Archive for September, 2010:
Women Coming Together to Keep Illinois Blue
This past Monday, and every Monday from now until the November elections, Democratic women will continue joining together across Illinois to contact voters about candidates who will support women in both Springfield and Washington.
In just 20 months, this movement has won many important victories, such as the Lilly Ledbetter Act that ensures equal pay for equal work—but there's still significant progress to be made on fair pay, family leave, Order Generic Cialis Online without Prescription and other issues that matter for women across the country. That's why we're reaching out to female voters across the state and asking them to commit to vote this November.
At 32 different events this Monday, women all across the state were treated to a surprise call from Attorney General Lisa Madigan who spoke about her achievements as Attorney General and why the November elections are so important.
Here is what some of the energetic volunteers said when asked why they were getting involved in the 2010 elections:
Linda E. (Chicago Heights)
I believe it is important that we get out the vote on November 2nd. We need to send a clear message that the Democratic Party is alive and well in Illinois and we believe in the President's agenda.
Pat F. (Matteson)
I think that it is important that we reach everyone possible to make positive change in Illinois. In order for this to occur it will take hard work. So, it's my duty to get the word out about the Democratic Party.
Lynne R. (Flossmoor)
If I don't make these calls, who will? After all, if we just wait for someone else to do the legwork no one will be doing it. It is my pleasure to make calls today.
Victoria S. (Homewood)
I came out to volunteer to help make a difference. Change can only be effective if all of us attempt to make a difference. Reaching out to voters is important. We all can make calls or knock on doors. If you make a change in yourself, maybe change can happen for all of us. Get involved-make the difference.
When asked about why they are so determined in their push for Democratic candidates this year, many women said that they simply cannot imagine having Republican Bill Brady as their governor.
Whether it's opposing choice and equal pay or voting against insurance coverage of mammograms and strengthening our domestic violence laws, Bill Brady's ideas about women couldn't be more wrong.
Often cited examples are the fact Brady opposed requiring insurance companies to cover birth control options for women, and voted against a woman's right to choose even in cases of rape or incest, or if a woman's health is at risk. Brady voted against a measure to increase penalties for repeat domestic batterers, and is against ensuring women receive equal pay for equal work, referring to it as "an unnecessary government intrusion."
Republican Mark Kirk, who is attempting to take over President Obama's former Senate, seat isn't much better in regards to his positions on issues important to women.
Kirk voted against equal pay for equal work, deciding instead to support wage discrimination and caps on compensatory and punitive damages for successful wage discrimination suits. Congressman Kirk also voted to remove a provision ensuring that minorities who are victims of domestic violence or sexual assault receive adequate services.
All this is simply to much for the women of Illinois who have pledged to work tirelessly to make sure Democrats are successful this November. If you would like to join a fast-growing movement of women here in Illinois, please CLICK HERE and sign up for an event in your area.
- Join Organizing for America Illinois: CLICK HERE
- Find an OFA Illinois Event Near You: CLICK HERE
Russ Feingold: ‘The Conscience of the Senate and Wisconsin’s Strongest Advocate’
Senator Russ Feingold is known as one of the most effective and independent members of the Senate, and a tireless advocate for the people of Wisconsin. His name is virtually synonymous with government reform and key victories on getting rid of corporate influence in politics.
As the President said on Tuesday, Feingold is “one of the consciences of the Senate who’s always independent, doesn’t always agree with me but always agrees with the people of his state and is looking out for them.”
Feingold is facing a tough re-election fight this year. Polls show him in a close race with Ron Johnson, a self-financed Republican candidate who has pledged to spend upwards of $15 million of his own money on his campaign.
Feingold spoke in Madison about the stark contrast between him and his opponent at Tuesday’s Moving America Forward rally with the President:
“This race that I'm in is close, we have to fight, but the choice is clear. I have the record of taking on the D.C. lobbyists and the corporate interests who have too much influence in Washington. Just recently a survey was done where they asked ‘Who is the number one enemy of Buy Accutane the Washington lobbyists?’ Not number two, not number three, number one was your senator Russ Feingold.
“We will be outspent—but we will never be out-organized. This Senate seat cannot be bought—it has to be earned. Together on Nov 2nd we’ll prove that the working men and women of Wisconsin won't ever let corporate special interests silence their voice in Washington.”
Feingold has always defined himself and his role in the Senate by his constituents and Wisconsin roots. When he first ran for Senate, Feingold wrote a ‘contract between Russ Feingold and the People of Wisconsin’ on his garage door—promising to spend most of his time in Wisconsin and rely on Wisconsinites for the majority of his campaign contributions—a promise he has never forgotten. In fact, Feingold holds listening sessions every year in each of Wisconsin’s 72 counties, totaling 1,200 town hall meetings during his time in office.
It’s going to be a close race—but that means that every phone call, every door knocked, and every vote could make the difference. Find out more about how you can get involved in this important race.
Be Among the First to Try Our New Calling Tool
A key part of our strategy to win this November is making phone calls to millions of voters who have the power to influence close races across the country.
To make the most of that push, we’ve just completely revamped our online calling tool to make it easier than ever for supporters to make calls from wherever they are.
We’re set to launch the new site soon to a wide audience of Organizing for America supporters across the country—but first we’re asking folks to test it out and let us know what they think.
Be one of the first to try the new calling tool here, and then let us know any feedback you have.
Here’s how it works: When you go to the site, it detects where you are, automatically brings up contacts in your area, and takes you straight to a calling script. You don’t have to create a new account – you can sign in using your Facebook profile or My.BarackObama.com account if you have one.
Check it out, make a few calls, and see Buy cheap online Provigil what you think. And then take a second to share your thoughts so we can make it even better.
With just 33 days until November 2nd, it’s important for us to be having as many one-on-one conversations with voters as possible. This new tool makes that easier than ever before.
“We don’t quit”
“Change is going to come. Change is going to come for this generation -- if we work for it, if we fight for it, if we believe in it. The biggest mistake we could make right now is to let disappointment or frustration Cheap Accutane lead to apathy and indifference. That is how the other side wins. And I want everybody to be clear, make no mistake: If the other side does win, they will spend the next two years fighting for the very same policies that led to this recession in the first place. The same policies that left the middle class behind for more than a decade. The same policies that we fought so hard for to change in 2008.”
OFA Wisconsin Supporters: “We’re ready to fight”
As crowds of supporters gathered outside Library Mall before yesterday’s rally in Wisconsin, we caught up with two Madison-area OFA supporters to talk about why they’re voting in the November elections—and what’s at stake for Wisconsin, and the country.
How are you involved in Organizing for America?
Joan, an OFA neighborhood team leader:
I got involved this past spring during the health reform debates. I went to a meeting, liked what I was hearing, and kept going back. I started a team on the west side of Madison. We meet weekly to Buy cheap Accutane Online go canvassing door-to-door and make sure that people are aware that there’s an election on November 2, that they know where to vote, and that they’re aware of the candidates. Community building has been great—and very empowering.
Darcy, an OFA community organizer:
In June, following the 2008 elections, I was asked to help figure out the next steps to keep the neighborhood teams from the campaign going. As a community organizer, I see my role as being a coach for these teams—once they are up and running, it’s my job to support them.
OFA is the most genuine, organic, grassroots organization there is. As we keep it going, team by team, neighborhood by neighborhood, it’s going to be the most effective organization out there. We are volunteers. We are grassroots people organizing ourselves.
Why do you feel it's important to vote in the November elections?
Joan:
It’s important to vote in the elections because so much is at stake—the very direction we want to take our state and our country. We need to solidify the gains we’ve made and push forward on our agenda for change. That’s what we voted for in 2008.
Darcy:
There is so much as stake. We have made wonderful progress, but if we can’t elect a congress that President Obama can work with, we can’t continue to make that progress.
What’s does it mean to you to have President Obama in Madison?
Joan:
To have the President of the United States in Wisconsin—it is an honor for all of us that he’s taking the time out of his schedule to do this and to support Democratic candidates in this election.
Darcy:
We’re honored to have the President here. He’s coming to tell supporters that he’s not taking us for granted in this election—and we’re telling him that we’re ready to fight with him and stand by his side.
Why are you voting in 2010?
Joan:
I am voting because I support health reform, and I don’t want to see that unravel. I want to see us make more progressive gains in this state and in this country, and the way to do that is to get out and vote.
Darcy:
I’ve never missed an election. This year I’m voting because I can’t imagine going back to the Bush days. I’m excited to see the progress we’ve made move forward. We’ve gotten so far in two years. I can only imagine what we can accomplish in two more years with the right congress in place.
“You got the job done”
OFA Director Mitch Stewart sent supporters a message upon breaking our goal of 3 million grassroots donations to our By the People Fund:
Hours ago, we shattered our By the People Fund goal. We've received more than 3 million grassroots donations to fund our work this fall.
We hit the mark a month early, and now have an incredible opportunity to expand the ambitious Vote 2010 plan we built together earlier this year.
But tomorrow, September 30th, marks a critical deadline. We'll close the books on the quarterly fundraising numbers we have to report to the FEC and the national media.
And Thursday, at midnight, we'll be finalizing much of our Vote 2010 budget. We'll have to make tough decisions about which races we'll be able to play a role in. What you do between now and tomorrow night will determine the impact we have on tight races across the country.
Buy cheap Cialis Online >Can you donate $25 today to help us go big?
Right now, supporters in your area and around the country are helping to change the story of the 2010 election: the millions of phone calls you make, the numbers of voters you're talking to, the more than 25,000 supporters who rallied last night with the President in Wisconsin -- larger than any rally in Wisconsin during the presidential campaign.
How we do in the final days of this quarter will determine if we can keep telling that story.
Chip in $25 before tomorrow's deadline -- and help show the momentum we're building:
https://donate.barackobama.com/Momentum2010
Thanks,
Mitch
Mitch Stewart
Director
Organizing for America
“Change is not a spectator sport”
Yesterday President Obama energized a huge crowd of supporters in Wisconsin, asking everyone to get off the sidelines and help continue bringing about the change we started fighting for in 2008.
"If you're willing to step up to the plate and realize that change is not a spectator sport, we will not just win this election—we are going to restore our economy, we are going to rebuild the middle class, we will reclaim the American dream for this generation."
Watch the President's full speech:
The President urged the crowd to get involved this year with the same passion, enthusiasm, and commitment as in 2008—and defy those who said we couldn’t do it in 2008 and think we can’t this year:
Two years ago, you defied the conventional wisdom in Washington. The message out there was, no, you can’t. No, you can’t overcome the cynicism of our politics. No, you can’t overcome the power of special interests in Washington. No, you can’t make real progress on the big challenges of our time. No, you can’t elect a skinny guy with a funny name, Barack Hussein Obama. They said, no, you can’t. But what did you say, Wisconsin?
Audience: Yes, we can!
President Obama: You proved that the power of everyday people going door to door, neighbor to neighbor, friend to friend, was stronger than the forces of the status quo. It made more difference than PAC money. It made more difference than all the TV advertising. You tapped into something that this country hadn’t seen in a very long time. You did that.
And every single one of you is a shareholder in that mission of rebuilding our country and reclaiming our future. And I’m back here today because on November 2nd, we face another test....
What they’re saying is -- and the basis of their prediction is that all of you who worked so hard in 2008 aren’t going to be as energized, aren’t going to be as engaged. They say there is an enthusiasm gap and that the same Republicans and the same policies that left our economy in a shambles and the middle class struggling might ride right back into power.
Audience: No!
The President: Now, that’s what they’re saying....
They’re saying that you’re apathetic, you’re disappointed, you’re “oh, well, we’re not sure that we’re going to turn out.”
Wisconsin, we can’t let that happen. We cannot sit this one out. We can’t let this country fall backwards because the rest of us didn’t care enough to fight. The stakes are too high for our country and for your future, and I am going to get out there and fight Cheap Cialis as hard as I can -- and I know you are, too -- to make sure we keep moving forward.
The President laid out exactly what’s at stake with this election—whether we continue moving out of the economic crisis that has gripped our country, whether we keep strong health reform that lets young people stay on their parents’ insurance until age 26. These and many more reasons are why it’s so important that the 15 million people who voted for the first time in 2008 return to cast their ballot this year:
If everybody who fought for change in 2008 shows up to vote in 2010, we will win. We will win. The polls say the same thing. We will win. So what the other side -- you know what the other side is counting on this time around? They’re counting on you staying home. They’re counting on your silence. They’re counting on amnesia. They’re betting on your apathy, especially because a lot of you are young folks.
You’ve got to prove them wrong. Let’s show Washington one more time, change doesn’t come from the top. It doesn’t come from millions of dollars of special interest-funded attack ads. Change happens from the bottom up. Change happens because of you.
The President closed by asking everyone—especially those who voted for the first time in 2008—to stay involved in this push for change that is larger than any one candidate:
That involvement can’t end with the vote that you cast in 2008. That election was not just about putting me in the White House. It was about building a movement for change that went beyond any one campaign or any one candidate. It was about remembering that in the United States of America, our destiny is not written for us –- it is written by us. That is the blessing of this country. The power to shape our future lies in our hands –- but only if we’re willing to keep working for it and fighting for it and keep believing that change is possible.
So that’s what’s being tested right now. That’s what’s being tested. We are being tested here. The question is, are we going to have the courage to keep moving forward even in the face of difficulty, even in the face of uncertainty? This election is not about what we’ve done; it’s about the work we have left to do. It’s what -- it’s about what you want this country to look like over the next two years. It’s about your future.
With 34 days until the elections, now is the moment to step up, get involved, and have a say about the direction of our country in November and beyond.
Watch Live Now: Rally in Wisconsin
UPDATE: The rally just finished, check back later for video of President Obama getting the crowd fired up.
Live right now—Ben Harper will soon begin playing for the crowd of thousands gathered to hear the President speak at Provigil online No prescription the University of Wisconsin today.
Photos: Madison Gets Ready for President Obama
It’s a beautiful fall day at the University of Wisconsin in Madison, where the campus is buzzing in advance of the President’s visit.
Check out some photos from earlier today:
President Obama: “You can’t sit it out”
At today’s rally at the University of Wisconsin, President Obama will be speaking directly to the college students and young voters who helped power his historic campaign in 2008.
The President talked with college and university journalists yesterday about how important it is for people to stay involved in the political process, and how important it is to vote this November:
“What I want to do is just to go speak to young people directly and remind them of what I said during the campaign, which was change is always hard in this country. It doesn’t happen overnight. You take two steps forward, you take one step back. This is a big, complicated democracy. It’s contentious. It’s not always fun and games. A lot of times, to bring about big changes like, for example, in our energy policy, you’re taking on a lot of special interests -- the oil companies and utilities. And some of them may not want to see the kinds of changes that would lead to a strong green economy.
“And the point is, though, you can’t sit it out. You can’t suddenly just check in once every 10 years Order Generic Accutane Online without Prescription or so, on an exciting presidential election, and then not pay attention.”
To hear the President, along with a performance by musical guest Ben Harper, join a watch party near you or tune in to our live stream starting at 6:30 p.m. Eastern Time.
And don’t forget to commit to vote this year.