“As this poll and others have shown, the more Americans learn about the benefits of the Affordable Care Act, the more they embrace the historic changes enacted by President Obama and Congressional Democrats this spring. The number of Americans who support reform is growing, the number who oppose it is falling and since May nearly one in ten Americans have changed their mind about the law and now view it favorably. And there is every reason to believe the number of Americans who support reform will continue to grow as more businesses, workers, and families begin to realize the benefits of reform, and as it becomes increasingly obvious that the fear and myths spread by Republicans – from death panels to rationing – were simply not true.

“Instead, health insurance reform is conveying new benefits to millions of Americans. From young people who can now remain on their parents’ insurance as they look for work or complete their degree to older Americans who are receiving new help to purchase life-saving prescription medications to small business owners who may be eligible for a health care tax credit worth thousands of dollars to help cover the cost of insuring their employees, this law makes health insurance more available and affordable for Americans of all kinds. In addition, it ends the worst practices of the insurance industry and guarantees that no American need every worry again that their coverage will be revoked when they need it most or that they won’t be able to get coverage in the first place.

“Those changes are quite simply historic. It took nearly a century to enact comprehensive health insurance reform but, as this poll and others have shown, it will take far less time for the vast majority of Americans to embrace their new health care rights and benefits.”

Read the Washington Post story on the Kaiser Family Foundation poll.

They just couldn't help themselves.

On Tuesday, 40 Republican senators blocked the passage of legislation that would counteract the growing influence of corporations in the wake of the Citizens United Supreme Court decision.

The DISCLOSE Act would have helped shed light on the hundreds of millions of dollars corporations and special interests plan to spend to influence our elections this fall -- and would have helped ordinary Americans to make their voices more clearly heard in campaigns across the country.

Republicans believe that killing the bill and strengthening corporate power gives them a tactical edge, allowing right-wing groups to raise more than ever to help their candidates win.

It's a stark reminder, both of what we're up against in November and the reason we all need to fight so hard to elect Democrats. Now more than ever, we need people like you on sidewalks and doorsteps, talking to your friends and neighbors about what meaningful reforms like these would mean in their lives -- and why it's so vital that they make their voices heard this fall.

Sign up now to volunteer for our Vote 2010 efforts and help fight the Republican special-interest agenda.

Despite the fact 80 percent of Americans disagreed with the Citizens United decision -- which eliminated limits on corporate spending in political campaigns -- obstructionist Republicans have sided with the special interests yet again. But that doesn't mean we can't hold them accountable for it.

Republicans believe the support of the big corporations and the special interests is all they need, but we have a different approach. We're building a new Democratic party -- one driven by the opinions and support of Americans around the country and focused on grassroots organizing.

That's something Republicans just don't have: supporters like you.

The obstruction of bills like DISCLOSE affects every voter in the country -- and we're all in this together. We need your help on the ground now, helping to make the case to friends and neighbors about the importance of their vote in November's elections. Please sign up to volunteer today:

http://my.democrats.org/DISCLOSEVolunteer

Thanks,

Jen

Jen O'Malley Dillon
Executive Director
Democratic National Committee

The Contract includes, among other things, repealing health insurance reform and Wall Street reform, ending Social Security and Medicare as we know them, and extending the Bush tax cuts for the wealthy while growing the federal deficit. Every single one of those positions has been advanced by Republican leaders in Congress or Republican candidates nationally, but even we would have supposed that at least a few Republicans would take issue with some of the most extreme positions. After all, could it really be true that there’s not a single Republican willing to stand against the dismantling of Social Security? At least for now, that seems to be the case.

As the Washington Post reported yesterday, a spokesman for the RNC “would not say whether the RNC disagrees with any of the 10 agenda items.”

And despite contacting the offices of multiple Republican leaders in Congress including Congressman Mike Pence, Congressman Eric Cantor, and Congressman Kevin McCarthy, CNN’s Political Ticker couldn’t find any Republicans who would disagree either.

In a statement to the Political Ticker, a spokesman for the National Republican Campaign Committee, who also refused to disavow any of the extreme conservative policies highlighted in the Contract, said:

"Not only has this tired line of attack already been proven to be ineffective, it is offensive to voters.”

If the NRCC considers it an ‘attack’ simply to highlight some of their candidates’ most closely held positions, perhaps they should rethink the Republican Party’s support for unpopular policies like enabling insurance companies to once again raise rates unfairly and rescind Americans’ coverage when they get sick or empowering big Wall Street banks to once again gamble taxpayers’ money away.

In the meantime, voters are more likely to be offended by Republicans’ continued allegiance with big banks, big insurance, big oil and other special interests – to the detriment of the American Middle Class – than by those who are simply willing to point out those ongoing relationships.

DNC Chairman Tim Kaine and Democratic members of Congress held a press conference today to highlight the real Republican agenda for America, unveiling "The Republican Tea Party Contract On America." For the better part of the past year, Republicans have tried to come up with a new agenda for the American people with mixed results. However, with the Tea Party now the most potent force in Republican politics, the Republican agenda has become clear.

Chairman Kaine summed up the Republican Tea Party Contract on America:

“We’re here to offer a helpful suggestion. Republicans and their Tea Party supporters can take a break from the town halls and relax because we have distilled their agenda for the American people into a handy ten point blue print for how they would govern that we are calling the ‘Republican Tea Party Contract on America.’ This wasn’t hard to come up with so were a little bit at a loss as to why this has been difficult for Republican leaders. We literally have just listened to what their leaders and candidates have been saying – people who have been increasingly influenced by the Tea Party.”

The Republican Tea Party Contract on America is a compilation of GOP leaders’ top priorities, providing Americans with a clear outline of just what the Republican Party will have to offer this fall. Republican leaders and Tea Party-supported Republican candidates from Nevada to Utah and Kentucky to Florida can now rally around the Republican Tea Party Contract on America.

As Rep. Charlie Gonzalez said at the press conference to launch the initiative, "The Republican Party is actually saying, put us back in the driver’s seat. The first thing that they will do is place that economic vehicle in reverse – that’s the only gear they know, because they’re guided by that view in the rearview mirror.”

Listen to the full audio of the press conference with Chairman Kaine, DNC Vice Chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz, DNC Vice Chair Mike Honda, Congressman Elijah E. Cummings, Congressman Charlie Gonzalez, Congressman Keith Ellison and Congressman Frank Pallone.

To coincide with the launch, the DNC released a new web ad on the Republican Tea Party Contract on America, One and the Same:

Every year, our family tries to come up with a fun way to wish Barack a happy birthday.

And this August 4th, when he turns 49, I have something new in mind.

This has been a big -- and hectic -- year for him. After signing the Affordable Care Act and Wall Street reform into law -- and completing his first year as president -- I think it's safe to say we will remember it for a long time.

And I know full well how much he credits this movement, and the work of supporters like you, for the change that we've accomplished.

So I'm putting together a birthday card that I would like you to sign. Together with other Organizing for America supporters -- and me, Malia, Sasha, and Bo -- we'll wish him a happy birthday and let him know that we're ready to take on the year ahead alongside him.

Will you wish Barack a happy birthday with me?

This year also brought a lot of surprises -- some good and some bad.

Supporters like you have helped him make the best of it -- by contacting Congress to help push stalled legislation forward, by re-engaging supporters in the political process, by giving back with service projects across the country, and so much more.

And while we can't know what the coming year will bring, all of us, working together, will continue pushing forward for change.

Will you help make this a memorable birthday for Barack and wish him a happy 49th?

http://my.democrats.org/birthday

Thanks so much,

Michelle Obama

As President Obama noted before the vote, Republicans had blocked unemployment benefits, small business tax credits—and now legislation to ensure regular people’s voices aren’t drowned out by special interests trying to influence elections. “On issue after issue, we are trying to move America forward,” the President said. “They keep on trying to take us back.”

The Boston Globe reported on yesterday’s Republican obstruction on one of the President’s top priorities:

Senate Republicans defeated legislation yesterday to require more disclosure in campaign spending, ending Democrats’ quest for stronger rules after a Supreme Court ruling this year allowed corporations and unions to spend unlimited sums to influence elections.

The bill had been a high priority for President Obama, who denounced the Supreme Court ruling during his State of the Union address in January, as justices sat silently in the House chamber.

On a party-line, 57-to-41 vote after a heated debate, an effort by Democrats to fight off a Republican filibuster fell short of the 60 votes required. All 40 Republicans in attendance, including Senator Scott Brown of Massachusetts, voted against it....

The legislation was the congressional response to a 5-to-4 Supreme Court ruling in January that struck down limits on corporate and union spending in elections. In the legal case — Citizens United v. the Federal Election Commission — the court ruled that corporations and unions must be treated the same as individuals in campaign spending, recognizing a right to bankroll election activities as an exercise of the First Amendment.

The Supreme Court simultaneously upheld spending disclosure requirements, which Democrats tried to expand with the legislation. The House of Representatives passed a version of the bill last month.

The law would have required corporations and unions to reveal how much they spent on broadcast advertising in federal elections. And corporate CEOs or union heads would have to appear in their ads to take responsibility for the message.

“This study demonstrates quantitatively something we have known intuitively for months – that the bold actions taken by President Obama and Democrats in Congress to pull America back from the brink of a second Great Depression, to stabilize the financial system, to boost economic recovery, to create jobs, and to support American families through this difficult time worked exactly as intended. Without those measures, the United States would still be in the throes of recession, millions more Americans would be out of work, and there would be no light at the end of the tunnel. Instead, the United States has now experienced three straight quarters of economic growth and six consecutive months of private sector job growth.

“It would be simply impossible to measure the amount of human suffering that would have resulted from government inaction in the aftermath of the economic crisis, but that didn’t stop Republicans in Congress from almost uniformly opposing the President’s economic recovery efforts. With these numbers offering clear evidence of their effectiveness, it’s time Republicans admitted the error of their ways and joined with the President and Democratic leaders to pass additional critical recovery legislation – such as legislation intended to support small business growth – and help to keep America moving forward.”

“Today, Republicans in the Senate once again acted to protect their special interest allies by blocking a fair up-or-down vote on the DISCLOSE Act, which tackles the lack of transparency and influx of influence and spending by special interests in the wake of the Supreme Court’s Citizens United ruling and addresses the enormous new-found political power of big corporations and their lobbyists to freely and anonymously influence elections. The DISCLOSE Act is critical legislation that should be passed before monied special interests can influence the outcome of even one election. It is simply unacceptable that foreign entities could be allowed to influence American elections, that corporations and lobbyists be permitted to finance electoral smear campaigns, and that the American voters might never know which organizations are behind such dirty politicking. The DISCLOSE Act addresses every single one of those problems and ensures that the voices of the American people – not just big businesses and big spenders – are heard in the political process.

“After a year of defending big banks, big insurance, big oil, and other special interests, Republicans might want to drown out the voices of Americans who don’t have the financial resources of big corporations but want to have their say in this year’s elections. But this bill isn’t just about any one election. A free and fair electoral process is the foundation of our democracy, and we must do everything possible to preserve the integrity of that process. I urge Republicans to abandon their obstruction of this critical bill and to stand behind fair elections rather than standing with the corporate interests and their lobbyists.”

With an important vote expected today on the DISCLOSE Act, President Obama urged the Senate to pass the bill that would require corporate political advertisers to reveal who’s funding their election-related activities.

The DISCLOSE Act undoes some of the damage from the Citizens United Supreme Court case, which ruled that big corporations can spend unlimited amounts of money influencing our elections, without having to reveal that they’re doing so.

Unfortunately, as they have done on unemployment benefits and tax credits, Republicans in the Senate are doing everything they can to block this bill from moving forward.

President Obama:

Now, you’d think that making these reforms would be a matter of common sense, particularly since they primarily involve just making sure that folks who are financing these ads are disclosed so that the American people can make up their own minds.  Nobody is saying you can’t run the ads -- just make sure that people know who in fact is behind financing these ads.  And you’d think that reducing corporate and even foreign influence over our elections would not be a partisan issue.  But of course, this is Washington in 2010.  And the Republican leadership in the Senate is once again using every tactic and every maneuver they can to prevent the DISCLOSE Act from even coming up for an up or down vote.  Just like they did with unemployment insurance for Americans who’d lost their jobs in this recession.  Just like they’re doing by blocking tax credits and lending assistance for small business owners.  On issue after issue, we are trying to move America forward, and they keep on trying to take us back.

At a time of such challenge for America, we can’t afford these political games.  Millions of Americans are struggling to get by, and their voices shouldn’t be drowned out by millions of dollars in secret, special interest advertising.  The American people’s voices should be heard.

“The Americans with Disabilities Act was an important milestone not only for Americans with disabilities but for our country as a whole. With the ADA, America opened the door of opportunity for tens of millions who had for too long been prevented from fully participating in the opportunities and responsibilities presented by American society. As a result of this legislation, Americans with disabilities have been empowered to engage more fully -- and our country is stronger for it.

“I would like to join with President Obama and Americans across the country not only in recognizing the anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act, but also the incredible contributions Americans with disabilities make to this country on a daily basis. Americans with disabilities are loving parents, diligent workers and entrepreneurs, and active members of their communities. It is critical that we not only celebrate the past progress made by and for those individuals, but that we also continue to work to include all Americans in the possibilities our country has to offer.”

Last week the Republican leader in the House offered his own jobs plan—a plan Talking Points Memo described as "Do Nothing":

House Minority Leader John Boehner outlined the top three measures he'd pursue if he becomes Speaker of the House next Congress to create new jobs. But, those who thought he'd outline specific programs and how they would create jobs were disappointed with a familiar litany of wish-list items: repeal health care reform, eschew climate legislation, and renew the Bush tax cuts.

In other words, repeal a program that largely hasn't yet taken effect; prevent new legislation that is also not in effect; and keep a current tax structure in place.

In this week's address, President Obama challenged Republicans to embrace new ideas to create jobs instead of bringing back the failed policies of the past:

“These are not new ideas.  They are the same policies that led us into this recession.  They will not create jobs, they will kill them.  They will not reduce our deficit, they will add $1 trillion to our deficit.  They will take us backward at a time when we need to keep America moving forward.

“I know times are tough.  I know that the progress we’ve made isn’t good enough for the millions of Americans who are still out of work or struggling to pay the bills.  But I also know the character of this nation.  I know that in times of great challenge and difficulty, we don’t fear the future – we shape the future.  We harness the skills and ingenuity of the most dynamic country on Earth to reach a better day.  We do it with optimism, and we do it with confidence.  That’s the spirit we need right now, and that’s the future I know we can build together.”