2012 Presidential Campaign Blog

Obama for America Announces New Minnesota State Director Jeff Blodgett

Obama for America Announces New Minnesota State Director Jeff Blodgett

St. Paul – Today, Obama for America welcomed new Minnesota State Director Jeff Blodgett. Jeff will resume his role from 2008, heading up the President’s campaign in Minnesota. In his first blog post for 2012, Jeff explained why he’s “in” for this campaign and standing with President Obama once again:

Why I’m In
By Jeff Blodgett, State Director on April 2, 2012

I wanted to let you know that I am joining President Obama’s reelection campaign. I’m excited to work alongside you and thousands of other Minnesotans over the next seven months.

There is a simple reason why I am rejoining a campaign that I was part of four years ago: I believe in President Obama and I believe he deserves another four years to keep moving our country forward.

Four years ago, many of us were involved in the campaign of a Senator from Illinois with the vision and values that we all shared. I need you to get involved this time around.

Over the last four years, we’ve seen President Obama do some tremendous things. He brought the economy back from the brink and helped spur a recovery that’s seen 24 straight months of job growth. We have a new health care law that is making a huge difference in the lives of Minnesotans. And he brought an end to the war in Iraq.

But obviously we have more to do.

So I’m ready get to work. This is going to be a close campaign, it’s going to be a hard-fought campaign, and it’s going to take every one of else doing our part to help President Obama win.

Years ago, I worked for a college professor from Northfield who liked to say, "The future will not belong to those who sit on the sidelines.” That’s as true today as when Paul Wellstone campaigned across Minnesota. I need you working alongside me. Let’s get to work.

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Excerpts of Vice President Joe Biden's Remarks in Davenport, Iowa

EXCERPTS OF THE VICE PRESIDENT’S SPEECH

CHICAGO, IL -- Today Vice President Biden will deliver remarks at PCT Engineered Systems in Davenport, Iowa on the President’s efforts to create an economy that out-builds and out-innovates the rest of the world, while encouraging insourcing to bring jobs back to America.  Mitt Romney, on the other hand, believes in an economy built on outsourcing, loopholes and risky financial deals that jeopardize our entire economy and threaten the security of the middle class.  It’s no surprise that Romney supported outsourcing both as Governor of Massachusetts and in his private business deals. He turned his back on American workers and doubled down on firms that make a profit by sending American jobs overseas.

The event is the third in a series of remarks that the Vice President will deliver in the coming weeks about the economy and the middle class that will frame the issues that will be at the core of the general election and the choice America will make in November about the future we want for this country.

EXCERPTS OF THE SPEECH BELOW

I’ve come here today with a simple message:  Manufacturing is coming back. And that’s good news for America, and for America’s middle class.

· 430,000 new manufacturing jobs since January 2010.  More than 15,000 right here in the state of Iowa. 

· Fastest growth since the 1990s.
 

After years of hearing about outsourcing, a new word has come into our vocabulary: insourcing.  Jobs that left the United States are coming back.  Plants that closed are opening, reinvented.

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Ultimately it all comes down to the same question—the real question of this election, and the challenge of our time:

Will we be a country that values the role of workers in the success of a business, and values the middle class in the success of the economy?

Or will we go backward, to the same disastrous philosophy that rewarded speculators rather than builders?

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Because to President Obama and me, rebuilding our manufacturing sector and rebuilding our country are one and the same.

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Mitt Romney has been remarkably consistent -- as an individual investor, a businessman, as Governor of Massachusetts, and now as a candidate for President. 

Remarkably consistent.

Consistently wrong.  

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When he was Governor of Massachusetts, he vetoed a bill passed by the Massachusetts legislature that would have stopped the state from outsourcing contracts overseas.  That resulted in millions of dollars flowing to companies running call centers in India.

It’s no surprise that Massachusetts was losing manufacturing jobs twice as fast as the rest of the country while Governor Romney was in charge.  The third worst rate in the country.

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We’re both talking about tax cuts to manufacturers.  The difference is:  Our tax cuts go to companies that create jobs over here.  Governor Romney’s tax cuts go to companies that create jobs overseas.
 

It’s fundamentally different philosophy from ours.

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The Wall Street Journal wrote, and I’m quoting, “Romney appeared to scoff, first in Detroit, then in Florida, at the notion of manufacturing as a job engine for the future.”

So look folks, we have a choice in this election:

Between our philosophy that believes manufacturing is central to our economy, and their philosophy that scoffs at it.

Between our philosophy that says there is nothing “out of touch” about fighting for the future of the middle class.  And a philosophy that says if the folks at the top do well, that’s good enough.

Excerpts of Vice President Joe Biden's Remarks at Wynmoor Village in Coconut Creek, Florida

EXCERPTS OF THE VICE PRESIDENT’S SPEECH

CHICAGO, IL – Today, Vice President Biden will deliver remarks at Wynmoor Village in Coconut Creek, FL on the President’s commitment to preserving and protecting our sacred compact with America’s seniors – that if you work hard and play by the rules, you can retire with dignity and security. The Vice President will highlight the Administration’s efforts to strengthen Medicare and other critical programs, drawing a contrast with Republican candidates who support the GOP budget proposal that would turn Medicare into a voucher program forcing seniors to pay thousands more a year for their health care in order to give massive tax cuts to millionaires and billionaires.

The event is the second in a series of remarks that the Vice President will deliver in the coming weeks about the economy and the middle class that will frame the issues that will be at the core of the general election and the choice America will make in November about the future we want for this country.

EXCERPTS OF THE SPEECH BELOW

There’s no question that the aging of the Baby Boomers puts new pressures on Medicare and Social Security.  With the number of seniors doubling by 2040, the question is: are we going to strengthen and sustain these programs, now and for the future? 

Or will we use these challenges as a pretense to do what many have been trying to do since the beginning:  dismantle them?
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The American people won't be fooled. They know there's a fundamental difference between us and the Republicans. We believe in strengthening Medicare. They don't.

Make no mistake:  If Republicans in Congress and their amen corner of Romney, Santorum, and Gingrich get their hands on the White House, they will end Medicare as we know it.
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Mitt Romney also supports something the Republican leaders in Congress call “cut, cap, and balance.”

Of course, nobody knows what it means… and that’s exactly what they intend. Because like so many of the most damaging things, it looks and sounds innocuous.

So, let’s cut through it and say it in plain English.

The “cut” is cutting Social Security.

The “cap” is putting a cap on what we ask the wealthiest Americans to pay in taxes.

And the “balance” is balancing the budget on the backs of seniors and middle class Americans.

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When these guys cut Social Security and voucherize Medicare, they’re not saving the next generation.  They’re thrusting the burden on the next generation.   They’re making it even harder for the middle class at a time when we know, if we want our economy to be strong, the middle class has to be strong.  

New Obama for America Website WIth Videos of Americans Impacted by the Affordable Care Act

New Obama for America Website Highlights Stories of Americans Who Have Benefited From the Affordable Care Act

CHICAGO, IL -- Today, Obama for America released a new website featuring videos with Americans from across the country who are already benefitting from the President’s landmark health reforms. The videos are part of OFA’s ongoing effort to share the stories of how millions of Americans have already experienced firsthand the Affordable Care Act’s important benefits and the economic security it provides.

From seniors whose Medicare is now stronger, to women who today can get life-saving mammograms at no extra cost, to children who will no longer lose their coverage because they were born with pre-existing conditions, American families are seeing how reform is saving lives and saving money.

Below, please find background information for each video highlighted, all available here:  www.barackobama.com/healthcare-stories

The Coffman Family

When Merry Coffman got a letter in the mail saying that her young son Jackson’s new health insurance plan was adding a pre-existing condition clause based on his ear infections, she was stunned. Fearing the clause would mean denied coverage, the Coffmans pleaded with the insurance company, even having his pediatrician write a letter, but the insurance company wouldn’t listen.  But when President Obama signed the Affordable Care Act, Jackson’s insurance company could no longer exclude coverage for his “pre-existing condition,” and the Coffman family now knows Jackson’s coverage isn’t in jeopardy.

Spike Dolomite Ward

Once a critic of the Affordable Care Act, Spike was diagnosed with Stage III breast cancer and knew it would be nearly impossible for her to get the insurance she needed.  But because of the law she once criticized, Spike was able to purchase the insurance she needs and is now going through chemotherapy to fight her cancer. 

The Lihn Family

The Lihn family is just like any other family, except their daughter is living with half a heart. Before the Affordable Care Act, insurance companies were allowed to set lifetime limits on the amount of coverage each individual received. This meant that Zoe could have hit her lifetime cap before she turned three years old. Now, because the Affordable Care Act eliminated lifetime caps on coverage, the Lihn family knows their daughter will have the health care coverage she needs.

Emily Schlicting

During her freshman year of college, Emily was diagnosed with Bechet’s Disease, an autoimmune disease that causes her body to attack its own tissues. The mounting pressures of finding affordable health coverage following graduation were alleviated because the Affordable Care Act gave Emily an opportunity to stay on her parents’ health insurance. That coverage will allow Emily to pursue graduate school and fellowships without worrying about her health insurance coverage.

Judy Smith

With a family history of breast cancer, Judy was careful about getting her regular mammograms.  Now living on a fixed income, Judy worried she’d have to skip her care because of costs.  But under the Affordable Care Act, preventive care is free, and Judy’s mammogram uncovered breast cancer in its early stages. The free preventive care provided by the Affordable Care Act saved her family time, money and stress – and helped save Judy’s life.

The Freiert Family

Unable to afford the sudden increase in their healthy 5-month-old’s individual insurance policy, Liam Freiert’s parents had to drop him to a cheaper plan with less coverage. But because of the Affordable Care Act, the insurance commissioner in their home state of North Carolina took a closer look at the rates. The inquiry resulted in a $300 refund from his insurance carrier.

The Anniversary of the Affordable Care Act

In the two years since the President signed his health reforms into law, millions of Americans have already experienced firsthand its important benefits and the economic security it provides.  Medicare is now stronger for seniors, and women can now get life-saving mammograms at no extra cost. Children won’t lose their coverage just because they were born with pre-existing conditions like asthma – and American families are seeing how reform is saving lives and saving money.  That’s just the beginning.  As the law continues to phase in over the coming months, so will more of its benefits.  New reforms will lower costs and raise the quality of care.  Seniors will see their Medicare coverage continue to improve, and see the doughnut hole completely close.  Presidents have been trying to make these changes happen for 70 years, but President Obama got it done.

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Excerpts of Vice President Biden's Speech at the United Auto Workers Local 12 Hall in Toledo, Ohio on Thursday, March 15, 2012

EXCERPTS OF THE VICE PRESIDENT’S SPEECH

CHICAGO, IL -- Today Vice President Biden will deliver remarks at the United Auto Workers Local 12 Hall in Toledo, Ohio on the President’s efforts to create an economy built to last based on a system where hard work pays, and on the critical role the auto industry is playing in growing the economy and strengthening the middle class.

The event is the first of what will be a series of remarks that the Vice President will deliver in the coming weeks about the economy and the middle class that will frame the issues that will be at the core of the general election and the choice America will make in November about the future we want for this country.

EXCERPTS OF THE VICE PRESIDENT’S SPEECH

Ours is a philosophy that values the role of workers in the success of a business, and values the middle class in the success of the economy.

Stated simply, we’re about promoting the private sector.  They’re about protecting the privileged sector.

We’re a fair shot, and a fair shake.  They’re about no rules, no risk.   And no  accountability.   

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The President didn’t flinch.

This man has a spine of steel.

He knew rescuing the industry wasn’t popular.  He knew he was taking a chance.   But he believed.

He said, we are not going to give up on a million jobs, and the iconic industry America invented.  Not without a fight.

We all want a president with the courage of his convictions. 

Well folks, we have one. 

He made the tough call.

And the verdict is in: President Obama was right and his critics were dead wrong.

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The President and I have a fundamental commitment to dealing the middle class back in to the American economy.
 
And ultimately that’s what this election is all about.  It’s about a choice.

A choice between a system that’s rigged, and one that’s fair. 

A system that holds someone who misleads investors as accountable as someone who misses a payment on a mortgage. 

A system that trusts the workers on the line, instead of just listening to the folks in the suites.

That’s a stark choice. To my mind it isn’t a choice at all.

Barack Obama Organizing for America West Metro Regional Field Office Opening in Hopkins, Minnesota

Organizing for America - West Metro Regional Field Office Opening (Office Opening)

Help us celebrate the opening of our new West Metro Regional Field Office.

Time:

Tuesday, March 27, 2012 7:00 PM - 9:00 PM

Location:

Organizing for America - West Metro Regional Field Office (Hopkins, MN)
1007 Mainstreet
Hopkins, MN 55343

Obama for America Launches Nurses for Obama

OBAMA FOR AMERICA LAUNCHES NURSES FOR OBAMA                                                           

CHICAGO – Obama for America announced today the launch of Nurses for Obama, a campaign initiative designed to mobilize nurses across the country.

As we approach the two-year anniversary of President Obama’s landmark health reform, the Obama campaign is engaging our supporters to talk about how health reform has already changed lives for the better. Because nurses are on the frontlines of our health care system, they are involved in every step of the way from prevention to patient care and have seen firsthand how health care reform has already benefited their patients.

Nurses for Obama will equip volunteers with resources and effective ways they can be advocates for health care reform in their communities. Grassroots volunteers will organize neighborhood by neighborhood, and block by block talking to their friends, family and co-workers – holding nurse-to-nurse trainings, planning sessions, house parties and phone banks.

Nurses know better than anyone why health insurance reform was so desperately needed. They see firsthand the heartbreaking consequences when insurance companies defer treatment or deny coverage; they know that insurance premiums and prescriptions can consume a family’s entire budget. Every day they interact with patients who couldn't afford to see a doctor and had to go to the emergency room for something as simple as a sore throat.

“I’ve been a nurse for nearly 20 years, working everywhere from a 20 bed hospital on the Navajo reservation to a world class hospital in Pennsylvania. One thing is consistent – access to health care saves lives.  Before health care reform, we had a true emergency in healthcare.  Americans were forced to disregard their doctors and nurses’ advice when their insurance companies denied the necessary care, and this resonates very personally with me as this is how my mother-in-law died. By giving the power back to patients and their health care providers, millions of American families are breathing a sigh of relief having access to healthcare,” said Pennsylvania nurse Michelle Boyle.


President Obama knows nurses play an essential role in our health care system, and thanks to the new health care law, nurses are gaining new tools and resources to help them help their patients. 

For additional information about Nurses for Obama, please visit www.barackobama.com/nurses. Also be sure to check out the campaign’s new online tool highlighting health reform’s benefits.