Pamlico Democrats Respond to Attacks on Poll Workers

In the last days of the 2008 election, Barack Obama visited Cleveland for one of the final rallies of his presidential campaign. Today he returned for a major address on his plans for moving the economy forward. While much has changed since 2008, some things remain the same as we stand faced with another important election:

“A lot has changed since I came here in those final days of the last election, but what hasn’t is the choice facing this country.  It’s still fear versus hope; the past versus the future.  It’s still a choice between sliding backward and moving forward.  That’s what this election is about.  That’s the choice you’ll face in November.”

The President used his address to lay out three major new initiatives to create jobs and grow our economy. First is a new effort to rebuild America’s transportation infrastructure—our roads, bridges, and airport runways. The second is expanding, simplifying, and permanently extending the Research and Experimentation Tax Credit. And the third is to allow companies to deduct investments in their business through the end of 2011, speeding up job creation and private investment. These big investments will help the families and workers who are struggling while building a strong infrastructure for our country’s economic growth.

As the President said today, his own family benefited from a country that invested in its middle class, which is what we need to do again:

"Michelle and I are where we are today because even though our families didn’t have much, they worked tirelessly – without complaint – so that we might have a better life.  My grandfather marched off to Europe in World War II and my grandmother worked in factories on the home front.  I had a single mom who put herself through school, and would wake before dawn to make sure I got a decent education.  Michelle can still remember her father heading out to his job as a city worker long after Multiple Sclerosis had made it impossible for him to walk without crutches....

“That’s the America I believe in.  That’s what led me to work in the shadow of a shuttered steel plant on the South Side of Chicago when I was a community organizer.  It’s what led me to fight for factory workers at manufacturing plants that were closing across Illinois when I was a Senator.  It’s what led me to run for President – because I don’t believe we can have a strong and growing economy without a strong and growing middle-class.”

But as the President pushes for jobs and laying a strong economic foundation, Republicans like John Boehner are saying ‘no’ to progress while offering no new ideas:

“A few weeks ago, the Republican leader of the House came here to Cleveland and offered his party’s answer to our economic challenges.  Now, it would be one thing if he admitted his party’s mistakes during the eight years they were in power, and was offering a credible new approach to solving our country’s problems.

“But that’s not what happened.  There were no new policies from Mr. Boehner.  There were no new ideas.  There was just the same philosophy we already tried for the last decade – the same philosophy that led to this mess in the first place:  cut more taxes for millionaires and cut more rules for corporations.  Instead of coming together like past generations did to build a better country for our children and grandchildren, their argument is that we should let insurance companies go back to denying care to folks who are sick, and let credit card companies go back to raising rates without any reason.  Instead of setting our sights higher, they’re asking us to settle for a status quo of stagnant growth, eroding competitiveness, and a shrinking middle class.”

Voters face a choice this November, and it boils down to whether we continue moving forward to create jobs and build a strong economy, or go back to the failed policies of the past. As the President said, if we are again able to "choose hope over fear; to choose the future over the past; to come together once more around the great project of national renewal, then we will restore our economy; rebuild our middle-class; and reclaim the American Dream for the next generation.”

President Obama today heads to Cleveland, Ohio, to contrast his economic proposals – and what White House advisers are calling “economic values” – with those of Republicans, most notably those of the would-be House Speaker should the GOP recapture the House in November, House Minority Leader John Boehner, R-Ohio, who delivered an economic speech in Cleveland two weeks ago.

The president will talk about the concepts that Boehner spoke of during his speech and highlight the “different values that animate our thinking about how you build a strong economy,” a White House official said. “The president will be talking about these values and the divergent paths that the two, the two parties are proposing this fall in the speech tomorrow, and that’s largely what the speech will be about.”

David Plouffe sat down at OFA headquarters recently and recorded a special Vote 2010 campaign strategy update for supporters.

In his video, Plouffe lays out where we are now and what’s in store for the next 56 days before November 2nd.

Watch:

In an email just sent out to supporters, Plouffe writes:

Republicans believe they have a lot of reasons to feel optimistic this fall.

They have made it clear what their goal is -- take control of the Senate and the House of Representatives, and roll back everything we've accomplished so far. Of the hundreds of races, control of both chambers could come down to just a few key contests decided by a handful of votes.

That's where you come in. Barack Obama was only elected president because of the work that you did -- and we'll only be able to keep moving America forward if we work together to do it again.

To fund this ambitious effort, we're going to need everyone to chip in what they can to help move our country forward this November. Watch David Plouffe's update and donate $5 or more to help fund Vote 2010.

President Obama visited Milwaukee yesterday, where he spoke to some of the hard-working men and women of the labor movement, folks who helped build "America into the greatest force of prosperity and opportunity and freedom that the world has ever known," as the President said.

Working men and women secured so much of what we take for granted today, the President explained—the 40-hour work week, the minimum wage, family leave, health insurance, Social Security, Medicare, retirement plans.

And while these folks are no strangers to a fight, today working families are facing a number of serious challenges and have had to work even harder to stay above board.

The President told the crowd that he is more committed than ever to turning our economy around and putting folks back to work.

“I am going to keep fighting every single day, every single hour, every single minute, to turn this economy around and put people back to work and renew the American Dream, not just for your family, not just for all our families, but for future generations.  That I can guarantee you.”

The President also used his speech to announce a new plan to create jobs by rebuilding America’s roads, rails, and airport runways:

“Over the next six years, we are going to rebuild 150,000 miles of our roads -– that’s enough to circle the world six times.  That’s a lot of road.  We’re going to lay and maintain 4,000 miles of our railways –- enough to stretch coast to coast. We’re going to restore 150 miles of runways....

This will not only create jobs immediately, it’s also going to make our economy hum over the long haul.  It’s a plan that history tells us can and should attract bipartisan support.  It’s a plan that says even in the aftermath of the worst recession in our lifetimes, America can still shape our own destiny.  We can still move this country forward.  We can still leave our children something better.  We can still leave them something that lasts.

So these are the things we’ve been working for.  These are some of the victories you guys have helped us achieve.  And we’re not finished.  We’ve got a lot more progress to make.  And I’m confident we will.

But even as the President and Democrats in Congress fight to create jobs, some Republicans in Washington have said ‘no’ at every turn:

“When it comes to just about everything we’ve done to strengthen our middle class, to rebuild our economy, almost every Republican in Congress says no.   Even on things we usually agree on, they say no. If I said the sky was blue, they say no.  If I said fish live in the sea, they’d say no. They just think it’s better to score political points before an election than to solve problems.  So they said no to help for small businesses, even when the small businesses said we desperately need this.  This used to be their key constituency, they said.  They said no.  No to middle-class tax cuts.  They say they’re for tax cuts; I say, okay, let’s give tax cuts to the middle class.  No. No to clean energy jobs.  No to making college more affordable.  No to reforming Wall Street.  They’re saying right now, no to cutting more taxes for small business owners and helping them get financing.

You know, I heard -- somebody out here was yelling “Yes we can.” Remember that was our slogan?  Their slogan is “No we can’t.”   No, no, no, no.

AUDIENCE: Yes we can!  Yes we can!  Yes we can!

THE PRESIDENT:  I mean, I personally think “Yes we can” is more inspiring than “No we can’t.”  To steal a line from our old friend Ted Kennedy:  What is it about working men and women that they find so offensive?

President Obama closed by letting everyone know that from now until November, he is going to continue making the case that we need to keep working together to keep making progress: In Milwaukee, that means supporting candidates like Tom Barrett, Gwen Moore, Russ Feingold, and Herb Kohl—or around the country, local Democrats fighting to make sure the economy works for all Americans. Connect with Organizing for America in your state to find out how to get involved in the next two months before Election Day.

With Labor Day marking the traditional beginning of fall campaign season, more and more folks are tuning in to this year's competitive races. Tomorrow DNC Chairman Tim Kaine will speak in Philadelphia on the choice voters face at the polls this November and how OFA and grassroots Democrats can help make the difference in close races around the country. To preview his speech, the Philadelphia Inquirer highlighted OFA’s door-to-door push in the state's top-tier campaigns this year:

"Elections are comparisons," Democratic National Committee chairman Tim Kaine said in an interview. The former Virginia governor plans to visit Philadelphia on Wednesday for an event launching the party's fall campaign, in a state that features seven competitive House contests and wide-open races for senator and governor.

Kaine argued that tea party activists have pulled the GOP too far to the right in some cases, with some Republican-nominated candidates in favor of privatizing Social Security, ruling unemployment benefits unconstitutional, and seeking to eliminate corporate taxes.

"There are some extreme candidates on the Republican side," Kaine said. "That gives us great opportunities, race by race."...

Organizing for America, the Obama campaign arm, has been running for more than three years, establishing personal connections that move turnout. Its volunteers have made multiple trips to the same houses in districts across the country, reminding Obama supporters of the importance of voting in 2010.

"We really believe in field politics," Kaine said.

On a recent Saturday, a group of Democratic canvassers, including Sixth District House candidate Manan Trivedi, knocked on Eric Gooden's door on Walnut Street in Ardmore.

Gooden, 24, voted for the first time in 2008, for Obama, and the campaigners told him his vote was needed now more than ever - for Trivedi and the party's candidates for senator and governor. Gooden took their offered literature and said he probably would go to the polls.

"I haven't really been paying attention," said Gooden, a restaurant worker. "I'm too busy to think about politics when I'm working every day."

If the Democrats' plan works as designed, a volunteer is sure to be back to remind him.

When Chairman Kaine speaks tomorrow on November's elections, you can watch live online at 12:30 p.m. Eastern Time. RSVP here.

This Labor Day, as we spend time with family and friends and enjoy barbeques and a day off of work, it’s important to remember the holiday we are commemorating.

Labor Day grew out of the 1800s labor movement and is dedicated to honoring the achievements of America’s working men and women.

First organized by the Central Labor Union and comprised of a demonstration and picnic, the original Labor Day was celebrated in New York on Tuesday, September 5, 1882.  By 1884 the first Monday in September had been designated the holiday, and the Central Labor Union encouraged similar organizations across the country to join New York in celebrating a "workingmen's holiday" on that date. The idea spread with the growth of labor organizations, and in 1885 Labor Day was celebrated in many industrial centers in the United States.

Within 10 years, more than 20 states had adopted the holiday to honor workers, and on June 28, 1894, Congress made the first Monday in September a holiday in the District of Columbia and the territories.

This year, 128 years after the first Labor Day, let’s take a moment to consider a few of the recent steps that President Obama and Democrats in Congress have taken on behalf of America’s workers—and for those who are currently out of work:

• The administration took important steps to fight gender discrimination in the workplace by signing the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act into law.
• According to a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine, once the Affordable Care Act is fully implemented, 95 percent of American workers will have health insurance through their jobs—an increase of 10 percent from current rates.
• President Obama created the cabinet-level White House Task Force on Middle Class—chaired by the Vice President—to improve the living standards of those families. (You can learn more about the task force and administration proposals and achievements here (PDF).
• The Recovery Act included tax relief for working people and invested in job creation, education, health care, and infrastructure across the country.

In his Labor Day presidential proclamation, President Obama highlighted the progress made by and on behalf of American workers—even in the face of economic challenges:

“To rebuild our economy, my administration is focusing on job training and investing in industries that cannot be outsourced. By focusing on recovery at home, we are saving or creating millions of jobs in America and supporting the working men and women who will drive our 21st-century economy. More remains to be done, but we have taken important steps forward toward recovery.

“American workers have always been ready to roll up their sleeves, clock in, and earn an honest living. That steady determination is why I have confidence in the American economy and confidence that we can overcome the challenges we face. There is no greater example of our country's resolve and resilience than that of our workers. As we celebrate Labor Day, we honor those who have advanced our nation's strength and prosperity—American workers.”

"On Monday, we celebrate Labor Day. It’s a chance to get together with family and friends, to throw some food on the grill, and have a good time. But it’s also a day to honor the American worker – to reaffirm our commitment to the great American middle class that has, for generations, made our economy the envy of the world.

...This Labor Day, we are reminded that we didn’t become the most prosperous country in the world by rewarding greed and recklessness.  We did it by rewarding hard work and responsibility.  We did it by recognizing that we rise or we fall together as one nation – one people – all of us vested in one another.  That is how we have succeeded in the past. And that is how we will not only rebuild this economy, but rebuild it stronger than ever before."

"This piece of legislation is good for workers, it's good for small business people, it's good for our economy. And yet, Republicans in the Senate have blocked this bill -- a needless delay that has led small business owners across the country to put off hiring, put off expanding and put off plans that will make our economy stronger." – President Obama

Today the President called on members of Congress to immediately pass a small business bill that has been held up by Senate Republicans.

New jobs numbers released this morning show that while we’re continuing to make progress on the economy—adding 67,000 private sector jobs in the 8th consecutive month of growth—businesses and workers are still hurting.

Loans for small businesses under the Recovery Act have successfully helped create jobs, but funds ran out in May. The Small Business Jobs Act would mean that more than 1,000 small businesses waiting for loans would be able to receive them.

Small Business Administrator Karen Mills explained on the White House blog:

Not only will the bill immediately help thousands of small business owners get access to capital, but it will also raise the limit on SBA loans from $2 million to $5 million, helping high-growth small firms who are ready to expand, franchisees who want to open a new location, and exporters who need to ramp up to meet a big order from abroad.

And on top of that, the bill has $12 billion in tax cuts for small businesses, including accelerated depreciation, eliminating capital gains on small business investments, and doubling the deduction for start-ups.  It’s fully paid for and both the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the National Federation of Independent Businesses have praised the legislation.

In other words, this is a strong bill.  It has broad support.  It will give taxpayers a big bang for their buck.  And, it will benefit thousands of entrepreneurs and small business owners across the country, including the more than 1,000 who are right now waiting to get an SBA Recovery loan.

For OFA volunteers, this year's elections are just too important--and there's too much at stake--not to get involved. During last week's Moving America Forward Day of Action, thousands of supporters came out and knocked on more than 200,000 doors, talking with voters about the choices they'll face this November.

In Arizona:

Pima Community College student Joseu woke up at 4:00 a.m. for cross country practice and still made time to reach out to first-time 2008 voters, saying he wanted “to be a part of the change Arizona needs”

OFA Rhode Island writes:

“One volunteer, Kathy, hosted a canvass for the first time. ‘You know I've always been saying 'I don't have time, I don't have time,' but today, we're here together because this agenda is too important. It's time we all step up and do our part and I'm happy to have you over today to do just that.’

Another canvasser, Gale, walked door to door and reminisced of her last foray in political organizing: marching on Washington in the 1960's in support of women's rights and the Civil Rights Act.”

And folks in Missouri came out across the state:

“In Springfield, newly returning students to Missouri State canvassed neighborhoods surrounding the college to talk to folks about the importance of voting in November. In Columbia, US Senate candidate Robin Carnahan stopped by to fire up the crowd before going out to talk to neighbors on a beautiful and breezy Saturday afternoon. Sarah S. in Kansas City kept with tradition and held her weekly canvass and phonebank. Twelve excited volunteers showed up to walk in and around midtown Kansas City to talk about the importance of voting and getting engaged for this year’s midterm elections. In North St. Louis County, eight volunteers showed up ready to talk to neighbors, and upon their return, the owner of the shop had a cake waiting decorated with the ‘Hope’ logo on it. Who knew cake went so well with bottled water?”

You don’t have to wait for the next day of action to get involved—there are events happening each day all over the country. Find one near you and join in to help keep moving our country forward this November.

I’m an iPhone developer. It can be an exciting job: there are always puzzles to solve, you meet a lot of clever people, you’re always working late and shipping yesterday—but it can quickly start to feel like a grind. How many interactive corporate brochures can a person make before starting to wonder whether technology really has the power to change the world?

That’s why I’m so excited about the project I just finished working on: today’s update to the Organizing for America iPhone app, which gives volunteers everything they need to go door to door talking with people about what’s important to them.

The app takes the usual unwieldy accouterments of canvassing—the pen and paper, clipboards, and lists of voters—and puts them all on your mobile phone. It lets you connect with real people wherever you are and whenever you want. It gets rid of the time-consuming process of assembling lists of houses and entering data, and makes it easier for people on the ground to focus on the things that matter: the one-on-one conversations with your neighbors. (And it makes for a pretty exciting video, too.)

For me, this is exciting in a way software seldom is: it’s technology that affects the real world, that can change the lives of the people who use it and those around them. This is why I’m a programmer.

Most importantly, I think it could have the ability to bring a little spark back to the lives of those who have become jaded by the current political scene. Too many people have become disenchanted with the idea that politics can change the world for the better. In a time when moving forward can seem too difficult to bother, this old-fashioned activity—talking to neighbors about their hopes and concerns—might help remind us that change and connection can still happen. OFA volunteers are already out there knocking on doors—more than 200,000 just last weekend—and now it’s easier than ever to join in.

My favorite Obama slogan was always “We are the change we have been waiting for.” We all still are. Get out there. Talk to your friends, to your neighbors, to strangers. That change and energy is still all around us, even if it can be sometimes a little hard to see. But you’ll never find it if you don’t look.

If a simple iPhone app can help even one person to realize that, it’s worth all the e-brochures in the world.

Download the OFA iPhone app, get today’s canvassing update, or learn more here.