Christopher –

Michelle and I were heartbroken to learn this morning of the death of our dear friend, Senator Ted Kennedy.

For nearly five decades, virtually every major piece of legislation to advance the civil rights, health and economic well-being of the American people bore his name and resulted from his efforts.

His ideas and ideals are stamped on scores of laws and reflected in millions of lives — in seniors who know new dignity; in families that know new opportunity; in children who know education’s promise; and in all who can pursue their dream in an America that is more equal and more just, including me.

In the United States Senate, I can think of no one who engendered greater respect or affection from members of both sides of the aisle. His seriousness of purpose was perpetually matched by humility, warmth and good cheer. He battled passionately on the Senate floor for the causes that he held dear, and yet still maintained warm friendships across party lines. And that’s one reason he became not only one of the greatest senators of our time, but one of the most accomplished Americans ever to serve our democracy.

I personally valued his wise counsel in the Senate, where, regardless of the swirl of events, he always had time for a new colleague. I cherished his confidence and momentous support in my race for the Presidency. And even as he waged a valiant struggle with a mortal illness, I’ve benefited as President from his encouragement and wisdom.

His fight gave us the opportunity we were denied when his brothers John and Robert were taken from us: the blessing of time to say thank you and goodbye. The outpouring of love, gratitude and fond memories to which we’ve all borne witness is a testament to the way this singular figure in American history touched so many lives.

For America, he was a defender of a dream. For his family, he was a guardian. Our hearts and prayers go out to them today — to his wonderful wife, Vicki, his children Ted Jr., Patrick and Kara, his grandchildren and his extended family.

Today, our country mourns. We say goodbye to a friend and a true leader who challenged us all to live out our noblest values. And we give thanks for his memory, which inspires us still.

Sincerely,

President Barack Obama

Christopher –

On Thursday, an astounding 280,000 Organizing for America supporters gathered online to huddle with the President at our National Health Care Forum. With Congress about to return to Washington to make historic decisions on health insurance reform, the President chose this critical moment to speak directly to the OFA community. He reminded us of how far we’ve come and what we can accomplish together:

“Remember one thing: Nothing is more powerful than millions of voices calling for change. That’s how we won this election. You know this, and that’s why since OFA launched its health reform campaign in June you’ve hosted 11,000 events in more than 2,500 towns in every single state and every single congressional district…I am absolutely confident that we can get this done, but I want everybody to remember, this has never been easy….We are not going to give up now. We are going to get this done.”

Now it’s up to us to take the next step. This week, we need to make sure every member of Congress heads back to Washington hearing overwhelming support for change. Lies and fear must not have the last word about the health reform America so desperately needs. So here’s what you can do — Sign up to run a Health Care Phone Booth in your area:

http://my.barackobama.com/booth

Hosting is easy — just pick a suitable high-traffic location, print out some fliers and signs, grab some friends and set up a booth where passers-by can get the facts and make a call to Congress to show their support. We’ll give you all the materials and step-by-step instructions you need, and invite other OFA supporters near you to come help out.

Thursday, the President made the stakes of reform crystal clear. He talked about how, with health care costs rising three times faster than wages, the cost of inaction is simply too high.

He explained how reform will guarantee competition and choice. He described the Insurance Guarantees that will protect every American from discrimination against pre-existing conditions, exorbitant charges, and arbitrary denials or reductions in coverage just when we need it most.

And he made plain his stance on the public option: “So let me just be clear: I continue to support a public option, I think it is important, and I think it will help drive down costs and give consumers choices.”

But even the best plan only matters if it passes, and that’s where we all have a critical role to play. As the President said:

“And that’s why what all of you do is so important, because people trust you — your neighbors, your friends, fellow community members — they trust you. They know you. And if you are presenting the facts clearly and fairly, I’m absolutely confident that we’re going to win this debate. But we’re going to have a lot of work to do and I’m grateful that you’re willing to do it. Let’s go get ‘em.”

Answer the President’s call — host a “Health Care Phone Booth:”

http://my.barackobama.com/booth

Let’s get it done,

Jeremy

P.S. — Couldn’t join us on Thursday? You can still see the President’s message to you. Click here to see highlights of the President’s remarks or the full video of the National Health Care Forum:

http://my.barackobama.com/booth

Please donate: https://donate.barackobama.com/event_give

]]> http://www.pottsroadtrip.com/2009/08/28/let%e2%80%99s-get-it-done-aug-21/feed/ 0 http://www.pottsroadtrip.com/2009/08/28/today-ofa-national-health-care-forum-with-the-president/ http://www.pottsroadtrip.com/2009/08/28/today-ofa-national-health-care-forum-with-the-president/#comments Fri, 28 Aug 2009 16:11:31 +0000 Daimyo http://www.pottsroadtrip.com/?p=1613

Christopher –

Reminder: The President is holding a National Health Care Forum TODAY for all Organizing for America supporters.

The forum begins at 2:30 p.m. ET/1:30 p.m. CT/12:30 p.m. MT/11:30 a.m. PT and should last approximately 90 minutes.

Sign up now to participate:

http://my.barackobama.com/forum

This is an incredible opportunity to huddle with the President, ask questions, and discuss how we’re going to pass real health insurance reform this year.

Talk to you very soon,

Mitch

Mitch Stewart
Director
Organizing for America

P.S. — At 2:30 p.m. Eastern Time, go here to watch the forum live:

http://my.barackobama.com/watch

Please donate: https://donate.barackobama.com/forum_give

Christopher –

It feels like a new lie about health insurance reform crops up each day. Government taking over all health care? Not true. Euthanasia for seniors? Couldn’t be more false. Rationing of care? Reform will stop rationing, not increase it.

These lies create fear and anger, and we’re seeing the results around the country. Frightened crowds have flooded town halls, and the office of a Georgia representative was defaced with a swastika.

It’s time to set the record straight — and, more importantly, expose the special interests and partisan attack organizations behind the lies and misinformation.

That’s why we created our new “Setting the Record Straight” site. Check out the site today and then spread the word to your friends:

http://my.barackobama.com/record

As the site makes clear, these lies are no accident. They’re part of a deliberate plot by the special interests who profit from the status quo to kill any reform at all. While Americans watch their paychecks dwindle, their coverage disappear, and their businesses struggle, special interests are trying to scare folks into opposing reform.

Our “Setting the Record Straight” site has all the info you need to fight back, as well as easy ways to get involved in the fight for health insurance reform. We’ll be updating it often with new information debunking health care lies, so stop by regularly.

As we learned during the campaign, lies like these can spread like wildfire through viral emails and from friend to friend. The best way to stop them is to arm yourself with the facts — and make sure your friends and family know the truth.

Check out the site, and share it with everyone you know:

http://my.barackobama.com/record

Thanks,

Mitch

Mitch Stewart
Director
Organizing for America

P.S. — Reminder: President Obama is holding a live strategy meeting on Thursday at 2:30 p.m. Eastern Time for all Organizing for America supporters. Click below to RSVP and submit a question for President Obama:

http://my.barackobama.com/forum

Please donate: https://donate.barackobama.com/hcdonate

President Obama is holding a live strategy meeting on Thursday at 2:30 p.m. Eastern Time for all Organizing for America supporters. I hope you can join us, online or by phone.

The President will update us on the fight to pass real health insurance reform — what’s happening in D.C. and what’s happening around the country. He’ll lay out our strategy and message going forward and answer questions from supporters like you. And we’ll unveil the next actions we’ll organize together.

This is a critical time in this President’s administration, and in the history of our country. I hope you can join us.

Here are the details:

What: Organizing for America National Health Care Forum

When: Thursday, August 20th, 2:30 p.m. Eastern Time

RSVP and submit a question for the President:

http://my.barackobama.com/forum

The President wrote to us a few weeks ago to ask us to go the extra mile this month in the fight for health insurance reform. And so far, you’ve stepped up in a big way: Last week, an astounding 60,000 Organizing for America volunteers stopped by representatives’ and senators’ local offices. You told your health care stories to staffers and members of Congress — of losing insurance after getting laid off, of being denied coverage upon finding out about a serious illness. And you thanked those supporting real health insurance reform for all the work they’ve done so far.

But these local office visits were only part of the story. The D.C. media has been trumpeting coverage of town halls disrupted by angry opposition to reform. But the reality on the ground is very different. Organizing for America supporters are showing up in huge numbers at these meetings all across the country — outnumbering opponents of reform, often by overwhelming margins.

You’ve organized 11,906 local events in all 50 states — from press conferences to community discussions — since we launched our big campaign for reform in June. And you’ve made hundreds of thousands of calls to Congress.

Your work so far has been incredible. But the special interests and partisan attack groups who oppose reform will not let up, and they will tell whatever lies they can to spread fear. There’s a lot more work for all of us to do. This Thursday’s meeting is our chance to huddle as a team, get the latest information and talk about how we’re going to achieve this victory. You don’t want to miss it.

Click here to RSVP and submit a question for President Obama:

http://my.barackobama.com/forum

Hope you can make it,

Christopher –

I wanted to send you an urgent invitation to an important town hall with Rep. Alan Grayson tonight, Monday, August 17th. He’ll be talking to constituents and gathering feedback — this is an ideal opportunity to make sure your support for health insurance reform is seen and heard at exactly the right time.

Our congressional representatives are back home this month, and they’re facing more and more pressure from special interests on health insurance reform. It’s critical that we get out there and show them where we stand.

I hope you can join us:

http://fl.barackobama.com/OrlandoTH

What: Town hall with
Rep. Alan Grayson

Where: IBEW Local 606 Union Hall
820 Virginia Drive
Orlando, FL 32803

When: Monday, August 17th
Arrival Time: 6:45 p.m.
Start Time: 7:45 p.m.

Our representatives are under attack by Washington insiders, insurance companies, and well-financed special interests who don’t go a day without spreading lies and stirring up fear. We need to show that we’re sick and tired of it, and that we’re ready for real change, this year.

Please come to the town hall, and make sure that the most powerful voices in this debate are those calling for real reform, not angrily clamoring for the status quo.

RSVP here:

http://fl.barackobama.com/OrlandoTH

Thanks,

Ashley

Ashley Walker
Florida State Director
Organizing for America

P.S. — Before the event, please print off a flyer to display and make sure that your support is visible:

http://fl.barackobama.com/ThankYouPlacard

I just talked with David Axelrod, former Obama for America strategist and current Senior Adviser to the President.

David knows that with the fight over health insurance reform at a fevered pitch, the organizing we’re doing is more important than ever. So he asked to be able to speak with a few of our most active supporters to update them on the state of the fight — what we’ll need to do to make sure real reform passes.

I’ve set up a conference call for Tuesday night, and I’d like to invite you to join us.

What: Health Care Conference Call with
David Axelrod

When: Tuesday, August 11th
8:00 p.m. Eastern Time

RSVP here:

http://my.barackobama.com/AxelrodCall

The call will be led by Jeremy Bird, OFA’s Deputy Director. David will give an overview of the debate in Washington, discuss the strategy for passing reform, and answer questions that you can submit when you sign up. It’s a great opportunity to hear from one of the smartest minds in politics at a critical time. I hope you can make it.

Talk to you soon,

Mitch

Mitch Stewart
Director
Organizing for America

P.S. — Please make sure to register by 3:00 p.m. Eastern Time tomorrow (the day of the call), so that we can make sure your information is entered in time and you’re able to join:

http://my.barackobama.com/AxelrodCall

Please donate: https://donate.barackobama.com/hcdonate

Members of Congress have been home for just a few days, and they’re already facing increased pressure from insurance companies, special interests, and partisan attack organizations that are spending millions to block health insurance reform.

These groups are using scare tactics and spreading smears about the President’s plan for reform, trying to incite constituents into lashing out at their representatives and disrupting their events.

The goal of these disruptions is for a few people to get a lot of media attention and hijack the entire public discourse. If they succeed, all Americans — Democrats, Republicans, and Independents — will continue to struggle under the broken status quo.

It’s up to us to show Congress that those loudly opposing reform are a tiny minority being stirred up by special interests, and that a huge majority strongly supports enacting real health insurance reform in 2009.

Your representative, Alan Grayson, has been fighting hard for real health insurance reform. Can you call the local office in Orlando? Let the person who answers know that you’re a constituent. Then tell them: “Thanks for working to enact real health insurance reform this year. Voters like me support your efforts.”

According to our records, you live in Florida’s 8th congressional district. Please call:

Rep. Alan Grayson at 407-841-1757.

Once you’ve made your call, click here to report it:

http://my.barackobama.com/districtcall1?district=FL8&postal_code=32801&source=20090806

(Not your representative? Click here to look yours up: http://my.barackobama.com/CallYourRep)

Calling should only take a few minutes, but it’s a huge help. These local offices serve as the main connection between a member of Congress and voters in the district. And with representatives home on recess, the staff there are in daily contact with your member, keeping them updated on how many calls they receive that are for or against reform.

Once you’ve called, please tell us. Knowing how many calls are coming in from all around the country will help us better plan our campaign — and help us show that the American people overwhelmingly want health insurance reform this year. Let us know you called:

http://my.barackobama.com/districtcall1?district=FL8&postal_code=32801&source=20090806

Thanks,

Mitch

Mitch Stewart
Director
Organizing for America

Please donate: https://donate.barackobama.com/repcalldonate

All throughout August, our members of Congress are back in town. Insurance companies and partisan attack groups are stirring up fear with false rumors about the President’s plan, and it’s extremely important that folks like you speak up now.

So we’ve cooked up an easy, powerful way for you to make a big impression: Office Visits for Health Reform.

All this week, OFA members like you will be stopping by local congressional offices to show our support for insurance reform. You can have a quick conversation with the local staff, tell your personal story, or even just drop off a customized flyer and say that reform matters to you.

We’ll provide everything you need: the address, phone number, and open hours for the office, information about how the health care crisis affects your state for you to drop off (with the option of adding your personal story), and a step-by-step guide for your visit.

According to our records, you live near Sen. Bill Nelson’s office in Orlando, FL.

Sign up now to visit Sen. Bill Nelson’s office in Orlando this week:

http://my.barackobama.com/page/content/officevisit?office=1913&source=20090809

(Not your representative, or think there might be another office that’s easier for you to get to? Click here to find a different office: http://my.barackobama.com/OfficeLookup )

As you’ve probably seen in the news, special interest attack groups are stirring up partisan mobs with lies about health reform, and it’s getting ugly. Across the country, members of Congress who support reform are being shouted down, physically assaulted, hung in effigy, and receiving death threats. We can’t let extremists hijack this debate, or confuse Congress about where the people stand.

Office Visits for Health Reform are our chance to show that the vast majority of American voters know that the cost of inaction is too high to bear, and strongly support passing health reform in 2009.

Don’t worry if you’ve never done anything like this before. The congressional staff is there to listen, and your opinion as a constituent matters a lot. And if you bring a friend, you’ll have more fun and make an even greater impact.

Click below to sign up for an Office Visit for Health Reform:

http://my.barackobama.com/page/content/officevisit?office=1913&source=20090809

Wherever you live, these visits matter: Many representatives are pushing hard toward reform, and they are taking a lot of heat from special interests.  They deserve our thanks  and need our support to continue the fight. But those who are still putting insurance companies and partisan point-scoring ahead of their constituents must know that voters are watching — and that we expect better.

Earlier this week, the President wrote that “this is the moment our movement was built for” and asked us all to commit to join at least one event this month. This is the way to answer that call, and rise to the challenge of this moment together.

Thank you for going the extra mile when it matters the most,

Mitch

Mitch Stewart
Director
Organizing for America

https://donate.barackobama.com/OfficeVisitDonate

This is the moment our movement was built for.

For one month, the fight for health insurance reform leaves the backrooms of Washington, D.C., and returns to communities across America. Throughout August, members of Congress are back home, where the hands they shake and the voices they hear will not belong to lobbyists, but to people like you.

Home is where we’re strongest. We didn’t win last year’s election together at a committee hearing in D.C. We won it on the doorsteps and the phone lines, at the softball games and the town meetings, and in every part of this great country where people gather to talk about what matters most. And if you’re willing to step up once again, that’s exactly where we’re going to win this historic campaign for the guaranteed, affordable health insurance that every American deserves.

There are those who profit from the status quo, or see this debate as a political game, and they will stop at nothing to block reform. They are filling the airwaves and the internet with outrageous falsehoods to scare people into opposing change. And some people, not surprisingly, are getting pretty nervous. So we’ve got to get out there, fight lies with truth, and set the record straight.

That’s why Organizing for America is putting together thousands of events this month where you can reach out to neighbors, show your support, and make certain your members of Congress know that you’re counting on them to act.

But these canvasses, town halls, and gatherings only make a difference if you turn up to knock on doors, share your views, and show your support. So here’s what I need from you:

Can you sign up to attend an event near you?

http://my.barackobama.com/AugustAttend?zip=32819

In politics, there’s a rule that says when you ask people to get involved, always tell them it’ll be easy. Well, let’s be honest here: Passing comprehensive health insurance reform will not be easy. Every President since Harry Truman has talked about it, and the most powerful and experienced lobbyists in Washington stand in the way.

But every day we don’t act, Americans watch their premiums rise three times faster than wages, small businesses and families are pushed towards bankruptcy, and 14,000 people lose their coverage entirely. The cost of inaction is simply too much for the people of this nation to bear.

So yes, fixing this crisis will not be easy. Our opponents will attack us every day for daring to try. It will require time, and hard work, and there will be days when we don’t know if we have anything more to give. But there comes a moment when we all have to choose between doing what’s easy, and doing what’s right.

This is one of those times. And moments like this are what this movement was built for. So, are you ready?

Please RSVP for an event in your community to build support for health insurance reform:

http://my.barackobama.com/AugustAttend?zip=32819

Let’s seize this moment and win this historic victory for our economy, our health and our families.

Thank you,

President Barack Obama

Please donate: https://donate.barackobama.com/AugustDonate