and better than ourselves.
As a college student, tuition is a big issue for Tim.
College tuition is out of control. I want to go to law school, but there’s no way my family can afford that. My sister has $70,000 in loans, and she just wanted to be a teacher. Now she’s teaching and making $35,000 per year. How is she supposed to pay that off?
Barack Obama has a plan to help every American student afford college. Obama’s plan will give a $4,000 refundable tax credit to every American student, which will cover two-thirds the cost of tuition at the average public college or university and make community college tuition completely free for most students. Read more about the Obama-Biden education plan.The economy also concerns Tim, since he and his classmates will be joining the workforce soon.
My classmates are terrified about going out into the economy. That’s a clear indicator that something is very wrong.
Tim says his whole family is voting for Obama.
My sister is voting for Obama, my mom is voting for Obama… even my dad, who used to be a Republican. I can guarantee seven votes in my family for Obama. And now I’m trying to convince my Republican roommates. I think I can do it!
Though he’s struggling on a student budget, Tim donated to the campaign a few weeks ago, and says he plan to donate again.
I don’t know how much I can afford, but I believe in his campaign and believe he will do great things, so I’ll do what I can. This is important.
Make sure you’re registered to vote by visiting VoteForChange.com.
And if you can find a little to spare in your budget this month, join Tim and contribute to our movement for change. Because Tim’s right – this is important.
Donna, 61, from Columbia, South Carolina, is proud that she could have an impact on this election.
She stared out slow, making some calls in the spring and getting more involved right before the South Carolina primary.
Since then she’s become a dedicated volunteer – volunteering as precinct captain, canvassing, phonebanking, and even hosting out-of-state volunteers at her home.
Hosting volunteers is really neat because even times when I didn’t have time to volunteer, I still felt connected and felt like I was doing something for the movement.
“At this point, I’m pretty much caught up in Obama fever,” she says. A registered nurse with two sons in their 30s, Donna had never volunteered on a presidential campaign before, and had only donated once to a gubernatorial candidate.
Until the Obama campaign, I didn’t know that people really gave small amounts to campaigns. I thought you had to give thousands. I didn’t realize people like me could just give a little. But in the Obama campaign, every little bit helps!To ask people to give what they can, when they can, is so reasonable. I contribute because, to me, it’s almost like a vote. It demonstrates to other people just how much your little part of the effort makes a difference. That’s why I’ve continued to donate when I could – I can see how much a difference my effort is making.
Until the Obama campaign, I didn’t know that people really gave small amounts to campaigns. I thought you had to give thousands. I didn’t realize people like me could just give a little. But in the Obama campaign, every little bit helps!
Donna contributes because she sees how much the economy and the healthcare crisis are affecting her community. “Being a nurse, I see a lot of patients who don’t have insurance or are underinsured. I’ve seen a lot of the issues that come up with Medicaid and the problems people face getting the help they need.”It’s even affecting her own family.
One of my sons owns a small construction business and he has to pay for his own insurance with a huge deductible. I see his family not going to the doctor when they should. And my other son bought his first home a few years ago and had a sub-prime loan. He lost his job recently and has been struggling to keep his head above water and keep his home. But I think this is all something we can fix with President Obama in office.
Donna’s sons weren’t going to vote, but on primary day they called her to tell her they went to the polls for Obama. “I was so proud,” she says. Her two Republican siblings are voting to Obama too. Donna is excited to bring more people into the Obama movement.
Obama tells people they need to have hope, faith, in America. He asks us to have faith in ourselves and that we have the power to work together and make things happen. With him, it’s not about him – it’s all about us.
Join the movement. Team up with other supporters and help make things happen in Washington.
We just spoke to another Republican voting for Barack Obama.
Guess you'd call me a Reagan Republican, but at this point, you have to vote for whoever has the best ideas about the issues that affect you.
First and foremost, the economy is the issue that affects Lisa and her family in Las Vegas, Nevada the most. For two decades she worked in the food industry for one of the country's largest food companies -- only to be laid off with thousands of other employees when the company was in trouble. While she tried to figure out what to do next, she watched her old company's CEOs go out with multi-million dollar golden parachutes.
You just can't reward that kind of behavior. That philosophy is what's gotten us into this mess economically.
Lisa is right. And she thinks it's critical that Obama has been clear about opposing corporate greed from the beginning -- unlike John McCain, who only seems to have come around to that conclusion in the last week. She says this country is due for a very serious change, and the only candidate whose policies actually reflect genuine change from the failed policies of the Bush Administration, is Barack Obama.
The biggest thing on my mind -- on everyone's mind -- is the economy. We bought a house two years ago, and now that house isn't worth what we paid for it. We're being responsible and making our mortgage payments, but the government needs to do its part and get control.It's pretty simple: we have to have real leadership, here and around the world. I think that's what Barack Obama provides as a candidate -- he can change how people look at us by changing the way we do things here at home.
The biggest thing on my mind -- on everyone's mind -- is the economy. We bought a house two years ago, and now that house isn't worth what we paid for it. We're being responsible and making our mortgage payments, but the government needs to do its part and get control.
It's pretty simple: we have to have real leadership, here and around the world. I think that's what Barack Obama provides as a candidate -- he can change how people look at us by changing the way we do things here at home.
You can read more about Barack Obama's plans for the economy, including substantial tax cut proposals for working class families like Lisa's, by clicking here. There you'll read about Barack Obama and Joe Biden's plan to enact a windfall profits tax on excessive oil company profits to give American families an immediate $1,000 emergency energy rebate to help families pay rising bills. This relief would be a down payment on the Obama-Biden long-term plan to provide middle-class families with at least $1,000 per year in permanent tax relief.
You can also read Barack's speech about the economy that he gave in Reno.
Before we got off the phone with Lisa, we just double checked to see if she was registered to vote.
Of course! Did it outside the grocery store.
And now we have great news: you don't even have to go to the grocery store to make sure you can vote. Just go to our extra-easy one-stop voter registration site, www.VoteForChange.com, and you can get it done in just a few minutes.
November 4th, 2008: Democrats, Independents, and Republicans -- voting for change.
You can help us bring that change as we work to keep registering voters and spreading Barack's message to people like Lisa by making a small donation today.
