Archive for February, 2010:
Vice President Biden: Report on Recovery Act Progress
This morning, Vice President Biden, who has led the implementation of the Recovery Act, delivered a report on its progress to President Obama. The report shows how the Recovery Act has brought our economy back from the brink of recession, laid a strong foundation for economic growth, and Order Generic Cialis Online without Prescription slowed job losses -- and how it will continue creating jobs throughout 2010 and beyond.
Here are some key facts from the report, from an email the Vice President sent this morning:
* 2 Million Jobs: Public and private forecasters ranging from the Council of Economic Advisors to Moody’s Economy and IHS Global now say the Recovery Act is responsible for about 2 million jobs nationwide.
* Economic Growth: We recently learned that our economy grew 5.7 percent in the fourth quarter -- the biggest gain in six years that many economists say is largely due to the Recovery Act.
* Tax Relief: The Recovery Act provided over $100 billion in tax relief for American businesses and families.
* Aid to Small Businesses: This past year, the Recovery Act supplied over 42,000 small business loans that provided nearly $20 billion in much-needed capital.
* Building a New Foundation: The Recovery Act funded tens of thousands of projects nationwide this year that are not only creating jobs right now, but also laying a long-term foundation for economic growth, including investments in high-speed rail, health technology, broadband, a smarter electrical grid, clean cars and batteries, and renewable energy.
You can read the full report here.
One Year of Recovery: The Faces Behind the Numbers
One year later, the economy has started growing again: during the fourth quarter, GDP grew at a rate of 5.7 percent -- the largest gain in six years -- and job losses are a fraction of what they were before the Recovery Act took effect. According to the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office, the Recovery Act is already responsible for creating or saving as many as 2.4 million jobs through the end of 2009.
But beyond the numbers, the Recovery Act has funded projects in communities across the country that have led to real and tangible improvements in people's lives. Today, we'll be highlighting some of the stories that show how the stimulus package has helped everyday Americans struggling amidst a tough economy.
Here are two stories of these stories, from CNN's Stimulus Project:
Patricia Dunn, 43, nurse practitioner in Mount Kisco, NY
"I had wanted to work for this organization six months prior to being offered my current position. They had a part-time opening but I needed full-time. When the [stimulus] funding came through, they offered me a position. Without a doubt, the funding made it possible for me to have this job.
We've also, through stimulus, been able to hire more employees and that's great. The organization has hired several new physicians who started a few months ago.
If nothing else, I have job security and few people can say that. In this environment, where I have a lot of friends that are now unemployed, it's a very good feeling. I am very happy and very busy here. I handle everything from the cradle to the grave. I cannot imagine doing anything else."
Wellington Hall, 26, traffic engineer in Providence, RI
"I just got assigned as a project manager of a highway safety improvement project -- the goal is to identify intersections with high crash rates and work with consultants to mitigate accidents and make them safer. It feels good to know that these are some of the roads I drive on and that my coworkers and friends drive on. It feels good to know I'm making an impact.
Right now I'm working on other things too, like using renewable energy to save on electrical costs.There are always things to keep me busy.
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This job has definitely helped me. I bought a house in august with my fiancé, got engaged in November and graduated last week. None of this would be possible without the stimulus and I'm very grateful."
Morning News
Today marks the one-year anniversary of President Obama signing the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act into law:
From NECN/ABC:
On the one year anniversary of the nearly $ 800 billion stimulus package, the Obama administration says the economy is out of the ditch, but slow to start.
"It's working. The act has succeeded in helping pull us back from the brink," Vice President Joe Biden said.
In a report due out Wednesday morning, the White House credits stimulus funding for saving or creating about two million jobs in its first year, with one-and-a-half million jobs projected to be saved or created in 2010.
Included in that report is the claim that 57-percent of the recovery package, or $ 454 billion, has been re-injected into the economy.
From the Associated Press:
Vice President Joe Biden asserted in an interview Wednesday that taxpayers have "gotten their money's worth" out of the $787 billion stimulus program that Congress passed during the depths of the recession.
In an interview broadcast on CBS's "The Early Show," Biden defended the program against accusations by Republicans critics that it hasn't been the job-manufacturing machine the administration promised to the American people.
He argued that money invested in both private and public-sector initiatives has saved as many as 2 million jobs, and said, "I don't think they realize it." Biden said the program, now a year old, was designed to be implemented in two stages, saying "we've only been halfway through the act."
From the New York Times:
Imagine if, one year ago, Congress had passed a stimulus bill that really worked.
Let’s say this bill had started spending money within a matter of weeks and had rapidly helped the economy. Let’s Buy cheap online Provigil also imagine it was large enough to have had a huge impact on jobs — employing something like two million people who would otherwise be unemployed right now.
If that had happened, what would the economy look like today?
Well, it would look almost exactly as it does now. Because those nice descriptions of the stimulus that I just gave aren’t hypothetical. They are descriptions of the actual bill.
Just look at the outside evaluations of the stimulus. Perhaps the best-known economic research firms are IHS Global Insight, Macroeconomic Advisers and Moody’s Economy.com. They all estimate that the bill has added 1.6 million to 1.8 million jobs so far and that its ultimate impact will be roughly 2.5 million jobs. The Congressional Budget Office, an independent agency, considers these estimates to be conservative.
From Reuters:
President Barack Obama's $787 billion stimulus prevented another Great Depression while creating or preserving 2 million jobs, according to a White House report to be released on Wednesday.
The report, signed by Vice President Joe Biden who oversees how stimulus money is spent, stressed the depth of the crisis confronting Obama when he took office 13 months ago, as the President constantly reminds Americans in his speeches.
...The report said the package of stimulus spending and tax cuts "clearly halted an economic freefall." Obama will get the document at his economic intelligence briefing on Wednesday and he will speak about the economy to mark the anniversary of his signing of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act at 10.25 a.m.
“Have you seen this?”
From David Plouffe:
Wondering what the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act -- President Obama's stimulus bill -- has accomplished? Look at this:
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One year ago tomorrow, after tens of thousands of you shared stories and called your representatives, the President signed the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.
And while this anniversary isn't a cause for celebration, there is reason to be optimistic. This chart makes it clear: We're on the road to recovery.
Still, we know there is a long way to go. Many Americans are still struggling, and creating jobs remains President Obama's top priority.
Click here to learn more about the President's record on the economy, what we're doing to put more Americans back to work, and get easy-to-share information you can pass on to friends and family:
http://my.barackobama.com/Recovery
Thanks for making change happen,
David Plouffe
“You fight, we’ll fight” — More Than 6.8 Million Hours Pledged
Over the last few days, OFA supporters have stepped up and repeatedly smashed our goals for volunteer hours pledged in support of candidates and elected officials who fight for health reform. Supporters have now pledged more than 6.8 million hours to knock on doors, make calls, talk with neighbors, and spread the word.
President Obama sent an email this weekend, personally thanking those who've pledged so far. In it, he explained:
This strategy of proving that health reform is not just good policy, but also good politics, is crucial to enacting a strong reform bill. And you are making it possible.
It's been a long fight, but your efforts and those of the OFA community have helped us make historic Buy cheap Accutane Online progress. And with your help, we'll finish the job.
Click here to join in and pledge your hours now.
Presidents Day Open Thread
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Over 3 Million and Counting…
Just 24 hours Organizing for America announced the "You fight, we'll fight" campaign, OFA supporters have already committed more Provigil online No prescription than 3 million hours of their time to help candidates who fight for health reform -- and that number is continuing to grow. In fact, OFA supporters smashed through the initial goal of 1,000,000 hours pledged within hours of the announcement. Today those commitments are continuing to roll in.
This display of enthusiasm shows just how determined OFA supporters are about passing meaningful health insurance reform -- and that they're willing to fight for Congressional leaders and candidates who stand up for reform.
It's an amazing show of support, from some of the best and most valuable grassroots organizers in politics.
Click here to join in and pledge your hours now.
“You fight, we’ll fight” — Now Over 2 Million Hours Pledged
It’s a clear sign that OFA supporters understand just how crucial this fight is. And it sends a clear message -- volunteers across the country are ready to go to bat for candidates who fight for health reform.
Provigil pharmacy />Click here to join in and pledge your hours now.
More Than 1.5 Million Hours Pledged to Fight for Candidates Fighting for Health Reform
In an email sent earlier today, OFA Director Mitch Stewart laid out an ambitious goal: one million hours committed to OFA’s volunteer pledge bank to back up candidates and officials who fight hard for health reform.
In just a few hours, OFA supporters stepped up and smashed the goal of one million volunteer hours. That's more than one million hours committed by some of the best organizers in politics to knock on doors, talk to neighbors, and get the word out.
We know how important this fight is -- and it's clear that OFA supporters do too. So we're doubling Order Generic Accutane Online without Prescription our goal to 2,000,000 hours pledged to fight for candidates who fight for health reform.
Click here to join in and pledge your hours now.