Remarks by the President at Campaign Event -- Fort Collins, Colorado

 

Colorado State University

Fort Collins, Colorado

 

4:40 P.M. MDT

 

THE PRESIDENT: Hello, Colorado State! (Applause.) How’s it going, Rams? (Applause.) Ah, it is good to be back in Fort Collins. (Applause.) The last time I was here, back in 2008, it was a spectacular day. (Applause.) It was a little later; it was in the fall, and the leaves were turning, and had a little nip in the air -- and I wanted to stay. (Applause.) But, as usual, they had something else scheduled. (Laughter.) So it is wonderful to be here.

 

AUDIENCE MEMBER: I love you!

 

THE PRESIDENT: I love you back. I’m thrilled to be here. (Applause.) 

 

I’ve got a couple of people I want to acknowledge. First of all, give Haley a big round of applause for the great introduction. (Applause.) One of the finest Governors in the country -- John Hickenlooper. (Applause.) His outstanding Lieutenant Governor -- Joe Garcia. (Applause.) Congressman Jared Polis is here. (Applause.) And the outstanding Secretary of the Interior and your hometown guy, Ken Salazar, is in the house. (Applause.) 

 

So class is back in session. The Rocky Mountain Showdown is this Saturday. (Applause.) And like Haley said in her introduction, we are giving the Rams and the Buffs a second chance to go at it this fall. We’ve set up a Rocky Mountain rumble to see which school can register more voters. (Applause.) And you guys can get a head start by registering right here, right now. 

 

We’ve got volunteers all throughout the audience. Volunteers, raise your hands -- there. (Applause.) They’ve got their clipboards ready. They are ready to go. If you are not registered, get registered. If for some reason these outstanding volunteers miss you somehow, then you can also register online at GottaRegister.com. Now, I understand this -- excuse me, English professors, but this is “GottaRegister”; this is g-o-t-t-a-register. This is not “gottoregister” -- “GottaRegister”.

 

And we need you guys to get your friends and your classmates and your neighbors to do it as well because this is important. (Applause.)

 

Look, just over two months from now -- 70 days -- for the first time in many of your lives, you’ll get to pick a President. (Applause.) Now, the truth is you guys have more at stake in this election than anybody. When you step into that voting booth, the choice you make in that instant will shape this country, the world, your lives for decades to come. And I know that’s kind of a heavy idea to lay on you on a Tuesday afternoon. (Laughter.) But it’s true. The decisions that we make as a country on the economy, and jobs, and taxes, and education, and energy, and war, and climate change, and the Supreme Court -- these are all decisions that will affect you directly in very personal ways.

 

And I feel that same sense of urgency because the decisions I make are ones that are going to affect Malia and Sasha, my daughters, for generations to come. (Applause.) And this is the way it’s always been. One generation may make decisions, but they’re making them not just on behalf of that generation; they’re making them on behalf of future generations. And the thing is, Colorado State, your generation can choose the path we take this country on. Your vote will decide where we go from here. 

 

And so as you prepare for November, you’ve got to ask yourself some questions: Are we going to make sure that good jobs and opportunities take root not in China or India or Germany, but here in Colorado and all across America so you don’t have to leave home to find a good job? (Applause.) Will we reward an honest day’s work, so that people have a chance to buy a home of their own, and you’ll have health care that will be there for you when you get sick, and you’ll have the chance to put a little bit of money away for retirement and take a vacation once in a while, and most importantly, be able to give your children a life that’s even bigger and better than yours? (Applause.) 

 

Will this country make it easier for future generations to afford a degree, pay off student loans? (Applause.) Are we going to build more good schools and hire more good teachers, so that more kids are prepared to attend colleges like Colorado State? (Applause.) Will this country be one that keeps moving away from foreign oil and towards renewable sources like wind and solar and biofuels that make our economy and planet more secure? (Applause.) Are we going to be a country that leads not just with the strength of our military, but also the power of our diplomacy and the power of our example? (Applause.) 

 

Will this be an America where, no matter what you look like, no matter where you come from, no matter who you love, no matter what your last name is, you can pursue your own happiness; you can make it if you try? (Applause.) 

 

That’s what the last four years have been about, Fort Collins. That’s what this campaign is all about, and that’s why I’m running for a second term as President of the United States of America. (Applause.) 

 

I know that it’s sometimes easy to get a little cynical about politics. (Laughter.) Campaigns seem meaner and smaller, and Washington seems more gridlocked than ever. Every day there’s this steady stream of ads, and it’s a diet of cynicism -- telling you change is impossible; you can’t make a difference; you won’t be able to close the gap between life as it is and the life that we imagined for each other. 

 

And, frankly, some on the other side, they make this a political strategy. They tell you over and over again how bad things are and, of course, how it’s Obama’s fault. (Laughter.) And they tell you that if you believed in change four years ago, your faith was misplaced, you’re naive. Last week, my opponent’s campaign called you the “lost generation.” 

 

AUDIENCE: Booo --

 

THE PRESIDENT: And they hope that by telling you these things that you’ll get discouraged, and that you’ll stay home this time, because they know that young people came out in record numbers four years ago. (Applause.) 

 

Well, I’m here to tell you, don’t listen to the cynics. Don’t listen to the naysayers. Four years ago, we understood that solving our biggest challenges was going to take longer than one year or one term or even one President. But we went ahead and we got started anyway. And we may have a lot of work to do, but we know the path we’re traveling. We know where we need to get going, and we know we’re going to get there. (Applause.) 

 

We understand that this country is moving forward, and I’m confident we’re going to get there because I believe in you. I believe in the American people. (Applause.) I believe that as tough as times are, the American people are tougher. (Applause.) 

 

I believe this generation is full of passion and full of service. (Applause.) I’ve seen your generation eager to make a difference, whether it’s in a homeless shelter or working on an environmental project. And you’ve already proved that you can do it. You’ve proved it -- you proved it four years ago. 

 

Four years ago, you believed that we could put a college education within the reach of everybody who was willing to work for it. (Applause.) And because of that faith, we were able to create a college tax credit that’s saving families up to $10,000 for college tuition over the course of four years. (Applause.) We fixed the student loan system that was giving billions of dollars of taxpayer money to banks. We said let's give it directly to students. And we were able to double grant aid for millions of students. (Applause.) 

 

When some on Capitol Hill were ready to let federal student loan rates double for 7 million students, we said no. And you helped us, and we beat that back. (Applause.) That would not have happened in Washington without you. That's what your vote accomplished. You helped millions of young people, maybe including yourself, earn a college education. You made that happen. (Applause.)

 

You believed we could use less foreign oil and reduce the carbon pollution that threatens our planet. And in just four years, we have doubled the generation of clean, renewable energy like wind and solar. We developed new fuel standards for our cars so that cars are going to get 55 miles a gallon next decade. (Applause.) That will save you money at the pump. It will reduce greenhouse gas emissions by a level roughly equivalent to a year’s worth of carbon emissions from all the cars in the world put together. (Applause.) 

 

Today, America is less dependent on foreign oil than any time in the last 20 years. (Applause.) We're on track to emit fewer greenhouse gases this year than we have in nearly 20 years. You can keep those trends going. That all happened because of you. 

 

You believed that in America, nobody should go broke just because they get sick. (Applause.) And today, because of Obamacare -- and, yes, I do care. (Applause.) That's why we passed the law. Nearly 7 million young people have health insurance because they're able to stay on their parent's plans. (Applause.) Your grandparents are saving money on their prescription drugs. Women have gained access to free preventive care like mammograms and contraception. (Applause.) Your vote made that happen. You made that change. (Applause.) 

 

It was young people like you who said we can end this war in Iraq. And today the war is over. (Applause.) More troops are at home with their families. They're earning their education through the Post-9/11 GI Bill. They're out there starting new businesses. And nobody will ever again have to hide who they love in order to serve the country that they love, because we ended "don't ask, don't tell" once and for all. (Applause.) You made that change. You made that happen. Your voice made a difference.

 

AUDIENCE MEMBER: You did!

 

AUDIENCE MEMBER: With your help!

 

THE PRESIDENT: I helped a little bit. (Applause.) But this change was because you put in the effort. You put in the time. You had confidence in America's future. 

 

So now we've got more work to do -- to grow this economy, to create more good jobs, to strengthen the middle class. And in November, your voice is going to matter more than ever before. Because this week in Tampa, my opponents will offer you their agenda.

 

AUDIENCE: Booo --

 

THE PRESIDENT: Don't boo; vote. (Applause.) That's the best response. Vote. And get some of your friends to vote. (Applause.) 

 

Now, look, the show in Tampa I'm sure will be very entertaining. And I’m sure they’ll have wonderful things to say about me. (Laughter.) It will be well-produced; they've hired all kinds of fancy TV producers. The only problem is it won't offer a path forward.

 

They’ve got an economic plan that says if you just give big tax cuts -- $5 trillion worth -- mostly to wealthy folks -- so that $3 million -- somebody who makes $3 million a year would get another $250,000 in additional tax cuts --

 

AUDIENCE: Booo --

 

THE PRESIDENT: -- that somehow prosperity will rain down on everybody else. And some of you are a little young to remember this, but we tried this for a decade; it didn’t work. It didn’t work then, it won't work now. (Applause.) I don’t want to pay for another millionaire’s tax cut by raising taxes on middle-class families, and I sure don't want to pay for a tax cut for folks like me who don't need it -- or folks like Governor Romney who needs it even less -- (laughter) -- by cutting financial aid for 10 million students. Our economic strength doesn’t come from the top down; it comes from students and workers. It comes from small business people and middle-class families who are out there striving and hustling. Because when they do well, everybody does well. When they've got money to spend, businesses have customers. And then they hire more workers. And then those workers have more money to spend. And everybody does well. 

 

That's how you grow an economy -- from the middle out, from the bottom up. That's what I'm fighting for. That's why I'm running for a second term for President. (Applause.)

 

AUDIENCE: Four more years! Four more years! Four more years! 

 

THE PRESIDENT: So in just two months, you're going to choose the path we take. And I want everybody -- when you're talking to friends and neighbors, just explain to them what's ast stake. Tell them you can choose whether we give massive new tax cuts to folks who've already made it, or do we keep taxes low for Americans who are still trying to make it. I've cut taxes for middle-class families, and for small businesses, and for students -- and I want to make sure that taxes are not raised a single dime on the first $250,000 a year income -- which, by the way, means 98 percent of families and 97 percent of small businesses would not see a tax increase. (Applause.) 

 

That's a choice in this election. Because we're going to have to close the deficit, and the question is are we going to do it Mr. Romney's way, or are we going to do it in a balanced way that says, yes, we cut spending we don't need, but we also ask everybody to do their fair share. (Applause.) 

 

We can choose whether we give up new jobs and new industries to other countries, or whether we fight for those jobs in states like Colorado and Iowa and Ohio -- by investing in the research of our scientists, investing in the skills of our workers and our students, in the innovation that harnesses new sources of energy, that brings about the next generation of manufacturing in places like Fort Collins. (Applause.) That's what's at stake. 

 

You can make a decision as to whether we're going to keep college affordable. You know, Governor Romney has a suggestion in terms of you affording college -- he says, borrow money from your parents. (Laughter.) Now, my suspicion is if your parents got it, they've already given it to you. (Laughter.)

 

But I don't think that's the path we should be taking. I think we've got to make sure that we help every single American earn the kind of education you're earning right here at Colorado State. Let’s help more Americans go to community colleges to get the skills and training that employers are looking for right now. (Applause.) 

 

 See, maybe my opponent doesn’t understand, but I do. Because Michelle and I, we just finished paying off our student loans about eight years ago. We know what it’s like. (Applause.) We shouldn’t be making it harder. We should be making it easier. We shouldn’t end the college tax credit that we created; we should be expanding it. In America, a higher education cannot be a luxury -- it’s an economic necessity that every family and every young person in America should be able to afford. That’s what’s at stake in this election. (Applause.)

 

If your friends or neighbors are concerned about energy, you tell them, do we want an energy plan written by and for big oil companies?

 

AUDIENCE: No!

 

THE PRESIDENT: Or do we want an all-of-the-above energy strategy for America -- (applause) -- renewable sources of energy. Governor Romney calls them “imaginary.” Congressman Ryan calls them a “fad.” I think they’re the future. I think they’re worth fighting for. (Applause.)

 

This university gets 10 percent of its power -- soon to be 30 percent -- from solar energy. (Applause.) About 10,000 good Colorado jobs depend on wind and solar industries. It is time to stop giving $4 billion a year in taxpayer corporate welfare to oil companies that are making money every time you fill up with a tank of gas. And let’s invest that money in homegrown energy that has never been more promising. That’s the future, and in America we seize the future. (Applause.) It’s good for jobs, it’s good for our economy, and it’s good for the planet, too. That’s what’s at stake in this election. (Applause.)

 

Ask your friends, ask your neighbors: Should we go back to a health insurance system that lets insurance companies decide who and when they want to cover?

 

AUDIENCE: No!

 

THE PRESIDENT: So if you’ve got a preexisting condition you’re out of luck. Or should we keep moving forward with the new health care law that’s already cutting costs and covering more people and saving lives? (Applause.) (Sneezes.)

 

AUDIENCE: Bless you!

 

THE PRESIDENT: Thank you. See, it gives me a cold just thinking about what they might do. (Laughter.) 

 

Governor Romney, he’s promised that somewhere in between his first day and, I don’t know, the next day, he’s going to sit down and grab a pen, and he’s going to eliminate Obamacare. 

 

AUDIENCE: Booo -- 

 

THE PRESIDENT: This is what’s called the “Romney Doesn’t Care” plan. (Laughter.) Kick 7 million young people off their parent’s plan. Raise prescription drug costs for seniors. Tell folks with prescription -- or with preexisting conditions, you’re out of luck again. I

 

AUDIENCE: No!

 

THE PRESIDENT: I do care. And I think that all of us care, because all of us at some point in our lives might need to get health care and we might not always be able to afford it, no matter how well we’ve planned, no matter how well we think we’ve insured ourselves. And when that happens, I want to make sure we live in a country where every single person knows that they can get the care they need and they’re not going to have to lose their home or lose their savings because of it.

 

We don’t need to refight the battles of the past. The Supreme Court has spoken. We’re moving forward. If somebody wants to help to improve our health care system I’ll work with them, but I’m not going to leave millions of Americans out in the cold. That’s what we’re fighting for. That’s what’s at stake in this election. (Applause.)

 

On issue after issue, these guys seem to just want to go backwards. Sometimes they want to go back 10 years, sometimes 20, sometimes 50, sometimes 100. This isn’t the time to refight battles that we’ve already settled. In November you can say that in this century, women should be trusted to make their own health care decisions. (Applause.)

 

At a time when one of the biggest assets we have is the diversity of our talent and our ingenuity, it doesn’t make sense for us to tell young people who have grown up in America, who have pledged allegiance to the flag, who have understood themselves to be Americans, who want to serve in our military or attend our universities, that somehow because their parents were undocumented, they should be sent back to countries they’ve never even heard of. That’s not who we are as a people. (Applause.)

 

We’re not going to go back and reinstate “don’t ask, don’t tell” like these other folks are talking about. (Applause.) We’re moving forward. We don’t need to rewrite our Constitution to somehow say that people who love each other and aren’t bothering anybody else, that somehow they cannot get married. (Applause.)

 

That’s not who we are. We go forward. We don’t go backwards. We don’t -- the history of this country has not been to see if we can exclude more people. The history of our country has been to gather everyone together. If you’re willing to work hard, if you’re willing to act responsibly, if you believe in that American creed, then you’re welcome. We’re part of a family. (Applause.) And we don’t believe in sending people to the sidelines. We believe that the strength of our country, the character of this nation comes from hearing every voice, from harnessing every talent, from realizing that in America we are greater together than we are on our own. And this November, you get to decide whether that remains true. 

 

And it’s not just about this country. When we think about internationally, America remains the one indispensible nation. Issues of war and peace are ones where we’ve always got to be at the forefront. And so you get to decide the future of the war in Afghanistan. Governor Romney says that me ending the war was “tragic.” 

 

AUDIENCE: Booo -- 

 

THE PRESIDENT: He’s criticized me for bring 33,000 troops home from Afghanistan next month. (Applause.) Now, look, I take a backseat to no one when it comes to our national security, but I believe in making sure that we act smartly in how we deal with our national security. I said we’d end the war in Iraq -- we did. (Applause.) I said we’d go after al Qaeda and bin Laden, and we did. (Applause.) 

 

By bringing our troops home from Iraq, by bringing our troops home from Afghanistan, we’re going to be able to start doing some nation-building here at home, and that's part of our national security. And by the way, as long as I’m Commander-in-Chief, those veterans who served us, we’re going to have to serve them just as well as they served us -- (applause) -- because nobody who fought for America should have to fight for a job or a roof over their heads when they come home. (Applause.) 

 

That's what we’re fighting for. That's the choice in this election.

 

I want to thank Colorado State for being so good to our troops, so good to our veterans, helping them earn the opportunity that they have helped defend.

 

And here’s the bottom line, Colorado, if the other side has its way, and they pass this $5 trillion tax cut that's targeted towards the wealthiest Americans, it won’t create jobs. It won’t cut the deficit. Ignoring inequality doesn't make it go away. Denying climate change doesn't make it stop. These things don't make our future brighter. They won’t make your future stronger. And so the ultimate question is, will you choose the path that actually leads to a better future? 

 

You have a chance to prove the cynics wrong one more time. And over the next two months, the other side is going to spend more money than we’ve ever seen before. They will throw everything they’ve got, and the kitchen sink. They’ll just make stuff up if they have to -- they're doing it already. (Laughter.) 

 

And they will send an avalanche of attack ads and insults. They will try to distract you, and sometimes -- how do I put this nicely -- they will just fib. (Laughter.) And it’s backed by $10 million checks. I mean, they’ve got wealthy donors who like things just the way they are. They're counting on young people to accept their version of the status quo, to accept their version of the way things ought to be, to leave the questions that affect your lives up to big oil and insurance companies, and a bunch of men in Congress. 

 

That's what they're counting on, and so -- so I just want all of you to understand your power. Don't give it away, not when you're young. If you're going to get cynical, wait till you get older. (Laughter.) Wait till you have a few bumps and bruises. But right now, America is counting on you. And I’m counting on you. 

 

Those who oppose change -- those who benefit from an unjust status quo, they’ve always bet on your cynicism and complacency. But throughout American history, they have lost that bet. They're going to lose that bet this time because of you. (Applause.) 

 

Because we’ve got a lot more work to do. You’re going to have to register to vote. You’re going to have to get your friends registered to vote. You’re going to have to drag your friends to the polls. You’re going to have to refuse to wait for the next person to do it, because somebody is waiting on you. They're waiting on you to bring about this change. They're waiting for you to lead. 

 

Sometimes your parents may be waiting you. Back in 2008, part of the way we ended up winning was because we had a whole bunch of young people telling their parents, you got to get on board. It’s time for change. (Applause.)

 

Yes, we can. Fired up. Ready to go. And I’m still fired up, and I’m still ready to go because we’ve got more work to do. We’ve got more jobs to create. We’ve got more schools to build. We’ve got more teachers to hire. We’ve got more young people to send to college. We’ve got more troops to bring home. We’ve got more renewable energy to generate. (Applause.) We’ve got more doors of opportunity to open to everybody who is willing to work hard and walk through them. (Applause.) 

 

That's what’s at stake in this election. And that's what’s at stake right here in Colorado because if we win Colorado, we will win this election. (Applause.) If we win Fort Collins, we will win this election. (Applause.) We win Fort Collins, and we’ll finish what we started, and we will remind the world just why it is that the United States of America is the greatest nation on Earth. 

 

God bless you and God bless the United States of America. (Applause.) 

 

END

5:12 P.M. MDT

recession Rick Santorum Chris Dodd Sharron Angle Pat Toomey

Press Gaggle by Press Secretary Jay Carney aboard Air Force One en route Charlottesville, VA

 

Aboard Air Force One

En Route Charlottesville, Virginia 

 

10:22 A.M. MDT

 

MR. CARNEY: I can tell you that this morning, prior to departing the hotel, President Obama received a briefing on impacts of Hurricane Isaac, which is currently affecting, as you know, Gulf states, including Alabama, Louisiana, and Mississippi. The briefing also gave him updates on the ongoing federal response to the hurricane.

 

Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano, FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate, National Hurricane Center Director Dr. Rick Knabb, and Homeland Security Advisor John Brennan provided the President an update on the extensive rainfall, storm surge, and wind damage to date in coastal areas, including in Louisiana and Mississippi, where there are extensive power outages and flooding in coastal areas, as well as ongoing efforts to support response activities and to meet the needs of impacted communities.

 

The President directed FEMA to continue its efforts to assist the states that are affected by this storm, and he will be regularly updated as the day progresses.

 

That’s all I have at the top. I think we’re just going to go straight to questions.

 

Q Jay, did they say anything about the storm damage? I mean, what has he been told? Apparently, there are parts southeast of New Orleans which are really severely flooded now.

 

MR. CARNEY: He has been made aware of and I’ve seen the reports about a levee that was overtopped, as I understand it -- not breached, but where water crested, and that there is severe flooding. And that was certainly part of his briefing. It’s my understanding that the levee in question is not an Army Corps levee. It was not one that was part of the reinforcement project that was embarked upon after Hurricane Katrina. 

 

I should note, of course, that today is the seventh anniversary of that devastating hurricane that had such terrible effects on New Orleans and other areas in the Gulf Coast. But my understanding is this levee in particular was overtopped, crested, rather than breached, but that there is flooding.

 

Q The G7 has now encouraged major oil producers to boost output. Is there any resistance from the President to maybe perhaps tap the SPR because it would encourage some Republican criticism ahead of the election?

 

MR. CARNEY: As I have said for some time now, all options are on the table with regard to this issue. And we monitor with our international partners -- the G7 that you mentioned, as well as, as you know, the G8 addressed this -- the effects of global oil prices on the global economy, and we continue to do that. But I have no announcement.

 

Q So is the President concerned about oil prices, and does he think that the oil market is adequately supplied?

 

MR. CARNEY: -- as our G7 partners and the finance ministers issued this statement, we are, of course, constantly monitoring global energy prices, global oil prices and their effect on the global economy. But I have no announcements for actions that he might take, except to say that that option remains on the table.

 

Q Has the President mentioned at all, as you just did, sort of the irony of this storm hitting New Orleans on the anniversary of Katrina? It is kind of eerie when you watch the maps to see the storm churning towards New Orleans at this point.

 

MR. CARNEY: Well, he’s certainly very well aware of the anniversary. And when I’ve been with him, both in the front of the plane and yesterday evening, he was watching the progress of the storm on the maps that you talk about. And it certainly -- he did not comment in this way to me, but it certainly is, for all of us I think, a reminder of that terrible storm seven years ago.

 

From January 2009, when he took office, this administration has provided $5 billion in funding to New Orleans and the surrounding areas in efforts to recover from that storm and prepare for other storms. But even though it’s only been seven years ago, I think for any of us who witnessed that the memory is still strong, and most of all, of course, for the people of New Orleans.

 

Q Did he watch any of the Republican National Convention last night? He got to the hotel in time to see it. Did he choose to watch any?

 

MR. CARNEY: He did not when I was with him. And afterwards, he was working on his briefing books and reading a lot of material, watching sports, but not watching the convention.

 

Q Why?

 

MR. CARNEY: He had other things to do.

 

Q He’s just not interested in hearing their message?

 

MR. CARNEY: As you know, Ann, and I’ve talked about a lot, he consumes most of his news -- and, of course, he has enormous regard and respect for broadcast reporters -- but most of his news he gets through reading. So he just doesn’t -- he tends to when he turns on the TV -- while we were monitoring the storm, especially on the plane yesterday -- mostly when the TV is on and the President is in the room, it’s usually ESPN.

 

Q What does the campaign think of the Republican choice last night of the, “we built” -- “you didn’t build that” comment? It seems like it was pretty prevalent in all of the speakers, including Ann Romney.

 

MS. PSAKI: Well, if you look at all of the speakers last night, there was a theme of -- the theme of what they were talking about was really built on a house of lies -- not only the “we didn’t build it” comment, but talking about Medicare, talking about welfare. We’ve seen this in their ads. We saw it in a number of the speeches last night in their remarks. 

 

We know we’re going to see Paul Ryan speak later this evening. And just a few weeks ago, when he was announced as the running mate, they made a big to-do about elevating the debate, making this a policy debate, a policy discussion back and forth, and telling the truth. to be doing a lot of truth-telling to the American people. So as we’re watching in the next couple of days, what’s interesting to us is whether they are willing to tell the truth about the impact voucherizing Medicare would have on seniors; whether they’re willing to tell the truth about the impact defunding Planned Parenthood would have on low-income women across the country; whether they’re willing to tell the truth about the impact extending tax cuts for millionaires and billionaires would have on the middle class. And that’s probably going to require some serious linguistic acrobatics to do. So we’ll be watching.

 

Q Jen, did you feel like Ann Romney was effective in sort of humanizing Mitt Romney and in appealing to women?

 

MS. PSAKI: Sure. She gave a speech about her relationship with her husband or the strength of her marriage, the love of her husband -- she has for her husband, and did a great job doing that and was very effective. And we’ll leave it to the voters and the viewers to decide what their thoughts are on the ticket. 

 

But we also know that there are a number of other speakers to come who are going to receive a great deal of attention. I mentioned Paul Ryan. Obviously, Mitt Ryan -- Mitt Ryan? It’s a verbal like -- Mitt Romney is speaking tomorrow night. These two, Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan, are the two most unpopular presidential nominee and vice presidential nominee in modern history. So they have two days to rebrand who they are, what they stand for, convince the American people that their plan to extend tax cuts for millionaires and billionaires is a winning plan for the middle class.

 

We know, we saw last week, I think -- this all runs together -- that they brought in some modern-day “Mad Men” to help them rebrand what they’re representing. I love that show, especially that Jon Hamm. (Laughter.) But you know, when they’re doing something like that you know there’s trouble. 

 

So we’ll look back and we’ll evaluate in a couple days. And next week we’ll have the opportunity to make the case for the President and his reelection.

 

Q What about Ann Romney’s whole “I love women” attitude that was on stage last night? Do you think that she’s going to galvanize these women voters that the President has tried to bring into his court in recent weeks on appealing to social issues? What’s your response there?

 

MS. PSAKI: Well, as I said, I think she gave a very powerful speech about her husband and their family, and the strength of that bond.

 

Q Specifically on women --

 

MS. PSAKI: I will say there’s nothing I heard or we heard from any of the speakers last night that changes the fact that they don’t support equal pay for women, that they want to drive us back to a 1950s approach to women having access to affordable health care and women being able to make choices about their own health care. 

 

So broadly, as a platform, surrounding yourself with a strong woman is a great thing, but it doesn’t change your positions. And women in this country are smart, and they’re paying attention to how things impact them. And I put the President’s record -- his commitment to standing up for women’s ability to have a choice about their health care, making sure -- fighting for equal pay for equal work -- up against the Republican Romney/Ryan record any day of the week. And that’s ultimately what people will be making their choice about.

 

Q Jay, I just wanted to clarify, on the President last night, were you saying that he didn’t watch any of it while you were with him, or you know for a fact he didn’t watch it?

 

MR. CARNEY: He didn’t watch -- right. I mean, again, as I was saying to Ann, it’s not generally how he consumes his news, and he had other things he was dealing with. But I’m sure he’s read about it this morning.

 

Q Can I ask about the voter ID laws that are being passed in other -- what some Democrats are calling voter suppression efforts? What is the campaign doing to overcome that in Ohio and Texas and Pennsylvania? Are you going to be spending more money on your ground game in these states?

 

MS. PSAKI: Well, as you mentioned, there are different cases in each of the states and kind of different circumstances. We have been running a very aggressive effort to educate voters on when they can vote -- whether it’s early vote, whether it’s vote by mail. One of the reasons we were in Colorado and will be back again next week is because 78 percent of voters in 2008 voted by mail or early-voted in Colorado. So it’s key -- even in states where there aren’t cases going on -- to educate people. So that’s a big part of our effort.

 

We’re also taking any legal step we can take to ensure that voters who are eligible have access to vote on Election Day -- early vote, if that’s part of the plan in those states. And we’ll continue to fight those battles until the end.

 

Q Is it forcing you to spend more money in those states?

 

MS. PSAKI: I’m not going to get into specifics about strategy on that level. But I will say that educating voters and making sure they know where to vote, when to vote, has always been a big part of our focus, especially at this stage. And because we bring so many new people, new registrations, new registrants, young people into the system, that’s always been part of what we knew we had to focus on. So it will continue to be as we expected.

 

Q Jay, on the foreign policy front -- Karzai today had another shake-up in this government; I think it’s the national intelligence chief that he dismissed. Is the U.S. supportive of these steps that he’s taken? I think this is like the third or fourth top official that he’s dismissed.

 

MR. CARNEY: I’ve seen those reports. I don’t have a specific response to that personnel move. I can tell you that our focus is on our relationship and partnership with President Karzai and the Afghan government and the Afghan security forces. And as we draw down forces from Afghanistan and continue with the President’s policy of transferring security lead to Afghan national security forces, we look to the policies that the government implements, policies that the military leadership carries out, and focus less on the individuals or personalities than on actions and policies.

 

Q Looking at it as a whole, do you view this as an attempt by Karzai to try to strengthen his government, or do you see it as a sign of weakness of the government?

 

MR. CARNEY: I just don’t have an assessment to make about that for you. We continue to work with the Afghan government, with the Afghan security forces as we draw down our forces, bring our troops home, and transition to Afghan security lead, which, as you know, as part of the NATO plan, will be complete in 2014.

 

Q Jay, going back to the hurricane, is there any update the President has gotten on how the weather might be impacting those states that have been suffering this summer due to the drought?

 

MR. CARNEY: I don’t know that he’s had a specific update on the rain and whether that’s had an impact on the drought. I don’t know. In many ways, that’s a question that might be best directed, in terms of the actual data and information, to the Department of Agriculture.

 

The drought obviously has been for some time now a significant concern to the President, to his team. We were in Iowa a few weeks ago, where he toured a farm that had visibly suffered from the impacts of the drought. And he’s directed his administration, Secretary Vilsack and others, to take steps to help alleviate the effects of the drought, as well as, as you know, the Defense Department and the significant purchases of pork and other meat products that will help ranchers. 

 

But I just don’t have -- I haven’t heard or seen, and don’t know whether he has, any of the correlation between the significant rainfall associated with this storm and the impacts on the drought.

 

Q Every President faces a conundrum: Do you go in to show the victims of damage that you care, or do you stay away while the first responders still have their hands full. You’ve announced officially now that the President is going to West Texas on Friday. Will that give you an opportunity to stop by the Gulf Coast?

 

MR. CARNEY: Well, we are going to El Paso on Friday to visit Fort Bliss two years after he was last there, as he ended the war in Iraq. I don’t have any other travel announcements to make. As of now, that’s where we’re headed on Friday.

 

Q Thanks, guys.

 

END

10:38 A.M. MDT

bill clinton Juan Williams racial controversy U.S. banks Charlie Rangel

The Best Ticket Dirty Money Can Buy

This morning, we awoke to news that Congressman Paul Ryan (R-WI) will be Mitt Romney?s running mate.�
I am sure the Koch brothers are smiling this morning because they have been cultivating Congressman Ryan since he set foot on Capitol Hill, giving him one of his first donations in 1999.
Koch Industries, owners of one of the largest petrochemical companies in the world, has been the 6th largest contributors to Cong. Ryan during his career, giving him $65,500.� In fact, the oil and gas industry has given him $244,250 since 1999.� Now sure, the Koch Brothers are behind Philip Morris, and the NRA, but they played the long game with this career-politician pick and Ryan as VP will solidify their support.
The fossil fuel industry was already sitting pretty even before the Ryan selection.� The Romney campaign has already benefited from the overwhelming spending of outside groups, like Restore our Future, a well known Koch-funded entity, that has already spent $14,011,137 �in a brazen effort to buy the White House.
What has this money bought for the polluters?
Romney went from standing in front of a coal plant talking about how they kill people in 2003 to standing with one of the most radical members of the Senate, James Inhofe (R-OK) to stop EPA?s efforts to reduce mercury from power plants.� As my colleague at NRDC, John Walke, says, ?It?s appalling that anyone would vote to expose our children to more mercury, a dangerous brain poison, and over 80�other toxic air pollutants that power plants in the U.S. spew every day.?� John goes onto note that these standard are projected to prevent 11,000 premature deaths; nearly 5,000 heart attacks, 130,000 asthma attacks, 5,700 hospital and emergency room visits; and 540,000 days when people miss work and school.�
For his part, Cong. Ryan, with his abysmal 16% League of Conservation Voters score, has voted to delay long-overdue air pollution control standards for industrial boilers and incinerators that also emit mercury.� He voted against efforts to protect communities from coal ash - the toxic byproduct of burning coal that contains arsenic, lead, and other heavy metals - metals that when some are ingested have devastating results like lower IQ.�
As someone who spent much of her youth in towns in Appalachia surrounding these coal facilities, I can tell you that the devastation is enormous and the fact that Ryan took the side of the polluters instead of children with learning disabilities caused in some part by that pollution is astonishing.� Add on top of all of this, the cuts that Ryan?s budget proposed - cuts that would?ve devastated community water systems and kept enforcement cops off the street who keep companies from breaking laws that protect our communities.� Heck, his budget would?ve even eliminated programs for sidewalks, not to mention public transportation infrastructure.�
Yes, Koch Industries is sitting pretty today.� Let?s hope that the voters see in November see that a Romney/Ryan ticket isn?t about protecting their families or helping us get on the right track - it is the best ticket dirty money can buy.� Look no further than the record to see for yourself.�
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Chelsa Clinton Michelle Obama Sean Hannity Glenn Beck Rush Limbaugh

Mitt Romney Convention Video: RNC Features Moving Biography Ahead Of Candidate's Speech

oil spill democrates republicans radical left wing

WEEKLY ADDRESS: Preserving and Strengthening Medicare

WASHINGTON, DC— In this week’s address, President Obama spoke to the American people about the critical need to strengthen and preserve Medicare for our seniors and future generations, because those who have worked hard throughout their lives should not lose their homes or life savings just because they get sick. Through the President’s Affordable Care Act, nearly 5.4 million seniors have already saved an average of more than $700 on prescription drugs, preventive care services like mammograms are free without co-pay, and the President’s plan extends the life of Medicare by almost a decade by cracking down on waste, fraud, and overpayments. Republicans in Congress have put forward a very different plan that turns Medicare into a voucher program—under one plan forcing seniors to pay an extra $6,400 out of their own pocket for care-and effectively ends Medicare as we know it. The President believes that our seniors deserve better and will work with anyone to keep improving the current system to give our seniors the security and peace of mind they have earned.

The audio of the address and video of the address will be available online at www.whitehouse.gov at 6:00 a.m. ET, Saturday, August 25, 2012.

Remarks of President Barack Obama
Weekly Address
The White House
August 25, 2012

Hi, everybody. Over the last few weeks, there’s been a lot of talk about Medicare, with a lot of accusations and misinformation flying around. So today I want to step back for a minute and share with you some actual facts and news about the program.

This week, we found out that, thanks to the health care law we passed, nearly 5.4 million seniors with Medicare have saved over $4.1 billion on prescription drugs. That’s an average of more than $700 per person. And this year alone, 18 million seniors with Medicare have taken advantage of preventive care benefits like mammograms or other cancer screenings that now come at no extra cost.

That’s progress. It means that seniors everywhere are getting the care they need for less. And if you have questions about what benefits you’re entitled to, you can go to www.medicare.gov to find out.

This news is also a reminder of what’s really at stake when we talk about the future of Medicare. It’s not about overheated rhetoric at election time. It’s about a promise this country made to our seniors that says if you put in a lifetime of hard work, you shouldn’t lose your home or your life savings just because you get sick.

Over the last 47 years, millions of Americans have worked for that promise. They’ve earned it. And for many seniors, the care they’ve gotten through Medicare has made all the difference in the world.

Growing up as the son of a single mother, I was raised with the help of my grandparents. I saw how important things like Medicare and Social Security were in their lives. And I saw the peace of mind it gave them.

That’s why, as President, my goal has been to strengthen these programs now, and preserve them for future generations. Because today’s seniors deserve that same peace of mind. And the millions of Americans who are working hard right now deserve to know that the care they need will be available when they need it.

That’s why, as part of the Affordable Care Act, we gave seniors deeper discounts on prescription drugs, and made sure preventive care like mammograms are free without a co-pay. We’ve extended the life of Medicare by almost a decade. And I’ve proposed reforms that will save Medicare money by getting rid of wasteful spending in the health care system and reining in insurance companies – reforms that won’t touch your guaranteed Medicare benefits. Not by a single dime.

Republicans in Congress have put forward a very different plan. They want to turn Medicare into a voucher program. That means that instead of being guaranteed Medicare, seniors would get a voucher to buy insurance, but it wouldn’t keep up with costs. As a result, one plan would force seniors to pay an extra $6,400 a year for the same benefits they get now. And it would effectively end Medicare as we know it.

I think our seniors deserve better. I’m willing to work with anyone to keep improving the current system, but I refuse to do anything that undermines the basic idea of Medicare as a guarantee for seniors who get sick.

Here in America, we believe in keeping our promises – especially to our seniors who have put in a lifetime of hard work and deserve to enjoy their golden years. That’s what Medicare is all about. That’s why we need to strengthen and preserve it for future generations. And as long as I have the honor of serving as your President, that’s exactly what I’ll do.

Thanks, and have a great weekend.

###

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Presidential Memorandum -- Delegation of Certain Functions and Authority under Section 5(a) of the Tom Lantos Block Burmese Junta's Anti-Democratic Efforts Act of 2008

 

MEMORANDUM FOR THE SECRETARY OF STATE

 

SUBJECT: Delegation of Certain Functions and Authority under Section 5(a) of the Tom Lantos Block Burmese Junta's Anti-Democratic Efforts Act of 2008

 

By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, I hereby delegate to you the functions and authority conferred upon the President by section 5(a)(2) of the Tom Lantos Block Burmese Junta's Anti Democratic Efforts Act of 2008 (Public Law 110-286) (the "Act"), to waive the visa ban under section 5(a)(1) of the Act, and to make the specified certification to the Congress.

 

You are authorized and directed to publish this memorandum in the Federal Register.

 

BARACK OBAMA

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President Obama Signs Executive Order Promoting Industrial Energy Efficiency

 

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, President Obama signed an Executive Order to facilitate investments in industrial energy efficiency that will strengthen American manufacturing and help create jobs.  These efforts to boost industrial energy efficiency, including combined heat and power systems, can save manufacturers as much as $100 billion in energy costs over the next decade, improving their bottom lines and strengthening U.S. manufacturing competitiveness.  These types of efficiency measures will reduce energy consumption and reduce harmful emissions.

 

“Today, we are taking another step to strengthen American manufacturing by boosting energy efficiency for businesses across the nation,” said President Obama. “This action will cut costs, increase efficiency, and help our businesses create strong, middle class jobs.  We’ll continue to do everything we can to put more people back to work and build an economy that lasts.”

 

While manufacturing facilities have become more energy efficient over time, there is an opportunity to accelerate and expand this trend with investments that reduce energy use through more efficient manufacturing technologies and processes, such as the expanded use of efficient, on-site heat and power generation, known as combined heat and power (CHP).  This Executive Order builds on important steps the Administration has taken to scale up private sector investments in energy efficiency in our homes, buildings, and factories with efforts like the Better Buildings Initiative and investments upgrading homes around the United States.

 

In addition, it directs the Departments of Energy, Commerce, and Agriculture, and the Environmental Protection Agency, to coordinate actions at the Federal level while providing policy and technical assistance to states to promote investments in industrial energy efficiency.  The Executive Order also directs agencies to foster a national dialogue through ongoing regional workshops to encourage the adoption of best practice policies and investment models that overcome barriers to investment, provide public information on the benefits of unlocking investment in industrial energy efficiency, and use existing Federal authorities that can support these investments.  

 

Today’s Order also establishes a new national goal of 40 gigawatts of new combined heat and power capacity by 2020, a 50% increase from today. Meeting this goal would save energy users $10 billion per year, result in $40 to $80 billion in new capital investment in manufacturing and other facilities that would create American jobs, and would reduce emissions equivalent to 25 million cars.

recession Rick Santorum Chris Dodd Sharron Angle Pat Toomey

Remarks by the President at Campaign Event -- Charlottesville, VA

 

University of Virginia

Charlottesville, Virginia

 

3:31 P.M. EDT

 

THE PRESIDENT:  Hello, Virginia!  (Applause.)  Go, Hoos!  (Applause.)  Wahoowah!  (Applause.)  I still don’t know what a Wahoo is.  (Laughter.)  But I know we’ve got some here today.  (Applause.)   

 

I want to thank Mathias for the great introduction.  Give him a big round of applause.  (Applause.)  I want to thank my great friends, Tom Perriello -- (applause) -- and your next United States senator, Tim Kaine.  (Applause.)  

 

It is good to be back in Charlottesville.

 

AUDIENCE MEMBER:  I love you, Obama!

 

THE PRESIDENT:  I love you back.  (Applause.)

 

Before I get started, let me just say that on the flight over here I was on the phone with our FEMA Director, Craig Fugate, and Janet Napolitano, who does our homeland security, as well as some of the governors and mayors who are now being affected and are having to deal with Hurricane Isaac.  And I think it's important for all of us -- because we know we've got some prayerful people here -- to just let people on the coast know our thoughts are with you, our prayers are with you. 

 

We are going to make sure that we are doing every single thing that we need to do to ensure that the folks down there are taken care of and have the support and the love of the rest of this country.  Because when things like this happen, there are no Democrats or Republicans.  (Applause.)  There are just Americans.  And we stand by Americans in their hour of need.  (Applause.) 

 

Now, I know for me, it's great to be back in Charlottesville.  And this is an exciting time of year.  Class is back in session.  Come on, we need a little more enthusiasm, students.  (Applause.)  The football team has got a home game on Saturday.  (Applause.)  And in just over two months -- just over two months from now, for the first time in many of your lives, you're going to get to pick the next President of the United States.  (Applause.)   

 

Now, I know that there's some young at heart here who are not so young, like me.  (Laughter.)  But let me just take a moment to speak to the young people here.  You guys have more at stake in this election than anybody.  When you step into that voting booth, the choice that you make in that one instant is going to shape your country, it's going to shape the world for decades to come.  

 

I know that’s a pretty heavy idea to lay on you on just the second day of class, but -- (laughter) -- but it’s true.  The decisions that we make as a country right now on everything from the economy and jobs and taxes, to education and energy, and war and climate change -– all these decisions -- (audience interruption) -- all these decisions are going to be affecting your lives in very personal way.

 

AUDIENCE:  Four more years!  Four more years!  Four more years!  Four more years!  (Applause.)   

 

THE PRESIDENT:  Thank you.  Listen, I couldn't really hear what those young people were saying, but that's good that they're getting involved.  (Applause.)  But what I'm trying to tell you here is, don't just chant.  You've got to vote.  (Applause.)  You’ve got to vote.     

 

The decisions we make -- war, peace, the economy, the environment -- all those things are going to be decided.  And they're not just going to affect you; they're going to affect Malia and Sasha, too, my daughters.  (Applause.)  

 

This is how our democracy works.  Your generation is going to have to push the generations in front of you to make sure that they're making the right decisions.  Your generation will choose not just between two candidates or two political parties, but will choose the path that we take as a country.  And it will affect your lives in very personal, profound ways.

 

So you think about the questions that are at stake here.  Are we going to make sure that good jobs and opportunities take root in China or Germany, or are we going to make sure they take root in Charlottesville and Richmond -- (applause) -- right here in Virginia, and all across America?  (Applause.) 

 

Are we going to make sure that an honest day’s work is rewarded, so that somebody who really works hard, they can afford to have their own home, and they'll have health care when they get sick -- (applause) -- and they'll be able to retire with dignity and respect.  And most of all, they'll be able to make sure their kids are doing better and dreaming bigger than they did.  (Applause.) 

 

Are we going to make sure that not just you but folks who follow you can afford to get a college degree and are able to pay off their student loan debt?  (Applause.)  Are we going to build more good schools and hire more good teachers, and make sure that our young people are prepared to attend colleges like UVA?  (Applause.) 

 

Will this be a country that keeps moving away from foreign oil and invests in renewable sources of energy like wind and solar and biofuels -- (applause) -- that help our economy and make our planet more secure?  (Applause.) 

 

Will this be a nation that leads not just with the strength of our military, but with the power of our example and fidelity to our values?  Is that the kind of country we will continue to be?  (Applause.) 

 

And most of all, will this continue to be an America where no matter who you are, no matter what you look like, no matter where you come from, no matter what your last name is, no matter who you love, you can pursue your own happiness and make it if you try?  (Applause.) 

 

That’s what my presidency has been about.  That's what this campaign is about.  And that’s why I’m running for a second term as President of the United States of America.  (Applause.) 

 

That's what Tim Kaine stands for.  That's what Tom Perriello stands for.  (Applause.) 

 

And I know that right around this time, before football season has started, there are some folks who get sick of politics.  I understand that.  Sometimes the campaigns seem meaner and smaller, and Washington seems more gridlocked all the time.  And you’ve got a steady stream of cynics who are telling you change isn’t possible; you can’t make a difference; you won’t be able to close that gap between how things are and how they should be; you were naïve last time when you had all the hope and change stuff.  (Laughter.) 

 

And frankly, the other side, they’ve made this a strategy.  They will tell you how bad things are over and over again, and they’ll helpfully add that it’s all Obama’s fault.  (Laughter.)  

And what they're hoping is that even if you don't vote for them because you know that what they're peddling doesn't work, what they do hope is, is that you get so discouraged that you just stay home.

 

AUDIENCE:  No!

 

THE PRESIDENT:  That's what they're banking on.  But I don't believe that.  I don't think you believe that.   We knew that solving our biggest challenges would take more than one year, or one term, or one President.  We know we’ve still got a lot of work to do, but we are determined to get it done.  We are determined to finish the job.  (Applause.)  We’re determined to finish the race, and that's why I’m running for a second term.  (Applause.) 

 

And you know what makes me -- what makes me confident is you.  (Applause.)  The American people have gone through some tough times, but the American people are always tougher.  And this generation of young Americans, I’ve seen your passion.  I have seen your service.  I’ve seen you eager to make a difference.  You’re already proved that you can make a difference.  

 

Think about it.  Some of you did vote four years ago, and some of you, even if you were too young to vote, worked on the campaign.  And you believed four years ago that we could put a college education within reach of everybody who is willing to work for it.  That's what you believed.  (Applause.) 

 

So we created a college tax credit that’s saving middle-class families up to $10,000 on college tuition.  We fixed the student loan system that was giving billions of dollars to banks as middlemen.  We said let’s use that money to double grant aid for millions of students.  (Applause.)  We won the fight to prevent student loan rates from doubling for more than 7 million students.  

 

None of this would have happened if it hadn’t been for you, if it hadn’t been for the work that you did, if it hadn’t been the faith that you had in your ability to make a difference.  You helped millions of young people, maybe including yourself, to earn a college education.  You made that happen.  And that makes me believe, that gives me confidence.  It gives me confidence about the future.  (Applause.) 

 

Four years ago, we talked about how we could use less foreign oil, reduce the carbon footprint that threatens our planet.  And in just four years, we have doubled the generation of clean, renewable energy like wind and solar.  (Applause.)  We’ve created thousands of good American jobs because of it.  Today, we’re less dependent on foreign oil than at any time in nearly 20 years.  We’re on track to emit fewer greenhouse gases this year than we have in nearly 20 years.  We can keep those trends going.  And that is all happening because of you.  (Applause.) 

 

Four years ago, you believed that nobody in America should go broke because they get sick.  Today, because of the new health care law, affectionately known as Obamacare -- (applause) -- because of that law, nearly 7 million young people are able to stay on their parent’s health insurance plans.  (Applause.)  Your grandparents are saving money on their prescription drugs.  Women have gained access to free preventive care like mammograms and contraception.  (Applause.)  Thirty million Americans will be able to finally have the security of health care coverage.  (Applause.)  You can't be barred because of a preexisting condition.  You made that happen.  That's because of you.  (Applause.) 

 

Four years ago, we said we’d end the war in Iraq -- we did.  (Applause.)  More troops are home with their families.  They're earning their education, in some cases, with the Post-9/11 GI Bill.  They're out there starting new businesses.  But that's not the only change we made -- because no one ever again will have to hide who they love in order to serve the country they love.  We ended "don't ask, don't tell."  You made that happen.  (Applause.)  

 

The point is, Virginia, your vote mattered.  Your voice made a difference.  Change was possible because you made it possible.  So you can't get tired now.  (Laughter.)  Because we’ve got more work to do.  (Applause.)  We’ve got more work to do to grow this economy.  We’ve got more work to do to create more good jobs and strengthen the middle class.  And in November, your voice will matter more than ever.  (Applause.) 

 

And listen, if you doubt that, then pay a little attention to what’s happening in Tampa this week.  

 

AUDIENCE:  Booo --

 

THE PRESIDENT:  Don't boo -- vote.  Vote.  (Applause.) 

 

I mean, my opponents are down there, they're offering their agenda.  And it’s a pretty entertaining show.  (Laughter.)  They’ve got wonderful things to say about me.  (Laughter.)    But you know what’s interesting is you can listen very carefully, very hard, and you won’t hear them offer a clear, serious path forward.  You won’t.  I mean, they’ve got an economic plan that can be summed up very simply.  They say that if we give a $5 trillion tax cut -- which includes giving an extra $250,000 tax cut to people making $3 million a year or more -- then somehow, prosperity is going to rain down on the rest of us.  (Laughter.) 

 

Now, many of you were too young to remember, but we tried this for about a decade before I came into office.  It didn't work then; it's not going to work now.  (Applause.) 

 

I don’t want to pay for another millionaire’s tax cut by raising taxes on the middle class.  I don’t want to pay for that by cutting financial aid for tens of millions of students.  Our economic strength does not come from the top down.  It comes from students and workers and small business owners and a growing, thriving middle class.  (Applause.)  

 

That's who we're fighting for.  (Applause.)  And in just over two months, you can make a decision about which path we take.  (Applause.)  You can decide whether we give a massive new tax cut to folks like me and Mr. Romney, who don't need it -- he doesn't even need -- he needs it even less than I do -- (laughter) -- or whether we work to keep taxes low for Americans who are still trying to make it.  

 

I've cut taxes for middle-class families.  And I want to make sure that taxes aren’t raised a dime on your income tax for families' first $250,000 worth of income.  That means, by the way, 98 percent of Americans would not see any increase in their income taxes.  (Applause.)  But that depends on how you vote in November.  

 

You can choose whether we cede new jobs and new industries to countries like China, or whether we fight for those jobs here in Virginia, here in the United States -- by investing in the research of our scientists, investing in the drive of our students, and investing in the innovation that harnesses new sources of energy and brings new generations of manufacturing to places like Charlottesville and Richmond.  (Applause.) 

 

AUDIENCE:  USA!  USA!

 

THE PRESIDENT:  USA!  That's what we need -- but, again, you can't just chant, you got to vote.  (Laughter.)  

 

You will decide whether we can keep making college more affordable, or whether we take my opponent's advice and just have your parents lend you money.  (Laughter.)  See, I think that we should help more Americans earn the kind of education you receive here at UVA.  We've also got to help more Americans go to community colleges to get the skills and the training that employers are looking for right now.  (Applause.) 

 

And I'll say this again, just so you know I mean it. Michelle and I, we've been there.  We know what it's like.  We just finished paying off our student loans eight years ago.  Think about that.  We shouldn’t be making it harder for young people.  We should be making it easier for young people.  (Applause.)  We shouldn’t end the college tax credit we created.  We should be expanding it.  Higher education isn't a luxury.  It is an economic necessity for every single American.  (Applause.) 

 

You can decide that an energy plan written by and for the big oil companies will be best for America -- that's an option.  But I think that the kind of all-of-the above strategy that we're talking about -- a strategy that includes more American oil and gas, but also more wind and solar, and sets new goals for efficiency and makes sure that we're getting energy and using energy in smarter ways -- that's the key to the future.  

 

One of the things that we’ve done is develop new fuel standards so that by the middle of the next decade, your cars will get nearly 55 miles per gallon.  (Applause.)  That’s double what they are now.  That means you’ve only got to dig into your pocket to fill up your tank half as often.  But not only does it save you money at the pump, it moves us closer to energy independence.  It reduces greenhouse gas emissions by as much as all the cars in the world emit each year combined.  This is a smart thing to do.  It’s the right thing to do.  (Applause.)

 

And by the way, my opponent is against that.  So you’re going to have to make a decision.  Just yesterday, my opponent called my position on fuel-efficiency standards "extreme."  (Laughter.)  I don’t know.  (Laughter.)  It doesn’t seem extreme to me to want to have more fuel-efficient cars.  Maybe the steam engine is more his speed.  (Laughter.)  But I think that we set goals and we meet them -- that’s what we do as Americans.  (Applause.)

 

Listen, what’s extreme about the idea that instead of giving $4 billion a year in tax subsidies to oil companies that are making a profit every time you pump gas -- it makes more sense to keep investing, using that money to invest in homegrown energy sources that have never been more promising.  That’s not extreme.  That’s good for jobs.  That’s good for our economy. It’s good for our planet.  It’s good for our future.  (Applause.)  

 

That’s what’s at stake.  That’s what you’ll decide.  That’s why I’m running for President.  (Applause.)

 

We could go back to a health care system that lets insurance companies decide who and when and what to cover.  But I think we’ve got to move forward with Obamacare.  (Applause.)  It’s already cutting costs.  It’s covering more people.  It’s saving lives.  

 

Governor Romney has promised that sometime on his first day, he is going to kill Obamacare.  He’s going to sit down, grab a pen -- now, this would mean that he -- by a stroke of a pen, apparently he thinks that he can kick 7 million young people off their parent’s plan.  He can make prescription drugs higher for seniors.

 

AUDIENCE:  No!

 

THE PRESIDENT:  Suddenly folks with preexisting conditions are out of luck.

 

AUDIENCE:  Booo -- 

 

THE PRESIDENT:  He calls my health care law Obamacare; I call his plan "Romney Doesn’t Care."  (Applause.)  He’s running on the "Romney Doesn’t Care" platform.  (Applause.)  

 

This law is here to stay.  The Supreme Court has spoken.  We’re not going to refight the battles of the last four years.  We’re moving forward.  That’s what’s at stake in this election.  (Applause.)

 

I’m telling you, on almost every issue he wants to go backwards, sometimes all the way to the last century.  (Laughter.)  In November, you can say that in this century, women should be trusted to make their own health care choices.  (Applause.)  You can say that in this century we don’t think young immigrants who were brought here when they were children and understand themselves as Americans and have pledged allegiance to the flag should suddenly be deported to countries where they’ve never been.  (Applause.) 

 

You can say we shouldn’t rewrite the Constitution to prevent gay Americans who love each other from being able to marry the people they love.  (Applause.)  

 

You can reaffirm the strength of the American character.  It doesn’t come from shoving anybody to the sidelines.  It doesn’t come from kicking folks to the curb.  It comes from hearing everybody’s voices, harnessing everybody’s talents, realizing that here in the United States of America we are greater together than we are on our own.  (Applause.)  That’s what I believe.  That’s what I believe.  That’s what you believe.  That’s what’s at stake in this election.  (Applause.)

 

This November, you get to decide about the future of the war in Afghanistan.  Governor Romney said that me ending the war in Iraq was "tragic."  He doesn’t have a plan to bring home the 33,000 troops who will be coming home from Afghanistan next month.  (Applause.)  He likes to talk tough, but he doesn’t have a lot of details when it comes to these critical issues.  

 

And so what I have said not just to you but, most importantly, to those young men and women in uniform who are serving us every single day is that -- (applause) -- you will know where I stand.  When I say I will end the war in Iraq, I will end it.  When I say that we will go after bin Laden, we’ll go after him.  (Applause.)  And when I said that as we bring our troops home, first from Iraq, now from Afghanistan, that as long as I am Commander-in-Chief, we will serve our veterans as well as they’ve served us -- I mean it.  (Applause.)  Because nobody should have to fight for a job or a roof over their heads when they come home after they’ve been fighting for our freedom.  (Applause.) 

 

So here’s the bottom line.  Passing a new $5 trillion tax cut targeted at wealthiest Americans, it won’t create jobs.  It sure won’t bring down the debt -- it will increase it.  Ignoring inequalities don’t make them go away.  Denying climate change doesn’t make it stop.  (Applause.)  Looking backwards doesn’t make our future brighter.  It doesn't make your future stronger.

 

In the next two months, you get to choose.  And we've got a plan that will actually lead to a better future.  And you can prove the cynics wrong one more time.  

 

But the other side will spend the next two months, spending more money than we have ever seen in our lives -- an avalanche of attack ads and insults and distractions and sometimes they just make things up.  But they've got a bunch of folks who can write $10 million checks, and they'll just keep on running them.  

 

I mean, somebody was challenging one of their ads -- they made it up -- about work and welfare.  And every outlet said, this is just not true.  And they were asked about it and they said -- one of their campaign people said, we won't have the fact-checkers dictate our campaign.  (Laughter.)  We will not let the truth get in the way.  (Laughter.)  

 

Think about that.  They're counting on young people to just accept their version of the way things ought to be.  They expect that you will not be paying attention enough, or you will be distracted enough, or you will be discouraged enough that you walk away, and that means big oil writes the energy bills, and the insurance companies write the health care bills, and politicians in Washington decide what a woman can or can't do when it comes to her own health.  

 

And you know what, I think they're wrong.  I am counting on you.  (Applause.)  I'm counting on you because those who oppose change have always bet on your cynicism; they've always bet on a lack of hope -- and throughout American history, they have lost that bet.  And they're going to lose that bet this time too, as long as you register to vote -- (applause) -- as long as you're going out there to vote, as long as you're getting your friends to go out there and vote.  (Applause.)   

 

I need you.  America needs you to close the gap between what is and what might be.  We've got more jobs to create and more good schools to build.  We’ve got more homegrown energy to generate.  We’ve got more troops to bring home.  We've got more young people to send to college.  We've got more doors of opportunity to open to everybody who is willing to work hard and walk through them.  And it all depends on you.  (Applause.) 

 

So don't worry about letting me down -- don't let America down.  Don't let yourselves down.  (Applause.)  Go out there.  Register.  Stand up.  And if you do, we will win Virginia.  (Applause.)  And if we win Virginia, we will win this election. And we will finish what we started.  (Applause.)  And you and I together, we'll remind the world just why it is the United States of America is the greatest nation on Earth.  (Applause.) 

 

God bless you.  And God bless the United States of America.  (Applause.) 

 

END

4:05 P.M. EDT

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President Obama Signs Mississippi Disaster Declaration

 

The President today declared a major disaster exists in the State of Mississippi and ordered Federal aid to supplement state and local recovery efforts in the area affected by Hurricane Isaac beginning on August 26, 2012, and continuing.

 

Federal funding is available to state and eligible local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations on a cost-sharing basis for emergency work in the counties of Amite, Attala, Carroll, Clarke, Copiah, Covington, Forrest, George, Greene, Grenada, Hancock, Harrison, Hinds, Holmes, Jackson, Jasper, Jefferson Davis, Jones, Lamar, Lauderdale, Lawrence, Lincoln, Madison, Marion, Montgomery, Pearl River, Perry, Pike, Rankin, Stone, Walthall, Wayne, Wilkinson, and Yazoo.

 

Federal funding is also available on a cost-sharing basis for hazard mitigation measures statewide.

 

W. Craig Fugate, Administrator, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Department of Homeland Security, named Terry L. Quarles as the Federal Coordinating Officer for federal recovery operations in the affected area. 

 

Additional counties and forms of assistance may be added after the Preliminary Damage Assessments are fully completed.

 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION MEDIA SHOULD CONTACT:  FEMA NEWS DESK AT (202) 646-3272 OR FEMA-NEWS-DESK@DHS.GOV 

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President Obama Signs Mississippi Emergency Declaration

 

The President today declared an emergency exists in the State of Mississippi and ordered federal aid to supplement state and local response efforts due to the emergency conditions resulting from Tropical Storm Isaac beginning on August 26, 2012, and continuing.

 

The President's action authorizes the Department of Homeland Security, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), to coordinate all disaster relief efforts which have the purpose of alleviating the hardship and suffering caused by the emergency on the local population, and to provide appropriate assistance for required emergency measures, authorized under Title V of the Stafford Act, to save lives and to protect property and public health and safety, and to lessen or avert the threat of a catastrophe in the counties of Amite, Clarke, Copiah, Covington, Forrest, George, Greene, Hancock, Harrison, Hinds, Jackson, Jasper, Jefferson Davis, Jones, Lamar, Lauderdale, Lawrence, Lincoln, Madison, Marion, Pearl River, Perry, Pike, Rankin, Stone, Walthall, Wayne, Wilkinson, and Yazoo.

 

Specifically, FEMA is authorized to identify, mobilize, and provide at its discretion, equipment and resources necessary to alleviate the impacts of the emergency.  Emergency protective measures, limited to direct federal assistance, will be provided at 75 percent federal funding.  

 

W. Craig Fugate, Administrator, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Department of Homeland Security, named Terry L. Quarles as the Federal Coordinating Officer for federal recovery operations in the affected area.  

 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION MEDIA SHOULD CONTACT:  FEMA NEWS DESK AT (202) 646-3272 OR FEMA-NEWS-DESK@DHS.GOV 

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Scott Walker Cries During Paul Ryan Republican National Convention Speech (VIDEO)

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Blue Dog Coalition to Face Post-Election Shake-up

The Blue Dog Coalition of fiscally conservative Democratic House members is likely to face a major upheaval after the election. That?s because the drubbing that Democrats might receive should send some Blue Dogs back home, Roll Call reports. In addition, one of the group?s main founders, Rep. John Tanner of Tennessee, is retiring.
?We don?t know what the leadership positions will be like, because we don?t know the outcome of the election,? says Rep. Jim Cooper, D-Tenn., a senior blue dog who said the group may well lose half of its 54 members in a Republican blowout.
With Tanner out, Rep. Allen Boyd of Florida may be elevated to a leadership role. The blue dogs respect him for his policy and fundraising skills. And he?s close to House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, who consistently has sought good relations with the group. Moderate Democrats formed the coalition after Republicans seized control of Congress in the 1994 elections.

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Readout of the President?s Briefing on Preparations for Tropical Storm Isaac and Call with Governors Bentley, Jindal, Bryant and Mayor Landrieu

 

This afternoon, President Obama was briefed by FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate and National Hurricane Center Director Dr. Rick Knabb on the preparations underway for Tropical Storm Isaac, which the National Hurricane Center has projected could become a Category One hurricane later today. During the briefing, Administrator Fugate provided the President with an update on the resources FEMA has prepositioned along the Gulf Coast to support state and local officials as they prepare and begin to respond. Working with DOD, FEMA has set up Incident Support Bases in Jacksonville, FL and Montgomery, AL to proactively stage supplies closer to areas potentially affected by the severe weather. Additionally, FEMA has deployed response teams to Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, and Mississippi to support state and local officials and to work to make sure there are no unmet needs. The President directed Administrator Fugate to ensure that FEMA was prepared regardless of the ultimate strength and impact of the storm.

 

Following the briefing, the President convened a call with Alabama Governor Robert Bentley, Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal, Mississippi Governor Phil Bryant, and New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu. On the call, the President asked Dr. Knabb and Administrator Fugate to provide the Governors and Mayor an update on the storm’s track as well as on the resources FEMA has to support their teams. The President made clear that he has directed Administrator Fugate to make sure the Governors have the resources they need as the storm approaches, and asked each Governor to identify additional needs if they arise.

 

On the call, the President also informed Governor Jindal that he had approved the Governor’s request for an Emergency Declaration for Louisiana ahead of Tropical Storm Isaac. The declaration builds on resources already deployed by FEMA and makes Federal funding available for certain emergency activities undertaken by the state to prepare for and respond to the storm.

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Tennessee's Herron Joins Dems Eschewing Pelosi Views

Yet another major Democratic congressional candidate is running away from House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. Roy Herron, the Democratic candidate in Tennessee's 8th Congressional District, says he won't vote for her to continue as speaker if he?s elected and Democrats remain in control of the House, Politico reports. Herron says he wouldn?t support House Minority Leader John Boehner for the position, either.
"I think both of them are too extreme," Herron said in a speech, according to the Jackson Sun.
There seems to be a good reason Herron came out against Pelosi. He?s in a close battle with Republican Stephen Fincher for a seat that's important for Democrats to win if they hope to maintain their majority in the House.
Like Herron, who has the endorsement of the National Rifle Association, a number of conservative Democrats have criticized Pelosi in their campaigns.


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Remarks by the President at Campaign Event -- Fort Collins, Colorado

 

Colorado State University

Fort Collins, Colorado

 

4:40 P.M. MDT

 

THE PRESIDENT: Hello, Colorado State! (Applause.) How’s it going, Rams? (Applause.) Ah, it is good to be back in Fort Collins. (Applause.) The last time I was here, back in 2008, it was a spectacular day. (Applause.) It was a little later; it was in the fall, and the leaves were turning, and had a little nip in the air -- and I wanted to stay. (Applause.) But, as usual, they had something else scheduled. (Laughter.) So it is wonderful to be here.

 

AUDIENCE MEMBER: I love you!

 

THE PRESIDENT: I love you back. I’m thrilled to be here. (Applause.) 

 

I’ve got a couple of people I want to acknowledge. First of all, give Haley a big round of applause for the great introduction. (Applause.) One of the finest Governors in the country -- John Hickenlooper. (Applause.) His outstanding Lieutenant Governor -- Joe Garcia. (Applause.) Congressman Jared Polis is here. (Applause.) And the outstanding Secretary of the Interior and your hometown guy, Ken Salazar, is in the house. (Applause.) 

 

So class is back in session. The Rocky Mountain Showdown is this Saturday. (Applause.) And like Haley said in her introduction, we are giving the Rams and the Buffs a second chance to go at it this fall. We’ve set up a Rocky Mountain rumble to see which school can register more voters. (Applause.) And you guys can get a head start by registering right here, right now. 

 

We’ve got volunteers all throughout the audience. Volunteers, raise your hands -- there. (Applause.) They’ve got their clipboards ready. They are ready to go. If you are not registered, get registered. If for some reason these outstanding volunteers miss you somehow, then you can also register online at GottaRegister.com. Now, I understand this -- excuse me, English professors, but this is “GottaRegister”; this is g-o-t-t-a-register. This is not “gottoregister” -- “GottaRegister”.

 

And we need you guys to get your friends and your classmates and your neighbors to do it as well because this is important. (Applause.)

 

Look, just over two months from now -- 70 days -- for the first time in many of your lives, you’ll get to pick a President. (Applause.) Now, the truth is you guys have more at stake in this election than anybody. When you step into that voting booth, the choice you make in that instant will shape this country, the world, your lives for decades to come. And I know that’s kind of a heavy idea to lay on you on a Tuesday afternoon. (Laughter.) But it’s true. The decisions that we make as a country on the economy, and jobs, and taxes, and education, and energy, and war, and climate change, and the Supreme Court -- these are all decisions that will affect you directly in very personal ways.

 

And I feel that same sense of urgency because the decisions I make are ones that are going to affect Malia and Sasha, my daughters, for generations to come. (Applause.) And this is the way it’s always been. One generation may make decisions, but they’re making them not just on behalf of that generation; they’re making them on behalf of future generations. And the thing is, Colorado State, your generation can choose the path we take this country on. Your vote will decide where we go from here. 

 

And so as you prepare for November, you’ve got to ask yourself some questions: Are we going to make sure that good jobs and opportunities take root not in China or India or Germany, but here in Colorado and all across America so you don’t have to leave home to find a good job? (Applause.) Will we reward an honest day’s work, so that people have a chance to buy a home of their own, and you’ll have health care that will be there for you when you get sick, and you’ll have the chance to put a little bit of money away for retirement and take a vacation once in a while, and most importantly, be able to give your children a life that’s even bigger and better than yours? (Applause.) 

 

Will this country make it easier for future generations to afford a degree, pay off student loans? (Applause.) Are we going to build more good schools and hire more good teachers, so that more kids are prepared to attend colleges like Colorado State? (Applause.) Will this country be one that keeps moving away from foreign oil and towards renewable sources like wind and solar and biofuels that make our economy and planet more secure? (Applause.) Are we going to be a country that leads not just with the strength of our military, but also the power of our diplomacy and the power of our example? (Applause.) 

 

Will this be an America where, no matter what you look like, no matter where you come from, no matter who you love, no matter what your last name is, you can pursue your own happiness; you can make it if you try? (Applause.) 

 

That’s what the last four years have been about, Fort Collins. That’s what this campaign is all about, and that’s why I’m running for a second term as President of the United States of America. (Applause.) 

 

I know that it’s sometimes easy to get a little cynical about politics. (Laughter.) Campaigns seem meaner and smaller, and Washington seems more gridlocked than ever. Every day there’s this steady stream of ads, and it’s a diet of cynicism -- telling you change is impossible; you can’t make a difference; you won’t be able to close the gap between life as it is and the life that we imagined for each other. 

 

And, frankly, some on the other side, they make this a political strategy. They tell you over and over again how bad things are and, of course, how it’s Obama’s fault. (Laughter.) And they tell you that if you believed in change four years ago, your faith was misplaced, you’re naive. Last week, my opponent’s campaign called you the “lost generation.” 

 

AUDIENCE: Booo --

 

THE PRESIDENT: And they hope that by telling you these things that you’ll get discouraged, and that you’ll stay home this time, because they know that young people came out in record numbers four years ago. (Applause.) 

 

Well, I’m here to tell you, don’t listen to the cynics. Don’t listen to the naysayers. Four years ago, we understood that solving our biggest challenges was going to take longer than one year or one term or even one President. But we went ahead and we got started anyway. And we may have a lot of work to do, but we know the path we’re traveling. We know where we need to get going, and we know we’re going to get there. (Applause.) 

 

We understand that this country is moving forward, and I’m confident we’re going to get there because I believe in you. I believe in the American people. (Applause.) I believe that as tough as times are, the American people are tougher. (Applause.) 

 

I believe this generation is full of passion and full of service. (Applause.) I’ve seen your generation eager to make a difference, whether it’s in a homeless shelter or working on an environmental project. And you’ve already proved that you can do it. You’ve proved it -- you proved it four years ago. 

 

Four years ago, you believed that we could put a college education within the reach of everybody who was willing to work for it. (Applause.) And because of that faith, we were able to create a college tax credit that’s saving families up to $10,000 for college tuition over the course of four years. (Applause.) We fixed the student loan system that was giving billions of dollars of taxpayer money to banks. We said let's give it directly to students. And we were able to double grant aid for millions of students. (Applause.) 

 

When some on Capitol Hill were ready to let federal student loan rates double for 7 million students, we said no. And you helped us, and we beat that back. (Applause.) That would not have happened in Washington without you. That's what your vote accomplished. You helped millions of young people, maybe including yourself, earn a college education. You made that happen. (Applause.)

 

You believed we could use less foreign oil and reduce the carbon pollution that threatens our planet. And in just four years, we have doubled the generation of clean, renewable energy like wind and solar. We developed new fuel standards for our cars so that cars are going to get 55 miles a gallon next decade. (Applause.) That will save you money at the pump. It will reduce greenhouse gas emissions by a level roughly equivalent to a year’s worth of carbon emissions from all the cars in the world put together. (Applause.) 

 

Today, America is less dependent on foreign oil than any time in the last 20 years. (Applause.) We're on track to emit fewer greenhouse gases this year than we have in nearly 20 years. You can keep those trends going. That all happened because of you. 

 

You believed that in America, nobody should go broke just because they get sick. (Applause.) And today, because of Obamacare -- and, yes, I do care. (Applause.) That's why we passed the law. Nearly 7 million young people have health insurance because they're able to stay on their parent's plans. (Applause.) Your grandparents are saving money on their prescription drugs. Women have gained access to free preventive care like mammograms and contraception. (Applause.) Your vote made that happen. You made that change. (Applause.) 

 

It was young people like you who said we can end this war in Iraq. And today the war is over. (Applause.) More troops are at home with their families. They're earning their education through the Post-9/11 GI Bill. They're out there starting new businesses. And nobody will ever again have to hide who they love in order to serve the country that they love, because we ended "don't ask, don't tell" once and for all. (Applause.) You made that change. You made that happen. Your voice made a difference.

 

AUDIENCE MEMBER: You did!

 

AUDIENCE MEMBER: With your help!

 

THE PRESIDENT: I helped a little bit. (Applause.) But this change was because you put in the effort. You put in the time. You had confidence in America's future. 

 

So now we've got more work to do -- to grow this economy, to create more good jobs, to strengthen the middle class. And in November, your voice is going to matter more than ever before. Because this week in Tampa, my opponents will offer you their agenda.

 

AUDIENCE: Booo --

 

THE PRESIDENT: Don't boo; vote. (Applause.) That's the best response. Vote. And get some of your friends to vote. (Applause.) 

 

Now, look, the show in Tampa I'm sure will be very entertaining. And I’m sure they’ll have wonderful things to say about me. (Laughter.) It will be well-produced; they've hired all kinds of fancy TV producers. The only problem is it won't offer a path forward.

 

They’ve got an economic plan that says if you just give big tax cuts -- $5 trillion worth -- mostly to wealthy folks -- so that $3 million -- somebody who makes $3 million a year would get another $250,000 in additional tax cuts --

 

AUDIENCE: Booo --

 

THE PRESIDENT: -- that somehow prosperity will rain down on everybody else. And some of you are a little young to remember this, but we tried this for a decade; it didn’t work. It didn’t work then, it won't work now. (Applause.) I don’t want to pay for another millionaire’s tax cut by raising taxes on middle-class families, and I sure don't want to pay for a tax cut for folks like me who don't need it -- or folks like Governor Romney who needs it even less -- (laughter) -- by cutting financial aid for 10 million students. Our economic strength doesn’t come from the top down; it comes from students and workers. It comes from small business people and middle-class families who are out there striving and hustling. Because when they do well, everybody does well. When they've got money to spend, businesses have customers. And then they hire more workers. And then those workers have more money to spend. And everybody does well. 

 

That's how you grow an economy -- from the middle out, from the bottom up. That's what I'm fighting for. That's why I'm running for a second term for President. (Applause.)

 

AUDIENCE: Four more years! Four more years! Four more years! 

 

THE PRESIDENT: So in just two months, you're going to choose the path we take. And I want everybody -- when you're talking to friends and neighbors, just explain to them what's ast stake. Tell them you can choose whether we give massive new tax cuts to folks who've already made it, or do we keep taxes low for Americans who are still trying to make it. I've cut taxes for middle-class families, and for small businesses, and for students -- and I want to make sure that taxes are not raised a single dime on the first $250,000 a year income -- which, by the way, means 98 percent of families and 97 percent of small businesses would not see a tax increase. (Applause.) 

 

That's a choice in this election. Because we're going to have to close the deficit, and the question is are we going to do it Mr. Romney's way, or are we going to do it in a balanced way that says, yes, we cut spending we don't need, but we also ask everybody to do their fair share. (Applause.) 

 

We can choose whether we give up new jobs and new industries to other countries, or whether we fight for those jobs in states like Colorado and Iowa and Ohio -- by investing in the research of our scientists, investing in the skills of our workers and our students, in the innovation that harnesses new sources of energy, that brings about the next generation of manufacturing in places like Fort Collins. (Applause.) That's what's at stake. 

 

You can make a decision as to whether we're going to keep college affordable. You know, Governor Romney has a suggestion in terms of you affording college -- he says, borrow money from your parents. (Laughter.) Now, my suspicion is if your parents got it, they've already given it to you. (Laughter.)

 

But I don't think that's the path we should be taking. I think we've got to make sure that we help every single American earn the kind of education you're earning right here at Colorado State. Let’s help more Americans go to community colleges to get the skills and training that employers are looking for right now. (Applause.) 

 

 See, maybe my opponent doesn’t understand, but I do. Because Michelle and I, we just finished paying off our student loans about eight years ago. We know what it’s like. (Applause.) We shouldn’t be making it harder. We should be making it easier. We shouldn’t end the college tax credit that we created; we should be expanding it. In America, a higher education cannot be a luxury -- it’s an economic necessity that every family and every young person in America should be able to afford. That’s what’s at stake in this election. (Applause.)

 

If your friends or neighbors are concerned about energy, you tell them, do we want an energy plan written by and for big oil companies?

 

AUDIENCE: No!

 

THE PRESIDENT: Or do we want an all-of-the-above energy strategy for America -- (applause) -- renewable sources of energy. Governor Romney calls them “imaginary.” Congressman Ryan calls them a “fad.” I think they’re the future. I think they’re worth fighting for. (Applause.)

 

This university gets 10 percent of its power -- soon to be 30 percent -- from solar energy. (Applause.) About 10,000 good Colorado jobs depend on wind and solar industries. It is time to stop giving $4 billion a year in taxpayer corporate welfare to oil companies that are making money every time you fill up with a tank of gas. And let’s invest that money in homegrown energy that has never been more promising. That’s the future, and in America we seize the future. (Applause.) It’s good for jobs, it’s good for our economy, and it’s good for the planet, too. That’s what’s at stake in this election. (Applause.)

 

Ask your friends, ask your neighbors: Should we go back to a health insurance system that lets insurance companies decide who and when they want to cover?

 

AUDIENCE: No!

 

THE PRESIDENT: So if you’ve got a preexisting condition you’re out of luck. Or should we keep moving forward with the new health care law that’s already cutting costs and covering more people and saving lives? (Applause.) (Sneezes.)

 

AUDIENCE: Bless you!

 

THE PRESIDENT: Thank you. See, it gives me a cold just thinking about what they might do. (Laughter.) 

 

Governor Romney, he’s promised that somewhere in between his first day and, I don’t know, the next day, he’s going to sit down and grab a pen, and he’s going to eliminate Obamacare. 

 

AUDIENCE: Booo -- 

 

THE PRESIDENT: This is what’s called the “Romney Doesn’t Care” plan. (Laughter.) Kick 7 million young people off their parent’s plan. Raise prescription drug costs for seniors. Tell folks with prescription -- or with preexisting conditions, you’re out of luck again. I

 

AUDIENCE: No!

 

THE PRESIDENT: I do care. And I think that all of us care, because all of us at some point in our lives might need to get health care and we might not always be able to afford it, no matter how well we’ve planned, no matter how well we think we’ve insured ourselves. And when that happens, I want to make sure we live in a country where every single person knows that they can get the care they need and they’re not going to have to lose their home or lose their savings because of it.

 

We don’t need to refight the battles of the past. The Supreme Court has spoken. We’re moving forward. If somebody wants to help to improve our health care system I’ll work with them, but I’m not going to leave millions of Americans out in the cold. That’s what we’re fighting for. That’s what’s at stake in this election. (Applause.)

 

On issue after issue, these guys seem to just want to go backwards. Sometimes they want to go back 10 years, sometimes 20, sometimes 50, sometimes 100. This isn’t the time to refight battles that we’ve already settled. In November you can say that in this century, women should be trusted to make their own health care decisions. (Applause.)

 

At a time when one of the biggest assets we have is the diversity of our talent and our ingenuity, it doesn’t make sense for us to tell young people who have grown up in America, who have pledged allegiance to the flag, who have understood themselves to be Americans, who want to serve in our military or attend our universities, that somehow because their parents were undocumented, they should be sent back to countries they’ve never even heard of. That’s not who we are as a people. (Applause.)

 

We’re not going to go back and reinstate “don’t ask, don’t tell” like these other folks are talking about. (Applause.) We’re moving forward. We don’t need to rewrite our Constitution to somehow say that people who love each other and aren’t bothering anybody else, that somehow they cannot get married. (Applause.)

 

That’s not who we are. We go forward. We don’t go backwards. We don’t -- the history of this country has not been to see if we can exclude more people. The history of our country has been to gather everyone together. If you’re willing to work hard, if you’re willing to act responsibly, if you believe in that American creed, then you’re welcome. We’re part of a family. (Applause.) And we don’t believe in sending people to the sidelines. We believe that the strength of our country, the character of this nation comes from hearing every voice, from harnessing every talent, from realizing that in America we are greater together than we are on our own. And this November, you get to decide whether that remains true. 

 

And it’s not just about this country. When we think about internationally, America remains the one indispensible nation. Issues of war and peace are ones where we’ve always got to be at the forefront. And so you get to decide the future of the war in Afghanistan. Governor Romney says that me ending the war was “tragic.” 

 

AUDIENCE: Booo -- 

 

THE PRESIDENT: He’s criticized me for bring 33,000 troops home from Afghanistan next month. (Applause.) Now, look, I take a backseat to no one when it comes to our national security, but I believe in making sure that we act smartly in how we deal with our national security. I said we’d end the war in Iraq -- we did. (Applause.) I said we’d go after al Qaeda and bin Laden, and we did. (Applause.) 

 

By bringing our troops home from Iraq, by bringing our troops home from Afghanistan, we’re going to be able to start doing some nation-building here at home, and that's part of our national security. And by the way, as long as I’m Commander-in-Chief, those veterans who served us, we’re going to have to serve them just as well as they served us -- (applause) -- because nobody who fought for America should have to fight for a job or a roof over their heads when they come home. (Applause.) 

 

That's what we’re fighting for. That's the choice in this election.

 

I want to thank Colorado State for being so good to our troops, so good to our veterans, helping them earn the opportunity that they have helped defend.

 

And here’s the bottom line, Colorado, if the other side has its way, and they pass this $5 trillion tax cut that's targeted towards the wealthiest Americans, it won’t create jobs. It won’t cut the deficit. Ignoring inequality doesn't make it go away. Denying climate change doesn't make it stop. These things don't make our future brighter. They won’t make your future stronger. And so the ultimate question is, will you choose the path that actually leads to a better future? 

 

You have a chance to prove the cynics wrong one more time. And over the next two months, the other side is going to spend more money than we’ve ever seen before. They will throw everything they’ve got, and the kitchen sink. They’ll just make stuff up if they have to -- they're doing it already. (Laughter.) 

 

And they will send an avalanche of attack ads and insults. They will try to distract you, and sometimes -- how do I put this nicely -- they will just fib. (Laughter.) And it’s backed by $10 million checks. I mean, they’ve got wealthy donors who like things just the way they are. They're counting on young people to accept their version of the status quo, to accept their version of the way things ought to be, to leave the questions that affect your lives up to big oil and insurance companies, and a bunch of men in Congress. 

 

That's what they're counting on, and so -- so I just want all of you to understand your power. Don't give it away, not when you're young. If you're going to get cynical, wait till you get older. (Laughter.) Wait till you have a few bumps and bruises. But right now, America is counting on you. And I’m counting on you. 

 

Those who oppose change -- those who benefit from an unjust status quo, they’ve always bet on your cynicism and complacency. But throughout American history, they have lost that bet. They're going to lose that bet this time because of you. (Applause.) 

 

Because we’ve got a lot more work to do. You’re going to have to register to vote. You’re going to have to get your friends registered to vote. You’re going to have to drag your friends to the polls. You’re going to have to refuse to wait for the next person to do it, because somebody is waiting on you. They're waiting on you to bring about this change. They're waiting for you to lead. 

 

Sometimes your parents may be waiting you. Back in 2008, part of the way we ended up winning was because we had a whole bunch of young people telling their parents, you got to get on board. It’s time for change. (Applause.)

 

Yes, we can. Fired up. Ready to go. And I’m still fired up, and I’m still ready to go because we’ve got more work to do. We’ve got more jobs to create. We’ve got more schools to build. We’ve got more teachers to hire. We’ve got more young people to send to college. We’ve got more troops to bring home. We’ve got more renewable energy to generate. (Applause.) We’ve got more doors of opportunity to open to everybody who is willing to work hard and walk through them. (Applause.) 

 

That's what’s at stake in this election. And that's what’s at stake right here in Colorado because if we win Colorado, we will win this election. (Applause.) If we win Fort Collins, we will win this election. (Applause.) We win Fort Collins, and we’ll finish what we started, and we will remind the world just why it is that the United States of America is the greatest nation on Earth. 

 

God bless you and God bless the United States of America. (Applause.) 

 

END

5:12 P.M. MDT

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