Saturday, May 29, 2010
Thursday, May 27, 2010
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
Monday, May 24, 2010
OFA: 'A Major Shift in How Washington Operates'
'A Major Shift in How Washington Operates'
By Erica Sagrans - May 24, 2010
In our day-to-day lives, we don't always step back and reflect on the larger significance of what the Obama Administration has accomplished in its first 16 months, and where those accomplishments stand in relation to our country's history.
In the New York Times, David Leonhardt attempts to place things in perspective, showing how the President's achievements so far—health reform, efforts to reform Wall Street and steps to build a new foundation for our economy—rival the progress made during other periods of dramatic change, from the New Deal following World War II to Lyndon Johnson's Great Society initiatives.
David Leonhardt writes:
With the Senate’s passage of financial regulation, Congress and the White House have completed 16 months of activity that rival any other since the New Deal in scope or ambition. Like the Reagan Revolution or Lyndon Johnson’s Great Society, the new progressive period has the makings of a generational shift in how Washington operates.
First came a stimulus bill that, while aimed mainly at ending a deep recession, also set out to remake the nation’s educational system and vastly expand scientific research. Then President Obama signed a health care bill that was the biggest expansion of the safety net in 40 years. And now Congress is in the final stages of a bill that would tighten Wall Street’s rules and probably shrink its profit margins.
If there is a theme to all this, it has been to try to lift economic growth while also reducing income inequality. Growth in the decade that just ended was the slowest in the post-World War II era, while inequality has been rising for most of the last 35 years.
Harvard political scientist Theda Skocpol explained that the Obama administration "could easily be one of the pivotal periods in domestic policy," though she added that it will depend in part on what happens in the next two elections.
The recent period surely will not match the impact of the New Deal. Nothing is likely to, notes David Kennedy,a Pulitzer Prize-winning historian, because the New Deal created much of the modern American government. “These are not as dramatic as the foundational moments,” Mr. Kennedy said, “but they’re significant changes.”
Alan Brinkley, a historian of the Depression, added: “This is not the New Deal, but it’s a significant series of achievements. And given the difficulty of getting anything done under the gridlock of Congress, it’s pretty surprising.”
The last 16 months seem most similar in scope to three other periods in the last 80 years. After World War II, the federal government helped build the modern middle class with the G.I. Bill, housing subsidies, the highway system and incentives for employers to offer health insurance. The 1960s — mostly under Mr. Johnson, but also Richard Nixon — brought civil rights legislation, Medicare, Medicaid and environmental laws.
Sunday, May 23, 2010
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Saturday, May 22, 2010
President Barack Obama
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Katrina --
On Thursday, the Senate passed historic Wall Street reform. This movement proved again that the strongest special interests, who for so long have called the shots in Washington, can be beat.
When opponents in Congress tried to block the legislation altogether, you stood up -- and they backed down. When the lobbyists pushed for loopholes and exemptions just before a final vote, you did not relent -- and we fought them off.
Your support brought us to this day -- and, because of that, we're poised to implement sensible reforms that will provide a stronger foundation for economic growth.
Now, the House and Senate must iron out their differences before I can sign it into law. But the financial industry will not give up. They have already spent more than $1 million per member of Congress, lobbying on this issue. And in the coming days, they will go all in. This is their last shot to stall, weaken, or kill reform, and they are not accustomed to losing.
But this movement has you -- and together, we have beaten the special interests before.
Please donate $5 or more today to help Organizing for America continue to mobilize thousands -- to counter the special interests' attacks and get strong Wall Street reform to my desk.
Every American has a stake in this bill.
If you have ever been treated unfairly by a credit card company, this reform works for you -- never again will Americans be duped by fine print or hidden fees.
If you ever try to take out a home loan or student loan, this reform works for you -- putting an end to predatory and deceptive lending practices.
And, if you or your small business relies on credit from community banks that are being punished for playing by the rules while their competitors do not, this reform works for you -- reining in the big banks and making sure all our lenders are subject to tough oversight.
These reforms would put in place the strongest consumer financial protections in history. And, by helping safeguard our economy from recklessness on Wall Street, it would ensure that a crisis like the one that caused this recession never happens again.
This is not a zero-sum game where Wall Street loses and Main Street wins. As we have learned, in today's economy, we are all connected. When the economy prospers, we all win. Senators of both parties recognize that fact, and that is why lawmakers stood up to the lobbyists and worked across the aisle to ensure that Wall Street reform passed.
But this fight is not yet over. And it is up to us to overcome this final test and pass reform into law. When we do, the power of this movement to make change in Washington -- despite the best efforts of the special interests -- will no longer be up for debate.
Please donate $5 or more today:
https://donate.barackobama.com/WSRSenateVictory
Thank you,
President Barack Obama
Katrina --
On Thursday, the Senate passed historic Wall Street reform. This movement proved again that the strongest special interests, who for so long have called the shots in Washington, can be beat.
When opponents in Congress tried to block the legislation altogether, you stood up -- and they backed down. When the lobbyists pushed for loopholes and exemptions just before a final vote, you did not relent -- and we fought them off.
Your support brought us to this day -- and, because of that, we're poised to implement sensible reforms that will provide a stronger foundation for economic growth.
Now, the House and Senate must iron out their differences before I can sign it into law. But the financial industry will not give up. They have already spent more than $1 million per member of Congress, lobbying on this issue. And in the coming days, they will go all in. This is their last shot to stall, weaken, or kill reform, and they are not accustomed to losing.
But this movement has you -- and together, we have beaten the special interests before.
Please donate $5 or more today to help Organizing for America continue to mobilize thousands -- to counter the special interests' attacks and get strong Wall Street reform to my desk.
Every American has a stake in this bill.
If you have ever been treated unfairly by a credit card company, this reform works for you -- never again will Americans be duped by fine print or hidden fees.
If you ever try to take out a home loan or student loan, this reform works for you -- putting an end to predatory and deceptive lending practices.
And, if you or your small business relies on credit from community banks that are being punished for playing by the rules while their competitors do not, this reform works for you -- reining in the big banks and making sure all our lenders are subject to tough oversight.
These reforms would put in place the strongest consumer financial protections in history. And, by helping safeguard our economy from recklessness on Wall Street, it would ensure that a crisis like the one that caused this recession never happens again.
This is not a zero-sum game where Wall Street loses and Main Street wins. As we have learned, in today's economy, we are all connected. When the economy prospers, we all win. Senators of both parties recognize that fact, and that is why lawmakers stood up to the lobbyists and worked across the aisle to ensure that Wall Street reform passed.
But this fight is not yet over. And it is up to us to overcome this final test and pass reform into law. When we do, the power of this movement to make change in Washington -- despite the best efforts of the special interests -- will no longer be up for debate.
Please donate $5 or more today:
https://donate.barackobama.
Thank you,
President Barack Obama
Paid for by Organizing for America, a project of the Democratic National Committee -- 430 South Capitol Street SE, Washington, D.C. 20003. This communication is not authorized by any candidate or candidate's committee.
Thursday, May 20, 2010
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
Monday, May 17, 2010
Sunday, May 16, 2010
Saturday, May 15, 2010
Friday, May 14, 2010
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
Monday, May 10, 2010
Sunday, May 9, 2010
Thursday, May 6, 2010
The United States Department of Justice
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Attorney General Eric Holder at the Press Conference Regarding the Times Square Attempted Bombing
http://tinyurl.com/2cvttjm
Attorney General Eric Holder at the Press Conference Regarding the Times Square Attempted Bombing
http://tinyurl.com/2cvttjm
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
Governor Tim Kaine
The Democratic Party
KATRINA --
Since President Obama took office, we've faced two opponents in every major fight we've had -- Republicans and special interests opposed to change. Whether it's Wall Street lobbyists, insurance companies, or the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the Republicans always have a deep-pocketed ally ready to help them stand in the way of reform.
If we do nothing, the 2010 election will be no different.
After the Citizens United Supreme Court ruling, which overturned years of hard-fought campaign finance law, corporate interests are more powerful than ever. They can now spend money attacking President Obama's agenda and his allies right up until Election Day.
That's why it's so important to support the bipartisan legislation introduced this week to prevent corporate cash from drowning out the voice of the American people.
As we've seen time and time again, it's easy for reform like this to get bogged down. But this is too crucial to wait. If we're going to get this done before the fall campaign season, we need to show now that the American people just won't tolerate elections dominated by free-spending special interests.
Sign our petition in support of fair elections. We're planning an ad campaign featuring this petition, and we want your name to be part of it.
The new bill would establish the toughest disclosure requirements for corporate campaign spending in history. It would prevent foreign-controlled corporations and government contractors from spending money on elections and prohibit political spending by companies that received government bailout money. If we can pass it soon, it will be the law of the land before November.
But none of this will be easy.
People say that money in politics is like water -- it finds every crack. But the Citizens United decision isn't a crack; it opens a breach in the foundation of fair elections in this country.
Though special interests are now free to spend money on campaigns, we can still hold them accountable. We can make them stand by the ads they run, and we can shine a light on their involvement so that everyone knows who is trying to influence our elections and government.
But we need your help to do it. Please sign our petition in support of fair elections:
http://my.democrats.org/SupportFairElections
Thanks,
Governor Tim Kaine
Chairman
Paid for and authorized by the Democratic National Committee, www.democrats.org.
This communication is not authorized by any candidate or candidate's committee.
Democratic National Committee, 430 S. Capitol St. SE, Washington, DC 20003
Contributions or gifts to the Democratic National Committee are not deductible as charitable contributions for federal income tax purposes.
KATRINA --
Since President Obama took office, we've faced two opponents in every major fight we've had -- Republicans and special interests opposed to change. Whether it's Wall Street lobbyists, insurance companies, or the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the Republicans always have a deep-pocketed ally ready to help them stand in the way of reform.
If we do nothing, the 2010 election will be no different.
After the Citizens United Supreme Court ruling, which overturned years of hard-fought campaign finance law, corporate interests are more powerful than ever. They can now spend money attacking President Obama's agenda and his allies right up until Election Day.
That's why it's so important to support the bipartisan legislation introduced this week to prevent corporate cash from drowning out the voice of the American people.
As we've seen time and time again, it's easy for reform like this to get bogged down. But this is too crucial to wait. If we're going to get this done before the fall campaign season, we need to show now that the American people just won't tolerate elections dominated by free-spending special interests.
Sign our petition in support of fair elections. We're planning an ad campaign featuring this petition, and we want your name to be part of it.
The new bill would establish the toughest disclosure requirements for corporate campaign spending in history. It would prevent foreign-controlled corporations and government contractors from spending money on elections and prohibit political spending by companies that received government bailout money. If we can pass it soon, it will be the law of the land before November.
But none of this will be easy.
People say that money in politics is like water -- it finds every crack. But the Citizens United decision isn't a crack; it opens a breach in the foundation of fair elections in this country.
Though special interests are now free to spend money on campaigns, we can still hold them accountable. We can make them stand by the ads they run, and we can shine a light on their involvement so that everyone knows who is trying to influence our elections and government.
But we need your help to do it. Please sign our petition in support of fair elections:
http://my.democrats.org/SupportFairElections
Thanks,
Governor Tim Kaine
Chairman
Paid for and authorized by the Democratic National Committee, www.democrats.org.
This communication is not authorized by any candidate or candidate's committee.
Democratic National Committee, 430 S. Capitol St. SE, Washington, DC 20003
Contributions or gifts to the Democratic National Committee are not deductible as charitable contributions for federal income tax purposes.
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