As a candidate for President, then Senator Barack Obama pledged to bring the war in Iraq to a responsible end — for the sake of our national security and to strengthen American leadership around the world. After taking office, President Obama announced a new strategy that would end our combat mission in Iraq and remove all of our troops by the end of 2011.
As Commander-in-Chief, ensuring the success of this strategy has been one of his highest national security priorities. On August 31, 2010, President Obama traveled to Fort Bliss to mark the end of the combat mission in Iraq. As promised the combat mission in Iraq has ended and Iraqis have taken full responsibility for their country’s security.
To mark two years since the end of combat in Iraq, and with troops still serving in Afghanistan, take a moment to show your support for those that serve and their families. Here’s how you can participate.
- Use the hashtag #SaluteTroops on Twitter to share your message of thanks
- On Facebook, you can update your status with a message of support or add your message of thanks to the White House facebook page
- Share a message of thanks with a military family through Joining Forces and the USO
For more information:
- Visit Joining Forces, the First Lady and Dr. Biden’s initiative that connects service members and their families with the resources they need to find jobs at home
- Explore this interactive timeline about the Iraq War
Friday, August 31, 2012
All Times Eastern
President Obama receives the presidential daily briefing.
7:00 AM
8:00 AM
9:00 AM
9:30 AM
President Obama departs the White House en route Joint Base Andrews.
9:45 AM
President Obama departs Joint Base Andrews en route El Paso, Texas.
10:00 AM
11:00 AM
Vice President Biden attends campaign event
United Auto Workers Local 1714, Lordstown. OH
12:00 PM
1:00 PM
2:00 PM
2:15 PM
President Obama participates in a roundtable discussion with service-members and military families at Fort Bliss, TX
3:00 PM
President Obama delivers remarks to troops at Fort Bliss, TX on the second anniversary of the ending of the combat mission in Iraq
4:00 PM
4:10 PM
President Obama departs El Paso, Texas, en route Joint Base Andrews.
5:00 PM
6:00 PM
7:00 PM
8:00 PM
9:00 PM
10:00 PM
August 31, 2012
WhiteHouse.gov http://www.whitehouse.gov/live
1:30 PM EDT
Champions of Change: Educators
The White House and the President’s Advisory Commission on Educational Excellence for Hispanics
The White House
2:00 PM EDT
Youth Sustainability Challenge Winners
This spring, the White House challenged youth to share their stories about how they were promoting sustainability in their communities.
The White House
3:00 PM PM ET
President Obama delivers remarks to troops at Fort Bliss, TX on the second anniversary of the ending of the combat mission in Iraq
—-
CNN http://live.cnn.com
11:00 AM ET
Vice President Biden attends campaign event
United Auto Workers Local 1714, Lordstown. OH
3:00 PM PM ET
President Obama delivers remarks to troops at Fort Bliss, TX on the second anniversary of the ending of the combat mission in Iraq
—-
CSPAN http://www.cspan.org/
11:00 AM ET
Vice President Biden attends campaign event
United Auto Workers Local 1714, Lordstown. OH
3:00 PM PM ET
President Obama delivers remarks to troops at Fort Bliss, TX on the second anniversary of the ending of the combat mission in Iraq http://www.c-span.org/Events/President-Obama-Speaks-to-Troops-in-Texas/10737433675/
————–
Department of Defense http://www.defense.gov/live/
3:00 PM ET
President Obama delivers remarks to troops at Fort Bliss, TX on the second anniversary of the ending of the combat mission in Iraq
By the Numbers: 1.5 Million
Posted by Megan Slack on December 14, 2011
More than 1.5 million Americans have served in Iraq between 2003 and 2011. More than 30,000 troops were wounded in the fighting, and 4,500 lost their lives. As the war draws to a close in the coming days, we thank every one of them for their service, their sacrifice, and everything they’ve done to help end the war.
Our civilians have represented our country with skill and bravery. Our troops have served tour after tour of duty, with precious little dwell time in between. Our Guard and Reserve units stepped up with unprecedented service. You’ve endured dangerous foot patrols and you’ve endured the pain of seeing your friends and comrades fall. You’ve had to be more than soldiers, sailors, airmen, Marines and Coast Guardsmen –- you’ve also had to be diplomats and development workers and trainers and peacemakers. Through all this, you have shown why the United States military is the finest fighting force in the history of the world.
The President has pledged to stand by the service members that have fought so hard once they come home, and will make sure they get all the care and benefits they’ve earned.
For the entire article: http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2011/12/14/numbers-15-million
Second Anniversary of the End of the Combat Mission in Iraq
As promised n August 31, 2010, President Obama traveled to Fort Bliss to mark the end of the combat mission in Iraq.
As a candidate for President, then Senator Barack Obama pledged to bring the war in Iraq to a responsible end — for the sake of our national security and to strengthen American leadership around the world. After taking office, President Obama announced a new strategy that would end our combat mission in Iraq and remove all of our troops by the end of 2011.
As Commander-in-Chief, ensuring the success of this strategy has been one of his highest national security priorities. On August 31, 2010, President Obama traveled to Fort Bliss to mark the end of the combat mission in Iraq. As promised the combat mission in Iraq has ended and Iraqis have taken full responsibility for their country’s security.
To mark two years since the end of combat in Iraq, and with troops still serving in Afghanistan, take a moment to show your support for those that serve and their families. Here’s how you can participate.
* Use the hashtag #SaluteTroops on Twitter to share your message of thanks
* On Facebook, you can update your status with a message of support or add your message of thanks to the White House facebook page
* Share a message of thanks with a military family through Joining Forces and the USO
For more information:
* Visit Joining Forces, the First Lady and Dr. Biden’s initiative that connects service members and their families with the resources they need to find jobs at home
* Explore this interactive timeline about the Iraq War
President Obama to visit Fort Bliss Friday, may speak about soldiers’ well-being
8/28/2012 12:00:00 AM MDT By Marty Schladen and Chris Roberts – El Paso Times
President Barack Obama will visit Fort Bliss on Friday, White House officials confirmed Monday.
It will be his third visit to El Paso and his second to Fort Bliss since he became president in 2009, but the White House gave few details Monday about Obama’s reasons for this week’s trip to the border.
“On Friday, Aug. 31, President Obama will travel to Fort Bliss, Texas,” a White House official said on background.
“While at Fort Bliss, the president will speak to troops and have a round-table with service members and military families,” the official said.
The visit will be two years to the day since he traveled to the vast Army post to mark the drawdown of troops in Iraq. Fort Bliss soldiers participated in the Iraqi invasion in 2003 and they were among the last to serve in combat roles there, Army officials said in 2011.
On this visit, Obama is expected to speak about soldier well-being.
He also is expected to speak about sequestration, a process that was part of the congressional debt-reduction deal.
If Congress doesn’t take other action, the cuts will automatically kick in Jan. 2. They would slash about $500 billion from the federal defense budget,c sources said, asking that they not be named because the information had not been officially released.
When Defense Secretary Leon Panetta visited Fort Bliss in January he characterized the sequestration cuts as “nuts.”
“It would do serious damage to our defense system,” Panetta said. “And frankly, the strategy that we’ve designed, I’d have to throw it out the window and start over.”
He said those cuts could halt or hinder all military construction projects, including Fort Bliss’ new $1 billion Beaumont Army Medical Center.
For more: http://www.elpasotimes.com/news/ci_21409525/president-obama-will-visit-fort-bliss-friday?source=pkg
Biden to follow RNC with Valley visit Friday
August 29, 2012 @ 12:09 a.m. By David Skolnick vindy.com
LORDSTOWN
Vice President Joe Biden will return to the Mahoning Valley on Friday, the day after the conclusion of the Republican National Convention, according to a President Barack Obama campaign official.
Biden will travel to Lords-town for a campaign event, the official said. The official did not confirm the location of the event.
However, Biden will have a rally at the United Auto Workers Local 1714 union hall at 2121 Salt Springs Road, according to a source not affiliated with the campaign but with information about this and other presidential and vice- presidential events.
The source also correctly told the newspaper about Biden’s May 16 visit to Youngstown and Obama’s July 6 stops in Poland and Boardman before the campaign announced those events.
With last Thursday’s announcement that General Motors will invest $200 million at its Lordstown complex for tooling and equipment to build the next-generation Chevrolet Cruze, Biden is expected to talk about the investment and the automotive industry Friday.
Also, Biden’s visit will come the day after Mitt Romney’s Thursday acceptance speech as the Republican presidential nominee. That speech will close the Republican National Convention in Tampa, Fla.
The Democratic National Convention in Charlotte begins Monday. At the convention, delegates officially will select Obama as the party’s presidential nominee and Biden as its vice-presidential nominee.
The UAW event is Biden’s fifth visit to the Mahoning Valley since Obama tapped him to be his vice-presidential running mate in the 2008 campaign. Among those visits was an October 2010 rally at the Lordstown plant on behalf of then-Gov. Ted Strickland’s failed re-election bid.
Obama spoke at the auto plant in September 2009.
During Biden’s May 16 speech at M7 Technologies, an advanced-technology company in Youngstown, he aggressively criticized Romney’s economic policies, saying the Republican can’t relate to the middle class and is concerned only about the rich. About 650 people were at that speech.
For more: http://www.vindy.com/news/2012/aug/29/biden-to-follow-rnc-with-valley-visit-fr/
Militant Commander Likely Killed in Drone Strike: U.S.
Aug. 30, 2012 By JAKE TAPPER , MUHAMMAD LILA – abc
U.S. officials said today that an American drone strike likely took out a top commander of a powerful militant group the U.S. says is responsible for deadly, high-profile terrorist attacks in Afghanistan.
Badruddin Haqqani, described by the Combating Terrorism Center at West Point as the “chief of operations” of the Taliban-affiliated Haqqani network, had been reported killed last week in a drone strike. After those reports, however, a Taliban spokesperson denied Badruddin’s death, saying in an email to reporters that he was alive and well in Afghanistan.
Today two U.S. officials, including a senior American diplomat, told ABC News that the U.S. government believes Badruddin was among those killed in an Aug. 21 drone strike.
“This is a significant loss from the Haqqani network as [Badruddin] was an operational leader behind a number of the group’s high-profile attacks, including the attacks against the U.S. Embassy in Kabul,” an American official said, apparently referring to an assault on the embassy in September 2011.
A spokesperson for Afghanistan’s interior minister said Monday officials there believe Badruddin was killed in the strike, calling his “elimination” a “major blow and serious setback to the Haqqani network,” according to a Reuters report.
Pakistani intelligence officials confirmed the death to The Associated Press and told ABC News they had heard from area locals the Haqqani commander had been killed.
For more: http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/militant-commander-killed-drone-strike-us/story?id=17114585#.UD_jmql9-Jc
PBO said he would end the Iraq war — that should never have been authorized or fought — and he kept his promise, just like he’s keeping his promise to drawn down in Afghanistan. Great topic, CR!
Yes, President Obama’s promises are real!
Happy and HOPEful Thursday Kat!
Good and HOPEful Thursday CR and all friends!
I just had the strangest dream. Clint Eastwood was yelling at a chair and Marco Rubio ran for 6th grade class president. Mitt Romney was there too. I think he was nominating Paul Ryan for prom king.
Probably something I ate.
That IS WEIRD…..or maybe just the GOP Convention!!! I am surprised that they did not have pass out frequency-enhancing-tin-foil hats and quart-magnet bracelets.
LOL!
Movie star debates chair, loses
Aug 31, 2012 8:40 AM EDT By Steve Benen – maddowblog
Political conventions occasionally produce memorable moments that endure. The Chicago riots in 1968, Cuomo’s “Tale of Two Cities” speech in 1984, Al kissing Tipper in 2000, Obama’s “audacity of hope” in 2004 — these are memories that quickly entered the political history books, reminding us why conventions still matter.
Last night, we saw another such moment, when Clint Eastwood decided to argue with an empty chair.
Chances are you’ve at least heard about Eastwood’s “speech,” but for those who missed it, trust me when I tell you it’s worth your time. As Rachel explained on the air once it was over, “That was the weirdest thing I’ve ever seen at a political convention in my entire life, and it will be the weirdest thing I’ve ever seen if I live to be 100.”
Apparently, the Romney campaign thought it would be a good idea to send an 82-year-old man onto the stage without prepared remarks. Eastwood was an odd choice anyway — he’s pro-choice and supports gay rights — but I can appreciate the fact that the man enjoys an iconic status. He was the “surprise” guest, and convention organizers scrapped a compelling Romney bio film, just so Americans could see the Hollywood star’s remarks.
Oops.
Jamelle Bouie, in arguably my favorite line of the convention, said, “This is a perfect representation of the campaign: an old white man arguing with an imaginary Barack Obama.”
Continue reading this entry …http://maddowblog.msnbc.com/_news/2012/08/31/13589163-movie-star-debates-chair-loses?lite
This seat’s taken. http://OFA.BO/c2gbfi , pic.twitter.com/jgGZTb02
Romney’s missed opportunity to lead
Aug 31, 2012 8:00 AM EDT By Steve Benen – maddowblog
On Tuesday night, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (R) delivered the Republican National Committee’s keynote address, and assured the audience, “Mitt Romney will tell us the hard truths we need to hear” — a phrase Christie used three times. A day later, Paul Ryan vowed, “We will not duck the tough issues.”
By last night, those promises seemed more like wishful thinking than campaign promises. Mitt Romney had a unique opportunity to step up, “tell us the hard truths,” and take on “the tough issues,” but in his formal introduction to the nation as his party’s presidential nominee, Romney preferred to play it safe, delivering a generic, vague, and unambitious speech.
Going into last night, the former governor had a fairly straightforward task. In effect, his goal was to tell voters, “I’m Mitt Romney, and if you elect me, here’s what I’ll do.”
The first part was easy. Romney talked about himself, and adequately demonstrated that he is not, in fact, an animatronic figure from Disney World. But the second part required effort and a little courage, and by the time the balloons were popped in Tampa, no one had any better idea what Romney would do in office than they did 24 hours ago.
Obviously, in a convention speech, I don’t expect a candidate to bring out charts and start quoting GAO reports, but those who expect to be president in five months have a responsibility to present some ideas about what they intend to do with this enormous power.
And last night, I kept waiting for something, anything, that resembled substance, but it never came. About the closest thing Romney came to a meaningful policy idea was his stated goal of using public funds to subsidize private school tuition. That’s a horrible idea, but I’ll concede it at least counts as an idea.
But when it came to public policy, that was about it. Once again, the Romney campaign message boiled down to: President Obama hasn’t done enough; I’ll do more; just trust me.
Continue reading this entry …http://maddowblog.msnbc.com/_news/2012/08/31/13588567-romneys-missed-opportunity-to-lead?lite
Romney’s speech: Where was the policy?
August 31, 2012 at 6:59 am Posted by Ezra Klein – washingtonpost
A few thoughts on Romney’s speech.
1. We heard precious little about Mitt Romney’s plans for the country. By my count, Barack Obama’s 2008 convention speech spent 768 words describing his domestic and economic policies. Romney’s speech spent 260 words. There was almost no mention — and absolutely no description — of his budget, tax, health care or Medicare plans.
2. The only policy idea he described in any detail was his five-point plan “to create 12 million new jobs.” The plan is more domestic energy production, more free trade agreements, more skills development, more deficit reduction, and cutting taxes and regulations. It is difficult to see how these policies — most of which would take some time to work — would address the jobs crisis we’re in right now. But perhaps they don’t have to. Romney’s target of 12 million jobs over the next four years happens to be the same number of jobs the economic forecasting firm Moody’s Analytics expects us to add even without major policy changes.
3. Here’s Romney’s theory of why Obama failed: “The President hasn’t disappointed you because he wanted to. The President has disappointed America because he hasn’t led America in the right direction. He took office without the basic qualification that most Americans have and one that was essential to his task. He had almost no experience working in a business. Jobs to him are about government.” But if business experience is the key qualification for a president, why did Romney pick Paul Ryan, who has spent even less time in the private sector than Obama, to be his vice president?
For more; http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/ezra-klein/wp/2012/08/31/romneys-speech-where-was-the-policy/
West Wing Week: 8/31/12 or, “It’s Summer Mailbag Time!”
Published on Aug 30, 2012 by whitehouse
It’s the summer’s special Mailbag Edition of West Wing Week, featuring Elizabeth Olsen, Director of Presidential Correspondence. This week we’re taking a moment to pick out a few of your letters from the thousands that arrive everyday here at the White House and answer some of your questions on immigration, healthcare, and the economy. That’s August 24th to August 30th or, “It’s Summer Mailbag Time!”
Happy and HOPEful Friday, CR and all friends!
>^..^<
Happy and HOPEful Friday Kat!
Consumer Sentiment In U.S. Rose To Three-Month High
Aug 31, 2012 7:32 AM PT By Shobhana Chandra – bloomberg
Confidence among U.S. consumers in August rose more than projected to the highest level in three months, reinforcing signs the world’s largest economy is improving.
The Thomson Reuters/University of Michigan final index of consumer sentiment climbed to 74.3 from 72.3 the prior month. The gauge was projected to rise to 73.6, according to the median forecast of 60 economists surveyed by Bloomberg. The preliminary reading for August was 73.6.
Recent reports showing the best job growth in five months and the first gain in home prices since 2010 may be helping lift moods, improving the odds household spending, which accounts for about 70 percent of the economy, will be sustained. At the same time, rising fuel costs and concerns about impending tax changes may be preventing bigger gains in sentiment.
“Consumers are getting a sense that the economy is doing slightly better,” Yelena Shulyatyeva, a U.S. economist at BNP Paribas in New York, said before the report. “Recent economic data have been modestly stronger than expected. People do notice these things and react to news right away.”
Estimates for the confidence measure ranged from 72 to 75.2, according to the Bloomberg survey. The index averaged 64.2 during the last recession. It averaged 89 in the five years before the 18-month economic slump that ended in June 2009.
For more: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-08-31/consumer-sentiment-in-u-s-reaches-highest-level-in-three-months.html
Factory Orders Rebound In July
8/31/12 nasdaq
(RTTNews.com) – Factory orders rose more than expected in July, according to new government statistics released Friday. With the advance, the figure rebounded from a decline posted in the previous month.
The U.S. Department of Commerce revealed that factory orders rose by 2.8 in July. This followed a decline of 0.5 percent in the previous month.
Economists had expected factory orders to rise by 2.0 percent.
Excluding the transportation industry, factory orders were up 0.7 percent for July.
Orders for durable goods climbed 4.1 percent in the month. This was revised down slightly from an advance reading that was issued previously. The figure was originally estimated as a rise of 4.1 percent.
Durable goods orders measure orders for items meant to last at least 3 years – things like washing machines and jet engines. It is considered a good gauge of the health of the heavy manufacturing industry.
New orders for more disposable non-durable goods were up 1.5 percent for the month.
Factory shipments were up for the month as well. The figure rose 2.0 percent, bouncing back after a 1.2 percent retreat in June.
Inventories edged up as well, climbing by 0.5 percent. The advance took inventories to a level of $607.3 billion – the highest level since the figure began in 1992.
The factory orders report is part of a string of manufacturing-related releases that have come out recently.
Friday also saw the release of closely-watched regional survey. The Institute of Supply Management – Chicago announced its report on business conditions in the Chicago area.
The Chicago PMI index came in at 53.0 for August. Any reading above 50 indicates expansion.
Earlier this week, manufacturing surveys released by the Dallas and Richmond Federal Reserve banks showed contractions for August. However, both reports showed a slower rate of decline for the month.
11:00 AM ET
Vice President Biden attends campaign event
United Auto Workers Local 1714, Lordstown. OH
CNN http://live.cnn.com
Biden attacks Ryan’s storyline on auto industry
8/31/12 11:57 AM EDT By JENNIFER EPSTEIN – POLITICO44
LORDSTOWN, Ohio – Vice President Joe Biden went right at what he sees as the lies and partial truths that Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan have told as he spoke to auto workers here Friday.
“You heard Congressman Ryan on Wednesday night blame the closing of a GM plant in his hometown of Janesville on the president of the United States,” Biden said, referring to Ryan’s nomination acceptance speech at the Republican National Convention.
“The one thing the congressman was right about … it was devastating for the community and those people,” Biden at the United Auto Workers union hall here, just a few miles away from the General Motors factory.” But what he didn’t tell you was that plant in Janesville actually closed while President Bush was still in office. What they didn’t say is, but for the sacrifices you made, and the courage of the president, all those GM plants would have closed.”
“What they didn’t say at the convention is because of the auto rescue, there are 4,500 of you working here making a decent wage. What they didn’t say is GM is adding two shifts,” the vice president said. “The 200,000 auto workers who’ve been added to the employment rolls would not be working. We would’ve lost a million jobs. GM wouldn’t have been reorganized, it would have been liquidated. Along with Chrysler.”
Biden said that what Ryan didn’t acknowledge in his attack on the Obama administration’s role in the auto bailout is that Romney’s “position was ‘let Detroit go bankrupt.’ He said if we stepped in to help, GM would be ‘the living dead.’”
But the auto bailout has worked, the vice president said. General Motors announced last week that a factory near the union hall will be one of to in Ohio to get a combined investment of $220 million to build the next generation Chevrolet Cruze.
12:00 PM ET
President Obama participates in a roundtable discussion with service-members and military families. at Fort Bliss, TX
Good Friday morning everyone. I am attending an Obama Team Meeting today. I HOPE that you have a good day.
Bless our President Obama and his family, the Obama Administration, our troops, firefighters, police & emergency responders and others who work unselfishly for the safety and good of America!
1:30 PM EDT
Champions of Change: Educators
The White House and the President’s Advisory Commission on Educational Excellence for Hispanics will honor educators who have devoted their time and efforts to working in communities, inspiring their students to excel and promoting the teaching profession by setting a strong example in the classroom.
The White House
WhiteHouse.gov http://www.whitehouse.gov/live
Champions of Change: Educators
Published on Sep 5, 2012 by whitehouse
Educators from across the country, all of whom work day in and day out to prepare our students to be competitive in an increasingly global market, are honored as Champions of Change and participate in a discussion about ensuring every child receives a first-rate education. August 31, 2012.
2:00 PM EDT
Youth Sustainability Challenge Winners
This spring, the White House challenged youth to share their stories about how they were promoting sustainability in their communities. In June, several winners of that challenge were highlighted during events at the Rio+20 Conference in Brazil. Today, we are bringing those winners together to discuss the work they are doing around environmental stewardship.
The White House
WhiteHouse.gov http://www.whitehouse.gov/live
Youth Sustainability Challenge Twitter Town Hall
Published on Aug 31, 2012 by whitehouse
This spring, the White House challenged youth to share their stories about how they were promoting sustainability in their communities. Several winners of that challenge were highlighted during events at the Rio+20 Conference in Brazil in June and then came together at a White House event to discuss the work they are doing around environmental stewardship. August 31, 2012.
Please join me in lighting a candle for our President, First Family and the Nation.
http://www.gratefulness.org/candles/candles.cfm?l=eng&gi=PBO
Judge Sides With Obama On Ohio Early Voting Suit Despite Romney Attacks
AUGUST 31, 2012, 1:30 PM 4494 RYAN J. REILLY – tpm
A federal judge sided with the Obama campaign on Friday and ruled that Ohio made an “arbitrary” decision when it took away early-voting rights for most voters but carved out a special exemption for military and overseas voters.
In granting a preliminary injunction against early voting restrictions, the judge ruled that the “public interest is served by restoring in-person early voting to all Ohio voters.”
Earlier this month, the Romney campaign attacked the Obama campaign’s lawsuit, calling it an “outrage” and falsely accusing the president of trying to take away early voting rights for members of the military. In reality, the lawsuit was trying to ensure that most voters, including servicemen and women, had the chance to cast their ballots early.
U.S. District Judge Peter Economus ruled that restoring a voting window for the three days before the election “does not deprive [Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act] voters from early voting” but instead “places all Ohio voters on equal standing.”
Economus pointed out that thousands of Ohio voters cast their ballots in-person during the three-day period before the 2008 election.
“This Court finds that ‘in-person early voting’ is a voting term that had included the right to vote in person through the Monday before Election Day, and, now, thousands of voters who would have voted during those three days will not be able to exercise their right to cast a vote in person,” Economus wrote. “Plaintiffs submit statistical studies to support their assertion that low-income and minority voters are disproportionately affected by the elimination of those voting days.”
Economus also wrote that Ohio’s attorneys never disputed studies showing that the burden on the Obama campaign and its supporters was high “because their constituency represents
a large percentage of those who voted in person in the last three days before Election Day.”
“Plaintiffs will suffer irreparable injury if in-person early voting is not restored the last three days before Election Day, and there is no definitive evidence before the Court that elections boards will be tremendously burdened,” Economus wrote.
“Restoring in-person early voting to all Ohio voters through the Monday before Election Day returns to voters the same opportunity to vote as previously conferred under Ohio law,” he wrote.
Romney’s campaign did not immediately respond to TPM’s request for comment about the ruling.
Next Up…
3:00 PM EDT
President Obama Speaks to the Troops
Fort Bliss, Texas
WhiteHouse.gov http://www.whitehouse.gov/live
CNN http://live.cnn.com
CSPAN http://www.c-span.org/Events/President-Obama-Speaks-to-Troops-in-Texas/10737433675/
Department of Defense http://www.defense.gov/live/
August 31, 2012
Remarks by the President to the Troops at Fort Bliss, TX
Fort Bliss Main Hangar
Fort Bliss, Texas
1:06 P.M. MDT
THE PRESIDENT: Hello, Team Bliss! (Applause.) Hooah! Thank you so much, everybody. Hooah!
AUDIENCE: Hooah!
THE PRESIDENT: To General Lloyd Austin, thanks for the introduction and your leadership, leading our troops in Iraq and taking care of our soldiers now that they are at home.
And right at the top, let me say that our hearts are obviously with all the folks who are down in Louisiana and the Gulf Coast, who are dealing with the aftermath of Hurricane Isaac. Our prayers are with those who’ve lost loved ones. And I’ve directed the federal government to keep doing everything that it can to help our partners at the state and local level. As a country, we stand united with our fellow Americans in their hour of need.
I want to thank General Pittard and all your great commanders for welcoming me here today. I want to give a shout-out to the Sergeant Major of the Army, Ray Chandler. (Hooah!) And Command Sergeant Major Ronnie Kelley. (Hooah!) These guys remind us that our noncommissioned officers are the backbone of our military — (applause) — leading the finest enlisted force in the world. (Hooah!)
It is great to be back at Fort Bliss, home to the Army, Air and Missile Defense Command — “Swift and Sure.” (Hooah!) We’ve got Guard and Reserve here. (Hooah!) Of course, it’s home to the legendary 1st Armored Division, “Old Ironsides.” (Hooah!) We’ve got a lot of brigades here, including the “Iron Eagles,” “Iron Brigade,” “Bulldogs,” and “Ready First.” (Hooah!)
And I also want to salute Lucille Pittard and Alice Kelley and all the extraordinary spouses and military families who are here. Give them a big round of applause. (Applause.)
I know that all of you are grateful for the incredible support you receive from your civilian neighbors. So I want to acknowledge two champions of Fort Bliss — we’ve got Congressman Silvestre Reyes and we’ve got Mayor John Cook. And we’ve also got all the great folks in El Paso and New Mexico. Give them a big round of applause. (Applause.)
I’ve come back to Bliss for a simple reason. Two years ago, I was here to mark a historic moment in the life of our nation and our military — the end of major combat operations in Iraq. It was a chance for me to say on behalf of the American people to you and all who served there — welcome home, and congratulations on a job well done.
AUDIENCE: Hooah!
THE PRESIDENT: In every major phase of that war, you were there, the Iron Soldiers. Because of your speed and strength, American troops toppled a dictator in less than a month. Because of your commitment, you stayed on extended tours and went back, tour after tour, year after year. Because of your determination to succeed, you turned back an insurgency. You stood firm against sectarian strife. You helped pull Iraq back from the abyss and you trained Iraqis to take the lead. That was the progress you made possible with your service and your courage.
And so, two years ago, I was able to come here to Bliss and mark the end of our combat mission. And that night I told the American people that all our troops would be out of Iraq by the end of the following year. At the time, I know some folks didn’t believe me. They were skeptical. Some thought the end of combat was just word games and semantics, but I meant what I said. (Hooah!)
So you kept training up those Iraqi forces. We removed nearly 150,000 troops, and this past December, under General Austin’s leadership, the last American troops came home, including the 4th Brigade Combat Team from Bliss. (Hooah!) (Applause.)
You left Iraq with honor, your mission complete, your heads held high. After nearly nine years, our war in Iraq was over. And today Iraq has a chance to forge its own destiny, and there are no American troops fighting and dying in Iraq.
On this anniversary, we honor the memory of all who gave their lives there — nearly 4,500 American patriots, including 198 fallen heroes from Fort Bliss and the 1st Armored Division. And we salute all who served there.
When I was here two years ago I told you something else, though — that we had more work to do, including taking the fight to al Qaeda. (Hooah!) And there, too, I meant what I said. With allies and partners, we’ve taken out more top al Qaeda terrorists than at any time since 9/11. And thanks to the courage of our forces, al Qaeda is on the road to defeat and bin Laden will never again threaten the United States of America. (Applause.)
Two years ago I also told you that we’d keep up the fight in Afghanistan. And I know that some of you recently got back. On behalf of a grateful nation, welcome home.
Some of your buddies are in Afghanistan right now — (Hooah!) — and our thoughts and prayers are with all the troops from Bliss deployed around the world, including Afghanistan — the “War Eagles” and the “Highlanders.”
And I know that some of you will be deploying later this year. (Hooah!) And I’ve got to tell you the truth — this is still a very tough fight. You know this. You carry in your hearts the memory of comrades who made that ultimate sacrifice, including six heroes from Bliss who gave their lives on that awful day last month.
I just had the opportunity to meet with some of our Gold Star families, and our message to them is this: Your loved ones live on in the soul of our nation and we will honor them always.
Because of their sacrifice, because of your service, we pushed the Taliban back. We’re training Afghan forces. The transition to Afghan lead is underway, and as promised, more than 30,000 of our troops will have come home by next month.
Just as in Iraq, we are going to end this war responsibly. Next year, Afghans will take the lead for their own security. In 2014, the transition will be complete. And even as this war ends, we will stay vigilant so Afghanistan is never again a source for attacks against America. Never again. (Hooah!) (Applause.)
So we’re not just ending these wars. We’re doing it in a way that keeps America safe and makes America stronger. And that includes our military.
Think about it. Just four years ago, there were some 180,000 American troops in Iraq and Afghanistan. By next month we will have cut that number by nearly two-thirds. So most of our troops have come home. And as more Afghans step up, more of our troops will come home.
And what does that mean for you? Well, after 10 years of continuous operations, it means fewer deployments. It means more time for training. It means more time to improve readiness, more time to prepare for the future. And it means more time on the home front with your families — your spouses and your kids. (Hooah!)
THE PRESIDENT: So make no mistake — ending the wars responsibly makes us safer and it makes our military even stronger. And ending these wars is letting us do something else — restore American leadership.
If you hear anyone trying to say that America is in decline or that our influence has waned, don’t you believe it. Because here’s the truth — our alliances have never been stronger. We’re leading on behalf of freedom, including standing with the people of Libya that are finally free from Muammar Qaddafi. (Hooah!)
Around the world, there’s a new attitude toward America, new confidence in our leadership. When people are asked, which country do you admire most, one nation always comes out on top: the United States of America. (Hooah!) (Applause.)
And that’s the progress that we’ve made, thanks to your incredible service. We’re winding down a decade of war. We’re destroying terrorist networks that attacked us. And we’ve restored American leadership. And today, every American can be proud that the United States is safer, the United States is stronger, and the United States is more respected in the world.
Now, when I was here last, I made you a pledge. I said that, as President, I will insist that America serves you and your families as well as you’ve served us. And there again, I meant what I said. Because part of ending wars responsibly is caring for those who fought in it. That’s why I wanted to come back to Bliss on this anniversary to reaffirm our solemn obligations to you and your families.
For more: http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2012/08/31/remarks-president-troops-fort-bliss-tx
August 31, 2012
Fact Sheet: President Obama Signs Executive Order to Improve Access to Mental Health Services for Veterans, Service Members, and Military Families
WASHINGTON, DC – Today, President Obama will sign an Executive Order directing key federal departments to expand suicide prevention strategies and take steps to meet the current and future demand for mental health and substance abuse treatment services for veterans, service members, and their families.
Ensuring that all veterans, Active, Guard, and Reserve service members and their families receive the support they deserve is a top priority for the Obama Administration. Since September 11, 2001, more than two million service members have deployed to Iraq or Afghanistan with unprecedented duration and frequency. Long deployments and intense combat conditions require optimal support for the emotional and mental health needs of our service members and their families. The Obama Administration has consistently expanded efforts to ensure our troops, veterans and their families receive the benefits they have earned and deserve, including providing timely mental health service. The Executive Order signed today builds on these efforts.
President Obama’s Executive Order
The Executive Order signed by President Obama:
* Strengthens suicide prevention efforts across the Force and in the veteran community
* Enhances access to mental health care by building partnerships between VA and community providers
* Increases the number of VA mental health providers serving our veterans
* Promotes mental health research and development of more effective treatment methodologies
* Promotes mental health research and development of more effective treatment methodologies
* Supporting our Military, Veterans, and their Families
For more: http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2012/08/31/fact-sheet-president-obama-signs-executive-order-improve-access-mental-h
August 31, 2012
Readout of President Obama’s Call with Parish Presidents, Mayors, and County Leaders from Louisiana and Mississippi
This afternoon, the President convened a call with a number of Parish Presidents, Mayors and County Leaders from Louisiana and Mississippi who were impacted by Hurricane Isaac. On the call, the President asked Secretary Napolitano and Administrator Fugate to provide the officials with an update on the resources and steps FEMA has taken to support their communities and first responders as they continue to confront ongoing flooding and damage caused by the storm. The President noted the extensive damage in areas across the Gulf Coast and told the officials that they – as well as the communities they represent — were in his thoughts and prayers. The President also made clear that he had directed FEMA to continue to bring all available resources to bear to support response and recovery efforts. FEMA teams have been on the ground in both states since before the storm made landfall and federal responders continue to move supplies – including water, meals, generators, medical supplies and other resources – into affected areas in both states as conditions allow. Teams from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and Department of Energy are supporting power supply and restoration efforts.
At the requests of the Governors, the President approved Emergency Declarations for Louisiana and Mississippi earlier this week, and on Wednesday night the President provided expedited Major Disaster declarations for both states which make additional federal resources available to the state and local governments. On the call the President informed the Louisiana Parish Presidents and Louisiana Mayors that today he approved the addition of Individual Assistance to the state’s Disaster Declaration, making federal funding available directly to affected individuals in impacted areas. The President asked the officials to continue to identify needs that may arise as the response efforts continue and recovery efforts begin.
Saturday, September 1, 2012
All Times Eastern
President Obama receives the presidential daily briefing.
7:00 AM
8:00 AM
9:00 AM
10:00 AM
11:00 AM
President Obam departs the White House en route Joint Base Andrews
South Lawn
12:15 AM
President Obama departs Joint Base Andrews en route Des Moines, Iowa
12:00 PM
1:00 PM
1:35 PM
President Obama arrives Des Moines, Iowa
Des Moines International Airport
2:00 PM
2:20 PM
President Obama attends campaign event
Living History Farms, Urbandale, IA
3:00 PM
4:00 PM
4:25 PM
President Obama departs Des Moines, Iowa en route Sioux City, Iowa
Des Moines International Airport
5:00 PM
5:1O PM
President Obama arrives Sioux City, Iowa
Sioux Gateway Airport
6:00 PM
7:00 PM
7:30 PM
President Obama attends campaign event
Morningside College, Sioux City, IA
8:00 PM
9:00 PM
President Obama departs Sioux City, Iowa en route Denver, Colorado
Sioux Gateway Airport
10:00 PM
10:40 PM
President Obama arrives Denver, Colorado
Buckley Air Force Base
September 1, 2012
WhiteHouse.gov http://www.whitehouse.gov/live
—-
CNN http://live.cnn.com
1:00 PM ET
New Orleans mayor talks Isaac
New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu discusses how the city is handling the impact of the storm formerly known as Hurricane Isaac.
2:20 PM ET
President Obama attends campaign event
Living History Farms, Urbandale, IA
—-
CSPAN http://www.cspan.org/
1:00 PM ET
New Orleans mayor talks Isaac
New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu discusses how the city is handling the impact of the storm formerly known as Hurricane Isaac.
2:20 PM ET
President Obama attends campaign event
Living History Farms, Urbandale, IA http://www.c-span.org/DNC/Events/President-Obama-Holds-Rallies-in-Iowa/10737433722/
Obama returns to Iowa Saturday
Aug 31, 2012 kcci
DES MOINES, Iowa —
President Barack Obama returns to Iowa Saturday for campaign events in Urbandale and Sioux City.
Tickets are still available for Obama’s Urbandale visit. You can pick up free tickets at his local campaign offices, including the one at 2932 Ingersoll Avenue in Des Moines until 9 p.m. Friday.
Tickets also will be available Saturday at the Clive Aquatic Center from 7 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
The campaign rally is planned at Living History Farms in Urbandale. Doors open at 10:30 a.m. and Obama is expected to speak about 1:20 p.m.
The president will also visit Sioux City on Saturday. He will speak at Morningside College. Tickets to the event are no longer available.
The stops are part of the Road To Charlotte tour leading up to the Democratic National Convention next week.
Sep. 1, 2012
U.S. Women vs. Costa Rica Women
2:30 p.m. ET
Sahlen’s Stadium, Rochester, N.Y.
NBC
US 8-0 win over Costa Rica
USA Women’s Soccer vs. Costa Rica: Score, Highlights and Grades
By Ben Chodos (Featured Columnist) on September 1, 2012 bleacherreport
There is little doubt that the United States women are the best team in the world, and a 8-0 win over Costa Rica resoundingly confirmed this.
There were never any questions over the result of this game, and the United States dominated from the opening whistle.
The team is sending out coach Pia Sundhage in style, as it is playing a series of friendlies before Sundhage returns to Sweden and resigns her post.
Here are the highlights and grades from the dominating performance.
Grades
Megan Rapinoe: A
Rapinoe has established herself as one of the best women’s soccer players in the world at the Olympics. She is incredibly crafty on the ball and capable of producing blissful attacking moments that lead to incredible goals.
She opened up the scoring with a wonderful curling free kick that took a slight deflection and bounced off the bottom of the crossbar into the goal. She then earned her second of the game with a shot from distance that was too much for Costa Rican keeper Erica Miranda.
Abby Wambach: A
Wambach also went for a double and showed off her ability to dominate defenders in the penalty area. She notched USA’s second and third goals of this game.
The 32-year-old is still a physically dominating presence, and she proved that in every minute that she spent on the pitch today.
Sydney Leroux: A
There is a pattern with the grades here, but when a player scores two goals, they must also make a massive error to earn anything less than an A. There were no glaring mistakes for the United States in this game, and Leroux came off the bench to extend the team’s lead.
The scrappy striker was first to nearly every ball and scored the team’s sixth and eighth goals of the game. The 22-year-old is yet another rising star for the Americans.
Alex Morgan: B+
Morgan played an excellent match, but her teammates set a high standard and I am grading on a curve. If she had scored two goals, she would have earned an A.
Morgan was all over the attacking third of the field, getting her name on the score sheet in the first half and continuing to play piercing passes to get her teammates in threatening positions.
Costa Rica Defense: C+
Giving up eight goals would seem like an easy way to earn an F, but the Costa Ricans did put up a noteworthy effort, especially in the opening part of the game.
It was well into the first half before the game truly got out of hand, thanks to few nice saves from Miranda. The Costa Ricans rank 40th in the world, and they were drastically over matched.
——–
Abby Wambach 145th Goal
Published on Sep 1, 2012 by rjpooch3
USA vs Costa Rica September 1, 2012
September 01, 2012
Weekly Address: Honoring Our Nation’s Service Members and Military Families
Hi, everybody. On Friday, I visited Fort Bliss in Texas, where I met with some of our extraordinary men and women in uniform to mark the second anniversary of the end of major combat in Iraq.
It was a chance to thank our troops for the outstanding work they’ve done over the last decade. Fort Bliss is home to soldiers who took part in every major phase of the Iraq War – from the initial assault on Baghdad; to the years of fighting block by block; to the partnership with the Iraqi people that helped give them a chance to forge their own destiny.
And while the war itself remains a source of controversy here at home, one thing will never be in doubt – the members of our armed forces are patriots in every sense of the word. They met every mission and performed every task that was asked of them with precision, commitment and skill. And now, with no Americans fighting in Iraq, it’s my privilege on behalf of a grateful nation to once again congratulate these men and women on a job well done.
This anniversary is a chance to appreciate how far we’ve come. But it’s also a reminder that there is still difficult work ahead of us in Afghanistan. Some of the soldiers I met at Fort Bliss had just come home from the battlefield, and others are getting ready to ship out.
We’ve broken the Taliban’s momentum in Afghanistan, and begun the transition to an Afghan lead. Next month, the last of the troops I ordered as part of the surge against the Taliban will come home, and by 2014, the transition to Afghan lead will be complete.
But as long as we have a single American in harm’s way, we will continue to do everything in our power to keep them safe and help them succeed. That means giving them a clear mission and the equipment they need on the front lines. But it also means taking care of our veterans and their families. Because no one who fights for this country should have to fight for a job or a roof over their head when they come home.
I also told our soldiers at Bliss that part of honoring their service means strengthening the nation they fought so hard to protect. As we turn the page on a decade of war, it’s time to do some nation-building here at home.
My grandfather’s generation came back from World War II and helped form the backbone of the greatest middle-class in history. They helped this country come back stronger than before. Today’s veterans have the skills, the discipline, and the leadership skills to do the exact same thing – and it’s our job to give them that chance.
It’s time to build a nation that lives up to the ideals that so many Americans have fought for – a nation where they can realize the dream they sacrificed to protect. We need to rebuild our roads and runways and ports. We need to lay broadband lines across this country and put our veterans back to work as cops and firefighters in communities that need them. And we need to come together to make America a place where hard work is rewarded and anyone willing to put in the effort can make it if they try.
That’s how we can honor our troops. That’s the welcome home they’ve earned.
Thanks, and have a great weekend
Good Saturday morning everyone. I HOPE that you have a good day.
Next Up..
2:20 PM ET
President Obama attends campaign event
Living History Farms, Urbandale, IA
CNN http://live.cnn.com
CSPAN http://www.c-span.org/DNC/Events/President-Obama-Holds-Rallies-in-Iowa/10737433722/
September 01, 2012
Remarks by the President at Campaign Event
Living History Farms, Urbandale, Iowa
1:35 P.M. CDT
THE PRESIDENT: Hello, Iowa! (Applause.) Oh, it is good to be back in Iowa! (Applause.)
AUDIENCE MEMBER: We love you, Mr. President!
THE PRESIDENT: I love you back. That’s why I’m back. (Applause.) Oh, this is a great crowd.
It’s good to see my outstanding friends — Tom Harkin in the house. (Applause.) Leonard Boswell. (Applause.) Tom Miller. (Applause.) And can everybody please give Lucas a big round of applause — not just for the introduction, but for his service to our country. (Applause.)
And it is great to see all of you. (Applause.) We’ve got a spectacular day. College football is in the air. (Applause.) We will try to get you home in time to see the Hawkeyes and the Cyclones. I know we’ve got kickoff later. (Laughter.) And although you guys got to see the Nationals and Chris Cornell perform before I got here — (applause) — I just want you to know that I could not appreciate them performing — I could not appreciate more them performing for us. So please give them a big round of applause as well. (Applause.)
Now, Iowa, this is our first stop on the road to our convention in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Applause.) But there was a reason for me to begin the journey right here in Iowa, where it first began more than four years ago. (Applause.) Because it was you, Iowa, who kept us going when the pundits were writing us off. It was in your living rooms and backyards and VFW halls and diners where our movement for change began. And it will be you, Iowa, who choose the path we take from here. (Applause.)
Now, last week, the other party gave you their pitch at the convention down in Florida.
AUDIENCE: Booo –
THE PRESIDENT: Don’t boo — vote. (Applause.)
It was something to behold. Despite all the challenges that we face in this new century, what they offered over those three days was more often than not an agenda that was better suited for the last century. It was a rerun. We’d seen it before. You might as well have watched it on a black-and-white TV. (Laughter.)
If you didn’t DVR it, let me recap it for you. (Laughter.) Everything is bad, it’s Obama’s fault — (laughter) — and Governor Romney is the only one who knows the secret to creating jobs and growing the economy. That was the pitch. There was a lot of talk about hard truths and bold choices, but nobody ever actually bothered to tell you what they were. (Laughter.)
And when Governor Romney had his chance to let you in on his secret, he did not offer a single new idea, just retreads of the same old policies that have been sticking it to the middle class for years. They talked a lot about me. They talked a lot about him. But they didn’t say much about you. (Applause.) And they spent even less time talking about what they planned to do — not just because they know you won’t like it, but because you’ve lived through it and you can’t afford to repeat it. (Applause.)
See, it turns out that we don’t think making the middle class pay for another budget-busting $250,000 tax cut for folks making $3 million a year or more will magically translate into jobs and prosperity for everybody else. We don’t think families will be better off if we undo financial reforms that are there to prevent another financial crisis, or rules that are there to protect our air and our water, protections to make sure your health care is there for you when you get sick. (Applause.) We really don’t think the best way to strengthen Medicare is to give seniors a voucher that leaves them to pay any additional costs out of their own pockets.
Iowa, they have tried to sell us these tired, trickle-down, you’re-on-your-own policies before. They did not work. They’ve never worked. They won’t create jobs. They won’t cut our deficit. They will not strengthen our middle class. They are not a plan to move our country forward. (Applause.)
We believe in something better. We believe in an America that says our economic strength has never come from the top down. It comes from the bottom up. (Applause.) It comes from the middle out. It comes from students and workers and small business owners, and a growing, thriving middle class. That’s what we believe. (Applause.)
We believe in an America that doesn’t let how much money you’ve got determine whether or not you can afford good health care or get a higher education. (Applause.) We believe in an America that leads not just by the force of our military, but also with the strength of our ideals and the power of our example. (Applause.) We believe in an America where no matter who you are, no matter what you look like, no matter where you come from, no matter who you love, you can pursue your own happiness and you can make it if you try. (Applause.)
AUDIENCE: Four more years! Four more years! Four more years!
For more: http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2012/09/01/remarks-president-campaign-event
Please join me in lighting a candle for our President, First Family and the Nation
http://www.gratefulness.org/candles/candles.cfm?l=eng&gi=PBO
7:30 PM ET
President Obama attends campaign event
Morningside College, Sioux City, IA
September 01, 2012
Remarks by the President at Campaign Event
Morningside College, Sioux City, Iowa
5:40 P.M. CDT
THE PRESIDENT: How’s it going, Iowa? (Applause.) It is good to be back in Sioux City! (Applause.)
Please give Rob a big round of applause for that great introduction. (Applause.) It’s good to be with my outstanding Secretary of Agriculture, your former governor, Tom Vilsack. (Applause.) It is great to see your Mayor, Bob Scott. (Applause.) And it is great to see all of you. (Applause.)
And the only thing that I’m not going to do, though, is get in the middle of an argument between Hawkeye and Huskers fans. (Laughter.) I’m not going to go there.
Now, Iowa is our first stop this week on the road to our convention in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Applause.) And it was important for me to begin that journey right here in Iowa because this is where it all began for us four years ago — right here in Iowa. (Applause.) Because it was you, Iowa, who kept us going when all the pundits had written us off. It was in your living rooms and backyards and VFW halls and diners where our movement for change began. And it will be you, Iowa, who is going to make all the difference in the world in this upcoming election. (Applause.)
Now, last week, the other party, they gave their pitch at the convention in Florida.
AUDIENCE: Booo –
THE PRESIDENT: Don’t boo — vote. (Applause.)
I’ve got to say, that convention, it was something. (Laughter.) Despite all the challenges that we face in this new century, what they offered over their three days was an agenda that was probably a little better suited for the last century. (Applause.) They were going so far backwards you might as well have watched it on black-and-white TV. (Laughter and applause.) Put some rabbit ears on the convention hall. (Applause.)
Now, in case you didn’t DVR it, let me give you a simple recap: The economy is not where it needs to be, and it’s Obama’s fault, and only Mitt Romney knows the secret to creating jobs and growing the economy.
AUDIENCE: Booo –
THE PRESIDENT: And there was a lot of talk about speaking “hard truths” and making “bold choices,” but the interesting thing was nobody ever bothered throughout the three days to tell you what these tough choices were going to be. They didn’t really explain what they were going to do.
When Governor Romney had his chance to let you in on his secret sauce — (laughter) — he didn’t offer you a single new idea. It was just a retread of the same old policies that have been sticking it to the middle class for years. (Applause.)
So you heard them talk a lot about me. You heard them talk a lot about Mitt. They didn’t talk a lot about you. They didn’t talk about the challenges you face and how we could actually solve some of these challenges. They spent less time talking about their plan than just about anything else. Not just because they know you don’t like it — now, the truth is if I had their plan I probably wouldn’t talk about it a lot either. (Laughter and applause.) And they know you’re not going to buy it because we’ve tried it, you saw what happened, you lived through it and you don’t want to repeat it. (Applause.)
We know that making the middle class, for example, pay for another budget-busting $250,000 tax cut for folks making $3 million a year or more is not going to translate into jobs and prosperity for working families all across Sioux City. We know that. (Applause.)
We know that families aren’t going to be better off if we roll back financial reform that’s there to prevent another financial crisis. We know we’re not going to be better off if suddenly we roll back the protections for our air and our water, and protections to make sure that if you get sick there’s going to be health care there for you.
We’re sure not going to be better off if suddenly, instead of having Medicare that you can count on, we’ve got some sort of voucher program that Mr. Romney and Mr. Ryan are proposing that leaves seniors to pay any additional costs out of their own pocket.
AUDIENCE: Booo –
THE PRESIDENT: They have been trying to sell us these tired, trickle-down, you’re-on-your-own policies before. They did not work. They didn’t work then, they won’t work now. They won’t create jobs. They won’t lower our deficit. They’re not going to strengthen the middle class. They’re not a plan to move our country forward.
For more: http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2012/09/01/remarks-president-campaign-event-0
*********************
THIS POST IS NOW CLOSED
NBLB Come on over to my newest post
titled: “ Labor Day & POLITICAL ACTION 2012”
**********************
To get to newest post click on “HOME” at the top of the page and click on the title of the newest post